Refurb Projects - August 2016

august 2016

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Contents 

Vol. 27 No. 179 AUGUST 2016 

14 

23 

45 

35 

2 

16 29 

Front Cover: 

SureClad ® ceramic granite 

cladding supplied by Shackerley 

met planning sensitivities when 

the time came to replace the 

travertine facades of this 1980’s 

building in one of Birmingham’s 

most important conservation 

areas. 

Full story page 12-13. 

REFURB PROJECTS CONTENTS 

6 Sustainability in Practice 

9 Airship Hanger Refurb 

17 Centre Parks Refurb 

18 Energy Efficient Roof 

Mark Cooper of Actis explains how. 

Managing Editor 

Tony Prior 

Editor 

Peter Ashmore 

Editorial Assistant 

Sue Watson 

News Editor 

John Grant 

Advertising / Marketing 

Caroline Warby 

Design / Graphics 

James Kennett 

Kay Miall 

Ian Purves 

General Manager 

Sophie Noseda 

Co-Publishers 

Tony Prior and Carole Titmuss 

Printed by Manson Group 

This journal includes editorial photographs 

provided and paid for by suppliers. 

Refurbishment Projects incorporating 

Refurbishment Products is published by 

Sheen Publishing Ltd 

50 Queens Road, 

Buckhurst Hill, 

Essex, IG9 5DD, UK 

Tel: 020 8504 1661 

Fax: 020 8505 4336 

Web: www.refurbprojects.com 

Email: editor@refurbprojects.com 

Twitter: @RefurbProjects 

Refurbishment Projects is available on 

subscription annual rate UK £25. 

Europe £36 Overseas £40. 

Single Copies £3.50 UK £6 Overseas. 

ISSN 1475-1135 

23 Rainham Hall Restoration 

Restoration of this 18th century house. 

24/25 Aviation Museum Rebuild 

26 Hospital Refurb 

Queen’s Building Bristol Royal Infirmary project 

30 Transformative Concrete 

35 Social Housing 

Keeping Pendleton Housing Scheme dry. 

39 Selecting Safety 

45 £5m plans for City Pool & Baths 

REFURBISHMENT PROJECTS, august 2016 1

NEWS • NEWS • NEWS • NEWS • NEWS • NEWS • NEWS • NEWS 

£750m London Royal Mint Court Scheme 

working environment.” 

The proposals also include 1.8 

acres of landscaped public realm and 

a new route to connect St Katharine 

Docks with Aldgate and beyond, 

providing step-free access from 

Tower Hill Underground. 

LRC Group said: “The striking 

design of the restored historic 

Johnson-Smirke, combined with the 

remodelled, modern architecture 

with adaptable modern 

infrastructure, will make Royal Mint 

Court an unrivalled destination for 

companies looking to make a bold 

move in the City.” 

ROYAL MINT COURT 

PROJECT TEAM 

Architects: Sheppard Robson / 

Morrow + Lorraine 

Project Manager: GVA / 

Second London Wall 

Landscape Consultant: Martha 

Schwartz Partners 

Structural Engineer: Arup Structures 

Developers Delancey and LRC 

Group have been given the 

go-ahead for a 600,000 sq 

ft office scheme at Royal 

Mint Court near the Tower of 

London. 

The 600,000 sq ft development 

just to the east of the Square Mile 

will see two listed buildings that 

were home to the Royal Mint for 

150 years, renovated for re-use. 

Three modern buildings on the 

existing site will be partly 

demolished and remodelled to make 

way for office buildings. 

The new designs for the grade IIlisted 

Johnson-Smirke building at 

the heart of the plan have been 

drawn-up by architectural practice 

Sheppard Robson, with architects 

Morrow + Lorraine. 

It will be refurbished to create 

23,500 sq ft of office space above a 

restaurant and bar. A roof terrace 

will offer panoramic views of the 

Tower of London. 

Paul Goswell, managing director 

at Delancey, said: “The scale of Royal 

Mint Court, coupled with its history 

and large area of amenity space, 

make it a one of a kind site in the 

City of London and we have sought 

to use this to create an inspirational 

Services Engineer: Cundall 

Transport Consultants: Arup Transport 

Quantity Surveyor: Gardiner and 

Theobald 

Archaeology Consultant: CgMs 

Consulting 

EIA: Watermans 

ISG checks in with £13 million Corn Exchange project 

The project involves the 

refurbishment of levels 2-5 of 

the iconic building, creating a 

114-bedroom ‘aparthotel’ for 

operator Roomzzz. The scheme is the 

second phase of a wider £30 million 

investment to develop the building 

as a major leisure destination, and 

follows the refurbishment of ground 

and first floor levels as restaurant 

and bar accommodation, all of 

which will remain operational 

throughout the project’s duration. 

Commencing in mid-August, the 

scheme sees ISG carrying out 

remedial works to the roof structure, 

as well as the installation of a 

cantilevered scaffold system at first 

floor level. ISG will then make 

significant structural alterations to 

the building’s floor slabs to 

introduce new service risers to 

accommodate the hotel’s modern 

mechanical and electrical 

infrastructure. 

The stylish layout of Roomzzz 

Manchester Corn Exchange uses a 

striking combination of existing 

brick walls and new partitioning to 

create four room types, from ultramodern 

apartments to 

luxurious and palatial 

penthouses – all of which 

incorporate a fully 

equipped kitchen. The 

exacting fit out 

specification includes highquality 

tiling and floor 

finishes, with feature wall 

graphics. Amongst the 

most luxurious ‘Liberty 

rooms’ is a guest suite in 

the building’s iconic turret, 

accessed via a new spiral 

staircase. 

Guest facilities also 

include a gym, lounge and 

a ‘Grab and Go’ breakfast 

area. ISG will create a number of 

management suites and conserve 

and restore three architecturally 

listed stair cores to create an eyecatching 

historical feature within 

the hotel. 

Andy McLinden, ISG’s Northern 

managing director, commented: “The 

former Corn Exchange in 

Manchester is a very special and 

much-loved building and its latest 

evolution builds on the growing 

trend for hybrid guest 

accommodation in the city. This is a 

high-profile showcase of our 

capabilities delivering luxury hotel 

accommodation in a logistically 

challenging and busy city centre 

location, with the added complexity 

of working in an architecturally 

protected building. 

“It’s a great challenge and an 

environment where we positively 

thrive as a business and there is a 

great deal of anticipation to get 

underway with the transformation 

of this iconic Manchester landmark.” 

Web: www.isgpk.com 

2 AUGUST 2016, REFURBISHMENT PROJECTS

NEWS • NEWS • NEWS • NEWS • NEWS • NEWS • NEWS • NEWS 

McMullen Facades lands 

£16m cladding package 

Lakesmere Group company 

McMullen Facades has landed 

a £16m cladding deal at 

Elephant & Castle in south 

London. 

Lovell chosen for £7.4 million home programme 

Housing regeneration 

specialist, Lovell has been 

chosen to deliver a £7.4 

million housing 

redevelopment programme for 

housing association, Greenfields 

Community Housing, who are based 

in Braintree, Essex. 

The scheme will see the 

demolition of 40 unsustainable 

1950s concrete-framed Unity homes 

in Kelvedon, Essex, which will be 

replaced with 64 modern houses and 

flats in Church Road, Croft Road and 

Thorne Road. High levels of 

insulation and other low-carbon 

measures will make the new 

properties extremely energyefficient. 

The redevelopment work, set to 

start this autumn, will create 36 

houses, 27 flats and one bungalow, 

with the first new homes set to be 

handed over in spring 2017. Five of 

the homes will be available on a 

shared ownership basis, with the rest 

being available for affordable rent. 

Andy Allocca, new business and 

project manager at Greenfields, says: 

“Helping to create and maintain 

thriving communities is at the heart 

of what we do. These properties will 

last for generations to come, and I 

McMullen has been awarded the 

full vertical envelope package for 

The Highwood 31-storey residential 

tower by main contractor Lendlease. 

The McMullen team will start on 

site in January to design 

and install the fully 

unitised glazed facade 

which features recessed 

balcony sliding doors 

and a unitized glazed 

balustrade system along 

with panoramic curtain 

walling and sliding 

doors to the 

penthouses. 

McMullen’s scope of 

works also includes the 

louvre panels, soffit 

cladding and the 

bespoke aluminium 

feature cladding which 

has been designed by 

the architects to echo 

the pattern of the 

Fibonacci sequence. 

Close collaboration with 

Lendlease has enabled 

the unitised facade 

package to be fully 

value engineered. 

look forward to handing the 

residents the keys to their new 

homes.” 

Lovell regional director, Simon 

Medler says: “Our team have a 

strong record in the successful 

replacement of Unity houses with 

brand-new, high-quality and energyefficient 

properties. We’re delighted 

to bring that expertise to this 

exciting project – our first for 

Greenfields Community Housing – 

and help create much-needed new 

affordable housing for local 

residents.” 

Unity properties are system-built 

homes of non-traditional 

construction with a concrete frame 

and cladding, which were built in 

the post-war period as a way of 

delivering new homes quickly and 

cheaply. Hard to insulate and heat, 

they are prone to damp and 

condensation. 

Lovell’s experience in 

redeveloping Unity houses includes 

an ongoing £13.6 million scheme for 

Orbit Homes in Suffolk, which will 

provide164 new homes. 

Lovell was chosen to deliver the 

Kelvedon scheme by the e² 

Consortium – a group of five 

housing associations including 

Greenfields Community Housing. The 

company was selected from 

approved contractors on the Homes 

and Communities Agency’s Delivery 

Partner Panel 2 framework. 

Web: www.lovell.co.uk 

REFURBISHMENT PROJECTS, AUGUST 2016 3

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Luxury and energy efficiency at Whinstone 

View courtesy of Carlo Gavazzi 

Fancy a room with a view? You could be soaking in your hot tub admiring the beautiful North Yorkshire 

countryside at Whinstone View, where Carlo Gavazzi’s Dupline® smart building system brings a touch of luxury 

to the upmarket lodge. 

As well as the luxury cabins, Whinstone View is 

home to a highly-regarded bistro, spa and barn 

at Great Ayton, a village in the Hambleton 

district of North Yorkshire, on the edge of the 

glorious North York Moors National Park. Captain James 

Cook, the British explorer and navigator, lived in the 

village as a child and there are many notable local 

landmarks that relate to this. The lodge takes its name 

from the whinstone, a hard, dark-coloured rock which 

was quarried from the nearby Cleveland Dyke. 

The owners have spared no expense to offer the very 

best facilities for guests in the latest refurbishment at 

Whinstone View. The luxury lodges come equipped with 

their own hot tub and Carlo Gavazzi’s Dupline® smart 

building system is at the heart of a control system 

whereby residents can use a tablet computer to set desired 

heating and lighting scenes and take control of audio 

visual devices. “The owners already had a previous 

generation of our Dupline® system, but they were keen to 

add some additional features,” says Kevin Sheldrake, 

business development manager for fieldbus solutions at 

Carlo Gavazzi. “This latest upgrade means that the system 

is now linked back to the reception area, so that they can 

set welcoming lighting scenes and switch the heating on 

remotely for when guests arrive.” 

The refurbishment has been designed, installed and 

commissioned by controls specialist Tim Munn. The beauty 

of the Dupline® system is that the existing 2-wire bus 

cabling infrastructure could be reused, saving on time and 

costs. “We have kept the existing cabling but replaced all 

modules and increased the functionality,” says Tim Munn. 

“Previously, lights could only be switched on and off; now 

we have control of lighting based on lux levels as well as 

heating control, with the reception able to take control via 

the network.” 

As well as setting the lighting moods and heating up 

the cabins to welcome guests, reception can now take 

charge of energy efficiency at the site – an important 

consideration. For example, reception can override settings 

if temperatures have been left too high when guests are 

out for the day or have left the lights on. “We’ve 

configured the networking so that the lodges are 

accessible from the site network via the new fibre optic 

link between the lodges and the reception,” says Munn. 

Carlo Gavazzi’s Dupline® also scores when it comes to 

installation. “The system is very straightforward to install 

and programme,” confirms Kevin Sheldrake. “Our software 

configuration tool is geared to allow the installer to do the 

commissioning – unlike some systems, you don’t need an 

expert from the manufacturer on hand.” 

Tim Munn has first-hand experience of the benefits of 

Dupline® – he has installed the 

system at his own home. “The latest 

version of Dupline® is very quick and 

easy to set up. You don’t need to 

address any of the modules, each 

one does that itself. You just turn 

the system on, plug your laptop in 

and then assign functionality to the 

modules. It is also straightforward to 

add more modules and functionality 

if the site expands.” 

Modules used at Whinstone View 

include light switches, lux control 

and temperature controllers. Heating 

is provided by individual gas boilers 

in each lodge, with a combination of 

LED and halogen lamps providing 

the lighting. The control network 

also takes charge of external 

lighting around the lodges, again 

with increased functionality. Path 

lighting used to simply operate on a 

timer clock, coming on early in the 

afternoon – fine in winter, but a 

waste of energy in the summer. Tim 

Munn has added daylight sensors to 

the network so that lights only come 

on when necessary. This will improve 

energy efficiency and save money 

for the owners. 

Bus-powered sensors and 

actuators for the heating and 

lighting circuits can be connected to 

the same Dupline® bus, eliminating 

the need for two separate networks 

and allowing data sharing at the 

field level. The SH2WEB24 controller 

is the brain and central unit of the 

system. The controller includes 

dedicated functions for automation 

such as lighting and temperature 

control, blind control, alarm and 

energy monitoring. 

The robust and noise-immune 

bus runs on an unshielded 2-wire 

cable with no need for end-of-line 

cable terminations and can run close 

to power cabling without fear of 

interference. Several hundreds of 

metres of cable length can be 

achieved depending on the load of 

bus-powered devices and cable 

dimensions. 

Whinstone View now boasts a 

high-tech smart building control 

system, with centralised control 

from reception and continued aftersales 

support. Carlo Gavazzi and Tim 

Munn have certainly delivered the 

goods at this idyllic spot in the 

North York Moors. No wonder guests 

find it difficult to leave the hot tub. 

Web: www.carlogavazzi.co.uk 


Mapei transforms Arnold Hill Academy 

Arange of Mapei 

resilient floorcovering 

products have been 

used at Arnold Hill 

Academy, a new multi million 

pound state of the art school 

building, based in Nottingham 

which aims to transform the 

education of 1,700 students. 

Pinnacle Special Projects 

carried out the installation of 

the floorcoverings for Wates 

Construction Ltd. 

The new three storey 

building at Arnold Hill 

Academy includes 57 work 

spaces, classrooms as well a 

theatre and sports hall. Mapei 

specified 2150m2 of 

Mapeproof One Coat and 

1250m2 Mapeproof ESM 

surface applied damp proof 

membranes, both of which are 

solvent free with extremely 

low odour making them ideal 

for use in inhabited areas such 

as schools. Mapei’s 2 part 

cement based levelling and 

smoothing compound, Latexplan 

Trade was then applied to all areas. 

Some 3400m2 of vinyl flooring 

was installed over the three storeys 

using Mapei Utrabond Eco 380 

acrylic adhesive; 3600m2 of carpet 

tiles were also installed onto Mapei 

Ultrabond Eco Tack carpet tile 

tackifier. 

Ultrabond Eco 380 and 

Ultrabond Eco Tack are part of 

Mapei’s popular Ultrabond Eco 

adhesive range comprises solventfree, 

water dispersion, nonflammable, 

non-staining and carries 

the EC1 GEV Emicode labelling for 

ultra-low emissions of volatile 

organic compounds. This means, 

installers working in close proximity 

aren’t subjected to any harmful 

vapours and occupiers/visitors will 

not be subjected to harmful 

FLOORING 

emissions once floor installations are 

complete. 

For more information on Mapei 

resilient products, other products 

or training days, please visit 

www.mapei.co.uk, 

email info@mapei.co.uk 

or tel. +44 (0)121 508 6970. 

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SUSTAINABILITY 

Sustainability in practice 

How do we improve our existing buildings? 

By James Fisher, Existing Buildings Lead & Principal Consultant, BREEAM. 

Investors and owners of large 

commercial property portfolios 

throughout Europe are 

constantly on the hunt for a 

distinctive edge that will set them 

aside from the competition. The 

never-ending battle for an increase 

in rental yield, lower management 

costs, fully leased properties and 

happy tenants is something that we 

are all too familiar with. 

Couple that with some of the 

wider global challenges on-going 

presently and you can see that how 

it would be easy for a property fund 

or asset manager to lose a little 

sleep at night. Luckily for them, 

there are some new techniques and 

tactics being adopted by the most 

forward thinking property 

companies that are 

helping them 

maintain their 

commercial 

advantage. 

Citycon Oyj, based 

in Helsinki, has 

recently launched a 

project to 

introduce BREEAM 

In-Use (BIU) 

certification to 

75% of its 

properties by 2017. 

As the leading 

owner, developer 

and manager of 

urban groceryanchored 

shopping 

centres in the 

Nordic and Baltic 

regions, Citycon 

clearly see BREEAM 

In-Use certification 

as a cost-effective 

way to manage 

their EUR 5 billion 

portfolio. 

According to Nils 

Styf, Citycon’s 

Chief Investment 

Officer, BREEAM In-Use certificates 

provide Citycon with a 

comprehensive overview of the 

environmental performance of their 

portfolio and a useful platform to 

identify improvements. 

As a result of their recent 

environmental focus, Citycon have 

reduced their reliance on purchased 

heating energy by an impressive 

30% in 2015 for one Centre by using 

renewable energy. Of course, this 

also positively benefits their carbon 

footprint too. Definitely a cost and 

carbon win-win and of course, these 

benefits can be realised in many 

more of their properties over time. 

Interestingly it is not only private 

commercial organisations that are 

seeing the opportunity presented by 

using BREEAM certification. The 

methodology has also been widely 

adopted recently by the City of 

Stockholm. Stockholms stad, the 

public sector administration that is 

responsible for managing the 

majestic Swedish capital, is fully 

adopting BREEAM In-Use as part of 

its asset management strategy. 

As part of their commitment, 

Stockholm is also taking part in a 

new pilot project aimed at creating 

a more cost-effective volume 

assessment route for BREEAM IN- 

Use across its portfolio. Focusing on 

a parcel of 50 public buildings, the 

objective is to establish a costeffective 

methodology for certifying 

and maintaining certification of 

asset portfolios against BREEAM In- 

Use International 2015. 

The pilot project will look at the 

type of evidence common to a large 

asset portfolio and how it can be 

supplied, collected and verified in 

order to minimise the need for 

additional site visits. Working to predefined 

criteria, it will focus on 

ascertaining the type of evidence 

that applies to buildings with similar 

characteristics or properties – asset 

clusters - and on establishing 

whether an assessor can review this 

evidence and accept it as applicable 

to all. 

The project is a partnership 

between BRE Global (BREEAM), the 

Real Estate Administration of 

Stockholms Stad, engineering 

consulting firm PQR Consult AB and 

BREEAM In-Use assessor Piacon AB. 

Taking place over a one year period, 

the process will inform future years 

of the BREEAM In-Use recertification 

cycle. 

To date, the City has 100 of its 

buildings assessed or in progress 

under BREEAM In-Use in total. It’s 

also worth noting that these assets 

represent a broad spectrum of 

architectural styles, building ages, 

uses and building services designs. In 

fact, even the historic (and world 

famous) City Hall building where the 

Nobel prize-giving ceremony takes 

place each year has also been 

assessed. If the method can help to 

improve the sustainability of such a 

prestigious landmark building, then 

it can definitely work for across 

more modern assets too. 

The fact that both commercial 

and public sector property owners 

are now choosing BREEAM to set 

them apart, only adds weight to the 

case for sustainability to be 

considered as a matter of course in 

everyday business. This is borne out 

by the findings from the recent 

CBRE EMEA Investor Intentions 

Survey 2016 explored in more detail 

in an article authored by Rebecca 

Pearce, Senior Director, EMEA Head 

of Sustainability for CBRE published 

recently by the Better Buildings 

Partnership. 

The evidence is loud and clear, 

the market now understands the 

compelling reasons to buy asset 

certification. In the CBRE survey just 

11% of respondents now view 

sustainability as an insignificant 

factor during due diligence. Even 

more compelling is that 39% of the 

institutional investors surveyed cite 

sustainable asset selection as 

‘critical’ or ‘one of the most 

important criteria’ when selecting 

properties to acquire. 

