MMC 52pp M10 WEB

MMC 

MODERN METHODS 

OF CONSTRUCTION 

Nov 2018 

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deceuninck.ltd d@deceuninck .com • www.deceuninck.co.uk/specification 

@deceuninckComm 

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November is a busy time for the 

industrious construction industry 

professional. Events are plentiful, with 

UK Construction Week, London Build, 

Digital Construction Week and Kent 

Construction Expo (amongst others) all 

taking centre stage and eager for your 

attention. The nights are drawing in 

and the weather is changing. Hints of 

winter nip briskly at your heels, 

Christmas races Halloween to the shop 

shelves and you’re keen to squeeze 

every last productive drop from 

autumn in a bid to make hay whilst the 

sun still shines. 

MMC Magazine understands this... We 

don’t want to add to your seasonal 

stresses; we want to alleviate them. 

Flick through our pages and find 

exactly what you need – be it the latest 

product or service to solve your 

greatest challenges, thoughtprovoking 

opinions to spark the debate 

needed to push us forward as an 

industry or general updates on the 

goings-on in a thriving, vibrant and 

ever-changing sector. 

We’ve pulled out all the stops in the 

November issue to bring you the 

information you need now, so you don’t 

need to waste time scouring for it. 

Here it is - MMC November What are 

you waiting for!? 

Enjoy. 

Joe Bradbury 

Editor 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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69 • F +44 (0)1249 815 234 

deceuninck.ltd d@deceuninck .com • www.deceuninck.co.uk/specification 

Front cover 

@deceuninckComm 

Deceuninck is one of the world’s major 

PVC-U window and door systems 

companies and a leader in innovation, 

colour, sustainability and design. 

Deceuninck products are specified on a 

wide portfolio of commercial projects. 

According to Managing Director Rob 

McGlennon, its new-generation, highperformance 

window composites are 

the first real aluminium-alternative. 

For more information see page 50 


10 History at your feet 

MODERN METHODS 

OF CONSTRUCTION 

Britain’s oldest heritage charity believes that floors are the ‘downtrodden’ 

Cinderella of building conservation. We never look down… until now. MMC hear 

from Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB). 

16 Protect Membranes delivers U-value 

benefits for new modular innovation 

A variety of wall construction membranes, roofing underlays and accessories 

from Protect has been installed into an innovative new modular concept 

manufactured by Tingdene Homes, holiday and park home specialists. 

20 High Specification for a Higher 

Education Building 

Nov 2018 

issue M10 

Architecturally designed and built completely to spec, the new three-storey 

building on the University of Birmingham’s Edgbaston Campus is full of 

unique features. 

28 Design Flexibility & Performance from 

Scotframe Val-U-Therm PLUS ® 

Val-U-Therm PLUS ® wall panels achieve 0.08 W/m2K - probably the best U- 

value wall in the world. Couple this with Scotframe’s expertise & track record 

and the sky really is the limit when it comes to design of buildings that tick all 

the boxes on your clients’ wish lists. 

38 Offsite Construction is Here to Stay 

Recent press coverage has focussed heavily on Offsite Construction providing 

the answer in a number of key sectors, due to the speed and efficiency of 

modular construction. 

Publisher Kevin Edgeworth Editor Joe Bradbury Design by Ellie Rich 

Sales and editorial enquiries to Kevin Edgeworth kedge@wavcoms.co.uk 

Press releases Gemma Spilsbury press@mmcmag.co.uk 

Publisher’s Statement. Printed in England. All rights reserved. No part of MMC may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form 

without prior permission of the publisher. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of editorial content, the editor and publishers do not accept 

responsibility for errors or loss and damage caused by any statements, claims or observations made by contributors, authors and their agents. 

Published by Waverley. Company Registration no. 04805329 

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Search for “WAGO 750” 


Nov 2018 M10 3

news 

Government to assist the 74% of construction companies being 

killed by late payment 

A new announcement by Government to address the issue of late payment is expected to help the 74% of construction companies that have 

almost gone into liquidation due to the unfair practice. 

The package of measures unveiled by the Small Business Minister Kelly Tolhurst will also reduce the hidden, human cost of delayed payment. 

According to research commissioned by the Prompt Payment Directory, 48% of the 400 construction companies polled reported depression, 

panic attacks, suicidal thoughts and anxiety as a result of late payments. 

Late payment also affects a company’s ability to reliably predict cash flow, invest in training or even pay staff and bills. 

The small business commissioner will join the board of the Prompt Payment Code and measures will be put in place to remove signatories 

from the code’s list. This will help avoid the farce of Carillion and other similar companies being on the list despite their payment terms of 120 

days being well beyond what could be considered reasonable. 

The Government will aim to pay 90% of undisputed invoices within five days. Central and local government are not always prompt payers, 

often paying outside the terms of legislation. Having the Government lead by example will help change the culture. 

Only planning reform will 

fix the housing crisis 

The Government should do more to promote best practice and 

diversify the housing market, according to industry professionals. 

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) reports that in London, just 

one in three young adults is able to afford a home, compared to 

90% in 1990. 

According to the IFS, house prices have jumped 173% since 1997, 

while adults pay had gone up by just 19%. 

Polly Simpson, a research economist at the IFS and a co-author of 

the research, said “Many young adults cannot borrow enough to 

buy a cheap home in their area, let alone an average-priced one.” 

The IFS argues that easing planning restrictions would increase 

home ownership and reduce both property prices and rents. 

The National Federation of Builders (NFB) wholeheartedly agrees 

that easing planning restrictions would increase home ownership 

and considers the benefits of reformed planning to be instant. 

Planning remains the greatest growth barrier for small and 

medium-sized (SME) house builders and its impacts are felt across 

the entire housing supply chain, from housing associations and 

community land trusts to self-builders and constructors. 

However, it is important to remember that the Government sets 

national planning policy. Local authorities have the duty to allocate 

sites for housing as well as interpreting what a successful planning 

process looks like. 

Construction industry set to 

benefit from opening of new 

world-leading engineering 

research centres 

The Construction industry is set to benefit from multi-million 

pounds of investment into three new advanced engineering 

research centres opened this month at the University of Sheffield. 

Northern Powerhouse Minister, Jake Berry MP, and Mayor of the 

Sheffield City Region, Dan Jarvis MP, officially opened the centres 

which aim to boost Sheffield City Region’s reputation as a hub for 

advanced engineering and industrial digital technologies. 

Working with companies to help develop new technologies, the 

centres will use the transformational power of research to cut 

costs and lead times which will revolutionise industrial processes. 

Professor Mike Hounslow, Vice-President and Head of the Faculty 

of Engineering, said: “At the University of Sheffield we deliver 

pioneering interdisciplinary research and find solutions to global 

challenges. The three centres launched today build on this 

established expertise and firmly place us as a partner for 

industry, from large multinationals to local SMEs. The capabilities 

of the centres will enable us to test and operate on an industrial 

scale, translating theory into application to improve productivity, 

cost efficiencies and innovation.” 

Drop in EU migrant workers sounds alarm bell for UK 

construction 

The drop in EU net migration has sounded alarm bells for the UK construction industry, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has said. 

Commenting on the Migration Statistics Quarterly report, published by the Office for National Statistics, Sarah McMonagle, Director of 

External Affairs at the FMB, said “EU net migration is at its lowest level since 2012 and this is deeply worrying for those sectors that rely on 

workers from the EU. 

“The drop in EU net migration is a particular problem for industries like construction. At present, 9 per cent of our construction workers are 

from the EU and therefore we are more reliant than most on EU workers. In London, this proportion rises to nearly one third. We can’t afford 

to lose any more EU workers as currently two-thirds of construction SMEs are struggling to hire bricklayers and 60 per cent are struggling 

to hire carpenters and joiners.” 

4 MMC 

Nov 2018 M10

Industry welcomes abolition of cap on what councils can 

borrow to build houses 

Lifting the borrowing cap for councils will diversify the housing market, stimulate industry capacity and help councils more easily meet their 

affordable homes requirements. 

The Prime Minister Theresa May has shown her commitment to help fix the housing crisis by announcing the abolition of cap on what councils 

can borrow to build houses, in her keynote Conservative party conference speech. 

The Housing Builders Association (HBA), the house building division of the National Federation of Builders (NFB), is delighted that the 

Government is helping tackle the crippling house crisis, by listening to the industry and finally addressing concerns which the HBA has lobbied 

on for quite some time. The HBA has had the cap on local authority borrowing for new housebuilding as a measure in all of its past manifestoes 

and the entire supply chain has worked hard towards achieving this. Lifting councils’ house building cap will now help small and medium-sized 

(SME) builders and councils to work together to deliver the Governments’ target of delivering 300,000 homes a year. 

Research reveals connected 

tech is a bright way to recruit 

and retain talent for SMEs 

New research from Signify finds over half (54%) of SMEs currently 

struggle to find new employees. 

Two in five SMEs think investing in connected technology would 

help retain employees 

61% of workers believe that smart lighting would give customers 

and clients a more favorable opinion of a business. 

Over half of small and medium-sized enterprises struggle to 

recruit talent and two in five have issues retaining employees, 

according to new research from Signify, the world leader in lighting, 

formerly Philips Lighting. The findings show that employers are 

potentially missing a trick as over half of the employees surveyed 

said they’d be in favour of their company investing in connected 

tech, specifically smart lighting, ahead of other improvements. 

“High workplace satisfaction influences engagement and the 

reputation of a business as a great place to work. So it’s no surprise 

that SMEs are looking into connected tech options to enhance 

engagement,” said Bianca van der Zande, research scientist 

at Signify. 

New construction output 

figures show rise in output 

Commenting on new figures published by the ONS which show a 

continued recovery in construction output after a weak start to 

the year, Michael Thirkettle, Chief Executive of leading 

construction consulting and design agency McBains, said “These 

figures, which show a third successive increase in output, will be 

cautiously welcomed by the construction industry. 

“We’re still not out of the woods however, with Brexit worries still 

on the horizon and the cost of imported materials remaining high 

due to the weak pound. Before this recent upturn in output, we 

saw several months decline so evidence of sustained growth is 

needed before we can safely say we’re on the road to recovery. 

“In particular, construction needs some incentives from the 

government to help give housebuilding a further boost. We’re 

still building fewer homes than required, and while we heard a lot 

at the recent party conferences in terms of demand-side policy 

announcements to help more people onto the housing ladder, 

there was little detail on the supply side to help the industry build 

the homes that will allow such aspirations to be met.” 

Low-skilled does not mean low value 

The Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to unveil a new skills based system as part of her post-Brexit immigration plans. 

Under the proposals "The new skills-based system will make sure low-skilled immigration is brought down and set the UK on the path to reduce 

immigration to sustainable levels,” Mrs May said when speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, and that “free movement would end once 

and for all" when the UK leaves the EU. 

The industry has expressed concern that many jobs within construction fall under the low-skilled bracket and this will have a damaging impact 

on the construction industry. The Government is fully aware of the skills shortage the construction industry faces and the NFB is keen to see 

more details on how the system will work, which will be outlined in the white paper expected later in the autumn. 

UK has sixth-highest rate of excess winter deaths in Europe 

Research reveals that the UK has the sixth-worst long-term rate of excess winter mortality out of 30 European countries. In addition, when 

taking into account cold weather beyond just the winter months, the UK ranks second-worst out of 30 European countries. 

Over the last five years there has been an average of 32,000 excess winter deaths in the UK every year. Of these, 9,700 die due to a cold home – 

the same as the number of people who die from breast or prostate cancer each year. The fact that UK homes are amongst the least energy 

efficient in Europe confirms that these deaths are preventable. 

Pedro Guertler from E3G comments “The UK has one of the worst records on cold homes-related deaths in Europe and it is not only a public 

health tragedy, it is a national embarrassment. This epidemic is entirely preventable and E3G and NEA are calling on the UK Government to 

reinstate public capital investment in home energy efficiency to fix the cold homes crisis.” 



product news 

REHAU LAUNCHES RAUPIANO PLUS – 

THE SOUND APPROACH TO DRAINAGE 

REHAU has 

launched 

RAUPIANO 

Plus, a 

complete 

system of 

polymer pipes, 

fittings and 

accessories 

which offer a 

superior 

acoustic soil 

and waste 

solution. 

RAUPIANO Plus pipes feature a unique multi-layer composition 

which reduces noise without the need for additional pipe lagging. 

The pipe’s inner layer is made of polypropylene (PP) and is 

designed to be abrasion resistant and low friction to reduce 

blockages and extend life span; the middle layer is made of 

mineral-reinforced PP for sound absorption and stability; and the 

outer PP layer is impact resistant, shockproof and UV/weather 

resistant. 

To further improve the acoustics of the system, RAUPIANO Plus 

bends and branches have also been carefully designed to minimise 

noise. Bend fittings have thickened walls in sound-critical impact 

areas, while branch components feature hydraulically optimised 

inner contours to minimise flow noise. 

www.rehau.uk/raupiano 

MAKITA LAUNCHES 18V 16G LXT 

FINISHING NAILER 

The new and eagerly awaited 

Makita DBN600ZJ 18V LXT 

finishing nailer is setting new 

standards in nailing 

technology. Engineered for 16 

gauge finishing nails, from 25 

to 60mm in length, this nailer 

is particularly suitable for 

second fix construction site 

installations such as applying 

skirtings, architraves and 

doorways, and electrical 

fixtures and plumbing 

connections, which require a neat, professional visual appearance. 

Powered by a single 18V Makita Lithium-Ion battery the powerful 

motor will deliver up to 800 shots on a fully charged 4.0Ah battery. 

The magazine has the capacity to carry 110 nails and when empty 

the machine weighs a comfortable 3.4kg. A conveniently designed 

window allows for easy checking of the remaining quantity of nails. 

The Makita DBN600ZJ cordless, gas-less nailer ensures low 

running costs while downtime during low temperatures and cold 

weather working will be a thing of the past. It is supplied as a body 

only machine in a rugged, sturdy and protective Makpac case. 

For more news and product information about Makita UK please 

visit www.makitauk.com. Follow us on Twitter @MakitaUK, 

Facebook.com/makitauk and google.com/+makitauk 

www.makitauk.com 

GEZE UK ‘family’ celebrates 30th anniversary 

2018 is a milestone year for GEZE UK, which celebrates 30 years in 

the business as a ‘go to’ manufacturer and supplier of innovative 

door and window solutions. 

Founded in Germany in 1863, GEZE is one of the world’s leading 

manufacturers of door and window control systems. Investing millions in 

research, development and manufacture of innovative solutions, GEZE 

sets the global standard for advanced door and window technology. 

GEZE UK, is part of the global GEZE GmbH, a family-run business where 

traditional values are combined with pioneering strategic vision. 

So, it was entirely fitting that to mark three decades of business success, 

its UK workforce and their families should enjoy a fun-filled family day of 

celebrations, hosted at Rodbaston Hall, near Penkridge in Staffordshire. 

Kaz Spiewakowski, GEZE UK’s managing director – who himself 

celebrates five years at the helm this year – said that “GEZE was most 

definitely “a family business” and this is reflected in how it treats its 

employees. 

