"synthetic anhydrite calcium sulfate based flooring"

The Spine, located in the heart of Knowledge Quarter Liverpool – a central hub for higher education and research in the city – includes the new northern home of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP). Designed by renowned architecture and building consultancy practice AHR, the building has been hailed as one of the healthiest workplaces in the world, thanks to the pioneering research in biophilia, health and wellbeing that has been drawn on for its creation. One of the most exciting new developments in the north, The Spine reflects the RCP’s global stance as a leader in healthcare, using the latest innovations in wellbeing-focused design, while being a striking new addition to the Liverpool skyline. The Spine has been designed according to the scientific and medical research principles established in the WELL Standard to achieve WELL Platinum. Through the integration of architecture and interior design The Spine embeds wellness and biophilia into the building environment emphasising strong connections to nature throughout the building, along with the highest standards for provision of fresh air, light and water. The distinctive façade takes influence from the human skin, with the striking Voronoi pattern including 23 million individual polygons applied to the glazing of the building. Inside the building The Spine’s series of double height spaces known as vertical villages supports the provision of light to aid productivity and stimulating the mind. Interior design solutions were selected with occupant wellbeing at the forefront, from natural materials, textures and finishes wherever possible to support biophilic principles and ensure air quality is kept to a high standard throughout the building. Working closely with PPG, AHR specified a range of sustainable paints including JOHNSTONE’S® Trade Air Pure – a bio-based wall and ceiling paint proven to purify indoor air. “When it came to choosing paints for The Spine, we knew we had to find options that were water-based and would have the least possible negative impact on occupants. So we were delighted to find a paint that would actually improve indoor air quality. By using Johnstone’s Trade Air Pure, we’re optimising the air quality within the building and helping to enhance the general wellbeing of occupants, all while limiting the impact on the environment.” Robert Hopkins, AHR regional director Once applied, the revolutionary Air Purifying technology in Johnstone’s Trade Air Pure neutralises up to 70 per cent of formaldehyde from indoor spaces. What’s more, the formula is 45 per cent bio-based and comes in 100 per cent recycled packaging. To complement Air Pure a range of low-VOC water based solutions were used to give the building long term protection including Johnstone’s Trade Aqua Water Based Gloss and Water Based Satin, Covaplus Vinyl Matt, Acrylic Durable Matt and Acrylic Durable Eggshell. The use of biophilic design extends into the colour palette chosen to represent the growth of a tree. Natural earthy colours flow throughout the lower floors, merging into greener, leafier colours and patterns and blues on the upper floors as you travel up the building. The colour palettes work harmoniously with the timber curtain wall and timber floor. The landmark development is not only BREEAM Excellent rated for its sustainable approach; it is also one of the first buildings in the UK designed to the WELL Platinum Building Standard®, certified for mental health and physical wellbeing. “The Spine is one of our most exciting and revolutionary projects to date. We’ve had the opportunity to place unprecedented focus upon what really makes a positive, healthy and happy workplace. Working with the RCP, we’ve achieved a design that sets the bar for the incorporation of biophilia and its possibilities in a modern workplace. With wellness being such a core part of our ambitious design, we needed to make sure that every single element positively contributed to our objectives, and the paints used were no exception.” Robert Hopkins, AHR regional director. Photography credit: Andrew Smith

Fire resistant, multi-directional, high movement, structural joint sealing of floor slabs from below for 120minutes, EI Fire ratings using Emshield-DFR from NCC Movement joints Limited.St William is a division of Berkely Homes, predominantly working on some of the most technically complex regeneration projects on brownfield sites, at the heart of communities across London, and typically with a landscape-led approach. Riverside Park and Gardens is being developed on the former Leven Road Gasworks in Poplar, East London, forming part of the 20 acres Aberfeldy Village scheme. This is an ambitious regeneration project in the borough of Tower Hamlets, with around 3000 new homes, plus shops, offices, cafes, bars, and a cinema, as well as extensive landscaped gardens, play areas, and riverside walks.On this important development by the River Thames, the structural floor slab joints ranged from only 15mm to 25mm wide, but they were subject to high multi-directional movement requirements, plus they required a minimum 120-minute EI Fire Rating to protect the future residents. To add to the complexity, there were shear connectors within the floor slabs that also needed protection to ensure their structural integrity in the event of a fire.An “E120” denotes that the system will not allow flames and hot gases from physically passing through the element for 120 minutes, which also explicitly denotes that the system will achieve 120 minutes ‘Integrity’ (E) and ‘Insulation (I), known as EI120, which therefore also achieves 120 minutes ‘Stability’ (R) in fire.Emshield-DFR-2 provided the ideal solution, and one which could also be rapidly installed from below in a single operation. This specialist work was completed by specialist fireproofing contractors, Gould Sealants Limited, working for Main Contractor, Morris Roe. Emshield-DFR/WFR is an EN-1366-4 tested, fire-rated movement joint, designed to be used in movement joints in exterior and interior walls where a combination of watertightness, fire-rating, sound attenuation, and thermal-efficiency are required. Key performance parameters include:-       Up to 100% joint movement (+/- 50% capability);-       100% watertight joints; -       No mechanical fixings to the structure;-       Accommodate changes in direction between the horizontal and vertical plane;-       Accommodates 3-Dimensional movements (including in shear & vertical, as well as joint expansion and contraction;)-       no additional sound concrete cut-outs required;-       Up to 4-hour fire integrity rating to EN1366-4; -       Up to 4-hour thermal Insulation rating to EN1366-4;-       High acoustic insulation & barrier performance; -       CE Approved and MarkedFor more information:Contact: David Mackay Tel: 01257 266696NCC Movement Joints Limited

