"fire protection for building frames"

• Location: Thornton House Apartment Tower Block, Birmingham • Contractor: Assured Passive Fire Protection • Challenge: Fire protection required on timber batons around the windows. • Solution: Applying Zeroflame Fire Retardant Treatment on the batons to achieve Class 0 spread of flame and fire propagation as required by building control. Zeroflame Treatment didn't take long to dry between coats, it was very simple to use and it is fully tested and certified for building control.

RC was approached by Dorsey Construction Materials to supply our award-winning cavity fire barriers and cavity closers for a high-rise housing development in Dagenham.

Comprehensive training facilities that show the most innovative technologies for fire safety, particularly safe evacuation.

Selectaglaze helps create and enhance a computer suite at London homelessness charity, Caritas Anchor House as part of their on-going relationship with the CRASH charity. CRASH Chief Executive, Francesca Roberts contacted Selectaglaze asking if they would be willing to donate secondary glazing for the computer suite at Caritas Anchor House. Selectaglaze was happy to contribute and involved Pilkington with them donating the fire-resistant glass to support the installation. Three Series 40 units with 10mm Pyrodur fire-rated glass were installed, which has a beaded fixed frame system offering 30 minute fire integrity protection.

The Kingdom Hall for Jehovah's Witnesses in Hoddesdon embarked on a project to improve the safety and aesthetic appeal of its premises. Recognising the importance of creating a secure yet welcoming environment for congregation members and visitors, the decision was made to install vertical bar railings, polyester powder coated black, along the perimeter of the building.

The design of the house specified an airtight and thermal efficient solution to meet Building Regulations. The brief for DGTS was to provide a highly insulated (U-Values for walls/0.11 and floors/0.13) envelope to the main steel frame structure and concrete beam and block floors to both ground and first floor level. The dwelling floor area was approx 700m² broken up into twelve rooms including a wet room, gym, media room and library.

The ChallengeWith the architects hoping to realise their vision of space and light on the ground floor, but the fire officer demanding fire safety partitioning around the base of the lift shafts, Pyroguard tendered a stylish, high-performance solution – a lobby encased in glass and steel, capable of delivering best-in-class performance credentials and aesthetic appeal in abundance.Working closely with steel frame and glazing specialist Pacific Fire Control, Pyroguard designed a modern glass wall, with a glazed door and stylish, thin steel frames which were independently fire tested by Efectis France.The scheme amendment was accepted by both the architects and the fire officers, declaring Pyroguard as their manufacturer of choice for this flagship leisure development.The SolutionA subsidiary of India’s largest business conglomerate, the Tata Group, the Indian Hotels Company is known for its relentlessly high standards, which are visible across its portfolio of hotels.Meeting this quality benchmark head-on, Pyroguard supplied 390 square metres of ultra-thin lightweight Pyroguard Firesafe, which offers protection from flames, smoke and radiant heat for between 30 and 120 minutes.This EW-classified product is UV stable and offers exceptional light transmission, making it the perfect solution for encasing the lift lobby. The toughened glass was installed in fire-resistant steel screens and door frames around the lobby.