“There are family members engaged in the business at all levels and 

GEZE considers each and every member of our 250-strong team very 

much part of the extended ‘family’. Everyone contributes so it was wonderful to get together this September to enjoy some downtime, celebrate 

our achievements and toast our continuing success in the years ahead,” he said 

2018 was also a milestone year for head of the GEZE family, Brigitte Vöster-Alber, chief executive officer of GEZE GmbH, based in Leonberg, 

Germany, who this summer celebrated 50 years with the company. Taking over in 1968 at the age of only 24 years, Brigitte asserted herself in a 

man’s world and has since developed corporate strategy, the product portfolio and international business whilst continuing to champion the 

visibility of females within the workplace. 

For more information about GEZE UK’s comprehensive range of automatic and manual door closers call 01543 443000 or visit the website. 

www.geze.co.uk 



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product news 

McAVOY BUILDS NEW 420-PLACE 

ARTS PRIMARY SCHOOL OFFSITE 

The McAvoy Group, 

one of the UK’s leading 

offsite specialists, has 

delivered a new twoform 

entry primary 

school built offsite for 

Ramsgate Arts 

Primary School. The 

building provides 

state-of-the-art 

facilities for up to 420 children to support its focus on the arts. 

Part of Viking Academy Trust, Ramsgate Arts Primary is a new free 

school which offers a curriculum with an emphasis on the arts. 

Built offsite by principal contractor McAvoy, this bright, modern 

and spacious building was funded by the Education & Skills 

Funding Agency. It has created an exemplar learning environment 

for children from reception to age 11. 

The 2078m2 building is constructed from 46 steel-framed modules 

which were manufactured and fitted out offsite to reduce the build 

programme. The units were craned into position in two phases 

complete with doors, windows, partitions and first fix mechanical 

and electrical services. 

The contemporary and distinctive design theme for Ramsgate 

Primary features strong lines, bold geometric shapes and a palette 

of materials which includes render, natural timber cladding and 

picture windows. 

www.mcavoygroup.com 

Underfloor heating - a 

commercially viable 

alternative to radiators 

New research, by ForceDry, has used data from leading 

contractors to compare installation costs of underfloor heating 

with radiators. 

The study compared three options: 

1. traditional radiators and 75mm 

sand & cement screed 

2. traditional radiators with a 

50mm flowing screed 

3. underfloor heating with a 50mm 

force dried flowing screed 

Installation costs for an 80m2 

dwelling ranged from: 

Option 1 - £3,003.72 to £3,483.10 

Option 2 - £3,163.72 to £3,563.10 

Option 3 - £3,464.63 to £4,082.30 

ForceDry MD Ross Verity said: 

“Force drying reduces drying time by around two thirds, 

representing significant additional time and cost saving in the 

overall construction process. The carbon footprint associated with 

flowing screeds is also some 70% lower than sand and cement 

screeds.” 

www.force-dry.co.uk 

AG offers solution to reverberation woes 

AG, one of the UK and Ireland’s most innovative suppliers of hard landscaping, building 

and structural precast products are committed to pioneering excellent acoustic 

masonry products that meet architectural masonry specifications. 

Alphacrete ® Acoustic is a cutting-edge sound-absorbing masonry block with outstanding 

room and building acoustic performance. One of the first products of its kind, Alphacrete ® 

Acoustic effectively reduces airborne noises 

and excess reverberation. Additionally, the 

flutter echoes and standing waves produced 

by reflective parallel wall surfaces will be 

significantly reduced. 

Alphacrete ® Acoustic offers a solution to those 

who are tasked with dramatically improving speech 

intelligibility and acoustic performance in conventional 

constructions where reverberation causes problems. It provides a very clever 

solution because it is independently tested by sound research Laboratories to prove that 

it meets the acoustic performance standards for a Class D sound absorber according to 

BB93:2015. It is also extremely strong and durable compared to competing acoustic panels on 

the market. Overall, it is an excellent choice for controlling reverberation time in sports halls, 

church halls and leisure centres to name but a few. 

The block is available in two distinct finishes, Athena and Corinthian. Athena is smooth and 

stronger in colour and Corinthian has added texture and natural colour variances to give it more 

of a natural stone appearance. Both finishes come in a market leading array of colours 

including optimum LRV (Light Reflectance value) shades and special detailing shapes to flexibly 

create projects with impressive visual impact. 

For more details contact AG’s specification team at specifications@ag.uk.com or visit the 

website. 

www.ag.uk.com 



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Clash management, 

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stakeholders is completed using the 3D model. 

Together we are shaping a smarter future for construction. 

www.tekla. 

com/uk/solutions 

TRANSFORMI NG THE WAY THE WORLD WORKS

article 

History 

at your 

feet 

Britain’s oldest heritage charity believes that floors are the ‘downtrodden’ Cinderella of building conservation. When people 

enter an old building, step onto a churchyard path or walk down a street in an ancient town or village their natural inclination is to 

look up – at a moulded plaster ceiling, at glorious stained glass windows, at panelled walls or at buildings above and around. We 

never look down… until now. MMC hear from Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB). 

SPAB plays a statutory role in the 

planning process, with councils in 

England and Wales obliged to notify 

them of applications to work involving listed 

buildings. Hundreds of proposals come to 

their attention every year and they are 

alarmed. Their caseworkers regularly report 

that they are involved too late in discussions 

about works involving old floors. By the time 

they are asked to comment on plans or 

proposals, pivotal decisions have already been 

made or are being actively pursued… and now 

they are putting their foot down! 

SPAB believes a vital ‘step’ is being missed by 

many of those involved with and responsible for 

the care of the built historic environment. A 

great number of schemes are being developed 

without initial consideration of the beauty and 

interest of the materials, literally, underfoot. 

In churches and cathedrals, for example, 

original floors – notably tiles and ledgerstones 

- have been re-laid and removed to allow the 

introduction of heating solutions or to create a 

level floor that better meets health and safety 

requirements. Another major driver in terms 

of interventions is the need to create a more 

flexible space, suitable for a variety of uses. 

Although laudable in intention, this can lead to 

destruction of ancient fabric. 

In private houses, caseworkers have been 

concerned to see similar proposals (and 


Nov 2018 M10 

instances) involving original timbers, 

flagstones and simple stone and brick 

paviours. In the case of the latter, these more 

‘ordinary’ floor types are also at acute risk in 

ecclesiastical settings simply because people 

do not recognise their age or interest. Their 

modest nature conspires to make them 

expendable. 

Floors can play a vital role in revealing the 

unfolding history of a building. If a dwelling 

retains its original floors then it allows 

centuries of use – the story of its inhabitants – 

to be read, giving us a sense of how people 

lived and how they interacted within that space. 

The importance of being able to trace this 

‘hierarchy of space’ is especially true for older 

and vernacular buildings where surviving floor 

finishes and materials may well be one of only 

a few indicators of its evolution through time. 

Flooring matters 

The Society believes that floors contribute 

enormously to the ‘spirit’ of a place. The patina 

of time caused by centuries of wear and tear, 

daily use and gradual settlement are essential 

components of a space’s presence and unique 

atmosphere. 

Floors are where we make a direct physical 

connection to a space, following in the 

footsteps of those who – throughout the 

centuries – have gone before. Romantics 

among us might well feel a frisson of 

recognition to know that we are standing on the 

very spot where ‘history was made’. 

In Canterbury Cathedral a single candle on the 

stones marks the place where Thomas Becket 

was assassinated in 1170. Henry VIII and at 

least five of his wives (along with most of the 

people whose lives were fictionalised by Hilary 

Mantel in Wolf Hall) intrigued on the wide oak 

boards of galleries at Hampton Court. At 

Edinburgh’s Holyrood Palace, the boards of 

Queen Mary’s oratory witnessed the murder of 

her secretary David Rizzio. When you explore 

Shakespeare’s birthplace in Henley Street 

Stratford-upon-Avon you are walking on the 

floors of the house where he grew up and 

where he spent the first five of his family life 

with new wife Anne Hathaway. At Howarth 

Parsonage in Yorkshire the Brontes read aloud 

to each other as they criss-crossed the boards 

in the parlour. Jane Austen and her sister 

Cassandra danced on the black and white 

marble tiles of the Stone Gallery at the Vyne, 

Hampshire. Across the country there are 

thousands of places where thrilling 

connections still can be made. 

The wonderful grooves, undulations, 

imperfections and scratches on old floors of all 

materials are the 'ghosts of time'. SPAB 

contends that once you make a significant 

intervention to an old floor you remove 

something vital to a building’s heart and story 

and that this loss is irreplaceable.

Modern Methods of 

Construction 

We work with 

industry to help 

deliver long-lasting 

quality homes. 

•From component materials 

and design, to onsite 

installation and connection 

•System appraisal and 

acceptance 

•Inspection of the whole 

building to NHBC Standards 

•Backed by NHBC Buildmark 

warranty and insurance 

Talk to us... 

Call us now on 0344 633 1000 Email techservices@nhbc.co.uk 

or visit www.nhbc.co.uk/mmchub 

NHBC is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and 

the Prudential Regulation Authority. NHBC is registered in England & Wales under company number 00320784. 

NHBC’s registered address is NHBC House, Davy Avenue, Knowlhill, Milton Keynes, Bucks MK5 8FP. 

M589 10/18

article 

Save more than daylight this autumn 

Since 1916, Britain has been changing the clocks twice a year in order to save an hour of daylight. Love it or hate it, daylight 

saving has struck again. With this, MMC Magazine urges readers to think about an important way to move fire safety forward in 

your homes and buildings, as we have done with the hands of the clock. 

With the days growing darker and winter 

setting in, a few candles scattered 

round the room can lend a warm glow 

to an evening. But with candle fires resulting in 

around 350 casualties each year, we would like 

you to take extra care with candles this winter - 

nearly 40% of all fires started by candles result 

in a death or injury. 

With the days growing darker and winter setting 

in, a few candles scattered round the room can 

lend a warm glow to an evening. But with candle 

fires resulting in around 350 casualties each 

year, we would like you to take extra care with 

candles this winter - nearly 40% of all fires 

started by candles result in a death or injury. 

There were 558,963 incidents attended by the UK 

Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) last year. Of these 

incidents, around 161,770 were fires. These fires 

resulted in 261 fatalities and 7,081 non-fatal 

casualties. To put that into context - for every 

million people in England, there were 4.7 firerelated 

fatalities. 

Smokers’ materials (such as cigarettes, cigars 

or pipe tobacco) were the source of ignition in 

36% of fire-related fatalities in accidental 

dwelling fires. 

Cooking appliances were the source of ignition in 

49% of accidental dwelling fires and 50% of nonfatal 

casualties in accidental dwelling fires in 

and was by far the largest ignition category. 

Fires where a smoke alarm was not present 

accounted for 27% (8,100) of all dwelling fires 

and 36% (77) of all dwelling fire fatalities. 

According to the studies, mains powered smoke 

alarms continue to have a lower “failure rate” 

than battery powered alarms. 21% of mains 

powered smoke alarms and 39% of battery 

powered smoke alarms failed to operate in 

dwelling fires. 

Sounding the alarm 

Research suggests that you are at least four 

times more likely to die if you don’t have a smoke 

alarm. 

All building owners need to be aware of the fire 

risks within their properties and are required by 

law to protect their tenants from them. As any 

fire department will advise you, in a fire 

emergency, a few seconds could save lives. 

A fire detection system is designed to sense 

smoke, excessive heat or fire and provide an 

alert for tenants. The Fire Safety Advice Centre 

sets out the British Standards Specification for 

installing fire safety systems within a property. 

These standards include the BS 5839- 

1:2013+A2:2008 and the BAFE Fire Detection and 

Alarm Systems Scheme No. SP203. 



Landlords must ensure that all systems that they 

install, meet these specifications and that each 

system is installed correctly. 

It’s also important to remember that smoke 

alarms don’t last forever. The power might work, 

but the detection mechanism deteriorates with 

time. So whether they are battery operated or 

wired to the mains, to work at their best they 

should be replaced every ten years. 

Where fires start 

• Kitchen - 50% of accidental fires are caused by 

cooking appliances. (Room risks likely to be 

present: Gas cooker, boiler, Flue, Electrical 

equipment) 

• Living room - 7% of fires are caused by 

smokers’ materials. 36% of fires are caused by 

misused or faulty equipment. (Room risks 

likely to be present: Electrical equipment, 

space heaters, soft furnishings, open or gas 

fire) 

• Bedroom -25% of all dwelling fires are caused 

by textiles, upholstery and furnishings. (Room 

risks likely to be present: Soft furnishings, 

electrical equipment, candles, indirect carbon 

monoxide risk) 

• Loft - There are 11 chimney fires daily in the 

UK; that’s 4015 a year. (Room risks likely to be 

present: Chimneys, downlights, PV – Solar 

panel inverter, insulation, electrical wiring) 

• Hallway – Between 7pm and 8pm is the most 

frequent time for fire incidents within a 

property. (Room risks likely to be present: 

Although less likely to be the location of a fire 

source, this vital escape route could be blocked 

due to smoke entry from a fire in a nearby 

room) 

Placement is key 

Placement of a fire alarm system will vary 

depending on the type of alarm required and the 

layout of the property. Typical smoke alarms 

need to be installed in a centralised area of a 

passageway and should also be installed in the 

head of stairways on the top storey. Multi-storey 

structures should have a smoke alarm installed 

on each level. The alarm should be placed at a 

safe distance from lights, ceiling fans or air 

conditioning vents because the cooler air and 

flow could prevent proper detection of fire, heat 

or smoke. 

Proper installation of fire alarm systems is 

important so that the detectors will operate 

effectively and the audible and lighted alerts can 

easily warn occupants in case of a fire. 

Not only should the fire alarm systems be 

installed and working properly, but building 

owners should also provide training for 

occupants where possible to make sure they 

understand how critical the alarms are in an 

emergency. 

Testing 

Fire Alarm systems should be checked on a 

regular basis, either by setting off a call point or 

setting off the sounders, and making sure that 

the system is tested by a competent person. 

Then, depending on the size of the system, a full 

service should be carried out from between once 

a year up to four times a year. The frequency 

should depend on the size and the complexity of 

your fire alarm system. 

Sprinklers save lives 

Six centuries ago a well-known artist invented 

the first known sprinkler system. Leonardo da 

Vinci’s creation worked rather too well - when a 

comedy of catering errors in his patron’s kitchen 

culminated in a fire. The sprinkler system did its 

job but washed away all the food. 

Skip on a couple of centuries or so when 

German-born British apothecary Ambrose 

Godfrey created the first successful automated 

sprinkler system using gunpowder to release a 

tank of extinguishing fluid. 

The world’s first modern recognisable system 

was put into the Theatre Royal in London’s Drury 

Lane a hundred years later, patented in 1812 by 

William Congreve and, for over a century now, 

sprinkler installations have been successfully 

protecting people’s lives and buildings, and 

improving business continuity. 

Technology has, of course, moved on since Da 

Vinci’s kitchen nightmare. Modern sprinkler 

systems are efficient, reliable and cost-effective, 

a virtual firefighter in every room 24/7. 

Every year hundreds of people die in fires and 

many more suffer injuries, many of which could 

be avoided if sprinklers were installed, yet still 

only 2% of the UK’s council tower blocks have 

full sprinkler systems and less than a third of the 

260 schools built since 2014 under the 

Government’s School Building Programme have 

sprinklers. 

