"foamglas®"

Refurbishment of a campsite services facility at a popular country park provided an unusual testing ground for part of a new stainless steel kitchen furniture range developed for the professional catering sector. But after a full season’s camping at Emberton Country Park, the double bowl sinktop from GEC Anderson’s new Decimetric® range has met all expectations and is set for a long service life.Emberton Country Park, near Milton Keynes, was developed from disused gravel workings and is today an attractive parkland setting of 200 acres. It caters for a variety of uses and includes 58 pitches for tents and touring caravans, rally fields, lake and river fishing, a conservation area, children’s play areas, a shop and washroom/toilet facilities.As part of a major refurbishment of the services block for campers in the touring field, Milton Keynes Council’s Construction Services Department refitted the washroom where campers wash their crockery and cooking utensils. After another supplier was unable to deliver a suitable sinktop within the council’s timeframe, Robert Gritton, Project Manager for Milton Keynes Council, shopped around for a cost effective alternative – and became one of the first customers to order from the Decimetric® range. “GEC Anderson was able to custom make the sinktop in a very short time, and everyone has been very pleased with it. I’m very glad that the other make was not available,” he says. “The other big advantage of the Decimetric® product is that its 100mm modular size increments permit specification of the largest possible unit to fit a space, without the premium of a true bespoke installation.”The Decimetric® sinktop is extremely durable, but requires minimal maintenance. Park Manager David MacCarter says: “It’s really solid, well made and it will never wear out. The cleaners just give it a wipe over every day: it’s easy to keep clean and it looks great.”The 1,700 x 600mm sinktop of commercial grade stainless steel has a water-retaining 40mm lipped edge at the front and sides, and an 85mm sloping upstand at the back. The bowls are 400 x 400 x 250mm and positioned 100mm apart, centrally along the length of the sinktop. Both have 38mm outlets and two 30mm diameter tapholes at 200mm centres behind each bowl. The sinktop stands on square section stainless steel legs with adjustable feet. A solid stainless steel shelf is fitted under the sinktop. The new Decimetric® range from GEC Anderson offers a flexible and comprehensive selection of sinks, surfaces, support frames, cabinets and shelving. The range was developed mainly for the professional catering market, but its versatility, good looks and low maintenance requirements make it an excellent choice for applications requiring hard-wearing and hygienic surfaces. Decimetric® units are easy to specify and are offered in sizes from 500-3,000mm, with 100mm sizing increments (100mm = 1 decimetre). The modular approach makes for economy and short delivery times. Founded in England in 1962, GEC Anderson has pioneered the development of made-to-measure stainless steel products. Today, the company’s range includes bowls, worktops, cabinets, shelving and sanitaryware for use in domestic, commercial and specialist environments. All products are manufactured to ISO 9001 and backed by a comprehensive support service from planning and product specification to installation and maintenance.

Four years ago, sustainable developer Citu set out to create homes 10 times more energy efficient than typical UK houses. To do this, the company invested in a state-of-the-art production facility where all the components for its properties are built offsite.Thermal performance is critical to energy efficiency. Citu wanted to go far beyond the regulations to achieve wall build-ups with an extremely low U-value of just 0.10W/m2K. This is at least three times better than the U-value achieved in most new build homes and fifteen times better than older houses.Adding offsite capabilityCitu turned to Knauf Insulation for advice and support in developing the offsite capability required for this level of thermal performance. Knauf Insulation’s Technical Support Team undertook extensive calculations and recommended the Blowing Plate Insulation System to install Supafil® Frame – a high performance, non-combustible blowing wool.Supafil® Blowing Wool lends itself to offsite production because it completely fills the cavity, without any voids even around complex penetrations – something that can occur when insulation slabs or rolls are cut to size. It is also a dry process, so operatives are not exposed to any harmful chemicals and it doesn’t require a dedicated production line.Instead, the system comprises a blowing machine and a filling plate. The system is modular allowing for phased investment. Citu opted to install the blowing machine in phase one, which allowed them to manually fill the panels. Phase two saw the addition of the blowing plate, semi-automating the process.Supafil® Frame can be run by a single operator, fits easily into the existing production line, and can even be moved quickly and swiftly to other areas in the manufacturing facility depending on Citu’s volume capacity requirements.Knauf Insulation’s Technical Support Team provided full training and support during each phase of installation.Insulating the panelsCitu homes are manufactured from wooden panels with a 300mm cavity. The blowing plate is positioned over the panel completely covering the cavity. Supafil® is then blown into the wooden frame to the specific parameters of each panel. All cavities are filled to the correct thickness; something that has been carefully calculated and tested by the Knauf Insulation Technical Support Team to ensure settlement does not occur. And because the machine is programmed to install the exact quantity of insulation required, there’s no waste.Supafil® is a high performance Blowing Wool. It is non-combustible with Euroclass A1 reaction to fire classification as well as providing excellent thermal and acoustic performance. It contains a silicone-based additive to ensure it is water repellent.As well as providing excellent thermal performance, Supafil® has great sustainability credentials. Knauf Insulation’s Glass Mineral Wool contains up to 80% of recycled content. This reduces the amount of virgin materials used and prevents around 60,000 tonnes of glass a year (350 million bottles) from going to landfill or polluting the environment. Knauf Insulation has also invested in advanced compression packaging. This means there’s less packaging used, so fewer lorries on the roads leading to a reduction in transport carbon emissions. All of which helps to support Citu’s goal that every home should be carbon zero to manufacture.By combining modern methods of construction with the very highest levels of thermal performance, Citu and Knauf Insulation are creating homes that reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions – homes that are fit for the future.

