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Facades COLLABORATION: THE KEY TO SAFER FACADE SPECIFICATION Total Contractor caught up with Coral Morgan, Minster Technical Sales Manager, to hear how distributors can support contractors with all aspects of facade specification... In the wake of significant reform to the regulatory framework surrounding façade installation and specification, contractors across the industry face real challenges to ensure systems are compliant with legislation. The Building Safety Act aims to enforce more robust fire safety provisions in relevant buildings, promoting improved standards of workmanship and ensuring correct specification of materials, resulting in better schemes which fully integrate construction guidance and industrial requirements. Championing a collaborative approach, specialist distributor Minster is at the forefront of the transition, offering technical expertise and support to maximise the build efficiency and technical performance of buildings across the country. Minster Technical Sales Manager Coral Morgan specialises in technical project support, leveraging relationships with key suppliers to deliver solutions expertise. We caught up with her to discuss the role of distributors in supporting the facade specification journey and the importance of supply chain collaboration and knowledge-sharing to deliver safer facade systems. Facades: A changing landscape Driven by regulatory reform, the landscape in which facades are specified has changed dramatically in recent years. Nevertheless, façade systems continue to play a significant role in contemporary architecture. With the introduction of the Building Safety Act in 2022 and the additional scrutiny placed on façade installations across the industry, fire safety and the specification of appropriate systems is a key concern. Clearly, the aim is to keep the risk to occupant safety as low as possible. However, each project is different and has its own unique requirements. One of the main aspects of building a safer future is how building regulations interact with each other, ensuring a building performs safely, efficiently and sustainably. From this perspective, if we are to truly achieve robust specification, a consideration of all requirements – thermal, acoustic and fire – is crucial. This is where technical support and the role of well-trained distributor teams working collaboratively with manufacturers can make a real difference. Distributors occupy a unique space between manufacturers and contractors, and those committed to employee training and collaboration play an important role in driving building standards throughout the construction industry. “Collaboration within the supply chain is the linchpin for achieving robust facade specification” Aside from stocking solutions; distributors should understand them. They should understand their applications, the differing regulations that must be met and how each system impacts the technical performance of a building. This is something we have invested in significantly at Minster, throughout every level of the business. At a time when clarity around façade installations has been tricky to come by, we knew that to fulfil our commitment to our customers, having the ability to provide unrivalled levels of technical support is crucial. To this end, our supplier relationships and the close collaboration we have with manufacturers are pivotal, ensuring that, through knowledge- sharing and robust training frameworks, all our staff are equipped with the technical knowhow to deliver what we promise. Partnerships for success Knowledge is central to success and when it comes to façade specification this phrase rings very true. Supply-chain collaboration is key if a better understanding of systems, products, project-specific challenges and regulations are to be achieved. At Minster we deploy a range of knowledge-sharing initiatives to ensure our teams have the in-depth technical knowledge required. ‘Tech Talks’ covering various topics, from new products and installation tips to regulatory updates and technical insight are run regularly and are accessible to our entire branch network. We welcome a variety of speakers, including representatives from leading manufacturers and are pleased to say they are well attended by colleagues across the country. They provide a fantastic opportunity to keep up with industry news, product innovations and installation recommendations, ensure we are equipped with the latest technical knowledge and information possible. Collaboration within the supply chain is the linchpin for achieving robust facade specification. The dynamic nature of the facade landscape, intensified by regulatory reforms like the Building Safety Act, demands a collective effort; only then will greater standards of competency be realised – and safer, more sustainable buildings achieved. Contact Minster www.minsteronline.co.uk Minster 34 TC JANUARY <strong>2024</strong>