In a complicated commercial 

property market, at least the road 

ahead for asset managers is 

becoming clear with solutions like 

BREEAM providing a tangible route 

to create sustainable property 

management. After all, if Citycon 

and the City of Stockholm can see 

the benefit, there must be 

something in it right? London, Paris, 

New York - we’re ready if you are. 

Web: www.bre.co.uk 

The refurb sector is probably the most active sector of the UK Building Industry at the moment. RP’s new website 

will keep you up to date with news, projects, opinion, and also the latest issue that can be viewed online. 

www.refurbprojects.com 

NEWS. DAILY 


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Full technical service, bespoke detailed drawings, wind uplift calculations, and regular installation 

inspections by our technical experts 

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SUSTAINABILITY 

Techrete expands UK operation 

One company at the forefront in the promotion and use of architectural precast concrete is Techrete Ltd. 

Founded in 1985 in Balbriggan, near Dublin, Ireland, the company has steadily expanded and in 1995 acquired 

a UK manufacturing base at Brigg in North Lincolnshire followed in 1999 by a new drawing office in Enderby, 

near Leicester. Since acquiring Brigg, the facility has been steadily modernised and expanded to suit the 

changing market as the company works to stay at the forefront of architectural precast concrete production. 

Now, in a move which 

clearly demonstrates the 

company’s confidence in 

the future, production 

capacity at Brigg is being increased 

still further with a £5 million 

extension that adds a further 

3000m2 of fully enclosed factory 

space along with improvements to 

the current facility. Together, these 

will build on the computercontrolled 

carousel system where 

casting tables can move in three 

dimensions around the factory and 

into curing chambers. The increased 

area not only allows greater 

production capacity to meet a rising 

turnover but also allows work in all 

areas to be done in a temperaturecontrolled 

environment for a greater 

quality product. 

What is more, the opportunity 

has been taken to promote 

Techrete’s newly developed industrial 

insulated sandwich panel by 

incorporating it in the extension. 

The 10m-high walls of the new 

production space have been formed 

from stack-bonded load-bearing 

precast sandwich panels with a 

lightly exposed aggregate finish on 

the external face of the outer panel. 

The inner leaf of the 2m-high panels 

is only 80mm thick in 

an overall thickness of 

240mm and there is 

no requirement for a 

secondary structure 

between columns. 

A key feature of the 

new plant is the 

carousel system that 

enables steel moulds 

to be conveyed to 

zones of specialisation 

during the 

manufacturing 

process, with all curing 

and finishing 

contained within the 

new building. As 

freshly cast concrete 

can be affected by any 

changes in 

temperature and 

humidity that it is 

exposed to in its early 

days, the aim is to 

have all the production and finishing 

processes under cover. The company 

does this by keeping all panel 

manufacture in the temperaturecontrolled 

factory until the panels 

have completed their initial curing 

period and have been finished ready 

to go to site where they can be 

transported to the holding yard. 

Having with great success 

already set up a robotic concrete 

placing system and an automated 

panel-handling system to move 

panels to the yard in its Balbriggan 

factory, the company is now 

installing these state-of-the-art 

systems at Brigg to complement the 

carousel system. 

The new extension and updating 

further enhances Techrete’s drive to 

be as sustainable as possible. While 

the company manages itself and the 

supply chain through EN ISO 14001 

for the Environment and EN ISO 

50001 for Energy, the introduction 

of a rainwater harvesting system will 

make its panel production almost 

100% self-sufficient as regards 

water usage. In addition, a 250kW 

photovoltaic array that will more 

than cover the daytime electricity 

demand of the factory is being 

installed on the roof, which means 

that all panels will in the future be 

manufactured using sustainable 

energy and water sources. 

To cut down the disposal of old 

materials and minimise the 

consumption of new in building the 

new extension, precast wall panels 

from the old building were 

incorporated in the new one, thus 

not only demonstrating how robust 

the panels but also reducing the 

CO2 and landfill for the project. 

In short, Techrete is leading the 

way in the design, manufacture, 

delivery and installation of the 

quality-controlled architectural 

precast concrete panels that are 

being increasingly demanded by 

clients and architects alike. One 

current client is John Lewis, the 

largest department store retailer in 

the UK, the facade of whose latest 

project in Leeds has been completed 

by Techrete. Known as Victoria Gate, 

this exciting addition to the vibrant 

shopping scene in Leeds is the initial 

phase of John Lewis’s first store in 

the city. 

Web: www.techrete.com 


Brett Martin provides a llight touch to 

massive Grade II* Listed airship hangar 

ROOFING 

As part of the £10.5 million refurbishment on one of the largest hangars in the UK, leading rooflight 

manufacturer Brett Martin Daylight Systems has supplied Trilite GRP sheets. Designed to bring daylight into 

the Bedfordshire building, reduce the need for artificial lighting and create a more pleasant and comfortable 

environment for the team working on Airlander 10, the largest British aircraft that has ever been constructed. 

Built in 1916 for the 

development of airships, 

Hangar 1 (one of two 

identical hangars) is 

approximately 250 metres long, 

offers more than 20,000m² of floor 

area and is over 50 metres in 

height. Prior to the 

refurbishment, the hangar was a 

Category A building on English 

Heritage’s Building at Risk Register 

and is one of the most important 

listed buildings in the UK. The 

comprehensive refurbishment by 

contractor CField Construction 

included the replacement of 

cladding, steelwork repairs and 

painting, interior refurbishment, 

new lighting and flooring. 

With daylight a vital 

consideration during the 

refurbishment of the hangar, CField 

Construction required a daylighting 

solution which would offer 

optimum light transmission, ease of 

installation and suit the bespoke 

metal cladding profile Frequence 

9.25 T by Arcelor Mittal. More 

than 4000m² of Trilite was 

specified to run the full 250 metre 

length on each of the side hangar 

elevations. 

With Hangar 2 being used for 

film productions including Batman, 

The Dark Knight and Star Wars 

Rogue One, the newly restored 

Hangar 1 is now the appropriate 

home for the fully assembled 

Airlander 10, a 92 metre long 

helium filled airship which literally 

dwarfs a Boeing 747. 

Commenting on the 

refurbishment, Patrick Crowley of 

CField Construction said: “We 

worked closely with English 

Heritage and the Bedford Borough 

Council Conservation Team to 

ensure all works were carried out in 

accordance with conservation 

principles, policies and guidance. 

The Trilite GRP sheets met their 

exacting standards and offered our 

team ease of installation on what 

was a live tenanted building.” 

With over 1,000 profiles 

available and seven sheet 

thicknesses to choose from, Trilite 

GRP rooflight sheet is used 

extensively in a wide range of 

applications in the industrial, 

commercial, horticultural, 

The completed refurb of Hangar 1, and below close up of the Trilite GRP sheets installed in the project. 

agricultural and DIY sectors. 

Offering high strength, durability 

and fire rating, these BBA certified 

rooflights are specified to satisfy 

project requirements. 

Web: brettmartin.com 


PROJECT 

Sika provides grand solution in Brighton 

The Grand Hotel in Brighton is 

ready to welcome guests to its 

iconic seafront 

accommodation whatever the 

weather thanks to a roof overlay 

system applied with Sika Liquid 

Plastics’ Decothane Omega 15 

solution. 

Opened in 1864, the hotel made 

global headlines following the IRA 

bombing of the Conservative party 

conference in 1984 and underwent a 

major refurbishment and the 

addition of a spa in 2013. 

The latest roofing project is the 

third to be delivered at the hotel by 

contractor, Allweather Roofing & 

Construction, part of the Allweather 

Group, and forms part of a wider 

refurbishment scheme by main 

contractor, J. Davies Building 

Limited. 

The 130m2 roof area of existing 

asphalt roof had been leaking in 

several areas and Allweather Roofing 

recommended the Decothane Omega 

15 cold liquid-applied system as the 

ideal solution for overlaying the 

roof, taking into account the 

exposed seafront location. 

The installation team began 

removing the screeded raised 

walkway which was on the existing 

asphalt. They then jet washed the 

substrate and carried out patch 

repairs by cutting out areas of the 

surface that had blistered, and 

replaced the asphalt in these areas 

to create a level surface. 

Various items of plant are 

located of the roof, which is 

surrounded by a parapet wall with 

box gutters at each end. Allweather 

Roofing carried out the overlay in 

two phases, moving all the plant to 

one side of the roof while the first 

section was refurbished to allow the 

hotel to remain fully operational 

throughout the programme. 

Following refurbishment of the 

first roof section, the plant was then 

moved across to the newly 

resurfaced area while the project 

was completed and all items of plant 

were then reconnected in their 

original location. 

For each section of the roof, 

Allweather Roofing applied Sika 

Liquid Plastics’ Quick Cure Primer 

and, once this had cured, the 

Decothane base coat was applied, 

followed by Sika’s Reemat glass fibre 

mat reinforcement. The base layer 

was then allowed to cure before a 

top coat of Decothane Omega 15 

was applied. 

The new waterproofing 

membrane was dressed up the 

parapet wall that surrounds the roof 

area. Allweather Roofing lifted the 

existing lead flashings and took the 

Decothane Omega 15 system up the 

wall and then redressed it, replacing 

the original lead over the newly 

waterproofed area as it was in good 

condition. 

The roofing contractor also 

removed the old screeded walkway 

and created a new non-slip walkway 

on the roof between the fire escapes 

at each side of the building. 

Re-waterproofing of the box 

gutters was an important element of 

the project and Allweather Roofing 

removed the existing felt to expose 

the asphalt covering the surface 

before replacing it with the same 

Decothane Omega 15 system used 

for the flat roof surface. 

Michael Owens, managing 

director of the Allweather Group, 

said: “We have been using Sika 

Liquid Plastics roofing systems for 

ten years on various contracts in 

London and around the South of 

England. As a Quality Assured Sika 

installer, we had the confidence to 

recommend Decothane Omega 15 

system as we knew it would provide 

the ideal membrane for overlaying 

the roof, with a 15 year guarantee 

and excellent UV resistance. 

“The system avoids the need for 

hot works and strip out, curing to 

provide a durable, flexible and 

seamless membrane that will protect 

the prestigious hotel, its contents 

and its guests for years to come.” 

For more information about Sika 

Liquid Plastics and the Allweather 

Group, visit www.sika.com and 

www.theallweathergroup.co.uk 


DELIVERING ROOFING EXCELLENCE 

THE ONLY 

ROOFING PARTNER 

YOU NEED 

Langley has a proud history of combining technically sound 

roofing systems with unrivalled expertise and high-quality 

workmanship. Whether a design is straightforward or 

specialist, we take great pride in our ability to provide an 

end-to-end approach to each project, from initial consultation 

and design through final installation and after sales care. 

With our reputation cemented over five decades, we’re the 

roofing specialist both specifiers and contractors choose 

to work with, again and again. 

LANGLEY ROOFING SYSTEMS 

Photovoltaic Solutions 

Flat-to-Pitched 

Green Roofing 

Built-up & Single Ply Roofing 

Liquid Roofing 

Polymer Modified Asphalt 

For more information: 

please call: 01327 704778 | email: enquiries@langley.co.uk | or visit: www.langley.co.uk 


PROJECTS 

Shackerley meets conservation area requirements 

with contemporary ceramic granite refurb solution 

A prestigious office block in the heart of Birmingham’s civic and business district has been extensively 

refurbished with 800m2 of SureClad® ceramic granite cladding from Shackerley, overcoming planning 

sensitivities in a renowned conservation area. Ceramic granite, a contemporary high performance façade 

material with almost zero porosity, has helped to provide a new protective outer envelope for the building 

whilst maintaining its original natural travertine stone appearance. 

Row is a 

seven-storey 

commercial complex 

43Temple 

located in the 

Colmore Business District of 

Birmingham, the city’s main 

commercial hub. A much soughtafter 

business address, Temple Row 

is also part of a conservation area 

with St. Philip’s Cathedral at its 

centre. Buildings like No. 43, with 

their modern architectural styling, 

present a sharp contrast with the 

18th century Baroque church and 

other listed properties that illustrate 

Birmingham's rich history. 

43 Temple Row was constructed 

in 1980 with quarried travertine and 

granite façades. The original 

travertine had weathered 

significantly over time, allowing 

rainwater ingress which had 

damaged the building’s concrete 

frame and caused panel fixings to 

become badly corroded. 

With the building partially 

stripped back and a new concrete 

substrate installed, the project called 

for a cost effective replacement 

façade system to protect the 

building from the elements for many 

years to come. Due to their porous 

nature, new quarried stone panels 

were ruled out. However, because of 

the building’s location in one of the 

most precious conservation areas in 

Birmingham, the City Council’s 

planners were keen to ensure that 

any replacement solution precisely 

matched the original look of the 

travertine. 

Cladding specialist Shackerley 

proposed ceramic granite, a fully 

vitrified engineered construction 

material made entirely of natural 

constituents, that can be produced 

in styles, colourways and textures to 

emulate quarried stones such as 

granite, limestone and marble. 

Because of its strong, hard and 

impervious characteristics, ceramic 

granite offers a low maintenance 

solution, another important 

consideration at any busy city centre 

location. 

Shackerley was able to offer a 

ceramic granite façade panel in a 

‘travertine’ style and colourway that 

was virtually indistinguishable from 

the original stone, and that would 

perfectly replicate the visual 

contrast with the quarried granite 

that was being retained. The 

company’s Queen’s Award winning 

SureClad® Access system was 

recommended for its speed and 

flexibility of installation and the 

unique facility to install façade 

panels non-sequentially. 

Task Contractors Ltd installed the 

replacement façades. Ian Blakemore, 

Commercial Manager commented: 

‘We’ve installed SureClad® ceramic 

granite façades in various sectors of 

the market, primarily on new build 

developments, but as the Temple 

Row project demonstrates, 

Shackerley’s systems are ideal for 

retro-fit installations too. No matter 

how complex the façade design, 

everything we need is supplied to 

site by Shackerley, fully 

prefabricated, from their ISO 9001 

quality controlled factory. This is a 

big benefit to us.’ 

‘At Temple Row, the cladding 

design incorporated intricate returns 

into the existing window detail. 

Shackerley cut all of these bespoke 

and quite complex window profiles 

at their factory, precisely engineered 

to slot straight into the façades. 

Whilst the client has gained a 

bespoke new cladding system that 

fulfils all their needs, we benefitted 

from a quick turnaround on site. 

From procurement through to 

delivery, we’ve found Shackerley to 

be an excellent partner to work 

with.’ 

For further details please contact 

Shackerley on 0800 783 0391 or 

visit www.shackerley.com 


CLADDING 

Cladding choice was no puzzle for Jigsaw Building 

Selecting a cladding material for the new Jigsaw Building at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital presented no 

puzzle for architects Stride Treglown. Trespa® Meteon® was chosen to provide a ventilated facade, scoring on 

appearance and cost, as well as contributing to energy efficiency. 

The two-storey building, which 

was opened last September, 

has provided the hospital with 

a 21,000 sq.ft. women’s health 

centre. The facilities now available 

include oncology, haematology, 

breast and pregnancy care, along 

with cancer and blood disorder 

treatment, as well as administrative 

offices. 

The Royal Bournemouth 

Hospital’s Jigsaw charity raised 

funding in support of the £5.7 

million building project, giving its 

name to the state-of-the-art-care 

centre. 

The architects wished to ensure 

that, both inside and out, the 

building created a friendly 

environment where patients could 

feel at ease despite the tensions 

aroused by medical procedures. The 

use of timber effect materials and 

complementing colours helps 

provide a relaxing, domestic feel 

despite a highly clinical finish. The 

building is wrapped in variegated 

tones of Trespa® Meteon® Wood 

Decors cladding on the first floor, 

punctured with ribbon windows, 

white brick to the ground floor and 

an undulated roof form to conceal 

roof top plant. 

“Stride Treglown wanted to use a 

material that was ‘natural’ in 

appearance, but that stood out from 

the existing hospital palette of 

materials,” says architect Jessica Ellis. 

“We generally try and use materials 

with a ‘natural’ appearance where 

possible within healthcare 

environments as they can provide 

calming spaces for patients and 

staff.” 

It was also important for the 

client that the building was as low 

maintenance and as energy efficient 

as possible and the 600sq. metres of 

Trespa® Meteon® cladding 

contributed to this within the tight 

budget available for the project. 

In total, seven timber effect 

grains and colours from the Trespa® 

Meteon® range were supplied. Stride 

Treglown varied the mix of these 

along the main elevations providing 

visual interest but also breaking up 

the appearance of the large scale 

elevations. By specifying the matt 

effect panels – all of which were 

new additions to the Trespa® 

Meteon® range when the project 

was designed – the building achieves 

a more natural timber appearance in 

direct sunlight as there is a reduced 

glare from the matt texture. 

“This project proves that design 

does not need to be expensive. Using 

a variety of colours and narrow 

panels has added no extra cost. It 

also proves that a surface fixing 

does not detract from the design,” 

said Simon Vicary, Trespa’s Regional 

Sales Manager. 

Trespa® Meteon® is a decorative 

high-pressure compact laminate 

(HPL) with an integral surface 

manufactured using the company’s 

unique in-house technologies; 

Electron Beam Curing (EBC) and Dry 

Forming (DF). The blend of up to 

70% natural fibres and 

thermosetting resins, manufactured 

under high pressures and 

temperatures yields a highly stable, 

dense panel with good strength-toweight 

ratios. 

Client: Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS 

Foundation Trust. 

Architect: Stride Treglown 

Main Contractor: Brymor Contractors Ltd, Hampshire. 


Trump Turnberry 

Resort Contract 

WINDOWS 

By Appointment to 

Her Majesty The Queen 

Manufacturer and Supplier 

of Secondary Glazing 

Selectaglaze Ltd. 

St Albans 

 

 

Warmer 

Quieter 

Safer 

Mumford & Wood, the 

manufacturer of Britain’s 

finest timber windows 

and doors, was chosen as 

supply partner to replace over 1000 

windows and doors as part of the 

major £200m restoration project at 

Trump Turnberry Resort. This 

extensive refurbishment has 

included the remodelling and 

upgrade of all 103 bedrooms and 

public spaces within the existing 

hotel as well as the construction of 

a new, 500-person grand ballroom – 

the Donald J. Trump Ballroom - at 

this world-renowned golfing and 

leisure venue. 

“Delivering Mr Trump’s vision to 

create the most luxurious hotel 

anywhere in the UK was a great 

challenge that we were delighted to 

accept,” says Frank Buckley, 

managing director, Mumford & 

Wood Limited. “The brief was to 

convert this building to its former 

glory and to once again provide 

opulent, high specification guest 

accommodation. It is a great 

compliment to the Mumford & 

Wood brand and we are proud to 

have this project in our portfolio. 

Production started in October ’15 

and we have delivered in phases to 

meet the build programme set by 

main contractor ISG.” 

Exterior enhancements at the 

hotel included the replacement of 

all the windows with highperformance 

double glazed, timber 

Conservation windows; repairs to 

the roof and dormers and renewal of 

render to all elevations of the 109 

year old building. The new 6,000sq 

ft grand ballroom is an additional 

facility and has been designed to 

blend seamlessly with the original 

architecture of the hotel. 

The specification of 

Conservation products includes top 

hung casements, many in a double 

and triple height configuration; 

large fixed sashes, including curved 

on plan; decorative curved header 

sliding sash windows; double and 

single French doorsets, as well as 

special bullseye shaped windows. 

“We have surveyed every window 

and opening, many of which are 

very high and access is by cherry 

picker only; this was definitely not a 

one-size-fits-all contract,” says 

Owen Dare, technical director. “The 

hotel has been closed for eight 

months and we have worked to a 

very tight build programme. These 

products went through our 

production processes from October 

2015 through to Spring 2016. The 

success of this project relied on our 

specialist expertise in producing 

like-for-like replacements and 

having the capacity to deliver such a 

large and specialist contract to a 

consistently high standard.” 

Factory finished, double glazed 

Conservation products are 

manufactured from premium quality 

engineered Siberian Larch which is 

both stable and durable. 