Resilient 250 was installed as a Soft Floor Covering and bonded to the top of the concrete base. The acoustic underlay achieves the Approved Document E UK Building Regulations (The Resistance to the Passage of Sound) performance standards for Floor Type 1.Resilient 250 was bonded to the concrete base with the Sonixx SX900 adhesive in the living areas of 255 apartments. An 8mm PU foam underlay (Super 8) was loose laid over Resilient 250 and a Cavalier carpet stretch fitted on top.In the bathroom areas the Forbo Surestep Laguna vinyl was installed directly onto the Resilient 250 using F46 (Pressure Sensitive Acrylic Adhesive) from F. Ball and Co Ltd.Resilient 250 is a 2.5mm thick, high performing acoustic underlay manufactured using sponge rubber. It achieves an acoustic performance of 19 dB (ΔLw), significantly reducing the transmission of impact sound. It is a versatile underlay and can be used below various floor coverings including carpet, wood, laminate, luxury vinyl tiles, vinyl and ceramic / porcelain / natural stone tiles.The installers had nothing but positive feedback, on how quick and easy the underlay was to work with. At only 24 kg (43 lb) per roll, it is easy to distribute around site. The underlay therefore facilitated a simple, quick, clean and cost-effective installation.Features of Resilient 250:Extremely installer friendly; quick and simple to work with and easy to distribute around site.Ideal for use in Private Homes, Hospitality, Retail, Healthcare, Multi-Family Housing, Apartments and Hotels, Commercial developments, Care Homes, Schools and Education Projects.With a Thermal Resistance of 0.23 Togs, RS250 is excellent for use with underfloor heating systems.As it is manufactured from sponge rubber, it does not mark the walls unlike alternative rubber crumb underlays.Durable - provides long-lasting performance and will not deteriorate or collapse over time.Hygenic - naturally anti-microbial, anti-allergy and resistant to decay with low VOCs.

Players at Macclesfield FC enjoyed a speedy win thanks to the help of Styccobond F58 PLUS. The ‘no time to wait’ adhesive made quick work of the installation of LVTs and rubber floorcoverings as part of the creation of a new state-of-the-art gym at the Leasing.com stadium.  Flooring contractors began the project with a subfloor moisture test, which indicated high Relative Humidity (RH) levels in the subfloor, necessitating a moisture management solution to prevent excess subfloor moisture attacking floorcoverings and adhesives, potentially causing floor failure. Having removed surface laitance and old paint from the concrete subfloor on the lower floor, the contractors carried out surface repairs using Stopgap 460 Exterior Repair fast-setting rapid repair mortar. A single coat of Stopgap F77 waterproof surface membrane created a barrier against the excess subfloor moisture. Once the waterproof surface membrane had cured, the surface was primed using Stopgap P141 primer for non-absorbent surfaces before the company’s Red Bag self-levelling compound was applied at a thickness of 3mm to provide a perfectly smooth base for floorcoverings.   Styccobond F58 PLUS was used to affix charcoal-grey, wood-effect Kährs Calder Herringbone LVTs to create a bold statement in the main weights, cardio and boxing rooms, and changing areas.  Throughout the gym, rubber floorcoverings were also installed at fitness stations, using the adhesive in its wet state, to provide a soft cushion underfoot for customers using the equipment.  Upstairs, contractors made necessary repairs, including filling day joints, before priming the subfloor, this time opting for Stopgap P131 general purpose primer. Due to high RH readings contractors applied Stopgap F78 waterproof surface membrane. Once cured, Stopgap Red Bag self-levelling compound was again used to create a base for subsequently installed LVTs, completing a premier workout area for strength and resistance and cardio machines.