In summary 

Often the most deadly fires are small fires that 

quietly smoulder and smoke while people are 

asleep or in a different room. Without the early 

warning of a smoke alarm, people can be 

overcome with smoke before the fire is 

discovered. Please fit at least one smoke alarm 

on every floor of your property and regularly 

check them. The quicker firefighters are alerted, 

the quicker they can help save lives and prevent 

fires from spreading. Protect your people this 

November and if you see fire, get out, stay out 

and dial 999.

candle fires result in 

around 350 casualties 

each year, we would 

like you to take extra 

care with candles this 

winter - nearly 40% of 

all fires started by 

candles result in a 

death or injury. 



Offsite 

Offsite homes 

en masse for 

the masses 

It’s no secret that housebuilding needs to increase in the UK. It is currently estimated that a total of 250,000 homes need to be 

delivered each year in order to tackle spiralling house prices and the critical shortage of affordable homes. Year on year to date, 

this target has consistently been missed - with figures showing that only 184,000 homes were completed in England in 2016/17. 

Joe Bradbury of MMC Magazine discusses: 

Akey aspect to the problem is that 

developers in possession of large sites 

often only release a small amount of 

homes at a time, as slowing the pace of 

building affords them the opportunity to 

capitalise on the value of their assets. This 

results in local authorities looking to reclaim 

and manage the construction of new homes. 

Councils have largely been removed from 

housebuilding since the conservative 

government came into power in 1979, where 

private construction rose, but not by enough to 

compensate for the fall in public sector 

building. 

A cynic could be forgiven for posing the 

question “what have local authorities been 

doing all this time?” Council advisers argue in 

defence that they been exploring ways of 

getting back into housebuilding after decades 

of being removed. Both Labour and Liberal 

Democrats have historically argued in support 

of the state to once again commission and 

build new homes. Nevertheless, conservatives 

insist on austerity and warn that they need to 

be cautious about the state getting involved in 

housebuilding - stating that the country must 

live within its means in order to survive and 

thrive in a modern financial climate. 

It is clear that if the state reclaims house 

building then cost effective methods of building 

will have to be utilised. 



Offsite construction provides 

the solution 

Using offsite construction would allow the 

government to deliver houses faster and at a 

lower cost. 

It has been stated that a main factor holding up 

housebuilding in the short term, is a lack of 

materials. The surge in demand in late 2013 

and early 2014 led to a decrease in availability 

of traditional materials such as bricks. This 

paved the way for prefabricated materials like 

timber and steel to be used in housebuilding. 

Regardless of whether the state takes on 

housebuilding or if it is left to private house 

builders, the benefits of offsite construction 

are undoubtedly crucial to meeting targets 

which have to date been repeatedly missed. 

Offsite construction provides housebuilders 

with programme certainty and quality though 

simplification of site operations and reduced 

weather dependencies due to the controlled 

factory-based assembly process. Houses 

delivered through offsite construction offer 

enhanced specification standards and build 

quality which reduces occupancy costs related 

to energy use, defects and repairs. There is 

significant evidence that suggests that the use 

of offsite construction has been successful 

when applied to meet the needs of significant 

housing developments at scale with 

consequential opportunities for standardisation 

of design details - particularly to meet the 

need of government led programmes. 

Consider the environment 

‘The Waste and Resources Action Programme’ 

posit that offsite construction practices 

generate up to 90% less waste than more 

traditional building methods. This is because a 

factory is a much more controlled environment 

than a traditional building site - throwing far 

fewer variables into the mix. 

Offsite and modular construction is much less 

energy intensive than traditional 

housebuilding. The carbon footprint left by the 

many construction vehicles and machinery on 

the site of a traditional construction project 

alone is considerably larger than that of 

modular construction. Fewer vehicles involved 

and less time spent on site results in fewer 

emissions and a vastly reduced carbon 

footprint as an industry. 

Offsite offers fast and affordable solution to a 

modern crisis, and with the UK Environment 

Agency and other government bodies putting 

increasing pressure on construction companies 

to reduce pollution and conform to 

environmental regulations, it may be a shift in 

practice that happens regardless of anybody’s 

stance on the subject. Ask yourself; are you 

ready for offsite?

Offsite 

see us at 

Offsite, 

stand no. 

C7 

The Loft from Tingdene Homes, fitted 

with construction and roofing 

membranes from Protect. 

Protect Membranes delivers U-value 

benefits for new modular innovation 

A variety of wall construction membranes, roofing underlays and accessories from Protect has been installed into an innovative 

new modular concept manufactured by Tingdene Homes, holiday and park home specialists. 

Offered under the THL Modular 

branding, The Loft is a contemporary 

two-storey holiday home designed and 

manufactured completely offsite in Tingdene 

Homes’ factory, using cutting edge design 

and high end specification to meet the needs 

of the growing “staycation” market. Fully 

LABC product approved and constructed to 

UK Building Regulations, The Loft can be 

built to suit varied client needs ranging from 

a two or three bedroom luxury lodge to a two 

or four room hotel pod, club house or café. 

A number of Protect products were supplied 

and installed on THL Modular’s first show 

home, including Protect BarriAir, an internal 

airtightness membrane, Protect VC Foil Ultra 

used as the insulating low emissivity vapour 

control layer, Protect TF200 Thermo 

insulating low emissivity breather membrane 

for external walls and Protect VP400 Plus LR, 

a roofing underlay offering unrestricted wind 

uplift resistance, and exceptional vapour 

permeability. 

Phil Harold, Quality Assurance Manager at 

Tingdene Homes commented, “The use of 

numerous Protect products for this 



development helped us meet specification and 

achieve our target U-values of 0.18 W/m 2 K for 

external walls and 0.14W.m 2 K for the roof 

element. With the numerous benefits of offsite 

manufacture over traditional construction 

including build speed, quality precision and 

reliability, we wanted a supplier who 

understood these principles to ensure our 

delivery demands were met. Protect supplied 

products quickly which enabled our process to 

run without interruption and facilitated swift 

turnaround at the 

factory.” 

Protect’s range of 

wall, ceiling and floor 

construction 

membranes together 

with its roofing 

underlays and 

accessories provides 

a comprehensive 

solution to the 

modular build sector. 

In particular, Protect 

construction 

membrane products 

with reflective technology help deliver thermal 

efficiency benefits to meet low target U-values 

and ensure compliance with relevant Building 

Regulations. 

For details of how Protect products can be 

incorporated into residential and commercial 

builds, please visit the below website email 

info@protectmembranes.com or call 0161 905 

5700, quoting ‘The Loft.’ 

www.protectmembranes.com 

Protect TF200 Thermo, used on the exterior of Tingdene Homes’ The Loft.

SEE WINDOWS & DOORS 

IN A NEW LIGHT 

Call us now for more information on our new offsite 

construction window and door concept 

www.nationwidewindows.co.uk 

Tel: 01788 224 466 | Email: enquiries@nationwidewindows.co.uk 

Nationwide Windows Ltd | Nationwide House | 74-88 Somers Road | Rugby | Warwickshire | CV22 7DH 

SEE US AT STAND C22 

20TH - 21ST 

 

 

NOVEMBER 2018 

EXCEL LONDON

Offsite 

Working lock keeper’s island 

transformed by energy efficient 

Cross Laminated Timber homes 

A small man-made island which houses a working lock on the Bow Back Waters at Stratford, has been transformed by a new 

residential development designed and delivered by Architect and Developer Roberts & Treguer. 

Images: Roberts & Treguer 

Blaker Island is formed of a five storey 

apartment block known as The 

Warehouse and Howard’s House - two 

semi-detached town houses, built either side of 

a Listed and refurbished 1930’s lock keepers 

house. The development has been designed to 

passivhaus standard to provide seven spacious, 

modern homes with private outside space and 

views over the Olympic Park and surrounding 

waterways. 

The new buildings are built from Stora Enso 

PEFC certified Cross Laminated Timber which 

has helped to meet the high level of airtightness 

required for Passivhaus. Other key 

considerations for the specification of CLT 

include its ability to resolve limitations 

presented by the island site in terms of weight 

and access, possible only via a small foot bridge. 

Specialist hybrid construction firm, G-frame 

Structures, who supplied and installed the CLT, 

devised an innovative installation strategy to 

overcome the complex site logistics which 

enabled them to safely and efficiently deliver 

both superstructures in just six weeks. 

Roberts and Treguer’s design concept for the 

development was driven by a desire to provide 

high quality, low energy homes that would be 

completely different to anything else available in 

the area. “From the outset a key part of our 

design intent was to build highly sustainable and 

energy efficient homes that would meet 

passivhaus standards and CLT has helped us to 

achieve this due to its high airtightness 

qualities.” Explains Bachir Nebia, Contracts 

Manager at Roberts & Treguer. 

Airtightness details for Howard’s House and the 

Warehouse are designed to 0.6 ACH (air change) 

which is the maximum allowed for achieving 

Passivhaus standard. Windows are triple glazed 

and junction detailing between window and CLT 

wall panels has been carefully considered. 

Energy efficiency is further improved by a 

compact unit in each dwelling which combines 

MVHR with an air source heat pump to provide 

ventilation, heating and hot water. It is estimated 

that over a 60 year period a typical dwelling will 

save 192 tonnes of CO2 compared with a typical 

UK home. 

Weight was also a key consideration in the 

specification of CLT: “We were going to be 

adding a lot of weight to an existing structure 

and this was a key factor in the material 

specification. The island has river walls all 

around it which are owned by the Canal Trust 

and we carefully considered the potential impact 

on them of increased weight.” Says Bachir. 



“CLT is a more lightweight structural material 

than traditional construction materials and this 

enabled the project team to reduce the weight 

of the superstructure while still creating 

spacious, sustainable and energy efficient 

homes. We worked closely with G-frame 

Structures and timber engineer Furness 

Partnership on the detail design and the G- 

frame team developed quick and efficient 

solutions for the crane and installation 

strategy.” He continues. 

Lee Murphy, Managing Director of G-frame 

Structures expands on this: "The site is a manmade 

island surrounded by water on all sides 

and this made other, more traditional methods 

of construction less feasible. In terms of 

overcoming such complex site constraints, CLT 

provided the perfect solution because it is 

lightweight, fast and efficient. The installation 

strategy we developed involved the erection of 

a 100 tonne mobile crane adjacent to the site 

which we used to lift in a self-erecting IGO50 

mini tower crane to the island. This enabled 

the G-frame team to safely, quickly and 

efficiently install Howard House and the 

Warehouse apartments in a very short 

timeframe.” 

These factors were key considerations for the 

structural design and CLT panels were 

specified to be liftable by the IG050 mini crane. 

Brick slip cladding further contributed to 

achieving a lighter overall weight for the 

buildings as well as allowing for walls to be 

formed from the CLT wall panel, insulation and 

cladding without dramatically increasing 

thickness. 

The site layout also required the development 

of a cantilevered section at the corner of the 

Warehouse building to avoid the foundations of 

the foot bridge which are located close by. This 

was resolved by the introduction of Glulam 

beams integrated to the open façade and 

incorporating step-in level access to the bridge 

for servicing the building. 

Sound separation at the Warehouse was 

achieved by the use of double-layer CLT walls 

around the full height central core which 

houses the lift shaft and staircase. The two 

walls are separated by only a 90 mm space and 

to overcome the inaccessible nature of this 

element of construction, G-frame Structures 

used discreet connections which also 

contributed to the overall aesthetic of the 

building. 

Externally the development presents a varied 

streetscape and Roberts & Treguer have taken 

care to reflect the history of the Island and 

surrounding waterways. Though having the 

external appearance of one single house, 

Howard’s House is comprised of two spacious 

three bedroom homes. The design is based on 

the original home of the 19th Century chemist 

and amateur meteorologist Luke Howard 

which was originally situated on the island but 

demolished in 1934. Howard is known as the 

‘Namer of Clouds’ for having developed the 

nomenclature system for cloud classification 

which is still used today. 

Inspiration for the Warehouse is taken from the 

local vernacular of traditional warehouses to 

be found on the rivers and canals of Stratford. 

The building is very generously proportioned 

with just one three bedroom apartment on 

each of the ground, first and second floors and 

a two bedroom penthouse on the third and 

fourth floors. Bedrooms and large open plan 

kitchen/living spaces lead from a central 

hallway where the MVHR unit is located so that 

humid air can be extracted from the kitchen 

and bathroom and fresh air supplied to the 

bedrooms. The building features a recessed 

roof garden which has been achieved by an 

innovative solution developed by G-frame 

Structures and Furness Partnership whereby 

the beams effectively act as a cradle for the 

floor which hangs beneath. 

Internally, all the new homes feature exposed 

CLT throughout with accent provided by a 

simple monochrome palette which contrasts 

well with the texture and colour of the wood. 

www.g-frame.co.uk 



article 

High 

Specification 

for a Higher 

Education 

Building 

Architecturally designed and built completely to spec, the new three-storey building on the University of Birmingham’s Edgbaston 

Campus is full of unique features. 

New office space was required to 

accommodate University academics: 

overall growth and construction work 

elsewhere on campus meant that staff were 

temporarily displaced. Planning permission 

was granted for a new office block, but only for 

3 and a half years. 

Not Just a Temporary Solution 

The brief: the building needed to be temporary 

but not feel temporary, and it needed to be 

spacious, contemporary and light. Time was of 

the essence, but without compromise on finish. 

Of the three companies asked to tender by the 

University, Wernick Buildings were selected as 

the preferred tenderer based on a combination 

of cost, quality and programme A Wernick 

Buildings’ modular system allowed the 

architects to customise the internal and 

external finishes while maintaining the budget 

and schedule. 

A wide range of features were specified from the 

outset: from architectural features such as the 

large sections of glazing, feature banding and 

projecting window surrounds, down to the 

finishing touches of skirtings, window frames 

and doors. The resulting space is befitting to its 

prestigious surroundings and listed 

neighbouring buildings. 

Modular Installation and 

Feedback 

After just six weeks in the factory, the 36 

modules were loaded and ready for the trip from 

South Wales to Birmingham. The February 

installation was on schedule: even after allowing 

for some of the worst snow this country has 

seen for some time! Crane trucks manoeuvred 

the modules through mature trees on the site – 

giving the final impression that the building had 

always been there. 

Kevin O’Flaherty, Senior Project Manager at 

University of Birmingham is responsible for a 

portion of the University’s ambitious capital 

programme, from the inception to getting the 

keys. Kevin, alongside the architects, worked 

very closely with the team at Wernick Buildings 

saying that he was in touch almost every day as 

decisions had to be made so quickly. Kevin 

found the Wernick team to be “highly 

professional and always wanting to do the best 

job”. 

Kevin remarked: “I often hear “it doesn’t feel 

like a modular building” - the extra touches 

have really made the space and feedback so far 

has been overwhelmingly positive from both 

staff and planning.” 

Due to the nature of the modular system used, 

the University can choose to move the building: 

either keeping the current configuration or 

changing it completely. The modules are built to 

be stacked up to four-storeys high or reduced 

down to one-storey. Kevin, however, feels the 

building sits very comfortably in its existing 

setting. 

