Refurb Projects March 2018

REFURB PROJECTS - THE JOURNAL OF REPAIR, MAINTENANCE AND RETROFIT MARCH 2018 

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A T h e r m O z o n e P r o d u c t

Contents 

Vol. 29 No. 189 March 2018 

Special Features 

5 - 9 

Glass & Glazing 

This month we bring you installations from Ballyseede Castle in 

Ireland, Leicester Square and Smithfields in London, and an 

innovative new app which promises to help you visualize your 

next project. 

13 - 17 

Health & Safety 

Adrian Keats from Honeywell examines what 2018 has in store 

for landlords. 

Preventing breaches in fire safety and assessing the risks. 

and more. 

18 - 19 

Social Housing 

Two modernisation projects from Salford, and this year’s 

‘Project of the Year’ at the 2018 Building Communities Award. 

20 - 23 

Building Services 

Oscar Peralta from National Flooring Equipment explores when 

to replace or repair flooring. 

Cover Feature 

J S Wright secures a contract to fit out one of 

Birmingham’s tallest residential buildings. 

The company will design and install all mechanical services 

including boosted cold and hot water supplied by electric water 

heaters, heat recovery ventilation systems, sprinkers. drainage 

and management control systms. 

Full Story on Page: 20 

ISO Chemie develops an expanding foam sealing tape which 

could change affordable housing. 

and more. 

30 - 46 

Projects 

Exploring the world-class thinking behind the tallest timber building 

in the world. 

Moving 21 historic buildings in the northernmost town in Sweden 

to a ‘new’ location. 

Publisher/ Editor 

Carole Titmuss 

Editorial Assistant 

Sue Watson 

This journal includes editorial photographs 

provided and paid for by suppliers. 

Refurbishment Projects incorporating 

Refurbishment Products is published by 

Scotland’s Edinburgh Marina undergoes a major refurbishment, and 

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) unveil ambitious investment 

plans. 

and many more. 

Advertising / Marketing 

Lesley Porter 

Subscriptions 

Kay Knight 

Design / Graphics 

Ian Purves 

James Kennett 

Jonathan Milburn 

Sheen Publishing Ltd 

50 Queens Road, 

Buckhurst Hill, 

Essex, IG9 5DD, UK 

Tel: 020 8504 1661 

Fax: 020 8505 4336 

Email: editor@refurbprojects.com 

Twitter: @RefurbProjects 

www.refurbprojects.com 

10 - 11 

Bathrooms 

Also in this edition 

12 

Retrofit 

24 - 25 

Heating & Ventilation 

26 

Insulation 

Refurb Projects is available on subscription. 

Annual rate: UK £28. Europe: £36 Overseas: £40. 

Single Copies: UK: £5 Overseas: £10 

ISSN 1475-1135 

Printed by Manson Group 

27 - 29 

Cladding 

47 

Coatings 

48 - 49 

Products & Services 

reFURB PROJECTS / MARCH 2018 3

NEWS 

Welcome to the next generation 

of VRF 

Grundfos Ecademy goes industrial 

Saving energy as well as CO2 have 

become increasingly important 

targets for many companies. It will 

come as a pleasant surprise to 

realise that there are occasions when 

it is possible to achieve these 

ambitions and pumps are often a 

major contributor, as they provide 

the potential to deliver major 

savings on both fronts. 

So how can you achieve this? 

Well at Grundfos Pumps, we offer a 

range of diagnostic tools including 

an Energy Check that will help to 

establish the current pump system 

performance. This is exactly what 

we found out when we recently 

worked with a range of clients to 

Mitsubishi Electric is once again 

exhibiting at the Data Centre World 

exhibition on the 21st and 22nd 

March at the London Excel, 

promoting its advanced range of IT 

Cooling products and solutions. 

“This exhibition attracts over 

20,000 visitors and gives us an ideal 

opportunity to promote the 

extensive range of products and 

solutions we can offer to a wide 

variety of IT cooling applications,” 

see how we could help them. This 

included a brewery where we 

delivered an energy saving of 75% 

simply by identifying and changing 

key pumps; a chassis manufacturer 

that benefitted from a pump 

upgrade and saved 51%, while a 

power plant saw a saving of 50% 

from taking Grundfos’ advice. 

This means that regardless of if 

the priority is cost reduction, CO2 

savings, ROI, a water usage 

reduction or just simply to get 

advice on your current installations, 

Grundfos have the tools, expertise 

and integrity to help you to achieve 

your ambitions. 

www.grundfos.co.uk 

Advanced IT Cooling solutions on 

show at Excel 

explains Graham Temple, Marketing 

Manager for the company’s range of 

IT Cooling solutions. 

The company will be exhibiting a 

full range of solutions on Stand 

D620 including the modular, e- 

Series Chillers; the X-Type close 

control unit; and the i-Next Inverter 

driven scroll compressor system. 

Anyone wishing to register for 

the exhibition should visit: 

www.datacentreworld.com 

Mitsubishi Electric has launched 

the next generation of VRF (Variable 

Refrigerant Flow) air conditioning 

with the new City Multi YNW to 

offer the market a system that 

delivers ultra-quiet noise levels, an 

increased performance and a reduced 

footprint. 

“The new City Multi YNW models 

deliver the lowest installation costs, 

the lowest running costs and the 

lowest CO2 emissions currently 

available in a VRF system,” explains 

Jordan Jeewood, product specialist 

for the company’s City Multi range 

The YNW outdoor units include a 

unique new, 4-sided heat exchanger 

which maximises the space available 

for plant by reducing the area 

required for air conditioning 

modules. Improved compressor and 

fan design also help to reduce sound 

power, making the YNW one of the 

quietest VRF systems available on the 

market. 

“We’ve looked at how to improve 

the system in almost every area and 

this means improvements across the 

board,” explains Jeewood. “In the 

case of our most popular 34kW 

model for example we see a 19 per 

cent increase in seasonal efficiency, 

making compliance 

with energy 

legislation easier to 

achieve.” 

Air source VRF 

systems are one of 

the most popular 

and widely used air 

conditioning systems 

in commercial 

buildings. However, 

our town and city 

centres are 

becoming more 

densely populated 

and we see an 

increase in multi-use 

buildings with 

office, retail and 

leisure spaces in 

close proximity to 

both residential and 

hotel 

accommodation. 

Noise and plant space has 

therefore become a key issue and the 

City Multi YNW has been designed to 

address these challenges whilst 

meeting energy efficiency legislation. 

The City Multi YNW also offers 

incremental capacity steps which 

give increased flexibility in noise 

output control. This flexibility is 

further enhanced with multiple 

external static pressure settings, 

extended up to 80Pa which will help 

with long or narrow ducting 

requirements. 

“We have increased the amount 

of cooling capacity that can be 

delivered per square metre of plant 

by 28 per cent thanks to the 

advanced wrap around heat 

exchanger,” adds Jeewood. “This 

means less space is needed for 

outdoor modules and greater 

flexibility in where they can be 

located.” 

These new models are available in 

capacities from 22kW to 150kW to 

offer some of the highest levels of 

efficiency coupled with smaller 

footprints, reduced noise levels and 

increased design options. 

City Multi’s unique heat recovery 

two-pipe option also allows for 

phased installation, meaning that the 

cooling and heating system can be 

installed around a project build, with 

individual sections commissioned as 

required. 

Up to 50 indoor units are 

connectable to the larger outdoor 

unit models and a complete new 

range of Branch Controller (BC) 

boxes is now available with 

reduction in height, a removable 

drain pan and a reduced refrigerant 

charge. 

A completely new piping layout 

for the Branch Controllers (BC) boxes 

also increases the options for 

designers and installers and can help 

reduce installation time and make 

maintenance regimes easier. 

“Today’s installers and building 

operators face tough challenges set 

by planners and designers and the 

City Multi YNW is designed to deliver 

the most energy efficient solutions 

whilst providing the most 

comfortable environment,” ends 

Jeewood. 

For further details visit 

www.nextgenerationvrf.co.uk 

4 MARCH 2018, REFURBISHMENT PROJECTS

More for less 

Janisol Arte 2.0, the new version of Schueco Jansen’s steel renovation window, 

delivers in three key areas: appearance, performance and affordability. 

Still retaining elegantly retro looks, the window is now available in both high-grade 

austenitic 1.4401 stainless steel and Corten steel, with laser-welded profiles for 

wider mullion spans. Add in more profiles, improved insulation, increased corrosion 

resistance and a new lower cost and Janisol 2.0 is an unbeatable proposition. 

www.schueco.co.uk

GLASS & GLAZING 

Brett Martin brings daylight and a 

touch of class to Castle Orangery 

For a new orangery at the 

majestic Ballyseede Castle 

Hotel in Southern Ireland, 

Brett Martin Daylight Systems 

has supplied a comprehensive 

Ritchlight skylights package helping 

to create a light, bright environment 

for guests and staff whilst at the 

same time blending beautifully with 

the character of this stately, listed 

building. 

In the heart of the Ring of Kerry 

near Tralee, Ballyseede Castle dates 

back to the 16th century but was 

transformed into one of Ireland’s 

most luxurious hotels in the 1960s. 

As part of a new extension, which 

includes an orangery, entrance lobby, 

toilets and ancillary service areas, 

Brett Martin Daylight Systems was 

called upon to provide an 

aesthetically pleasing daylight 

solution for the orangery, 

comprising a Ritchlight Ultra 

skylight system, glazed in toughened 

glass. 

Working with specialist 

contractor D & R Daylight Services 

Ltd, the skylights package featured 

four Brett Martin Ritchlight Ultra 

skylights in a hip-ended format and 

in sizes ranging from the smallest at 

3.5m x 1.5m, to the largest at 5.6m 

x 4.2m. Manufactured with an 

alumunium frame and powdercoated 

in a light ivory colour to meet the 

client’s requirements, the fully 

thermally broken skylight system 

was fabricated and precisionengineered 

at Brett Martin’s factory 

in Coventry, before being assembled 

and installed on site by the specialist 

contractor. 

Commenting on the installation 

of the skylight system, Larry Scott of 

D & R Daylight Services Ltd said: 

“The Ritchlight system is a fantastic 

system and a lot like a giant 

Meccano unit when it comes to 

assembly – it’s quick, reliable and 

easy, ensuring the project remained 

on track for completion.” 

Ritchlight Ultra is a popular and 

highly adaptable glazing system, 

providing specifiers with a versatile 

way to create architecturally 

stunning pitched skylights in a 

variety of sizes, frame colours and 

glazing options. The unique thermal 

break splits the internal and 

external components to prevent 

thermal bridging, and results in a 

skylight system that’s exceptional at 

keeping heat in as well as bringing 

in natural light. This improved 

insulation means minimal 

condensation too. 

Each precision-engineered 

Ritchlight Ultra system is custombuilt 

to client’s specific 

requirements. With a span up to 5 

metres (or more with a subframe) 

and any run length, the possibilities 

are limitless. Ritchlight Ultra 

skylights are widely specified for 

schools, public buildings, retail 

developments and homes both newbuild 

and refurbishment – ideal for 

flat roofs and ridge glazing, and 

perfect for creating covered 

courtyards. Once installed, Ritchlight 

Ultra skylights combine spectacular 

aesthetics with outstanding weather 

resistance, durability, reliability and 

the reassurance of a 20-year 

warranty. 

Brett Martin not only designs a 

wide range of systems to deliver 

optimum performance, durability, 

safety and regulation standards – it 

also provides superior technical 

support, detailed installation 

instructions and maintenance 

guidelines to ensure systems perform 

as promised, and work alongside all 

other roofing elements. 

With the specification and 

installation of the Ritchlight Ultra 

skylight system optimising natural 

daylight in this stunning new 

addition to Ballyseede Castle Hotel, 

Brett Martin has played its part in 

the creation of an aesthetically 

pleasing, daylight-filled orangery 

which will no doubt provide another 

century of history. 

www.brettmartin.com 


Crittall enhances 

West End 

hotel luxury 


Central London’s newest 

luxury boutique hotel offers 

guests a sleek, contemporary 

interior enhanced by the 

installation of Crittall screens and 

doors. 

The Radisson Blu Edwardian 

Hampshire Hotel occupies a soughtafter 

position overlooking the hectic 

bustle of Leicester Square. The fivestar, 

127-bedroom building features 

bespoke Crittall steel products, 

designed and supplied by Lightfoot 

Windows (Kent) Ltd., to delineate 

the various public areas within the 

ground floor. 

Guests can now relax in the 

partitioned zones where they can 

enjoy sumptuous food, traditional 

afternoon tea or signature cocktails. 

The screens and doors are 

constructed from W20 doubleglazed, 

polyester powder coated 

components. The inherent strength 

of the steel makes possible the 

slimmest of frames and glazing 

beads to ensure the maximum 

amount of light enters the interior 

spaces. 

The installation also includes a 

cold form door from the Jansen ECO 

50 range supplied by Crittall 

Fabrications Ltd. In addition to the 

lobby and ground floor interior 

Lightfoot has also installed screens 

and doors in the hotel’s exclusive 

penthouse suites. 

The dark powder-coated hue of 

the screens was selected to blend 

harmoniously with the various tones 

of timber, exposed brickwork, aged 

leather and vintage metal that 

dignify the appearance of the 

newly-refurbished hotel’s interior 

spaces. 

Lightfoot Windows (Kent) Ltd, a 

family run firm established in 1935, 

is the largest approved distributor 

and installer of Crittall steel 

windows in the UK. The company 

prides itself on the comprehensive 

service including consultations, 

design brief meetings, site visits and 

surveys, undertaken to ensure that 

all client requirements are met fully. 

www.crittall-windows.co.uk 

REFURBISHMENT PROJECTS, MARCH 2018 7


Aluglaze Panels an ideal choice 

for facade of emergency homes 

Sheffield based Panel Systems, 

developer QED Sustainable 

Urban Developments and 

offsite manufacturer 

CargoTek, have worked together to 

alleviate the level of homelessness in 

Ealing, with homes built from 

former shipping containers that 

feature attractive facades 

manufactured from Aluglaze panels. 

The development of 60 units, 

known as Meath Court, Hope 

Gardens, provides safe, comfortable 

accommodation for nearly 290 

people in Ealing. The joint project 

between QED and the local council 

is the latest step to address the need 

for emergency housing in the 

capital. 

Ealing Council has 2242 

households residing in temporary 

accommodation and a steady decline 

in the availability of suitable 

options. Hope Gardens was 

previously an underused brownfield 

site which has been identified for 

long term redevelopment post 2024. 

QED has invested £4.3 million in the 

construction of Meath Court, whilst 

Ealing Council covers the rent costs. 

The units were built offsite by 

CargoTek, the specialist 

subcontractor of shipping container 

buildings, to meet a strict deadline. 

As well as the temporary homes, 

Meath Court also includes a 

communal space, onsite 

management office, laundry and 

refuse storage. All aspects of the 

development were constructed in 24 

weeks. 

Specified by QED, Panel Systems 

supplied 144 Aluglaze panels with 

externally projecting trays. The 

manufacturer fabricated the panels 

with a high performance insulation 

core to achieve a 0.35 W/m2K U 

Value. 

The Aluglaze panels were 

supplied in five main colours, each 

of which was specified in various 

shades including three tones of 

green, blue and red and two tones 

of orange and yellow. Each block 

features one colour in the varying 

shades, achieving a dark to light 

rainbow effect. 

Ross Gilbert, Managing Director 

of QED Sustainable Urban 

Developments said: “We originally 

looked at using opaque coloured 

glass to achieve the rainbow effect, 

however these would not provide 

the U Values required to ensure the 

homes were energy efficient. The 

extensive range of Aluglaze colours 

and finishes, along with Panel 

System’s fabricating capabilities, 

meant we were not only given a 

better choice of shades and a more 

premium finish, but the panels also 

provide better insulation and energy 

efficiency.” 

He adds: “Panel Systems ticked 

all of the boxes for us. The company 

went out of their way to ensure that 

the panels reached us within a tight 

timeframe. The company’s excellent 

machining facilities also meant each 

panel was delivered cut to shape, 

rebated and ready to install.” 

A spokesperson for Panel Systems 

said: “Aluglaze panels are popular 

for use on a number of applications, 

but we haven’t seen them specified 

for anything quite as unique as the 

Meath Court development. However, 

there is demand from offsite 

manufacturers for insulated panels 

and we expect to see specification 

of the material rise within this 

sector. Aluglaze panels are an ideal 

choice for the units at Meath Court 

as the powder coated surface can 

withstand harsh exterior elements, 

such as UV light and wind driven 

rain. This means the vibrant rainbow 

façade will retain its aesthetics for 

many years to come.” 

Aluglaze is an insulated glazing 

infill panel comprising polyester 

coated aluminium bonded to a high 

performance insulation core and 

then balanced with either steel or 

aluminium. The premium quality 

panel is typically specified when 

aesthetic considerations are 

paramount. 

The panels are vacuum bonded 

using the latest adhesive technology 

ensuring they match the life span of 

its intended application. Aluglaze 

panels are available in a wide choice 

of colours and designs, including 

matt and gloss shades which all 

enhance a building’s aesthetic 

appeal. 

A leading manufacturer of 

architectural, decorative and 

composite panels, Panel Systems 

offers a full range of architectural 

panel solutions which utilise a range 

of facing materials including 

aluminium, steel, GRP and high 

pressure laminates. With its own 

CAD service and extensive CNC 

machining capabilities, Panel 

Systems can also offer bespoke 

shapes and engraved options. 

For more information visit 

www.panelsystems.co.uk, 

call Panel Systems direct on: 

01142 752881 or for pricing 

enquiries email 

sales@panelsystems.co.uk. 

8 APRIL 2018, REFURBISHMENT PROJECTS

VELUX ® launches MyDaylight 

– the world’s first virtual reality 

app for renovation design 

The app enables homeowners to design their own room, visualising the 

real effect of daylight, with 3600 view and virtual reality options. 

MyDaylight is a powerful new app 

by VELUX that enables homeowners 

to design their own room or 

renovation project by easily selecting 

parameters such as floor dimensions, 

roof height and ceiling pitch. They can 

then customise further by adding 

windows, floor and wall finishes, the 

room’s location, and more. After 

approximately ten minutes, they 

receive a digital simulation which can 

be viewed in 3600 or virtual reality, 

and gives a life-like recreation of the 

room and the changing effects of 

daylight inside. 

The app bridges a gap, leading 

homeowners from imagination to 

implementation: “Many people who 

are looking to reshape their home find 

it difficult moving from imagination to 

concrete proposals. The app brings 

homeowners one step closer to the 

home they have envisioned, as the 

3600 and virtual reality visualisations 

make it both tangible and achievable,” 

says Grant Sneddon, Daylight Expert, 

VELUX. 

FUELING THE HOME RENOVATION 

MARKET DIGITALLY 

The do-it-yourself market is 

booming, with Europeans spending as 

much as EUR 377 billion on home 

improvement in 2016 [European Home 

Improvement Monitor, 2016]. 

Meanwhile, the building industry is 

becoming ever more digital, and with 

MyDaylight, VELUX is empowering 

homeowners with a groundbreaking 

digital tool to inform their home 

investment decisions. 

Sneddon continues: “As the market 

for home improvement is growing and 

our customers are getting more digital, 

we see a clear business potential in 

launching an app, which for the first 

time will enable homeowners to see 

just how much daylight can change a 

home, adding value and ensuring that 

the renovation pays off. We anticipate 

it will boost sales revenue throughout 

2018 and beyond thanks to new 

renovation projects triggered by use of 

the app.” 