Armourcoat’s Sculptural three-dimensional wall finish features in the ground floor foyer at One Blackfriars residential tower in London’s South Bank. The building designed by Simpson Haugh and Partners is a compelling architectural achievement, with a stunning arc of glass taking inspiration from Sarpaneva’s Lansetti II vase.Inside the building the curves continue with a vast, immaculate resident foyer and lift lobby by London based luxury interior design studio, Goddard Littlefair. With their signature quality and attention to detail it provides the feeling of a five-star hotel entrance. Armourcoat’s seamless ‘Fluted’ Sculptural design was specified by the studio for the flanking feature walls to provide a sense of scale and grandeur on entering the space.Armourcoat Sculptural wall designs are created using a combination of traditional hand sculpting and computer aided design to ensure total accuracy during installation whilst retaining the essence of hand crafting. The panels are mineral based and incorporate up to 30% post-consumer recycled content. They are non-toxic and completely non-combustible. Once the panels are installed, each design can be finished in a range of decorative surface finishes. Photography by Franklin & Franklin

A durable, slip resistant solution with minimal disruption for a development kitchen area in a popular Michelin star restaurant in Padstow, Cornwall.Located in a beautiful Georgian townhouse in the heart of bustling Padstow, Paul Ainsworth at No 6 has three dining areas, including private dining for smaller parties as well as a space overlooking the attractive development kitchen.Vebro Polymers has delivered fast-cure vebrospeed Quartz, a high performance yet aesthetically pleasing floor coating system for the development kitchen, an operational space that is also visible to diners. The area had previously been a functioning kitchen with a less-than suitable pre-existing floor finish that required refurbishment.Chosen in the blend Starry Night — an attractive yet functional charcoal grey shade, vebrospeed Quartz has been installed over plyboard designed to level the pre-existing floor finish under a fast turnaround with minimal disruption to the restaurant’s operations.Ideal for areas like kitchens where there is heavy foot traffic and wet spills can easily occur, vebrospeed Quartz is a highly durable and slip resistant, UV-stable quartz flooring system based on fast-cure MMA (methyl methacrylate) technology.Not only is the installation seamless, unlike alternative kitchen floor coverings such as tiles, coving has also been installed to the perimeter of the floor area, in order to ease cleaning regimes and maximise hygiene.In most scenarios, vebrospeed Quartz is ready to walk on in 60 minutes, which is highly advantageous for restaurants like Paul Ainsworth at No 6, where downtime has a direct and immediate impact on turnover.

Third Space has opened its sixth and most luxurious health club in London with spacious training areas, state-of-the-art facilities, tranquil yoga studio, 20m adult pool, cycle amphitheatre and special facilities for youngsters.Free Weights AreaTVS Group’s heavy-duty, interlocking SPORTEC® Style Tiles, custom-produced black and grey-flecked finish perfectly completemented the gym’s colour scheme. Installing a layer of SPORTEC® Team Cup-X flooring beneath the tiles provided extra protection for the concrete subfloor and will further reduce noise and vibrations, while TVS proprietary rubber ramped edges created a neat transition with adjacent gym areas.Stetching AreaTo offer comfort and durability for the club’s large stretching area, TVS Group installed its SPORTEC® MotionFlex product, a fine-grained polyurethane puzzle-mat. It is ideal for fitness applications involving floor-based movements and wellness activities. The interconnecting tiles are simple to install and neatly shaped to suit most flooring schemes while their elegant dark grey colour set the calming mood for this part of the gym.Athletics-Based Track AreaTVS Sports Carpet was selected for the track as it offers excellent grip underfoot, especially relevant for speed, agility and quickness drills. The durability of the surface also allows athletes to push or drag a sled, helping to further develop their muscular strength and endurance. The track was supplied in a cool, oceanic navy blue and white colour scheme.Main Gym AreaThe expected high usage of the main gym area meant the flooring had to be sufficiently resilient. To achieve this and to ensure a perfectly level flooring finish across the gym, TVS Group first laid a dense rubber shock pad over the concrete substrate. It was overlaid with a covering from the highly wear resistant SPORTEC® Purcolor range. A light grey finish was chosen to reflect the sophisticated look and feel of the club.The StudioIn the studio, where high intensity training will take place, TVS Group opted for a highly elastic shock-absorbing underlay overlaid with a wear-resistant performance layer called SPORTEC® Color. The combination will protect the concrete substrate below while offering a comfortable and safe surface above for those involved in a diverse range of training activities.Other Fitness AreasIn other areas of the gym TVS Group supplied and installed a variety of high performing acoustic underlays, helping reduce noise and vibrations caused by treadmill running and other high impact activities in the studios.