Architectural Touches 

Glancy Nicholls Architects Ltd, based in 

Birmingham and London, is a Royal Institute of 

British Architects (RIBA) Chartered Practice and 

was started in 2004. Wernick worked with the 

firm previously, also at the University of 

Birmingham. Wernick helped GNA to deliver a 

low impact building for researchers studying the 

surrounding woodlands. Read more about the 

BIFoR scheme here www.wernick.co.uk/casestudy/buildings/specialist/bifor 

GNA architectural assistant Aiden Astle, who 

worked on the new office building, is excited 

about both projects’ potential to “challenge the 

misconception of modular buildings”. The office 

building, he added, is further proof of modular’s 

capabilities: “This project demonstrates that a 

limited time-frame doesn’t need to infringe on 

quality. This project has proven the flexibility of 

this method of construction and the results 

speak for themselves.” 

For more information on modular buildings, 

click here 

www.wernick.co.uk/buildings/modular, call 

0800 112 4640 or email us 

Enquiries.Buildings@wernickgroup.co.uk 

www.wernick.co.uk 



Visit us 

on stand 

D12 

SIPS Fabrications Service 

Marley Modular Systems SIP panels can be 

supplied in pre-fabricated wall, floor or roof 

sections complete with structural openings 

for doors and windows. 

Marley SIPs are manufactured in a state 

of the art factory and fabricated to exact 

customer dimensions for each project. 

PIR FOAM 

OSB BOARD 

Structural 

integrity 

Thermal 

efficiency 

Fire 

rating 

Lifetime 

energy 

efficiency 

Acoustic 

Insulation 

Full 

Sustainability 

At least 60 

years life 

expectancy 

Design 

flexibility 

Time 

saving 

marleysips.co.uk

Heating, Ventilation & Indoor Air Quality 

What’s in a 

breath of 

fresh air? 

A breath of fresh air. A sigh of relief. An angry huff. An exultant gasp. There are many differing types of breath and as human beings 

we take on average 17,000-30,000 of them per day. Coupled with this, the average person in Britain spends 92% of their time 

indoors on a week day. So with less than two hours a day spent outdoors, Joe Bradbury of MMC Magazine explores the importance 

of clean air and ventilation within a building. 

When we are inside the home, an 

indoor workplace (or any other type 

of building, for that matter), we are 

placing ourselves unwittingly at the mercy of 

the air within that building. Any chemicals, 

toxins or pollutants are drawn into our bodies 

and can cause headaches, eye irritation, skin 

problems, allergies and fatigue. Prolonged 

exposure to more serious pollutants can even 

cause certain types of cancers and other longterm 

health complications. As specifiers 

building structures designed for people, we 

have to consider this in our projects and 

ensure we do everything within our power to 

protect occupants from the invisible menace 

of unclean air. 

According to the NHS, there are currently 5.4 

million people in the UK receiving treatment 

for asthma; comprising 1.1 million children (1 

in 11) and 4.3 million adults (1 in 12). The UK 

holds some impressive records but boasting 

some of the highest rates in Europe for 

Asthma is nothing to brag about; every day, the 

lives of three families are devastated by the 

death of a loved one to an asthma attack, and 

tragically two thirds of these deaths are 

preventable. 

Poor indoor air quality exacerbates symptoms 

of asthma in its sufferers, and plays a sinister 

role in the development of asthma in 

susceptible people, such as small children and 

the elderly. 

The construction industry is a major source of 

pollution, responsible for around 4% of 



particulate emissions, more water pollution 

incidents than any other industry, and 

thousands of noise complaints every year. 

Something must be done! 

Mechanical Ventilation with 

Heat Recovery (MVHR) 

Innovations within the field of airtightness in 

buildings have happened so rapidly in recent 

years and ventilation and heat recovery have 

had to play catch up to keep up with the 

momentum. Adequate ventilation in airtight 

buildings is essential and mechanical 

ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) systems 

offer that effective, efficient and clean way of 

ventilation so sorely needed by people living in 

poor quality air across Britain today. 

MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation with Heat 

Recovery) provides fresh filtered air into a 

building whilst retaining most of the energy 

that has already been used in heating the 

building. Heat Recovery Ventilation is the 

solution to the ventilation needs of energy 

efficient buildings. Mechanical ventilation with 

heat recovery (MVHR), heat recovery 

ventilation (HRV) or Comfort ventilation are all 

names for the same thing. A heat recovery 

ventilation system properly fitted into a house 

provides a constant supply of fresh filtered air, 

maintaining the air quality whilst being 

practically imperceptible. 

MVHR works by extracting the air from the 

polluted sources e.g. kitchen, bathroom, 

toilets and utility rooms and supplying air to 

the ‘living’ rooms e.g. bedrooms, living rooms, 

studies etc. The extracted air is taken through 

a central heat exchanger and the heat 

recovered into the supply air. This works both 

ways, if the air inside the building is colder 

than the outside air then the building will 

retain its nice and cool temperature. 

Bringing the fresh air inside 

Studies show that a well-sealed building 

envelope combined with effective filtration of 

incoming supply air can reduce particle 

penetration by 78%. The positive health 

implications of this are profound. 

The general public understands the impact 

temperature has on healthy and productive 

conditions inside buildings sadly all too well; 

fuel poverty and winter deaths take centre 

stage in our newspapers and magazines. 

Unfortunately, the fact that air quality is 

equally as impactful on society is regularly 

overlooked. Regardless of how hot or cold it 

may be outside, people have come to expect 

comfortable indoor temperatures. They 

demand that from their buildings. They now 

need to invoke the same demand for 

protection from harmful air pollution. Get 

either wrong and you run the risk of harming 

your occupants. 

Warmth and clean air to breathe is essential. 

As an industry, we are responsible for the 

comfort and wellbeing of the occupants of the 

built environment. We must also ensure we 

are moving forward towards renewables, 

otherwise I would argue that we aren’t moving 

forward at all. MVHR just might be the answer.

No ot expe ensive when you 

conside er the savings! 

Save on: 

• Floor Installation 

• HVAC Installation 

• Services Installation 

Save tim me, money and aggravation 

from costly call-backs 

The advant tages are clear: 

• Open web design provides ease of 

access for services and ventilationn 

• Improved quality of service fitting , 

eliminating costly remedial work 

• Lightweigh t and made to measur e 

for speedy erection 

• Clear span further for greater des sign 

flexibility 

Extending your advantage 

For the largest network of li censed manufacturers throughout the UK and Ireland 

visit: 

www.mitek.co.uk/manufacturers/ 

or call 01384 451400 

CPD Now available for Posi-Joist 

Contact MiTek today or visit www .posi-joist.co.uk for full details and an on-line presentation.

article 

Light gauge steel solutions for 

the construction industry 

see us at 

Offsite, 

stand no. 

A19 

Light Gauge Steel Frame manufacturers Frameclad supply components, frames and structures for the construction industry. 

They operate in every area of the steel framing arena, where clients require stock lengths and components to the multi storey, 

pre-designed, fully engineered and assembled end of the market. 

Components are formed from 

galvanised coil into the required 

straight sections and are either 

delivered in their raw state or they then 

undergo further engineered processes to be 

incorporated into framed products with 

dimples, fixing holes, service holes etc. All 

of these options can be viewed at 

www.frameclad.com 

From humble beginnings, trading materials 

as a specialised merchant, Mark Munns 

(founder) has grown the business through 

various phases of development; whilst 

strategically adding to the management team 

to ensure Frameclad continue to provide 

excellent products and services through a 

time of growth. After initial forays into the 

world of production pushed Frameclad’s 

manufacturing of component materials 

forward, the company soon began expanding 

their range to include complex flat pack 

frame products. This required the addition of 

Pictured outside Frameclad’s new manufacturing facility from L-R, Mark Munns 

CEO Frameclad, Clr. David Tyler Mayor of Dudley & Phil Dufty Operations Director 

Frameclad during his visit earlier this year. 

Frameclad strive to be the 

best option for quality, 

professional services and 

products within the Light 

Gauge Steel Frame market. 

Always aiming for betterment 

and differentiation. Frameclad 

are keenly looking for 

partners who share common 

goals and aspirations. 

state-of-the-art equipment, new production 

premises and a highly trained and motivated 

staff to produce fully formed, assembled and 

boarded panels and insulated systems of 

immensely complex design. These products 

and systems are offering a real alternative to 

traditional methods of construction and 

provide amazing 

benefits in cost, 

time and accuracy. 

Following sustained 

growth and 

additional 

purchases of new 

roll forming 

equipment 

Frameclad outgrew 

their original 

factory and in 

March 2018 moved 

into a new 24k 

square foot facility, 

this in addition to 

retaining the 

original 12K square 

foot premises. The 

new premises 

dedicated solely to 

the production of 

framing from 

rolling to assembly 

to boarding and 

despatch. Shortly 

after this was 

opened Frameclad 

received a visit from 

the then Mayor of 

Dudley, David Tyler, 

as part his term of 

Clr David Tyler Mayor of Dudley gaining an insight 

into roll forming and steel framing during his tour of 

Frameclad’s manufacturing facility with Phil Dufty 

Operations Director Frameclad together with 

apprentice Jack Pitchford. 

office pledge to visit 100 businesses in the 

area. During this visit he toured both 

manufacturing facilities, met key members of 

staff including apprentices. David has 

subsequently returned to see how things are 

progressing and is always a welcome visitor. 

Through taking pride in their work and 

refusing to compromise on quality, 

Frameclad have emerged as market leaders 

in their field. Honest and secure advice 

delivered from a platform of experience and 

backed by a collaborative approach at all 

stages of a construction project makes 

Frameclad the obvious choice as a partner. 

Frameclad clients enjoy a fairly unique 

experience of being engaged at all points 

throughout the process - from ideas and 

design through to sign off of design, 

manufacture and delivery. 

Frameclad strive to be the best option for 

quality, professional services and products 

within the Light Gauge Steel Frame market. 

Always aiming for betterment and 

differentiation. Frameclad are keenly looking 

for partners who share common goals and 

aspirations. 

If you have a project that you feel may benefit 

from the involvement of the Frameclad team 

they would be delighted to hear from you 

either by email or telephone – 

enquiries@frameclad.com or 01384 401114 

www.frameclad.com 



Frameclad 

The last word in load bearing light gauge steel frame buildings 

• Consultancy - expert advice on how to develop 

your project 

• Design - bringing your project to life and 

ensuring that every element is technically correct 

• Manufacture - state of the art equipment and a highly 

trained workforce ensure a precision product, delivered on 

time and to exact specification 

Talk to the experts - talk to us 

www.frameclad.com

article 

Are pods the future of construction? 

The UK construction industry is worth an estimated £100 billion to the UK economy each year. But tighter restrictions, increasing 

build costs and a lack of skilled labour are threatening the sector’s future growth. Thankfully, from hardship comes great 

opportunity and the sector has seen several innovative solutions come to the fore in recent years. This is particularly true when it 

comes to prefabrication and offsite construction products. 

Pods are one such innovation that is 

proving to be invaluable to the 

industry. They can now be found 

everywhere - spanning a diverse range of 

build projects, new and retrofit, in both the 

public and private sectors. And with 

increased backing from Government, (for 

housing in particular) we can expect them to 

become even more prevalent over coming 

years. 

Why offsite? 

So why are offsite solutions becoming more 

popular, and why does the Government seem 

so keen to back them? The answer to this is 

two-fold; they can allow large volume to be 

delivered at a level of quality that is 

consistent, and they also reduce lead times, 

meaning we can ultimately build faster when 

utilising offsite solutions such as pods. 

Currently the demand being placed on the 

construction industry continues to rise, but 

the number of projects completing on time 

and to budget continues to fall. This is not 

just due to tighter regulations and labour 

shortages, but other factors like the weather 

and delays in the supply of materials. 

Factor in housing shortages, an aging 

population, an increase in speciality housing 

needs, a lack of suitable student 

accommodation and an uptick in the number 

of build to let homes, and it’s clear to see why 

prefabricated solutions are being more widely 

used. 

Pre-fab pod solutions 

Modern pod solutions are proving to be a 

popular alternative method of construction 

due to them being able to be designed, 

manufactured and pre-assembled offsite, and 

then easily dropped into place for ease and 

speed in new build projects, without having to 

compromise on quality. 

Specialist manufacturers design and build 

tailored pods, to perfectly meet client 

specifications and these are simply delivered 

whole ready for installation and fitments or 

re-assembled onsite quickly and easily for 

refurbishment. Installation does not require 

skilled labour, significantly reducing time and 

costs. 

Bathrooms, showers and wetrooms are 

notoriously complex parts of a building to 

deliver and require a wide range of skilled 

labour, from designers and plumbers to 

electricians and tilers. Pre-fab pod solutions, 

on the other hand, can be completely bespoke 



and designed to fit into any space – whether a 

Grade II listed manor house, an office block, a 

refurbishment or a new-build. This greatly 

reduces costs, time, and the skill and labour 

involved in fitting. 

Sectional pods are perfect for anywhere that 

space is considered an issue, and designs can 

be completed from concept to delivery much 

quicker than when utilising more traditional 

building practices. A whole host of factors 

that can slow down the build, such as late 

delivery of materials, several contractors 

having to work together in confined spaces or 

work not being able to be completed until the 

work of other tradespeople has been 

completed, simply do not apply when opting 

to use pods. 

Pods promote health and 

wellbeing 

Health and safety is of course one of the 

highest priorities for contractors, and moving 

construction offsite into the better regulated 

environment of a factory has been proven 

time and time again to significantly decrease 

the risk of accident. Purpose built 

construction lines have been designed 

specifically for pod manufacture which 

almost entirely eliminate risk, and are 

unquestionably the safer environment in 

which to work. 

When pods are manufactured offsite, the onsite 

assembling process is far quicker and 

quieter with fewer people required, thereby 

reducing labour costs. Not only is this cleaner 

and safer, but it keeps disruption to a 

minimum – there are less materials and 

vehicles on site, making the site more 

efficient, less impactful on the surrounding 

environment and easier to manage. 

Environmentally-friendly 

Pod solutions also deliver on quality and 

efficiency. A traditional building site can be a 

source of wasted materials because of 

finishing, fixing and snagging errors. 

Prefabricated pods eliminate this; bespoke 

and resourceful design keeps wastage to a 

minimum, and their longevity (most come 

with a min 25-year guarantee) means they are 

a green alternative to traditional build 

materials. 

Often pod materials can be recyclable, 

reducing the carbon footprint of the build and 

providing a sustainable, quality assured 

building solution, for the future. The best 

quality pods are designed so that they do not 

even require sealant, yet are still 100% water 

tight and the materials used greatly reduce 

bacteria growth and therefore maintenance 

costs. 

Government-backed 

The Government continue to recognise the 

benefits of offsite construction. They have 

pledged to support building long term 

collaborations with the industry, exploiting 

digital technologies such as the adoption of 

offsite construction techniques on a wide 

scale. 

In addition, they have commented that they 

would “adopt a presumption in favour of 

offsite construction by 2019 across suitable 

capital programmes”, a true testament to the 

rising popularity of offsite modular 

construction. 