Middlewood Locks is a prestigious 25-acre mixed-use regeneration scheme of Salford’s canal district. The first development phase included the construction of Quarry, an eight-storey building combining ground floor commercial space, luxury apartments and an undercroft car park for residents. It was the insulation for this car park that threw up a challenge for sub-contractor Horbury Building Systems. A complex underdrawing method had been specified, comprising the installation of timber battens, non-combustible mineral wool insulation and a separate soffit insulation over the top. Installation would be extremely labour-intensive, so Horbury Building Systems consulted Knauf Insulation about whether it could provide an alternative that would meet the thermal performance and fire safety requirements, but also be easy to install. Knauf Insulation’s Technical Support Team reviewed the specification and recommended 185mm Rocksilk® Soffit Linerboard Extra to achieve the required 0.18 W/m2K U-value.  Rocksilk® Soffit Linerboard Extra is a Rock Mineral Wool insulation slab bonded to a 6mm off-white weather resistant facing board which provides a two-in-one aesthetic and thermal solution. It has a low thermal conductivity of just 0.034 W/mK and is designed for use as an insulated underlining solution in semi-exposed environments. The off-white cementitious particle board reflects light which makes it ideally suited for use in car parks. As well as thermal performance, Rocksilk® Soffit Linerboard Extra is non-combustible. It has the best possible Euroclass A1 reaction to fire classification, so it will not contribute to the development or spread of a fire should it occur. This is important because car parks can contain large quantities of a potential propellant – petrol. So the insulation will help to ensure the fire safety of the rest of the building.   Rocksilk® Soffit Linerboard Extra also has good sound absorption characteristics so it provides high levels of sound reduction. This reduces noise from the car park, minimising disruption for the people living and working in the premises above. As well as meeting the specification, Rocksilk® Soffit Linerboard Extra has been enhanced to add rigidity and is easy to install. The board is simply placed onto the concrete soffit and fixed into position with five drillscrews. This reduced the installation method from three separate phases to just one, saving Horbury Building Systems time and associated labour costs. Stephen Hampshire, Contracts Manager at Horbury Building Systems said: “We found the panels easy to install. Firstly, we marked and drilled the fixing points at bench level. Next, we held the panels in place to the underside of the concrete – although the panels are lightweight ‘this is a two-handed operation’ – then we drilled through and fixed.”  “We took care in lining the panels together when installing it against the soffit and with some minor tweaking up and down we got a nice flush finish.” Being able to align the panels exactly is not only important for ensuring a good finish. It also means that the slabs will butt tightly together, reducing unintended air gaps which can reduce thermal, fire safety and acoustic performance.  The insulation was supplied to the Middlewood Locks construction site by distributor Galaxy Insulation.  Thanks to Knauf Insulation’s Rocksilk® Soffit Linerboard Extra, the underlining of the car park at Middlewood Locks was easy to install, is aesthetically pleasing, and provides complete thermal, fire safety and acoustic performance.

The Carrasco international Airport is the largest airport in Uruguay serving the capital city Montevideo. Designed by Urugayen architect Rafael Viñoly, the new terminal has the capacity to handle more than 4.5 milion passengers a year. Barrisol® covers 16 000 sqm of ceilings in this international travel and commercial destination.