In 2020 the River Wye broke its banks and flooded nearby Monmouth Prep School in Wales causing severe damage to the entire ground floor of the Prep School, playground and surrounding fields. According to the latest reports on the impacts of climate change, flooding caused by severe and frequent rainstorms is the UK’s most pressing climate-change risk and could affect millions of people causing extensive damage, disruption and loss. So, once the school was back on its feet, we were delighted to work with their insurance broker, Hettle Andrews, to make sure the property was protected against future flooding. Monmouth Prep School, MonmouthMonmouth Prep School is a fully co-educational Prep School in Wales for children aged three to 11-years-old. The independent school is one of Wales’ leading prep schools and offers boarding and day attendance to pupils in modern and contemporary teaching spaces which encapsulate the very best of traditional, independent education.  We worked with the school’s insurance broker and project facilitator, Hettle Andrews, who work primarily with schools, universities, colleges and charities. The challengeThe school had previously had minor issues with flooding as the River Wye is situated at the bottom of its garden. However, the flood of 2020 was the most devastating. The river broke its banks and flowed into and through the school to the dual carriageway situated on the other side. The flood damaged the entire ground floor of the school, the playground and surrounding fields and the whole school had to be urgently evacuated. No warning: the school is surrounded by a flood bank and had flood gates installed in 2002 however there was no early warning system in place to get the flood gates closed in time.Extensive damage: the 200-year-old school building sustained catastrophic damage and needed large-scale structural repairs to be restored.Sanitation issues: the waste from the surrounding farmlands was washed into the school along with the floodwater, mud and debris causing not only damage but also sanitation issues. Inconvenience: the clear-up process included using five 40 foot skips which were filled with damaged items such as furniture, clothing, educational equipment and floating debris.Disruption: the school had to close for nearly seven months to clear the debris, remove all the damaged school equipment, clean the entire premises, sanitise and eventually re-build.The solution;Andel’s FloodAlert – one of our innovative, industry-unique flood defence solutions which provides an early flood warning for properties not covered by the Environment Agency flood warning service. FloodAlert provides real-time information on rising water levels and automatically sends out early warnings. The robust and reliable system is easy to install and set up and once in, tracks surface water levels for up to 15km from a gateway. This means the school now has:A cost-effective, real-time local flood alert system with three alert levels A sensor which sends SMS and email alerts to give them time to take action to protect their pupils and the school Optional live monitoring on a cloud-based portal, via any device with internet connectivityA system that can communicate with an unlimited number of designated usersCommunication via a low-power LoRaWAN network. The resultEarly warning: the school now has an effective early warning system for rising surface water. Safety first: the school now has safety measures in place to protect its pupils aged three to 11-years-old. Confidence: the early warning system gives the school staff around six hours from the first notification of rising waters to close the flood gates allowing plenty of time to evacuate the children as well as any equipment. Peace of mind: the staff at the school feel relieved knowing the water levels are constantly being monitored at the property especially because they are so close to the banks of the River Wye. Community: we are always quick to try and accommodate schools that require our services as we know they are the centre of the community and provide safe havens to many. We are proud to have been involved in this project alongside Hettle Andrews and to have been able to install our FloodAlert product on a site with such a rich history and provide the school with an effective early warning system plus peace of mind.What the customer said;The 2020 floods were devastating and left us with the fear that it could happen again. Having such little children on site, it was very stressful knowing there was no early warning system in place. Now we have a good five or six hours from the first notification of rising waters to close the flood gates, evacuate the children safely, and make the necessary arrangements to protect the building. With all these flood defence measures in place, we hope to never have a repeat of the destruction and school closure of 2020.Rob Alexander, Caretaker, Monmouth Prep School

After considering various products, PABIA Consulting engineers chose FIRETITE as the ideal solution for upgrading the Newtown EUROSPAR building complex in Cobh, Co Cork. FIRETITE met the insulation requirements, fire regulations, and could be retrofitted externally with minimal disruption to tenants and customers.

Timber frame manufacturer Scotts of Thrapston has used fermacell on a pioneering school build. Scotts of Thrapston in Northamptonshire have 95 years’ expertise in the equestrian and garden buildings sector but recently decided to try and break into the education sector by supplying modular classroom buildings. They specified 153 of fermacell’s 1200mm x 2400mm x 12.5mm boards for their first such project, Weldon Church of England Primary School, in their home county, and have not looked back since, also using fermacell® for another school and an office building.