Private capital available for 

renovation projects across Europe 

reaches a staggering EUR 30 trillion 

[Copenhagen Economics, Healthy 

Homes Barometer 2017], and providing 

homeowners with the best possible 

information is key to unlocking this 

potential. 

THE FUTURE IS DIGITAL 

The app is a unique opportunity for 

homeowners to experiment with 

different renovation options, and a 

mobile application means the service is 

available anywhere, anytime – thereby 

meeting the growing consumer trend 

for online customisation, browsing and 

shopping. 

“The search for inspiration is truly 

moving into the online space. With 

this app we meet our customers where 

they are. Homeowners can investigate 

different renovation ideas wherever 

they are - on the bus, the train or at 

home,” says Sneddon. 

WORLD FIRST USING CLOUD AND 

VIRTUAL REALITY TECHNOLOGY IN A 

HOME RENOVATION APP 

For the first time ever, homeowners 

have the benefit of the most cuttingedge 

technology in order to experience 

daylight in an environment matching 

the specific characteristics of their own 

home. 

“We are using advanced new 

technology, which no company has 

ever deployed before, to provide an 

immersive feeling of light and space. 

You can customise your own room in 

the rendering, helping to take your 

ideas and inspiration to the next level,” 

adds Sneddon. 

The rendering technology is built 

on cloud and virtual reality gaming 

technology taking the app to new 

levels. 

The MyDaylight app is free of 

charge and available in the Apple 

and Google Play Stores. 

For more information please visit 

www.velux.com 

Another building 

on ye olde 

Knightriders 

Street, gets the 

Selectaglaze 

treatment 

The City & Guilds Group helps 

people achieve their potential 

through work-based learning. 

Granted a Royal Charter in 1900 by 

Queen Victoria, The Princess Royal is 

the Groups’ current President, who 

took over from her father The Duke 

of Edinburgh in 2011. 

The Grade II Listed Head Office is 

situated on the corner of Giltspur 

Street and Cock Lane in Smithfields – 

The City of London with St 

Bartholomews Hospital directly 

opposite (another building which 

Selectaglaze has worked in). 

Whitbread’s Premier Inn recently 

acquired a section of the City & 

Guilds Group’s Head Office and is 

currently constructing a brand new 

hotel right next door. With heavy 

plant machinery adjacent to offices, 

the noise pollution was rising and 

becoming increasingly disruptive. 

The company approached 

Selectaglaze, the leading provider of 

secondary glazing, for a cost 

effective window upgrade to all 

floors of their Head Office which 

overlooked the building site. This was 


to ensure a more amenable working 

environment, thus achieving a high 

level of noise attenuation. 

51 units were installed, including; 

Series 42 fixed lights, Series 45 and 

41 casements, Series 10 and 15 

horizontal sliding units, all designed 

to suit the existing fenestration. 

Employees at the City & Guilds 

Group have been very impressed 

with the level of sound attenuation 

received and it has made the 

working environment across all the 

office floors far more peaceful. 

“We were very impressed with 

the installation and quality of the 

products supplied by Selectaglaze. 

The workmanship was excellent and 

they left the site in an immaculate 

condition”. 

Selectaglaze is the leading 

specialist in the design, manufacture 

and installation of secondary glazing; 

established in 1966 and a Royal 

Warrant Holder since 2004. It boasts 

a range of extensive products to suit 

all projects from Listed properties to 

new build hotels. 

Contact Selectaglaze on 01727 837271 

e-mail: enquiries@selectaglaze.co.uk or visit: www.selectaglaze.co.uk 

REFURBISHMENT PROJECTS, APRIL 2018 9

BATHROOMS 

Artize craftsmanship launched in UK 

Artize, a luxury bathroom 

brand to cater for 

customers who want high 

quality and exquisite 

bathing spaces has been launched to 

the UK trade in Covent Garden, 

London by Jaquar Group – a leading 

global complete bathroom solutions 

manufacturer. 

Jaquar Group, conceived in 1960, 

is one of the fastest growing 

bathroom brands in the world with 

presence in over 40 countries, 

delivering over 2 million bathrooms 

a year and producing 24 million 

bathroom fittings annually. 

Following the successful launch 

of Jaquar in the UK two years ago, 

the company is now introducing its 

award-winning luxury brand Artize, 

which has never before been seen in 

the UK or Europe. 

Having proved enormously 

popular in the Middle East Africa & 

ASEAN, Artize is a collection with 

distinctive, high-end styles expected 

to wow the UK market with its 

coordinated bathroom designs and 

complete bathroom solutions. 

Top designers were engaged by 

Jaquar Group to create a luxury 

brand that pays tribute to the fine 

traditions of exquisite craftsmanship 

and precision engineering. Each 

product is crafted combining design, 

technology and talent to create 

something really unique in the 

market-place. 

Rajesh Mehra, Director and 

Promoter Jaquar Group, said: “Artize 

has caused a fantastic reaction 

everywhere we have presented the 

range. It is jewellery for the 

bathroom with designs that have 

captured the imagination. It is our 

flagship luxury brand and we believe 

it will make a huge impact in the UK 

and Europe.” 

Martin Voisey, UK Head of 

Jaquar, said: “This is not just a new 

product. There is a major 

powerhouse behind this brand with 

five state-of-the-art manufacturing 

units in India and one in South 

Korea spread over 270,000 square 

metres. 

“It is a new level of quality and 

precision for the UK, manufactured 

in a Commonwealth Country lined 

up for the first trade deal following 

Brexit. The timing is perfect for the 

market, surpassing global levels of 

quality and set to make an impact in 

both commercial and domestic 

markets.” 

Artize was launched in a twoday 

spectacular at Ice tank in 

Covent garden, London, which was 

transformed into a luxury bathroom 

showroom for two days in January. 

The collection includes stunning 

faucets; shower concepts; breathtaking 

designer ceramics; steam and 

sauna solutions in its wellness range 

and matching accessories. 

For further details visit 

www.artize.com 


BATHROOMS 


RETROFIT 

Interior Film creates the right image 

for the Pixel Building. 

The new, innovative Pixel 

Business Centre in Waltham 

Abbey, Essex offers flexible 

office and workspace areas for 

start-ups, SMEs and established 

businesses. 

Finished to a high standard, the 

building which also features a gym 

and an Italian café was originally a 

warehouse but uniquely, has been 

completely refurbished using 90% 

recycled materials. 

The interior elements including 

doors and walls had to have a fresh 

and creative feel while being 

considerate to the different types of 

tenants. 

Specialist contractor T6 specified 

Interior Film –an architectural film 

manufactured by LG Hausys and 

supplied in the UK by David Clouting 

– “as it offered a realistic natural 

look and allowed the design to flow 

from stone, concrete, and wood 

throughout the building” 

Over 50 old wooden doors with 

metal and glass portholes were 

brought to life using Interior 

Film’s modern colours and designs. 

The café featured reclaimed 

plywood for the bar area and walls 

which the T6 team covered with 

Interior Film, completing that 

element of the project in only one 

day. 

Interior Film’s versatility was also 

reflected in its use in the washroom/ 

toilet block where the brief required 

a real design statement. Once the 

shell of the toilets had been built T6 

wrapped the wall panels with 

Interior Film to create a smooth 

seamless finish. 

This innovative self-adhesive film 

is quick and easy to install and can 

be applied to almost any interior 

surface including: wood, metals, 

plasterboard, plastics and even 

melamine. 

Easy to clean and maintain, 

Interior Film is hardwearing and 

remains stable if exposed to heat, 

humidity or low temperatures. It has 

also passed robust bleach tests when 

used in hospital applications. 

Available in a wide range of 

designs and finishes, Interior Film 

which has a CE and IMO 

classification can be viewed on the 

BIMSTORE website. 

The Pixel Building demonstrates 

how refurbishment projects can 

greatly benefit from the use of 

Interior Film, not only by being able 

to refurbish and transform existing 

materials with it, potentially saving 

thousands of pounds, but also by 

reducing the impact on the 

environment due to the dramatic 

reduction in waste. 

www.davidclouting.co.uk 


SAFE IN THE KNOWLEDGE 

As technology develops, so too 

do the products designed to 

safeguard homes. 

Below is our short 

guide to the key points to 

consider when specifying an 

alarm system: 

HEALTH & SAFETY 

It’s always important for landlords to guarantee the safety of tenants while they are in their home, but with refurbishments 

it can be difficult to keep up with the best, most up-to-date solutions. Adrian Keats, from Honeywell’s Home Safety 

business, examines what 2018 could hold in store for home safety in rented accommodation, and the benefits it 

could have for tenants. 

Apps 

Smart devices are starting to 

revolutionise our daily lives. In fact, 

we are so used to talking and 

hearing about them that we almost 

take the rapid rate of technological 

change for granted. Keeping abreast 

of the latest innovations and 

emerging technologies, therefore, 

must be a priority. 

For instance, Honeywell recently 

launched the new X-Series Alarm Scan 

App, a wireless, silent solution which 

can be used to retrieve information on 

the status of enabled X-Series carbon 

monoxide (CO) alarms directly to a 

smart phone or tablet. The app allows 

landlords to access key data from the 

unit to support the alarm’s 

maintenance schedule, thus making 

servicing quicker and easier, 

completely removing the need for 

additional hardware and eliminating 

noisy data transfer sounds. 

Interconnected systems 

There is now a compelling case to 

fit interconnected CO, smoke and heat 

alarms as a matter of course. This is 

because an interconnected heat, 

smoke and CO alarm network will 

trigger every alarm in the system, not 

just the one that has been activated. 

This can be valuable in ensuring 

homeowners are alerted to danger no 

matter what area of the home they 

are in, giving them vital extra 

moments to deal with the danger or 

evacuate the building. In buildings 

with multiple flats, interconnected 

alarms ensure all residents are 

notified, no matter which dwelling has 

been the cause of the alert. 

Long lifespans 

Long-term reliability of any alarm 

is paramount. Nowadays, the norm for 

an alarm from an established 

manufacturer with a reputation for 

quality will have a lifespan of many 

years, without the need for battery 

changes or ongoing maintenance. 

It may be tempting to find the 

cheapest option, but it's essential to 

choose a well-established brand with 

the following BSI certifications: 

EN50291 for CO, EN14604 for smoke 

and BS5446 for heat. When it comes 

to safety it’s a small price to pay for 

long term reliability and peace of 

mind. 

Safeguarding against false alarms 

False alarms are one of the biggest 

issues currently faced by the fire 

industry. In fact, false alarms cost the 

UK in excess of £1 billion each and 

every year.1 

Beyond disruption, false fire 

alarms can also have a significant 

impact on the effectiveness of an 

evacuation and may put the lives of 

tenants at risk. If a genuine fire alarm 

is mistaken for yet another false alarm 

and, therefore, ignored, the 

consequences for the people involved 

can be critical. 

In fact, the vast majority of false 

alarms are reportedly related to 

cooking incidents, therefore effective 

installation of the correct alarms in 

and around kitchens is likely to lead to 

the greatest reduction in nuisance 

alerts. 

Best practice and relevant 

standards dictate that smoke 

detectors should never be fitted in 

kitchens. This is because this 

environment generates cooking 

vapours (i.e. steam and smoke) which 

can be picked up by the unit. Ideally, a 

heat alarm should be sited in the 

kitchen as it will react quickly to fastflaming 

fires, such as those created by 

a chip pan. 

Ultimately, landlords have a 

responsibility to ensure the properties 

they let out are safe and habitable – 

the law is there to protect tenants, but 

landlords can protect themselves by 

staying on top of the most effective 

technologies and ensuring high 

quality, correctly sited alarms are 

present within the home. 

The X-Series carbon monoxide (CO) alarms work in conjunction with the new X-Series Alarm Scan App. 

The Honeywell X-Series offers a complete residential safety system 

For more information on the full 

range of Honeywell smoke, heat and 

CO alarms available, please visit 

www.homesafety.honeywell.com 


PROJECTS 


Astra closers take starring role at Denham studios 

3000 series concealed door closers from Astra are playing a starring role in making fire 

doors safe yet stylish at a prestige residential development of an iconic former film studio. 

Door manufacturer ABL 

Doors used Astra closers to 

help create sleek, elegant 

entrance doors for 

apartments at Denham Film Studios 

in Buckinghamshire. 

Developers Weston Homes asked 

doorset manufacturer ABL to supply 

wide range of cutting edge door 

designs in the most modern finishes 

that would complement the 

development’s retro aesthetic, 

including 30-minute fire-rated doors 

for apartment entrances. 

“It was incredibly important for 

us to achieve an effective balance of 

modern functionality and oldstyle 

glamour,” says ABL’s MD 

Andy Williams. 

“The flat entrance doors needed 

to be Secured by Design accredited 

FD-30 fire doors that would function 

brilliantly yet look refined to suit 

their surroundings. 

We opted for CE-Marked Astra 

3000 closers to avid the obtrusive 

institutional look of an overhead 

closer.” 

In its 1940s and 50s heyday, 

Denham Studios was a thriving film 

production studio producing classic 

British films such as Brief Encounter 

and Great Expectations. 

The site has now been lovingly 

developed to provide 224 conversion 

and new build homes, including 154 

one, two and three-bedroom 

apartments and 70 four and fivebedroom 

family townhouses. 

Features within the new 

development include a cinema with 

bar and a community hall/fitness 

space. 

The cinema – which was 

originally used to screen movies to 

Hollywood directors including 

Stanley Kubrick, Albert “Cubby” 

Broccoli and Steven Spielberg – has 

been refurbished and turned into a 

cinema theatre and club for 

residents, while the main Grade II 

listed building has been converted 

into 49 apartments. 

In keeping with the high 

specification of the site, sleek 

aesthetics were a top priority for 

Weston Homes whose watchword 

for the development was luxury. 

This made concealed closers the 

obvious choice since they are not 

visible when the door is closed, 

avoiding the somewhat institutional 

and ungainly appearance of 

overhead closers. 

ABL selected the Astra 3000 

series closers because they had 

worked very successfully with Astra 

before and because, with full 

adjustability, they were powerful 

enough to handle the doors’ weight 

and width. 

Every apartment entrance door 

on the project features an Astra 

concealed closer. 

The Astra 3000 series of fullycontrolled 

concealed door closers are 

a range of ground-breaking products 

developed by Astra to offer all the 

adjustability and control of an 

overhead closer, even for fire doors. 

Unlike other concealed closers on 

the market, the CE-Marked Astra 

3000 series is fully controlled and 

adjustable, making it a truly viable 

alternative to overhead products at 

a sensible price. 

Manufactured in the UK, in four 

different power sizes with adjustable 

closing speed and latching action for 

different size and weights of doors, 

they feature a unique hydraulic 

piston assembly designed in-house 

by Astra. 

This offers an adjustable, 

controlled rate of door closure 

together with a variable ‘snap 

action’ for overcoming the latch. 

The closers’ quality design and 

build makes it perfect for high 

traffic applications, both commercial 

and residential. 

Astra is well known for its door 

closer range including the popular 

Gibraltar range. 

The Lancashire-based company 

can demonstrate many years’ 

experience in the sector and carries 

out all of its own R&D in-house. 

It exports its British door closers 

across the globe via a network of 

distributors and partner companies. 

email: info@astradoorcontrols.com 

www.astradoorcontrols.com 



New Kent Training Academy will help tackle 

concerns over gas safety 

As a report highlights challenges in keeping people safe in the home 

Kevin Long, The Centre Manager. 

Amajor report from industry 

body Gas Safe Register 

highlights improvements in 

safety but raises concerns 

over inadequate training standards – 

just days after the opening of a 

£100,000 centre in Kent designed to 

tackle skills shortages in the gas and 

heating industries across the South 

East. 

“This Gas Safety Register report 

shows we have done the right thing 

by investing in skills training by 

launching The Energy Academy,” 

says Centre Manager Kevin Long. 

“We are welcoming experienced 

heating engineers and new recruits 

to the industry through our doors 

and the expert training they receive 

will help to ensure that customers 

continue to receive excellent service 

from engineers and installers who 

are fully up to date with the latest 

products and industry 

developments.” The Energy Academy 

has been set up by Swale Heating, 

which is one of the biggest 

independently-owned heating 

companies in the UK. Run as an 

independent operation, the centre 

offers a wide range of training 

courses to heating companies, both 

big and small, based in Kent and 

across the South East. The Gas 

Safety Register Decade Review 

concludes that overall, the gas 

safety industry is safer than ever, 

thanks to better awareness, use of 

CO alarms and better quality 

appliances. However, there are 

concerns that in parts of the UK 

training and installation standards 

are falling and there are shortages 

of experienced and trained 

engineers. 

Jonathan Samuel, Chief 

Executive of Gas Safety Register, 

highlighted the importance of hiring 

a fully-trained, experienced gas 

engineer, warning: “With so many 

things to juggle in this day and age 

it’s understandable that some people 

look for quick and easy solutions, 

but when it comes to gas safety our 

message is clear – you cannot cut 

corners.” 

The report warns that safety is 

often compromised by customers 

trying to save money by getting 

their gas work done ‘on the cheap’ 

by inadequately trained or illegal 

fitters, and that the industry faces a 

challenge to replace an ageing 

workforce with properly-trained 

younger engineers. 

The Decade Review concludes: 

“Engineers and stakeholders say the 

industry must improve training and 

reassessment. This includes raising 

standards, attracting a new 

generation of engineers and helping 

engineers learn and adapt to new 

fuels and technologies.” 

The Energy Academy is housed in a 

converted former warehouse at Swale 

Heating’s Sittingbourne headquarters. 

Fully qualified trainers work in 

partnership with Logic Certification 

and industry leading independent 

assessors and verifiers. The centre 

offers courses covering natural gas, 

LPG, oil, unvented hot water, 

underfloor heating, plumbing, electrics 

and non-technical qualifications for 

industry operatives. 

There are plans to add courses 

covering solid fuel, biomass, 

renewable energy, boiler and system 

wiring logic, practical gas auditing 

and managing gas auditing, as well 

as dedicated MLP courses for new 

entrants to the industry. 

A range of modern equipment is 

provided, allowing trainees to gain 

practical experience in domestic 

heating systems. Renewable energy 

training resources include solar 

heating, underfloor heating, 

unvented hot water, air heat source 

pumps, heat interface units and 

MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation Heat 

Recovery) units. Learners can take an 

advanced wiring course for heating 

systems and NICIEC training is 

available for electricians. 

For more information about The 

Energy Academy visit www.energyacademy.co.uk 

For more information about Swale 

Heating visit 

www.swaleheating.com 

For more information about Gas 

Safe Register visit 

www.gassaferegister.co.uk 



Preventing breaches in fire safety 

Fire safety is at the forefront of 

many people’s minds at the 

moment and in the health 

sector, this is no different. 

Here, Richard Sutton, General 

Manager at Horbury Property 

Services, looks at fire risk 

assessments and why it is so 

important that fire 

compartmentation is properly 

inspected. 

“Back in June, the Government 

ordered more than 17,000 care 

homes, private hospitals and 

hospices to carry out checks on the 

fire safety of their buildings. A 

number of hospital trusts were 

found to have serious breaches, 

whilst some had failings in basic fire 

standards and others were warned 

that a failure to properly 

compartmentalise areas was putting 

patients at intolerable risk if fire 

broke out (source: Health Service 

Journal). 

With care homes occupied by 

many vulnerable and immobile 

people, the fire strategy needs to be 

given extra special consideration. 

Thirty minutes’ fire protection, for 

example, which is offered by a 

standard fire door, may not be 

enough. 