Factory International will transform the former Granada Studios into a world-class cultural and arts venue in the heart of Manchester. It features The Hall, a large auditorium, and The Warehouse, a flexible multi-purpose space that is taller than four double-decker buses, longer than a jumbo jet and can accommodate 5,000 visitors.Alongside the two public events spaces are The Towers, which house the ground floor entrance foyer, five floors of office space and a plant room at the top of the building. Noise reduces productivity by 66% so when it came to specifying the soffit insulation for The Towers, the architect wanted a solution that would limit airborne sound transfer and reverberation.The insulation would be on display, so aesthetics was also important, and because Factory International will cater for large crowds of people, the chosen solution needed to be non-combustible.Meeting the briefThe architects specified Knauf Insulation’s 50mm Heraklith® Tektalan A2 SmartTec for the soffit insulation in the ground floor foyer of the Warehouse area, main feature staircase, offices and plant room of The Towers.Heraklith® Tektalan A2 SmartTec is a cement-bonded wood wool panel combined with a rock mineral wool insulation core. Both materials have an open structure that naturally absorbs the kinetic energy of sound waves, turning them into heat. It is also non-combustible with an Euroclass A2-s1,d0 reaction to fire classification.Crucially, the Heraklith® wood wool range is also designed for applications where aesthetics is important because the panel is on display. It features bevelled edges and comes in nature tone as standard, or can be ordered in any RAL colour upon request, to create a stylish, uniform finish.To compliment the design schemes in the different zones across the building, contractors, Mansell Building Solutions, ordered the panels in a combination of midnight blue, pebble grey, anthracite and black.Scheduling deliveriesAs the Factory International site is quite compact, there was little room available for storage. So, Knauf Insulation worked closely with distributor Encon Insulation to ensure the insulation was held in stock. Smaller deliveries were then made in line with Mansell Building Solutions’s schedule of works. This ensured that the insulation could be installed as soon as it arrived on site.The product is quick and easy to install. Panels are fixed into position by installing Heraklith® DDS Plus Concrete Screws into each corner and the centre of the panel. The fastener heads have a patented wood wool texture to enhance the finished appearance.Ultimately, installing Heraklith® Tektalan A2 SmartTec onto the soffits in The Towers and the ground floor foyer of the Warehouse not only compliments the design scheme and contributes to fire safety, but it will enable the team behind the events at Factory International to enjoy a quieter working environment too. 

In constructing the new STAR Hub facility, the specification of the flooring choice would be at the very top of the agenda to enable only the very best products to be used. The ultimate decision would fall onto specifying some 320 sq m of Taraflex® vinyl sports flooring from international flooring and interiors specialist Gerflor.

In addition to series 190 heavy-duty entrance doors, Kawneer AA®100 zone-drained curtain walling has been used within rainscreen cladding from the ground to second floors and at the upper floor levels of a courtyard at Tameside One, the second phase of VisionTameside, in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester.

The visitor centre roof has been set at 6 degrees to form an exact replica of two spitfire wings. This unique construction meant the need for superior materials, such as Protect 5000 Façade, TF200® and BarriAir, that could cope with the challenges of the design. The materials also needed to be resilient to cope with the harsh coastal conditions in the South of England.

The Address Residences Fountain Views is a dedicated serviced residence complex in a 500-acre mega-development. Elegantly designed by an international team of architects, The Address Residences Fountain Views is a three-tower complex overlooking Burj Khalifa and The Dubai Fountain. Lorient supplied the complex with Lorient Batwing® perimeter seals and Lorient brush seals.

This 5-star luxury hotel needed high-performance acoustic sealing systems as part of a refurbishment programme for a number of different doorsets. Our highly regarded Batwing® perimeter seal, LAS8001 si drop seal, LAS3004 si door bottom seal and LAS7005 si perimeter seal were used throughout the refurbishment.

When Jazzercise Studio Owner Sarah Sydney-Sheppard moved her business into its own purpose-built facility in the Southernhay area of Exeter she turned to international flooring specialist Gerflor to provide 200m2 of their world-renowned Taraflex® Multi-Use vinyl sports flooring for both the main studio and reception areas.

Tata Steel has supplied its leading steel standing seam wall cladding system, Urban Seam® Façade to a new award-winning development in Portsmouth. The Goldsmith Avenue project is among the first in the UK to benefit from the A1 fire rating of the system, as well as its modern aesthetic and long-term durability.

Set in the Highland capital of Inverness, Solasta House is at the heart of the thriving life sciences quarter, Inverness Campus. Threesixty Architecture required a natural, low maintenance product that would give a consistent appearance. The client selected Russwood Accoya® A1 grade timber, made up of 150mm x 50mm boards on modular panels.