Cladding & Facades Updates ANTHRACITE GREY IS HERE TO STAY! Freefoam Building Products has added Anthracite Grey to its growing range of PVC Cladding products. So is Anthracite Grey the new ‘Black’? . . . the company says it’s certainly up there as one of the front runners to replace tired old timber cladding or white PVC cladding. Anthracite Grey is now available across the full Fortex cladding range featuring three different styles of board. The Weatherboard style is a feather edge product designed to give a clean ‘New England’ look; the Double Shiplap range features a wide board giving quick coverage over large areas; and the most recent introduction, the Shadow Gap board, offers an attractive, more subtle embossed finish with an attractive groove giving definition between boards. Freefoam says the use of colour in exterior home improvements has increased year on year with greys continuing to be one of the most popular choices. The company says homeowners find that grey is a particularly practical shade for exterior home improvements, being a neutral that works well with other shades and instantly brings properties up to date, but doesn’t highlight dust and dirt like white does. Freefoam now offers three greys across the Fortex cladding range, Misty Grey – a soft light shade; Storm Grey – a mid range tone; and now the darker colour of Anthracite Grey. The company says Anthracite Grey has certainly been trending on windows, doors and bi-folds for the past four/five years and shows no sign of slowing – so by adding it as a cladding option it means installers and homeowners can now match cladding and roofline to a suite of windows for a total house transformation. Freefoam knows that availability is key for any new building product, so all colours of cladding are available directly from stock, with no Above: Anthracite grey. Freefoam manufacture one of the most advanced PVC-U and PVC-UE fascia and soffit ranges using patented Colourmax technology. lead time – a big advantage for stockists and installers. “Anthracite Grey is an incredibly popular choice for fascias, soffits and gutters,” said Colin St John, Commercial Director at Freefoam. “It was the next logical step to add this attractive shade to our cladding range. It means homeowners can now match their cladding to their roofline, windows, and doors for a full suite, which offers installers the opportunity to upsell additional products – another example of Freefoam ‘Helping Customers to Grow’!” www.freefoam.com FIRE-RATED FOCUS FOR VIVALDA Vivalda has launched a new product, designed to meet the growing demand for fire-rated products in the UK refurbishment market. The new A2 rated panels are available in thicknesses from 28mm to 150mm and can be rebated to make them suitable for all glazing systems and curtain walling. All Vivalda’s infill panels are tested to British Standard EN 13501-1: 2018. Comprising a Lamella mineral wool core and a 1.5mm thick aluminium sheet to both faces, each panel is polyester powder coated to achieve a wide range of colour and finish options. Following the Grenfell fire, there has been a heightened awareness of the importance of fire safety in building materials, particularly in architectural glazing panels. Since entering the door panel market in 2021, Vivalda has seen demand increase for fire-rated products, typically to replace potentially flammable panels in existing buildings with the safe, new A2 rated alternative. The new product is designed to meet this demand and provide a safe and reliable solution for building refurbishments. Vivalda’s ownership of the total product supply chain – including manufacturing, fabrication and powder coating, which is all undertaken within the group – ensures consistent product quality and availability. Alix Agius, Composites Manager from Vivalda, said: “This is a product that we have actually been manufacturing for a while, but without certification of the complete panel, only each individual component. Now that we have independent, external validation of the panels’ A2 rating, we’re confident that developers, architects and door manufacturers alike will be assured of the product’s Alix Agius. quality and performance.” The introduction of Vivalda's new glazing panel has been widely welcomed by its existing customers who require documentation for panels and is the perfect solution for architects, councils, and installers who are pricing new projects and have a requirement for A2 rated panels. “We are seeing a huge demand for fire-rated products as many buildings now require replacement panels with a fire rating. Having our panel now tested and confirmed as achieving A2-s1,d0, we are confident that we will see this demand continuing for the next few years,” added Alix Agius. www.vivalda.co.uk JANUARY <strong>2024</strong> TC 35
Page 1 and 2: JANUARY 2024 Choice is everything I
Page 3 and 4: Editor’s Intro MATT DOWNS EDITORI
Page 5 and 6: REGULARS 20 NFRC ROOFING TALK NFRC
Page 7 and 8: MANUFACTURERS OF PVC SINGLE PLY MEM
Page 9 and 10: The Air To The Throne The next gene
Page 11 and 12: TAYLOR ROOFS MAKES CUSTOMER’S XMA
Page 13 and 14: LEARN MORE You may just see a roof.
Page 15 and 16: etween the solar panels and roof. i
Page 18 and 19: Pitched Roofing SPECIFYING & INSTAL
Page 20 and 21: NFRC Roofing Talk COULD YOUR COMPAN
Page 22 and 23: Flat Roofing CELEBRATING THE BEST I
Page 24 and 25: Market Overview ‘THERE ARE SIGNS
Page 26 and 27: Market Overview ‘A BRIGHTER & GRE
Page 28: Cover Story GLIDEVALE PROTECT COVER
Page 31 and 32: LOTHIAN GROWTH For further info on
Page 33: “The Sphere was opened to the pub
Page 37 and 38: GOLD AWARD FOR FREEFOAM Freefoam Bu
Page 39 and 40: Have questions about the new Part L
Page 41 and 42: manufacturer makes product informat
Page 44 and 45: Updates For further info on all the
Page 46 and 47: Workwear Choices RUNNING INTO PROBL
Page 52: RAINWATER SYSTEM OGEE GUTTER 110°

January 2024

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