THE PROJECTLondon City Island is a high-end residential and commercial neighbourhood development that takes inspiration from the very best of global metropolitan communities; combining bold architecture and pioneering urban design.The development is located in an extremely well-connected site between the financial might of Canary Wharf and trendy East London. London City Island is home to 1600 residential properties, 20,000 square metres of commercial office space, cafes, shops, restaurants and cultural facilities; offering something for everyone. We are once again delighted to be involved within this vibrant new and exciting site.THE PRODUCTThe London City Island development is split over a number of differences phases and blocks, with each development having a slightly different requirement and specification for mailboxes. A number of different mailbox models were used on the project, to match the different design finishes of each phase of the development.Our horizontal fire rated 2 mailboxes were used on two phases where there was a specific requirement for a post box to meet a Class 0 Part 22 1 hour integrity only fire rating. The first bank of mailboxes are wall recessed and fitted with a surrounding trim to provide the mailboxes with a clean finish from the mailbox to the installation wall. This bank of mailboxes were assembled into a configuration of 9 high x 9 wide prior to despatch, allowing easy installation once on site. The mailboxes have been finished in a non-standard colour (D2525-Y2217 matt) and engraved on the inward-sprung flap with an apartment number in a contrasting jet black colour.The second bank of fire rated 2 mailboxes also conformed to Part 22 fire rating standards. This bank was configured into a bank of 4 high x 6 wide mailboxes, finished in a standard colour chosen from the RAL colour chart and engraved in a contrasting white engraving on the inward-sprung flap.The third bank of mailboxes is located in a dedicated mailroom, wall recessed to maximise room for residents and mail delivery personnel to use the mailboxes. As is common practice with all wall recessed mailboxes, these banks of post boxes have also been fitted with a surrounding trim, ensuring the highest finish quality is achieved on the development.Also used on the project were the MODA mailboxes in the horizontal orientation with a width of 260mm. The MODA mailbox is popular with clients requiring a versatile and attractive product particularly useful for multi-coloured and multi-sized arrangements. This phase of the London City Island development shows how the MODA mailbox can be used in a more straightforward manner with a classic bank of wall recessed mailboxes finish in a single colour. Each mailbox has been engraving on the opening flap, infilled in a contrasting silver colour finish.All mailboxes on this development are in front / out front, allowing for mail to delivered and retrieved through the front face.

Specifiers looking to minimise maintenance requirements yet maximise cleanliness need look no further than Crown Trade’s innovative Clean Extreme Anti-Bacterial Scrubbable Matt. Clean Extreme Anti-Bacterial Scrubbable Matt is enhanced through the use of the independently tested SteriTouch® silver ion technology which not only inhibits the growth of any bacteria that comes into contact with the surface, but also prevents bacteria from multiplying. Unlike other anti-bacterial paints that can be prone to the problem of leaching, the ‘built-in’ silver ion protection can’t be washed off no matter how many times the surface is scrubbed clean.

When the London School of Economics (LSE) sought an architect for The Marshall Building, it held an international competition to select a contemporary design that matches its global academic reputation.The winning design by Grafton Architects features striking pale stone rainscreen cladding that contrasts with the red bricks of surrounding buildings on Lincoln’s Inn Fields.At 10 storeys high, the building needed to conform with the changes to building regulations which ban the use of combustible materials on all buildings over 18m in England and Wales. As a result, Grafton Architects specified Knauf Insulation’s Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab for the three external wall build-ups.Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab is BBA certified for use at any height and the broadest range of thicknesses and build-ups on the market. It has the best possible Euroclass A1 reaction to fire classification, is manufactured from Rock Mineral Wool and has a thermal conductivity of 0.034 W/mK.With U-values of 0.14 Wm2K, 0.20 Wm2K, and 0.21 Wm2K required for the different rainscreen wall build-ups, sub-contractor I&S Construction consulted Knauf Insulation’s Technical Support Team about the right depth of insulation. After conducting U-value calculations, 150mm Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab was recommended for all three build-ups.As well as fire safety and thermal performance, Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab has excellent sound absorption properties.It is manufactured with ECOSE® Technology, Knauf Insulation's unique bio-based binder that contains no added formaldehyde or phenol. It is made from natural raw materials that are rapidly renewable and is 70% less energy-intensive to manufacture than traditional binder, so it is more environmentally friendly.Products made with ECOSE® Technology are also soft to touch and easy to handle. They generate low levels of dust and VOCs and have been awarded the Eurofins Gold Certificate for Indoor Air Comfort.Thanks to Knauf Insulation’s Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab, the Marshall Building will provide students and academics at LSE with a comfortable and quiet environment to facilitate their world-class academic work.

Pyrobel Vision Line fire-resistant glazed screens for EI30 (30 minutes integrity and insulation)

Triton has supplied 3,280kg of TT Admix, its BBA certified concrete waterproofing system, to a prestigious new build project in West London. The project is a new car dealership situated between the M4 flyover and the site of Brentwood FC's new stadium. The construction comprises a watertight concrete base with welded sheet piled walls and a watertight concrete capping beam to provide a Type B integral waterproofing solution to BS 8102 (2009). On top of the slab is a steel framed structure.