REGULATORY REFORM ORDER 

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire 

Safety) Order 2005, a duty holder 

(who is required to be a competent 

person within the organisation or 

external specialist) needs to be 

appointed to carry out a suitable 

and sufficient fire risk assessment on 

all sleeping accommodation in 

England and Wales. The fire risk 

assessment should be detailed and 

rigorous, covering many aspects, one 

of which is ensuring the integrity of 

fire compartmentation, including 

fire doors. 

Residential nursing or care 

homes are occupied by people who 

may find it very hard (if not 

impossible) to be evacuated quickly 

in the event of a fire. So it is 

essential that a thorough assessment 

is carried out of all the areas, paying 

particular attention to a residents’ 

or patients’ needs. 

Guidance on carrying out fire 

risk assessments in a care home 

identifies three key areas: firstly that 

the building fabric needs to be 

considered in terms of its fire safety, 

this includes effectiveness of fire 

doors and fire compartmentation 

and any breaches to this; secondly 

fire risk assessments should identify 

any hazards that may cause a fire 

and thirdly, the needs of those being 

cared for and employees should be 

carefully considered. 

Fire risk assessments should 

always be part of a fire action plan 

and the plan should contain any 

remedial work that has been 

identified within the risk assessment 

and a timetable for rectifying it. 

FIRE COMPARTMENTATION 

INSPECTION 

Buildings 10 years old or less will 

have been built in accordance with 

Building Regulations Approved 

Document B, which requires that the 

building be sub-divided into a 

number of discreet compartments or 

cells. Within each cell, the dividing 

walls are filled with specialist 

materials that prevent the passage 

of fire from one cell to another for a 

given period of time. 

Compartmentation aims to 

contain fires, based on the premise 

that large fires are more dangerous 

to occupants, fire and rescue 

services and people located nearby. 

It has also been found to limit 

damage to a building and its 

contents. 

One of the main benefits of 

compartmentation is that it protects 

‘means of escape’ routes from a 

building. This feature is particularly 

important where there is minimal 

fire separation, other than the 

means of escape, for example, a 

small care home served by a single 

flight of stairs. In this case, the 

floor area may be open plan, with 

no partitions, however, the stairs 

should be enclosed by fire walls (and 

fire doors) to ensure a fire within 

any part of the accommodation 

cannot pass through to the 

stairway. Spaces that connect fire 

compartments, such as stairways 

and service shafts, are described as 

‘protected shafts’. These play an 

important role in restricting fire 

spread between the compartments. 

For care home operators, it is equally 

important to ensure that fires do 

not start in the common parts or 

communal facilities, as in individual 

resident’s rooms. 

Larger buildings, such as 

hospitals, have greater reliance on 

fire compartmentation. Most large 

buildings are divided into 

‘compartments’ which can withstand 

a fire for a specific amount of time, 

either inside the compartment or 

externally. This fire protective barrier 

gives a chance for occupants to be 

evacuated and for emergency 

services to arrive and extinguish the 

fire, or for the fire to extinguish on 

its own. 

BREACHES 

Assessing the integrity of a fire 

compartment is a vitally important 

part of any fire risk assessment. This 

includes checking whether there are 

any holes in the walls, floors or 

ceilings. These could have been 

caused by accidental damage, but 

equally likely is the fact they could 

be as a result of service works, such 

as IT, telephone or television systems 

being upgraded. This could 

compromise the integrity of the fire 

compartmentation, so it is essential 

it is checked regularly. 

Fire risk assessments should be 

carried out by a competent person 

within the building, but the issue in 

the majority of cases is that this 

does not extend to inspecting the 

integrity of the fire 

compartmentation. When building 

services work has been carried out in 

a hospital or care home there is a 

high chance that fire 

compartmentation could have been 

breached, which significantly 

increases the risks of fire spreading. 

Fire compartmentation, if 

installed correctly, does have an 

enviable success rate, however it is 

the weaknesses that must be 

constantly considered, particularly 

when building service alterations 

take place. Fire risk assessments 

must be sufficiently rigorous and if 

remedial work is not carried out, it 

could lead to a potential failing of 

fire compartmentation, allowing a 

fire to spread. Fire doors are an 

important part of ensuring fire 

compartmentation is maintained 

too, but they too are often not 

subject to sufficiently rigorous or 

regular inspections. Again, this 

could lead to a breach of fire 

compartmentation, for example if 

the fire seals are broken, the door 

closers are not working properly or 

the ironmongery has become worn 

or the glazing detached. 

ASSESSING THE RISKS 

There are very serious considerations 

that if adequate fire risk assessments 

are not carried out regularly it could 

compromise the safety of the whole 

building. Fire risk assessments should 

include a review of a building’s fire 

compartmentation by a competent 

person or external fire inspection 

company, thus minimising the risks 

to occupants and a building. When 

fire compartmentation is regularly 

inspected and well maintained, there 

is no better form of fire protection.” 

For more information about fire 

compartmentation, fire stopping 

and fire door inspections, contact 

the Horbury Property Services team 

on: 01709 917555 

or visit 

www.horburypropertyservices.com 


SOCIAL HOUSING 

New vision announced for 

iconic Salford building 

A bold new vision has been announced for 

an iconic apartment block in Salford. 

Housing association Salix 

Homes has been working 

alongside residents at 

Canon Green Court in 

Trinity to develop proposals to 

modernise the 1960s building. 

The eight-storey building on 

Canon Green Drive dominates the 

Salford skyline with its distinctive 

blue balconies; and has provided the 

backdrop for several television 

dramas including ITV’s Prey and 

Channel 4’s No Offence. 

Now Salix Homes is planning to 

renovate the building and create 

modern, attractive, energy efficient 

homes fit for the future. 

Salix Homes, which owns more 

than 8,300 homes across Salford, 

has been consulting with residents 

on initial designs of how the 

building could look after 

undergoing the ambitious 

regeneration project, which includes 

the development of an additional 

100-unit apartment block on the 

expansive site. 

Sue Sutton, executive director of 

operations at Salix Homes, said: “We 

have been working very closely with 

residents to ensure they’re involved 

in this much-needed improvement 

work every step of the way. 

“This is an exciting time for 

Salix Homes and for our residents. 

We’ve listened to what our 

residents want and we will 

continue to work closely together 

to develop proposals that benefit 

everyone and creates modern, 

energy efficient homes we can all 

be proud of.” 

The proposals will transform the 

appearance and living facilities of 

the block and includes the 

construction of an additional 100 

units on the site to help fund the 

Canon Green Court as it is now. 

essential improvement work 

residents have been calling for. 

The initial designs propose an 

additional multi-storey apartment 

block is built within the grounds, 

while the current block will undergo 

a major facelift including new 

kitchens, bathrooms, heating 

systems and external wall insulation. 

The Salford-based housing 

provider promised to carry out the 

essential investment work at Canon 

Green Court when tenants voted to 

transfer their homes from Salford 

Council to the ownership of Salix 

Homes in 2015. 

Ms Sutton added: “We made a 

promise to our tenants during the 

stock transfer that we would carry 

out a significant investment project 

at Canon Green Court, and we are 

100% committed to delivering that 

promise. 

“Not only will our ambitious 

plans transform the homes and 

hopefully the lives of the current 

residents of Canon Green Court, but 

will also provide the opportunity for 

Salix Homes to build around 100 

desperately needed new homes for 

local people.” 

Salix Homes is currently 

considering possible tenure options 

for the new apartment block. 

The final proposals for Canon 

Green Court are currently being 

finalised and will be submitted to 

Salford Council for planning 

permission after they’ve been given 

the green light by residents and the 

Salix Homes Board. 

It is hoped that work will begin 

on site later this year and will be 

completed in 2020. 

Tel: 0161 779 8834 

hayley.collins@salixhomes.org 

www.salixhomes.org 

SBS Wins Project of the Year at 

2018 Building Communities Awards 

Sustainable Building Services 

(UK) Limited has won the 

Project of the Year award at 

the 2018 Building 

Communities Awards, which are 

hosted by the procurement 

consortium Efficiency East Midlands. 

Attended by over 350 

representatives of the social housing 

and construction sectors, the awards 

took place on Friday 16th February 

at the East Midlands Conference 

Centre in Nottingham. 

The basis of the company’s 

nomination was its work for 

Chesterfield Borough Council - four 

consecutive phases of work under 

the Solid Wall Insulation Framework. 

SBS began the initial £3.2m 

phase in 2015. This entailed fitting 

external wall insulation to houses 

and low-rise blocks in three districts. 

Works also included installing loft 

insulation, window replacement, 

asbestos removal, the renewal of 

rainwater goods, and the installation 

of new fibreglass canopies to some 

homes. SBS completed works on all 

509 properties in October 2015 - 

five months ahead of schedule. 

On the strength of this 

performance, Chesterfield BC 

directly commissioned SBS to carry 

out three further phases under the 

same framework. The latest of these 

is due for completion in April 2018. 

It involves the treatment of over 

500 properties in two work streams, 

comprising a mix of ‘hard to treat’ 

properties, including part-cavity and 

solid wall. 

In all, the company will have 

treated 1,184 properties by the end 

of Phase 4. All works have 

progressed either on or ahead of 

schedule and have produced 

excellent customer satisfaction 

scores. SBS has scored 100% for 

predictability of time by property, 

for predictability of spend against 

budget, and for the proportion of 

properties accepted at handover. 

Work has involved over 200 

operatives and stakeholders, and all 

phases have been delivered with 

zero reportable H&S incidents. 

Speaking after the 

announcement, Group Commercial 

Director Gary Lawson said: “We’re 

very proud to have been named 

winners of the 2018 Project of the 

Year. It’s an important achievement 

and it builds on a long and 

productive relationship with 

Efficiency East Midlands. Through its 

various frameworks, we’ve worked as 

main contractor on a wide range of 

schemes, helping to improve living 

conditions for literally thousands of 

families across Britain.” 

Last year, in the 2017 Building 

Communities Awards, SBS was 

named Contractor of the Year. It also 

won the Innovation Award. 

More information about 

Sustainable Building Services (UK) 

Limited can be found on the 

company’s website: 

www.sustainablegroupuk.com 


SOCIAL HOUSING 

Ageing Salford apartment block gets major facelift 

An ageing apartment block in 

the heart of Salford has 

been given a much-needed 

facelift. Housing association 

Salix Homes, which owns more than 

8,300 properties in Salford, has 

worked alongside partner contractor 

Emanuel Whittaker to transform 

Carmel Avenue in Ordsall. 

Externally, the block, which 

houses 12 apartments, has been 

given a new lease of life with new 

windows, gutters and fascias, 

replacement fencing and freshly 

painted panels. 

Internally the once-tired 

communal areas have been given a 

major makeover, with new flooring 

and decorating, plus new front doors 

for all the apartments. 

Sue Sutton, executive director of 

operations at Salix Homes, said: 

“Carmel Avenue now looks fantastic 

following its recent makeover. The 

block was beginning to look a little 

tired and dated, but for a relatively 

modest investment we have been 

able to deliver a complete 

transformation in how it looks. 

It’s really changed the 

appearance for those who live here 

and we hope the residents can enjoy 

living in new and improved homes 

that they can be proud of.” 

The work was part of a wider 

£300,000 improvement project to 

Above: Carmel Avenue, before renovation and Below completed, (l-r) Ryan Whittaker, Laura Derbyshire, Martin Parr 

174 homes in the area, which also 

includes Brighton Court and Croyden 

Court. 

John Millward, site manager for 

Emanuel Whittaker, said “We have 

enjoyed working with the residents 

at Carmel Avenue on another 

successful scheme with Salix Homes. 

“The project involved renewing 

the roof, windows, apartment doors 

and communal doors as well as 

decorating and flooring the 

communal areas. These works have 

greatly enhanced the appearance of 

the place, making it an inviting and 

welcoming place for residents and 

their visitors”. 

By 2020, Salix Homes will have 

invested £75million into improving 

homes and communites in Salford, 

since tenants voted to transfer 

ownership of their homes from 

Salford Council to Salix Homes as a 

stand-alone housing association in 

2015. 

www.salixhomes.org 


BUILDING SERVICES 

Nottingham City Homes joins the call for 

more homes for older people 

Nottingham’s pioneering 

approach to providing 

homes for older people 

could be part of a 

Government push to develop more 

across the country. 

Nottingham City Homes’ (NCH) 

Director of Housing and Customer 

Services, Gill Moy, gave evidence to 

a Government Select Committee 

inquiry on housing for older people 

about how the Building a Better 

Nottingham programme is tackling 

the issue. 

She explained that, on behalf of 

the City Council, NCH has built 58 

bungalows, 31 are under 

construction, and a further eight are 

planned. 

She also outlined how NCH is 

helping to deliver an innovative 

Hospital to Home project which 

helps people out of hospital quicker, 

or prevents them going into hospital 

in the first place. Run in partnership 

with Nottingham City Clinical 

Commissioning Group (CCG), 

Nottingham City Council and 

Nottingham CityCare Partnership 

(NCCP), the project has so far 

avoided 48 unnecessary hospital 

admissions, rehoused 129 people and 

helped improve their health and has 

made £930,000 worth of savings to 

housing, health and adult social care 

services. 

Following Ms Moy’s evidence, the 

Communities and Local Government 

(CLG) Committee has concluded that 

a national strategy for older people’s 

housing is needed to bring together 

and improve policy in this area, and 

has produced a report, . 

The Committee encourages the 

development of more housing for 

older people, and recommends that 

councils identify a target proportion 

of new housing to be developed for 

this purpose. 

Gill says, “We were invited to go 

to the Inquiry because the 

Committee wanted to find out more 

about what we are delivering for 

older people in Nottingham. It was a 

great opportunity to showcase both 

the areas of Building a Better 

Nottingham, and the Hospital to 

Home initiative.” 

Councillor Graham Chapman, 

Deputy Leader of Nottingham City 

Council, says, “ We ’re leading the 

way when it comes to building 

homes for older people in 

Nottingham and want to see private 

developers following our lead to 

supply more. We hope the 

Government will listen to NCH and 

others and allow further 

development of housing for older 

people, which also has the benefit of 

freeing up more family housing for 

other Nottingham households.” 

Clive Betts MP, Chair of the 

Communities and Local Government 

Committee, said: “The right kind of 

housing can help people stay 

healthy and support them to live 

independently...The green paper 

must consider the range of housing 

for older people, from mainstream 

and accessible homes to supported 

and extra care housing.” 

J S Wright to fit out one of city’s 

tallest residential buildings 

Leading building services 

provider J S Wright has 

secured a contract worth more 

than £2m to fit out one of 

Birmingham’s tallest residential 

buildings. 

The mechanical and electrical 

(M&E) services specialist has been 

commissioned by Wates 

Construction to equip the new 31- 

storey second building at The Bank 

development on the city’s Broad 

Street for Regal (West Point) Ltd. 

J S Wright, which has its 

headquarters in Birmingham and 

offices in Bristol and London, will 

design and install all the mechanical 

services for the building’s 205 highquality 

apartments including 

boosted cold water and domestic 

hot water services supplied through 

electric water heaters. 

It will also provide an energy 

saving heat recovery ventilation 

system, water sprinklers, aboveground 

drainage and a building 

management controls system. 

The iconic 16,055 sq m structure 

is nine storeys higher than its 

neighbouring building, which is 

already in the process of being 

equipped by J S Wright. When 

complete, the taller building will 

feature ground floor retail space 

open to the public. 

J S Wright will start work on site 

on the second building this summer 

with completion scheduled for 

autumn 2019. Both buildings have 

been designed by Glancy Nicholls 

Architects. 

Marcus Aniol, J S Wright 

Managing Director, said: “We are 

delighted to be able to apply our 

specialist skills and experience in 

continuing to regenerate 

Birmingham’s Broad Street as a 

vibrant city centre area in which to 

live, work and shop.” 

With a long history of 

supporting residential and mixed use 

developments, J S Wright was 

responsible for Birmingham’s 26- 

storey Orion Building and recently 

carried out the enabling works for 

Paradise Birmingham. It is currently 

equipping two brick apartment 

towers at Keybridge in London, one 

of which at 37 storeys will be 

Britain’s tallest. 

J S Wright, which specialises in 

the design and installation of M&E 

services for the hotel, residential, 

social housing, student 

accommodation, leisure and 

commercial sectors, was voted one 

of the UK’s Top Ten Specialist 

Contractors to Work For in the 2016 

Construction Enquirer Awards, and 

named H&V News Building Services 

Contractor of the Year in 2015. 

Tel: 0121 322 4000 

www.jswright.co.uk 


To repair or replace? 


Over the years, contractors 

have found some odd 

things when taking up 

flooring, from gigantic 

bee’s nests to the remains of royalty. 

Though this rarely happens, 

contractors can learn a lot about a 

floor covering from what’s 

underneath. Here, Oscar Peralta, 

West Coast territory sales manager 

at surface preparation equipment 

expert, National Flooring Equipment, 

explains when to repair and when to 

replace a floor covering. 

It’s not always easy to tell when 

a floor needs replacing. It’s 

important for building managers to 

stay on top of the issue, as if left for 

too long, a poorly maintained floor 

can cause health and safety hazards. 

To do this, building managers can 

keep track of whether their floor 

requires attention by assessing 

visible changes on the surface, as 

these can indicate that there is 

something problematic going on 

underneath. 

EXCESS MOISTURE 

Most issues with floor coverings are 

caused by excess moisture in the 

substrate underneath. Too much 

moisture can impact the covering in 

many ways, causing issues including 

discolouring, bubbling and cracking. 

Excess moisture in the substrate 

can have hazardous consequences, 

as floors can become slippery or 

workers can become ill from 

exposure to mould. Facility 

managers must work with 

contractors to address the issue as 

soon as it is found to avoid 

incidents. 

WHAT WENT WRONG? 

Water will follow the path of least 

resistance, so it easily soaks through 

floor coverings. One way it can 

reach the substrate is for water to 

enter the building from outdoor 

sources, such as sprinklers and drains 

directed towards the building. 

Insufficiently preparing the 

substrate for a covering can also 

allow moisture into the surface. By 

choosing the correct adhesive and 

removing contaminants, contractors 

can reduce the risk of moisture 

soaking into the covering and 

substrate. 

Before determining whether to 

repair or replace the floor, 

contractors should peel back a 

section of the covering to 

understand what is happening 

underneath. Contractors can then 

address the cause of the damage, 

such as redirecting drains, before 

attempting to start repairs. This will 

ensure that the same problem will 

not happen again once maintenance 

has taken place. 

REPAIR OR REPLACE 

The size of the affected area will 

ultimately determine if the covering 

must be repaired or replaced. If the 

issue is isolated, it may be easier to 

repair that section individually. In 

this situation, facility managers may 

prefer to repair the floor, as it will 

only require the closure of certain 

sections of the facility at each point, 

not downtime of the entire site at 

once. 

However, if the problem impacts 

a large area, it can be best to close 

the entire facility to replace the 

covering. Closing the site may be 

costly, but it is extremely important 

that the surface is correctly prepared 

and laid to avoid further damage. 

Some coverings are easier to 

replace than others. Anything sold as 

tiles, such as modular carpet, is easy 

to repair, as the tiles in the affected 

area can simply be removed and 

replaced with new ones. 

Soft coverings, such as vinyl, can 

be far more difficult to repair as 

they are bought in rolls. There is no 

way to cut out a section and blend a 

new covering into the existing floor, 

which can make the repair work 

obvious. In this circumstance, it is 

best to replace the whole covering. 