The future is offsite 

As more projects are completed and success 

stories spread until they are too prevalent to 

ignore, decision-makers within the industry 

will recognise that change is good and 

modular design can also be a commercially 

viable alternative to traditional methods. 

Sleek designs and high specifications mean 

they can be used from high-end projects such 

as hotels, right down to student 

accommodation, and still deliver a solid ROI. 

Indeed, the high specification, unrivalled 

quality, offsite checks and lower maintenance 

can extend the longevity of the bathroom 

environment way beyond those offered by 

traditional builds which often require ongoing 

maintenance. 

There isn’t anywhere deemed out of reach for 

a pod to be fitted. From sky-high city centre 

apartments to rugged rural surroundings, 

installations no longer need to be considered 

a logistical nightmare due to their location. 

From oil rigs to research centres in 

Antarctica, pods have been appearing in the 

unlikeliest of places. 

However, despite such overwhelming 

positivity surrounding pods and offsite 

construction overall, it still sadly accounts for 

less than 10% of total construction output at 

present. It is still early days, however a 

change is coming and as an industry we need 

to ride the crest of that change to success. 

The Government is on board, a growing 

number of construction managers are on 

board – are you?



27

Modular & Volumetric Building 

Design Flexibility & Performance 

from Scotframe Val-U-Therm PLUS ® 

Val-U-Therm PLUS ® wall panels achieve 0.08 W/m2K - probably the best U-value wall in the world. Couple this with Scotframe’s 

expertise & track record and the sky really is the limit when it comes to design of buildings that tick all the boxes on your clients’ 

wish lists. 

Key to achieving this extraordinary 

performance is that the insulation is 

injected in off-site, quality-controlled 

factory conditions. The foam expands into 

every nook and cranny, providing a best-inclass 

BR443 U-value correction factor of zero. 

As well as excellent thermal insulation 

performance, details are available to minimise 

thermal bridging and give excellent airtight 

fabric levels. 

The Scotframe Val-U-Therm ® building system 

was originally launched in 2011 and has been 

used in over 8,500 homes with an excellent 

track record. A UK market leader in full timber 

frame packages for new housing and 

commercial projects, Scotframe exclusively 

offers the Val-U-Therm PLUS ® closed panel 

building system. This is accepted by financial 

institutions, NHBC, Premier Guarantee and 

Checkmate - the panels have a 60-year 

minimum service life. 

Because it’s a hybrid of the best 

aspects of SIPS and timber frame 

technology, coupled with the latest 

advances in material science, it 

offers much flexibility and 

innovation in the design and 

build process. The unique 

combination of design 

opportunities includes: 

• Can be used for walls, 

roofs and floors 

• All types of design and 

architecture, even curved 

walls and roofs 

• Can be thermally engineered to perform as 

an optimum combination 

• Unrestricted elevational treatments – brick, 

stone, render, cladding, tile, timber, etc. 

• All interior finishes and treatments 

• Large-span roofs with vaulted ceilings, if 

required 

• Dramatic open-plan layouts offering lifestyle 

flexibility 

• Extensive glazed features and uninterrupted 

roof-space living areas 

• BBA accredited building system, including infill 

panels in other building systems 

Couple this with its exceptional thermal 

performance and sustainability, Val-U-Therm 

PLUS ® provides a straightforward and costeffective 

way for architects to hit energy 

efficiency, air permeability and other 

environmental targets. It offers a fit-andforget, 

future-proof solution, whatever level of 



environmental 

specifications 

are required – 

for example, ‘A’ 

rated Energy 

Performance 

Certificates, 

PassivHaus or the 

highest levels of energy 

saving and carbon 

neutrality. 

The patented Val-U-Therm PLUS ® is 

also inherently sustainable due to careful 

sourcing of raw materials with a minimal 

environmental impact. Scotframe’s timber is 

sourced from FSC and PEFC sustainably 

managed forests and the insulation in Val-U- 

Therm PLUS ® panels is based on renewable 

vegetable oil, has zero ozone depletion 

potential and is CFC, HFC and HCFC-free with a 

Global Warming Potential of less than 5. This 

means it has a BRE Green Guide A/A+ Rating – 

the same as straw bales or sheep wool yet is 

hydrophobic offering flood mitigation. 

From the UK’s first PassivHaus for rent (which 

won a Green Apple Award) to examples that 

significantly exceed the PassivHaus standard, 

Scotframe has been leading the way using Val- 

U-Therm ® technology in energy efficient 

building for many years. 

The Maryville PassivHaus delivered a total 

primary energy demand of 69 kWh/m2a 

(exceeding the PassivHaus requirement of 120 

kWh/m2a). This ‘Fabric First’ approach is also 

suitable for commercial buildings - the 

Rocking Horse Nursery at the University of 

Aberdeen, which caters for 78 pre-school 

children. achieved an air tightness of 0.475 

ACH. 

Hence Scotframe homes and buildings are 

warm and draught-proof in winter, cool and 

well ventilated in summer, healthy for all the 

family and enjoy remarkably low energy bills. 

Scotframe Val-U-Therm PLUS ® allows the 

construction of typical family homes that can 

cost less than £95 a year to heat. 

The great news is that building to these high 

standards is not necessarily more expensive or 

time consuming using Scotframe Val-U-Therm 

PLUS ® . Edinburgh Napier University compared 

the cost per square metre of superstructure 

using 10 different building systems. 

Scotframe Val-U-Therm ® cost £1092 when built 

to PassivHaus standards, whilst the other nine 

systems ranged from £711 to £1138 when built 

only to existing Building Regulations. It took 65 

days to build a Scotframe home to PassivHaus 

standards; the other 26 homes ranged from 49 

to 126 days to build, again only to Building 

Regulations. 

So, if you are looking to design a dream home 

or superlative building – think Scotframe Val- 

U-Therm PLUS ® . 

Scotframe Timber Engineering and Val-U- 

Therm are proud to be part of the Saint Gobain 

Group of Companies. 

www.scotframe.co.uk

Need more 

teaching space? 

The solution for 

longer lasting 

buildings 

Wernick buildings are built to last, 

with a backed 25 year structural 

warranty and a 60 year design 

life expectancy.* 

*Under current Building Regulations 

quick turnaround 

cost effective 

25 year warranty 

quality build 

An education in modular buildings 

To find out more and view education case studies go to: 

www.wernick.co.uk/education 0800 112 4644

Modular & Volumetric Building 

Raising the Bar for Offsite Construction 

As one of the largest specialist off-site manufacturing businesses in the UK, Caledonian Modular offers much more than your 

everyday construction company. Founded over 50 years ago, they supply around the UK from a 40-acre advanced manufacturing 

site in Newark, Nottinghamshire. 

Over the last few years’ Caledonian has 

achieved significant growth and now has 

a turnover of over £50m. A series of new 

contract wins look set to continue this success 

with a target of nearly doubling turnover by 

2019, an objective they are well on the way to 

achieving. 

Mind you, this kind of performance hasn’t come 

about on its own, but from a clear vision for the 

company, backed by a strong management 

team, and a focus on projects that are aligned 

with its key strengths and sectors that it 

understands; education, housing and 

healthcare. These include an ability to achieve 

up to 94 per cent completion of building 

modules off-site, meaning buildings can be 

handed over in up to half the time it takes for a 

traditional build, and with less disruption to 

roads and nearby buildings. Underlying this 

ability to consistently deliver projects on time 

and within budget is a commitment to 

excellence through the use of BIM, design for 

manufacture and assembly (DMFA) and lean 

manufacturing techniques. 

A case in point is the £55m contract awarded to 

Caledonian by Laing O’Rourke to build the 

accommodation modules for Hinkley Point C 

(HPC) nuclear power station in Somerset. The 

contract comprises 1,496 en-suite bedrooms 

across 44 individual buildings at two locations. 

The first accommodation units rolled off the 

factory production line in March last year and 

were delivered 96% finished, ready for 

rapid completion. Each 34 

bedroom block 

will 

be completed on site 

within just eight 

weeks from delivery. 

The entire HPC 

project is worth £18 

billion across the 

board for the 

Nuclear Build 

programme, the 

largest modular 

government project 

across the entire 

country. 

Another recent 

success, in 

partnership with 

their partner 

architects HLM, 

involved securing 

first place on the modular framework to provide 

permanent, component-based buildings and 

facilities for the ESFA’s new secondary schools 

block replacement programme. They won this 

procurement competition with others from the 

off-site construction sector, securing top spot 

against 64 other bidders. Being awarded first 

place immediately secured two projects with a 

combined value of £12 million, with the potential 

to realise further schemes within the £250 

million funding allocated to the lot. 

A track record of delivering these projects on 

time and within budgets means the 

management team can replicate their 

approach on each successive 

new contract – a great 

confidence 

builder with clients and main contractors. A 

case in point is the £25m contract awarded to 

Caledonian by Bowmer & Kirkland, announced 

in the last few weeks, for the 680 bedroom 

First Way Campus student development in 

Wembley. 

The ability of Caledonian’s modular building 

system to help meet the strict deadline dates 

on this project, which required handover in 

time for Euro 2020, helped secure this contract. 

As did their pre-engineered fire compliant 

modular solution suitable for a high rise 

development, which rises from 7 to 11 floors. 

Other recent contracts wins include the MOD 

Single Living Accommodation (SLA) for MoD 

Lyneham in Wiltshire as part of a £35m Kier 

development. Part of the Army Basing 

Programme, the project will create 296 rooms 

over 5 blocks, providing accommodation for 

troops returning from overseas and relocating 

within the UK. The latest contract continues a 

long partnership with the MOD, with the team 

successfully completing 1,145 rooms over 12 

blocks on the same base for Kier in 2012/13. 

Caledonian Modular prides themselves on the 

fact that their projects look as authentic as a 

traditional-build, indeed they are 

indistinguishable, while remaining as efficient 

and cost-effective as they do. By sticking to 

what they know – modular and off-site 

construction systems - underpinned by BIM, 

DFMA and lean manufacturing, this 

Nottingham based company is raising industry 

standards and demonstrating how modular 

buildings have the ability to resolve the UK’s 

building shortages quickly and efficiently. 

To find out more about Caledonian’s modular 

building system, call: 01636 821645 or visit the 

below website. 

www.caledonianmodular.com 



see us at 

Offsite, 

stand no. 

D3

see us at 

Offsite, 

stand no. 

B3 

 

minutes not days. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13/4974 

CREAGH CONCRETE PRODUCTS LTD 

Email: spantherm@creaghconcrete.com 

www.Creaghconcrete.co.uk/spantherm.html

product news 

OFFSITE SOLUTIONS AWARDED UK’S 

LARGEST BATHROOM POD CONTRACT 

Offsite Solutions, the UK’s 

leading bathroom pod 

manufacturer, has been 

awarded an £8m contract 

by Berkeley Homes for the 

offsite manufacture of 

more than 900 high 

specification bathrooms for 

the 68-storey Valiant Tower 

at South Quay Plaza – a 

landmark development in the historic London Docklands. 

The contract is the UK’s largest bathroom pod contract for a single 

residential scheme and the highest value project to be awarded to 

Offsite Solutions in the history of the company. 

Offsite Solutions is manufacturing a mix of ensuite shower rooms 

and bathrooms with walk-in and/or over-bath showers. The 

delivery programme for this phase will be completed by the end of 

2019. 

Commenting on the specification of bathroom pods for this 

prestigious project, Joe Yusuf, Project Manager at Berkeley 

Homes, said, “The use of offsite construction for the bathrooms 

gives us programme certainty, better quality and improved 

logistics. We do not have to procure and install all the individual 

elements that make up a bathroom, which means fewer trades on 

site. This is far more efficient, particularly for health and safety, 

and generates programme improvements.” 

www.offsitesolutions.com 

Banc of California Stadium 

utilizes Glazing Systems from 

C.R. Laurence 

The new, 22,000-seat Banc of 

California Stadium has 

opened to the public. Located 

in Los Angeles, California, 

the Gensler-designed, stateof-the-art 

stadium will host 

Major League Soccer (MLS) 

games and be the home of 

the Los Angeles Football 

Club. 

The privately funded, $350 

million Banc of California 

Stadium is the most 

expensive MLS facility in 

league history. 

CRL’s DRS Door Rails and Blumcraft ® Panic Handles were installed 

throughout the stadium, including VIP entrances and suites. DRS 

Door Rails provide clean, uninterrupted glass spans, which give 

the entrances a contemporary, all-glass aesthetic. They feature 

patented Wedge-Lock ® technology that offers exceptional glass 

holding power and a faster installation time. The accompanying 

Blumcraft ® Panic Handles are ideal for high-traffic applications 

such as sports stadiums and further enhance the all-glass visuals 

using a slim and elegant tubular design. Oldcastle 

BuildingEnvelope ® supplied the glass for the entrances. 

www.crlaurence.co.uk 

HADLEY GROUP HELPS MEZZANINE INTERNATIONAL GROUP MEET MAJOR 

SPORTING CHALLENGE 

The construction of a massive new warehousing facility in Northampton has involved Hadley 

Group supplying unusually large quantities of its UltraMezz TM components to long-term 

customer Mezzanine International, with Hadley Group also supporting the successful 

erection programme throughout. 

The two-tier mezzanine structure will provide Decathlon Distribution – a German based sports 

goods supplier – with some 17,000 square metres of space for storage and racking; and is the 

latest landmark project undertaken by the mezzanine flooring supplier and manufacturer during 

an eight-year relationship. 

Beginning during the first week of August, Hadley Group has made weekly deliveries to the site on 

Thomas Dascher Way, keeping Mezzanine International’s team of two supervisors and up to 15 

sub-contract operatives supplied with C-section joists, cleats and other custom formed 

components. 

DesignSuite Pro is an intuitive and customisable software package that supports the design and 

specification of projects based on Hadley Group’s cold rolled, high strength, lightweight 

UltraZed purlins and UltraBeam side rails and floor beams making project planning and specifying easier than ever before. 

While similar mezzanines would normally be completed with the application of an intumescent paint system and non-combustible boarding 

beneath the decking, the Decathlon Distribution vinyl- coated decking construction and its conveyor belts are to be protected with a full sprinkler 

system. 

Going on to talk about other recent successes for the partnership, Andy Parsons added: “We have worked with Hadley Group on a number of high 

profile projects including a large warehouse for speciality drinks to store wine and other lines, and new distribution facilities for Amazon at 

Warrington, Bolton and Tilbury. All of these contracts involved very high loading requirements, for which we specified our Mezz-7 system. This 

involves Hadley Group supplying its B-Deck to support the main floor – making the installation seven times stronger than a standard mezzanine.” 

Hadley Group’s UltraMezz selection of components can facilitate the rapid and cost-effective erection of mezzanine floors for both new-build and 

retrofit applications. Offering enhanced performance based on the manufacturer’s unique UltraSTEEL process, the UltraMezz design and 

project management process cuts waste and avoids errors, while further support is available from Hadley Group’s technical sales team. 

www.hadleygroup.com 



product news 

REHAU LAUNCHES NEW CAMPAIGN 

TO “BUILD YOUR LEGACY” 

REHAU has launched ‘Build 

Your Legacy’, a brand-new 

campaign designed to 

encourage Mechanical and 

Electrical contractors to 

consider how the product 

choices they make today will 

impact on a building’s 

performance in years to come. 

