"fire protection"

In a stunning architectural statement, CUPA PIZARRAS R17 slate has been specified to meet the design challenges of a former Georgian windmill renovation at Fort Green, near Aldeburgh in Suffolk. The first project of its kind in the UK, the natural slate was individually cut and fixed through expert craftsmanship to accommodate the building’s exterior curve while also providing crucial protection from the harsh coastal environment. Originally, the windmill walls were going to be clad in cedar shingles however, contractor ELC Roofing recommended using the rectangular CUPA R17 slate from CUPA PIZARRAS as a more weather-resistant alternative. ELC Roofing Owner, Edward Carlo, explains: “The R17 is a natural, non-carbonated blue-black slate with non-rusting metallic particles and thin laminations. From our perspective, it’s a tried and tested product that we specify and install on a lot of our projects – especially in coastal situations like this.” The slates, which protect against the salt water and wind, have been fitted on both the windmill’s curved wall, its pitched roof and elsewhere adding design details to the property’s walls. He goes on to say: “Aesthetically, the ocean environment has inspired the material choice with the slate mirroring the scales of a fish. This gives the windmill a dramatic architectural style; one that also sympathetically ties into the slate roof of the neighbouring cottage, which we replaced with CUPA R17 the previous year. “As far as I am aware, nothing like this windmill has been done in the UK. It was a case of starting from scratch to devise the optimum installation method, which involved a lot of detailed calculations.” For the tower, which has a 15m circumference at the base tapering to 11m at the top, the team initially removed the thick render on the windmill wall, taking it back to the original brickwork. Next, to meet the challenge of the curve and tapering of the wall, 50mm counter battens were fitted to the tower’s brickwork. Then, multiple strips of ply were cut and glued together to create the curve. These panels were screwed to the counter battens to provide an anchor for the fixing system. The ply was also primed to protect the surface from water ingress and a breathable membrane applied to protect the brickwork. In terms of fixing the slates to the panels, Edward said: “For a more corrosion and wind-resistant solution, I decided on the French technique of a stainless steel hook fixing system to install the slate, as opposed to nails.” Ensuring the layout worked exactly with the curves, the slate was lasered from top to bottom to perk it out, which took five days to do. Horizontal tiling battens were also marked to ensure the slates were fixed at the right height. Every single slate was cut and fixed individually to accommodate the curve and ensure they aligned with the building’s inset windows as well as other architectural details - a very precise process that required expert levels of craftsmanship. Preventing the slates from getting smaller at height, the team designed-in a series of lead bands that go all around the building at each storey level. These sit underneath the windows to create a consistent appearance visually. The windmill’s domed copper roof existed already and the adjoining tower, which is horizontally clad in a white weatherboard, features a slated pitched roof. ELC Roofing has again used CUPA PIZARRAS spanish slates. In this instance, the roof curves to the back end with four leaded hips to one end and two to the other with a connecting lead ridge. This time the slates were fitted to 20 x 50mm battens with a layer of permeable membrane. This part of the roof also features a striking onion-shaped finial. Expertly crafted by ELC Roofing, the finial is produced out of a patchwork of small pieces of soft copper, topped off with a fish that acts as a weather vane and includes stunning marble eyes. To the other side of the clad tower, CUPA PIZARRAS slate has been used to create a vertical square panel detail to the front of the building and fixed using the hook system again. Commenting on this challenging project, Edward said: “Work on site started before the first Covid-19 lockdown so as well as the challenging weather conditions that a coastal location like this presents, the team also had to complete the work with government guidance and restrictions in place. Regardless, the client is overwhelmed with the end result and so are we.” To find out more about the CUPA PIZARRAS range of natural slate visit: https://www.cupapizarras.com/uk/natural-slate-roofing/

Building contractor Eversley Building Services Ltd required a roof access ladder for emergency use in the event of a fire. However, the application constraints presented many challenges, in particular the small skylight aperture. As such, a particularly compact loft ladder was needed. Furthermore, because the loft ladder would be used during an emergency, it had to be easy-to-operate and safe for its occupants. Read more about this challenging project and how the Piccolo Premium provided the ideal solution...