Whatever the covering needed, 

contractors must consider the 

appearance of the new area 

compared with the existing surface. 

Contractors should be particularly 

careful when choosing the dye lot. 

There is nothing more conspicuous 

than a replacement carpet tile that 

is the wrong shade of blue. 

PREPARATION IS KEY 

Downtime and repairs can be 

expensive for both facility managers 

and contractors. Both parties must 

prioritise preparing the substrate to 

avoid moisture and other issues that 

cause costly downtime from facility 

closure. 

Contractors are unlikely to find 

royal remains under a floor covering 

during surface preparation work. 

However, they may find the issue to 

problems on the surface itself. 

Taking the measures to protect the 

substrate when replacing the 

covering can also prevent larger 

issues in the future. 

www.nationalequipment.com 



ISO Chemie tape seals ground breaking 

new housing project 

ISO-CHEMIE’s high performance 

expanding foam sealing tape has 

been specified for an innovative 

project that could herald a new 

approach to building affordable 

housing. 

The ISO BLOCO ONE tape has 

been used to provide a high 

performance airtight, acoustic and 

thermal seal for the ModCell TAM 

project located in the grounds of the 

Filwood Community Centre in 

Bristol. 

Developed to provide people 

with rapid, effective and affordable 

housing, TAM is also one of the most 

environmentally friendly building 

systems in Europe, combining 

advances in high-quality, low energy 

design with the innovative use of 

renewable construction materials, 

including prefabricated straw-filled 

panels. 

Sustainability is a key driver of 

the project, so the ISO-BLOCO tape 

has been used to seal the expansion 

joints and gaps around the window 

and door frames. This will 

significantly help to achieve an 

excellent Passivhaus target of


Anthracite grey rainwater is a rainy day 

attraction at former hospital development 

On the grounds of a former 

hospital, a small 

development of new build 

homes in Alloa is ready to 

take on the harshest of Scotland’s 

wet weather thanks to the proven 

performance and durability of Brett 

Martin’s Deepstyle Rainwater 

System in Anthracite Grey. 

Built by Hillfoot Homes, the 

development of six, four-bed homes 

required a system that was designed 

to handle larger quantities of 

rainwater and be able to match the 

anthracite grey colour used on the 

windows of the homes. The 

developer found the perfect 

solution – Deepstyle Gloss 

Rainwater System in Anthracite 

Grey – an easy to fit, discreet 

system which offered the required 

higher capacity. 

Commenting on the 

specification, Paul Edney of Hillfoot 

Homes Ltd said: “We had specified 

anthracite grey for the windows and 

were looking for a rainwater system 

that complemented the overall look 

as well as offering a higher capacity. 

The Deepstyle in anthracite grey 

delivered the goods.” 

The Deepstyle 115mm profile 

used in this application is a semielliptical 

system and is designed to 

offer effective rainwater drainage 

on larger or steeper residential 

roofs. It has the potential to reduce 

downpipes due to higher capacity, 

which can provide substantial cost 

reductions and appearance 

improvements. 

The Deepstyle 115mm gutter 

system is fully compatible with 

other leading deep flow systems and 

is characterised by an easy fix clip 

system which facilitates simple 

installation. External fixing lugs 

allow easy access for cordless power 

tools. 

Easy to integrate to create a 

successful building aesthetic on 

everything from contemporary 

builds to home extensions, period 

renovations and across entire 

estates, the anthracite grey colour 

option is also now available in the 

106mm Prostyle and 112mm 

Roundstyle Systems and across the 

entire Cascade Cast Iron Style 

Rainwater and Soil System, 

allowing the building industry to 

capitalise on the growing market 

trend. 

Specifically developed to create 

an exact colour match to the true 

RAL 7016 Anthracite Grey, Brett 

Martin’s Anthracite Grey perfectly 

complements other building 

accessories such as windows, doors 

or other roofing components. The 

Deepstyle 115 Rainwater System is 

also available in a choice of Black, 

Grey, Brown, White and Arctic 

White colour options. 

With Brett Martin’s Deepstyle 

Rainwater System in place, this new 

development in Alloa will benefit 

from an aesthetically pleasing and 

trouble-free rainwater drainage for 

years to come. 

Tel: 028 9084 9999 

www.brettmartin.com 


HEATING & VENTILATION 

Gilberts helps keep Google cool 

The world’s 2nd most valuable 

brand has turned to British 

engineering expertise to keep 

its London operation and 

workforce comfortable… 

Whilst waiting for completion of 

its new 1million ft 2 offices in Kings 

Cross, central London, the 

corporation is renting 

accommodation for 4500 staff in a 

building in front of its new site, 

originally speculatively-built and 

fully fitted-out for general office 

accommodation. The higher than 

average use of IT by Google meant a 

desire to upgrade the existing air 

movement, prompting enlistment of 

assistance from Britain’s leading air 

movement specialist, Gilberts 

(Blackpool). 

Gilberts applied best value 

principles, and has now delivered a 

solution whereby the original grilles 

have been removed, re-worked, and 

re-installed, using technology 

Gilberts’ originally developed to help 

address air quality in the humid 

environment of the Hong Kong MTR 

(underground transport system). 

“The original GSL grilles were 

appropriate for typical office use, as 

per the design specification, but 

Google wanted better performance 

in terms of control over airflow and 

temperature, because of the spot 

heat generated from the high 

number of computers. Google also 

wanted a more modern, ceiling-free 

environment. However, modifications 

had to be undertaken with minimal 

disruption and remodelling building 

work,” explained Gilberts’ Sales 

Director Ian Rogers. 

Gilberts’ solution, tried and 

tested in its state-of-the-art test 

centre at its Blackpool HQ, was to 

re-use the existing linear ceiling 

diffusers with the original blades 

removed and replaced with modified 

deflectors. The vanes in the new 

version were originally developed to 

solve a moisture and humidity issue 

on the Hong Kong MTR, and now 

form a core element of Gilberts’ GZL 

‘Zipp-Air’ slot diffusers. The Google 

diffusers now deliver multidirectional 

airflow; blades, at 

100mm increments instead of the 

standard 200mm, simultaneously 

provide more control and greater air 

throw. A semi circular air 

distribution pattern under the 

diffuser face that allows high 

induction mixing with the room air 

and a rapid fall off in discharge 

velocities, enabling high air change 

rates can easily be accommodated 

within normal comfort condition 

parameters. 

Added Ian Rogers, “Everyone 

involved in the project- the main 

contractor Integra Contracts, the 

M&E contractors MJ Lonsdale and 

the consultants Cundells- visited 

our test centre, where we 

demonstrated the performance of 

the original diffusers in a ceiling- as 

was installed, and then without a 

ceiling as Google wanted the areas 

to be, as it was hoped this would be 

a viable ‘quick fix’. We also 

demonstrated our GSFA swirl 

diffusers- he product of choice if 

starting from scratch, and then 

original GSL diffusers with the 

alternative modified deflector 

blades. The final option was chosen, 

as delivering the air movement 

requirements needed, with the 

added benefit of re-using the 

existing products thus saving 

money, materials, carbon and time.” 

Founded 55 years ago, Gilberts 

Blackpool is Britain’s leading 

independent air movement 

specialist, and is unique in its ability 

to develop components- be it 

‘mainstream’ or bespoke- entirely inhouse, 

from initial design through 

tooling, production, testing and 

supply, at its 85,000 ft2 

manufacturing facility. Its state of 

the art test centre, designed and 

built in-house, is one of the most 

technically advanced in the country. 

Tel 01253 766911 

Email: info@gilbertsblackpool.com 


HEATING & VENTILATION 

A simple way to improve indoor air quality 

Janvi Patel. 

Mitsubishi Electric has 

launched a new simple, 

heat recovery 

ventilation unit to help 

improve the indoor air quality 

within our homes, increase 

efficiency and help protect the 

building fabric. 

“Our new VL-50 Lossnay unit can 

be fitted to an exterior wall and 

ducted out using one single pipe. It 

will then capture up to 80% of the 

heat energy that would otherwise be 

wasted,” explains Janvi Patel, 

ventilation expert for the Hatfieldbased 

company. 

Mitsubishi Electric has led the 

way on what is known as 

Mechanical Ventilation with Heat 

Recovery (MVHR) in the commercial 

sector with its popular Lossnay 

system and the manufacturer has 

now translated all of this technical 

know-how into an easy-to-fit unit 

that is an ideal and cost-effective 

way of introducing MVHR, in the 

home. 

“This new system can be simply 

added to a room to bring fresh, 

energy efficient ventilation to any 

home or building, regardless of age,” 

adds Patel. 

With the news full of stories 

about air quality and the harmful 

effects of pollution, it is more 

important than ever to ensure our 

buildings are able to provide a 

respite from the toxic outdoors and 

deliver a fresh and comfortable 

environment. According to the 

Building Research Establishment 

(BRE), exposure to air pollutants also 

depends a lot on our exposure to 

indoor air as people can spend an 

estimated 90 per cent of their time 

inside buildings. 

Lossnay achieves such high levels 

of heat recovery by using a fine 

paper core, which allows the heated 

outgoing air to transfer this heat 

energy to bring the incoming air 

closer to the room temperature, 

thereby keeping the inside fresh 

without wasting energy. Pollutants, 

smells and even outdoor noise are 

filtered out by the unit, meaning 

that the inside is both fresh and 

comfortable, whilst the heat 

recovery element also means it is 

highly energy efficient. 

Only one single pipe connection 

to the outside is needed for the unit, 

making it ideal for retrofitting into 

existing buildings. The VL-50 is 

available as a pull-cord, hard-wired, 

or wireless remote controlled unit 

and measures just 52cm by 24.5cm. 

The unit can be fitted vertically or 

horizontally to suit the interior 

décor and provide installation 

flexibility and needs no pipework 

other than the connection through 

the wall to the outdoors. 

“Lossnay recovers both latent 

heat and sensible heat, meaning the 

incoming air is comfortable and the 

home doesn’t suffer from static or 

dryness,” adds Patel, “it’s all about 

increasing comfort whilst minimising 

the energy needed to do so.” 

The units price start at £208 

which makes them a really costeffective 

way of improving indoor 

air quality for occupants. 

With low sound levels, low power 

consumption and easy maintenance, 

the VL-50 provides a quick and easy 

way to introduce highly energy 

efficient, heat recovering ventilation 

to existing properties. 

Further details on the VL-50 can 

be found on Mitsubishi Electric’s 

document library: 

http://library.mitsubishielectric.co.u 

k/pdf/book/VL50_PI_Sheet#page-1- 

2 


INSULATION 

Roof refurbishment made easier with 

YBS Breatherquilt 

Aroofing company active 

across East Anglia has 

switched to using 

BreatherQuilt from the 

range of YBS, finding it more costeffective 

to install while offering 

superior performance compared to 

rival products on the market. R. G. 

Leverett Ltd is a family run business 

with a well established reputation 

serving the owners of commercial as 

well as private property while also 

being ready to embrace new 

technologies which can help both its 

business and its clients. The first 

project where R. G. Leverett trialled 

YBS BreatherQuilt was a 1950s 

bungalow in Norwich whose original 

roof covering of concrete tiles was 

at the end of its life, leaking in 

several places and offering poor 

thermal performance. Having fully 

scaffolded the single storey property 

and carried out risk assessments, 

including checking for the presence 

of asbestos, the firm’s operatives 

stripped off the tiles, across the 

main pitch and wing. 

The BreatherQuilt was then 

rolled out in the manner of a 

conventional felt. The multi-layer 

product is easy to cut around areas 

such as the bungalow’s valleys and 

chimney structure, but well able to 

resist tearing or other accidental 

damage. It was then secured in place 

using treated tiling battens and tape 

where required. 

The roofing specialist’s owner, 

Rob Leverett, commented: “We carry 

out a lot of work like this for the 

owners of older properties and 

decided to try YBS BreatherQuilt 

because it is not only cheaper than 

the other products we were using, 

but it offers a better insulation 

value as well.” 

“It is straightforward to install – 

we had absolutely no problems with 

it - and I am sure we will be 

purchasing BreatherQuilt for more 

projects in the future.” 

YBS BreatherQuilt is a BDA, LABC 

and NHBC certified for pitched roof 

insulation material for use in newbuild 

and refurbishment 

applications. Lightweight and thin, it 

is the equivalent of 65mm of 

mineral wool insulation, while also 

providing a breathable 

underlayment. 

www.ybsinsulation.com 

STO takes insulation to new heights for a 

re-developed RAF control tower 

Residents of a prestigious 

new home created in a 

former WWII RAF control 

tower will enjoy a warm 

and comfortable environment, 

thanks to the use of external wall 

insulation from Sto. Restoration of 

the historic building in Scotland has 

included the installation of 

StoTherm Classic insulation and a 

StoSilco external render, and this has 

transformed the control tower into 

the impressive centrepiece of a 

contemporary new residential 

development. 

The Category C listed tower 

stands on the site of the former RAF 

Findo Gask airfield at Clathymore, 

near Perth, which was used as a 

training base for Polish pilots during 

the war. After a long period of 

disuse the tower has now been 

converted into a dramatic new fourstorey 

home by Stephen Country 

Homes of Perth, who commented 

that this was a very unusual project 

and one that demanded the very 

highest standard of materials and 

finishes. 

Using the existing cellular 

concrete structure meant that the 

external insulation and render which 

were used had to be able to 

accommodate some small degree of 

movement. Stephen Country Homes 

found that the StoTherm Classic 

insulation could achieve this, and 

could also be applied without the 

need for any visible movement 

joints. This allowed the contractor to 

achieve a high degree of thermal 

insulation and still create a smooth, 

uniform external finish with the 

StoSilco external render, which was 

applied on top. 

“We worked very closely with 

both Sto and Stephen Country 

Homes to create the most effective 

solution for this project,” adds Steve 

Avery of external façade specialists 

AFS who installed the Sto products. 

“Together we completed numerous 

on-site tests on the existing 

substrate before choosing the Sto- 

Rotofix Plus as the most effective 

fixing method for the insulation. We 

knew that this would provide the 

sort of reliability and secure 

installation that would be needed to 

withstand the site’s slightly exposed 

location and high wind loadings.” 

The cement-free EPS boards of 

the StoTherm Classic insulation 

system are ideal for refurbishment 

projects such as this, as they allow a 

high degree of insulation to be 

created for an existing structure 

without reducing the interior space. 

The unique Sto-Rotofix Plus fixing 

system allowed the boards to be 

installed, and then adjusted and 

levelled to create a smooth and even 

A prestigious new home created in a former WWII RAF control tower has been 

insulated using StoTherm Classic external wall insulation and a StoSilco 

external render. 

exterior surface. 

This was then finished with 

StoSilco façade render to provide 

excellent water repellence and 

resistance to weather. The silicone 

resin-based finish is ideal for 

exposed locations and aggressive 

atmospheres and it also offers great 

resistance to the growth of algae 

and fungus, thus enabling the 

finished surface to maintain its 

original appearance. For this project, 

Stephen Country Homes were able 

to choose from the 764 colour 

options available in the StoSilco 

Render range and create exactly the 

high-quality final appearance they 

required. 

The completed new home will 

include a roof terrace and a first 

floor ‘glass room’ extension that 

provides views across the 

surrounding Perthshire countryside. 

Tel: 07722 826741 


Cubic design exploits Kebony cladding 

Spectacular hillside house inspired by cluster design 

CLADDING 

Located an hour north of Oslo, 

on a majestic hillside facing 

the Norwegian woods and 

Mjøsa Lake, lies the Gjøvik 

house. Imaginatively created by , the 

house comprises of six overlapping 

cubes clad with , a beautiful wood 

recommended by leading architects. 

The Gjøvik house makes for an 

intimate and dynamic family home 

with materials, levels and inbuilt 

tailor-made furniture to create a 

cosy and minimalistic home. 

The initial idea behind the 

cluster style house was to build a 

home with a warm and inviting feel 

where one can truly hibernate and 

take shelter from the cold of the 

Nordic winter. Gracefully embracing 

the hillside terrain, with breathtaking 

views of the Mjøsa Lake, the 

Gjøvik house merges with its 

surroundings in a modest and 

natural manner. 

Positioned at the centre of the 

property, the kitchen offers an 

impressive outlook on both sides 

with an influx of light from floorto-ceiling 

windows. As you move 

through the house, views are framed 

within windows in each of the cube 

rooms. The intertwining is further 

underlined by the architect’s choice 

of materials, floor becomes wall and 

wall becomes floor in an everchanging 

world of concrete and 

wood in subtle warm tones. The 

addition of built-in furniture adds to 

the soft, minimal expression in this 

unique family home. 

The exterior façade boasts 

narrow Kebony cladding which will 

eventually fade and blend in with 

the surrounding landscape as it 

gradually develops its silvery-grey 

patina. Kebony was selected for its 

aesthetic qualities, providing a 

natural appearance for the house. 

Additionally, Kebony requires no 

maintenance beyond normal 

cleaning and is highly dimensionally 

stable and resistant to wear and 

weathering, further confirming it is 

the perfect material for the exposed 

location of the Gjøvik house. 

Developed in Norway, Kebony’s 

revolutionary technology is an 

environmentally friendly process, 

which modifies sustainably sourced 

softwoods by heating the wood 

with furfuryl alcohol - an 

agricultural by-product. By 

polymerising the wood’s cell wall, 

the softwoods permanently take on 

the attributes of tropical hardwood 

including high durability, hardness 

and dimensional stability. 

Linda Korndal, lead Architect at 

Norm Architects commented: 

“Embracing all aspects of family life, 

this modern cluster house provides 

the sensation of being together, 

whilst not necessarily being in the 

same room due to the switching 

levels and unique choice of 

materials. We are truly impressed 

with the capabilities of Kebony as a 

natural, sustainable and durable 

product which has provided the 

perfect finish for the exterior of the 

Gjøvik house.” 

Mette Valen, Sales Manager 

Norway at Kebony added: “Norm 

Architects have cleverly achieved 

their ambition of designing a 

modern, minimalistic home with a 

warm and inviting feel. The cubic 

nature of the house is a fantastic 

representation of how to blend a 

modern property into uneven 

surroundings and we are so pleased 

that Kebony has been able to 

contribute to the intended vision.” 

www.kebony.com 


CLADDING 

Shackerley’s SureClad ® creates union 

between old and new at Manchester Uni 

In today’s competitive higher education sector, the facilities and environment offered by a 

university’s student union is more important than ever. 

At the University of 

Manchester, the large 

student union is located in 

a prominent main road 

position at the heart of the city 

centre campus. Since it was first 

constructed in the 1950s when the 

university had just 4000 students, 

the building has always been more 

than the traditional bar and social 

hub, containing multiple 

entertainment venues and student 

services too. 

To enhance its facilities for 21st 

century students, the University is 

investing in an ambitious ‘Future 

Union’ refurbishment and extension 

of the building, as part of its £1 

billion campus improvement 

programme. The scheme is designed 

to provide additional floor space, 

enhance the visual impact of the 

building and extend its service life. 

The project includes two 

extensions constructed as infills to 

the rear courtyards. To ensure that 

these façades complement the 

original building’s Portland Stone 

frontage and answer demands of a 

core university facility in such a key 

location, Shackerley’s SureClad® 

ceramic granite ventilated cladding 

system has been specified in a 

creamy beige colourway with a 

natural, stone-like finish. The design 

concept was to create a 

contemporary representation of the 

existing building, simplifying the 

existing elevations with a limited 

palette of materials that respect the 

materiality of the legacy building. 