Ten Degrees, developed by Greystar, is the world’s tallest modular residential building. The build-to-rent schemein Croydon boasts 546 apartments across two adjoining 44- and 38-storey towers, as well as 10 different social spaces, including a games lounge, coworking space, dining room and gym.Greystar’s designers originally envisioned using timber flooring for the high-spec amenity areas but instead opted for the durability of Amtico’s Signature LVT. The cool brown base and lightly limed grain of Manor Oak was chosen to add texture and a premium aesthetic, creating a calmingand relaxed atmosphere in the open-plan social and co-working spaces.

Angel Gardens is one of Manchester’s newest, purpose built, residential developments and is located in the fashionable Northern Quarter of the city.Residents of the development enjoy a ‘clubby’ feel to their living environment with a number of exclusive facilities included within the high-rise building. As well as cinema and gym areas, the roof terrace on the 9th floor boasts not only a barbegue / bar / entertaining / dining area but also a football pitch. Included in the roof-top oasis is an outdoor kitchen, supplied and installed by GEC Anderson. Comprising of stainless steel base cabinets, a continuous stainless steel worktop with integral sink and back upstand, the kitchen is used for functions and generally to cater for requirements of visitors to this level of the building.

Stopgap 300 HD smoothing underlayment and Stopgap P131 primer have been used to create a ‘textbook perfect’ flooring finish at Amtico’s training academy. Firstly, ceramic tiles were removed from the existing concrete subfloor along with remaining adhesive. Next, Stopgap P131 primer was used to help promote adhesion. Stopgap 300 HD fast-drying, heavy-duty levelling compound was applied to create a smooth, durable base for the new floorcovering. Luxury vinyl tiles were installed using a vinyl adhesive. Finally, entryway matting was installed on one half of the prepared subfloor and carpet tiles were installed on the other half.

Crystal Palace Football Club play at the legendary Selhurst Park Stadium, based in London. Crystal Palace Football Club has created a brand new 900m² `Fan Zone` which is divided into various settings, including stages, a huge LCD screen, dining areas, shops and a football skills exhibition space. Buzon UK were specified to supply the components to achieve the high live load requirements, which included voids of up to 500mm. The DPH Pedestal system was used, along with the Alfresco Floors Ebema range of high impact concrete pavers. Other areas on pedestals include artificial turf lawns, stages, walkways and ramps.

Three Brewers Court consists of two connecting blocks of 4 and 5 storeys of affordable housing units within a sustainable brownfield location. These units consist of 10 two-bedroom apartments and 40 one-bedroom dwellings. The scheme also includes a commercial unit, car parking, bike store and outdoor communal space. Previously occupied by a car sales garage and the Three Brewers pub, these establishments were demolished for this new apartment block. After Wales and West Housing Association’s partner Jehu Group announced it was going into administration, they reached out to Hale Construction to complete the project.Cellecta’s ScreedBoard 30 was specified by Pentan Architects due to its composite acoustic overlay treatment specifically for concrete separating floors. The board’s high density and superior compressive strength resilient layer provides outstanding acoustic performance and an ideal base to accept a multitude of floor finishes.Hale Construction was supplied 3,287m² of Cellecta products to develop these units in Penylan.

GOplastic Ltd were contacted by the Head of Estates and Campus Services Donna Vallance.The University’s requirements were for the supply of sustainable and environmentally friendly seating and tables for their London Campus buildings, based near India Dock in East London.A site meeting was agreed and proved to be extremely important for this project. The terrace had a narrow width which meant the correct size and arrangement of seating was essential.The terrace is on the 7th floor of the building, so this also needed considered planning in relation to delivery and installation.To overcome these challenges, GOplastic offered the Canvas Table and Canvas 120 benches. The Canvas bench and table are part of the Govaplast® range of award winning recycled plastic products. A distinct advantage for this project is the Canvas range can be delivered in semi kit form and easily transported to the 7th floor in the internal service lifts.Seating and tables to accommodate up to 50 people were delivered and installed in just one day.Job type: Supply and installWaste plastic prevented from landfill: 1.7 tonnes.