Schöck in the "Green Center". New Residential Complex in Linz.In the Upper Austrian capital city Linz, a new urban district known as the "Green Center” is being created. It will provide about 800 apartments. In this context, the Schöck Isokorb® T is a substantial component.Seven non-profit real estate developers are building a new heart for the city on an area of 87,000 m² in its geographical center – the largest urban development project in Linz for decades. As of 2016, a total of 800 apartments will have been erected and in accordance with the socio-demographic development, 50 assisted living housing units and a kindergarten – all on the site of the former freight railway station.In this complex we wanted to create "a sea of green, stretching from private gardens, terraces, loggias and balconies up to the roof tops, " explained the city officials. This is also where its name comes from.14,000 m² of parklandAll objects are being built with net zero-energy efficient features. Solar collectors are being installed on many roofs to provide hot water. As part of the thermal insulation, Schöck’s Isokorb® T thermally separates elements while forming part of the structure. It is being used here on a massive scale in different variants. Around 1,700 units were installed in five different building complexes. The versatile range of Schöck Isokorb® T structural thermal breaks allowed the planners great scope for design and energy efficient solutions, since they not only offer thermal separation and additional fire protection but also freedom of interface access (e.g. balcony to living space). In addition to Isokorb® T, Schöck Dorn (shear reinforcement, heavy-duty dowel), Schöck Bole® (punching shear reinforcement) and the Sound Protection System Schöck Tronsole® (for stairwells) were used in many installations.A total of 89 apartments with 75 balconies will be built whereby the ground floor apartments each have their own small garden. The roof surfaces are all planted. The living areas of balconies that extend outwards have an L-profile. The resulting visual plant staircase on the sunny facades creates the impression of a hanging garden for the residents and neighbors. This has a relatively striking effect and yet this version of gradation and the enclosed balustrades provides a certain degree of privacy for the inhabitants. To achieve the desired level of green, balconies are to have two flower boxes each (1.5m in length) that will be tended to by the residents. The three-meter deep balconies are thermally separated with Schöck Isokorb® T elements.Arcades thermally separated"We have done everything that is technically expedient to save energy. The Isokorb® T has been installed in the terraces and arcades" (Karrer). A solar system was installed on the roof. "All the green diminishes the specified high construction density," says the architect. Gradated terraces ensure that even in the courtyards there’s good light. The buildings were handed over in the summer of 2014.

CHALLENGEWestfield, the world’s largest listed retail property company, is set to change the face of retail in the United Kingdom with the opening of its new flagship development – “Westfield London” – at White City, London.Beneath a spectacular, undulating glass roof, the £1.6 billion Westfield London destination combines over 150,000m2 of retail, restaurants, cafes, bars and leisure facilities to create the ultimate shopping and leisure destination.Westfield London will act as a catalyst for the redevelopment and regeneration of the wider White City area with a further £1billion investment expected in the immediate vicinity over the next 10 years.SOLUTIONKnauf Insulation supplied Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab as part of the rainscreen cladding system to the external stone clad façades of the development and internal stone clad stairwell and elevator areas. The specification of Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab provided both performance and installation benefits to both client and specialist installing contractor.Rock Mineral Wool has a Euroclass A1 reaction to fire classification to BS EN ISO 13501- 1, the highest classification available. With rainscreen cladding incorporated into building design fire performance is particularly important and, as such, a non-combustible component such as Rock Mineral Wool provides the ideal prevention against the spread of fire. The non-combustible nature of rock mineral wool ensures that it will not burn, will not give off toxic smoke and will not suddenly ignite in a fire due to ‘flashover’.Another key specification element related to the speed and ease of installation. The required thermal performance of the building was dependent on the correct installation of the specified insulation product. Rocksilk® RainScreen Slabs are easy to install down to their superior workability ensuring installation stayed within the tight time constraints. Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab is treated with a water repellent additive to ensure the building structure is protected against rain penetration and it can also be installed with either face adjacent to the sub structure.Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab provides an additional benefit for the installing contractor as it is designed to adapt to minor imperfections in the building’s substructure. The rock mineral wool product ‘knits’ together, ensuring intimate contact between slabs ensuring all joints are closed and thermal efficiency is maximised.Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab has excellent acoustic properties, which contributed towards the acoustic performance of the structure in order to comply with both sound insulation and sound absorption requirements.What’s more, individual packs of Rocksilk® RainScreen Slabs are compression packed together in Knauf Insulation’s innovative packaging method, Supakube. The advanced compression technology and strong packaging materials ensure the product is easy to transport and store, reducing environmental impact and causing minimal disruption on site and the surrounding area.