The campaign incorporates a range of print and digital marketing 

media, all highlighting the four key areas where choosing the right 

products can support the delivery of future-proofed, sustainable 

buildings – Quality, Technical Knowhow, Trust and Reliability, and 

Innovation and Sustainability: 

The campaign will also be putting M&E legacies under the 

spotlight in editorials placed in the trade press. These articles will 

revisit older, flagship projects to see how they are performing 

years later. 

To give contractors the tools they need to enhance their legacy and 

deliver future proof specifications, REHAU will also be issuing free 

downloadable guides as part of the Build Your Legacy campaign. 

The guide for Acoustics is available to download now from the link 

below and will be followed by further guides for District Heating, 

21st Century Plumbing and Heating, and Multi-occupancy 

buildings. 

For more information, please visit the website. 

www.rehau.uk/buildyourlegacy 

STO PROVIDES ROBUST EXTERNAL 

WALL INSULATION FOR NEW RUGBY 

CLUB BUILDING 

A combination of insulation products from Sto Ltd has been used 

to provide a robust external wall insulation system for a new rugby 

club building in Scotland. StoTherm Classic K external wall 

insulation, Sto Armat Classic reinforcing mortar and StoSilco 

façade render have been used on the new Canal Parks Rugby Club 

Pavilion building in Inverness. 

In order to provide effective thermal performance, the project was 

required to achieve a U-value 

of 0.18 W/m²K. “Sto is 

recognized as the market 

leader in insulation so it was 

an ideal choice for this 

project,” comments Ross 

Whittaker of project 

architects Capita Symonds. 

“Thermal performance was 

not the only requirement 

though. The nature of the 

building means that it might be subject to impact from sports 

balls, and the pavilion also stands in a fairly isolated location 

where there is the potential for vandalism. The cement-free 

composition of the reinforcing coat offered the impact resistance, 

ruggedness and resistance to cracking that were equally important 

considerations. Sto also worked closely with us and their input 

helped to ensure a successful end result.” 

www.sto.co.uk 

WEBEREND ONE COAT DASH 

DESIGNED FOR SPEED & ONSITE 

EFFICIENCY 

Saint-Gobain Weber has 

launched high 

performance weberend 

one coat dash, a one coat 

render that can receive a 

dry dash finish without the 

need to apply a base coat 

or a second pass. 

Designed to achieve a 

durable and weather 

resistant finish weberend 

one coat dash is especially suitable for the challenging Scottish 

climate where dash finish is commonplace. 

Suitable for brick, blockwork, concrete, natural stone and clay 

substrates weberend one coat dash can be applied and finished on 

the same day, avoiding the drying time associated with a traditional 

two coat system typically of three to seven days. 

Onsite preparation is quick and easy requiring only the addition of 

water to the factory-blended, through-coloured render mix. In 

many circumstances it is possible to apply the total thickness of 

weberend one coat dash in a single pass dependent upon criteria 

such as construction alignment, suction and mechanical key 

offered by the substrate. weberend one coat dash is factory 

produced for consistency of proportioning and available in three 

key colours: white, cream and buff. 

www.netweber.co.uk 

FROM FOUNDATIONS TO OCCUPATION 

IN JUST 7 DAYS 

The McAvoy 

Group, one of 

the UK’s 

leading 

offsite 

construction 

specialists, 

has 

announced 

its expansion 

into the 

residential sector with the launch of a new modular solution for all 

housing tenures – affordable homes, market sale, build-to-rent, 

student accommodation, and emergency housing. 

Following extensive product development and collaboration with 

Queen’s University Belfast, McAvoy has developed a steel-framed 

offsite housing solution for multi-storey apartments, detached, 

semi-detached and terraced family homes. 

An entire house can be assembled in a single day – and from 

foundations to occupation in just seven days. 

The McAvoy approach to housing will reduce programme times by 

at least 50 per cent compared to site-based construction. This will 

allow earlier occupation for public sector housing providers and 

generate a faster return on investment for private developers. It 

will use highly efficient and proven factory processes to deliver 

greater certainty of completion on time, on budget and to higher 

quality standards. 

www.mcavoygroup.com/sectors/housing 



33

External Building Envelope 

Shackerley’s SureClad ® System is 

a Winner for Racecourse Hotel 

Designed by KKA Architecture, the new Hilton Garden Inn at Doncaster Racecourse uses Shackerley’s SureClad ® ceramic granite 

ventilated façade system across all eight storeys, combining a natural cream finish with a distinctive grain, which contrasts with 

highly-polished black ceramic granite. 

“Shackerley’s SureClad ® ceramic granite 

system ticked the boxes on all counts, enabling 

specification of contrasting colours and 

textures and the use of large format 1198 x 

598mm panels in both vertical and horizontal 

orientation.” 

Buildability was also vital for the cladding 

contractor, Halcyon, and the company worked 

closely with Shackerley’s technical and 

production team to ensure that every prefabricated 

panel and custom-specified detail 

was precision-manufactured at Shackerley’s 

ISO9001 quality-certified factory in Lancashire 

and delivered to site, aligned to the sequencing 

of the façade programme. 

Contemporary Design 

The architect was keen to develop a design that 

is both stylish and timeless. Explains Alex 

Geddes from KKA Architecture: “The effect we 

have created on the elevation that overlooks the 

race course is one of a giant flat screen TV, with 

the darker curtain walling of the face forming 

the screen and a lighter outline of creamcoloured 

SureClad ® ceramic granite creating an 

impression that the glazed façade is floating 

within a stone frame. Polished black SureClad ® 

panels in the recessed areas and side elevations 

complete the optical illusions.” 

The variety of colourways and finishes available 

within the Shackerley SureClad ® ceramic 

granite range meant that the architect could 

meet the aesthetic requirements of the 

project with single source cladding 

system supply, creating an 

impression of natural 

stone that meets both 

planning 

requirements and 

client 

preferences. 

Alex continues: “The Shackerley ‘Lopar’ range 

of ceramic granite with its natural cream finish 

and subtle graining provides a fantastic 

alternative to natural stone, offering us the 

design flexibility to create strikingly different 

facades for the front, rear and side elevations.” 

While the race course elevation features a dark 

façade of curtain walling framed by cream 

ceramic granite, the road elevation frames a 

cream stone-like façade with the polished black 

ceramic granite. The columns at lower level 

have been replicated to create an open frontage, 

while a louvred effect for the window surrounds 

provides an impression of depth. 

Meanwhile, the side elevations feature a long 

column clad in the cream-coloured SureClad ® 

ceramic granite to create the frame for the race 

course elevation, giving the building a delicate 

appearance. 

Alex continues: “The relatively lightweight 

nature of the SureClad ® system and the ceramic 

granite material has allowed us to play with 

form and maintain a lightweight structure and 

that’s particularly visible on the side elevations.” 

Buildability 

Buildability and performance considerations 

were critical to the success of the design. 

Alex explains: “The building was designed as a 

thermally-efficient, lightweight structure so we 

needed a façade solution that would provide 

all the high-end finish and aesthetic 

appeal of natural stone with the loading 

and buildability benefits of a 

lightweight, slim-profiled system. 

Austin Ford from Halcyon comments: 

“Although this was quite a complex façade 

project, with extensive detailing around the 

windows and protruding frame, the installation 

was straightforward for our experienced team 

because the SureClad ® system goes up easily 

and every element was accurately prefabricated 

to our requirements before arriving 

on site.” 

The hotel is located close to the road network 

and much of the façade is the pale creamybeige 

colour but the impermeable nature of 

ceramic means that the façade will retain its 

high end aesthetic over time 

An exceptionally hard and durable material 

with excellent freeze-thaw resistance, 

Shackerley’s ceramic granite is impermeable, 

helping to ensure it does not degrade over 

time. Resistant to abrasion, algae, graffiti and 

UV light, ceramic granite is non-combustible to 

Class A1 in accordance with BS EN 13501-1. 

The Hilton Garden Inn at Doncaster 

Racecourse is the 8th Hilton-branded hotel to 

be specified with SureClad ® façades in the UK. 

www.shackerley.com 



Whatever you’re building 

Energy saving Thermomass concrete sandwich panels are changing the way 

Britain Builds by providing off-site construction proven to give: 

Sustainable, thermally broken constructions with certainty of programme and certainty of cost. 

With over thirty years experience the Thermomass system has 

been supplied on over 80 million m 2 of walling worldwide with 

no failures. With this track record and proven ability, certainty of 

programme and cost can be assured. 

Thermomass is now changing the way the Britain builds over 

the last ten years in the UK many high specification thermally 

broken buildings have now been completed. 

The very low “U” values (0.10W/m 2 K and below) and thermally broken characteristics of Thermomass capitalise 

on the high thermal mass of concrete ensures that operating costs are low as well as increasing thermal 

comfort, this makes the system suitable any building where people are working or living providing a sustainable 

solution to modern habitation. Thermomass buildings include zero carbon and PassivHaus standard projects. 

Thermomass structures for educational establishments large and small, hospitals, secure establishments 

such as prisons and police stations as well as entertainment locations such as shopping centres and 

cinema’s. The retain sector has also been supplied from supermarkets to their distribution supply chain 

including temperature controlled freezer locations and factories where the robust, fireproof and durable 

nature of the Thermomass system is highly desirable. 

This structural ability of the panels allows them to be used as part of cross-wall constructions for multi-storey 

developments such as Hotels, student accommodation and apartment blocks. 

All Thermomass projects are installed with no scaffolding and minimum site movements making a 

huge contribution to increasing on-site health and safety. 

To learn more about Thermomass, Versaliner brick placement, Versastone, 

thermally broken rainscreen and over cladding visit 

csm-uk.co.uk 

Construction Systems Marketing (UK) Ltd. 

Tel 01246 853 528 Mob 07785 735 392 Fax 01246 857 363


This is MMC… but not as we know it 

Advances in construction techniques over the past decade have given rise to some genuine commercial, sustainable and health and 

safety benefits – all while improving efficiency and performance. 

However, as building regulations are 

updated over time and standards 

become increasingly stringent, these 

modern methods of construction risk failing to 

keep pace, particularly where thermal 

insulation is concerned. Chris Lea, Technical 

Sales Manager, SIG Performance Technology, 

explores why the construction sector needs to 

rethink its approach to reducing heat loss in a 

building and why the aerospace industry 

appears to hold the answer. 

Some of the major specification drivers for 

building design in modern times are the need to 

keep building footprint to a minimum, maximise 

internal rentable space and achieve the highest 

energy efficiency performance possible. 

Working within the confines of these design 

objectives, developers must also achieve 

accelerated build programmes in a bid to 

complete within budget and realise the return 

on investment as promptly as possible. 

Fast track construction which uses steel or 

timber frame has become a tried and tested 

build method in the UK, particularly in high rise 

developments. As the exterior of these buildings 

is commonly a cladding finish, the challenge of 

reducing heat loss while maximising internal 

floor space and minimising building footprint 

comes to the fore. Crucially, the insulation has 

to be installed within the through-wall build up, 

but this construction suffers from cold bridging 

as soon as the rainscreen carrier system is 

installed. This is where innovative new 

insulation techniques are helping modern 

construction techniques to stay at the forefront. 

Helping hands 

The availability of 3D thermal modelling has 

proven a valuable technology in assisting the 

development of new solutions which address 

current construction challenges. After reviewing 

thermal models of buildings using rainscreen 

systems, the innovation team at SIG 

Performance Technology identified high levels of 

heat loss being caused by the helping hand 

bracketry in the support systems. Realising that 

a reduction in the cold bridging through the 

bracketry would significantly improve the overall 

performance of the building envelope, research 

began into developing an insulated clip-on 

solution. 

After a programme of development, aerogel – 

most commonly used in aerospace and 

industrial applications – emerged as the most 

suitable insulant owing to its exceptional 

thermal performance and proven flexible 

properties. This led to the launch of CHI- 

GASKET, a patented insulated component which 

is simply clipped on to standard helping hand 

bracketry on-site. In doing so, the cold bridging 

is significantly reduced and means the 

insulation within the 

through-wall buildup 

does not have to 

compensate for this 

and consequently 

does not have to 

achieve such low U- 

Values. It is because 

of this that the CHI- 

GASKET is now 

considered from 

initial design stage. 

Aerogel in 

action 

The use of Aerogel 

as an insulant in 

helping hand 

bracketry is a unique application but one where 

a change in design process has enabled major 

developments to achieve core design objectives. 

This principle is also now being applied in 

modular buildings and offsite construction, 

where linear areas of heat loss at construction 

junctions prove a common challenge. 

As the modular buildings typically have much 

tighter junctions than those constructed onsite, 

these developments present several 

challenges. Firstly, lower density insulation is 

more flexible and easier to install into tight 

frames, but these materials are generally 

lower performing from a thermal perspective. 

Secondly, rigid materials offer good thermal 

insulation, but require cutting to size, either 

on or off-site, which adds a layer of 

complexity to the construction process. 

Finally, both of these methods leave room for 

installation error, as the materials are being 

cut to size or pushed into place manually. 

Offering a solution to this challenge is 

Aerogel. The material can be precision cut to 

size and fabricated to any bespoke shape to 

meet the exact needs of modular building 

specifications. Thermally excellent yet 

flexible, precision manufactured aerogel 

linings would deliver a much greater level of 

quality control and reduce labour time in 

construction – all of which align with modern 

methods of construction. 

While the name Aerogel is probably more 

synonymous with NASA than with MMC, as the 

construction market continues to innovate 

with insulation, this could be set to change in 

the not so distant future. 

www.sigpt.co.uk/chigasket 



Lindapter will Launch its New 

Modular and Offsite Booklet 

on stand A1 at The Offsite 

Construction Show 

see us at 

Offsite, 

stand no. 

A1 

Since 1934 

Lindapter has 

pioneered the 

design and manufacture of steel 

connections that often eliminate the 

need for welding or drilling on site. 

Whether securing structural steel sections, 

cable management systems or constructing 

modular buildings, Lindapter has a proven, 

accredited and adjustable connection that will 

allow fast alignment during installation. 

The adjustability of Lindapter’s clamping 

systems is particularly beneficial to 

contractors working in the modular or offsite 

industry because it allows them to maximise 

efficiencies and control costs. For example, 

cable managements systems contain several 

components that need to be positioned 

correctly as fast as possible. 

At Queensferry Crossing, Lindapter’s Girder 

Clamps allowed contractors to loosely fasten 

the cable tray modules to the bridge before 

aligning into position and tightening the clamps 

with standard hand tools to complete the 

installation. Girder Clamp by Lindapter also 

allows for a convenient disassembly or removal 

for maintenance, while preserving the integrity 

of the steelwork. 

Hollo-Bolt ® by Lindapter is also used 

extensively in modular construction. 

A recent 

example is The Spurn 

Discovery Centre in 

East Yorkshire where 

Hollo-Bolts were used 

to connect the 

Structural Hollow 

Section (SHS) 

frameworks of the 

rooms together. 

The Hollo-Bolt was 

selected because of its 

high strength capacity 

and its range of 

independent technical 

accreditations, including 

the CE Mark. 

The Hollo-Bolt allowed a fast and 

convenient installation process using 

just standard hand tools, which resulted in an 

efficient construction schedule. 