The form of the building was created by owner / developer David Grainger with Trespa® products in mind. He says: "Having seen this material used for offices in and around London and major residential apartment buildings, I decided to use the product on the house." He adds: "It was well worth doing, particularly in respect of the low-maintenance requirements of the product."

Eastmount is a Residential Development based in Delgany County Wicklow with 88 number of houses based on site.The attractive new development was designed using a variety of AG Paving and TerraKerb® products. Our Country Cobble® was the ideal choice for garden paving throughout this development due to the rustic appearance which added character to the new homes.Over 3500m2 of Xflo Plaza permeable paving and Plaza paving were also delivered to site which was used throughout the surrounding areas creating a sleek design adding to the aesthetics of the development which were paramount to its success of attracting potential homeowners.AG’s Specification Consultant Gareth McBrearty stated, “Given the nature of the D-Res development, Eastmount Delany was classed as gold standard where the highest finishes were chosen to deliver top end aesthetics throughout this development. Darragh Mullen lead architect at Brady Shipman Martin Architects was tasked with sourcing the best possible finishes which lead him to AG’s Paving and Flagstone Products.

Back in 2013 when the Ipswich Basketball Academy based at Copleston Sixth Form College (which is home to the Ipswich Basketball Club) needed to refurbish their existing floor, they turned to international flooring specialist Gerflor to supply 700m2 of their world class Taraflex® Comfort vinyl sports flooring which was installed on top of an existing Granwood floor. By overlaying Taraflex® onto the pre-existing surface, the facility was able to quickly and cost effectively rejuvenate its floor, minimising maintenance costs whilst benefiting from long-lasting durability.Gerflor believe that supporting sports at the grass root level is imperative to ensure that every player and participant, regardless of age and ability, can become champions within their own right. To this end, Gerflor are proud to announce their 2021/22 sponsorship of the Ipswich Basketball Club. This golden opportunity will deliver a much wider social impact: it will help the players to lead healthier lives, to develop new skills for employment and to further engage with the local community in exercise and sporting initiatives.

A house dating back to around 1910 was dismantled in the St. Johann district of Basel to make way for a new building on the narrow plot. The construction company was forced to allow car, bicycle and pedestrian traffic to continue and had to make do with a building site that was severely restricted.The ten staircase elements were precast in architectural concrete at the factory, treated with Schöck Tronsole® products and shipped to the site where a crane lowered them individually into their exact position in the stairwell through an opening on the top floor. All of which took place without any standard fastening the elements – each weighing two tons – at the sides or on supports. After all, the challenge was to minimise the transmission of impact sound.Installation was performed by the on-site construction manager in Davidsbodenstrasse. It did not take long to win foreman Paul Willig over to the product: "The self-adhesive technology of Tronsole® makes it quick to install, without the need for tools.” Depending on the construction workflow, the impact sound insulation can also be easily applied at the prefabricating plant.

Located on the banks of the River Kelvin inGlasgow’s west end, Kelvin Hall was one of thelargest exhibition centres in the UK when firstconstructed back in 1927. Famously hostingmany major concerts in the 1960’s and 70’s,this iconic building was converted in 1987 tohouse Glasgow’s Museum of Transport and theKelvin Hall International Sports Arena until itsclosure in 2010.McLaughlin & Harvey Construction and Page\Park Architects were appointed to undertakethis extensive and ambitious refurbishmentproject which provided a demanding setof challenges - particularly regarding thepreservation of Kelvin Hall’s internal heritagefeatures and the original concrete shell in itsentirety.Ideal for new build and refurbishment projects,a Kalzip® standing seam liner roof system wasspecified for the task. Able to withstand highwind uplift and with excellent resistance toclimatic conditions, the lightweight Kalzip®system is extremely durable and has aminimum design life of over 40 years.