One of our latest projects was for a school in Barking, East London. The school required new waterproofing on their roof and chose OptiTec because we have a range of suitable products to choose from, offering excellent durability and longevity at a great price.Specification – Systems UsedFor this project, a long-lasting system was required with a Broof T4 fire classification for safety. Our technical team advised the OptiPlan-FB (PVC Single Ply) system for this project as it met the brief safety-wise, but it’s also excellent value for money over a large area.The OptiPlan-FB system is a fibreglass reinforced, fleece-backed synthetic waterproofing membrane made from premium quality PVC-P, offering exceptional resistance to weather and UV rays. A great benefit of this system is that it can be installed year-round due to having excellent flexibility in cold temperatures.This system was installed by an OptiTec Approved Contractor to ensure the highest quality of fitting with the option for a labour and materials guarantee if required.Challenges PresentedThere were no real challenges presented during installation and everything ran smoothly. We have a technical team on hand at all times to provide support and advice where required so we can always overcome any challenges presented in the best way possible.ResultsThe results of this project are fantastic and the client has expressed their satisfaction with the professional installation of the system and the overall finish.

Polytan will be in on the action when the world’s top athletes pit their strengths against each other at international level this summer. The turf used for the hockey matches in Rio comes from Polytan, as was the case in London and Beijing too. Blue and green versions of the new Poligras Platinum CoolPlus synthetic turf system are being installed. The very same hockey pitch has also been available to the British hockey squads at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre since last October. The pitch comes in an eye-catching colour combination: a blue playing field with a light green border. A higher stitch density and special texturing technology mean that even more accurate moves are possible when playing on Poligras Platinum CoolPlus. Sally Munday, Chief Executive of England Hockey: “We have enjoyed a fantastic relationship with Polytan for a number of years. The quality of their product is outstanding, the installation work went without a hitch and the feedback from the players has been excellent.” Kevin Burton, Head of National Centres, Sport England: “In order to ensure our Great British hockey players had the best possible chance of success in future sports competitions, Sport England took the decision to replace the hockey surface at Bisham Abbey with the exact same surface that will be installed for the international sports competition in summer 2016. We are delighted with the surface as well as Polytan’s first-class service.”

A lightweight solution... CHALLENGE A lightweight solution was required for the mounting of the PV installation on a production hall from Opel in Rüsselheim. For some years there existed no smart solutions for PV installations on roofs. Today we start to see the downside of PV roof installations that are not coping well with the weather conditions on top of roof constructions. Common mistakes made on PV roofs: • PV panels flying off the roof due to high winds where the attachments have not been strong enough and not fully tested. • Water leaks due to structural damage from the PV installation itself. Mainly due to the minute movement of the metallic/ aluminium PV-mounting on the roofing membrane. • Water leaks due to perforations through the roofing membrane when fixing the PV installation to the roof. • Roofs collapsing due to an excess of ballast of the ballasted PV installations. • Accelerated ageing of roofing membranes due to the use of incompatible materials on the roofing surface. SOLUTION RENOLIT ALKORSOLAR PV fixing system. This lightweight PV fixing system does not require extra ballast nor perforates the roofing membrane. The main parts of the system are PVC or EVA profiles that are heat welded onto the synthetic roofing membranes. This system is the only system that is fully tested for wind loads up to 200 km/h, has an Avis technique (France) and a DIBT approval (Germany).

HMS Caroline – Museum ship... CHALLENGE HMS Caroline, the last surviving vessel from the 1916 Battle of Jutland, now rests in the Titanic Quarter in Belfast. After a second life as floating Headquarters of the Royal Navy during World War II, this living legend will continue to serve the country as a museum ship. For this purpose, however, extensive restoration appeared to be essential. The key requirement on HMS Caroline was to avoid penetration of the deck surface. To safeguard its historic heritage against damage, the Royal Navy sought a reliable waterproofing solution. SOLUTION Versatile and impenetrable! What used to be the properties of this battle cruiser, happen to apply to the RENOLIT synthetic single ply roofing membranes as well. That’s why RENOLIT ALKORPLAN was heralded as the optimal solution for the refurbishment of the ship’s gun deck. The lead grey RENOLIT ALKORPLAN A provided an ideal modern day solution with an impressive finish. On top of a new layer of insulation board, the calendered and laminated fleece-backed PVC membrane was fully bonded with a combination of the RENOLIT ALKORPLUS81068 polyurethane adhesive and the universal RENOLIT DUALFIX81065 glue. RENOLIT ALKORPLAN stands out above the competition given its excellent weldability, simplicity of detailing and overall versatility. Once installed, ongoing maintenance of the membrane will be minimal with a predicted life expectancy in excess of 35 years (BBA approved). On 31st of May 2016 the freshly refurbished HMS Caroline stole the show as a fitting backdrop for a commemoration honouring its centenary. 

“ARDEX helped us through each stage, from specification writing of the project to on-site visits. The support was second to none.” Paul Lovell, MD of Leisure Design Ltd

Over 30 years on and still no cracking or de-bonding evident on the original tiles.

