"construction plant equipment"

Stone Cladding: Jura Beige Limestone - natural stone rainscreen cladding on this High School development in Cumbernauld. ARCHITECT: NORR MAIN CONTRACTOR: Morrison Construction INSTALLER: APS Developments PRODUCT: AlterStone Jura Beige Limestone CLADDING AREA: 1,600m2 START ON SITE: February 2016 COMPLETION: September 2016

Stone Cladding: Jura Beige Limestone - natural stone rainscreen cladding on this student accommodation development in Glasgow. ARCHITECT: Church Lukas MAIN CONTRACTOR: Graham Construction INSTALLER: APS Developments PRODUCT: AlterStone Jura Limestone CLADDING AREA: 1,110m2 START ON SITE: December 2016 COMPLETION: June 2017

Helo is pleased to announce the completion of a professional wellness facility for the Afon Spa at Deeside Leisure Centre. Helo is delighted to have worked with Alliance Leisure and ISG Construction on the spa & wellness facility at Deeside Leisure Centre as part of a total refurbishment which is now considered to be a flag-ship site by all involved.

Peel Park Quarter is a new, state of the art student accommodation complex at the University of Salford. The £81 million project was managed by Graham Construction who aimed to achieve long-term sustainability for the new student village. Tobermore helped the contractor accomplish this goal with the provision of an attractive SuDS solution for the expansive landscape.

122 Leadenhall Street is a 225m (737 ft.) tall building, constructed in London in 2014. The commercial skyscraper is informally known as “the Cheesegrater” due to its distinctive wedge shape. It is one of a number of new tall buildings in the City of London’s financial area, including 20 Fenchurch Street, 22 Bishopsgate, and The Scalpel.

350 square meters of wall designed, manufactured and installed by Grass Concrete Limited. A large scale hospital redevelopment site with a few added complications saw a need to construct an earth retaining wall but with high level services to one elevation, a pinch point to another and then for good measure the need to include a footbridge.

Situated on a 19.8-hectare site, the innovative new Barony Campus consolidates fives schools onto one shared community campus, creating a centre for education for the towns of Cumnock, Auchinleck.  Contractor: Morrison ConstructionArchitect: Sheppard RobsonProducts supplied: Ironmongery, Novista Riser Timber, Integra Commercial Doorsets

Derbigum + BluRoof = Sustainable Drainage Solutions Mitigate your risks with Alumasc BluRoofs Think Stormwater Management - Derbigum BluRoof SolutionsA 5-minute hop from Cardiff Queen Street and you’ll find the first blue roof in Wales. Upon what was formerly 1960’s office accommodation the Cromwell House site has been transformed into an 8 storey, 120-bedroom easyHotel with a rooftop stormwater management system. OUR DESIGN PROCESSOur clients at Carter Lauren Construction were interested in learning about the benefits of a blue roof to meet planning conditions. ” Working in a compact city centre environment where ground attenuation was not possible, it made sense to install a blue roof. The Alumasc team demonstrated how their BluRoof System attenuates stormwater via controlled discharge over a 24-hour period at roof level.” Kevin Jenkins, Surveying Director, Carter Lauren Construction. CLIENT BRIEF AND DESIGNWorking closely with the appointed consulting engineer and architect, our team of technical experts designed a solution for stormwater attenuation to comply with planning and meet all other project objectives. Alumasc’s Matt Davies, Area Technical Manager - Mid, West & South Wales commented, “Given the urban location, the Alumasc BluRoof system was the perfect fit in providing a fully warranted single-source waterproofing and sustainable drainage solution.”The Alumasc technical team provided a full specification service and specialist drainage design using key data from the project brief. By incorporating our BBA Accredited Derbigum APP polymer modified bituminous waterproofing system the longevity of the total solution is assured with a proven track record since 1967. Other key components comprise of a BluRoof geotextile filter fabric, BluRoof interlocking void former, flow control outlets, and overflow system.ENVIRONMENTALLY FOCUSSED SOLUTIONExtreme weather events are now the new normal, says the World Meteorological Organisation. Our rainfall patterns are becoming increasingly unpredictable, and we must plan accordingly to adapt the built environment to help alleviate flood risk. PARTNERSHIPWorking with the contractor to construct the first blue roof in Wales. Kevin Jenkins, Surveying Director, Carter Lauren Construction, “Matt and the Alumasc team were available throughout the design and installation process. We knew that installing the BluRoof by Alumasc was the right decision for the future of the easyHotel and the benefit to reduce pressure off the drains.” SAFETY PERFORMANCEThe easyHotel has a 35-year warranty for the works and life expectancy of up to 50 years.ABOUTEasy Hotel Cromwell House, Cardiff - Wales’s first blue roof. Completion: Spring 2021 Main Contractor: Carter Lauren Construction Architect: Axiom Architects 