ChallengeThe Building Centre, a central information point for all sectors of the construction industry, recently refurbished its London based headquarters. The second stage has seen Knauf Insulation Acoustic Roll supplied to the Construction Products Association, the UK Green Building Council and Design for Homes offices located on the first floor.In order to maximise all potential space available to the offices, it was essential to select a product that would take up as little space as possible, while satisfying the environmental and acoustic criteria required to achieve the BREEAM ‘excellent’ rating.SolutionTo accomplish this, 50mm Acoustic Roll was specified as it is lightweight, flexible, non-combustible and provides a high level of sound absorption, furthermore, it has been specifically designed for friction fitting between members at 400mm and 600mm centres. Acoustic Roll significantly improves the sound insulation performance of partitions whilst at the same time delivering improved thermal and fire performance. Plus, thanks to ECOSE® Technology, offers outstanding environmental credentials.Knauf Insulation products with ECOSE® Technology are made with a formaldehyde free binder technology derived from rapidly renewable, bio-based materials, which reduces embodied energy and delivers superior environmental sustainability. The insulation doesn’t look or feel like any other insulation. It is naturally brown in colour as there are no artificial colours or dyes added and it produces a ‘super softer’, odourless and easier to handle insulation.Colin Henderson, CEO of the Building Centre comments on how specifying Knauf Insulation was an easy decision to make: "After looking at the requirements and from our existing knowledge of Knauf Insulation, we knew the company would be able to meet all our needs quickly and efficiently."Maria Morgan, Market Manager – Building, Non Residential at Knauf Insulation explains: “Our unique position in having a broad product range, coupled with our expertise within the industry, enabled us to fully advise and install the appropriate insulation solution for the Building Centre.”

Essential Protection for Tall Buildings.As one of the world's leading coatings companies, we strive to be at the forefront of design trends and our International range of protective coatings and passive fire protection products is developed to complement architectural innovations.With its curved façade and spiralling form symbolizing China’s emergence as a global financial power, the Shanghai Tower is world's second tallest building (behind Burj Khalifa in Dubai), after its six-year construction was completed at the end of 2015.Shanghai Tower is one of the most advanced sustainable tall buildings in the world and goes to great lengths to generate its own energy.Around 200,000 liters of our protective coatings and intumescent fire protection products, including Interchar 1983, were used to provide fire protection for stair steel structures and the façade’s supporting steel structures for up to 90 minutes.We were the company of choice for the owner, painting applicators and the fabricator.

This Case Study is about a family run busy in Bristol wanting to re-new the floor outside the shop and also include their company logo.

Location: LondonMain Contractor: Berkeley GroupLondon Dock Block F is situated in the heart of Wapping, London, with a magnificent choreographed central water feature and the finest selection of high-quality new homes.The building, which will provide a total of 360 new apartments, is split into blocks at different heights to a maximum of 16 storeys, including communal roof gardens, courtyards and green roofs.The OBEX Class B Interface Sealing System and the Class A1 Breather Membrane System were specified in order to achieve full regulatory compliance and meet the correct performance standards.Quality Apartments: 360

The Marshall Building is a new mixed-use education building for the London School of Economics. Designed by Grafton Architects, the interior enhances the student experience and offers visually fascinating architecture.The design includes a helical concrete staircase that starts from ground floor up to the teaching spaces on the first and second floor. The interior cathedral-like space comprises large spanning concrete ‘trees’ in a cruciform arrangement which was inspired by the local 17th century chapel’s architecture. The unpainted concrete surfaces were decorated using KEIM Concretal Lasur, a colourwash stain that enhances and protects the substrate whilst retaining the look and feel of concrete. We are delighted that this project has won several awards, Civic Trust Awards – National Panel Special Award 2023, AJ Architecture Awards 2022 and Education Estates Awards 2022, to name a few. 

Mace Group purchased the units directly and free-issued them to the steel frame contractor, VBH JV (a joint venture ofHollandia and Victor Buyck). Some of the units were 7m x 1.5m wide which Ambar Kelly designed to incorporate horizontal fire protection and drylined fire walls as part of the RiserSafe® system. This allowed for a group of shafts, or openings, to be combined into one unit, which reduced the number of trimmer steels and concrete beams required for walls, thereby reducing crane lifts and construction time. (Courtesy of James Reid Photography.