QUALITY & DURABILITY 

Designed by architect, Wilson 

Mason, following an extensive 

stakeholder research programme, the 

Future Union project aims to deliver 

more performance and rehearsal 

spaces, including a purpose built 

theatre, along with more meeting 

rooms and flexible meeting spaces 

to accommodate the University’s 

450+ groups and societies. There will 

also be more designated student 

areas, a wider range of catering 

outlets, additional storage space and 

upgrades to all toilet facilities. 

Delivered by main contractor, 

Willmott Dixon, the project has been 

designed in three main phases, 

beginning with the extensions to the 

building, to enable the existing 

Students’ Union to remain 

operational throughout the 

programme. 

Explains the project architect at 

Wilson Mason: “Internally, the brief 

involves remodelling the space to 

improve the layout, maximise the 

footprint of the building and 

accommodate a wider variety of 

facilities. 

“The front of the building will be 

upgraded and retain its commanding 

presence and distinctive Portland 

Stone aesthetic, with new windows 

and cleaning of the façade. 

Meanwhile, the new build extensions 

utilising infill opportunities to the 

side and rear of the building will 

add an additional 1000m2 of space, 

some of which will be used for retail 

units and lettable space, providing 

additional revenue streams for the 

Students’ Union.” 

The project began with 

construction of the new extensions 

in 2016 and, while completion of 

the project is not expected until 

summer 2018, the external envelope 

has now been completed, enabling 

some facilities to be decanted into 

new areas of the building while 

refurbishment of the existing 

accommodation continues. 

In addition to incorporating the 

views of more than 1000 students 

into the design principles for the 

project following a lengthy 

consultation process, Wilson Mason 

also factored the University’s 

requirements into the specification 

criteria for the scheme. 

The architect continues: “The 

student union is an iconic building 

on campus and is in a key location 

close to the University’s Grade II 

listed Old Quadrangle and 

Whitworth Art Gallery buildings on 

Oxford Road. As a result, both a high 

quality appearance and high 

performance materials were key 

elements of the design brief from 

the University. 

“The SureClad® ceramic granite 

ventilated façade system from 

Shackerley answered those quality 

requirements in terms of both 

aesthetics and performance. As an 

impermeable material, it will resist 

both discolouration from pollutants 

and graffiti damage. Moreover, the 

wide choice of colourways and 

finishes offered by Shackerley meant 

we were able to specify a Portland 

stone colour with a natural finish that 

ensures a strong visual connection 

between the new elevations and the 

original building frontage.” 

CAN-DO FLEXIBILITY 

Due to the prominent location of 

the building and its cultural 

importance, the plans for the 

student union had to meet with 

strict planning considerations and 

Shackerley provided samples of the 

SureClad® ceramic granite panels to 

help the architect overcome 

planning queries and secure consent. 

These large-scale samples were 

temporarily fixed to the existing 

building’s external brickwork to 

clearly demonstrate the aesthetics 

and quality of the proposed system 

in situ. 

Following planning consent and 

completion of the detailed design, 

Shackerley worked to accurate plans 

to produce SureClad® panels to the 

project’s bespoke requirements. 

Explains Adrian Cowell from the 

project’s cladding installer, Task 

Contract Services Ltd: “While the 

majority of the SureClad® panels 

were provided in the standard 1198 

x 598 format, some of the panels 

had to be cut to different sizes to 

accommodate the specific layout of 

the elevations. The project also 

involved some bespoke design and 

prefabrication by Shackerley to 

provide sections needed for the 


CLADDING 

intersections with windows and 

abutment to the existing brickwork. 

“Not only did Shackerley expertly 

pre-fabricate every panel in their 

ISO 9001 accredited production 

facility to meet the project 

requirements and deliver the 

installation-ready panels to site,” 

Adrian continues, “they also 

responded promptly when the 

original plans did not accurately 

meet site conditions, helping us to 

keep the installation on track.” 

Shackerley prefabricated a total 

of 476 SureClad® panels and 366 

reveals at the company’s production 

facility in Lancashire, supplying the 

installation-ready panels to site with 

fixing straps securely anchored to 

their rear for installation using 

Shackerley’s Queen’s Award winning 

SureClad® Access System. 

Adrian continues: “The SureClad® 

Access System enables nonsequential 

installation of the façade 

panels, which was particularly useful 

on this project as we had to plan the 

cladding works around the main 

contractor’s complex schedule. The 

flexibility offered by the Shackerley 

system meant that our team could 

return to complete areas and simply 

pick up where they had left off.” 

required for the steps at its 

Lancashire production plant and 

delivered them to site for 

installation by entrance cladding 

installer, Churchmore. 

The project architect from Mason 

Wilson adds: “The contrasting colour 

of ceramic granite not only creates 

impact at the new entrance to the 

building but also serves the practical 

purpose of highlighting the edge of 

the steps. 

“The fact that we could specify 

the same material for two very 

different applications from a single 

supplier demonstrates the flexibility 

of the material and the willingness 

of Shackerley to meet the demands 

of the project, even when there are 

complex design requirements 

involved.” 

LIVING ROOM OF THE CAMPUS 

Construction of the new infill 

extensions has now been completed 

and the project to reshape the 

building as the ‘living room of the 

campus’ is ongoing, integrating the 

building as a cultural and education 

asset for the University and its 

current and future cohorts of 

students. 

A vital part of student life and 

the biggest student union in the UK, 

the University of Manchester’s 

student Union is set to create a new 

benchmark for student facilities on 

campus when all refurbishment and 

remodelling work completes in 2018. 

www.shackerley.com/ 

supplier_of/sureclad-access-system 

COMPLEX REQUIREMENTS 

In addition to the Portland stonecoloured 

SureClad® ceramic granite 

panels used to create the façades for 

the student union’s new elevations, 

the system was also specified for the 

capping details of the steps leading 

to the new entrance constructed as 

part of the new extension. 

Here, the SureClad® system has 

been specified in a dark grey/black 

colourway to create a contrast with 

the creamy coloured façade and 

hard landscaping. Shackerley 

prefabricated the bespoke details 


PROJECTS 

Royal approval for University’s new £30 million building 

Huddersfield’s policy of naming key 

buildings after inspirational figures 

with roots in the region. 

“Now we have the opportunity 

to name a fine new building after a 

truly great and influential figure 

who achieved global eminence in 

the visual arts.” 

The sculptor Barbara Hepworth – 

who lived from 1903 to 1975 – 

spent most of her life and career in 

London and Cornwall, but she was 

born in Wakefield and very much a 

product of the educational system 

and the landscape of the West 

Riding. She remained very proud of 

her Yorkshire roots, said Professor 

Thornton. 

“We are equally proud to 

commemorate her in what will be 

the latest exceptional and exciting 

building on our campus and one 

that will be devoted to the study of 

art, design and architecture.” 

Responsible for designing and 

constructing the Barbara Hepworth 

Building are architects AHR, 

construction firm Morgan Sindall 

and structural engineers Tim Stower 

and Partners. This is the same team 

that built the University of 

Huddersfield’s dramatic Oastler 

Building, opened in 2017. 

The Barbara Hepworth will have 

six-storeys and 7,500 square metres 

of floor space. The cantilevered 

floor will overlook the Huddersfield 

Narrow Canal. The building is being 

constructed on a Queen Street 

South site formerly occupied by 

engineering firm Broadbent. 

“The distinctive element is that 

the new building fits the landscape 

as it cascades down towards the 

canal, making full use of the site by 

following its contours,” said Tim 

Hosker, the University’s Assistant 

Director of Estates and Facilities. 

www.morgansindall.com 

The University’s Chancellor, HRH 

The Duke of York, unveils the 

foundation stone for the new 

Barbara Hepworth Building. 

A dramatic architectural feature 

of the University of Huddersfield’s 

latest construction project has 

captured the imagination of its 

Chancellor, HRH the Duke of York. 

On his latest visit to the 

University, The Duke unveiled the 

foundation stone of the £30 million 

Barbara Hepworth Building, due for 

completion in 2019. The design 

includes what His Royal Highness 

described as a “wonderful 

cantilever”. In his speech, he joked 

that he would bring along 

measuring tools to ensure that its 

roof was perfectly flat. 

“The University of Huddersfield 

prides itself in its buildings, its care 

for buildings and the care it has for 

its students,” said The Duke. “The 

Barbara Hepworth Building will be a 

marvellous addition to the facilities 

that the University can offer its 

students,” he added. 

The ceremony was introduced by 

the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the 

University, Professor Tim Thornton. 

He explained the University of 

Little oasis set to sit above busy shopping centre 

Nottingham City Homes (NCH) 

will start work to create a 

whole new outdoor space on 

top of the intu Victoria Centre on 

Monday (12 February). 

As part of its Decent 

Neighbourhoods programme, NCH is 

creating an outdoor space for 

residents, which will feature a range 

of different seating areas, timber 

raised beds, two wall murals, and 

carefully selected trees and planting 

to suit the urban environment. 

The garden will be based on the 

fourth floor of the flats, directly 

above the shopping centre. The 

project is expected to take 18 weeks 

to complete. 

Jonathan Shaw, Director of 

Investment and Business Services at 

NCH, said: “We’ re delighted to be 

getting this project underway. There 

has always been an outdoor space 

for residents at Victoria Centre, but 

it needs to be brought back to life 

and made accessible and inspiring 

for those who live there. 

“In consultation with the 

residents, the garden has been 

sympathetically designed to create a 

place people can go to relax, meet 

with friends, and enjoy a sunny 

day. ” 

NCH has been speaking to people 

who live in the Victoria Centre flats 

about the project, and a group of 

residents will help to maintain the 

garden once the works are complete. 

The construction team carrying 

out the scheme will be working hard 

to deliver the project as efficiently 

as possible, with minimal disruption. 

There will be one lane closure, on 

Glasshouse Street near the entrance 

to the intu Victoria Centre’ s car 

park from 9am until 2pm on 

Monday 12 February and 9am till 

2pm on Tuesday 13 February, to 

operate a crane safely near the site. 

The project has been designed by 

Nottingham horticultural specialists, 

Hosta Consulting, and is being 

delivered on NCH’s behalf by the 

Highways team at Nottingham City 

Council. 

A CGI video showing the new 

design is available to view and 

download here: 

https://goo.gl/J9PhHm 


PROJECTS 

Sika supplies proven top to bottom solution 

for historic building refurbishment 

Sika showcased the scope of 

its construction sector 

specialisms during the 

refurbishment and 

conversion of an historic, Grade IIlisted 

building – with its industryleading 

products selected for both 

roof and basement works. 

The Cunard is described as one of 

Liverpool’s most iconic buildings. 

Built in 1917, the six-storey 

construction not only provided 

sanctuary as a Second World War 

air-raid shelter, its dockside location 

also made it an ideal site for ship 

building blueprints and luggage 

storage. 

Following its conversion into 

high-end office blocks, a survey of 

the building revealed issues with the 

roof and basement. 

At the top of the building, aged 

asphalt patches with varying level 

changes and multiple cases of 

cracking, slumping and blistering 

were identified. 

Meanwhile, in the basement 

soffits, beams and columns located 

in its sub-basement began to show 

signs of deterioration. Carbonation 

and chloride levels in the concrete 

led to the reinforcement bars 

becoming exposed in areas, leading 

to surface cracking and spalling. 

Sika had the ideal solutions for 

both problems. 

Designed Roof Systems Ltd was 

given the task of solving the roofing 

issues. They specified a 20-year 

Decothane system in light grey with 

red walkways. 

Michael Devlin, Managing 

Director at Designed Roof Systems 

Ltd, said: “The Decothane system 

was chosen as the client didn’t want 

to replace the asphalt and wanted 

to avoid the need for hot works to 

be carried out but at the same time 

was looking for a roofing solution 

that was aesthetically suitable and 

effective over varying details and 

angles as well as the more basic flat 

areas. 

“Decothane more than delivered 

on this brief.” 

Clan Contracting were instructed 

to carry out the basement’s concrete 

repair and began by removing the 

cracked and delaminated concrete 

and cleaning the areas in 

preparation for the application of 

Sika’s reinforcement system. Firstly, 

the steel reinforcement was applied 

with Sika MonoTop®-610, a highperformance, 

one-component, 

cementitious polymer-modified 

protection coating. 

This was followed by Sika 

MonoTop®-612, a high-strength 

repair and reprofiling system 

suitable for overhead and vertical 

concrete substrates. Spray or handapplied, 

Sika MonoTop®-612 

provides superb resistance to water 

and chloride penetration. For the 

one-component, polymer-modified 

cementitious smoothing coat, Sika 

MonoTop®-620 was applied. 

As well as crack repairs, Sika 

provided carbon fibre 

strengthening in the form of Sika 

CarboDur®, carbon fibre-reinforced 

polymer (CFRP) laminates which are 

bonded onto the structure as 

externally-bonded reinforcement 

using Sikadur®-30 structural 

adhesive. Sika Ferrogard®-903+, a 

surface-applied, multi-functional 

liquid corrosion inhibitor, and 

Sikagard®-550 W Elastic, a plastoelastic, 

anti-carbonation coating 

supplied the system’s final 

protective layers. 

Damian Meyers, Commercial 

Director at Clan Contracting, said: 

“The Sika concrete repair system was 

specified on the strength of its 

proven properties as a dependable, 

long-term refurbishment and 

strengthening system. It performed 

as promised, delivering a superb 

solution to the debilitating soffits, 

beams and columns without issue.” 

Thanks to the superb properties 

of Sika’s exemplary concrete repair 

and strengthening and roofing 

systems, the top and bottom of the 

landmark Cunard building has been 

improved, leaving a well-protected, 

structurally-sound belowground 

floor and water-tight, visuallypleasing 

roof. 

For more information please call 

01707 394444, 

or visit www.sika.co.uk. 


PROJECTS 

National Theatre begins work to install new 

rooftop entertainment space 

Work has commenced on 

the installation of the 

National Theatre’s new 

rooftop entertainment 

venue. Replacing The Deck, a 

temporary structure originally built 

in 2007, the new event space is set 

for completion in summer 2018. 

This complex riverside project is 

underway, with the old structure 

being taken down, making way for a 

fresh, open space that will meet the 

growing demand for a more creative 

and high-tech venue for corporate 

entertaining, VIP events, private 

parties and weddings on the South 

Bank. 

Plans for the new structure 

include sliding glass screens which 

will allow the installation to open up 

to the external terrace, creating a 

free-flowing space inside and out, 

while showcasing panoramic views 

of the London skyline and enhancing 

the venues unique location on the 

Southbank. 

Future events will benefit from 

the artistry and stage craft that the 

National Theatre is renowned for, 

with event organisers able to draw 

upon the best talent the theatre 

industry has, providing creative 

production expertise, the very best 

in sound and vision design and 

costume and prop innovators that 

have worked on globally renowned 

theatre shows. This, coupled with 

the National Theatre’s dedicated 

events team and world-class inhouse 

catering, will create new 

unique and immersive experiences. 

As one of the venues of choice for 

creative, design and production 

agencies in London, The Deck will pick 

up where it left off last year as it looks 

set to welcome clients from a wide 

range of sectors including technology, 

publishing, finance and retail. 

The project is being designed by 

RIBA award-winning architects, 

Haworth Tompkins, who completed 

NT Future a hugely successful £80 

million redevelopment of the 

National Theatre in May 2015. 

Wedding guests will, for the first 

time, be able to dance the night 

away at the venue, as the floor has 

been specially modified for dancing. 

Tineke O’Brien, Head of 

Commercial Events and Business 

Development at the National 

Theatre, says: “We’re excited this 

work has now begun. The Deck has 

seen continued success since it’s 

opening in 2007 and the 

redevelopment of the venue is to 

cater for the ever-growing demand 

for corporate events, private parties 

and weddings and to build on the 

South Bank’s significance as a 

destination for both domestic and 

international clients. 

“This project is a testament to 

our ongoing commitment to 

enhance and improve the guest 

experience. We can’t wait for the big 

reveal in the summer and look 

forward to sharing progress reports 

with our clients over the coming 

months. The finished results will be 

breath-taking.” 

www.thedeck.org.uk 

www.nationaltheatre.org.uk 


Building a 

timber 

skyscraper 

taller than 

150 metres? 

” With a wider building, it 

will be possible to build 

a timber building taller 

than 100 metres. 150 

metres should also be possible. 

Possibly even taller.” 

These are the words of Director 

Rune Abrahamsen of Moelven Limtre 

AS. The man behind “Mjøstårnet,” 

among other things, which when 

completed in March 2019 will be the 

world’s tallest timber building. The 

building that many people in the 

international construction industry 

consider to be world-class 

engineering. 

Rune Abrahamsen says that a 

number of players are vying for the 

world record for the world’s tallest 

timber building. 

“The project is an important 

contribution to make the 

international building industry more 

environmentally friendly. When one 

proves and documents that one can 

build a taller timber building that 

what one previously thought was 

possible, there’s no doubt that this is 

world-class engineering,” Tiltnes says. 

In addition he believes that for 

several decades the industry has seen 

that Moelven has a world leading 

production environment for wood 

materials. “I don’t believe that 

Mjøstårnet could have materialized 

without Moelven’s experience from 

the Olympic halls, the airport at 

Gardermoen and the company’s 

many groundbreaking bridge 

projects. 

Tiltnes heads Bygg21, which is 

the government’s instrument to 

promote an efficient and sustainable 

industry in Norway. Bygg21 is a 

partnership between the government 

and the entire Norwegian 

Rune Abrahamsen. 

construction and real estate industry. 

Tiltnes previously headed the 

introduction of the international 

classification system BREEAM in 

Norway. 

Tiltnes says that Mjøstårnet 

contributes to terminate earlier 

myths that wood is not suited for 

tall buildings. 

“Unfortunately, many industry 

players have previously had an 

unfounded fear that wood has poor 

load-bearing properties and high 

risks in the event of fire. Mjøstårnet 

is contributing to more people 

realizing that wood is very safe with 

regard to fire and has a load bearing 

capacity that allows for significant 

heights. Together with we recently 

launched a digital guide for the use 

of industrial wood structures. I 

believe the upcoming world record 

of 81 metres is just the start of a 

megatrend,” Tiltnes says. 

Rune Abrahamsen says that a 

number of players are vying for the 

world record for the world’s tallest 

timber building, and a need for a 

proper definition of a high rise 

timber building has arisen. A while 

back he was in Australia to take part 

in an international workshop on tall 

buildings. 

"On commission from the Council 

on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat 

(CTBUH), Englishman Dr. Robert 

Foster, on behalf of the workshop 

participants, has put forward a 

proposal that buildings with braced 

concrete cores be defined as woodconcrete 

hybrid buildings." He has 

reason to believe that this proposal 

will be adopted in the first half of 

2018. If the rules come into force, 

HoHo Tower in Vienna and Brock 

Commons in Vancouver will be 

defined as wood-concrete hybrid 

buildings rather than timber highrises. 

“Both of these projects are 

nevertheless outstanding examples 

of how one can achieve major 

reductions in greenhouse gas 

emissions by combining materials,” 

Abrahamsen says. 

www.moelven.com/mjostarnet 


PROJECTS 

A Top Down Approach to Demolition and 

Concurrent Construction at 145 Oxford Street 

Located at one of the busiest 

shopping destinations in 

Europe, 145 Oxford Street is a 

mixed use retail and office 

development delivered by Paragon 

for Thor Equities. The project has 

required a complex structural 

refurbishment to retain the original 

façade while creating a new internal 

structure and mansard level. 