Manufactured to the exacting 

standards of the British 

Woodworking Federation’s Wood 

Window Alliance scheme they are 

BRE A+ rated and offer the highest 

standards of thermal and acoustic 

performance and many are Secured 

by Design accredited. These Britishmade 

products carry the BSI 

Kitemark and are Energy Saving 

Trust listed. They will be delivered to 

site with three coats of high quality, 

spray-applied microporous paint in 

RAL 9010 as standard which will 

provide the ultimate protection in 

this exposed, coastal location. 

For further information about this 

project of products in the 

Conservation range please 

contact 01621 818155, or visit 

www.mumfordwood.com. 

Follow us on Twitter 

@mumfordwood or 

facebook.com/mumfordwood for 

the latest company news and 

updates. Visitors are welcome at 

the company’s showrooms in 

Tiptree, Essex and at The Building 

Centre, London SW1. 

• Reversible adaptation for Listed 

buildings 

• Exemplary thermal retention and 

draught insulation 

• 

 

• 

• 

• 

 

 

 

Elephant House, Grade II Listed 

 


PROJECT 

Craftsmanship and technology bring modern energy 

performance to Churchill’s historic home 

PROJECT: RENOVATION OF TEMPLETON, FORMER HOME OF WINSTON CHURCHILL IN ROEHAMPTON, LONDON 

CLIENT: RICHSTONE PROPERTIES 

CARPENTER AND INSTALLER: GOWERCROFT JOINERY 

Poor energy performance is a 

compromise often associated 

with owning or living in a 

historic property. 

However, one project aiming to 

show that this doesn’t have to be 

the case is the renovation of 

Templeton, the grand former home 

of Sir Winston Churchill in 

Roehampton, South West London. 

The Grade II listed building is 

currently undergoing a 

transformation from a student 

Finished sliding sash and shutter boxing installed. 

residence for the University of 

Roehampton into a unique and 

luxurious family home. 

One of the most common 

barriers to improving the energy 

performance of protected heritage 

buildings is the strict regulation of 

replacement glazing. For listed 

buildings, it’s typically a stipulation 

that the windows that need 

replacing will be replaced like-forlike 

with those originally featured in 

the property – at least when it 

comes to their 

physical 

appearance. 

In order to meet 

this requirement, 

while also 

delivering the 

insulation that 

owners of a 

lovingly restored 

property might 

expect, 

Templeton’s 

owner, David and 

Laura Rich-Jones 

asked their 

contractor 

Richstone 

properties to find 

a glazing solution 

that would 

deliver on both 

counts. 

The solution? A 

combination of 

high-end bespoke 

carpentry and an 

innovative 

vacuum glazing 

product, 

Pilkington 

Spacia, which 

delivers the 

thermal 

performance of 

high-performance 

double glazing but 

with a total 

thickness of just 

6.5mm – close to 

that of single 

glazed windows. 

Unlike most 

double glazed 

units, which 

contain air or 

another gas in the 

cavity between the 

two panes, 

Pilkington Spacia 

features a vacuum, 

minimising 

conduction of heat 

through the unit. The spacing 

between the sheets of glass is 

maintained using a grid of 

transparent microspacers – small 

pillars measuring just 0.5mm in 

diameter, placed 20mm apart across 

the unit. 

As well as the thickness of the 

glass, another stipulation made by 

the conservation officer was that 

the double reflections often 

associated with double glazing be 

avoided, and this is another feature 

of Pilkington Spacia. Because of 

the presence of the microspacers 

limiting deflection of the glass 

panes, Pilkington Spacia produces 

no discernible double reflection. 

LOW PROFILE, HIGH 

PERFORMANCE 

With 157 windows and 37 external 

doors, re-glazing the building is no 

small task. To carry out the project, 

Richstone has appointed Gowercroft 

Joinery, a Derbyshire-based 

carpenter specialising in windows 

and doors for heritage buildings. 

The age of the building and the 

size of the windows and doors 

means virtually no two frames are 

exactly the same size, and each one 

has had to be measured and 

manufactured to an individual 

specification. The project is a real 

labour of love, and the total 

manufacturing time is expected to 

be around 12,000-15,000 work 

hours. 

Andrew Madge, managing 

director of Gowercroft Joinery, said: 

“It’s a privilege to have been 

selected to work on such an 

impressive and important property. 

It’s great to see the investment 

being made to restore this building 

to its true former glory while also 

bringing its energy performance into 

line with modern standards. 

“We specialise in heritage 

projects and have worked with a 

wide variety of glazing systems 

designed for heritage properties. 

One of the major benefits of 

working with Pilkington Spacia 

over thinner versions of traditional 

air or gas-filled double-glazed units 

that are often used is the larger 

pane sizes it offers. 

“With thin standard double 

glazing units, the cavity is only 4- 

6mm thick and in large panes there 

is a risk that the two panes will bow 

inwards and touch, vastly affecting 

the efficiency of the unit. 

“Even though the styling of 

heritage windows normally prevents 

large uninterrupted panes, the 

bigger unit sizes allows us to apply 

glazing bars to the surface to create 

the traditional effect in a very 

convincing way, rather than 

constructing each panel individually. 

This significantly improves energy 

performance while also reducing 

manufacturing costs. 

“The technology allows us to 

deliver the best of both worlds – 

windows and doors that look to all 

but the expert eye like traditional 

single-glazing but which really 

deliver the levels of heat and noise 

insulation normally only available 

from much thicker double glazing.” 

Peter Maj, area sales manager at 

Pilkington United Kingdom Limited 

said: “When it is complete, this will 

be a stunning property and the 

beautiful, hand-crafted glazing will 

be one of its defining features. We’re 

proud that the technology offered 

by Pilkington Spacia means no 

compromise has to be made 

between modern standards of 

comfort and energy efficiency and 

the need to preserve the character 

of our architectural heritage.” 

Lindsey Eden, head of 

development at Richstone 

Properties, said: “We have been 

delighted to work with Pilkington 

and Gowercroft Joinery to achieve 

such an authentic window and door 

design during the refurbishment of 

this beautiful family home. 

Pilkington Spacia was a 

particularly attractive solution, given 

the thinness of the glazing and its 

thermal performance and noise 

insulation properties’’. 

Web: www.pilkington.co.uk 


ROOFING 

Centre Parks Roof Refurbishment 

With capacity for almost 4000 guests and 96% occupancy, keeping the central area of Center Parcs Longleat 

Forest open was key to the refurbishment of its impressive Subtropical Swimming Paradise. A massive challenge 

for Delomac Roofing, the project to renew the roof with a Sika Sarnafil membrane was accomplished with two 

years of meticulous planning and 30 months of onsite construction. 

Originally completed in 

1994, the Subtropical 

Swimming Paradise roof 

and glazed rain-screen 

systems were in need of 

refurbishment. The new roof 

installation was planned in close 

discussion with the Sika Sarnafil and 

Delomac supply chain, developing 

the specification to address all the 

client’s strict performance, 

environmental and aesthetic 

requirements. 

Chris Meadows, Technical 

Advisor, Sika Sarnafil explained: “The 

client needed a durable, long lasting 

roof system that would complement 

the woodland setting. This was 

complicated by differences between 

the swimming pool side and dry side, 

with restaurants and meeting rooms, 

of the building. 

“We proposed two distinct 

solutions– a mechanically fastened 

system using Sarnafil S327-18EL for 

the dry side and an adhered system 

using Sarnafil G410-18EL for the 

more humid area. Both were 

specified in Patina Green to blend 

with the natural environment. 

Sarnafil membranes are cold applied 

and free from naked flames, the 

obvious choice for an open site.” 

An innovative temporary 

terraced platform was designed and 

installed, suspended underneath the 

main structure by cables and lattice 

beam scaffold units. Work was 

carried out over 16 separate 

sections, like a wagon wheel – 

ensuring the structure was not 

compromised by uneven load 

distribution. This stepped, terraced 

temporary roof was then covered 

with plywood and completely 

weathered by Delomac with a 

Sarnafil membrane. 

With the temporary roof in 

place, existing glazing and coverings 

could be safely removed, 

maintaining water-tightness with 

guests enjoying the facilities below. 

Scheduled over more than two years, 

this way of working resulted in a dry 

building envelope, despite some of 

the wettest weather on record. 

Comprehensive vapour barrier 

measures were used on the pool side 

of the building to ensure the high 

humidity chlorinated environment 

was contained. Robust SFS sealant 

and Sarnafil metal-lined vapour 

barrier detailing at all Glulam beams 

and fascia interfaces ensured no risk 

Work in progress on the Centre Park’s roof. 

of condensation. 

Sarnafil membrane and 

accessories were used for all the 

coverings, and again overall 

specification development was 

tailored to suit the varying buildups; 

new, overlay, bonded and 

mechanically fastened. An increased 

thickness membrane was 

manufactured in one single batch to 

ensure colour consistency. Sika 

added further value with an 

impressive 17 visits to the site by the 

Applications Team to advice and 

support. 

Brendan McNulty, Delomac 

Roofing, described the challenges 

the team faced during the project: 

“Installation methods and curved 

roof areas required our operatives to 

work from harness and rope access. 

We developed an innovative material 

loading trolley with the builder to 

deliver materials to the work 

sections safely, without 

compromising finishes. 

“Workmanship standards 

remained exceptionally high, despite 

the challenging logistics, and met 

the client requirement of consistent 

lap and detail arrangement. This was 

also helped by the quality of the 

Sarnafil membranes. The finished 

installation has transformed the 

internal and external appearance of 

the building. Rooflights and white 

soffit finished decking have provided 

a bright and airy environment, with 

the external green finish blending 

subtly with the landscape. 

“Most importantly, safe, 

unlimited guest access to the pool, 

restaurants and meeting areas was 

maintained throughout the entire 

project; something we’re very proud 

of.” 

Email: sarnafilroofing@uk.sika.com 

Web: www.sika.co.uk 


INSULATION / ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

How to help builders create 

an energy efficient roof 

Mark Cooper, director at innovative European 

insulation firm Actis explains. 

The zero carbon obligation may 

have vanished – but that 

doesn’t mean the need for 

decent insulation has 

disappeared. In fact developers still 

have to achieve demanding thermal 

performance under Part L of 

Building Regulations. 

Thermal bridging is the key issue 

here. Which basically means – if 

there’s a gap then there’s likely to be 

a draught. Just as a prisoner can 

escape from an otherwise wellfortified 

castle courtesy through a 

weak rotten door, so warm air can 

break its way out through the 

unplugged gaps. 

The most usual places where 

thermal bridging can be found are 

at angles, where one element - a 

wall, say – joins another – the eaves, 

for example. As a roof often has 

quite a lot of angles and awkward 

shapes there’s plenty of opportunity 

for air to seep in. Basic science 

explains that if you use something 

solid and inflexible to insulate a roof 

with all its weird shapes, there’s a 

greater chance of gaps. If the 

builder uses a flexible, stretchable, 

forgiving product, on the other 

hand, the gaps are likely to be 

eliminated. The edges of this can be 

then be overlapped and taped 

together to ensure an airtight seal 

and a continuous insulation layer. 

Examples of these type of 

products are blanket style insulation 

material Actis Hybris and its two 

sister membranes, both of which 

offer additional insulation benefits. 

One is a vapour control layer with 

built in thermal performance – H 

Control Hybrid - and the other a 

breather membrane with built in 

thermal performance – Boost R 

Hybrid. Vapour control layers, used 

on the warm side of any insulation 

material, behind the internal finish 

in roofs, walls and ceilings, massively 

reduce the risk of interstitial 

condensation and guarantee air 

tightness. A breather membrane is 

used on the cold side of roofs and 

walls. Because water vapour 

molecules are smaller than those in 

water droplets it lets moisture out 

but doesn’t let water in. It also helps 

improve the building’s air tightness. 

Thermal modelling trials carried 

out by certification body BM TRADA 

have shown that Actis Hybrid 

insulation products have a dramatic 

impact on counteracting thermal 

bridging and act as excellent 

thermal blankets. 

A follow up SAP exercise carried 

out by an independent energy 

assessor to measure the impact of 

these calculations on a whole 

building concluded that using 

Hybrid generated one of the best Y 

values - the total of all thermal 

bridging values across the building - 

ever assessed by his firm. 

It doesn’t have to cost any more 

to insulate a house to an impressive 

U value than to insulate it to the 

minimum required thermal 

efficiency. Some insulation 

materials are easier and quicker to 

install than others – so those which 

take less time obviously mean fewer 

man hours and therefore less outlay 

on labour! 

The more thermally efficient the 

building the less – if anything – 

needs to be spent on costly 

renewables to achieve the required 

energy efficiency targets. The motto 

is “fabric first” – that is, look to 

making your building thermally 

sound as a priority rather than 

finding ways to warm a constantly 

cooling, poorly insulated internal 

environment – which, as well as 

being a nuisance, is a waste of time 

and money! 

Merchants working in windier 

parts of the UK - largely Scotland, 

the North of England and Northern 

Ireland - may be interested in the 

radically updated building standard 

BS5534:2014 slating and tiling for 

pitched roofs and vertical cladding 

code of practice, introduced last 

year. 

The code details the specification 

of mortar bedding, battens, 

flashings, structural sheathing 

fixings and underlays. 

And it is underlays which have 

just become subject to a new 

labelling system designed to help 

builders, architects and specifiers 

minimise the ‘ballooning effect’ 

which sees the underlay force tiles 

and slates off the roof in high winds. 

Underlay is not allowed to balloon 

more than 35mm. 

The labelling identifies the 

amount of wind uplift resistance 

each underlay has in five different 

geographical weather zones 

identified across England, Scotland, 

Wales and Northern Island. 

The higher the zone number the 

windier the region. Not all underlays 

have sufficient wind uplift resistance 

to cope with zones 4 and 5 so it’s 

wise to check the labelling before 

advising builders in these areas. 

A former local authority building 

control officer has conducted his 

own DIY experiment to test out the 

thermal efficiency and ease of use of 

various insulation materials in the 

loft of his family home. 

Ray Parker and his son-in-law 

Peter Yearsley who runs Apex Home 

and Energy Surveyors, tested out 

vapour control layer H Control 

Hybrid to give them first hand 

experience of what it was like to 

use. 

The key factors Ray and Peter 

wanted to test were the ease of 

handling and fitting, cleanliness and 

volume of waste generated by each 

method. In order to make a full 

comparison between using 

traditional insulation methods and 

the Actis Hybrid system the pair 

used PIR board in the studding and 

fastened the HControl Hybrid over 

that. 

Ray explained: We wanted to be 

able to show how much mess was 

generated by using traditional PIR 

board – and also demonstrate that 

with board you have to cut it to 

shape which is likely to leave gaps – 

which is obviously not good for 

thermal performance. 

“The benefit when it comes to 

avoiding cold bridging is that you 

can overcut so there aren’t any gaps. 

I watched a bricklayer fitting it. He 

cut it 15mm bigger than he needed 

and tucked it in like a blanket – it 

seals the gaps and follows the 

contours. 

“We could immediately feel the 

difference. It stops draughts and is a 

good vapour control layer. 

“The basic advantage is it’s 

quicker to achieve the same U-value. 

But it’s also a bonus that there’s no 

waste, and it’s easy. One person – 

and an amateur at that - can 

probably do it alone and could even 

plasterboard it out if using smaller 

plasterboard. 

“Where possible now we’ll 

recommend Actis because it’s easier 

to use and LABC approved and we 

can say that with confidence. 

Thermal bridging issues, ease and 

speed of installation, mess (or lack 

thereof) and wastage are relevant in 

new builds as well as extensions and 

loft conversions – along with more 

unusual types of construction such 

as park homes, which are now 

required to be more thermally 

efficient under revised BS standards. 

There is also a rise in interest in 

replacing traditional conservatory 

roofs with solid insulated 

alternatives to ensure the 

conservatory can be used all year 

round. 

Many insulation manufacturers 

offer merchants training ensuring 

they fully understand the products 

they are selling. 

FROM ACTIS THESE INCLUDE: 

1. A CPD module certified by the 

Construction CPD Certification 

Service, looking at the effects of 

external factors on the fabric 

efficiency of a building. 

2. On line step by step “How to” 

videos and photo guide on YouTube 

and the Actis website 

3. A free web simulator enabling 

developers to estimate a project’s U- 

value almost instantly 

4. e-training modules specifically 

for merchants 

Web: www..insulation-actis.com 


INSULATION 

SPRAY FOAM INSULATION FOR NEW 

BUILD AND RETROFITTING 

When it comes to 

usefulness, not many 

building materials can 

compare to spray 

polyurethane foam insulation (SPF). 

SPF is an ideal insulation material for 

architects when energy efficiency 

and complying with regulations 

where air tightness and thermal 

performance are important. 

SPF provides an effective 

thermal and air control layer around 

a buildings envelope. The air sealing 

properties and thermal insulation 

rating as well as the design flexibility 

aspects make SPF the all in one 

solution for architects and builders 

insulating residential, commercial, 

military and industrial buildings. 

To create spray foam insulation, 

liquid polyurethane precursors (Aside 

– MDI and a B-side – polyol 

blend) are combined to produce a 

foamed material structurally 

composed of small bubbles or cells. 

The two components are mixed 

under pressure at the end of the 

spray guns’ nozzle which is applied 

directly onto wall, roof or floor 

foundations. Once applied SPF 

immediately adheres to the surface 

and then expands 20 -120 times its 

original size filling gaps and acting 

as an adhesive 

to bond 

materials. 

When 

properly 

installed, SPF 

can be an ideal 

air control 

material because 

it forms a 

continuous air 

control layer 

around 

penetrations like 

pipes, doors and 

windows. 

Additionally, it’s 

an excellent bulk 

water and 

moisture barrier. 

It also provides 

structural enhancements to 

buildings. When applied under roof 

decks, closed cell foam can reduce 

uplift and protect the structure in 

high wind areas. 

Whether the objective is to 

increase energy efficiency meet or 

beat sustainability goals, provide 

sound insulation, create a superior 

air control layer or improve 

structural integrity. SPF is a proven 

asset to any builder or architects 

path to success. By matching the 

needs of the structure with the 

benefits of SPF almost any new or 

existing commercial building can 

benefit from SPF. 

RUBICON INTERIORS, STEVENAGE 

Ecotite has completed several 

refurbishment contracts for Rubicon 

Interiors around central London. They 

were originally invited to quote for 

their new offices/warehouse roof. 

During Ecotite’s site visit It came to 

their attention that the roof was 

already double skinned so was 

already insulated to a certain degree. 

They realised that the primary 

concern, roof condensation wasn’t 

going to be a problem once they 

moved in and introduced heat into 

the building. After briefing and 

reading the plans, they realised that 

one side was only going to be used 

for general storage, work area and 

parking for their vans with the 

remaining area having an open plan 

office design. 

As the unit was located opposite 

one of the busiest station/railway 

lines in and out of London and their 

vans would be parking and loading 

in the warehouse side there was 

going to be considerable interference 

for the office staff working in that 

area from noise and air pollution. So 

they were advised to focus purely on 

isolating the offices from the 

warehouse with the spray foam 

insulation rather than wasting 

money spraying the roof 

over the warehouse side, 

which already had some 

insulation. 

They sprayed 75mm 

between metal studs to all 

external and dividing walls 

and 40mm to the roof and 

underside of the mezzanine 

floor within the office areas 

to meet the U Value target 

required. The result has 

given them a very airtight 

and efficient office area 

and boardroom. Ecotite not 

only gave them an optimal 

YOUR FRIENDLY SPRAY FOAM SPECIALISTS 

A few reasons why Ecotite spray foam could help 

you with your next project. 

✓ Most versatile and advanced insulation on 

the market. 

✓ Creates a seamless thermal, air & vapour 

barrier in one application. 

✓ Applied rapidly, speeding up construction. 

✓ Down sizing of HVAC can be reduced by up 

to 50% without loss of efficiency & comfort. 

✓ No handling or storage needed. 

✓ Prevents air/noise pollution. 

✓ Irregular surfaces & awkward areas are easily 

taken care of. 

✓ Significantly improves racking strength and 

structural integrity of the building. 

✓ No mechanical fixing, preventing cold bridging. 

✓ Asbestos encapsulation 

Tel: 0800 3689700 

ABOVE - Rubicon HQ, Seven oaks, Kent 

Email: enquiries@ecotite.co.uk 

www.ecotite.co.uk 

performing insulation, they also 

eliminated noise/air pollution, 

moisture intrusion & wind uplift with 

the end results giving the 20 plus 

office staff a very healthy 

conditioned working environment to 

work in during both cold and; warm 

conditions. 