A high profile 0.7 hectare residential development, completed in 2017. This project featured the Aquamodul warm blue roof, one of the largest schemes of its kind ever achieved within the capital.ChallengesThe project presented significant challenges, such as demanding thermal performance criteria combined with a challenging planning requirement to achieve maximum outflow rain water run off rates of 10l/s across the entire 7500m2 site.SolutionsThe design and implementation of a site wide blue roof ensures the development’s contribution to mitigating flood risk in London and supports the protection of England’s waterways. Modelled over a 300 year period, the blue roof design is future proofed in terms of its provision for likely climate change and increases in predicted peak rainfall events.Second generation hot melt structural waterproofing system, Wilotekt-Plus, was installed as the Air and Vapour Control Layer (AVCL), which provided an extremely robust waterproof structure during the external envelope and superstructure construction phase. Hytherm ADH thermal insulation and BBA accredited Force Dalle bitumen membranes with anti-root technology where later installed to complete the waterproofing and insulation system.Prior to hand over and installation of the Aquamodul blue roof attenuation cell, the waterproofing system was integrity tested using a differential pressure testing method by independent specialists to ensure the roof was watertight. Once passed as secure, the Aquamodul blue roof cassette and biodiverse (brown) living roof finishes where installed with the further addition of a PV panel array generating the majority of the building’s electrical energy requirements.Systems in useForce Dalle®Wilotekt®-PlusAquamodul®

This project was one of the largest schemes of its kind ever achieved outside of the capital, featuring the Aquamodul warm blue roof with our Force Dalle BBA approved system.Systems in useWilotekt®-PlusForce Dalle®Aquamodul®Extensive Living RoofChallengesThe roof attenuation rate required was 7litres/sec across the 6500m2, which is extremely low for such a large area, and the u-value of 0.10W/m2K was relatively demanding in terms of thermal performance. It was a project specific requirement that the roof was designed with falls within the slab in order to avoid any ponding water.SolutionsThe design and implementation of a site wide blue roof ensured the development’s contribution to mitigating flood risk in the UK, supporting the protection of England’s waterways. Modelled over a 300 year period, the blue roof design is future proofed in terms of its provision for likely climate change and increases in predicted peak rainfall events.Wilotekt-Plus, second generation hot melt structural waterproofing system, was installed as the Air and Vapour Control Layer (AVCL), which provided an extremely robust waterproof structure during the external envelope and superstructure construction phase. Hytherm ADH thermal insulation and Force Dalle bitumen membrane with anti-root technology were later installed to complete the waterproofing and insulation system.Upon final QA inspection and integrity testing of the roof waterproofing works, the Aquamodul blue roof system, bespoke Hydrosoil Wildflower living roof and standard ballast finishes were installed in conjunction with a Solar PV array, which generated the majority of the building’s electrical energy requirements.

With the aim of making a somewhat dated house welcoming and comfortable for a young family from Vilnius, the architect Ieva Prunskaitė of the Prusta studio redesigned the interior. The minimal, clean design combines functionality with beauty. Its focus is on simple lines and light spaces, devoid of clutter. Wood, plaster and cement are the three elements that are used throughout the house.The predominantly white walls with ECLISSE Syntesis Flush Hinged white doors contrast beautifully with the wooden flooring. There are also wooden accents across the white kitchen cabinets and wooden panelling defining storage areas and a cloakroom between the main door and the living room.The interior is also interspersed with accents of grey and black in the form of the black marble worktop and black chairs in the kitchen, the minimalist wood burning stove, grey accent wall and grey sofa in the sitting room and a decorative black metal screen with a geometric design separating the master bedroom with the ensuite.The minimalist style of the ECLISSE Syntesis Flush Hinged doors integrate perfectly into this interior being almost invisible, whilst being accented with sleek black handles echoing the colour scheme throughout.The ECLISSE Syntesis® Flush Hinged Door is part of the Syntesis® Flush Collection. This is a range of flush or architrave free products that work in harmony with each other. The collection features a, the concealed hinged door frame (available as a door set or frame only), pocket door system without jambs or architrave and a flush skirting board adapter. The emphasis is on uninterrupted, clean lines for an interior without fuss, where less is more.Architect: Prusta studioProduct: ECLISSE Syntesis® Flush Hinged Door

The Emerald rises 40 stories above one of Seattle's most desirable neighbourhoods. The LEED Silver certified building manages to redefine luxury living. According to the idea of Hewitt architecture studio from Seattle, high-quality, natural materials as well as the sophisticated daylight concept blur the boundaries between the interior rooms and the picturesque nature. This is particularly evident on the second and third floors where the Pilkington Profilit™ channel glass system spans the outside of the fitness centre and community meeting spaces. Large, glazed areas can diffuse extensive amounts of natural light deep into interior spaces without loss of privacy.Apart from channel glass, Pilkington Pyrostop® Line fire protection glass also ensures natural light deep into the interior. Both products were installed in systems from Technical Glass Products.A transparent façade with Pilkington fire-resistant glass was planned to separate the fitness studio from the corridor in terms of fire protection. The spacious inner façade made of glass provides plenty of light in the training area and enables the desired feel-good atmosphere in the fitness studio. At the same time, it directs a lot of light into the interior of the building.The fire-resistant glass Pilkington Pyrostop® Line was used in a Fireframe Clearview® system from TGP with Heat Barrier frames and doors from the Fireframe Heat Barrier series. This generously fire-resistant and at the same time impact-resistant solution could be implemented without a vertical frame between the individual panes, with almost colourless transitions between the adjacent glass panes and without coloured inner glass spacers.