Specialist contractor, 

Construction Solutions, was tasked 

with installing extensive temporary 

works to enable removal and 

reconstruction of each level, along 

with construction of the mansard 

roof, in a top-down programme 

delivered in line with a business 

critical phased handover. The busy 

location with restricted access, no 

gantry and limited lifting facilities, 

and the poor condition of the 

original building added increased 

levels of challenge to the project, 

addressed by close collaboration 

between Construction Solutions and 

the project’s main contractor, lead 

engineer and design team. 

PREPARATION 

The building had already been 

stripped out by others when 

Construction Solutions arrived on 

site and it was evident that the 

building needed immediate 

structural attention, with visible 

cracking to the corners of the 

façade and an internal staircase that 

was unsafe for use by the site team. 

Explains Andy Barrons from 

Construction Solutions: “Temporary 

works were required for each of the 

existing floors, including the 

basement and ground floor retail 

accommodation and the three levels 

of offices above, as a matter of 

urgency. We erected a waling frame 

with flying shores working 

progressively top down, starting 

with the underside of the existing 

mansard roof to brace the building 

so that the working environment 

was safe for our team and others on 

site, and removed the unsafe 

staircase, replacing it with 

temporary access.” 

With the building stabilised, the 

Construction Solutions team was 

able to carry out crack and corner 

repairs to the internal areas of the 

external walls before erecting the 

temporary Mabey Mass propping 

system that was required in order to 

begin demolition of the internal 

structure. 

SEQUENCING EXPERTISE 

The demolition was carried out as a 

top down process with the 

temporary works for each floor 

installed to enable demolition to 

take place followed by the 

installation of new steelwork and 

timber to reconstruct each level, 

before striking the temporary works 

and moving the same sequence 

down to the level below. 

This build sequence was at odds 

with the staged handover of the 

retail and office spaces as on time 

handover of the retail spaces at 

ground floor level was business 

critical to enable shopfitting to take 


PROJECTS 

place. The Construction Solutions 

team resolved these challenges by 

re-sequencing the programme, 

enabling temporary works, 

demolition and reconstruction of the 

lower floors to be delivered 

concurrently with construction of 

the mansard level rather than 

building the mansard earlier in the 

programme as originally planned. 

Andy continues: “Flexibility and 

collaboration were critical to the 

success of the programme 

throughout, not least because the 

existing structure threw up a few 

surprises that necessitated design 

changes to the temporary works and 

structural steel details. 

“There was a constant process of 

review throughout the project to 

ensure that the work continued 

within the required time and budget 

requirements.” 

VARIED PROGRAMME 

While the original basement was 

retained, the remodelling scheme 

required significant structural works 

at basement level. To maximise head 

room, areas of the vaulted basement 

ceilings were cut out and capped 

with reinforced concrete arches, 

levelling out the floor-to-ceiling 

height across the basement sales 

floor. New drainage runs were also 

built into the modifications at this 

level 

Various additional structural 

modifications were also required. 

Construction Solutions created a 

temporary opening to create a site 

access route, enabling materials to 

be brought up through the building 

from basement level and this had to 

be resealed following project 

completion. The new building design 

included creation of a new lift shaft 

to accommodate a single lift car and 

Construction Solutions constructed 

the block work lift shaft rising up 

through the building. The old 

staircases were removed and the 

former openings for these were 

infilled while openings were created 

for the installation of a new 

staircase. 

The programme delivered by 

Construction Solutions also included 

construction of the mansard level, 

including all steelwork and timber, 

the external carcass and installation 

of the mansard windows. 

Andy adds: “This was a 

logistically challenging project that 

demanded buildability input to the 

original design scheme in order to 

manage the specific challenges of 

the building and the confined site, 

while keeping the programme on 

track. 

“It demonstrates the value of 

close inter-disciplinary collaboration 

between delivery partners and the 

benefits of a directly employed team 

in adapting to a flexible programme 

that required construction and 

demolition to take place 

concurrently.” 

www.constructionsolutions.ltd.uk 


PROJECTS 

Modern building services essential to 

hospitality sector 

The Sales and Marketing 

Director for Stokvis Energy 

Systems, Paul Sands, considers 

the options for optimising 

heating and hot water performance 

in non-domestic applications, 

including hotels and leisure 

complexes. 

Television’s iconic Fawlty Towers 

saw the beleaguered Basil coping 

with an inebriated chef and 

incompetent builders, but more 

common concerns for hotel owners 

could be the lack of hot water in 

guest rooms or poor heating 

performance. 

Basically, the hospitality and 

leisure industry – reaching from 

suburban guest houses to country 

house hotels with large leisure 

complexes – all face fluctuating 

demand for large volumes of hot 

water, combined with a need to 

maintain occupant comfort; often 

exacerbated by poorly insulated 

building envelopes. 

As a major commercial boiler and 

plate heat exchanger company, 

supplying also other high 

performance heating and hot water 

service products, supported by a 

national service and maintenance 

team, Stokvis Energy Systems is 

widely experienced in meeting 

specifiers’ needs for Hotel and 

Leisure projects along with projects 

in schools, hospitals, offices, 

apartment blocks and retail centres 

Underpinning the Heating offer 

is the new generation Stokvis R40 

and R600 EVOLUTION boilers, which 

build on the well-established 

reputation and technology of earlier 

generation boilers from Stokvis , but 

delivering even higher performance 

and greater reliability. 

While the heating industry has 

witnessed improved component 

technology in areas such as burners, 

pumps, flues and – crucially – heat 

exchangers, there has also been a 

revolution in the electronic control 

systems. 

Thanks to the availability of fully 

modulating boilers, featuring 

automatically controlled premix 

burners to match output with 

demand, building services 

professionals can be assured of 

extracting the maximum energy 

from the gas burnt, as well as very 

low NOx levels and carbon dioxide 

generation. Modern boilers like the 

EVOLUTION models also feature very 

low water volume, and the 

combination of low water volume 

with full modulation are key factors 

in maintaining peak efficiency, 

which is further increased by the 

R600 Evolution from Stokvis Energy Systems 

capability of condensing to boost 

the efficiency even further. 

Valuable for refurbishment 

situations, clients can avoid the 

expense of disruptive alterations by 

selecting new boilers small enough 

to fit through standard door 

openings: while options like the 

R600 EVOLUTION are also supplied 

on their own wheels to facilitate 

positioning. 

Similarly, the Modupak option 

offers the convenience of a Modular 

skid ‘cascade’ system which is 

supplied in kit form in multiple units 

for ease of manoeuvring into 

position before assembly in the 

plantroom. 

Within the main plant room, 

though, the contemporary 

alternative to storing large volumes 

of domestic hot water in tanks, is to 

install rapid reacting plate heat 

exchangers. Stokvis is regularly 

called on to update existing systems 

with one or more of its compact 

Econoplate units for hot water 

service, which can not only deliver 

very large volumes of hot water on 

demand, but also addresses the risk 

of the Legionella bacteria breeding 

in stored water. They can further 

enable new boilers to be isolated 

from old, potentially contaminated 

circulatory systems. 

Other popular approaches to 

achieving the best possible energy 

performance for commercial 

premises include introducing a solar 

preheat for the DHW supply: where 

a number of solar thermal panels are 

connected to a pre heat storage 

vessel. The increased temperature of 

the supply water is then raised if 

necessary by passing it through an 

Econoplate plate heat exchanger to 

achieve the required temperature of 

60 to 65C. 

SHEFFIELD HOTEL SUCCESS 

Among many successfully completed 

projects in the sector, Stokvis Energy 

Systems has worked alongside West 

Midlands based Technical Assets 

Limited to replace a Sheffield hotel’s 

30 year old Econoflame boilers with 

a pair of R3401 units. 

The facilities management 

specialist chose to carry out the 

update at the 60 bedroom Novotel 

last summer as a phased switchover, 

minimising any risk of disruption for 

guests, and making full use of the 

Stokvis “Boiler Dismantle and Re- 

Assembly Service” to address the 

limited accessibility of the plant 

room. Week one saw one of the R18 

boilers decommissioned before the 

first of the new R3401 boilers was 

installed the following week. This 

was allowed to “bed in” before the 

second replacement was completed, 

while the existing plate heat 

exchangers were switched for two 

fully packaged Stokvis Econoplate 

models. As ever, customer care and 

continuity of performance were top 

of both companies’ agenda for the 

execution of this sensitive scheme. 

For further information on Stokvis 

Energy Systems, please call 020 

8783 3050 or visit 

www.stokvisboilers.com. 


PROJECTS 

Kiruna: house by house 

Kiruna’s early history can be tracked by studying its houses, many of which will be preserved and relocated 

to the new city. 

Hjalmar Lundbohmsgården in Kiruna. 

The house “Ingenjörsvillan” built 1900 in Kiruna. 

The houses “Bläckhornen” in Kiruna. 

The iconic Kiruna Church. 

Kiruna’s early history can be 

tracked by studying its 

houses, many of which will 

be preserved and relocated 

to the new city. The city of Kiruna 

and LKAB have agreed to move 21 

historic buildings from the old city 

to the new one. In May 2017, the 

move reached an important 

milestone as the first listed 

building, Workers Housing Unit B5, 

was loaded on a specially adapted 

trailer and delivered to its new 

location beneath the foot of the 

Luossavaara mountain. Here are 

some the other buildings included 

in the move. 

Built in 1890, the same year the 

mining company LKAB was 

founded, this is Kiruna’s oldest 

residential building. The small 

timber cabin has two rooms and 

housed the first miners who moved 

here to work for LKAB. It was 

mainly used as a place to spend the 

night, rather than a real home. 

The large building was built in four 

sequences between 1895 and 1909. 

Lundbohm was LKAB’s first 

manager and lived here until 1920 

when he retired. 

BOLAGSHOTELLET 

This yellow hotel from 1901 is 

where LKAB’s customers and 

visiting politicians still stay when 

they’re in town. The hotel will be 

moved in three or four parts to its 

new address in the Luossavaara 

area, where it’s due to welcome 

guests again in 2019. 

INGENJÖRSVILLAN 

This house was built in 1900 for 

LKAB’s structural engineer. 

Compete with a glass porch, bay 

windows and dormers, the 

imposing villa was originally 

designed for one family with a 

housekeeper, chef and a maid. 

Later, it was converted into two 

rented flats. 

room house was built in 1906 as a 

residence for Kiruna’s first police 

officer. He was recruited from 

Sweden’s capital Stockholm in 

order to maintain law and order in 

the growing mining town. 

BLÄCKHORNEN 

LKAB’s green, red and yellow 

workers’ houses in wood are very 

characteristic to Kiruna. Designed 

by Gustav Wickman and built in 

the early 20th century, they were 

nicknamed “Ink Pots” because 

locals thought their form 

resembled ink pots for fountain 

pens. 14 houses will be moved in 

the coming years. 

THE KIRUNA CHURCH 

Kiruna’s red, wooden church was 

built between 1909 and 1912. 

Designed by Gustav Wickman and 

originally a gift from LKAB to the 

congregation, it’s shaped like a 

traditional Sami cabin. It was voted 

Sweden’s most beautiful building in 

2013. The church will be 

dismantled and reassembled in the 

new town center in 2025-2026. 

HJALMAR LUNDBOHMSGÅRDEN 

The second building constructed in 

Kiruna and the former home of the 

town’s founder, Hjalmar Lundbohm. 

LÄNSMANSBOSTADEN 

One of the few historic buildings 

moved to the new center instead 

of the Luossavaara area. The 9- 


PROJECTS 

Ambitious Edinburgh Marina development 

embraces the future whilst preserving the past 

Edinburgh Marina will create a 

new destination for Scotland’s 

capital, bringing new life and 

vibrancy to a key area of 

Edinburgh’s coastline. Located 2.5miles 

from Edinburgh's historic city centre, 

the development will comprise a wide 

range of residential accommodation, 

including a luxury 104 unit retired 

living scheme and high-end 

leisure facilities. 

Work has started at a £20 

million waterfront residential 

development at Granton 

Harbour. Designed by Mosaic 

Architecture + Design, the 

development will provide 132 

homes, of one, two and threebedroom 

apartments with 

penthouses and duplexes, with 

100% residents parking and 

surface parking for visitors. Each 

ground floor flat has access to front 

gardens. 

Neil Haining, director of Mosaic, 

said: “The design of the elevations and 

the use of materials helps to create a 

development which identifies with the 

waterfront location in Edinburgh and 

creates local identity and good place. 

The building massing, form and 

fenestration has undergone various 

Historic photo of Granton Harbour 

developments in the dialogue with the 

local Planning Authority. Additionally, 

articulation, skyline, materials, internal 

planning, tenure mix, amenity space, 

street interaction, urban design and 

public realm have all created a rich mix 

of elements which will create a real 

sense of place for this development.” 

The waterside ‘Living for 

Retirement’© scheme has been designed 

by Wilson Gunn and will provide guests 

with a concierge, private cinema, bistro 

lounge, library, laundry room, storage 

and parking within a private landscaped 

garden, as well as full access to the new 

Health & Wellness Centre – 

incorporating steam and sauna rooms. 

The marina has been designed to 

accommodate the full-size range of 

yachts and cruisers, including 

superyachts – the first time this has 

been possible on Scotland’s east coast. 

Edinburgh Marina Holdings (the 

Developer behind the new Marina) has 

emphasised that it will protect and 

refurbish the historic Gunpowder Store. 

The 170 years old Gunpowder Store is 

listed on Scotland’s Buildings at Risk 

Register and is currently undergoing 

redevelopment as part of the 

developer’s vision for this unique £500 

million waterside quarter. 

The Gunpowder Store has been 

situated on the site since 1842, and will 

be returned to commercial space for 

The Gunpowder Store has fallen into disrepair 

the first time in decades, initially to be 

used as a showroom for the 

development from summer 2018. 

Commenting on the Gunpowder 

Store, developer Kevin Fawcett said: “I 

am delighted that we are able to play a 

role in saving this important historic 

building and to bring it back into 

productive use. The building is of 

significant historical importance to the 

local and wider community and has 

been allowed to 

deteriorate for 

decades; its 

renovation is 

long overdue. 

Once the various 

Edinburgh 

Marina 

developments at 

Granton are 

complete our 

ambition is for 

the building to 

be adopted for 

use by the local 

community.” 

Living for Retirement© luxury waterside apartments 

Janice Russell, director of 

McTaggart Construction, added: “The 

local community will start to see this 

development, for Link Housing 

Association, take shape over the coming 

months and it will undoubtedly 

transform the area. We will provide 

high quality, sustainable homes for the 

Association’s prospective tenants in the 

long-term as well as jobs and training 

opportunities for locals during the 

construction of the homes.” 

Plans for the harbour, which will accommodate yachts and cruisers 

Detailed planning consent for the remaining elements of the development are 

expected shortly, with the first residents due to move in during 2019. 

Living for Retirement© luxury waterside apartments - artist rendering 


PROJECTS 

Historic Environment Scotland unveils new an 

ambitious Investment Plan 

Historic Environment Scotland 

(HES) have unveiled an 

investment plan for some of 

Scotland’s most iconic 

historic sites. 

Backed by investment of £12 million 

in 2018/19, the plan sets out an 

investment programme scheduled to 

run until 2021/22 which will enhance 

the condition of sites and improve the 

experience of visitors. 

HES has already made a significant 

investment in 2017/18 on the upkeep 

and improvement of its estate. This 

work including important conservation 

projects at sites such as Midhowe in 

Orkney, Dunkeld Cathedral and 

Dumbarton Castle as well as the 

upgrade of heating, toilets and lighting 

systems at various properties across the 

HES estate. Other projects already 

underway as part of the ongoing 

investment include the installation of 

CCTV and improvements to 

interpretation materials at sites as well 

as the development of virtual reality 

experiences for visitors and a new 

pontoon and boats at Lochleven Castle. 

Based on current and projected 

income levels, HES is looking to allocate 

a similar level of annual investment 

across each year of the planned 

programme. The investment plan will be 

delivered over and above the current 

profile of business as usual activity. 

The investment plan is being 

published alongside HES’ first Asset 

Management Plan which outlines its 

approach to caring for over 300 

properties and collections in its care, 

including sites such as Linlithgow 

Palace, Skara Brae on Orkney and 

Stirling Castle. 

Introducing the plans, HES Chief 

Executive Alex Paterson said: “These are 

ambitious plans which will set new 

standards for the care of our properties 

and provide world class visitor 

attractions with outstanding visitor 

experiences. 

“We’re building on the success of 

recent years which have seen record 

numbers of visitors to many of 

Scotland’s historic sites. We’ve already 

effectively started our investment 

programme, with many projects already 

underway across the country and are in 

a strong position to deliver on the 

identified priorities designed to help 

bring social, economic and 

environmental benefits for Scotland.” 

Overall, 20 sites across its estate are 

earmarked as priority for investment 

under the plan. Projects planned as part 

of the new investment plan include 

Ongoing enhancement to facilities and 

amenities at Edinburgh Castle; repair 

work on the main Spire at Glasgow 

Cathedral and an augmented reality 

app for Caerlavarock Castle allowing 

Tantallon Castle, (“The last truly great castle built in Scotland”) East Lothian 

visitors to collect historical animations 

related to the castle and its adjacent 

nature trail. 

The visitor experience at Doune 

Castle in Perthshire – which doubles as 

the fictional Castle Leoch in the hit TV 

show Outlander – will also be enhanced 

View of the west defences and hospital of Edinburgh Castle from Princes Gardens. 

thanks to new external 

lighting around the site 

and an introductory 

exhibition on its history, 

based in the castle 

vaults. The Castle’s shop 

was also upgraded last 

year to become a larger 

more customer friendly 

retail outlet. 

In addition, HES will 

invest in the further 

digitisation of its 

archives, including the 

photography collection 

from the former 

Countryside 

Commission for Scotland of Rural 

Buildings from the 1970s – a collection 

never before available to the public. 

The plans also highlight the 

organisation’s increasing use of cutting 

edge, technology to conserve and 

manage its assets and estate, including 

the use of digital applications in areas 

15th Century Kilchurn Castle, Lochawe, Dalmally 

such as research and surveying, and 

how it mitigates climate change 

impacts across its estate. 

Welcoming the new plans, Fiona 

Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, 

Tourism and External Affairs, said: 

“During the past two financial years 

the Scottish Government has 

committed additional capital funding 

of around £6 million to support the 

conservation and management of 

properties in care. I am now pleased to 

see this plan for investment in our 

historic environment, and the 

infrastructure supporting Historic 

Environment Scotland’s wider visitor 

offer, which offers such a strong return 

for our economy, directly generating 

£528 million in 2017, and supporting 

an estimated 15,300 full time jobs in 

Scotland.” 

The full Investment Plan can be 

downloaded from thir website 

www.historicenvironment.scot 


PROJECT 

ReardonSmith Completes Ground-Breaking 

Transformation of Adare Manor and its Estate 

Adare Manor, Co Limerick’s 

world-famous hotel and 

golf resort, has re-opened 

its doors after a multimillion-euro 

redevelopment led by 

ReardonSmith Architects. This 

included the design of new 

buildings as well as the restoration 

and refurbishment of existing 

properties, with the repair and 

enhancement of the surrounding 

840-acre estate designed by 

ReardonSmith Landscape. The result 

is sensitive to the heritage of the 

estate as well as environmentally 

responsive. Both existing and new 

buildings have become a series of 

interconnecting spaces that work 

with the landscape as a partner to 

the development, affording views 

and offering invitations to explore 

the gardens, parkland and 

protected woodland beyond. The 

re-opening has been hailed as the 

beginning of Adare Manor’s “new 

legacy”, one which will see it firmly 

established as Ireland’s leading 

luxury resort. 