Ecotite are a 24/7 hands on 

company with over 25 years of 

experience working in the spray 

foam industry, in different climates. 

If it’s the first time companies are 

considering using spray foam 

insulation and have any questions 

regarding the product, the company 

are happy to answer any questions. 

Email: enquiries@ecotite.co.uk 

Tel: 0800 3689700 

Fax: 0800 7566731 

Web: www.ecotite.co.uk 

ABOVE - One of many Wynnstay Stores completed by Ecotite 


PROJECTS 

Weber render saves time and money at Leisure Centre 

The weber.rend OCR preblended 

one-coat render 

system has been used in the 

construction of the £12.5 

million new leisure, sports and 

swimming pool complex recently 

opened at Flitwick in Bedfordshire 

by Central Bedfordshire Council. 

Significant savings in time and 

money have resulted from the use of 

weber.rend OCR specified as 

background render for substantial 

areas of tiling in the pool areas as 

well as the preparation of larger 

areas of render prior to the 

application of painted finishes. The 

faster application times achieved by 

the pump applied, one-coat render 

saves labour costs and speeds the 

construction program substantially. 

Together with lower material 

volumes, when compared with 

traditional cement and sand renders, 

further budget benefits are 

All pumped up about London 

It may not be that obvious what 

the Tate Modern, The Shard, 

Wimbledon, the Walkie Talkie 

Building, Lords, Francis Crick 

Institute, Royal London, the Supreme 

Court, ArcelorMittal Orbit and the 

O2 have in common? There are 

some more obvious connections, 

they are all iconic buildings in 

London, most are pretty well known 

and some have even played their 

part in changing the London skyline. 

However, the real answer is that 

all of these structures are supported 

on a day-to-day basis by a wide 

range of Grundfos pumps. Behind 

closed doors, locked away in 

plantrooms, there is a veritable army 

of Grundfos pumps and pump 

solutions that are meeting the 

heating, cooling, water supply, 

wastewater, fire suppression demands 

and of course water boosting needs. 

Such functions are all part of 

maintaining these buildings in a 

healthy, operational state and 

supporting the people who live, work 

and play within their walls. 

Being part of projects like this is 

great and at Grundfos we are all 

pleased to be associated with such 

important schemes. However, we 

are also proud of the many others 

not so famous and not necessarily 

just new projects up and down the 

country that we also support on a 

daily basis. 

If you want to know more about 

how we could work with you, visit 

www.grundfos.co.uk 

achieved. 

weber.rend OCR is designed as a 

technical basecoat render for a wide 

variety of stable substrates including 

brickwork, blockwork and concrete, 

and provides an ideal background 

for all Weber finishes, masonry 

paints and other surface coatings. 

The render is based on Portland 

cement, lime and sand which is 

factory blended to ensure 

consistency and conforms to British 

Standard mix formulas BS5262 and 

BS5492. weber.rend OCR is available 

in two grades suitable for external 

rendering or as a tile backing render; 

weber.rend OCRT, a lime-free version 

for tiling background, that conforms 

to BS5385, was also used in this 

project. 

With just the addition of clean 

water on site, these bagged products 

require just one coat to deliver 

render thicknesses of between 8mm 

and 20mm with a 2-3 day curing 

time. By comparison, traditional 

renders would need several passes to 

build a 20mm thickness, with three 

day curing periods between each 

pass. weber.rend OCR is a fast, 

efficient render system for modern 

building operations. 

The Flitwick Leisure Centre 

opened at the end of February 2016 

bringing superb new health and 

sports facilities to the residents of 

this area of Bedfordshire. The 

sparkling centre includes an eight 

lane, 25 metre swimming pool; 

separate learner pool zone; sports 

hall; fitness suite with 120 cardio 

machines; three dance and exercise 

studios; two squash courts; a 10 

metre high indoor climbing wall and 

first class changing facilities, crèche 

and cafe area. 

The main contractor for this 

project was SDC Builders Limited, 

Bedford, where project manager 

Paddy Leslie gives credit to the 

weber.rend OCR as well as the skills 

and experience of the specialist 

applicator Jordaya Contracting 

Limited, Rushden, Northants. “Pool 

halls are a difficult build project in 

terms of both design and access, and 

also in terms of scheduling the 

various trades, but the weber OCR 

and Jordaya got the job done for us. 

The pumped system has benefits in 

that there is more controlled mixing 

and application with less waste.” 

Sean Denton of Jordaya 

Contracting, who is regularly 

involved with major civic build 

projects such as the Flitwick Leisure 

Centre, says: “These are big builds 

that need to be delivered quickly 

after long periods of planning and 

consultation. We proposed and used 

Weber products at Flitwick Leisure 

Centre as we have used these 

products many times and know we 

will achieve the consistency and 

ease of material handling along with 

the factory formulated back-up that 

we could not get with site mixed 

products. 

“We applied weber.rend OCRT on 

2000m² for tiling background; 

weber.rend OCR on 500m² for 

painted walls and brought in 

weber.rend LAC render mortar for 

200m² of low level concrete walls 

which we treated first with 

weber.rend aid to ensure a strong 

bond. We saved a great amount of 

time and reduced material costs 

which is always appreciated by the 

main contractor. We have great faith 

in Weber materials and the supply 

chain.” 

For more information about this 

project, or for technical support, 

please contact Saint-Gobain Weber 

on 08703 330 070, or visit 

www.netweber.co.uk. Customers in 

Ireland should call 028 9335 2999 

or visit www.weber.ie 

A free download of the new 

weber.app for iPhone and iPad 

users is also available from iTunes 

and from Google Play for Android 

smartphones and tablet users. 

Follow Saint-Gobain Weber on 

Twitter @SGWeberUK for the 

latest company news and updates. 


Profloor Levelling System 

gives a lift to flats conversion 

The A. Proctor Group Ltd, renowned for providing high quality, innovative solutions 

for the construction industry has supplied its Profl oor Levelling System to 

contractors Andrew Towns Wadey Builders to help with the conversion of a Grade II 

listed building in Reigate to residential fl ats. The Linden Court development in 

Lesbourne Road designed by PRP Architects will provide 38 new homes. 

The former offi ce buildings required a fl oating fl oor acoustic treatment to the 

existing out of level fl oors, and Profl oor Levelling System was selected as the ideal 

solution. 

Developed to allow a level fi nished fl oor to be installed on a cambered, stepped, or 

uneven sub-fl oor, Profl oor Levelling System is typically used on structural concrete fl 

oors where the differences in level are too great. The fl oor is levelled by inserting packers 

in each levelling base to adjust the level of the timber battens, and create a level fi nished 

fl oor, with no need for wet trades in the process. 

Offering the perfect solution for conversions and new build developments of fl ats 

where impact and airborne sound reduction is mandatory, the Profl oor Levelling System is 

easy to install, and enables developers and contractors to meet the performance 

requirements of the current building regulations. 

For more information and technical details contact our website: 

www.proctorgroup.com 

The Proctor Group, The Haugh, Blairgowrie, Perthshire PH10 7ER 

Tel: 01250 872261 Fax: 01250 872727 Email: contact@proctorgroup.com 


PROJECTS 

New Altro Showroom London created by Ab Rogers Design 

Leading flooring and walling 

solutions company Altro has 

worked with internationally 

renowned Ab Rogers Design to 

create an inspiring, interactive new 

showroom that showcases a 

multitude of colourful and creative 

possibilities, and challenges 

perceptions of flooring and walling 

products. 

The innovative space was created 

by Ab Rogers Design in collaboration 

with Altro to celebrate the colour 

and creative flexibility of Altro’s 

products. “The showroom immerses 

you in the essence of Altro, 

exploring its ethos as a 

manufacturer of inspirational 

products,” explains Ab Rogers. “It 

was exciting to have this huge 

palette of products from which to 

create a gallery of Altro and to work 

with a client who understands our 

fascination with colour and the 

powerful effect it can have on an 

environment.” 

The Altro Showroom London has 

been created as an interactive space, 

with Altro’s many and varied 

products available to see, touch and 

take away, and a range of digital 

tools to help bring ideas to life. 

Resources include Altro’s digital 

kiosk where you can scan product 

Tormax automates glass arch access 

Delivering invisible automation to a new 

arched glass doorway, TORMAX was 

contracted to install their technologically 

advanced iMotion 1401 operator into the 

stone floor of the entrance to the Porter’s Lodge, 

Christ Church at Oxford University. Ideal for 

samples, find out more about ranges 

and colour options and then email 

the information to your own 

account - perfect if you don’t want 

to carry samples around with you. 

Altro’s new Space visualiser tool 

allows you to select Altro flooring 

and wall cladding solutions and 

place them into different 3D 

environments, including a bathroom 

and commercial kitchen. The Altro 

Space visualiser allows you to see 

how Altro products and shades look 

like in-situ and from all angles, 

meaning you can choose the right 

options for your installation with 

even more confidence. 

As you would expect from a 

company renowned for the quality 

of its customer care, there are also 

friendly, knowledgeable Altro staff 

on hand to discuss everything from 

design trends to technical product 

details whenever you visit the Altro 

Showroom London. You can also 

book the showroom for meetings. 

Altro’s CEO Richard Kahn is 

delighted to see the long-planned 

concept brought to life. He said: 

“We chose to work with Ab Rogers 

Design as they create spaces that 

enhance physical and emotional 

period properties such as this, the iMotion 1401 

makes it possible to benefit from the convenience 

of an automatic entrance, without interfering with 

an historic façade. 

The Porter’s Lodge is the security and 

information hub of the College, monitoring 

alarms, safeguarding keys, receiving and sending 

mail, directing visitors and generally providing 

information. The Lodge is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 

days a week for most of the year and is constantly 

busy with staff, students and tourists calling in to 

ask questions or for assistance. The new entrance 

was part of a re-design of the Lodge carried out 

by Montgomery Architects, in conjunction with 

Christ Church, English Heritage and an OCC 

Conservation Officer, bringing the facilities into 

the 21st Century whilst safeguarding the historic 

character of this Grade I listed Wolsey building. 

Replacing a wooden door, aluminium and glass 

specialist, Openwood, was contracted to design 

and manufacture an all-glass frameless arched 

doorway, with TORMAX providing specialist 

automation with the iMotion 1401 door drive. 

Bringing light to the interior, the new door 

undoubtedly enhances the aesthetics of the 

building whilst also being a practical solution. 

“The old manual door often ended up being 

propped open much of the time,” confirms Robert 

Montgomery of Montgomery Architects. “The 

glass automatic entrance helps minimise heat loss 

from the building whilst also creating a more 

welcoming aspect to encourage people inside.” 

Entirely unique in the marketplace, the 

TORMAX range of iMotion door operators are 

wellbeing, that transform people’s 

environments - completely aligned 

with Altro’s ethos. They have used 

Altro products for years and we 

knew they understood all that Altro 

has to offer. Their design is a 

celebration of the possibilities that 

can be achieved with our products 

and solutions.” 

Visitors to Clerkenwell Design 

Week in May were the first to 

experience all that the Altro 

Showroom London has to offer. 

Architects, designers, existing and 

new customers had plenty to say 

about the new resource, describing 

it as “playful and inventive”, 

“”exciting and creative”, “fun and 

inviting”, “captivating and 

inspirational”. They said that 

“focusing on the visual and tactile 

experience is a great shortcut to 

developing a specification”, and that 

“it’s a comfortable space I could 

spend time in to experiment with 

Altro products”. 

The Altro Showroom London is at 

15 Clerkenwell Green. It is open 

Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 

5.00pm, and at other times by 

appointment. 

Drop in to see us, 

or call 020 7490 8237. 

Web: www.altro.co.uk 

recognised for their exceptional life expectancy. 

This is due to the fact that their high torque 

motors do not feature any of the parts that 

generally wear out, such as gears and brushes. 

This significantly improves reliability in the long 

term and dramatically reduces required 

maintenance. 

Thanks to this outstanding design, the iMotion 

1401 can practically be located within a steel box 

beneath the floor of the Porter’s Lodge door, 

delivering reliable yet invisible automation for 

many years to come. 

Email: sales@tormax.co.uk 

Web: www.tormax.co.uk 


RESTORATION 

Rainham Hall Restoration 

Julian Harrap Architects has just completed an ambitious restoration of Rainham Hall, a rare surviving early 

18th century Merchants house in east London, into a significant visitor attraction. 

Rainham FrontThe £2.5m 

project has also involved 

the refurbishment of the 

adjoining two-storey brick 

stable block and brew house to 

provide essential facilities, including 

a café and community room. 

Sensitively designed interventions 

and additions by Julian Harrap 

Architects have been employed to 

maximise the use of the building 

and improve the internal layout and 

circulation. These include a striking 

new timber-clad vertical lift shaft, 

spiral cantilevered stair and WC 

extension. 

Built in 1729 by John Harle, a 

merchant and sea captain, the grade 

II* listed buildings were found 

largely unaltered since the three 

acre estate was inherited by the 

National Trust in 1949. Initial 

support from the Heritage Lottery 

Fund in March 2012 enabled Julian 

Harrap Architects to repair and 

develop the five-storey Hall and 

ancillary buildings for public use. 

The design of the new lift core 

positioned in the brew house, echo 

the scale and appearance of the 

large copper vats used in the 18th 

century brewing process. Vertical 

boards of air-dried European oak 

line the circular lift structure. A 

lightweight, finely detailed staircase 

incorporating thick timber treads, a 

crimped brass mesh balustrade and 

an extruded tubular brass handrail, 

wrap around the lift providing 

access to the upper level via a 

gantry platform. 

New oak doors in the cross wall 

allow entry from the brew house 

into the refurbished stable block 

where the understated ground floor 

café and first floor community room 

are located.DGIL-0222-0017 

Access has also been provided 

from the ground floor of the brew 

house to the new, sensitively 

designed lavatory extension. The 

single-storey lean-to, built over the 

footprint of a former 1940’s privy, 

employs traditional construction 

materials, but in a markedly 

contemporary language. Clad 

externally in weatherboarding, with 

timber also expressed internally, a 

warm and tactile finish has been 

created. A slender, clerestory window 

runs around the perimeter at eaves 

height drawing in daylight and 

giving a modern twist to the 

vernacular tradition. 

“The design for the WC extension 

incorporates materials that were 

historically typical for ancillary 

outbuildings, but the detailing 

defines it as a modern piece of 

architecture,” said Robert Sandford, 

partner at Julian Harrap Architects. 

Web: 

www.julianharraparchitects.co.uk 


PROJECT 

Bradite’s 2K Floor and Wall 

EW99 specialist coating was 

recently specified as part of 

the rebuild of the Gatwick 

Aviation Museum. Located northwest 

of Gatwick Airport in the 

Surrey village of Charlwood, this 

aerospace museum houses a unique 

hands-on display of British designed 

aircraft ‘from post-war to cold war.’ 

Now run as a charitable trust, 

the museum began in 1981 when 

local businessman and aircraft 

enthusiast, Peter Vallance, 

transformed a run-down battery 

farm to house his growing collection 

of aircraft, parts, models and 

memorabilia. However, as the 

collection grew, most of the aircraft 

had been stored outside for more 

than 20 years, a situation which had 

been causing space and 

maintenance problems. 

To ensure the heritage of this 

significant collection, a new 

structure has now been built to 

house a number of historic aircraft, 

including Gloster Meteor T.7, De 

‘Havilland Venom, De ‘Havilland Sea 

Vixen, Hawker Hunter T.7, Hawker 

Harrier GR.3 and English Electric 

Lightning F.53, plus the Blackburn 

Buccaneer S.1 which will soon be 

moved into the new building. 

OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE 

NEW 

Demolition of the old building, 

including asbestos removal, was 

carried out, with the rebuild 

scheduled for completion within 10 

weeks. When it came to the floor 

treatment, the application of a high 

performance non-slip coating was 

imperative: this would allow visitors 

to get up close to the aircraft safely 

and ensure the floor itself could 

withstand heavy traffic during the 

museum’s busiest times. 

To meet these requirements, 

Bradite’s 2K Floor and Wall EW99 

was specified, and supplied by the 

Horsham branch of Brewers. This 

two-pack water-thinned, epoxy 

coating and finish paint is designed 

for application to floors, walls, 

structural steel and machinery. 

Delivering a tough, hard-wearing 

film, EW99 is easy to clean and 

decontaminate, and it can be used 

with a low-slip additive for extra 

performance in projects such as the 

Gatwick Aviation Museum. 

Ashley Colella, the museum’s 

manager, explains the progress of 

the rebuild and Bradite’s 

contribution: “First, we applied a 

thinned base coat of Bradite’s EW99 

that was watered down. Then we 

applied two coats of EW99 mixed 

with aggregate to give us a low slip 

surface. We required a total of 385 

litres to cover the new building’s 

floor area of 1805 square metres. 

“This was left to dry for one 

week before the first three aircraft 

were brought in. By this time, the 

floor was suitably hardened and the 

Hawker Seahawk, Gloster Meteor 

and De ‘Havilland Venom were 

moved undercover for the first time 

in over 20 years.” 

An added challenge arose when 

all aircraft and engines had to be 

moved up the entire length of the 

museum for arranging and 

positioning. Despite some of the 

engines weighing around 1.5 ton - 

Aviation museu 

‘the Bradite 

and the heaviest aircraft weighing 

12 ton - volunteers and staff were 

impressed that no damage occurred 

to the floor, thus demonstrating 

EW99’s durability and wearresistance. 

“As we brought in more 

equipment and displays, including 

our large collection of very heavy 

and awkward engines,” Ashley 

continues, “we were delighted to see 

that the floor paint was holding up 

with no problems. It withstood the 

weight of the aircraft and the tug 

without peeling or loosening, and 

even survived the unavoidable 

scratching and scuffing resulting 

from the forklift we were using. We 

were all extremely impressed with 

the way the newly painted floor is 

standing up to the punishment.” 

The finished floor which was left to 

dry for one week before the first of 

three aircraft were brought in. 


PROJECT 

m rebuild gets 

treatment’ 

cure is achieved in six days. 

Recommended application is by 

brush and roller, by conventional air 

spraying or by airless spraying. 

“In the case of the Gatwick 

Aviation Museum,” says James 

Burton, Bradite’s national sales 

manager, “initially we visited the site 

to see the base had been laid, the 

building being built, and the floor 

professionally prepared to the 

specification requests. After the 

allotted time and when the unit was 

weather-tight, we met with all the 

people of the museum to discuss 

Bradite EW99 for the floor. 

“Our team then carried out 

regular visits to check on the 

preparation and application of our 

products,” James continues. “After 

three coats of EW99 were applied to 

the floor, the airframes were moved 

into their new home, ready for the 

opening of the museum on 25th 

March this year, just in time for the 

busy Easter weekend.” 

For this project, Bradite’s SA12 

aggregate was used in conjunction 

with EW99 to reinforce the low-slip 

finish. This additive, which consists 

of tough, hard-wearing particles, is 

suitable for use with all types of 

floor and deck paint to give a low 

slip surface in areas of heavy traffic 

and helps to prevent accidents on 

wet floor areas. 

THE SHACKLETON: NEXT UP FOR 

THE BRADITE TREATMENT 

Bradite has also supplied its WC44 

Cladit for the repair and 

maintenance of the Avro Shackleton 

MK3 PH3, which is stored outdoors 

along with the Percival Sea Prince. 

“With the Avro Shackleton due for a 

re-paint,” Ashley explains, “once 

again we are looking to Bradite for 

help. After stripping the old paint 

off to a rough paintable surface, we 

will then treat any areas showing 

signs of corrosion before applying a 

base coat primer. 

“We then plan to spray the entire 

aircraft with Bradite’s Cladit to 

achieve a hard-wearing, durable 

surface to withstand the weather: as 

this aircraft is too large to fit into 

our new building, we need to 

protect it from the elements and 

reduce the potentially damaging 

impact of the weather.” 

A water-thinned polyurethane 

acrylic finish, Cladit is designed to 

provide long-lasting protection of 

exterior cladding elevations. Hardwearing 

and flexible, this specialist 

coating offers easy maintenance and 

excellent weather resistance, plus 

the convenience of quick drying and 

low VOCs. Surface dry in one hour, 

with an overcoat time of four hours 

minimum, Cladit offers a spread rate 

of nine square metres per litre. 

Application is by spray, brush or 

roller, and the product comes in 5L 

packs. 