Riverwalk features two organically shaped buildings of 7 and 17 storeys, connected by a central podium and incorporating 116 high specification one, two, three and four bedroom apartments, plus penthouses. The design focus is on light, space and service, as well as exceptional views across the River Thames. Extensive planting on roofs, balconies and terraces, most significantly on the first floor podium terrace, also contribute to a substantial improvement in the green footprint and biodiversity of the site.With such a high specification development it is not surprising to find that enormous consideration was given to the avoidance of the thermal bridging at the critical balcony connections; and the structural thermal break module specified throughout is the latest generation Schöck Isokorb® XT type K. The XT type K – for concrete-to-concrete applications – offers such a high level of insulation that the Passivhaus Institute in Darmstadt has awarded the product with the "low thermal bridge construction" certificate and confirmed its suitability even for passivhaus construction.A major reason for the superior performance of the Schöck Isokorb® XT type K is the thickness of the insulation body. This is increased from the standard 80mm thick to 120mm, providing an even more efficient solution. The Isokorb® XT type K not only improves thermal insulation performance by up to 30% in comparison to to the standard range, it also improves impact sound insulation by around 50% as well. High quality stainless steel bars with improved tensile strength is an integral part of the unit and while the same load-bearing capacity is maintained, there is a smaller rod diameter and therefore a reduction in the thermally conducting cross-section, resulting in a further increase in the heat insulation performance.

This spring the new Dyson Cancer Centre at Royal United Hospitals, Bath will be opening its doors. A great deal of the building-works have been carried out including works on the building façade by specialists, Regency Facades.Our VitraFix® VF1 rainscreen subframe systems has been installed onto the building for both the vertical wall and soffit areas (carrier rails, brackets and all fixings) which will provide the support for the cladding panels.Two panel types from our rainscreen cladding range have been used on the buildings facade: VitraDual®, which is a cladding panel made from aluminium and our natural-looking fibre cement cladding panel, Ceramapanel® – both products achieve A1 fire rating to BS EN 13501-1.It’s been fantastic to have been involved in a project where there’s more than one panel type being used which adds extra detail and boosts the appearance of the façade. All of our products are non-combustible making them the obvious choice in any building project especially when safety is paramount to the hospital, patients and visitors.The Dyson Centre is a world-class facility that will provide cutting-edge treatment for patients from across the region and will bring together the majority of the RUH's cancer services, including research, under one roof. The new building will support staff to deliver the very best care, in the best environment. It’s been a privilege to have been involved and congratulations to everyone involved in the construction and for delivering such a fantastic end result including Kier Group, IBI Group and SBS Cladding Ltd.

As the exclusive distributor of HI-MACS® in the UK and Ireland, James Latham recently supplied the highly versatile and extremely hard wearing acrylic stone material to our customer Paramount Interiors Limited who used it to create an outstanding environment at the Life Sciences Hub in Wales, which not only encourages activity and collaboration, but also makes a striking first impression.

A nostalgic reimagining of 1950s café design has been made possible by Formica® laminate, which projects a beautifully cinematic look in the iconic Kings Road. ‘Humble Pizza’ is a vegan pizza eatery in Chelsea, blending in perfectly with a boutique-lined street synonymous with British fashion. The space is a muted gender-neutral pink – both instantly iconic and soft.

Used car sales have dominated the automotive market in recent years, and this trend has subsequently boosted BCA ‘s business, creating the need to expand one of their popular auction grounds at Paddock Wood, Kent. Jacksons were approached to supply 56 metres of 2.90m high Barbican® vertical bar fencing in a standard galvanised finish.

The Glucksman Library at the University of Limerick is one of the biggest campus libraries in Ireland and one of the most digitally advanced in the world. The €30m project includes a 7,600sqm extension and new facilities that offer students advanced computing, collaboration and communication spaces. Acoustic ceilings from Rockfon® are fitted throughout and play a pivotal role in helping the university realise its vision.

Pura® NFC by Trespa brings subtle touch to balconies of senior housing complexA majestic historical villa and its surrounding park garden in the picturesque city of Bree were the perfect setting for a modern senior housing complex. These comfortable apartments are aimed at older people who desire living independently, but with customised assistance always within reach.