EVAC-ALERT, C-TEC’s new evacuation alert system, is now in operation at Delaney Heights, a radically renovated tower block in Salford.With 119 affordable rent apartments featuring floor to ceiling windows and stunning city views, the building cost over £9M to refurbish and is named after Shelagh Delaney, Salford’s famous playwright and the author of ‘A Taste of Honey’.The EVAC-ALERT system installed there comprises a powerful 3-loop panel connected to single and multi-way flat interface units, self-testing sounders and Equality Act-compliant visual indicators and vibrating pillow pads, all designed to fully comply with BS 8629, the code of practice for evacuation alert systems.Darren Moulding, Director at Supersafe, the BAFE SP207-registered specialist fire company that completed the project for The Guinness Partnership, said: “Optimum fire safety protection and the correct evacuation procedures are critical in residential buildings to protect people and property.“Currently there’s a huge demand for evacuation alert systems as Part B of Building Regs states they must be installed in all new residential buildings over 18 metres high. “EVAC-ALERT’s flexibility means it’s very easy to customise to create a cost-effective BS 8629-compliant solution for any high-rise to give owners and residents peace of mind.“We particularly liked the fact we could test every single sounder independently from the panel and that the entire system was powered up and running perfectly from the word go. Our client was very impressed during handover and, as a company, we would highly recommend EVAC-ALERT.”Joanne Stokes, Building Safety Resident Liaison Officer at The Guinness Partnership said: “Myself and Robert Murphy, our Clerk of Works were more than happy with the installation of the evacuation alert system. Supersafe’s customer service skills are second-to-none and communication with myself and our customers was first-class and kept the project firmly on track. I look forward to working with the Supersafe team on future projects.”EVAC-ALERT is powered by C-TEC’s CAST protocol and fully compatible with ENVISION, its powerful new cloud-based remote access data management software which can be used to provide duty holders with a verifiable audit trail of system activity and device testing.

Featuring the UK’s longest indoor real-snow ski slope, Soar at Intu Braehead is Scotland’s largest retail and leisure complex, attracting up to 17 million people every year. Construction Specialties were asked to provide an expansive entrance mat for the centre’s main entrance. The chosen product was CS’ Pediluxe entrance mat with Platinum covered exterior grade carpet inserts. They have stronger bristle than interior grade carpet inserts, assuring dirt and moisture is effectively removed from the soles of shoes. This enormous entrance mat strongly protects interior floor surfaces and maintenance budgets from foot and wheeled traffic.

Using materials, shades and textures that work in harmony with rural surroundings is always an important consideration for designers and planners. In Hertfordshire an ancient barn has recently been converted to provide additional accommodation for the nearby house.The new roof of the C16th barn was constructed with Cadisch Welltec perforated profiled aluminium panels over a waterproof membrane. Visible roof lights on such an ancient barn were not permitted but some light is able to penetrate through unobtrusive roof lights which are entirely covered by the perforated Welltec. The outline of the windows can just be made out in the photograph.The corrugated effect of the Welltec already lent a rustic charm to the roof and the owners needed a coating for the aluminium that would both protect the roof and also give the appearance of an old building.Taking inspiration from natural elements, EvolutionTM powder coatings allow architects and designers to achieve the look they need, together with using the most appropriate materials for the job and satisfying planning requirements on a local level.  The panels and ridge cappings totalling over 200 square metres, were pre-treated in a chrome-free system and powder coated in EvolutionTM ‘Peat fire’ at Powdertech’s Corby plant, before being delivered to site for installation. Peat fire is an earthy shade, instantly giving an aged look to the roof. It is a shade that one might expect on a weathered ‘tin roof’ – but in this case the metal stands the Evolution™ system.”  BenefitsA wide range of effects to reflect the patinas that occur naturally on metalsExcellent visual and tactile detailHigh performance weather resistanceGood edge coverageAll powders are Qualicoat 1Leaves no residue or stainTwenty-five year guarantee.

Lamellow+ PuzzleExplore new design possibilities with our latest Lamellow+ in design Puzzle. This collection features twelve unique models that offer limitless assembly possibilities, both horizontally and vertically. We are excited to unveil a new fresh aesthetic of genuine composite Cera ribs, paired with a new palette of vibrant felt colours inspired by the nature. The Cera ribs have a special matte finish coating for enhanced durability and ease of maintenance. Lamellow+ Puzzle is designed for effortless installation and meets all the requirements for public space utilization. Importantly, the fire safety of our Gustafs Lamellow+ is always inherent in its material makeup, eliminating the need for chemical treatments. This results in a solid fire classification of B-s1,d0 for the Lamellow+ panels.Lamellow+ Cera: PatternsPuzzle ConfigurationOur Puzzle design is now available in four distinct, irregular patterns and three sizes. Regardless of how the panels are combined, the gap between ribs is uniformly maintained, ensuring a cohesive look in any configuration.Lamellow+ Cera: Dimensions & SpacingCera CompositionCera sets a new standard for modern aesthetics, offering a genuine, solid composite material distinguished by its natural imperfections and enhanced by a protective matte coating. This choice reflects a commitment to both beauty and durability.Lamellow+ Cera: MaterialFelt Colour OptionsThe Gustafs Acoustex felt not only sounds beautiful but also serves as a robust foundation for the ribs. Choose from a broad spectrum of colours, from the subtle Wool Grey to natural tones such as Wet Sand and Old Clay, to perfectly complement your design vision.Lamellow+ Cera: Felt colours