Lignacite Ltd

As the first Google-designed and owned building outside the United States, the company’s new London headquarters was going to be anything but subtle.Nicknamed the ‘Landscraper’ due to its 11 storeys and planned 330m length (20m longer than The Shard is high), the new headquarters will not only provide an airy working environment for 4,500 employees but also take ‘multi-use’ to a whole new level with cafés, indoor games areas (including a basketball court), a 25m swimming pool, a gym… and a landscaped rooftop garden complete with a running track.This staggeringly ambitious design for a modern workplace right in the heart of London will sit on a plinth of shops and cover 92,000 square metres. Goliath in scope as well as stature, it goes without saying that its blockwork needs are also substantial, with 18,000 square metres of high-strength blocks required.Our Blockwork SolutionA project of this size and scale required blockwork that could bear a heavy load. We were therefore commissioned to provide a variety of products, including our Lignacite blocks.The high density of these blocks gives them significant strength with loadbearing capabilities. For this project, Lyons & Annoot specified Lignacite blocks able to bear loads of up to 7.3N/mm2 (Newton per square millimetre), which are ideal for both internal and external use, above and below ground. They are also well suited to forming partition or separating walls.

Lignacite have established a reputation for their extensive range of high quality commodity and architectural facing masonry blocks capable of improving acoustic, sound absorption and sound insulation values. Sound absorption is an extremely effective method of lessening the echo and noise within a space, room or building. Products designed to absorb sound are normally made from soft materials which act to soak up noise as it hits the surface. However certain blocks manufactured by Lignacite perform considerably better than would be expected for a denser material.

Improvements to the energy efficiency of buildings were published in 2021 with guidance on compliance provided by the following Approved Documents: Approved Document L – Volume 1: Dwellings Approved Document L – Volume 2: Buildings other than dwellingsThis Design Guide provides a commentary on the new changes and includes compliant wall and floor solutions using products from Lignacite Limited.These changes to the Building Regulations are intended to help the UK deliver net zero. This includes a requirement for new homes to produce around 30% less CO2 than current standards and a 27% reduction in emissions from other new buildings. To deliver the improvements, new homes will be assessed against the following four performance metrics.Primary energyCarbon dioxide emissionsThe fabric energy efficiency standard (FEES)Minimum standards for fabric and fixed buildingservicesWith increasing amounts of renewable energy generation, fuel factors are no longer required to offset ‘dirty’ electricity generation. This will adversely impact any property using oil, LPG or solid mineral fuel. This will prove to be a challenge to homes that are off-grid. More widely, it will help to drive the uptake of heat pumps which is a crucial part of the government’s long-term strategy.The new changes take effect from the 15th June 2022.

Perched on an elevated plane above the tranquil Suffolk village of Rattlesden, Rising Sun Hill is a bespoke residential housing development that seeks to blend in with its surroundings while standing out among other new builds for its character.The 22 homes include eight that will be offered as affordable housing. Individually conceptualised, the homes feature finishes that draw on traditional materials and designs, such as weatherboarding and rendering. To reflect the space of the surrounding countryside, the homes (which range from 2-4 bedrooms) are roomy, both inside and out. Large, landscaped gardens, stone paths, patios and generous planting of shrubs and trees complete the idyllic setting.But attention to detail hasn’t just been dedicated to aesthetics. Consideration has also been given to the homes’ long-term sustainability, with each home being fitted with an air source heat pump and well-designed insulation.The very fabric of the buildings, from the blockwork to the timber frame, has been scrutinised too. For developer Hartog Hutton, it was just as important to use high-quality materials as it was to give each building its own individual flair.

Nestled in a secluded location, the village of Lavenham has been a picturesque place to live since its mediaeval origins. But with housing supply limited within the bounds of the existing village, in 2016 residents voted for a new development to go ahead – providing it was in-keeping with their historic homes.The designs of The Paddocks’ 25 new properties therefore draw on influences from the Tudor and Regency homes and cottages already lining the streets of the village, reflecting their style and materials. Ranging from two to four-bedrooms, each home has been gifted its own individuality, with traditional finishes, such as rendering and weatherboarding linking them back to the original properties. Attention to the quality and scale of landscaping around the site has also been factored in to mirror the countryside that embraces the site.However, while the new homes certainly have similar characteristics to the houses already in the village, they do not share their energy inefficiency. Beneath the traditional finishes are contemporary homes with ambitions to keep carbon emissions to a minimum. To do this, Hartog Hutton decided to take a two-pronged approach to reducing CO2 emissions: by installing solar panels and electric car charging points, and by using thermally insulative fabrics, including blockwork.For the structural foundations, the housebuilder therefore turned to Lignacite’s 100mm and 140mm Lignacrete blocks, which are designed for high-strength uses. With an A1 fire rating, Hartog Hutton could also ensure that future residents would have an additional layer of fire protection.Lignacite Ash GP blocks then form the bulk of the buildings. With strong and durable characteristics, these blocks are ideal for all kinds of applications. More importantly, they also have great thermal insulation of 0.298 m2K/W (for 1400mm blocks at 3% moisture), which satisfies all the latest requirements of the Building Regulations Approved Document L.The remainder of each structure uses Lignacite’s Fibo 850/950, which forms the substrate for the weatherboarding and rendering. They provide an excellent surface for these finishes while also adding to the overall thermal insulation of the property. A final advantage is that these blocks are extremely lightweight and can be put into place one-handed.