Ampteam Limited, were asked to provide a UNIFOLD® scheme for the conversion of level gutters, serving the central roof area of the building, to falls conditions, with a brief to eliminate standing water and leaks which had plagued the building for some time.Some 900 metres of valley gutters serving four separate Atrium roof areas in banks of six, which in turn are served by 5 metre wide valley gutter sections serving as Access and escape link bridges, were requested to be converted from level to laid to falls.Lower valley gutter bounding the periphery of the roof area serve and discharge the main roof area via 5 metre wide chutes from the escape link bridges. Positioned in the less sensitive areas, these were allowed to be laid level, although their existing holding capacity has been improved.The existing roof and gutter areas had initially received a PVC membrane when built. This, however, was patched in many areas and showing signs of deterioration. There were many concerns about the continued longevity of this installation.UNIFOLD® Gutter Lining System was chosen for its versatility, unfailing ability to replicate existing systems, provide falls conditions in level gutters and its long life. The system is also guaranteed for 20 years.Tapered Cork insulation was chosen to provide the base for the gutters and this was supplied in cut sets. The fall ratio was based on a minimum of 1:150. The Unifold gutters were purpose made to suit the falls ratio and provided in numbered sets to suit the individual gutters.Full site information was provided including schemes of falls, laying sequences and special details and instructions. In all, more than 50 separate drawings were issued to site. In accordance with Ampteam policy, all fabrication was factory manufactured and sealed prior to delivery to site. This ensures complete installation quality and integrity. The valley gutters serving the central Glazed Atrium roof areas were installed first. These comprised an apex at the central position of the gutters with falls arranged down to discharge ends at the Escape Link Bridges.As the glazed Atrium roof was above a sensitive area, no weekday work was allowed.Friday deliveries were permitted but all work was conducted during weekends.The end Atrium Roof area valley gutters were single fall from a transverse gutter at the outer perimeter edge.Access into the transverse gutter was extremely tight and normal joints could not be made so sections of UNIFOLD® were supplied to span individual Atrium ends and joins were made at the junctions with the valley gutters via factory manufactured tees, using UNIFOLD® patented clip joints.The existing transverse gutters were already higher than the valley gutters to aid discharge, but in order to create the necessary falls the UNIFOLD® transverse liner was lifted sufficiently to provide the required falls for the valley gutters.There was space to achieve this condition without compromising the capacity of the original transverse gutters.

The UNIFOLD® Gutter Lining System has recently been installed within five valley gutters, totalling more than 700metres, on the Argos Distribution Centre, Castlegate, Wolverhampton.The facility, operated on behalf of Argos by Wincanton, had experienced severe storm water ingress due to the overwhelming of the existing gutters and outlets, causing severe damage and disruption.The roof had been over-sheeted several years ago and the existing gutters were fitted with a continuous plastics liner at this time.This liner was not lying flat due to expansion and contraction problems, leaving raised areas within the gutter, further reducing the available capacity and contributing to the problems being experienced.Ampteam Limited along with rainwater drainage experts CRM Rainwater Drainage were invited to propose a solution to the problem.Survey and DesignFollowing a survey by Ampteam and CRM, a design solution was provided for the gutters.As the existing gutter had insufficient capacity and any modification to the roof at the eaves position to enlarge the gutter was not an option, the design solution required the use of all of the available space within the eaves cavity.The situation was complicated by the need to control works on the asbestos cement gutters on a building constantly in use. This in turn meant that no extra outlets could be introduced and the existing outlets could not be enlarged.The solution involved the installation of a multi-hinged Unifold gutter, fitted and sealed to the underside of the roof sheet in order to maximise the gutter capacity, combined with specially designed siphonic outlets. As the eaves conditions varied along the gutter runs and within each gutter and access was tight, the UNIFOLD® was supplied with 7no hinges.This facilitated relatively easy installation in very difficult circumstances.Siphonic OutletsThe UNIFOLD® gutter was also provided with factory fabricated side boxes to house the unique siphonic outlets that were designed and tested by Dr Malcolm Wearing of CRM Rainwater Drainage.Although the capacity of the gutters had been increased to the maximum given the existing roof conditions, these siphonic outlets, manufactured and installed by Aquaphonixs Limited, were essential to improve the drainage performance of the existing outlets and to allow the system to function without any additional outlets.Fan shaped, semi-circular siphonic outlets with an offset 100mm diameter tailpipe were specially designed to fit inside the UNIFOLD® side boxes and into the existing 150mm diameter outlets.The siphonic outlet tailpipes were connected to flexible tubes, sleeved into the existing plastic downpipes.The custom made outlets were optimised and tested in laboratory conditions and proved to provide a capacity of over 27litres/second, ten times the capacity of a standard 100mm diameter outlet.Calculations to prove the design solutions of both Unifold gutters and siphonic outlets were provided by CRM Rainwater Drainage.InstallationThe UNIFOLD® gutter system was installed by approved contractors Traditional Structures Limited who, due to the relative complexity of the contract, originally forecast a period of 7 weeks to complete the installation.First class organisation, excellent site personnel and attention to detail by both Traditional Structures and Ampteam Limited meant that the installation was completed in just over 4 weeks with no disruption to processes within the building.