With an over-arching vision to 

create a luxury guest experience and 

with numerous emotional 

touchpoints and moments of 

discovery, the guest journey has 

been master planned from the point 

of arrival. Here, an ornate new 

gatehouse, inspired by an earlier 

historic entrance and constructed of 

the same materials as existing 

buildings on the estate, is carefully 

oriented to set out the spacious 

landscape of manicured lawns, 

newly planted trees and the mature 

parkland beyond. The new entrance 

also marks the start of a winding 

driveway through the estate, 

providing magnificent views and 

taking guests past the tidal River 

Maigue and a 13th Century castle 

ruin before the manor house comes 

into view and guests eventually 

arrive at the main entrance. 

This is the historic heart of the 

estate where the gardens give 

context to the house, provide 

Instagram moments and a pitchperfect 

outlook from inside. The 

grand scale and formal character of 

the gardens have been safeguarded 

and enhanced with new parkland, 

garden areas and additional planting 

to achieve a unified character 

consistent with the historic setting. 

To the south, sits the Formal Garden, 

providing sweeping panoramic 

views. A set piece of beauty, 

formality and precision, the garden 

is a playful celebration of forms, 

shapes and scales, rooted in the 

historic layout of the past. 

The manor house itself was 

originally built in the mid-19th 

Century at the height of the Gothic 

revival and romantic notions about a 

chivalric past. Both are abundantly 

captured, from gargoyles and 

symbols of heraldry to impressively 

decorated stone and wood carvings 

– all meticulously returned to their 

former splendour. Inside, the lobby 

with its soaring volume and vaulted 

arches has an ecclesiastical air. On 

the first floor, The Gallery, said to be 

the second longest room in Ireland 

at 132 feet and originally inspired 

by Versailles’ Hall of Mirrors, is 

uniquely furnished with Flemish 

choir stalls, its restored stained-glass 

windows casting multi-coloured 

glances of light across the space. 

However, the manor house is not 

all about restoration of the original 

building. ReardonSmith has also 

integrated several contemporary 

internal upgrades and technological 

conveniences necessary to meet the 

needs of a world-class hotel today, 

such as a new guest lift off the 

Great Hall and, at the north 

elevation of the dining room, French 

doors that create guest access to a 

terrace and new parterre garden. 

A new classically styled 

colonnade connects the manor 

house with the new West Wing 

which is linked at a right angle to an 

existing bedroom extension 

constructed in 1989. In this way, an 

area for a lawn courtyard and 

cloister garden has been created. 

Given the historic nature of the 

original property, the architectural 

design of the extension had to be 

approached with utmost sensitivity. 

This included consideration of scale 

governed by the mass, height and 

architectural character. 

The locally sourced limestone 

used for the colonnade and West 

Wing is a near match to the original 

limestone while other new fa ade 

features and materials complement 

the existing, albeit with a character 

and finishes that are distinctly more 

modern and restrained. New window 

frames match the existing in 

appearance while adhering to 

modern acoustic and thermal 

requirements. The West Wing 

includes 42 guestrooms, a new 

ballroom and banqueting suite and 

new back-of-house areas. 

The exterior styling of the new 

events suite follows the classical 

form of early 19th Century 

orangeries with floor to ceiling 

fenestration and generous internal 

height. The result is a space flooded 

with natural daylight, offering 

connection with the gardens outside 

and maximising views of the river. 

The new main hall can 

accommodate some 350 guests; it is 

divisible into three rooms for smaller 

functions. There is also a large new 

boardroom and a Bridal Suite as well 

as a new, dedicated banquet kitchen. 

A change in the character of the 

landscape unfolds as guests 

approach the Ballroom, transitioning 

from informal parkland to a more 

curated and refined garden setting. 

Guests are welcomed by a beautiful 

‘white’ garden bursting with a 

variety of flowering plants set 

amongst an evergreen structure. To 

the north of the Ballroom sits a 

Secret Garden where a new timber 


PROJECT 

canopy provides shade and shelter 

with fire pits and seating. 

Other new buildings include the 

spa, halfway house, clubhouse, a 

purpose-built services facility and an 

energy centre. 

The spa is adjoined to the main 

manor house on the site of the 

previous spa. Its well-fenestrated 

stone fa ade follows the 

architectural cues of the original 

building and allows light to suffuse 

the space while a large new skylight 

over the pool area brings yet 

another perspective of the sky and 

daylight to its interiors. The new 

swimming pool and relaxation areas 

enjoy long-distance views of the 

river and the landscape, and large 

double doors provide direct access to 

the riverfront terrace. 

The new halfway house stands in 

a different location from its 

predecessor to take advantage of a 

South facing aspect, as well as a 

mature tree surrounding, and to 

command memorable views over the 

countryside and the golf course. The 

building design concept took its 

reference from the clubhouse. It is 

constructed in stone, glass and 

natural slate to harmonise with the 

adjacent manor building and to 

reflect the surrounding woodland 

and landscape. 

When completed in Spring 2018, 

the upgraded golf clubhouse will be 

a more flexible amenity than before, 

able to cater for increasing numbers 

of guests and visitors and provide 

dining facilities for both groups 

simultaneously. The main entrance 

portico is being relocated and 

redesigned to include open 

colonnades and a new cloisters 

archway, providing much needed 

permeability and links between the 

indoor and outdoor spaces for both 

golfers and visitors alike. 

Additionally, a series of new garden 

rooms and courtyards is being 

created, embracing the buildings and 

providing a rich variety of expansive 

and intimate outdoor experiences. 

The clubhouse restaurant, The 

Carriage House, has long enjoyed a 

reputation as a destination in its 

own right. Now, a significant 

redesign is transforming it into an 

indoor/outdoor space with 

commanding views of the immediate 

landscape, putting green and the 

golf course beyond. Its new 

architectural character is based on 

that of a green oak and glass 

conservatory. A fully glazed 

extension over the terrace will be 

lightweight in appearance, replacing 

the previously rather austere fa ade 

with a transparent ‘pavilion’ 

treatment in keeping with the use 

and context of the clubhouse. The 

changing rooms, which were 

previously in the basement, are 

being relocated to the main 

clubhouse building, increasing 

comfort and ease of circulation for 

the golf club users, whilst also 

accommodating new basement staff 

and kitchen facilities. 

The renovation of the estate 

grounds enhances the guest 

experience and, importantly, 

improves the biodiversity and 

habitat of the estate while 

respecting key historical elements 

and views across the estate. The 

project has included the 

introduction of formal parterre 

gardens, cloister gardens, walled 

courtyard gardens, arboretum 

planting, meadow parkland planting 

and swathes of new woodland 

habitat, woodland understorey 

planting and native hedgerows. 

Historic walkways and longforgotten 

views have been 

rediscovered together with the 

remarkable ancient Ogham Stones 

with their mysterious markings, 

dating back to between the 4th – 

6th Centuries. Each marking is said 

to denote a tree which formed an 

alphabet used to write Old Irish. 

More than 2,500 woodland trees 

and 175 new extra-mature signature 

trees have been planted, with 

selections inspired by name “Adare”, 

which is Gaelic for “Ford of Oaks”. 

Ed Freeman, Principal Partner of 

ReardonSmith Landscape, says: “The 

natural, built and heritage assets at 

Adare Manor provide an exceptional 

environment of great beauty and 

national significance. It has been a 

privilege to work closely with the 

client in realising our shared vision 

for the conservation and 

enhancement of the estate, 

improving the biodiversity of the 

parkland and gardens and creating a 

truly unique and memorable 

experience.” 

Summing up the achievement, 

James Twomey, Director of 

ReardonSmith Architects, says: “The 

redevelopment of Adare Manor into 

one of the finest golf resorts in 

Europe was a very special 

responsibility for the design team. 

Now, a new chapter is emerging for 

the estate as a destination that is 

contemporary, unique and worldclass, 

while honouring its rich 

legacy. It is one that will serve the 

test of time for visitors and guests 

over many years to come.” 

For more information about this 

release and images, please contact: 

Su Pecha / Alicia Sheber ESP 

Business Development 

+44 (0)208 374 6320 / 4476 

asheber@espbusinessdevelopment.com 

SOME PROJECT STATISTICS: 

• Over 7000 tonnes of local 

limestone were used in the 

buildings 

• 3,500m2 of natural Welsh slate 

was used 

• 140 historic windows were 

repaired and refurbished 

• 180 new timber windows were 

manufactured and installed 

• Over 1km of new hedging was 

planted 

• There are now more than 500 

pieces of sculptural topiary 

• And, approximately 100,000 

herbaceous plants and shrubs 

All photography by Paul Lehane 


PROJECTS 

Major Marine Project Underway for Flexcrete 

Flexcrete’s concrete repair 

materials are being used as 

part of a major long-term 

project to refurbish the 146- 

year old Clacton Pier located in the 

seaside resort of Clacton-on-Sea, the 

largest town on the Essex coast. 

Much of the pier has remained 

untouched for 90 years or so and as 

part of a seven-figure makeover, 

work is being carried out to 

modernise and strengthen the 

landmark’s infrastructure. The pier is 

supported by 2,500 reinforced 

concrete columns and beams which 

were showing signs of chloride 

attack from years of tidal salt laden 

sea water. 

First opened to the public in 

1871, Clacton Pier was originally 

used as a landing point for goods 

and passengers, as well as a docking 

point for steamships. By 1893, 

Clacton had become such a popular 

destination for day trippers that the 

pier was lengthened to 1,180ft, 

almost three times the original 

length, and entertainment facilities 

were added. The Clacton Pier 

Company acquired the pier in 2009 

and it now boasts a variety of 

indoor and outdoor entertainment, 

including rides spread across six 

acres, such as bumper boats, go 

karts, a traditional helter skelter and 

a roller coaster, as well as an 

amusement arcade, cafés, a 

SeaQuarium and a 10 pin bowling 

alley. 

The refurbishment work is being 

carried out by Clacton Pier 

Company’s own Maintenance Team 

and Flexcrete Technologies Limited, 

part of the AkzoNobel group of 

companies, was called upon to 

provide a solution due to the firm’s 

long-standing record of providing 

effective and affordable materials 

for concrete repair and protection 

work in coastal areas. Sustainability 

is a key issue for this project and the 

environmentally friendly nature of 

Flexcrete products is of particular 

benefit. Flexcrete materials are 

water-based and offer distinct 

advantages over solvent borne 

products, in that they are easy to 

apply with ultra-low VOC levels and 

minimal odour. They can be applied 

in public areas or confined spaces 

with minimal disruption. 

Billy Ball, Managing Director of 

the Clacton Pier Company said: 

“With some 2,500 columns to be 

refurbished, this is a long-term 

project which is likely to extend over 

several years. Flexcrete’s concrete 

repair materials are helping us to 

modernise and strengthen the pier 

and make the 146-year-old 

structure relevant to today’s leisure 

needs.” 

To ensure familiarisation with 

Flexcrete products, the Maintenance 

Team initially carried out application 

training at Flexcrete’s head office 

and manufacturing complex in 

Leyland, Lancashire. A specification 

for the structural renovation work 

has been devised which comprises 

Steel Reinforcement Protector 841, a 

corrosion preventative flexible 

coating for steel re-bars, followed by 

Monomix, a high performance, 

waterproof mortar which can be 

applied up to 80mm in a single 

application. The columns and beams 

are being finished with Monolevel 

844SP, an engineering quality fairing 

coat to reinstate cover and provide a 

fair faced, waterproof and anticarbonation 

finish. The final 

protection overall is with 

Cementitious Coating 851 which 

provides structural waterproofing 

and importantly protection from 

future chloride ingress. 

Cementitious Coating 851 is a 

highly advanced, two component, 

waterborne cementitious modified 

polymer coating which is frequently 

specified on both existing and new 

structures to waterproof, reinstate 

cover and provide an effective 

barrier to chloride ingress. Originally 

introduced in 1985, and it still 

remains one of the most effective 

products for providing structural 

protection against chloride attack. A 

2mm coating of Cementitious 

Coating 851 is equivalent to 100mm 

of good quality concrete cover. 

Independent tests have 

confirmed that Cementitious 

Coating 851 provides an effective 

barrier to chlorides for at least 29 

years. In 1988, a 2mm thick film of 

Cementitious Coating 851 was 

applied to a concrete slice and 

sealed in a chloride ion diffusion cell 

and it is still going strong some 29 

years (10,586 days) later. Ongoing 

tests carried out in the laboratory at 

the VINCI Technology Centre in 

Bedfordshire show that the barrier 

properties of 851 have not changed 

after a test period spanning the 

ongoing 29 years. 

Tel: +44 (0)845 260 7005 

www.flexcrete.com 


Parliament agrees to leave the 

Palace of Westminster during 

essential restoration works 

Members of the House of Lords this evening 

agreed to temporarily vacate the building 

to allow the increasingly urgent work on 

the Palace of Westminster to be carried 

out in one single phase. The decision comes after MPs 

voted last week in favour of leaving of the Palace. The 

collective decision by both Houses of Parliament 

means that work will now begin to establish an 

Olympic-style delivery authority and Sponsor Board, 

set up through legislation, to manage the work. 

The Lords agreed that “there is a clear and pressing 

need to repair the services in the Palace of 

Westminster” and that “a full and timely decant of the 

Palace is the best and the most cost-effective delivery 

option.” 

Following the debate in both Houses the Director 

of the Restoration and Renewal Programme, Tom 

Healey, said: 

“Both Houses of Parliament have now debated the 

best way forward for carrying out the increasingly 

urgent repairs to the Palace of Westminster. These 

debates represent an important milestone in the vital 

process of safeguarding the future of this iconic Grade 

1 listed building.” 

“Work can now proceed to set up a Sponsor Board 

and Delivery Authority, initially in shadow form. 

Establishing these bodies as soon as possible is vital 

for detailed planning to begin, and for ensuring value 

for money for the taxpayer.” 

www.restorationandrenewal.parliament.uk 

PROJECTS 

House of Lords decision means Parliament now backs a temporary 

move out of the Palace, following the vote in the Commons last week. 


PROJECTS 

A “Strong and Stable” renovation 

Situated in the picturesque 

Manchester suburb of Monton, 

Stableford Hall, which was 

built in 1888, is a former 

school and headquarters of local 

engineering firm, the Morson Group. 

Priestley Construction’s sister 

company, Priestley Homes, entered a 

joint venture with original owners, 

Morson Group, with planning in place 

to develop the Grade-II listed building 

into luxury apartments. 

In January 2016, Priestley 

Construction set to work on a 

£1.2million, year-long renovation 

programme to convert the functional 

offices into 12 high-specification 

apartments for sale. 

During the initial build process, the 

team apportioned the structure to 

create a dozen apartments, configured 

with one to three-bedrooms and 

ranging in size from 546 to 1,571 sq. 

ft. 

Nathan Priestley, chief executive 

of Priestley Construction, said: “When 

carrying out structural work ahead of 

any internal fit-out, we always valueengineer 

in order to save on cost for 

our clients where possible. 

“For example, rather than ripping 

up the original flooring at Stableford 

Hall, we levelled what was already 

there and overlaid the new, high 

quality acoustic flooring. We also 

refurbished windows and used a 

separating floor and wall detail that 

we designed and refined in-house. 

“We’ve perfected these methods 

over many years of converting and 

refurbishing buildings across the north 

of England. As such, we can help find 

the quickest and easiest solutions to 

the exacting structural modifications 

that often need to be completed on 

historic buildings – without sacrificing 

quality. 

“In this case, we generated time 

and financial savings that were 

invested in the bespoke fittings and 

fixtures, enabling us to honour the 

building’s Grade-II status while 

retaining its existing elements.” 

Stableford Hall was named as the ‘Best Manchester Residential Development’ at the International Property Awards 

Sympathetic design 

Throughout the internal 

renovation of Stableford Hall, the 

interiors embrace natural light and the 

modern design detailing is fully 

complemented by the careful 

preservation of the idiosyncratic 

features of the original building. 

Nathan explained: “As with all 

listed buildings, it was imperative for 

the work to be sympathetic – not just 

preserving the structural elements 

during the construction phase, but 

finding the right design also. 

“We took our time and carefully 

addressed every minute detail to 

ensure the end result brought 

together the old and new cohesively, 

reusing elements wherever we could 

and introducing twenty first century 

detailing that appeals to today’s 

homeowners. 

“We used a bespoke profile of 

woodwork for the architrave and 

skirting to complement 

the heritage of the 

building; as well as solid 

oak flooring, American 

walnut cabinets, and 

other natural materials, 

including travertine 

stone tiling in the 

bathrooms. All of which 

combines to give a 

rustic feel, that sits 

alongside the modern 

décor and integrated 

smart home 

technology.” 

Work on Stableford Hall was 

completed in January 2017 and the 

scheme was named as the best 

Manchester residential development 

at the International Property Awards 

in the same year. 

By focusing on making 

construction cost effective, while 

channelling that financial benefit into 

A dozen apartments have been created 

achieving a high specification, 

Priestley Construction was able to 

bring the listed building into the 

modern era, carefully preserving it for 

generations to come. 

For more information on the 

development or to make an enquiry, 

please visit: 

www.priestleyconstruction.co.uk 

New high quality acoustic flooring with a modern feel was overlaid over the existing flooring, preserving the original in this Grade-II Listed Building. 


A Day in the Life of… Nigel Dyer 

- Heritage Services Manager at Wienerberger 

“ Our Heritage Service is a 

specialist conservation and 

restoration service that 

creates bespoke, handmade 

roof tiles and fittings. My role as 

Heritage Services Manager is to help 

manage these projects, watching 

beautiful buildings be lovingly restored 

to their formal glory. As everything we 

produce is bespoke, each project I work 

on is completely new, different and 

exciting. 

Heritage roofing is key to a heritage 

build. A third of what you see is the 

roof, with it crowning every building. If 

you had a medieval building with a 

machine-made tile on the roof, it 

would change the whole character of 

the structure. We supply appropriate 

clay roof tiles, through our Keymer 

brand, that will have the correct profile, 

colour and texture to be in keeping 

with the age and style of a building, as 

well as it’s surrounding environment. 

Bespoke products are extremely 

important for heritage projects. 

Architects often come to us in search 

of a tile specifically for a listed 

building, usually one that is no longer 

manufactured. When we receive this 

type of request the process can 

sometimes involve taking an original 

sample and reverse engineering it, to 

create an effective replica. These often 

have to then meet Listed Building 

Regulations and may need approval 

from Historic England or the National 

Trust, making concise planning and 

great skill, vital to the whole process.” 

The creative process 

“A heritage roofing job tends to begin 

with an enquiry from an architect, 

either via our website, a direct phone 

call or through a recommendation 

from a client. Trade shows play an 

important part in attracting work, and 

give us the chance to discuss projects 

with architects and potential clients, 

and inform them about our services. 

One example of a heritage project that 

we have recently worked on, is Grevel 

Lane in the Cotswolds. We met 

architects, Lawrence Grigg and Lydia 

Robinson from Design Storey, an 

Architecture and Development 

Company, at the Listed Property 

exhibition. We found out that they 

were looking to adapt a traditional 

1950s building and add a 

contemporary extension. 