SMARTPLY FR/FR BUILD OSB3 from MEDITE SMARTPLY has been used as a flame retardant flooring solution within a seven-storey, timber frame accommodation building for students of John Moores University and University of Liverpool.

Gypsum Fibreboard partitioning by specialist building panel manufacturer fermacell® was specified for a redeveloped research facility for a quadruplet of reasons at least, its fire and acoustic properties, robustness and weight bearing capabilities to name just a few.

Bellway, one of the UK’s leading housebuilders, is presently incorporating Hedgehog Highways into all of their new residential housing developments. The Hedgehog Highway by Timloc, part of Alumasc plc, frames fence holes designed to connect gardens, enabling hedgehogs to roam freely and forage for food and shelter. Hedgehogs are classified as vulnerable to extinction in the UK, primarily due to habitat loss and an increase in road-related incidents. A hedgehog can travel up to 2km and consume as many as 100 invertebrates in a single night, so facilitating hedgehogs’ access to green spaces is of critical importance. Bellway have already installed Hedgehog Highways in over 15 sites across the UK. “‘Better with Bellway’ is our new sustainable approach to business practice, aimed at putting people and the planet first. Biodiversity is one of our priority areas with the aim of protecting and preserving nature. As part of our work in this area, we will be installing Timloc’s Hedgehog Highways in customers’ gardens which will allow these animals to roam across our developments.” Stephen Weldon, Head of Sustainability at Bellway. With every purchase of a Hedgehog Highway, a donation is made to hedgehog charities to help them continue their vital work in rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing wild hedgehogs. Timloc have already donated over £2,500 to hedgehog organisations across the UK. To learn more about Hedgehog Highway by Timloc visit: www.timloc.co.uk For further information on Bellway go to www.bellway.co.uk Photo: Fabian Abalintoaie, Assistant Site Manager for Bellway, at the Ashberry Kensington Vale site in Howden, East Riding of Yorkshire. Download the Bellway and Hedgehog Highway case study here.

Renovation stripping out the building completely and rebuilding the walls, Passive Purple® was applied in between the connections of the internal side of the external walls which were a combination of masonry, timber, and steel frame. The ground floor ceiling was removed exposing the warped old timber joists with cracks in the surrounding brickwork and mortar. This was given attention to detail using Passive Purple® Brush to seal above an airtight foam to guarantee the airtightness of this major air leak zone before the final spray coat of Passive Purple® airtight membrane was applied. Passive Purple® was also used to seal window and door linings, ready for the new triple glazed windows to go in. Passive Purple® was sprayed on all the walls and ceiling. This is an ongoing project that still is awaiting an air test, the client is looking to hit 2.5 ach and installing MVHR.

The project involved the conversion of the 1st floor of the Grade II listed Princes Building in Newcastle’s Quay side area into 10 apartments. The building, which was designed by William Parnel, who was responsible for some of the best architecture in the City, was built back in 1863 and as such posed some interesting problems when it came to bringing the building up to current standards. The introduction of the Lewis Dovetailed Metal Deck and screed system on top of the existing joists provided the necessary performance for airborne and impact sound and fire separation.