MARKING A NEW CHAPTER IN 

THE MUSEUM’S HISTORY 

With the completion of its new 

building, the Gatwick Aviation 

Museum moves into a new phase. 

Bradite, a company with a long 

history of its own dating back to 

1938, is pleased to be making a 

contribution to this significant 

heritage project. 

Web: www.bradite.com 

FEATURES AND BENEFITS OF 

BRADITE EW99 

Resistant to many chemicals and 

solvents, EW99 inhibits the growth 

of fungus and bacteria, and can also 

be used as an anti-graffiti coating in 

common internal areas. As there are 

no solvent fumes, no odour and no 

tainting of food, there is no 

discomfort or disruption caused to 

nearby operatives; this avoids the 

costly inconvenience of shutdowns 

during application. Safe after use, 

this floor paint is certified as class O 

for surface spread of flame to 

BS476. 

EW99 delivers a spreading rate of 

approximately 12 square metres per 

litre and is surface dry in two hours, 

with overcoating possible after a 

minimum of 16 hours. Complete 

Bradite’s 2k Floor and Wall EW99 

being applied to the museum floor. 


PROJECT 

Refurb of Queen’s Building, Bristol Royal infirmary 

Like many hospitals of its generation, the Bristol Royal Infirmary building on Upper Maudlin Street had been 

subject to ongoing internal refurbishment and upgrade whilst retaining the original facade. Over time, the 

facade’s concrete elements had deteriorated necessitating remedial structural works to make safe. 

PIC BY CRAIG AUCKLAND, FOTOHAUS 

University Hospitals Bristol 

NHS Foundation Trust also 

recognised that the external 

appearance of the Bristol 

Royal Infirmary did not reflect the 

quality of care provided within. 

“When I understood just what we had 

to do to the facade to make it safe 

long-term, in terms of windows and 

efficiencies of the building, it became 

apparent that for relatively little 

additional cost we could start 

improving the appearance,” said 

Deborah Lee, Chief Operating Officer 

and Deputy Chief Executive. When 

the appearance of the building was 

discussed with patients and visitors 

they told her it gave the impression 

that the hospital was dirty. 

To address both deficiencies, the 

Trust held an international design 

competition, the winning design 

being named “Veil” by Spanish 

architects Nieto Sobejano Architectos, 

who subsequently worked closely on 

design development with CODA 

Architects, the local architectural 

practice responsiblefor 

redevelopment projects on the Bristol 

Royal Infirmary precinct. 

Robert Woolley, Chief Executive 

at University Hospitals Bristol NHS 

Foundation Trust, said: “We believe 

that Nieto Sobejano’s design strongly 

meets the original aims of the 

commission, namely to create a 

landmark building for Bristol that is 

welcoming and non-threatening, 

enhances the streetscape and public 

realm and reflects, through 

excellence in design, our reputation 

for excellence in clinical services.” 

The new facade had to meet the 

architect’s aesthetic intent whilst also 

meeting the technical requirements 

of the project. Andy Headdon, 

Strategic Development Programme 

Director at the Trust, said of the 

existing building: “At the moment, 

the concrete has some problems. We 

After refurd, 

and below 

before refurb. 

are tidying it up and making sure it is 

safe. The new system will protect the 

structure underneath so it will not 

deteriorate, and there will be better 

natural ventilation in the hospital 

when the windows are open.” 

In addition, overcladding would 

extend the useful life of the building 

and provide a thermally-efficient 

building envelope while substantially 

reducing heating energy 

consumption, operational carbon 

emissions and internally improving 

patient comfort levels. 

Following a two-stage 

procurement process, leading design 

and build overcladding specialists 

d+b facades, Salisbury, were 

appointed for detailed design and 

installation of the new polyester 

powder coated insulated aluminium 

rainscreen, high-performance 

windows and a free-standing 

overclad screen in front of the 

building interfacing back to the main 

facade. 

The project was technically 

challenging, not only because the 

existing facade comprised an 

irregular array of projecting concrete 

nibs but the building was occupied 

throughout requiring sophisticated 

project delivery in order to minimise 

disruption to patients, clinical 

services and other building users. 

Non-uniformity of the facade 

precluded modular design, instead 

requiring bespoke solutions installed 

floor-by-floor with the projecting 

nibs being encased. Integrated within 

the rainscreen are vertical full-height 

LED lighting strips with phased 

operation. 

The 500 tilt-and-turn windows 

presented further challenges as the 

architectural design demanded that 

the white façade should appear to 

have no distinguishing windows. d+b 

facades’ innovative solution was to 

apply film to the windows to preserve 

the consistent appearance but 

minimise opacity when viewed from 

inside. Replacement windows were 

installed from the outside before 

removing the existing windows from 

within in order to minimise 

disruption. Linda Clarke, Divisional 

Lead for Therapies for the Trust’s 

Surgery, Head & Neck Division 

commented: “The team from d+b 

facades have been amazing. The 

quality of the work is extremely high 

and they have been extremely quick. 

Communication has been great and 

they have worked with us so as not 

to disrupt the service to our 

patients.” 

Through high-quality sustainable 

refurbishment of the Bristol Royal 

Infirmary, the Trust has set a 

magnificent example to other NHS 

Trusts. The Queen’s building has 

undergone continual internal 

modernisation and now has a striking 

new, energy-efficient façade which 

reflects the quality of services 

provided within. The new façade is 

designed to surpass current building 

standards and protect the original 

building’s fabric, future-proofing and 

extending the life of building for 

generations to come, exemplifying 

sustainable regeneration. 

Furthermore, appearances DO 

matter and improved aesthetics can 

translate into tangible financial 

benefit for NHS Trusts. Trusts are 

businesses with patients generating 

revenue. If transforming a hospital 

increased patient numbers by less 

than 0.1%, the refurbishment cost 

would pay for itself. 

Client: University Hospitals Bristol NHS foundation Trust. 

Architect: CODA Architects. 

Main Contractor: Laing O’Rourke. 

Structural Engineer: Aecorn. 

M&E: Hoare Lea. 

Cladding: d+b facades. 


SOCIAL HOUSING 

Berwickshire HA keeps tenants safe 

Berwickshire Housing 

Association (BHA) has 

announced its decision to 

install sophisticated Aico 

Smoke and Heat Alarm system 

solutions to reduce call outs, provide 

tenants with more control, enable 

alarm data extraction and connect 

with external telecare systems. 

BHA has 1800 homes in 

Berwickshire and Berwick-upon- 

Tweed, from single’s flats and family 

homes to bungalows adapted for 

disabled people and sheltered 

housing for older people. 

Aico’s new mains powered Multi- 

Sensor Fire Alarm, Ei2110e, will be 

installed throughout all of these 

properties over the coming years. 

David Gray, Assistant Technical 

Services Manager at BHA, explains 

the organisation’s decision to fit the 

new Aico Multi-Sensors throughout 

these properties: “BHA have decided 

to install Multi-Sensor alarms as part 

of our ongoing works and 

specification. 

Due to the dual sensors 

communicating with each other, BHA 

foresees a reduction in call outs to 

electricians for alarms sounding when 

no fire is present.” The Multi-Sensor 

Fire Alarm contains two sensor types, 

optical and heat, to constantly 

monitor smoke and heat levels, 

sending and receiving information via 

its intelligent detection software. 

This sensor information alters the 

alarm’s sensitivity and trigger points, 

automatically providing the best 

response to all fire types and reduces 

potential false alarms. 

This alarm comes with a host of 

sophisticated features, including data 

extraction technology AudioLINK. 

AudioLINK is an award winning 

technology that enables real time 

data to be extracted from each alarm 

using its sounder directly to a 

smartphone or tablet via an App to 

create an Alarm Status Report. 

The Report displays useful 

information about the alarm, such as 

battery life, alarm sensors status, 

number of times tested and removed; 

and any alarm activation, with details 

of when it occurred - all in a simple 

format. AudioLINK is installed in all 

Ei2110e models as standard. 

In addition, Ei2110e alarms also 

have RadioLINK+ capability. 

RadioLINK+ goes a step further, 

enabling whole system data to be 

extracted, such as the number and 

location of alarms and Radio 

Frequency (RF) signal strength 

between alarms, which can be 

accessed securely from within or even 

outside a property if access is an 

issue. 

This alarm system technology can 

also help with maintenance of asset 

management records as details are 

recorded for each individual alarm 

system. 

RadioLINK+ is also used to 

interconnect alarms on the system 

without the need to hard wire them 

together. 

It comes as a plug in module, 

which has the added benefit of 

negating the need for a separate 

RadioLINK base. 

BHA is keen to make the most of 

this cutting edge technology, as 

David states: “BHA intends using the 

AudioLINK App as well as developing 

the use of the RadioLINK+ 

functionality to eventually integrate 

with our systems here. 

This will also ensure our staff 

utilise all our electronic mobile 

working solutions.” In addition to 

the Multi-Sensors, BHA will be 

installing Ei450 Alarm Controllers to 

allow tenants to test and silence 

alarms on the system, plus locate the 

trigger alarm, all from a safe, 

accessible location. 

Aico’s Fire/CO Alarm Interface, 

Ei414, will also be installed. 

“Our intention is to link these 

systems to any Telecare or adaptation 

equipment within the property as 

well as the Fire Detection systems” 

states David. 

“We are currently working with 

Aico on our Sheltered Housing 

complexes to install these systems.” 

The installation work has already 

begun, starting in BHA’s empty 

properties, with the aim of bringing 

them up to the more stringent LD2 

category of fire protection. 

To meet this, Multi-Sensors will 

be installed in the main living area 

and will be replacing Optical and 

Ionisation alarms on exit routes. 

This will be rolled out to all BHA’s 

housing stock over time. 

“BHA look to future proof our 

fire detection equipment and liaise 

closely with Aico on new products 

available,” comments David. 

“The service from Aico has been 

first class and gives BHA the 

confidence going forward that our 

properties have market leading 

products installed. 

This ensures our customers are 

safe in their homes.” A wholly 

owned subsidiary of Ei Electronics, 

Aico are market leaders in residential 

fire and CO protection in the UK. 

All alarms are designed and built 

in Ireland specifically to meet the UK 

standards and regulations. 

With more mains powered 

domestic smoke alarms installed in 

the UK’s social housing than any 

other manufacturer, Aico is tried, 

tested and trusted. 

For more information please go to 

www.aico.co.uk or contact Aico on 

01691 664100 or 

enquiries@aico.co.uk. 

www.refurbprojects.com 

NEWS. DAILY 

The refurb sector is probably the most active sector of the UK Building Industry at the moment. RP’s new website 

will keep you up to date with news, projects, opinion, and also the latest issue that can be viewed online. 


ROOFLIGHTS 

Whitesales maintain architectural integrity 

with heritage rooflight replacements 

The three Cs of heritage rooflight replacement 

Bespoke rooflight manufacturer Whitesales has worked on various high-profile historical building restorations 

and refurbishments over the company’s 25 years, most recently at Somerset House, the London Palladium and 

Easthampstead Park. While no two projects – or indeed no two rooflights – have been the same, there are 

common threads that link them all: the three Cs of heritage rooflight replacement. 

CONSERVATION 

All historical buildings demand a 

respectful restoration, not just those 

whose importance has attracted 

listed status. The challenge of 

replicating original skylights 

becomes greater, however, when 

there are restrictions in place. 

The proprietary extruded 

aluminium frame system Whitesales 

developed for its Em-Glaze bespoke 

glazed rooflights is ideal for 

replicating even the earliest skylights 

in British architecture. Its lowprofile, 

slimline dynamic makes it 

relatively straightforward to match 

the dimensions of original frames, 

yet it’s structurally strong enough to 

be self-supporting, to hold triple 

glazing, remain weathertight even 

under the harshest conditions, and it 

can be powder-coated to any RAL 

colour to recreate the exact 

aesthetic of the original. What’s 

more, Em-Glaze bespoke can be 

designed in all sorts of shapes and 

sizes: flat glass linked, monopitch, 

pyramid, lantern, ridgelight, polygon, 

elliptical. 

CONSULTING 

Collaboration is vital in this 

specialist area of the construction 

industry, and all parties need to be 

involved at the earliest stages of 

planning. Consulting the entire 

cross-section of experts, from the 

designers of custom skylights to 

heritage restoration experts and 

other master craftsmen, ensures that 

the whole process can be planned in 

perfect detail. Early involvement 

means that specialists can consult 

with conservation groups and the 

whole client team together, ensuring 

an open, transparent and 

cooperative approach to the works. 

Consulting early with Historic 

England, English Heritage and other 

national and local conservation 

groups – and remaining available 

throughout the building’s 

refurbishment ensures that custom 

rooflights are authentic enough to 

meet all stakeholders’ approval, not 

just that of the client and 

contractor. 

COMPLIANCE 

All rooflights must meet various 

standards of strength and 

performance under various 

conditions in order to meet building 

regulations standards. Moreover, 

they should work in combination 

with the existing building structure, 

fabric, ventilation systems and 

glazing to ensure that the building 

itself meets various environmental 

performance criteria. 

That becomes more challenging 

when replicating 200-year-old 

skylights, but Em- 

Glaze’s low-profile, 

high-strength frame 

allows for even larger 

expanses of double or 

triple glazing to 

enhance thermal and 

acoustic performance. 

The glass can also be 

solar tinted to control 

heat gain and selfcleaning 

to reduce 

maintenance 

requirements. 

Ventilation can be 

incorporated into the 

design, from passive 

trickle ventilation to 

manual hinged or 

electrically hinged 

sections and 

networked with wall switches, 

remote controls, wind and rain 

sensors – all enhance occupant 

wellbeing and keep interiors 

protected. In this way, the 

replacement rooflights are more 

than just compliant with stringent 

building regulations; they meet the 

occupant comfort levels a client is 

hoping for. 

Best of all, Em-Glaze bespoke 

replica rooflights can be installed as 

fully certified and compliant smoke 

vents, extracting heat build-up and 

toxic fumes and smoke, by 

networking with smoke and fire 

detectors. Incorporating life-saving 

capability into a historical replica 

rooflight may not be everyone’s first 

instinct, but such possibilities 

emerge when you adhere to the 

three Cs and begin consulting early. 

When multimillion-pound 

restorations and refurbishments are 

planned, it’s surely wise to consider 

preserving that investment in history 

as comprehensively as possible. 

Web: www.whitesales.co.uk 


PROJECTS 

Transformative Concrete 

With the completion of PRP Architect’s public realm regeneration at the east London Brownfield estate, Chris 

Hodson – consultant to the trade association Interpave – reviews the transformative power of modern precast 

concrete paving amongst iconic 20th century buildings. 

”The aim is to unify disperate elements 

using a simple palette of hard landscape 

materials, developing a language that 

unites the neighbourhood.” 

The Brownfield Estate began to 

be developed in the 1950s and 

now has a settled resident 

base and strong local identity. 

It incorporates a conservation area 

and three listed, iconic high-rise 

blocks, designed by ‘brutalist’ 

architect Ern Goldfinger in the late 

60s and early 70s - Balfron Tower, 

Carradale House and Glenkerry 

House – which contrast with the 

surrounding low-rise buildings. 

Before regeneration, a key issue 

with the Estate was the variable 

quality and character of the urban 

realm, which was ill-defined and 

uncertain in identifying public or 

private spaces and fronts or backs of 

buildings. With standard width 

carriageways, very wide pavements 

and no defensible space to 

frontages, the streetscape was bleak. 

Usable open space was sparse and 

there were few play facilities. 

MASTER-PLANNING APPROACH 

This regeneration project, designed 

by PRP for Poplar HARCA, aims to 

transform the public realm 

associated with both existing and 

new infill dwellings. It will also 

create new, improved building 

entrances and connections to the 

wider area. A master-planning 

approach was adopted, intended to 

be cohesive as well as responsive to 

existing neighbourhood constraints, 

so ensuring long-term, sustainable 

improvements. 

The design operates within the 

general layout of the existing, 

refurbished buildings and adopted 

streets, but at the same time 

introduces new buildings to improve 

the streetscape. In addition to a new 

residential tower, two infill sites, 

contained by 1950s maisonette 

blocks, have been developed. Public 

realm interventions seek to clearly 

define footpaths and defensible 

space, introduce new front gardens 

for low-rise buildings and add new 

public spaces to give a sense of 

arrival. Parking is now distributed 

throughout the Estate, not 

concentrated in parking courts, and 

a new ‘white light’ scheme has been 

introduced. 

HARD LANDSCAPE LANGUAGE 

In terms of materiality, the designers 

aimed to unify disparate elements of 

the site using a simple palette of 

hard landscape materials, developing 

a language that unites the 

neighbourhood. Wherever possible, 

multi-use streets and spaces are 

developed - bold and contemporary 

in character, using robust and high 

quality landscape elements. 

Throughout the scheme silvergrey 

concrete setts, with enhanced 

granite surfaces adding sparkle, 

highlight footways while charcoal 

setts identify private amenity space. 

Edges and transformations are 

defined by enhanced-finish concrete 

kerbs, some laid flush and others 

raised. Designs are characterised by a 

uniform application of concrete 

block paving on un-adopted, HARCA 

land with feature paving 

announcing estate entrances and 

positioned around key buildings. 

Here, concrete flags in strong 

colours are arranged in bands to 

create a bold linear feel. 

MAKING AN ENTRANCE 

A long, 7-storey block – Langdon 

House – plays a prominent role at 

the heart of the Estate that went 

unrecognised with ill-defined 

entrances, mean grass-strip frontage 

and low wall. The new design is 

based on the symmetry of the 

building, with linear bands of low 

planting and a central tree avenue. 

Two matching plazas now announce 

the new entrances with adjacent 

black water-walls and public art 

installations in front. The plazas are 

characterised by strong coloured 

concrete flag linear paving, 

continuing out into the wider 

environment as raised shared 

surfaces within the street itself. 

Concrete block paved parking and 

footpaths then link the two plazas. 

Overall, this is an exemplary 

scheme, demonstrating the 

importance of considered, detailed 

design and execution in the public 

realm. The material palette is 

complemented by high quality street 

furniture – seating, bins, tree grills 

and reflector lighting. The project 

highlights the transformative power 

of good landscape design with 

precast concrete paving. 

Interpave has published an 

updated case study exploring the 

project which, together with other 

case studies and guidance on various 

issues ranging from Sustainability to 

SuDS, can be downloaded via the 

Interpave information resource at: 

Web: www.paving.org.uk. 


RENEWABLE ENERGY 

Bolton Council installs Solar PV 

Bolton Council has appointed 

Forrest to install solar panels 

across four community 

buildings, including three 

care homes, in a move to reduce 

energy costs and carbon emissions. 

The photovoltaic (PV) systems 

have been installed by the Boltonbased 

contractor at Winifred Kettle 

Community Care Centre in 

Westhoughton, Wilfred Geere House 

in Farnworth, Laburnum Lodge Care 

Home and Leverhulme Sports Centre. 

The buildings, all energy intensive 

facilities with high levels of 

electricity consumption, were 

selected following an energy review 

of Bolton Council corporate 

properties by Forrest. 

The panels aim to deliver nearly 

£200,000 in savings on energy spend 

over the next 20 years across the 

sites. By providing 2,150,000 KWh of 

energy generation, the systems will 

also cut CO2 emissions by 950,000 

kg over the same period. 

As part of the works Forrest will 

also monitor the panels for free in 

the first year, allowing Bolton 

Council to closely review 

consumption on a daily basis. 

Councillor Morris, Leader of 

Bolton Council said: “We are pleased 

to be working with Forrest to make 

use of solar energy. The solar panels 

will not only save the council money 

on the running costs of these 

facilities, but will also contribute to 

meeting the Greater Manchester 

Climate Change Strategy target of 

reducing carbon emissions by 48% 

by 2020.” 

Paul McCarren, Energy Services 

Director at Forrest, said: “We see a 

long term renewables partnership 

between Forrest and Bolton Council 

and are already currently working 

together to identify the next batch 

of suitable properties in order to 

assist the Authority in reducing 

energy expenditure and lowing 

carbon emissions”. 

Web: www.forrest.co.uk 

BSW Timber fires up a £2.5m Biomass Boiler 

Latest CHP Plant Opens in Company’s £11 million Investment in Renewable Energy Across UK and Europe. 

From left to right: Kevin Young, Group Purchasing Manager at 

BSW Timber; Victor Buchanan, Director at Dallol Energy; and 

Nigel Patrickson, Group Project Planning Engineer at BSW 

Timber. 