For over 200 years, the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI), has played a major role in medical education and training in Ireland. Founded in 1784 to train surgeons, today the College provides extensive education and training in the healthcare professions at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

Butlins has been a firm family favourite for holidaymakers since opening its first resort in 1936. At the heart of their facilities are the swimming pools, which have always been one of the biggest draws for parents and children alike. However, at over 30 years old their Bognor Regis site needed modernisation.

Overlooking the majestic panorama of the Dolomites, the hotel was completely rebuilt with the aid of ARDEX products. Inclusive of 6 indoor and outdoor swimming pools. 

4,300m2 of screeding, tiling and grouting was installed in the new state-of-the-art ticket hall.

A huge tiling re-fit of all UK restaurants over a 5 year program. The successful partnership approach produced the ideal  tile fixing recommendation, which is now being rolled out to McDonald’s branches around the world.

Brighton Museum & Art Gallery is located in the iconic Royal Pavilion garden, at the heart of the city’s cultural quarter. It’s diverse collections brings together the arts with local, world and natural history. The institution attracts approximately 260, 000 visitors per year.

Hadrian’s Tower is the tallest building in Newcastle at 82 metres high. Located in the heart of the city, it is a residential skyscraper with 162 luxury apartments. The tower has 26 storeys, and incorporates a champagne lounge and a coffee house among other communal spaces.

St Richard’s Hospital provides a full range of acute services for the people in Chichester and the surrounding area, including an Accident & Emergency department. A new entrance to A&E was being created and as with all healthcare projects, the aim was to help the hospital maintain clean, safe and effective treatment spaces, which is especially challenging in an extremely high traffic environment in 24 hour use such as the Accident & Emergency department.

Brunswick House is a superb new residential scheme of 251 bedrooms, incorporating a mixture of studios and cluster rooms. The scheme is designed to offer outstanding student accommodation for undergraduate, postgraduate and international students in the heart of Cambridge. The client required stair nosings for 7 staircases meaning a total of 296 steps that would be durable enough for high traffic student usage. There was an additional design restraint in that the staircases would be made out of cast metal and therefore no mechanical fixings could be used.

High performance subfloor preparation products and adhesive from F. Ball have been used to create a high quality floor finish at Sky News studios. To provide a firm, smooth base over which the floorcovering could be installed, Stopgap 700 Superflex flexible levelling compound was installed over the plywood subfloor, having first being primed using Stopgap P131 general purpose primer. Once the levelling compound cured, wood-effect LVTs and Norament rubber sheet floorcoverings were installed across the room occupied by cameras and production crew. Styccobond F58 acrylic emulsion adhesive, was used to ensure the rubber sheets would remain firmly in place.

Global engineering consultancy, WSP, recently relocated 850 Manchester-based staff to new offices situated in the prestigious, No8 First Street building. The refurbished office space focuses on the wellbeing of employees, creating relaxing spaces where they can unwind and spend time with colleagues. Contributing to this positive lifestyle environment, Style installed two DORMA Varitrans glass moveable walls, effectively separating breakout areas and creating either two smaller rooms or one large open plan space. A further eight DORMA Variflex, fully automatic moveable walls were installed across two other floors, allowing WSP to create three larger meeting rooms or seven smaller ones.

A high-performance levelling compound and adhesives from F. Ball and Co. Ltd. have been chosen to install floorcoverings in the Middle East and Africa’s principal healthcare and research centre for the treatment of burns and trauma, the Ahl Masr Hospital in New Cairo, Egypt.Flooring contractors from Cairo-based Tradelink installed floorcoverings throughout the newly built hospital, including in inpatient rooms, intensive care units, nurse stations, blood donation areas, emergency department, administration centre and corridors, a total area of over 5,500m2.Tradelink began by undertaking moisture tests to ensure that the building’s subfloors were dry enough to receive floorcoverings. Surfaces were then primed using Stopgap P131 general-purpose primer to promote the application characteristics of subsequently applied subfloor preparation products.Stopgap Red Bag was then applied throughout to create a perfectly smooth base for floorcoverings to be installed. The water-mix, self-smoothing underlayment is designed for areas that are subject to light wheeled traffic and can be used over normal underfloor heating installations.Styccobond F44 solvent-free acrylic emulsion adhesive was used to install Gerflor Taralay Impression Compact safety flooring throughout the hospital, with the exception of operating theatres and X-ray rooms. Styccobond F44 provides a high bond strength, strong initial tack along with a long open time and is protected against biodegradation.Gerflor Mipolam Elegance EL5 conductive flooring was installed using Styccobond F57 in the operating theatres and X-ray rooms. Carbon fibres in the adhesive mean that when set it will conduct electricity, so when used to install conductive/anti-static floorcoverings, it stops the build-up of electrical charges that can affect sensitive electronic equipment. The solvent-free adhesive also offers strong initial tack and a high bond strength.Finally, Tradelink used Styccobond F60 contact adhesive to install skirting and capping and coving, as well as anti-bacterial PVC wall-guards, throughout the hospital.