The ChallengeThis prestigious three storey new build property in the village of Bilton was designed following close liaison with the local planning authority, in order to be sympathetic to other nearby homes.The SolutionCareful selection of the brick type was critical to this process, as the property needed a soft aesthetic to its front elevation, addressing the local authority’s concerns about the impact of the finished project while still meeting the client’s personal requirements.With this in mind the client selected Forterra’s Autumn Glow facing brick. This not only met all the criteria set by the local planning authority, but its enhanced durability designation allowed the brick to be used to create a seamless brick façade.Tom Holland, Managing Director of Holland Build, said, “We put forward several brick types to the planning authority as part of this two storey project, and a unanimous decision was reached that the Autumn Glow best fitted the design of the property, and was most in keeping with the local area.“I was already familiar with the Autumn Glow, having used it extensively on the construction of a luxury apartment building on a previous job, and never had any issue with them. They’re a good, solid facing brick, and extremely durable, and I’d recommend using them as a reliable stock brick.”The BenefitsGareth Rouse, Architectural Technologist for Forterra, said, “The Autumn Glow is a stock facing brick more tailored to the self-build market, due to its relatively soft aesthetic and higher-grade durability. It also contains recycled content and is the most sustainable stock brick available on the UK market.“It suited this project particularly well, complementing the timber frames used in the windows and doors and also proving ideal for the construction of the arch above the main entrance.”Although the main brickwork was intentionally kept simple, the client required a grand entrance that would draw visitors to the front door. Owing to the easily moulded nature of this particular clay type, special shaped bullnose bricks were utilised on the jambs of the main entrance, which then continued as tapered voussouirs into the semi-circular arch above. Simple, but effective herringbone panels were also introduced to draw the eye, breaking the appearance of mass stretcher bond brickwork.Forterra nominated the finished project for the 2018 Brick Awards, in the Individual Housing Development category.

Location: LondonMain Contractor: Berkeley GroupLocated on the banks of the River Lea, Poplar Riverside by Berkeley Group is set to become one of East London’s most vibrant neighbourhoods.It will feature over 2,800 new homes, a new 2.5 acre park and world-class resident facilities, including a commercial gym, a relaxing spa, and a public piazza for community events.As part of the façade package, OCL Façades installed the OBEX Class B Interface Sealing Membrane system, as specified for this project.Landmark Brickwork Ltd also installed the same system, namely 0500FR Class B Interface Sealing Membrane, complete with 0771FR Class B Paste Adhesive, ensuring that this development has the ultimate fully compliant, fully tested, façade interface sealing system.New Apartments: 2700Riverside Park: 2.5 AcresResidents Facilities: 16,000 Square Feet

Location: StockportMain Contractor: Willmott DixonStockport Interchange is a mixed-use development that will create a new state-of-the-art transport interchange, a two-acre town centre park and 196 new, high-quality residential apartments.The multi-million-pound project includes a rooftop park along with cycle paths and a footbridge linking the development with the town’s famous railway station.OBEX CORTEX 0270FR Score'N'Snap Cement Board system was specified, ensuring the project had a robust, durable, cement-based sheathing board, but without the considerable cost of traditional cutting equipment and dust extraction.Residential Apartments: 196Rooftop Park: 2 Acres

Location: BirminghamMain Contractor: WinvicBuilt on the former Kent Street Swimming Baths site in central Birmingham, the development will be home to four residential blocks, providing a total of 406 purpose-built apartments.The site once housed Kent Street Baths which opened in 1851 and was subsequently heavily damaged in the Second World War bombing of Birmingham.OBEX supplied the CORTEX 0270FR Score'N'Snap Cement Board system, ensuring the project had a robust, durable cement-based sheathing board, but without the considerable cost of traditional cutting equipment and dust extraction.Purpose-built apartments: 406Blocks: 4Storeys: 18

A new gem has taken its place in the architectural playground that is Salford Quays in Manchester. Between the towers of MediaCityUK and Michael Wilford’s The Lowry, sits a small but perfectly formed gold parcel – a new home for The Alchemist, an innovative cocktail bar and restaurant.

As part of a major refurbishment of listed parliamentary estate buildings, only ARDEX products were trusted to restore and protect these iconic working areas for years to come. 