BSW Timber has become the first UK 

sawmiller to generate electricity from 

biomass fuel with the commissioning of a 

£2.5 million Combined Heat and Power 

(CHP) boiler at its Carlisle mill. 

The state-of-the art 3.2 MW CHP Boiler is now 

operational and forms the latest phase of BSW’s 

£11 million investment programme in biomass 

energy across its mills in the UK and Latvia. 

During the last five years, BSW has 

commissioned seven biomass boilers at sawmills 

across the UK and Latvia, resulting in total heat 

capacity of some 38 MW to generate heat for the 

kiln drying process. The Carlisle plant will provide 

heat for the kilns, treatment plant, and offices 

whilst also producing electricity to be used in the 

sawmill production process. 

The Carlisle CHP plant was delivered in 

partnership with biomass experts Dallol Energy. 

Welcoming the commissioning of the new Carlisle 

CHP plant, BSW Timber’s CEO Tony Hackney said: 

“BSW’s current investment in biomass technology 

means that we are now saving more than 12,500 

tonnes of CO2 ( 3,421 tonnes carbon) each year, 

across the business 

“The Carlisle biomass plant is our most 

significant investment to date, and has been 

delivered together with partners Dallol Energy on 

time and on budget.” 

He added: “Adopting biomass technology as a 

heating solution has delivered both financial and 

environmental benefits in parallel with of BSW’s 

ambitious growth plans, with all plants set to 

create a return on the initial investment within 

two to three years. Not only does 

biomass significantly reduce our 

carbon emissions, it also makes 

overall site operations more 

sustainable.“ 

BSW Timber is the UK’s largest 

consumer of home-grown sawn 

softwood timber consuming almost 

two million tonnes each year. 

Much of the timber is dried in 

on-site kilns which were previously 

fuelled by oil boilers, with the coproducts 

of the sawmilling process - 

including wood chips and bark – 

removed from the site by road 

transport. By transferring their heat 

production to CHP boilers and using 

co-products as fuel, BSW is also 

significantly reducing its reliance on 

road transport. 

As well as the Carlisle plant, BSW 

Timber operates two 3MW biomass 

boilers in Newbridge-on-Wye, a 

5MW plant in Dalbeattie, an 8MW 

plant in Latvia and two 5MW plants 

in Fort William. This latest 

investment was part of BSW’s 

agreement with the UK Government, 

as part of their Carbon Commitment 

Agreement; in return the company 

receives a discount on 

environmental utility taxes for ten 

years. 

Web: www.bsw.co.uk 


WINDOWS 

‘Order…Order…’ 

Transforming a Court House to a 5✩ Boutique Hotel 

Selectaglaze helps turn an old 

draughty court house into a 

warm and peaceful boutique 

hotel. 

It was once a building where 

judges passed sentences; the Police 

investigated crimes and placed 

criminals under arrest. However, this 

splendid Grade II Listed Magistrates 

Court and Police Station on Old 

Street, has been converted and 

become a sumptuous 5* boutique 

hotel. 

Built back in 1903 by John Butler, 

Old Street Courthouse was a 

formidable building containing two 

courthouses and offices. An adjacent 

wing housed cells and on floors 

above was accommodation for 

officers, a mess hall and rooms for 

laundry and boot cleaning. 

To transform this Grade II Listed 

building from a Courthouse to a 

hotel, careful consideration had to 

be given to create ways to improve 

the thermal performance as well as 

reducing noise from the busy streets 

outside, to create a warm and 

peaceful haven for guests. 

As the building is Listed, the 

original primary windows could not 

be removed; so Selectaglaze was 

approached by the principle 

contractor McAleer and Rushe to 

create a solution for the vast range 

of different style windows. In total 

106 units were installed including 

curved, raked, casement doors and a 

beautiful double-floor height feature 

window which was 5.287m high and 

2.045m in width. The circular 

windows on the top floor required 

particular care and a bespoke fixing 

method for installation had to be 

created to meet the client’s 

requirements. All units were matched 

to the existing frames to make them 

as unobtrusive as possible. 

Secondary glazing is an 

independent window installed on the 

room side of a building, which 

decreases noise ingress creating a 

quieter environment, a reduction of 

45dB is easily achievable. Alongside 

reducing external noise, it also 

virtually eradicates draughts and aids 

in retaining the heat of a building, 

reducing heat loss by up to 50%. 

As it is a fully reversible 

adaptation, it is an ideal solution for 

Listed buildings, and is approved by 

most heritage bodies. 

With great attention to detail 

paid to all aspects of the design and 

build of this magnificent conversion, 

Old Street is currently on target to 

achieve a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ 

rating. 

Selectaglaze is the specialist in 

the design, manufacture and 

installation of secondary glazing, 

with fifty years’ experience; it has a 

wealth of experience working on all 

building types from new build hotels 

to Listed Town Halls. 

For further information, 

please contact Selectaglaze on 

Tel: 01727 837271 

Email: enquiries@selectaglaze.co.uk 

or visit: www.selectaglaze.co.uk 


ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Summer overheating solved 

An artisan pizza restaurant under railway arches in central Newcastle has solved the problem of summer 

overheating with the installation of a heat recovery VRF air conditioning system. 

The Herb Garden is one of 

Newcastle's quirkiest, fine food 

restaurants, specialising in 

fresh, stone baked pizzas and 

rustic Italian salads and sharers. The 

venue is also renowned for its feature 

lighting and is tucked away in Arch 8 

of Westgate Road, just beside Central 

Station and Newcastle Castle Keep. 

Siting a pizza oven inside a 

metal-clad railway arch had 

previously caused problems with a 

build-up of heat in the summer and 

the site had limited space for any 

plant, alongside restrictions on 

internal fittings because of the metal 

cladding. 

"We needed a quiet, energy 

efficient solution that wouldn't 

detract from our distinctive décor yet 

was able to cope all year round", 

explained Ryan Darrington, the 

owner of the restaurant. 

"There are also planning 

restrictions on what can be fitted to 

the front of the restaurant, so we had 

to find a solution that could be fitted 

in the small space at the rear". 

Tyne and Wear-based ADS Air 

Con Ltd, who operate throughout the 

UK, were called in to install a system 

whilst working around the 

restaurant's opening hours. 

"The arches are listed and owned 

by Network Rail and there were 

restrictions on the type of solution 

that we could install", said David 

Short, Director of ADS Air Con. 

"That's why the two-pipe solution 

from Mitsubishi Electric has worked 

so well". 

A single City Multi outdoor unit 

has been installed in an empty space 

to the rear of the building and this 

can send simultaneous heating and 

cooling to the indoor units installed 

throughout the restaurant to 

maximise the efficiency of the whole 

system. 

"City Multi units can also be 

installed and commissioned in 

different stages which meant we 

were able to work around opening 

times and keep disruption to a 

minimum", added David Short. 

"Coupled with this is the fact that 

they are some of the quietest units 

available on the market and they can 

also be used to heat the restaurant in 

the winter". 

The arches are metal-clad to 

prevent water from the brickwork 

entering the building, so it was not 

possible to fix the internal air 

conditioning to this. The first floor 

VIP area in particular proved a real 

challenge due to the curvature of the 

building. 

Options were proposed for low 

wall and cassette units however a 

ducted fan coil mounted on the roof 

of a storage room was finally selected 

as it offered easy installation and 

better air movement for the 

occupants. 

For the ground floor restaurant, 

cassettes were hung from the 

structure for the first floor, however, 

it also required a unique solution that 

could cope with the decorative 

lighting and herb racks. A ducted 

unit mounted on the top rack above 

the herbs provided a solution which 

didn't affect the décor and provided 

comfortable air movement. 

The control strategy for the 

system also had to be user-friendly 

and cost-effective. Based on those 

requirements, PAR-31 hard-wired 

controllers were used for the three 

control zones. These are aesthetically 

pleasing, intuitive to use and offer 

energy saving functions along with a 

programmable time schedule. 

"We've been delighted with the 

result and found David and his team 

completely professional and highly 

efficient", said Ryan Darrington. "We 

now have an energy efficient system 

that ensures our customers can enjoy 

their Italian experience in complete 

comfort regardless of the weather 

outside". 

Web: www.mitsubishipro.com 


SOCIAL HOUSING 

Keeping Pendleton Housing Scheme Dry 

Roofing Contractor, Weatherwell, is due to start work on site at Salix House; the ninth block of flats 

the company has upgraded using Sika Liquid Plastics’ Decothane liquid membrane as part of the 

ambitious Pendleton regeneration programme in Salford. 

The scheme is the latest in a 

two year programme of works, 

which involves the upgrade of 

1,250 existing homes by main 

contractor, Keepmoat, as part of the 

social housing stock transfer from 

Salix Homes to the Pendleton Private 

Finance Initiative (PFI) scheme. The 

regeneration scheme also includes 

construction of 1,600 new homes in 

the area. 

The eight blocks completed to 

date have all undergone a major 

refurbishment, including 

improvements to their energy 

performance and the building 

envelope to enhance thermal 

performance. The roofing schemes 

carried out by Weatherwell using 

Sika Liquid Plastics’ Decothane 

system have played an important 

role in this strategy, which has seen 

each block improved and leased back 

to the council as part of the PFI. 

A performance specification for a 

liquid system with a 25-year 

guarantee was issued for all nine 

blocks, which range in size from 12 

storeys to 32. As Keepmoat had 

previously used the Decothane 

system successfully on similar 

projects, the Sika Liquid Plastics 

product was chosen, and 

Weatherwell was appointed as an 

approved contractor. 

Kristian Lewis, company manager 

at Weatherwell, said: “Across the 

nine blocks there have been 

significant working at height 

challenges and the roofs all feature 

complex detailing, including rooftop 

plant, old gas flues that have been 

taken out and new solar p/v 

installations. 

“The ease and speed of 

installation of the Decothane system 

made it possible to address these 

challenges and the technical support 

we receive from Sika Liquid Plastics 

throughout a project ensures that we 

can access specialist expertise in 

bespoke specification and during the 

installation. 

Prior to the commencement of 

each roofing scheme, a technical 

engineer from the Sika Liquid 

Plastics’ team surveyed the 

residential block, measuring the roof 

and all details and taking moisture 

readings and core samples to ensure 

the correct specification was 

provided for sufficient membrane 

coverage and excellent adhesion. 

The Weatherwell team completed 

installation of the system for the 

details first, applying the membrane 

with brushes or small rollers before 

cutting Sika’s Reemat Premium glass 

fibre reinforcement mat to size and 

shape and applying it to the wet 

base coat. A top coat was then 

applied and the system was allowed 

to cure to create a flexible, seamless 

membrane. 

The larger areas of the roofs were 

completed using the same system, 

with the Reemat Premium rolled 

onto the wet Decothane basecoat as 

it was applied and a top coat applied 

to complete the system. A thickness 

test was carried out while the liquid 

system was still wet to ensure the 

integrity of the finished membrane. 

Sika Liquid Plastics’ technical 

team then returned to site to take 

dry samples and carry out a final 

inspection before each of the roofing 

projects was handed over to the 

client. 

Steve Cookson at Sika Liquid 

Plastics, added: “With no seams and 

complete adhesion to the contours 

of all details, the Decothane system 

ensures there is no vulnerability to 

water ingress and no risk of 

delamination. 

“Improving these homes for 

Pendleton residents is part of a 

cohesive plan of regeneration 

measures for this area of Salford and 

we are delighted to help deliver the 

ninth residential block in this phased 

programme.” 

Web: 

www.gbr.liquidplastics.sika.com 


FLOORING 

Altro stands the test of time in historic school 

The proven combination of Altro WhiterockTM hygienic wall cladding and Altro Stronghold 30TM safety 

flooring has been so successful in the kitchen at one of the world’s oldest schools, that after 15 years of service 

it’s been chosen again for a total refurbishment. The King's School in Ely, Cambridgeshire, is a co-educational 

independent day and boarding school. It was founded in 970 AD. 

Fifteen years ago, the school’s 

‘monastic barn’ kitchen was 

fitted with Altro Whiterock 

White and Altro Stronghold 

30 to provide a high level of safety, 

hygiene and aesthetics. More 

recently, in 2014, Altro Whiterock 

was installed around the lift shaft of 

a dumb waiter in the kitchen. 

The school has been so happy 

with the long term performance of 

Altro Whiterock and Altro 

Stronghold 30 together that there 

was no hesitation in selecting the 

integrated system of compatible 

hygienic wall cladding and safety 

flooring again when the entire 

kitchen recently underwent a refit. 

As the system is fully integrated, it 

fits together perfectly to provide a 

hygienic, watertight solution for 

commercial kitchens. 

Shirley Jolly, the school’s 

catering manager, says: “This is a 

busy commercial kitchen, which 

produces 1,600 meals per day with 

three sittings, so the flooring and 

wall cladding has to be hygienic, 

tough, durable, practical, easy to 

clean and have superb safety 

credentials. Plus of course it needs 

to be suitable for use in a very old 

building — our kitchen dates back 

to 970 AD. 

“In addition, we are very proud 

of our Five Star food and hygiene 

rating from the Environmental 

Health Agency, so we are passionate 

about maintaining our excellent 

standards. Using the right products 

in our kitchen to help us achieve 

that is paramount. 

“Fifteen years ago we had Altro 

Whiterock installed three quarters of 

the way up the kitchen walls, and 

we have been delighted with it over 

that time. It’s hygienic and has been 

very easy to maintain, just needing a 

regular wipe down. It’s proven to be 

ideal for our busy commercial 

kitchen. For us it’s a tried and tested 

product. 

“So we definitely wanted to use 

it again for the refurbishment, but 

this time we wanted it floor to 

ceiling — giving total encapsulation. 

This meant that we could cover all 

the hard-to reach places around the 

doors and windows - and there are 

some tricky areas as this is a very old 

structure - to make cleaning as easy 

as possible and further improve 

hygiene.” 

Shirley continues: 

“The Altro 

Stronghold 30 safety 

flooring was also a 

very good choice for 

us 15 years ago. As a 

safety flooring it’s 

second to none, plus 

it’s incredibly hardwearing 

and nice 

looking as well. It 

was still in very good 

condition, but we 

decided to upgrade it 

with new Altro 

Stronghold 30 for 

the refit.” 

Altro’s integrated 

floor and hygienic 

wall cladding system 

offers the best 

possible protection 

against bacteria, 

bugs and vermin. It 

makes cleaning 

easier too. Designed 

to address the issues 

commonly found in kitchens – slips, 

contamination, cleaning and 

maintenance, the Altro system 

doesn’t just protect the people who 

use it; it also protects the 

environment and those responsible 

for the health and safety of 

employees and visitors. 

The Altro wall cladding and 

flooring for the refurbishment were 

installed by Altro Whiterock Premier 

Installer Elite Interiors. Contracts coordinator 

Dave Barnard, says: “This 

school kitchen is the perfect 

example of how Altro Whiterock and 

Altro Stronghold 30 work together 

to create a long-lasting, safe and 

hygienic environment in commercial 

applications. 

“These products have really stood 

the test of time here at the King’s 

School, which is partly due to their 

quality, but also testament to the 

school’s excellent maintenance 

regime. After consulting with both 

Altro and the client, we all agreed 

that for the refurbishment these 

products were still the best choice.” 

Altro Whiterock White is the 

hygienic alternative to tiles that’s 

impact resistant, grout-free and easy 

to clean. Its smooth white surface 

and classical purity make it a 

timeless choice for any interior. The 

product is Hazard Analysis and 

Critical Control Points (HACCP) 

approved and is made from a highquality, 

food-safe PVCu polymer that 

can handle temperatures up to 60°C. 

It meets all current European Union 

(EU) Directives on health and 

hygiene. This makes it particularly 

suitable for use in commercial 

kitchens especially combined with 

Altro Stronghold 30. 

Altro Stronghold 30 safety 

flooring achieves Altro’s highest 

rating for slip resistance, and is 

designed to minimise risk in wet and 

greasy conditions for the lifetime of 

the flooring. As well as helping to 

keep staff safe from slips, it also 

helps reduce their fatigue, thanks to 

its 3mm thickness which provides 

noise reduction and comfort 

underfoot. 

“The installation of the wall 

cladding presented some challenges, 

specifically because of the age of 

the building,” adds Dave Barnard. 

“The walls especially had no flat or 

true surfaces, and the church-style 

windows with 1ft-deep recesses 

meant very skilled fitting of the 

Altro Whiterock. We had a very tight 

three-week window in the summer 

in which to complete the installation 

of both flooring and wall cladding. 

Even though the school was in 

recess, there were a number of 

students who stayed behind for 

summer school, so the kitchen 

couldn’t close for any length of 

time. 

The installation was overseen by 

the school’s clerk of works, Fred 

Duffield. “I am a stickler for 

perfection, but I have every 

confidence in Elite Interiors,” he 

says. “They completed the work in a 

very professional, safe and 

controlled manner, but with the 

flexibility needed to meet the 

inevitable challenges that arise in a 

project of this type.” 

Shirley Jolly comments: “The new 

kitchen looks fantastic, and we are 

so pleased with the results. The 

whole area looks brighter, cleaner 

and fresher, and it’s taken our 

catering operation to a whole new 

level. 

“The Altro Whiterock wall 

cladding is so easy to maintain that 

the kitchen staff can take care of it 

themselves, with just a regular wipe 

down. The flooring is cleaned with a 

combination of a small rotary 

scrubber that can go up and down 

the aisles, and special mop — and it 

comes up like new every time. 

“I think the test of a happy 

environment is whether the staff are 

taking care of it, and that is 

certainly true here. They are thrilled 

with their new kitchen and very 

proud to be working there.” 

Web: www.altro.co.uk 


REFURB PROJECTS’S SUPPLEMENT FOR FIRE, SAFETY & SECURITY PROFESSIONALS

FIRE SAFETY 

HA to install Aico alarms in 15,000 properties 

Plymouth Community Homes 

has begun a programme to 

replace their smoke alarms 

with Aico s new 160e Series 

of alarms. The alarms will be fitted 

in to all 15,000 properties over five 

years. 

Plymouth Community Homes, 

rated as one of the top 25% of 

housing association nationally*, is a 

long standing Aico customer. They 

have installed Aico s mains powered 

smoke and, more recently, Carbon 

Monoxide (CO) alarms to protect 

tenants over many years. The 

existing optical smoke and heat 

alarms are reaching the end of their 

lives and will be replaced with Aico s 

new premium range, the 160e Series. 

Building on the success of its 

160RC predecessor, 160e alarms 

provide improved performance in 

response time and resistance to false 

alarms; all in a modern, sleek design 

(up to 18% slimmer), whilst 

maintaining the same easi-fit 

footprint making it simple to 

upgrade. These mains powered 

alarms come with 10 year 

rechargeable Lithium cells to provide 

back-up in the event of a mains 

failure. 

The 160e Series alarms are 

compatible with latest technology, 

RadioLINK+, evolved from the award 

winning wireless alarm 

interconnection RadioLINK - all that 

is required is a plug in RadioLINK+ 

module, the Ei100MRF. This negates 

the need for a separate RadioLINK 

base, used with previous 160RC 

models, saving on installation time 

and costs. RadioLINK+ allows alarms 

and accessories on the system to 

communicate with each other using 

Radio Frequency (RF) signals rather 

than hard wiring. 

RadioLINK+ also allows for whole 

system data extraction, which 

Plymouth Community Homes 

intends to put to good 

use. Information such as the 

number and location of alarms, 

number of tests carried out and RF 

signal strength between alarms can 

all be accessed securely from within 

or even outside a property. This 

information will be stored by 

Plymouth Community Homes on its 

asset register as part of the tenancy 

files. 

Likewise, information from Aico s 

mains powered battery back-up 

Carbon Monoxide (CO) alarms, the 

Ei262, installed in Plymouth 

Community Homes properties is also 

being stored on the asset 

register. Real time data is obtained 

from individual alarms through 

Aico s multiple award-winning 

AudioLINK technology. All that is 

required is an AudioLINK enabled 

Aico Alarm, a tablet or smartphone 

and the free AudioLINK App which 

converts the data into an Alarm 

Status Report. 

The AudioLINK Alarm Status 

Report, which is simple to review 

and store, is created for the life of 

the Alarm and is colour coded to 

identify the urgency of any issue. 