60-70 St Mary Axe is an office building designed by London-based architectural firm Foggo Associates with retail space on the ground floor. It is located in thearchitecturally ultra-modern financial district of the City of London in close proximity to the iconic 30 St Mary Axe, also known as "The Gherkin," whose facade was realized byLindner. Also, the new building is nicknamed: "The Can of Ham" in its semi-elliptical shape reminiscent of the packaging of English canned ham. The 360° view through the vaulted, all-glass façade offers a great view of the city of London. The BREEAM Excellent building offers 28,000 m² of office space, spread over 21 floors and designedto meet a wide variety of needs.Lindner Interiors contributed to the construction with interior fit-out products. These include the suspended ceilings for the "A" category office rooms on the 3rd, 9th and 12th floors, and the luminous ceilings at the reception and in all elevator anterooms.The Lindner fire grid ceiling system LMD-B 100 with linear grid arrangement was installed on two floors, while on the third floor, light strip modules were chosen instead.These complete the appearance of the iconic building in an impressive way. If required, LMD-B 100 partitions can be attached to the Lindner ceiling system so that the office space can be individually divided. With its radiant fire grids and trapezoidal ceiling tiles, the system is perfect for the sweeping silhouette of the 60-70 St Mary Axe building.Completed Works:F0 Metal ceilingLMD-B - Post cap ceilingsLuminous ceiling/luminous canopyLuminous ceilingsCertification systemBREEAM

LigaGrass Pro CoolPlus and Rekortan M at the Havkenscheider Park sports facility, BochumACTION ON THE WESTERN FRONT“Deep in the West” sings a drone of a thousand voices at home games of the VFL Bochum. “Bochum, I belong to you” is not only the official anthem of the Ruhr Stadium, but also the unofficial anthem for the entire city. Herbert Grönemeyer’s profession of love for Bochum is more than just a song – it is a statement for the entire region, for the “old” Ruhr area, which is not only famous for transporting coal and casting steel, but also its love of sport. VFL Bochum and its position in the first Bundesliga are only the figurehead for all the city has to offer: today, its sporting activities range from sports-orientated preschools and school sports to the “Integration through Sport” programme.Unlike its name, the “Laer’sche Fußballclub 1906 e.V.” is forging new paths. For 10 years, it has had a strong women’s and girls’ division with teams ranging from U9s to seniors – and in general, the youth division in Laer is of high calibre. However, the district club in the heart of Bochum has long been dedicated to more than just football, attracting gymnasts and athletes as well. More recently, trending sports such as lacrosse and disc golf have also been added.Strong interest in lacrosse not least prompted officials in the city council and the club to renovate the stadium on Havkenschneider Strasse from the ground up, not only to adapt it to the needs of the Bochum “Isotopes” lacrosse players, but to convert it into a complete district sports facility. In only eight months, three football fields were built: one large one and two mini-pitches.In total, 10,200 square metres of synthetic turf were installed there – specifically, our LigaGrass Pro CoolPlus with sand infill. The classic among our synthetic turf systems, the LigaGrass Pro filament and its triangular cross-section ensure even greater fibre stability and give the turf more volume and structure. As a crimped Polytan artificial turf system, LigaGrass Pro CoolPlus is also characterised by a BiColour design. The two-tone fibres help achieve a natural grass appearance with their lush green colour. The integrated CoolPlus function permanently reduces overheating of the turf in direct sunlight and is extremely effective, especially in the case of the textured turf systems, thanks to the large surface area for reflecting heat radiation.Our LigaGrass Pro CoolPlus is not only suitable for football training and playing facilities, but also for miniature playing fields and multisport facilities, e.g. for lacrosse. This team sport, which is played with a special stick and a hard rubber ball, originates from the east coast of America, where it is practised by indigenous people – the Haudenosaunee – and has a deep religious and identity-forming significance. Lacrosse is the oldest team sport on the American continent, and is by no means seen as only for white people, but as an inclusive, fun activity for women and men alike. Curiously, men and women today play lacrosse by completely different rules: in the women’s game, stick and body contact is limited – similar to field hockey – which is why little protective equipment is needed. In men’s lacrosse, on the other hand, helmets, rib and shoulder protection, and gloves are worn – similar to ice hockey. World championships for men and women now take place every four years, and the first European lacrosse championships took place in 2004. In 2028, Lacrosse is provisionally set to become an Olympic sport again, although the decision is yet to be finalised.In Bochum, the lacrosse field is located on Havkenscheider Strasse and stands out for its special ball catching nets – purely because it is the only one of its kind in the city. For athletes, the new sports facility also offers a 400-metre synthetic running track and four 100-metre sprinting tracks. It features with our Rekortan M in classic brick red, the fully fledged professional among our sports surfaces. It is representative of high-performance running tracks, not only in training and school sports facilities, but for international competitions as well. The poured in-situ surface is set apart by its excellent acceleration and high tread elasticity. What’s more, it is incredibly fast and offers impressively high shock absorption, as well as excellent advantages in terms of sports medicine.The city of Bochum spent 1.8 million euros on the renovation. The result is impressive: 1,300 metres of edging stones have been laid, and 2,000 metres of drainage pipes installed. 350 square metres of water-permeable eco-plaster and 5,000 tons of gravel used in the course of the renovation work. All in all, the conversion of the old stadium into the Havkenscheider Park sports facility supports Herbert Grönemeyer’s résumé: “Deep in the west / Where the sun gets dusty / It is better / Much better than you think.”