Find out more about Lindapter connections in 

the new modular and offsite construction 

booklet that is now available for download from 

the website. 

www.lindapter.com 

The Hollo-Bolt was 

selected because of 

its high strength 

capacity and its 

range of 

independent 

technical 

accreditations, 

including the 

CE Mark. 



Offsite Construction 

is Here to Stay 

see us at 

Offsite, 

stand no. 

D21 

Recent press coverage has focussed heavily on Offsite Construction providing the answer in a number of key sectors, 

due to the speed and efficiency of modular construction. 

Premier Modular has been delivering 

award winning offsite and volumetric 

solutions for more than 60 years and 

prides itself on its ability to provide the highest 

quality buildings, offering a skilled and 

knowledgeable design and build service. Part 

of a large multi-national industrial group, Waco 

International, Premier has the strong financial 

backing provided by the Group, which has 

enabled it to build a substantial modular hire 

fleet. This coupled with the manufacturing 

capacity offered by a 22 acre site means that 

Premier is ideally suited to deliver quality 

buildings for both hire and sale throughout the 

UK, no matter how large or small. 

Premier’s ability to deliver a modular solution 

on a massive scale is evidenced by the series of 

modular complexes they have provided at 

Hinkley Point C in Somerset. The buildings 

deliver 38,000 sqm of offices and welfare 

facilities to house all the management and 

technical personnel required for the 

construction phase of the new nuclear power 

station. The HPC requirement for the best 

temporary welfare and office facilities in the 

UK, delivered within a strict timescale, was a 

challenge Premier met and achieved and 

resulted in their being appointed to deliver an 

additional modular complex for the critically 

important infrastructure project. 

Developing such strong client relationships is at 

the core of Premier’s approach and their recent 

partnership with ISG has delivered 8 school 

facilities in 12 months as part of Manchester 

City Council’s Education Basic Needs 

framework. The first school, St Margaret’s 

CofE Primary School, was chosen by 

Manchester City Council to be their first pilot for 

delivering a project to BIM Level 2, including 

their first Asset Information Model. The 775m2 

2-storey building provided new nursery facilities 

and 3 reception classrooms, enabling the 

school to expand and accommodate an 

additional form of entry. This scheme was 

named as the winner of the Digital Construction 

category in the North West Regional 

Construction Awards for 2018, as well as 

receiving Highly Commended in the Integration 

and Collaborative Working category. 

Standardisation in construction delivery 

produces better end product quality, reduction 

in manufacturing costs, reduced design costs 

with less waste and can be achieved through 

the use of standardised components, 

prefabricated panels and modular construction. 

This volumetric approach to construction was 

used in the award winning construction of a 5 

storey student accommodation block, The 

Foundry, in Newcastle City Centre, delivered in 

partnership with Sir Robert McAlpine. This 

block consisted of a mixture of 54 studio flats, 

105 ensuite bedrooms and 2 accessible rooms, 

associated living spaces, kitchens and study 

areas. 

The speed of delivery for this project gave the 

investors a whole year of additional return and 

was a deciding factor in the project being 

named as the Project of the Year (up to £10m) at 

the Construction News Awards. 

This approach has also been used to great 

effect in other residential projects and following 

their appointment to the CHIC BuildSmart 

framework, Premier have worked closely with 

their framework partners to develop 

standardised housing products, delivered within 

an EU-compliant framework – the perfect 

solution to the critically important delivery of 

housing stock highlighted frequently in the 

news. 

The standard designs, coupled with CHIC’s 

existing proven materials supply chain, has 

resulted in a more cost efficient, quality product, 

with speed of delivery. Whilst the cost benefits 

of this scheme have been delivered by the 

development of a standardised product, 

flexibility is still available to procure bespoke 

designs and solutions where required. 

Premier’s forward thinking attitude means that 

they are always looking for product 

improvements and innovation; Premier believes 

that the fire resistance of buildings is very 

important, whether for a temporary or 

permanent building. At Premier we feel it is not 

good enough to provide our clients with an 

assumption that our buildings are ‘fire proof’ 

based on various codes and data sheets. When 

developing our latest product, as part of our 

quality control during development, we ensured 

the product went through real life fire tests and 

received certification for this. 

In a market where shortages exist, building 

standards are extremely high and sustainability 

is of growing importance, standardisation and 

offsite construction as delivered by Premier has 

to be a big part of the solution. 

www.premiermodular.co.uk 



Thermomass Concrete Sandwich Panels & 

Fire Resistance 

Following the announcement of new legislation for building over 18 metres all having to be non-combustible, the construction 

industry has been presented with quite a challenge and the options are few. 

Fortunately, the fire properties of concrete 

are well known; it does not burn. In fact, 

Thermomass sandwich panels comply 

with drawing 34 of the Building Regulations and 

therefore do not require non-combustible 

thermal insulation. The multi-storey fire test 

proves this to be true. No cavity, no oxygen, any 

fire is starved of the fuel it needs to burn. See 

below: 

That said perception is becoming reality and the 

requests for thermal insulation which does not 

burn and achieve A1 or A2 to Euroclass fire tests 

is becoming the norm. 

CSM (UK) Ltd have pioneered the use of noncombustible 

thermal insulation in concrete 

sandwich panels incorporating the Thermomass 

connectors system in the UK and Ireland and 

provide two options; cellular glass and 

TmassRockpanel cores. The latter is a specialist 

hybrid product made for the company for use as 

a core in concrete sandwich construction. 

The disadvantages are an increase in the 

overall thickness of the panel and an 

increase in cost, however these two facts 

remain the same for which ever 

construction method is being chosen. 

That said, many designers are already 

choosing thicker insulation to achieve 

the aesthetic design required for 

their buildings, therefore the trade 

off in increased thickness is not 

noticeable. 

If building designers require 

attractive high rise buildings 

(such as the ones below) 100% compliant to the 

fire law either perceived or otherwise, then the 

Thermomass system proves the compliant 

solution with certainty of programme and 

certainty of cost. 

www.csm-uk.co.uk 

see us at 

Offsite, 

stand no. 

A43 

G 02/10/2018 09:30 Page 1 

Anthracite Grey 

Dark Grey 

Grey … all the way 

We’ve got a grey for YOUR project 

Freefoam design and manufacture fascia and soffit in a range of three light 

and dark shades of grey. 

Produced using our unique, patented, Colormax ® technology. We provide 

excellent colour variety, colour-matching and colourfastness options 

throughout our product range. 

Storm Grey 

• No lead time 

• Guaranteed for ten years. 

To find out more call 

0800 002 9903 or visit www.freefoam.com 



39


What goes into a building envelope? 

In layman terms, a building envelope is the physical separator between the conditioned and unconditioned environment of a 

building including the resistance to air, water, heat, light, and noise transfer. MMC Editor Joe Bradbury breaks the building 

envelope down in detail to help specifiers better understand this crucial area of a construction project: 

The building envelope encompasses all of 

the aspects of a building’s outer shell 

that work together in creating a 

comfortable, dry indoor environment and 

facilitate climate control for its occupants. 

Building envelope design is a specialized area 

of architectural and engineering practice that 

draws from all areas of building science and 

indoor climate control. 

The building envelope serves many purposes, 

but can broadly be split into three general 

categories: 

1. Support (to resist and transfer structural and 

dynamic loads) 

2. Control (the flow of matter and energy of all 

types) 

3. Finish (to meet desired aesthetics on the 

inside and outside) 

Effective control is at the core of all well 

performing building envelopes. For a building 

to operate safely and efficiently, it needs to 

offer adequate rain control, air control, heat 

control and moisture control. 

Rain and moisture control 

In Britain our obsession with the weather is 

world-renowned, and for good reason. On 

average it rains for 156.2 days per year, so we 

feel a strong desire to be prepared for it. Being 

prepared for rain doesn’t just mean carrying a 

brolly; control of rain is fundamental for the 

protection and continuation of our built 

environment. To this end, there are numerous 

strategies that can be implemented within a 

structure to protect it from the Great British 

drizzle. 

These include barriers, drained screens, and 

storage systems for rainwater. 

Arguably, the main purpose of a roof is to resist 

water. Flat roofs actually slope up to 10° or 15° 

but are built to resist standing water. Pitched 

roofs are designed to shed water but not resist 

standing water which can occur during winddriven 

rain or ice damming. Typically 

residential, pitched roofs are covered with an 

underlayment material beneath the roof 

covering material as a second line of defense. 

Domestic roof construction may also be 

ventilated to help remove moisture from 

leakage and condensation. 

Walls do not get as severe water exposure as 

roofs but still require suitable protection. 

Barrier walls are designed to allow water to be 

absorbed but not penetrate the wall, and 

include concrete and (some) masonry walls. 

Drainage walls allow water that leaks into the 

wall to drain out such as cavity walls. Drainage 

walls may also be ventilated to aid drying such 

as rainscreen and pressure equalization wall 

systems. Sealed-surface walls do not allow any 

water penetration at the exterior surface of the 

siding material. Generally most materials will 

not remain sealed over the long term and this 

system is very limited, but ordinary residential 

construction often treats walls as sealedsurface 

systems relying on the siding and an 

underlayment layer sometimes called 

housewrap. 

Air flow 

Poor air quality is proven to negatively impact 

on everyone’s health, increasing the risk of 

serious illnesses and making existing 

conditions, like respiratory disorders, worse. 

Control of air flow is important to ensure 

indoor air quality, control energy consumption, 

avoid condensation (and thus help ensure 

durability), and to provide comfort. 

Control of air movement includes flow through 

the enclosure (the assembly of materials that 

perform this function is termed the air barrier 

system) or through components of the building 

envelope itself, as well as into and out of the 

interior space, which can affect building 

insulation performance greatly. Hence, air 

control includes the control of windwashing 

(cold air passing through insulation) and 

convective loops which are air movements 

within a wall or ceiling that may result in 10% 

to 20% of the heat loss of a building alone. 

The physical components of the envelope 

include the foundation, roof, walls, doors, 

windows, ceiling, and their related barriers and 

insulation. The dimensions, performance and 

compatibility of materials, fabrication process 

and details, connections and interactions are 

the main factors that determine the 

effectiveness and durability of the building 

enclosure system. 

Temperature 

The thermal envelope, or heat flow control 

layer, is part of a building envelope but may be 

in a different location such as in a ceiling. The 

difference can be illustrated by understanding 

that an insulated loft floor is the primary 

thermal control layer between the inside of the 

house and the exterior, whilst the entire roof 

(from the surface of the roofing material to the 

interior paint finish on the ceiling) comprises 

the building envelope itself. 



article 

Photography by Edward Moss 

Offsite reaches new heights in Brum 

A two-block 22 storey residential building topped out last month on the site of an old subterranean car park in Birmingham. 

Joe Bradbury was in attendance at the event, which proved to be a milestone for Creagh Concrete and a testament to the true 

power of offsite manufacture. 

Standing on top of a 22 storey building in 

the middle of a city I hold dear was 

something I am unlikely to forget. As 

Editor of MMC Magazine and regular 

contributor to trade publications within the 

construction industry, offsite construction is 

something I get to write about on a regular 

basis. 

But to actually stand on top of a tower block that 

was built using such practices brought with it a 

profound sense of what we are capable of as an 

industry when we set ourselves ambitious 

targets and knuckle down to achieve them. 

Project overview 

The two blocks house 324 apartments and have 

been built in a major contract by housing giant 

Galliford Try. The £40m project is part of a buildto-rent 

scheme for client Dandara Living, one 

that is expected to significantly boost the 

number of homes available in close proximity to 

Birmingham’s city centre once completed. 

Comprising two blocks of 17 and 22 storeys 

linked by bridges at each level, the development 

will feature studio, one-bed and two-bed 

apartments with balconies across all elevations. 

The towers are the tallest structure completed 

by Creagh across their entire 43-year history; 

and as a proud Midlander and lover of Brum, I 

would pose the question: where better for such 

a feat to proudly stand than beside the existing 



Alpha Tower, a Grade II-listed office built in the 

1970s, considered one of Birmingham’s most 

well-known architectural landmarks? 

Offsite manufacture 

The decision to use precast concrete systems 

for the bulk of the building’s structural frame, 

cladding and balcony units was taken at an early 

stage on the project. The brief demanded a 

robust finish on the building, which would limit 

the amount of ongoing maintenance required. 

Precast concrete is the ideal material of choice 

for frame construction and cladding. With this in 

mind, the project team looked at various 

different options for the structure and its 

subcontractors, before settling on the team at 

Creagh Concrete to deliver and install the frame 

panels, cladding sections, balconies and floor 

slab. 

Galliford Try Project Director Aidan Smith said 

“We knew we wanted the robustness that 

precast concrete offers and spent a lot of time 

researching our subcontractors. Creagh has the 

capability and experience to deliver both the 

hollowcore floor slab and the architectural 

precast concrete that we wanted. The screed 

that we place on top of the floor slab is there 

just to iron out any changes in level. It gives us a 

little wriggle room.” 

The placing of each level is based on a 

turnaround time of just 10 days. Prefabricated 

bathroom pods, manufactured in Hull, are lifted 

directly into position at each level as part of the 

cycle time therefore it was important that these 

were delivered between days five to seven – any 

later runs the risk of disrupting the project 

programme. 

With a turnaround time of just 10 days to place 

each level, the Galliford Try team is running the 

internal following trades just three floors 

behind. 

In conclusion 

The speed and efficiency of construction 

displayed with this project creates a real sense 

of momentum that I personally could feel when 

walking up the tower and standing on the top. 

Things are getting done fast and they’re getting 

done right. 

Creagh Director and Co-Founder Seamus 

McKeague concluded “We are seeing strong 

interest in our rapid build concrete systems 

because developers now understand the true 

value of slashing programme times. 

“Investors not only benefit from revenue gained 

by the early occupation of units but, also, from 

the mobility of their capital resource. Quite 

simply, shorter build times mean developers 

can complete more projects with the same pot 

of finance.” 

www.creaghconcrete.co.uk

Rapidres is an innovative offsite fastrack modular precast 

concrete build system, delivering robust traditional style 

 

It is ideally suited to multi-storey projects such as: 

• Apartments 

• Student accommodation 

• Hotels 

• Social housing 

• Custodial 

info@creaghconcrete.com

ARTICLE 

A lesson in acoustic 

control in education 

With research highlighting that ineffective 

sound control has a lasting negative impact on 

education performance * , it’s an ideal time for 

those involved in the education build sector to 

reflect on whether they are implementing 

adequate acoustic control to ensure building 

compliance in accordance with BB93. 

Here Rodney Davidson, Head of 

Specifications at AG looks at current 

standards and highlights Cheltenham 

Ladies College where AG’s Alphacrete ® 

Acoustic masonry was used to create an 

aesthetically pleasing, calm, safe and healthpromoting 

space. 

Acoustic control: Why it’s important 

The link between ineffective noise control and a 

poor education performance affects those 

involved in the Education build sector two-fold. 

Firstly, careful consideration should be given as 

to whether the correct building products to 

control external noise pollution and safeguard 

the health and wellbeing of the school’s 

surrounding community and local residents 

have been used. For example, a gymnasium 

housing a loud basketball game with cheering 

crowds should not be heard in nearby 

classrooms where lessons are taking place. 