The Report displays useful 

information about the Alarm, such 

as battery life, alarm sensor status, 

number of times tested and 

removed; and detection levels of CO, 

including background CO, with 

details of when it occurred - all in a 

simple format. 

For Plymouth Community Homes, 

AudioLINK technology has proven 

extremely cost effective, as Roger 

Hewitt, Electrical and Asbestos 

Manager, explains: Traditionally if 

the CO alarm was activated we 

would normally have to send in a 

team to investigate it, but with 

AudioLINK a single person can 

interrogate the device, identify the 

cause of the alarm and what action 

needs to be taken. It s a really 

useful time saving device. 

Both CO and smoke alarms are 

connected to an Aico Alarm 

Controller, the Ei450, which is wallmounted 

in each property. The 

Controller allows residents to quickly 

locate the exact alarm which has 

detected the fire or CO leak and take 

action. The Controller is completely 

wireless and can also be used to test 

and silence all the alarms on the 

system. The Alarm Controller 

provides better control of devices for 

tenants states Roger. It s easy for 

them to understand and it looks nice 

which means tenants don t mind 

having it on their wall. 

A wholly owned subsidiary of Ei 

Electronics, Aico is a market leader 

in residential fire and CO protection 

in the UK. All alarms are designed 

and built in Ireland specifically to 

meet the UK standards and 

regulations. With more mains 

powered domestic smoke alarms 

installed in the UK s social housing 

than any other manufacturer, Aico is 

tried, tested and trusted. 



01691 664100 or 


* STAR satisfaction survey 2015 

Argus Fire secures major contract for Mander Centre 

Web: www.afgusfire.co.uk 

Leading fire protection and 

detection specialist Argus Fire 

is to play a key role in the 

redevelopment of 

Wolverhampton’s Mander Centre. 

The Stourbridge-based company 

has secured a contract worth almost 

£400,000 with construction 

company Bowmer & Kirkland to 

safeguard shoppers and retail staff 

at the city centre shopping centre. 

Argus Fire will install sprinklers 

and wet and dry risers to support 

the three-level complex, owned by 

Benson Elliot, as part of a £35m 

revamp that is expected to make 

Wolverhampton the retail capital of 

the Black Country. 

The company will also 

decommission existing water 

supplies and provide new sprinkler 

tanks and fire pump sets, as well as 

modify the existing sprinkler 

pipework network in order to create 

a new network for the centre. 

This will accommodate the 

sprinkler provision for a new 90,000 sq 

ft flagship Debenhams store, opening 

in Autumn 2017, and ten other larger 

stores including three of between 

17,000 sq ft and 26,000 sq ft. 

Argus Fire, which has a proud 

history of supporting the Mander 

Centre with fire protection systems, 

is scheduled to complete the 

contract in Spring 2017. 

Ben Smith, Senior Manager at 

Argus Fire, said: “We are delighted to 

have been chosen once again to 

design and build new fire protection 

systems for such a major local 

facility as it redevelops with larger 

stores and improved access 

facilities.” 


FIRE SAFETY 

Selecting Safety 

Kidde discusses the growing diversity of selection criteria being applied today to domestic smoke, heat 

and carbon monoxide alarms, ranging from longer guarantees to lower energy consumption. 

Without doubt, smoke 

and heat alarms save 

lives but, of course, 

third party certification 

such as BSi Kitemarking, and longterm 

reliability are essential – 

particularly in a critical area like fire 

safety. And today’s specifiers also 

look for whole-life commitments 

from manufacturers. For example, 

Kidde’s Slick brand is the only range 

of fast-fit mains, rechargeable backup, 

smoke and heat alarms 

guaranteed for 10 years. 

Hard-wired, interconnected smoke 

and heat alarms are mandatory for 

Building Regulations on new-build 

project but are equally applicable to 

many existing properties as well. 

Interconnection simply enables all the 

alarms to sound when one is 

triggered by a fire. But there are both 

practical and visual implications for 

existing buildings – particularly older 

properties with original building 

fabric or those that are still occupied 

– and avoiding disruptive 

interconnect cabling can be 

particularly important in these 

properties. 

WIRELESS INTERCONNECTION 

Here, wireless interconnection is an 

increasingly popular solution for 

specifiers, using accessories such as 

Kidde’s Slick Wireless Alarm Base. It 

simply replaces the standard base 

plate to interconnect smoke and 

heat alarms, with each alarm 

powered from a lighting circuit 

nearby. The Wireless Alarm Base can 

also be used with another 

innovation, the Remote Test & Hush 

switch, to communicate with a Slick 

alarm which might otherwise be 

difficult to access. This is particularly 

useful for elderly or disabled people, 

or where alarms are fitted on high 

ceilings. 

Alternatively, a wired remote test 

and hush unit is available and this 

can also be used with Kidde’s low 

cost, low energy Firex range. For 

many years, Firex has proved itself as 

a popular range of cost-effective 

hard-wired, interconnectable alarms. 

The latest generation of Firex alarms 

– manufactured and supplied 

exclusively by Kidde – includes 

options for long-life lithium battery 

back-up, alongside the usual loose 

battery and integral rechargeable 

battery versions. This innovation 

ensures reliable back-up throughout 

the whole alarm life, without the 

need to change batteries, at a much 

lower price than rechargeable 

products. 

ENERGY SAVING 

The market’s growing interest in 

energy saving products and lower 

running costs for homeowners and 

tenants is now focusing on safety 

products. In response, all new Firex 

smoke and heat alarms offer a much 

lower, maximum mains consumption, 

with substantial energy savings over 

previous models and significantly 

lower running costs. Based on 

current energy tariffs (March 2016 

average kWh cost from the UK’s top 

5 suppliers, between £0.099/kWh 

and £0.109/kWh), it now costs less 

than £1 per year to operate a Firex 

alarm. 

But specifiers and housing 

providers are looking for better 

performance in other areas as well, 

including lower whole-life costs and 

improved sustainability credentials. 

Here, Kidde’s 10LLCO range of selfcontained 

carbon monoxide alarms 

offers a 10-year guarantee covering 

both alarm and sealed-in lithium 

battery, cutting the cost and carbon 

footprint of alarm replacements. 

TIGHTER QUALITY CONTROLS 

These alarms are simply activated by 

the slide-on back plate, so 

preserving battery freshness until 

needed, and a tamper resisting selflocking 

installation system avoids 

battery theft. Of course, the 

reliability of CO alarms throughout 

their design lives is essential. 

Manufacturers that produce their 

own CO cells – the key component – 

rather than buying them in, can 

apply tighter quality controls. And 

preferred CO cells use safer, 

environmentally friendly de-ionised 

water rather than acid-based 

electrolytes. 

For more information, call: 01753 

766392, email: 

sales@kiddesafety.co.uk or visit: 

www.kiddesafetyeurope.co.uk 

Kidde’s IOLLCO range. 

Wireless Interconnection. 


FIRE SAFETY 

Smoke alarms installed by Red Kite 

Red Kite Community Housing 

in High Wycombe, 

Buckinghamshire, has 

specified Aico’s new 160e 

Series of mains powered smoke 

alarms for its entire housing stock of 

6000 properties. 

Aico’s new 160e Series alarms are 

being used for the Grade D, LD2 

installations – in compliance with BS 

5839-6:2013, the British Standard 

WES+ protects riverside regeneration scheme 

Barratt London’s riverside 

regeneration scheme in 

Fulham has become the 

latest residential 

construction project to specify the 

WES+ wireless fire alarm system. 

WES+ is Europe’s only fully 

compliant EN 54 wireless fire alarm 

system and now provides Barratt 

London with round the clock 

coverage across this large residential 

development on the side of the 

River Thames. 

The WES+ system was specified 

by the health and safety team at 

Barratt London to ensure the safety 

of personnel working on site, 

residents in nearby buildings and 

those homeowners that have moved 

for domestic smoke alarm 

installation. The LD2 Category 

requires alarms in escape routes and 

high risk areas to occupants. The 

alarms will be installed during Red 

Kite’s ongoing programme of 

electrical testing, which initially 

covers voids and mutual exchanges, 

and during major works such as 

kitchen and bathroom 

refurbishments. 

into the initial phase of 219 new 

homes. 

Comprising 30 automatic smoke 

and heat detection units and five 

manual call points, plus GSM base 

station, the WES+ system provides a 

complete grid network of coverage 

across the 8.25 acre site. 

The smoke and heat detectors 

act as an early warning of a fire 

event during the working day and 

also ensure that the site remains 

protected out of hours. Personnel 

working on site can also activate 

any of the manual call points within 

the WES+ network. 

If just one of the automatic or 

manual call points is activated it 

instantly triggers the entire network, 

Heat alarms from 

the 160e Series 

alarms, Ei164e, are 

being fit into the 

kitchens and 

Optical alarms, 

Ei166e, are being 

fit in escape routes 

and high risk areas. 

The smoke and 

heat alarms are 

being 

interconnected 

within each 

property using 

Aico’s RadioLINK+ 

technology which 

removes the need 

to hard wire them 

together; instead 

the alarms are interconnected using 

Radio Frequency (RF) signals. This 

reduces disruption to properties, is 

quicker and more cost-effective to 

install and allows for greater system 

flexibility as alarms can be easily 

added or removed depending on 

different tenants’ needs. The wireless 

interconnectivity was enabled in this 

160e Series system by plugging in a 

RadioLINK+ module (Ei100MRF) 

allowing personnel to evacuate site 

quickly and efficiently. 

Barratt London choose to add a 

GSM base station into its WES+ 

system. This allows the company’s 

security and monitoring personnel to 

receive a text alert if a fire alarm is 

triggered. 

The base station also provides 

extensive system reporting and 

configuration functionality. For 

example, when an alarm is activated, 

the base station allows personnel at 

Barratt London to quickly identify 

which unit has been triggered. Other 

features include the ability to 

trigger a system-wide silent test, 

minimising on-site disruption. 

Both the call points and base 

station have a minimum three-year 

battery life in normal use, keeping 

replacement costs and waste to a 

minimum. The WES+ system has no 

trailing wires and is very easy to set 

up. 

Aside from protecting people and 

assets, more developers are choosing 

WES+ to ensure their developments 

comply with latest legislation and 

site best practice. Many are taking 

guidance from the Joint Code of 

Practice Fire Code (JCoP) which 

states that; Components of 

automatic fire detection and alarm 

systems should be marked as 

directly into the alarm head of each 

alarm at installation before House 

Coding them together. 

Red Kite Community Housing 

made the decision to install 160e 

Series alarms following the launch 

event held by Aico in 2015. Tom 

Roper, Assistant Compliance 

Manager for Red Kite, comments: 

“We always use Aico as they are the 

industry leader. In fact our 

contractors insist on it! They won’t 

use other manufacturers’ alarms as 

they don’t compare in quality, 

which for our customers is a 

priority.” 

A wholly owned subsidiary of Ei 

Electronics, Aico is a market leader 

in residential fire and CO protection 

in the UK. All alarms are designed 

and built in Ireland specifically to 

meet the UK standards and 

regulations. With more mains 

powered domestic smoke alarms 

installed in the UK’s social housing 

than any other manufacturer, Aico is 

tried, tested and trusted. 



01691 664100 or 


complying with EN 54 (paragraph 

13.8). 

Leading insurers, Zurich and 

Aviva, have already responded to 

JCoP by making it clear there is an 

‘expectation that customers comply 

with the Joint Code of Practice Fire 

Code (JCoP) guidelines as far as is 

practicable and reasonable’. 

“Barratt London has been very 

proactive as a business in specifying 

an EN 54 compliant wireless fire 

alarm system,” said Paul Henson, 

Sales and Marketing Director at 

Ramtech Electronics. “The only sure 

way of knowing if a fire alarm system 

is fully compliant with EN 54 is to ask 

for a Declaration of Performance 

certificate. This will show if each and 

every unit in the system has been 

tested to the relevant standard, 

which they should have been.” 

Fulham Riverside is one of 

London's most coveted addresses. 

The first phase of the development 

comprises 219 new homes, while the 

second is currently under 

construction and involves building 

248 additional homes. Completions 

have already begun, with all 

developments finishing in June 2018. 

To ensure your development has 

the hottest properties for all the 

right reasons, visit: 

www.wesfire.co.uk 


SECURITY MATTERS 

Arden Dies secure under Citylock and Securikey 

Physical security supplier, 

Securikey, has been a trusted 

partner to many UK 

companies for over forty 

years and has recently teamed up 

with City Lock And Safe Ltd to 

supply their high quality products 

and expertise to Stockport based 

manufacturer Arden Dies & Tooling 

Ltd. 

One of the largest sites in Europe 

for die and tooling manufacture, 

Arden Dies offer a comprehensive 

range of services in supplying full 

tooling packages for products as 

diverse as cartons, corrugated 

packaging, membrane switches, 

flexible circuits and greetings cards. 

In 2013, Arden Dies invested 

£430,000 to expand their production 

facilities in order to keep pace with 

rising demand, investing in new laser 

cutting and engraving machinery as 

well as refurbishing part of their 

factory in Marple, Stockport. During 

these improvements, Managing 

Director Martin Poynter decided that 

improved physical assets should be 

matched by improved security in 

order to protect this recent 

investment. 

In partnership with City Lock & 

Safe Ltd, Securikey Ltd supplied two 

48 Capacity Key Vaults, two 100 

Capacity Key Vaults and Two Size 2 

Mini Vaults to Ardens purposebuilt 

3000 square metre facility. 

George Clarke, Managing Director of 

City Lock & Safe Ltd, says that the 

Securikey safes and key cabinets 

were chosen specifically for their 

high quality and durability. Built 

from a heavy duty steel with a 

double walled construction, the Mini 

Vault Gold FR is durable and fire 

resistant and ideal for storing vital 

documents and, the key vaults, also 

made from steel, feature locking by 

security deadlock and can be further 

secured by incorporating 

the cabinet into an existing 

suited system. Another 

important feature of the 

key vault is the five pin 

Euro profile cylinder which 

can be easily changed in 

seconds should the 

integrity of the unit be 

breached; an important 

feature for a busy 

organisation like Arden Dies 

which runs 24 hours a day 

with over 120 members of 

staff. Arden Dies Managing 

Director, Martin Poynter 

says; We have a long 

history of making a 

significant investment in 

our production facilities in order to 

keep the business competitive, a 

statement that is reflected in the 

choice of high quality, durable 

security products from Securikey as 

Martin explains, The key safes and 

mini vaults provided by City Lock 

and Safe Ltd and Securikey are of 

excellent quality and value and have 

very much helped to improve 

security in our increasingly busy 

warehouse and offices. 

Family run business, City Lock 

And Safe Ltd is one of the premier 

locksmith, safe engineer and security 

companies in the North West of 

England and, like Securikey, is a 

member of the Master Locksmiths 

Association. City Lock & Safe Ltd 

was proud to combine their wealth 

of knowledge and expertise with 

Securikey to help protect Arden Dies 

investment and to offer practical 

advice on future purchases as the 

company expands further. 

For more information, please 

contact Securikey on 

01252 311888, email 

enquiries@securikey.co.uk 

or go to www.securikey.co.uk 

15-17 NOVEMBER 2017 

Contact us:.........................www.sicurezza.it 

areatecnica1@fieramilano.it 


NEW PRODUCTS • NEW PRODUCTS • NEW PRODUCTS 

Setcrete at Wickes 

Wickes is now stocking an 

extended range of 

Setcrete easy-to-use 

floor preparation 

products at its branches nationwide, 

as demand for the range continues 

to grow. Setcrete Rapid Set 30, Deep 

Base, High Performance, Latex, and 

Universal floor levelling compounds 

can now all be purchased from 

Wickes branches across the UK, 

along with Setcrete’s acrylic primer 

and flexible wood flooring adhesive. 

Setcrete have used the most 

advanced technology from the 

flooring industry to provide 

professional builders with easy-touse, 

fast-track, high performance 

flooring products. By using specialist 

Setcrete products, builders can easily 

prepare subfloors in the fastest time 

possible, leaving a perfect, lasting 

finish every time. 

Setcrete Deep Base levelling 

compound is one of the most 

popular flooring products among 

professional builders today. It is 

perfect for rapidly building up floor 

levels and creating a smooth, even 

surface for the application of 

floorcoverings or capping with 

another levelling compound. It is 

ideal for levelling floors in adjoining 

rooms, for example, where an 

extension has been added or an 

internal wall has been removed 

Applicable in thicknesses of up 

to 50mm in a single application, this 

easy-to-use levelling compound can 

be ready to receive new 

floorcoverings in as little as six 

hours. The use of Setcrete Deep 

Base, therefore, has the potential to 

save professional builders a huge 

amount of time, as typical 

sand/cement screeds can take as 

much as one day per millimetre 

thickness to dry. 

Setcrete Rapid Set 30 Floor 

Levelling Compound can be used to 

rapidly create a perfectly smooth, 

durable surface before the 

installation of new floorcoverings. 

Applicable in thicknesses of 2 – 

10mm in a single application, Rapid 

Set 30 is walk-on hard in just 30 

minutes, and can be ready to receive 

new floorcoverings from only 45 

minutes. 

Setcrete High Performance is a 

fibre-reinforced, flexible, fast-drying 

floor levelling compound, designed 

for use over plywood, concrete and 

sand/cement screed subfloors. The 

product is designed to level uneven 

subfloors quickly and easily, allowing 

for the installation of new 

floorcoverings in as little as four 

hours and can also be used as a 

standalone wearing surface where a 

floorcovering is not required. 

Web: www.setcrete.co.uk 

Mitsubishi Electric enter the UK chiller market 

Mitsubishi Electric has 

announced that it will 

begin marketing and 

selling Climaveneta 

branded chillers in the UK, following 

the acquisition of the Climaveneta 

brand earlier in the year. The move 

allows the company to offer a chiller 

solution across a much broader and 

more diverse range of projects. 

From the 4th of July, the 

Climaveneta NX range of air source 

and water cooled chillers will be 

available from Mitsubishi Electric. 

The expansive portfolio of energysaving, 

low-noise and innovative 

chiller solutions increases the choice 

available and extends the range of 

customisable cooling options that 

the company is now able to offer. 

Each chiller model in the NX 

range is offered in up to six 

different configurations, allowing 

bespoke application design for 

individual projects. There are two 

levels of efficiency available and 

then a further three options on 

sound emission levels: standard, low 

noise, and super low noise. 

Capacities range from 39 to 371kW 

with a choice of plate or shell and 

tube heat exchanger. 

“Climaveneta is a well-respected 

and high quality European chiller 

brand and we are proud to be able 

to add these products to our 

portfolio”, explains Donald Daw, 

Mitsubishi Electric’s Commercial 

Director. “This addition allows us to 

deliver a comprehensive and 

versatile range of solutions for our 

customers, whatever their need and 

regardless of whether they are 

involved in a new-build or retro-fit 

situation. We have had a lot of 

interest following the initial 

purchase of Climaveneta and with 

the range available from the 4th of 

July; we are expecting to be busy”, 

adds Daw. “Mitsubishi Electric will be 

working in partnership with 

Climaveneta Powermaster, the 

current outlet for all Climaveneta 

products in the UK, to ensure that 

customers are offered the best 

solution for their chiller projects.” 

Mitsubishi Electric has 

manufactured chillers for over 40 

years and has already combined this 

extensive experience with advanced 

component technology from the 

commercial air conditioning sector 

to introduce the innovative e-series 

modular chiller range in 2015. 

The purchase of Climaveneta 

adds over 45 years of experience and 

knowledge of this industry sector 

and marks Mitsubishi Electric’s full 

scale entry into the UK chiller 

market. “We re-entered the chiller 

market in the UK with our e-series 

product last year and it has proved 

to be extremely successful”, explains 

Daw. 

“The e-series product and the 

Climaveneta NX range make a 

compelling offering and 

complement each other with 

features and specifications that can 

match almost any application”. 

Further details on the 

comprehensive range is available 

by calling 01707 282880 or 

emailing chillers@meuk.mee.com 


PROJECT 

Shopping Centre remains high and dry 

For a £117 million shopping centre in Newport, a comprehensive range of waterproofing solutions from Sika 

has provided unrivalled waterproofing protection ensuring this major retail development is watertight and 

remains on track for completion. 