High performance made-to-order timber box sash and weights were supplied, by Lomax + Wood, to this refurbishment of a former Victorian tea warehouse near to the Old Street Roundabout in central London.Lomax + Wood designed, supplied and fitted their made-to-order timber box sash windows which preserved the heritage of the Victorian building while still providing modern performance. The windows varied in size up to 2.4m high so were integral to ensuring natural light flooded into the contemporary spaces that were created within the 1,400m² scheme.60 Lomax + Wood timber box vertically sliding sash windowsSite survey and full CAD drawings providedTop and bottom sash hornsDual finishElegant 20mm wide glazing bar in combination with double glazingAntique brass ironmongerySilver supply and fit installation serviceThe traditional timber sash windows are manufactured from engineered knot-free timber for strength, stability and durability. The factory finished paint system is spray applied and micro-porous which allows the timber to breathe. All the frames are supplied factory finished, with all ironmongery including espagnolette locking. The timber windows and doors are double or triple glazed internally for security, all are tested independently to achieve PAS 24:2016, BS 6375 Part 1, 2 and 3.Lomax + Wood are committed to sourcing from sustainable sources, to this end we have worked hard to achieve FSC® Chain of Custody which is deemed by many to be an environmental gold standard. This work was undertaken in partnership with BM TRADA who are also deemed to be a mark of quality in our industry. FSC® Chain of Custody is not the same as a timber window and door supplier providing FSC® documents for the timber alone. The Lomax + Wood FSC® Chain of Custody ensures the product is FSC® from source through to installation, if Lomax + Wood site fitting is specified, which is within the scope of our certification.The timber windows and doors were surveyed and installed by Lomax + Wood to provide the customer with a single point of contact. Lomax + Wood offer a wide range of installation packages which vary to accommodate the varying requirements of any project, for example, the Bronze package is for new build projects where a builder is on-site, while the Gold is for existing properties where the customer is looking for the most complete service possible without calling in other trades.Lomax + Wood are able to provide a made-to-order timber window and door solution to architects, private customers, developers and builders across the UK and our website demonstrates the vary varied styles and projects that we have been involved with.Lomax + Wood provide made-to-order timber windows and doors, including composite aluminium clad with a supply only or supply and fit option. Available with specialised double, triple or single glazing to meet performance and conservation are requirements. Contact us today to learn how we can help you with your project or so we can provide you with a quotation for replacement sash windows.

Dubai Opera is one of the most significant, vibrant and successful performing arts and entertainment centres in the Middle East.The 2,000 seat, multi-format theatre has been captivating its visitors since 2016.Lorient’s high-performance acoustic seals; LAS8001 si drop seals & LAS1212 Batwing® acoustic & smoke seals were specified for this prestigious project.

Pencoedtre High School is a large new build high school in Barry, Wales. When this busy school required a brand-new world class flooring surface for its main indoor sports hall, they simply wanted only the best! HLM Architects would specify 700m2 of Taraflex® vinyl sports flooring in ‘Maple’, from international flooring specialists Gerflor.

The Glasgow Science Centre’s vision is to empower people through learning and engaging with science. With over 350K unique visitors every year, the centre needed to replace the existing flooring throughout the facility. During a recent refurbishment international flooring specialist Gerflor would supply a mixture of their hardwearing GTI Max, Attraction® and Taralay Premium flooring that would total 1800m2.

This environmental building services business's office is Glasgow and Edinburgh is carpeted with Milliken's vibrant, carpet planks. Designed with Milliken’s proprietary Millitron® digital colour placement technology, the patterning is sharp, complex and multi-layered. This carbon neutral modular carpet product incorporates Milliken's WellBAC Comfort cushion backing which plays an important role in managing the office acoustics.