Beyond the obvious distraction to students, 

proven hormonal responses to loud, 

unpredictable sounds suggests that students 

exposed to chronic loud noises over time are at 

risk of damage to their general health and 

mental wellbeing, not to mention academic 

performance. 

Secondly, consideration should be given as to 

whether the correct building products have been 

specified to instil adequate reverberation time 

control within each particular room or space. 

Without appropriate acoustic control measures 

in place large unfurnished areas like sports 

halls or assembly halls will have extremely long 

reverberation times; in layman’s terms this 

means that the room will have a lot of echo and 

it will be difficult to hear and understand speech 



or music within that space which is not at all 

ideal for students in a learning environment. 

What are the current standards? 

BB93: February 2015 sets out, minimum 

performance standards for acoustic 

requirements of school buildings. The overall 

objective of the performance standard is to 

ensure that the design and construction of 

school buildings provide acoustic conditions that 

enable effective teaching and learning. 

All parties involved in the build have a 

responsibility to ensure the products used 

successfully help to control reverberation time 

and meet the performance standard set out in 

section 1.5 table six of BB93: 2015. 

Achieving the right reverberation characteristics 

is critical to the acoustic performance of an 

interior space, particularly in school buildings. 

Good acoustics reduce distraction from airborne 

noises and make it easier to hear people speak, 

which is critical in a learning environment and 

helps aid and enhance pupils’ learning 

capabilities. 

Acoustic control in action 

AG completed the impressive gymnasium at the 

Cheltenham Ladies College in Gloucestershire 

using AG’s Alphacrete ® acoustic block range; 

providing structural support and optimumal 

light reflectance value (LRV) for sports halls 

according to Sport England’s guidance. 

The low-maintenance blocks arrived on site in 

the chosen colour (Ernestone Buff) negating the 

need for painting or adding a protective sealant, 

and were built below wooden panelling at 

Cheltenham Ladies College to create a 

distinctive contrasting aesthetic that was 

practical too. Alphacrete ® acoustic block’s 

durable surface made the hall hard-wearing 

against knocks, bangs and wayward balls, whilst 

also absorbing sound efficiently. 

The brief included the need for a brand-new 

wall mounted basketball and netball nets. 

Sports equipment, door frames and window sets 

are all easily integrated with Alaphacrete ® 

acoustic when installed in line with AG’s design 

guidelines. 

Alphacrete ® acoustic blocks are compatible with 

a wide range or mortar blends. For this 

particular project M4 Medium Buff mortar was 

used as supplied by CPI Mortars. 

Peace of mind with Alphacrete 

Design and build contractors and Specifiers can 

now have the BB93 reverberation time 

compliance confirmed prior to construction 

when AG’s Alphacrete Acoustic range is used, 

negating the need for post construction testing. 

For more details contact AG’s specification 

team at specifications@ag.uk.com or visit the 

website. 

www.ag.uk.com 

*usir.salford.ac.uk/34536/2/A%20survey%20of%20acoustic%20con 

ditions%20and%20noise%20levels%20in%20secondary.pdf:public

see us at 

Offsite, 

stand no. 

A33

ARTICLE 

COLLABORATION 

IS THE KEY TO 

CREATIVE 

STRUCTURAL 

SOLUTIONS 

By Wayne Yeoman’s, Head of 

Marketing at B&K Structures. 

The structure of a building is integral to 

its success: choosing the right material 

and method of construction can affect 

everything from the finished project’s BREEAM 

rating to the return on investment. Getting it 

right from the beginning is crucial. 

With potential legislation changes pending, 

working with a partner you can trust is just as 

important than the final choice of the 

structural frame solution. An experienced 

structural specialist is ideally placed to work 

alongside architects, main contractors and 

even the end client to deliver a successful 

scheme that meets regulations and exceeds 

expectations for all involved. 

At B&K Structures, we have a long history of 

innovation to ensure that our projects will 

stand the rigours of time, conform to 

legislation, offer environmental benefits and 

meet the design challenges. 

Our commitment to innovation means we think 

beyond the structural frame, moving forward 

towards more frame and envelope solutions 

which will include full system testing from the 

outset ensure that our products interact with 

all elements of the building. 

The options 

Different projects call for different solutions, 

and we work closely with designers and our 

supply chain partners to deliver the correct 

result. 

We always look for ways we can add value to 

projects – whether it’s reducing the load on the 

foundations whilst gaining additional storey 

heights, or maximising floor space to create 

airy interiors. Certain materials lend 

themselves to applications more than others. 



Greener structures 

For projects where sustainability and reducing 

environmental impact is a key target, 

engineered timber is the best option, and we 

remain fully behind our cross laminated timber 

(CLT) and glulam offering. Our timber products 

are fully PEFC or FSC certified, and the carbon 

is locked into the building rather than released 

to the atmosphere. 

Timber is the only truly renewable construction 

material, and when combined with offsite 

construction methods, CLT’s impact on a 

project’s sustainability is impressive – 

especially where there are carbon reduction 

targets in place. 

Using CLT as a structural material will lower 

the overall mass of the building, having a 

positive impact on foundation and piling design, 

reduces construction programmes and allow 

follow on trades to the start much sooner in 

the process then traditional build solutions. 

CLT also brings forward fewer site personnel, 

fewer deliveries, all helping to have a positive 

impact on the local community during the 

construction phase. 

Reduced costs, reduced time on-site, and 

increased return on investment makes CLT a 

future heavyweight in residential construction. 

Glulam is a structural element that is used in 

both vertical columns and in roofing trusses 

and supports. In terms of performance, it is 

comparable to light gauge steel frames and 

reinforced concrete structures whilst being, 

respectively, more sustainable and 

considerably lighter. 

Where steel works 

Where space and floor areas are a priority, we 

encourage our clients to consider steel. We 

have over 35 years’ experience in structural 

steel, so for projects which require open, airy 

spaces with uninterrupted square footage on 

the ground, we know that steel is often the best 

solution. 

Steel structures use slim columns and large 

unsupported spans and are ideal for new build 

projects and refurbishments. What’s more, our 

offsite construction methods allow us to 

accommodate changes to the design during 

construction, and its lightweight nature means 

it can be installed quickly. 

When we couple a steel frame with CLT floor 

decks on commercial builds, we begin to see a 

very compelling argument. 

At B&K Structures our extensive use of BIM 

modelling cuts down on waste during the 

manufacturing of the glulam element, and our 

offsite construction methods with factorycontrolled 

conditions allow us to create the 

glulam structural elements with minimal onsite 

contact. 

And with the option to combine CLT or glulam 

with steel elements as part of a hybrid 

structure, we can help to control costs, create 

innovative solutions and improve the 

environmental impact and aesthetic of 

buildings in equal measure. 

Whatever the project, we can work with our 

partners to devise a long-lasting structural 

solution that not only ticks all the boxes but 

safeguards the development for the future. 

www.bkstructures.co.uk

see us at 

Offsite, 

stand no. 

C18

product news 

BMI pitches up with a new flat roof training 

facility 

Following the completion of a new BMI Icopal flat roofing training area, and the 

refurbishment of the existing BMI Redland pitched training facility, the BMI 

National Training Centre is now able to offer contractors, developers, merchants 

and students an extensive range of both pitched and flat roof courses at the one 

location. This makes BMI the only UK roofing manufacturer able to offer training in 

both disciplines and on one site. 

Located in South Cerney, Gloucestershire, the National Training Centre boasts possibly 

the most comprehensive training resource in the country. The pitched roof area 

comprises a variety of rigs including: a gable-to-gable rig, life-size hip and valley rig, life-size monopitch with top edge abutment rig, and a 

plain tile detail rig for full system installation. These are complemented by a variety of mobile rigs outside. 

The training area for flat roofs is similarly well equipped with several liquid waterproofing rigs, two single ply detail rigs, a life-size flat roof and 

six demonstration tables for single ply and liquids detail work. Along with a large external bitumen rig, to allow torch on and pour and roll 

training. 

Courses offered range from the introductory, BMI Basic Roofing course (flat and pitched), to the higher-level courses, such as the Bespoke 

Standards and Workmanship course for pitched roofing. Alongside the existing BCP certification in pitched roofing, certified contractor training 

in all flat roofing disciplines is now available as well as specialist training for Decra, the lightweight steel tile range. 

Customers can also take advantage of bespoke training programmes too if they have a requirement outside of the core offering, with the added 

benefit of having these delivered on their own premises if desired. 

Mat Woodyatt, BMI Technical Training Manager, is excited with what the National Training Centre can now offer: “With the investment we have 

made in the new flat roofing facility and the improvements made to the pitched roof area, we are in a great position to offer the most 

comprehensive training available in the UK. Since opening over 45,000 delegates have enjoyed coming here and learning a new skill or even just 

brushing up on an existing skill. Now we can look forward to the next 45,000 and offer them even more. 

“Our commitment to training has never wavered and being able to run courses in both pitched and flat disciplines will help us cater for the 

needs of the contractor, merchant and student in a more cohesive and flexible manner”, he adds. 

www.bmigroup.com/uk 

First fix 11 windows offsite in just 23 minutes 

Timber frame and SIPs panel 

manufacturers can speed up the 

installation of windows and 

doors by using the Sidey Kitfix system. 

Pressure is on for builders and 

developers to get on and off-site 

faster. This means looking at ways to 

reduce the time spent installing 

windows and doors. 

“With the Sidey Kitfix System, windows 

and doors can be accurately fitted at 

the factory stage,” says Steve Hardy, 

Managing Director of fenestration and 

offsite construction specialists Sidey 

Solutions. “It’s quick too – 11 windows 

can be first fixed in 23 minutes. They 

are installed when the walls are 

horizontal in the factory and the 

innovative Kitfix brackets are twist 

fitted to the window or door frame. Air 

tightness, thermal and acoustic seals can also be included at this stage. 

“This system makes transportation simple and once on site, the panels are erected as normal. This means homes are wind, watertight and 

secure much sooner, and makes the build much faster. It also eliminates the need for separate deliveries of windows and doors, with no site 

storage required either. 

“The latest changes to planning laws announced on 5 March mean there is even more pressure to get the job done quicker,” adds Steve. 

“Choosing Kitfix to install windows and doors will help builders and developers build fast.” 

www.sidey.co.uk 



ARTICLE 

Fresh light on commercial 

window technology 

New generation, high performance window composites are the first real aluminium 

alternative, says Deceuninck UK Managing Director Rob McGlennon. 

Deceuninck MD 

Rob McGlennon 

Deceuninck has an impressive 

portfolio of commercial projects 

Windows are key building elements, 

providing natural light, protection from 

the elements and ventilation. They 

also have great architectural importance – 

helping to define the overall character of a 

building and creating visual interest. 

Innovations in window technology give 

developers and specifiers of commercial 

properties – both newbuilds and refurbishments 

– an expanding menu of window and door 

options combining architectural elegance with 

high-performance solutions. 

While aluminium has attracted architects 

because of its strength, durability and colour 

options, its place in the commercial sector is 

now being challenged by advances in an exciting 

new pultruded glassfibre-PVC-U composite 

material. This immensely strong material makes 

windows that can match aluminium for 

appearance and performance, at significantly 

lower cost. Aluminium is priced with a premium 

because of the high energy costs in its extraction 

and production. 

Architects’ negative perceptions of all things 

PVC-U were mostly formed by early PVC-U 

windows and doors which were energy efficient 

and low cost, but chunky, limited in scope - even 

with the required steel reinforcement - and 

almost exclusively ‘shiny’ white. 

Best in class PVC-U windows and doors are a 

long way removed from those early dinosaurs, 

and systems companies like Deceuninck are 

continuing to invest in new technology. 

Our latest Linktrusion TM composite technology 

moves the needle in a major way. Linktrusion TM 

composite profiles are as strong as steel and as 

slender as most aluminium. In fact, its great 

strength makes it suitable for tall windows and 

large doors (single, up to 1100 x 2500). It’s 30% 

more thermally efficient than steel-reinforced 

windows and saves up to 40% on materials and 

weight. What’s more, with Deceuninck’s 

proprietary Decoroc coating it’s available in any 

colour, and is fully recyclable. 

Linktrusion TM technology flows from a €4 

million, 30-month research and development 

programme. The patented technology is the 

backbone of the ‘5000’ window system, which 

incorporates immensely strong pultruded glassfibre 

in the profiles, plus optional patented 

thermal reinforcement with embedded steel 

wires in a low-density insulating foam core 

encased in recycled PVC-U for excellent U- 

values. 

The technology has been specified recently by 

developers including Crest Nicholson, Catalyst 

Housing, Countryside Properties and Berkeley 

Group. 

We design window systems and produce the 

PVC-U profiles which fabricators turn into siteready 

units. Our systems are engineered with 

perfect symmetrical balanced sightlines for 

aesthetics, and fully #CommercialEnabled with 

all our system details in BIM Library. 

The unique Decoroc colour finishing system, 

developed for commercial applications, creates 

the effect of powder coated aluminium and is 

available in countless colour options. 

In one of numerous commercial projects where 

our products have been selected over 

aluminium, Dempsey Dyer, working with 

contractor Bouygues supplied 700 Deceuninck 

2500 chamfered series windows and 150 Slider 

24 patio doors for the Alexandra Wharf 

apartments in 

Southampton’s 

Ocean Village. 

Dempsey Dyer also 

installed 1,100 frames 

in Imperial College 

London’s high rise 

Woodward Building 

complex, housing 

590 students. This 

was a technically 

demanding project 

with complex 

requirements for 

aesthetics, weather 

performance, 

acoustics, safety and durability. Our window 

ticked all the boxes, meeting the original 

specification for aluminium with the same 

performance and aesthetics, while saving 30% 

on the overall cost of windows. 

Other significant commercial projects include 

Trafford House, Basildon (4,500 apartments) 

Hinkley Point staff accommodation (1,400 

apartments) and Oakgrove Housing, Milton 

Keynes where Crest Nicholson specified 

Deceuninck’s 5000 series incorporating 

Linktrusion TM technology to meet the exacting 

performance requirements for the project. 

We aim to develop strong, close relationships 

with commercial partners to help them meet 

project specifications, and our technical support 

team is available to help with complex issues 

such as weather performance, energy efficiency 

and acoustics. At Hinkley Point, for example, 

high-performing acoustic windows were 

required to meet the stringent dB reduction 

levels on site. 

Commercial developers increasingly demand 

high standards of acoustic performance to 

reduce the impact of noise pollution. So, working 

in partnership with specialists at the University 

of Salford, we are investing in systematic 

acoustic testing of our full range. We 

understand, Deceuninck is the first PVC-U 

window systems company to do that. We have 

already completed tests on our 2500, 5000 and 

the #BestInClass Fully Reversible Window (FRW) 

ranges. 

Call 01249 816 969 or visit www.deceuninck.co.uk 

for more about our commercial range and 

commercial work. You can also download 

Deceuninck’s full product portfolio from the NBS 

National BIM Library at 

www.nationalbimlibrary.com/deceuninck-ltd. 

www.deceuninck.com 

Deceuninck windows with Linktrusion TM technology 

were specified for the Oakgrove Housing development 



Warmbeam 

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