The Friars Walk Shopping 

Centre in Newport, built by 

Bowmer and Kirkland Limited 

for Queensberry Real Estate, 

offers more than 390,000 sq ft of 

retail and leisure space which 

includes a 90,000 sq ft Debenhams 

Department Store, an 8 screen 

Cineworld cinema, a range of shops 

including Next, Top Shop and River 

Island, along with 12 family 

restaurants and a new 350 space 

modern car park and bus station. 

For the expansive lower area of 

the building, engineers Waterman 

Consultants required a robust and 

durable waterproofing solution that 

could meet both Grade 3 of BS 

8102:2009 and BS 8485 codes 

whilst at the same time being 

flexible for the different site 

details. 

To meet the requirements, the 

specification included a dual system 

of more than 9,000m2 of the 

Sikaproof® A08 system, a totally 

new concept in membrane barrier 

design, together with 3,300m3 of 

Sika® Watertight Concrete to 

deliver outstanding levels of 

watertightness to the lower floor. 

The membrane surface of 

SikaProof® A is embossed with a 

grid pattern, which contains a 

sealant, and is topped by a thin 

layer of fleece which forms a 

mechanical bond to the concrete 

when it dries. The grid pattern is 

also unique. It offers additional 

protection, due to the integrated 

sealant, which bonds tightly with 

the surface of the concrete, 

forming mini watertight 

compartments. 

Therefore, even if the membrane 

is damaged or pierced, moisture or 

pressured water cannot spread 

between the membrane and the 

concrete structure as it is contained 

within the small damaged grid 

square. 

Sika® Watertight Concrete, 

which was supplied by Lafarge 

Tarmac to Churngold Construction, 

is a high quality solution for below 

ground and basement construction 

that prevents water from migrating 

through the concrete. State-of-theart 

Sika admixtures work within the 

concrete, firstly to reduce the 

water/cement ratio, thus increasing 

the density of the mix and 

minimising the size, volume and 

continuity of the concrete's pores, 

and secondly, fill the remaining 

pores. 

James Rivers, Churngold 

Construction commented: “These 

are great waterproofing systems 

which were sold very well to the 

design team through an 

outstanding technical detailing 

ability. I cannot speak highly 

enough of the team at Sika.” 

To complete the system, 

construction joints were sealed with 

the SikaSwell® jointing system, 

which consists of joint sealing 

profiles that expand on contact 

with water to seal any voids 

between adjoining concrete slabs. 

The Sika Watertight Concrete 

system complies with BS 8102:2009 

Grade 3 for habitable areas where 

no water penetration is acceptable, 

an essential consideration for the 

basement area. The system also 

complies with BS 8485 which 

ensures the membranes, including 

the joints, restrict the ingress of 

hazardous ground gases into the 

building. 

With Sika’s comprehensive 

waterproofing system in place, this 

successful application has led to 

the engineers specifying the 

Sikaproof system on another major 

retail development in the heart of 

Oxford city centre which is a totally 

new concept in membrane barrier 

design due for completion in 2017. 

Web: www.sika.co.uk 


FLOORING 

Marmoleum Modular adds contemporary 

style to listed building at Teeside University 

Resin flooring for Jaguar Land Rover showroom 

Nestled deep within the 

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes 

region of eastern France 

lies Automation Vénissieux 

– a huge outlet containing many 

world leading automotive brands 

and their showrooms. 

In May 2016, Jaguar Land Rover 

opened the doors to their new 

showroom. However, by March local 

suppliers were unable to fulfil their 

requirements for their resin bound 

paving. In turn, they contacted 

SureSet and Dural. Within weeks, 

both companies were able to work 

together to create a stunning resin 

bound paving complete with 

bespoke premium movement joints. 

A luxury car manufacturer with a 

luxurious eye for detail 

With the opening date looming 

for Jaguar Land Rover’s new 

showroom, the Architect and 

Developer were unable to find a 

suitable local resin supplier. They 

had to look further afield, and in 

doing so turned to SureSet and 

Dural. 

Dural quickly set to work to 

create the premium movement joints 

required for the installation. The 

speckled infill had to match the 

SureSet natural aggregate resin 

bound paving – Norwegian Pearl. 

Dural are able to colour match their 

range of expansion joints to any 

colour in the RAL range, and with 

the added speckled effect the joints 

Teeside University has sprucedup 

the appearance of its 

Constantine Building by 

installing Marmoleum Modular 

Linear planks from Forbo Flooring 

Systems – bringing a modern twist 

to a listed building. The university 

was keen to select a contemporary 

patterned floor covering for ground 

floor corridors and specified the 

Marmoleum Modular Linear range 

for its natural colour palette and 

flexible plank format. 

The neutral Rocky Ice colourway 

was specified as the main colour for 

the corridors, with the ash grey 

Granite colourway and the earthy 

brown Trace of Nature shade 

interspersed throughout the 

walkway. 

Mirukshi Brunton, Assistant 

Projects Manager at Teeside 

University, said: “We chose Forbo’s 

Marmoleum because of the large 

variety of designs that can be 

achieved using its plank format – 

such as the one created in the 

university. We also chose the 

product as it is has a Topshield2 

finish, which protects the flooring 

would blend seamlessly with the 

resin bound flooring. 

SureSet quickly arranged the 

delivery, complete with their own 

installation team, and completed the 

installation over two days at the 

beginning of April. A total area of 

407m2 of 6mm Norwegian Pearl had 

been laid over the grounds of the 

prestigious showroom. 

The movement joints were laid at 

the end of the gate tracks, directly 

above the subfloor joints, where 

they provide effective stress relief 

and movement protection. Here, the 

robust 15mm aluminium based 

profiles are designed to cope with 

heavy stresses and then distribute 

them evenly between the subfloor 

and resin bound floor covering. The 

movement joints exceed BS5385 

therefore Architects and Specifiers 

are given confidence that they are 

fit for purpose and will protect the 

integrity and aesthetics of the 

seamless resin bound paving. 

Resin bound paving – the 

advantages 

Resin bound paving is becoming 

more and more popular, covering 

many sectors including residential, 

commercial, industrial and others. It 

is clear to see why. The physical 

properties of the natural aggregate 

from scuffs and marks – making 

cleaning and maintenance easier 

and allowing it to look great for a 

long time.” 

The Linear range, featuring 15 

subtle striated colours, is the newest 

addition to Forbo’s Marmoleum 

Modular Collection and offers a 

stylish and sustainable flooring 

solution, made from 88% natural 

raw materials, 76% rapidly 

renewable and 58% recycled 

content. The colourways are 

specifically designed to blend 

beautifully together, and can also be 

combined with other tiles drawn 

from the Marmoleum Modular 

Colour, Marble and Shade ranges. 

The linearity of the tiles is 

enhance by the availability of two 

plank options - 100x15cm and 

100x25cm – in addition to more 

conventional square formats, 

allowing for a wide range of designs 

to be created, from abstract linear 

patterns to classic herringbone. 

For more information please call 

Forbo on 0844 822 3928 or visit 

www.forbo-flooring.co.uk/ 

marmoleummodular 

and resin combine to form an 

extremely durable surface which will 

give years of outstanding 

performance. It is also virtually 

impossible for cracks or 

displacement, especially when used 

in conjunction with expansion joints. 

The durability of the surface means 

it can withstand heavy loadings, for 

example cars. 

In addition to the practical 

benefits of resin bound surfacing, 

the aesthetics are guaranteed for 

many years from UV degredation 

and colour discolouration. So it will 

remain beautiful for many years to 

come. 

Another advantage for resin 

bound surfaces is that they are fully 

permeable and as a result water is 

able to drain through the surface 

effectively, preventing any surface 

water build up. A good quality resin 

bound surface will be fully 

compliant with the requirements of 

Sustainable urban Drainage Systems 

(SuDS), which was introduced in 

2011 to better manage water run off 

in urban areas. 

Contact them today by telephone 

on 01924 360 110, email 

info@dural.co.uk or refer to their 

website 

www.colouredmovementjoints.co.uk 


PROJECT 

£5 million plans for City Pool and Baths 

THE transformation of 

Newcastle City Pool and 

Turkish Baths has taken 

another step closer with the 

submission of a planning application 

to Newcastle City Council. 

The £5 million redevelopment of 

the historic site proposed by Fusion 

Lifestyle will bring the City Pool and 

Turkish Baths back into use as a 

modern facility while retaining the 

distinctive neo-Georgian features of 

the 1920s building. 

The plans include the restoration 

of the City Pool and the Turkish 

Baths which will incorporate a spa. 

There will also be a range of 

health and wellbeing facilities 

including fitness facilities, exercise 

studios and treatment rooms. 

Plans for a cafe/bistro will see 

the front of the building open onto 

Northumberland Road for the first 

time – creating a new look and vibe 

– and turning the building into 

leisure-time destination for people 

of the city. 

The submission of the planning 

application follows a six week public 

consultation process when hundreds 

of people visited a public exhibition 

at Newcastle Civic Centre and gave 

their feedback online. 

Peter Kay, Chief Executive of 

Fusion Lifestyle, said: “Feedback on 

our vision for the future of 

Newcastle City Pool and Turkish 

Baths has been overwhelmingly 

positive and we’re proud to have 

created some innovative plans which 

will take this wonderful building 

into the future. 

“The building has been empty 

since 2013 and we can’t wait to 

bring it back into use for new users 

and those who grew up visiting the 

City Pool and Baths.” 

Graeme Dodd, Director of Napper 

Architects, said: “It is clear from the 

feedback how important the people 

of Newcastle think the building is - 

so that makes us even more pleased 

to be working on the project. 

“It also makes us more aware of 

the need for a sensitive approach to 

the design and restoration as 

protecting the unique features of 

the building is key. 

“Many 1920s period features, 

such as the ornate plasterwork and 

tiled wall finishes, will be retained 

and will sit alongside the modern 

facilities, restored areas and 

contemporary changing facilities. 

“The new facilities will 

beautifully complement the 

refurbishment of the existing 

features to allow the building to 

carry on its journey for the next 100 

years.” 

Leader of Newcastle City Council, 

Councillor Nick Forbes, said: “It is 

very encouraging to see Fusion come 

forward with their plans for the 

future of the City Pools. It is another 

step towards bringing this important 

local facility back into use.” 

Cait Read of Re-open Newcastle 

Turkish Baths and City Pool Group, 

said: “It is great news that the plans 

by Fusion Lifestyle to restore and reopen 

Newcastle City Pool and 

Turkish Baths are progressing. 

“We are delighted at the design 

plans and look forward to continue 

to be involved in the Baths 

redevelopment and re-opening.” 

Fusion Lifestyle is a registered 

charity with significant experience 

in revitalising heritage sites across 

the UK including swimming pools, 

sports halls and fitness centres. 

If plans are approved work is 

expected to begin later this year and 

the facility is set to open in spring 

2018. 

*The exhibition is now on display 

in alley three of The Grainger Market 

until August. It’s open from 9am 

until 5.30pm Monday – Saturday. 

Follow the development on Twitter 

@CityPoolNCL and on Facebook 

Newcastle City Pool and Turkish 

Baths or visit www.citypool.co.uk 


PRODUCTS & SERVICES DIRECTORY 

BUYERS GUIDE 

TO ADVERTISE IN THIS SECTION CALL SUE ON 020 8504 1661 

J & J W LONGBOTTOM LTD 

Bridge Foundry, Holmfirth, Nr Huddersfield HD7 1AW 

Tel: 01484 682141 Fax: 01484 681513 

Traditional Ironfounders producing Cast Iron 

Rainwater and Soil Goods comprising: 

• Moulded Gutters (including OGEE, Box, 

Boundary Wall) 

• Curved Gutters to individual radius 

• Rainwater Pipes & Fitting (Round & 

Rectangular) 

• Soil Pipes & Fittings (BS416) 

• Ornamental Rainwater heads (over 160 

patterns) 

• Air Bricks ( 6 types, inc ornamental) 

• Manhole Covers & Frames 

• Gratings, Grids & ancillary Ironwork 

40 page fully illustrated catalogue available on 

request. 

Full “ex stock” service and special requirements 

made promptly. Regular delivery over all UK. 

0118 918 1400 

RAINWATER GOODS 

COOLING SYSTEMS 

Chillers built for you 

Call or email today for a brochure or a free 

no-obligation site survey 

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

CLADDING 

EUROCLAD is the UK’s home-grown, independent supplier of metal roof and wall 

products which provide exceptional acoustic and thermal performance for the life of 

a building. Products are sustainably credible with proven routes for recycling and 

disposal. Euroclad listens to the needs of its customers and offers high performance, 

cost effective solutions. 

Founded in 1981 Euroclad has taken huge strides over three decades, consistently 

investing in people and technology to satisfy customer needs. Cutting edge UK 

manufacturing maintains Euroclad’s position at the forefront of the metal roofing and 

cladding industry. 

As part of its commitment to quality, service and the environment, Euroclad operates 

a Quality Management System approved to BS EN ISO 9001:2008 and an 

Environmental Management System approved to BS EN ISO 14001:2004. 

Euroclad’s Elite Systems provide a package of components from leading 

manufacturers which combine to form guaranteed roof and wall systems with 

defined performance. They offer superior, proven roofing and cladding solutions that 

are easy to specify and offer great performance throughout their lifetime. 

Elite Systems can be used for a multitude of roof and wall applications, all with 

inherent design flexibility. Trapezoidal, secret fix and standing seam roof options are 

available, with Opus plank, Sinusoidal, Half Round and Trapezoidal wall profiles. 

Elite Systems offer reliability too; with a standard 12 year system guarantee and the 

option of an ElitePLUS system with a 25 year system guarantee. 

Also available from Euroclad is the popular Vieo roof and wall solution and rainscreen 

facades via Specialist manufacturer Booth Muirie. 

EUROCLAD LTD, Wentloog Corporate Park, Cardiff CF3 2ER 

T: 02920 847 813 E: john.dunnington@euroclad.co.uk 

W: www.euroclad.com | www.vieoroof.com 

SECONDARY GLAZING 

ThermOzone 

The Cooling Specialists 

Secondary Glazing 

 

Warmer Quieter Safer 

TM 

Major energy savings 

Nationwide service 

FREE design service 

2- 5 years warranty 

Typical installation 30 

days min 

NuChill 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A ThermOzone Product 

T:01727 837271 

www.selectaglaze.co.uk 

@selectaglaze 


PRODUCTS & SERVICES DIRECTORY 

BUYERS GUIDE 

STAINED GLASS 

EXTERNAL WALL INSULATION 

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

WOOD REPAIR 

THE DESOWOOD REPAIR SYSTEM 

A DURABLE 

ALTERNATIVE TO 

LINSEED OIL PUTTY 

DESOWOOD DAP 

ELASTIC GLAZING 

SEALANT 

● A Product with an established record for performance. 

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

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

● Ideal for sash and casement windows. 

● For use on existing or new bead glazed windows. 

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

bead glazed windows. 

● For fixing laminated / safety glass. 

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

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

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

condensation on internally bead glazed windows. 

● Improves paint durability and contributes towards the prevention 

of wood decay 

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

stain. 

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

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

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

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

systems for the retrofit market. 

Wetherby’s insulated render systems offer environmentally sympathetic 

external façade solutions that have been successfully installed on many 

domestic refurbishment projects, new build schemes, commercial buildings 

and educational establishments for over 20 years. 

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

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

and cut carbon emissions. 

Following the clients choice of insulant, Wetherby can then offer a range of 

different renders and polymeric coatings in an unlimited colour range 

ensuring whatever finish or colour the client wishes to achieve we can 

match. 

Complementing the render systems Wetherby also offer a unique brick slip 

system, allowing the façade to match traditional brickwork and increasing 

the scope for design. Including our new 7mm Brick 

Wetherby operate through a 

network of approved installers, 

all of whom are trained and 

regularly inspected to ensure 

specifications and best site 

practices are followed. 

Wetherby offer a comprehensive 

technical service to ensure 

potential customers have all the 

information to specify the 

correct system that will achieve 

maximum efficiency of the EWI 

specification. 

www.wbs-ltd.co.uk 

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

THE DESOWOOD REPAIR SYSTEM 

Web-site: www.desofil-uk.com 

BUILDERS SURPLUS COMPANY 

Pindar Road, Hoddesdon EN11 0BZ 

Please phone Danny: 0786 222 1931 Matt: 07900 241361 


PROJECTS 

REFURB PROJECTS ThE JOURnal OF REPaiR, REPlaCEmEnT and mainTEnanCE 

EDITORIAL FEATURES 2016 

Roofing/Cladding/Floori 

ng/Interiors 

A guide to materials, 

applications, designs, 

fixings and 

developments. Preview 

of ‘The Painting & 

Decorating Show’ 

Building Conservation / 

Restoration 

A look at the many 

specialist aspects of 

conservation/restoration, 

the companies involved 

& their particular skills in 

helping to improve the 

standard of conservation 

carried out on our built 

heritage. 

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 

Renewable Energy 

Energy Savings with 

air/ground source heat 

pumps, biomass and 

other forms of renewable 

energy. 

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 

Building Services 

Heating & Ventilation 

Energy Efficiency and 

‘Green’ issues. 

Renewable energy. 

Fire Safety & Security 

Fire Protection and 

Security products 

& services. 

Social Housing 

Roofing/Cladding 

Flat and Pitch Systems, 

Case Studies and 

Materials. 

Grundfos answered the call 

Amajor telecommunications 

call centre in London 

requested Grundfos 

undertake an Energy Check 

on their cooling and heating pumps 

to see if they could improve the 

efficiency of their system. This type 

of survey is ideal in these 

circumstances, as it will quickly 

assess typical savings that can be 

made. One of our specially trained 

energy team undertook the check 

that assessed all the installed pump 

equipment as well as looking at the 

current and future demands of that 

system. 

The subsequent comprehensive 

Energy Check report showed that 

there was a lack of system control, 

and recommended that they 

replaced their installed base of 

obsolete heating and cooling pumps 

with models from the Grundfos TPE 

and NBE variable speed pump 

ranges. 

The report findings also showed 

that savings of 318,000 kWh per 

year would be possible with a return 

on investment of 2.8 years. The 

recommendations were accepted 

and a rolling installation programme 

was implemented. The results to 

date have already delivered an 

energy savings of £30k+ and a large 

reduction in CO2 emissions. The 

client is very pleased with the 

results. 

Web: www.grundfos.co.uk 

www.refurbprojects-online.com 

Schueco’s revamp of Network Centre completed 

Leading building envelope specialist, Schueco UK Ltd, has announced that 

the refurbishment of the Schueco Network Centre in Milton Keynes is 

now complete. The revamp – designed to improve the Centre’s facilities 

even further for architects, main contractors, Schueco network partners 

and their customers – represents a major capital investment for the company. 

A number of new exhibits have been installed, the most significant being 

the massive Parametric façade that was constructed for the BAU Exhibition in 

2015. A hugely impressive piece, the UK Network Centre is the only permanent 

exhibition space in Europe large enough to accommodate it. 

Visitors will also find that the systems on display have been rearranged and 

that new products have been added. Of particular interest are two new façade 

systems, Schueco FWS 60 CV and FWS 35 PD, both of which demonstrate 

significant innovations in design and functionality. 

The steel side is represented by a number of Schueco Jansen systems 

including the Janisol Arte Renovation 

Window which provides the perfect 

solution to refurbishing steel windows 

in premises with Listed Building status. 

Another major change is a newly 

created area with a mezzanine floor 

given over to a number of different 

exhibits of Schueco’s residential range 

of products including Schueco AWS 

windows, ASS sliding and sliding/folding 

door systems and entrance doors. In 

addition, there are new informal 

meeting areas on both the mezzanine 

and ground floors. 

Finally, the Centre’s conference facilities 

have been upgraded to take account of 

the many outside organisations – such 

as trade associations and professional 

bodies – who are increasingly using the 

building as a convenient venue for 

corporate gatherings and sales 

conferences. 

For further information on all the 

facilities at the Schueco Network 

Centre, please email 

mkinfobox@schueco.com 


THE SHOW FOR PEOPLE WHO BUILD 

18 – 20 OCTOBERNEC BIRMINGHAM 

DISCOVER OVER 1000 PRODUCTS LEARN NEW TECHNIQUES MEET NEW CONTRACTORS 

Register for your free ticket 

buildshow.co.uk 

9 

Includes: 

SHOWS 

FREE access 

to 9 shows 

during UKCW 

PART OF

Refurb Projects - August 2016

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