A moment of Introspection Before the Big RevealMorrow+Lorraine had a bold vision for the contemporary 123 Hub. The lobby was no different. Home to Google and ENI Trading, prestige and performance was imperative throughout the building.123 Hub has a modern and neutral design scheme, using stone, wood and natural fabrics, which the luxury Entrance Matting needed to complement and protect. It tirelessly maintains its classic look while enduring and cleaning the shoes of users of the 200,000 ft2 office space. INTRAsystems has worked with Morrow+Lorraine on a wide range of projects so the practice knew the design potential of our product range.With its clean lines, INTRAflex XT was the preferred choice for their chevron scheme. It offers flexible configurations for a wide range of designs, as well as quality performance and proven longevity.Fusing Form and Function for Architectural ImpactINTRAflex XT has a heavy-duty aluminium frame available in a standard silver finish, anodised bronze or black. Each option comes with a 10-year warranty so will stand the test of time. Made from 100% recycled aluminium and fully recyclable, it also represents a sustainable option, as verified by EPD.For added practicality, INTRAflex XT sections are removable to help maintenance and cleaning. There’s no need to wait for service visits or specialist tools. On-site teams can lift each section to remove any debris or excess moisture, minimising disruption.As one of our most specified products, you can find it used extensively in prestigious locations.Elite Performance, Smart Aesthetics, Luxury Entrance MattingMorrow+Lorraine opted for INTRAlux® Elite Grey 606 fibre inserts to add a subtle colour and textural change, while complementing the stone floor beyond and enhancing the overall neutral monochrome palette.The simple appearance belies the advanced features. The INTRAlux® Elite fibre has a mix of coarse and smooth fibres made from 100% Econyl regenerated nylon, offering excellent scraping and sound absorption. It has excellent UV-resistance, fire resistance, and slip rating.Precise and practical installationFrom the chevron design Morrow+Lorraine supplied, we created an intricate plan for the install team; clearly labelled each component and supplied in oversized lengths to allow for tolerances and anomalies on site.We also provided spares just in case, as the install team had to work around some immovable features.The flush, glass revolving doors would have been particularly tricky for a lesser product. With our detailed plans, an innovative product and skilled installers, the effect is unassuming perfection. Explore Tiling and Flooring did an incredible job.

When Barry Daly, company director of BUDA Building and Development, went to visit an old reclaim yard in Rawreth to purchase some oak for a development he was working on, all he found was a barren site. The development, Trenders Barn, consists of four timber frame luxury detached properties, each with a unique design. Along with the need for a high quality finish for such a premium build, environmental performance was also a key deciding factor for the choice of all materials. Hardie® Plank, in midnight black was specified for the facades to stay in-keeping with local Essex design styles.

ASF were initially approached to supply the standard ASF 5002 bollard to use in the protection for car charging units situated at motorway services across the UK. After some initial discussion it was decided that a variation on that bollard would be best, offered at 2 standard diameters (101mm and 114mm) and as both straight and cranked bollard profiles.This allowed a standard spec to be circulated around several installation contractors that was at once consistent whilst also having the flexibility to be used on individual sites that typically have slightly varied needs.The bollards are finished polished with a green visibility band in a machined recess and off a robust and effective barrier whilst being relatively unobtrusive not displeasing to the eye.

This project involved providing a soundproofing solution for a Grade ll listed period building located in the south west of Sheffield, close to the botanical gardens, where the former NHS building was undergoing conversion into residential wellings.Hush were involved in the very early design stages of this conversion/new build project and under direction of our client Jonathan Frith of Bamford Homes. We also worked alongside acoustic consultants HRS Services Ltd (now Stroma Specialist Access) and architect Richard Keighley from DKMY Architects.A variety of Hush Systems were specified to deliver excellent acoustic performance.HD1030: Hush System LP was applied to the ground and first floors. This is a floating floor system, compliant with Building Regulations Approved Document E, used in refurbishment of timber floors. It also holds 1-hour fire resistance at ceiling level.HD1032: Hush System LP/MF was used from the second to first floor and from the third to second floor. This economical sound insulation system for use between separating floors is made up of Hush Panel 28, Hush Seal 20 and Hush absorber slabs. It is used within refurbishment projects using timber joists and also provides 1-hour fire resistance at ceiling level.Along with using these systems, we also upgraded the existing walls using our HD1040: Wall System which provides high standards of airborne sound reduction and can be used to reduce both flanking and direct sound transmission. It again is compliant with UK Building Regulations and provides a minimum loss of space within rooms.Within the new build residential space, we recommended our HD1054: Double Timber Stud Wall System which is our extremely effective system comprising of Hush Slab absorber slabs and Acoustic Plasterboard.Although design stages through to completion of this project were around 3 years, the conversion and new build project itself, once begun took around 18 months. All acoustic testing carried out on site was passed.The flats are in a sought-after area, close to the University of Sheffield and Hallamshire Hospital, within easy access to facilities in Broomshill and Eccleshall road and have been finished to a high acoustic standard.