Junckers solid wood flooring has been installed at the UK’s first extra care scheme to be built to Passivhaus standards. The specialised housing and facilities at Edward’s Court in Exeter houses 53 Extra Care self-contained flats providing Exeter Council with the ability to offer its older community a way of preserving their independence and at the same time have access to flexible care and support if needed. The development has been designed and built to deliver low energy use and a healthy indoor climate using high quality materials. Junckers solid wood flooring forms an important part of the interior of the apartments and common areas, providing a natural and homely feel. The floor was specified by architects Architype for its proven ability to provide and maintain healthy indoor air quality, a key consideration for the scheme. Junckers floors carry the Danish Indoor Climate Label, recognised by BREEAM, and have undergone extensive degassing and odour tests to ensure there are no chemical substances in the flooring. With Edward’s Court, Architype has created an environment that prioritises the needs of the older generation while also offering optimal comfort, accessibility, and affordability. As Edward’s Court is built to Passivhaus standard, the occupants can remain warm in the winter and cool in the summer without using a great deal of energy and without experiencing severe fluctuations in utility bills. From the first stages of the development the architects were guided by the intertwined principles of ‘building biology’ and Passivhaus. Building biology prioritises human-based design, fostering community within the building and beyond its walls, sustainable environmental performance, indoor air quality, and thermal and acoustic comfort among its 25 principles. Said Lee Fordham, Associate Director, Architype: “Junckers flooring provided a natural feel to the space but also with its environmental accreditation gave us confidence as designers and specifiers that the material would be a healthy alternative to other standard floor finishes.” 

To comply with passive fire protection requirements, Nullifire worked with trusted contactor Protek Interiors to install both SC602 Intumescent Base Coat (On-Site) and SC802 Water Based Intumescent Base Coat (On-Site) to this 2500m2 project. The combination of these projects worked well given the challenging circumstances and allowed for Protek Interiors to fully adhere to the fire strategy of the building.

Client: Jedburgh Grammar CampusLocation: Jedburgh, Scottish BordersSector: EducationYear: 2020Project Size: 700 m²System: vebrores PU SL HDOver 700m² of trafficable, solvent-free, flexible and self-smoothing polyurethane flooring for the main entrance and large atrium at the brand-new Jedburgh Grammar Campus in the Scottish Borders.Vebro Polymers provided its flexible, self-levelling, polyurethane flooring system, vebrores PU SL HD, in a deep Graphite Grey shade for use across the campus’ main entrance and atrium. Inspired by Jedburgh High Street, the linear atrium features large sawtooth roof lanterns with scoop up lights and is the heart of the new development. vebrores PU SL HD offers outstanding strength and performance and is ideal for use in high-traffic areas requiring a highly durable, scratch, stain and wear resistant floor finish that is easy to wipe clean. vebrores PU SL HD is a three-component product, mixing the popular vebro EP Universal unit with a special blend of graded filler. Once mixed, the material is spread out across the floor to the required thickness using a steel trowel before being spike rolled twice to both level out and de-aerate the material.vebrores PU SL HD is formulated from bio-based polymers, low to no VOC and phthalate-free – and it meets stringent AgBB low emissions coating criteria, making it an excellent choice for use in public venues such as schools, offices, hospital and community centres.