Not only did the renovation need to 

create a usable space, and add bespoke 

features. But, it also needed to 

complement the existing architecture, 

adapting to the façade of the vertical 

tiles on the wall and roof. Furthermore, 

it was vital that the colour of the new 

tiles complemented the existing 

palette of materials of Cotswold stone 

walls and concrete tiled roof. To meet 

these criteria, our Heritage Service was 

selected to design and create bespoke, 

handmade roof tiles for the project, 

evoking the arts and crafts heritage of 

the area. 

Once a brief like this has been received, 

we gather our thoughts, consider what 

products we could adapt for a client 

and offer them options. From there, we 

set up more in-depth meetings that 

could be on site, in their office or they 

might even come to the factory. For 

the Grevel Lane project we invited the 

architects to one of our factories to see 

a mock roof section we had created, 

illustrating the concept and enabling 

our craftsmen to design the bespoke 

fittings. 

Once the client is happy with the 

product created, further planning 

begins. A fair amount of this, is passed 

on to our Technical Services Team to 

understand the design involved. For 

example, the installation of the tile 

may need further consideration. The 

bespoke tiles we create are often 

unusual and non-standard, and 

therefore special fixings may be 

required. 

Our projects are very hands on and our 

service goes beyond simply creating 

the product and delivering it. A skilled 

roofer is necessary for installing 

bespoke tiles and this is one of the 

main challenges we tend to face. We 

aim to resolve this by offering our 

expert advice to roofers throughout 

the process, and visiting the site to 

provide hands-on guidance. Our 

Heritage Services Team aims to go 

above and beyond, to ensure the tile is 

fitted correctly and that the finish is of 

a high standard.” 

Old meets new 

“We are beginning to see a trend in 

heritage roofing whereby architects are 

looking to use bespoke roof tiles on 

contemporary buildings. This includes 

social housing, where we are beginning 

to see a focus on aesthetic rather than 

solely on cost. Alongside this, modern 

buildings tend to look very similar and 

architects seek individuality. Many 

people like the appearance of old 

architecture, and want to 

replicate this on new 

projects through the 

use of homemade 

tiles. Caring 

Wood, RIBA 

House of the Year 2017, is a good 

example of this, where the architect 

wanted bespoke products on a new 

build to fit in with the local 

environment.” 

Making vision a reality 

“We have a brilliant and dedicated 

Heritage Services team at 

Wienerberger . Come to us and the 

world is your oyster; if an architect has 

the design, we have the capabilities. 

Architects are more ambitious than 

ever, and with some of the best 

architects in the world based in the UK, 

we want to help make their creative 

and industry-leading ideas come to 

life.” 

For further information on Wienerberger 

please visit www.wienerberger.co.uk/ 

and www.keymer.co.uk 

Follow Wienerberger on Twitter at 

https://twitter.com/wienerbergeruk. 

Follow Keymer on twitter at 

https://twitter.com/keymer1588 

For more information on our 

Wienerberger Heritage Services Team, 

please visit 

https://wienerberger.co.uk/aboutus/heritage-service 

REFURBISHMENT PROJECTS, MARCH 2018

ADVERTORIAL 

Invvu: the only construction consultancy 

you’ll ever need 

“Invvu is the only construction consultancy you’ll ever need,” says 

Associate Director, Phil Johnson, and it’s probably true. Invvu is a 

consultancy that offers a fully integrated, multi-disciplined design 

service for the construction industry; a service that covers every aspect 

of civil and structural engineering, architectural design and planning 

and mechanical and electrical services. 

This mixture of skills is bringing both praise and awards from a variety 

of sources, the restoration of Snodland Station in Kent being a fine 

example. The refurbishment of the station’s Grade II, Victorian ticket 

office for Southeastern railway has brought both the company and 

stakeholder team commendations and awards from the Railway 

Heritage Trust, the National Transport Awards and the ACoRP 

Community Rail Awards. 

Originally WSS Construction Consultants, Invvu – from ‘your vision in 

view’ – has an enviable track record and an impeccable reputation: with 

its fresh new look, it’s set to become the ‘go-to’ construction 

consultancy in South East England. Talking about the transformation, 

Phil Johnson, said, “The construction industry has gone through 

momentous changes during the last fifteen years. After a ten-year 

period of growth, our portfolio has improved and evolved – redefining 

and refining our identity has helped us re-evaluate both our direction 

and objectives.” 

Covering all sectors of the construction industry, Invvu has particular 

experience working with clients in the rail, civil engineering, building, 

water and mechanical and electrical sectors. Its comprehensive range 

of services are carried out by an in-house team that works on a 

collaborative basis and exhibits both a flair for innovation and a desire 

to work closely with clients. Invvu’s service offer is built around five 

core design disciplines: surveys, civil and structural engineering, 

architecture, M&E services and project management. 

• Surveys: Invvu offers an extensive range of surveys including 

hydraulic and flood risk assessments, ground investigations and roadrestraint 

risk assessments. 

• Civil and structural engineering: Invvu’s designers have indepth 

experience working with local authorities, highway departments 

and the railway industry, providing everything from bridges to 

platforms and from flood-relief schemes to car parks and station 

forecourts. The design team has shown particular expertise with 

complex temporary works, something now recognised as being a 

uniquely specialist subject. 

• Architecture: Invvu offers innovative design concepts that 

blend practicality with sustainability and has extensive experience of 

listed buildings and scheduled monuments. The team is adept at 

progressing a design through the entire construction process, 

submitting planning applications, developing detailed drawings, 

specifications and budgets and supervising construction. 

Award winning: The transformation of the ticket office at Snodland Station and its 

surrounding infrastructure has brought Invvu and the stakeholder team a variety of 

architectural and heritage awards. 

• M&E services: Invvu offers a comprehensive mechanical and electrical design 

service, one that embraces all aspects of an installation from initial concept, through design 

and physical installation to commissioning and handover. 

• Project management: to bring cohesiveness and harmony to a project. Invvu’s 

project managers can lead a project from inception to handover, expertly managing multiple 

responsibilities to ensure the project finishes ‘on time and on budget’ and that the client 

receives what they had expected. 

Collectively, the design team has over 100 years’ experience working under the WSS banner 

and has amassed more than 200 years’ individual design experience in the construction 

industry. An enthusiastic, customer-centric team, Invvu uses the latest technology to help 

deliver innovative solutions that meet its clients’ expectations. As an organisation, Invvu is 

BIM Level 2 compliant and can fulfil all eight stages of Network Rail’s GRIP process; all 

members of the design team are professionally qualified in their individual areas of expertise 

and are conversant with the RIBA Plan of Work and S.38 and S.278 Agreements. 

Invvu also has a strong commitment to the community in which it works. “Our relationship 

with the community is something we treat with the utmost importance,” said Phil, “we’re not 

just engineers, we’re innovators, creative thinkers and design specialists who are enthusiastic 

about working with our communities and are restless for change.” 

Invvu is the only construction consultancy you’ll ever need. 

For more information about how Invvu can help you, please visit www.invvu.co.uk 

or call 01303 850 808. 


Official Confirmation That Flexcrete Coating 

Combats Chlorides for at Least 29 Years 

COATINGS 

Independent testing carried out 

at the VINCI Construction 

Technology Centre in 

Bedfordshire has officially 

confirmed that Flexcrete’s 

Cementitious Coating 851 will 

provide an effective barrier to 

chlorides for at least 29 years. 

In 1988, a 2mm thick film of 

Cementitious Coating 851 was 

applied to a concrete slice and 

sealed in a chloride ion diffusion cell 

and it is still going strong some 29 

years (10,586 days) later. Ongoing 

tests carried out in the VINCI 

Construction Technology Centre 

laboratory show that the barrier 

properties of 851 have not changed 

after a test period spanning the 

ongoing 29 years. 

Manufactured by Flexcrete 

Technologies Limited, part of the 

AkzoNobel group of companies, 

Cementitious Coating 851 is highly 

advanced, two component, 

waterborne cementitious modified 

polymer coating. Originally 

introduced by Flexcrete back in 

1985, it is also recognised in various 

overseas markets under the 

AkzoNobel brand name of Intercrete 

4841. 

Today, Cementitious Coating 851 

remains one of the most effective 

products for providing structural 

protection against chloride attack. 

851 is typically specified on both 

existing and new structures to 

waterproof concrete, reinstate 

concrete cover and provide an 

effective barrier to chloride ingress, 

amongst many other challenges 

typically encountered on buildings, 

infrastructure and structures in 

sectors such as coastal, highways 

and the water and waste water 

industry. A 2mm coating of 

Cementitious Coating 851 is 

equivalent to 100mm of good 

quality concrete cover. 

Cementitious Coating 851 resists 

10 bar positive and negative 

pressure under a 100 metre head, 

forming a hard, highly alkaline 

coating which not only protects 

concrete from the effects of 

aggressive acid gases, moisture and 

chlorides, but also has greatly 

enhanced chemical resistance. It has 

been extensively used on Crossrail 

developments including Tottenham 

Court Road, Liverpool Street and 

Paddington Stations and all around 

the world on projects, such as at 

Abu Dhabi International Airport, the 

Gorgon LNG Project and Hong 

Kong’s West Kowloon Expressway. It 

provides an effective alternative to 

recasting or even demolition of 

Chloride-affected concrete and a typical application for Cementitious Coating 851. 

precast and in-situ reinforced 

concrete, where the cover to the 

reinforcement has not been achieved 

to give the durability to attain the 

specified design life. 

Chris Lloyd, Co-Founder of 

Flexcrete Technologies Limited said: 

“Cementitious Coating 851 has not 

shown any signs of deterioration 

despite being fully immersed in the 

chloride solution for over 29 years. 

In VINCI’s experience, many coating 

systems degrade over time when on 

test in the cell and even products 

that initially perform well can 

subsequently blister, resulting in 

more chloride ions passing through 

the product. The performance of 

Cementitious Coating 851 in this 

test is unparalleled.” 

Following the latest studies in 

concrete technology, VINCI’s internal 

testing can now determine a 

chloride ion diffusion coefficient 

from non-steady state conditions. 

Based on the total chloride quantity 

which has been determined to 

diffuse through the 851 coating 

during 29 years on test, it has been 

calculated that this equates to a 

chloride ion diffusion coefficient of 

1.23x10-12 cm2/s. By comparison 

for the uncoated reference concrete 

specimen, a chloride ion diffusion 

coefficient of 1.03x10-8 cm2/s was 

calculated based on the total 

chloride quantity that had diffused 

in the first 98 days on test when 

steady state was achieved. To put 

this in context, it would have taken 

271 years for the product cell with 

the 851 to reach the same chloride 

concentration that the uncoated 

specimen reached in just 98 days. 

Being cement based, 

Cementitious Coating 851 

chemically reacts with the substrate 

to form an integral part and will 

have a design life equivalent to that 

of the concrete to which it is 

applied. 851 can be applied to either 

green or aged concrete by brush or 

spray techniques, exhibits minimal 

hazard during application and is 

non-toxic when cured. It is CE- 

Marked in accordance with BS EN 

1504-2, the pan European standard 

for concrete repair, and it is also 

backed by British Board of Agrément 

(BBA), WRAS and has London 

Underground approval. In addition, 

it is approved under Regulation 

31(4)(a) for use in contact with 

drinking water. 

Tel: 07968 840390 

Email: lisa.collins@flexcrete.com 


PRODUCTS & SERVICES DIRECTORY 

BUYERS GUIDE 

TO ADVERTISE IN THIS SECTION CALL LESLEY ON 020 8504 1661 

RAiNWAtER GOODs 

J & J W LONGBOTTOM LTD 

Bridge Foundry, Holmfirth, Nr Huddersfield HD7 1AW 

Tel: 01484 682141 Fax: 01484 681513 

Traditional Ironfounders producing Cast Iron 

Rainwater and Soil Goods comprising: 

• Moulded Gutters (including OGEE, Box, Boundary 

Wall) 

• Curved Gutters to individual radius 

• Rainwater Pipes & Fitting (Round & Rectangular) 

• Soil Pipes & Fittings (BS416) 

• Ornamental Rainwater heads (over 160 patterns) 

• Air Bricks ( 6 types, inc ornamental) 

• Manhole Covers & Frames 

• Gratings, Grids & ancillary Ironwork 

40 page fully illustrated catalogue available on request. 

Full “ex stock” service and special requirements made 

promptly. Regular delivery over all UK. 

cOOliNG systEms 

C h i l l e r s b u i l t f o r y o u 

0118 918 1400 

Call or email today for a brochure or a free 

no-obligation site survey 

www.thermagroup.com/chillers | sales@thermagroup.com 

lifts 

LUXURIOUS LIFTON HOME LIFTS 

ARE REVOLUTIONISING THE WAY 

WE USE OUR HOMES 

Home lifts specialist Lifton supports architects, specifiers, 

contractors and building professionals responsible for 

refurbishment and retrofit projects by 

offering their clients, a luxurious and high-tech, futureproofing 

solution at the touch of a button. 

Pushing the boundaries of the ever-expanding improvement 

and refurb sectors of the UK building industry, Lifton 

domestic lifts boast some of the most advanced home lift 

technology around, along with outstanding design which is 

revolutionising the way we use our homes. 

The Lifton Homelift enhances the living environment by 

offering a luxurious alternative to the stairs. It is stylish and 

slimline with a compact footprint and can be installed in one 

day. These domestic lifts provide users with a luxurious 

upgrade to their home which can perfectly compliment any 

style of décor. 

Tel: 0330 222 0334 

Web: www.lifton.co.uk 

sEcONDARy GlAziNG 

ThermOzone 

T h e C o o l i n g S p e c i a l i s t s 

Secondary Glazing 

For seamless integration with the added benefit of: 

Warmer Quieter Safer 

TM 

Major energy savings 

Nationwide service 

FREE design service 

2- 5 years warranty 

Typical installation 30 

days min 

NuChill 

• Most effective method of sound proofing 

• Exemplary thermal retention and draught 

insulation 

• Reversible adaptation for heritage 

• Secured by Design 

A T h e r m O z o n e P r o d u c t 

T:01727 837271 

www.selectaglaze.co.uk 

@selectaglaze 


PRODUCTS & SERVICES DIRECTORY 

BUYERS GUIDE 

timbER cARE 

EXtERNAl WAll iNsUlAtiON 

Tel : 01942 717100 Email: info@wbs-ltd.co.uk 

WE CAN RESTORE YOUR TIMBER WINDOWS 

We specialise in the repair and maintenance of sash windows. 

We can repair for a fraction of the price of replacement! 

BEFORE 

AFTER 

6 Spa Lane, 

Unit 3, 

Wigston, 

Leicester 

LE18 3QD 

0116 2571398 

Here at Timbercare 

Nationwide, we are experts in 

the restoration of draughty, 

rotten wooden windows. 

We can replace, or repair 

rotten cills and frames, even 

replacing glass if necessary, then prime and paint 

the window to restore it to it’s original finish. 

CALL US NOW ON 0116 2571398 FOR A FREE QUOTE 

www.timbercarenationwide.co.uk 

WOOD REPAiR 

THE DESOWOOD REPAIR SYSTEM 

Wetherby Building Systems Ltd is the UK’s market leader in the manufacture 

and distribution of a wide range of external wall insulation (EWI) systems, 

polymer modified renders, silicone & acrylic thin-coat renders & brick slip 

systems for the retrofit market. 

Wetherby’s insulated render systems offer environmentally sympathetic external 

façade solutions that have been successfully installed on many domestic 

refurbishment projects, new build schemes, commercial buildings and 

educational establishments for over 20 years. 

With over 7 million untreated solid wall properties in the UK the government 

recognise the urgent need to tackle this housing stock to reduce energy bills 

and cut carbon emissions. 

Following the clients choice of 

insulant, Wetherby can then offer 

a range of different renders and 

polymeric coatings in an unlimited 

colour range ensuring whatever 

finish or colour the client wishes 

to achieve we can match. 

Complementing the render 

systems Wetherby also offer a 

unique brick slip system, allowing 

the façade to match traditional 

brickwork and increasing the 

scope for design. Including our 

new 7mm Brick 

Wetherby operate through a network of approved installers, all of whom are 

trained and regularly inspected to ensure specifications and best site practices 

are followed. 

Wetherby offer a comprehensive technical service to ensure potential customers 

have all the information to specify the correct system that will achieve maximum 

efficiency of the EWI specification. 

www.wbs-ltd.co.uk 

stAiNED GlAss REPAiR 

A DURABLE 

ALTERNATIVE TO 

LINSEED OIL PUTTY 

DESOWOOD DAP 

ELASTIC GLAZING 

SEALANT 

● A Product with an established record for performance. 

● A Product with over 20 year’s history in use. 

● Ideal for windows affected by break down of linseed oil putty. 

● Ideal for sash and casement windows. 

● For use on existing or new bead glazed windows. 

● Ideal for fixing single or double glazed sealed units on puttied or 

bead glazed windows. 

● For fixing laminated / safety glass. 

● Can be used on softwood, hardwood and metal windows. 

● Ideal for sealing plywood or pre-finished ‘in-fil’ panels. 

● Ideal replacement for ‘Back putties’ on windows affected by 

condensation on internally bead glazed windows. 

● Improves paint durability and contributes towards the prevention 

of wood decay 

● Can be painted with an opaque paint finish or translucent wood 

stain. 

● Excellent adhesion to timber, metal, concrete, brick and glass. 

Tel: 01767 682446 E:sales@desofil-uk.com 

THE DESOWOOD REPAIR SYSTEM 

Web-site: www.desofil-uk.com 

BUILDERS SURPLUS COMPANY 

Pindar Road, Hoddesdon EN11 0BZ 

Please phone Danny: 0786 222 1931 Matt: 07900 241361 


Upcoming features in 

Sustainability . Insulation 

Energy Efficiency . Social Housing 

Roofing . Cladding . Flooring 

Interiors . Renewable Energy 

Smart Homes . Fire Safety & Security 

Building Conservation & Restoration 

Plus Firex International 

Vision 2018 

The RCI Show 

UK Construction Week 

The National Painting and Decorating Show 

To feature your product or service in Refurb 

Projects (in print or online) please contact us 

at info@refurbprojects.com 

Next issue in 

Special Features: Coatings & Finishes . Timber, Stone & Brick . Fire Protection . 

Security . School Building . Glass & Glazing . Doors & Windows . 

In Every Issue: News . New Products . Services . 

Out May 2018 

In Print. Online 

Refurbishment, Repair, Maintenance and Retrofit are constantly moving, dynamic sectors. 

www.RefurbProjects.com features all the news as it breaks, as well as projects, opinion 

and the latest issue of the journal. Over 100,000 page views each month! 

Keep up to date. 

Visit 

www.refurbprojects.com 


All types of projects 

deserve Schueco 

Unbeatable quality and real value for money make Schueco aluminium façades, 

windows and doors the first choice for any project. Offices and shop fronts, 

schools and colleges, housing association new-builds and refurbishments will all 

benefit from Schueco’s precision engineering. Add in the enhanced comfort and 

reduced running costs created by great design, an unrivalled choice of profiles and 

excellent thermal and sound insulation and you have a total, cost-effective solution. 

For German engineering made in Britain, there’s only one name. 

www.schueco.co.uk

Register now ……. www.architex2018.com 

Free–to–attend, 2 day exhibition, 24 speaker conference programme and 

complimentary 2 hour champagne drinks reception & networking evening 

• Architects, Specifiers, Technologists, Building Designers & Surveyors 

• Commercial, Industrial & Residential Property Developers 

• Town, City & County Councils, Local Planning Authorities, Town & City Planners 

• Construction Companies, Builders & Contractors 

• Products & Services Industry Suppliers

Refurb Projects March 2018

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