Regupol studwork isolating strips helped prevent flanking sound between suites at the new Hard Days Night hotel in Liverpool.The ChallengeWhen a suitable site was finally found for Hard Days Night, the eagerly anticipated Beatles themed hotel in Liverpool, an ambitious two-year development plan was put in place to convert the historic listed building into a prestigious four star hotel.Extensive alterations to the internal area of the building created 110 guest bedrooms, which included two exclusive Lennon and McCartney suites, bars, restaurants and function rooms as well as a wedding chapel.Designed to create a unique environment with a high quality feel, it was essential that Hard Days Night lived up to the expectations of the many visitors it would welcome. Part of this meant ensuring that bedrooms were adequately soundproofed, to ensure guests were not disturbed.As with many refurbishment projects, the floor construction was timber, which left Hornport Construction, the main contractors on the project, tasked with finding a compatible acoustic treatment that would help prevent sound transfer between bedrooms.The SolutionAlthough internal wall isolation was the specified acoustic treatment, Hornport Construction was able to make the final purchasing decision as to which products would be used. After consultation with CMS Acoustic Solutions, Regupol studwork isolating strips were identified as the most cost effective solution to deliver the required acoustic performance.Manufactured from recycled polyurethane (PUR) foam, Regupol studwork isolating strips are supplied at a standard thickness of 6mm, and widths to suit specific development requirements. Sitting beneath all types of timber partitions, the studwork strips reduce structure borne noise by absorbing sound and de-coupling the connection between floor and wall constructions.Resistant to ageing and deformation, Regupol studwork isolating strips offer long-term performance and will not collapse under high point loads.Available exclusively in the UK through CMS Acoustic Solutions, Regupol studwork isolating strips are supplied with comprehensive installation guidelines, making it simple for contractors to install independently on site. Easily laid, the Regupol material is bonded straight to the subfloor, with the partition erected directly on top.The ResultAt the Hard Days Night Hotel, Regupol studwork isolating strips were used to isolate the party walls separating the corridors and bedrooms. Designed specifically for use with timber, Regupol studwork isolating strips offered the ideal solution to isolate a party wall sitting on an existing timber floor.Gerry Abraham, site manager, Hornport Construction, concludes: “The Hard Days Night is a four star hotel, so high acoustic standards were imperative. We initially looked at timber sole plates with pre-fitted isolating strips, but this was quite an expensive route. We consulted CMS Acoustics who were able to provide a cost effective and high performing alternative with the Regupol studwork isolating strip – which was just as quick and easy to use.”

Bringing natural, simple and light aesthetics to busy campusIssueThe Aarhus University campus is easily recognisable with its long yellow brick buildings rising between trees, mature plants, lakes and paths in a park close to the city centre. The architecture of The Skou Building, which was named after Nobel Prize winner Jens-Christian Skou and is home to the Institute of Biomedicine, needed to be retained, while modernised.ApproachArchitect company CUBO Arkitekter designed the space, which was opened in 2018 and won the City Architects Award in 2019, with a focus on reinterpreting the campus architecture. The building is designed as two staggered lengths that meet in a central atrium. Glass slits have been inserted vertically throughout the building, affording wonderful views of the external spaces and the local cathedral.Inside there has been an emphasis on reducing the number of different materials used, to create a simple, bright and natural look throughout. At the same time, some of the organic, natural shapes in the green spaces outside are drawn into the building, promoting the biophilic design.SolutionThe first two levels of The Skou Building now feature white walls, oak interiors and large glass sections, continuing the biophilic feel. To provide safety throughout the 9000 m2 of corridors and laboratories on the top six floors, Altro Walkway 20 in Cloud has been used, reducing the risk of slipping to one in a million. In addition, 750 m2 of Altro Walkway 20 SD static dissipative flooring in Fog has been used in laboratories which had specific safety requirements. To complete the biophilic design, works of art have been used throughout the building to bring the outside in.

October 2021 Cheshire East Council officially marked the reopening of Castle Street in Macclesfield following the completion of a scheme to transform the area and support the town’s regeneration. After delays, the work began in April 2021 and has seen footways widened and roads resurfaced with a natural cobblestone-style paving, newly planted trees, and improved street lighting.Artform Urban Furniture was appointed by Ringway Jacobs Ltd to provide seating and cycle parking to the new external space. The seating option selected was the robust and sizable Canape Bench.The units consist of a powder-coated steel frame topped with exotic hardwood timber slats and backrest, providing a spacious bench for a number of users. In order to maintain the appearance of the benches, custom skate deterrents have been integrated into the design. The benches are positioned in rows of three, complementing the new resurfaced space and surrounding architecture. To further improve the space a number of Lucchetto Cycle Stands featuring a sealed Corten and stainless steel finish installed at the end of the new road providing stylish cycle parking. Lucchetto stands have the unique appearance of a padlock creating an original cycle parking offering. The project is part of a larger strategic regeneration of Macclesfield town centre to encourage greater footfall and business to the area. Castle Street was previously an underused space with vehicles having priority. The road has been opened up to the public to move freely and businesses can also apply for an alfresco dining license to expand their seating to the outside.Much of the Bailey Street Furniture Group workforce have been raised in and around Macclesfield, making this project a privilege to be a part of.

Stockport Exchange has been undergoing extensive refurbishment since 2014 with improvements to the train station, a new multi storey car park, new retail and leisure facilities as well as office buildings. Given its location on the doorstep of one of the busiest train routes in the country, connections to London in under 2 hours, and less than 10 minute journey into Manchester - The potential and popularity of the scheme has seen well known brands such as Stage Coach, Music Magpie and many others fully occupying the office spaces. The external area surrounding the buildings is completely pedestrianised with a combination of paved walkways, grass plots, and raised concrete edging for plants and trees. An open green space that is the first thing visitors see of Stockport after leaving the train station.Artform Urban were asked to provide their popular Stone Benches in HPC Granite with a smooth Velluto finish. The unique design and polished finish invites users to interact whether to rest or to climb and play. The solid stone bench becomes an immovable barrier offering security and protection once it has to be maneuvered into place with cranes. A modern and monolithic design that creates a striking visual contrast to the contemporary glass and steel architecture. The stone bench range has recently been expanded with three sizes now being offered in new finishes.The client, George Cox & Sons, have a mission to present a high quality finish on all their projects that provide essential transport links. Stockport Exchange is another excellent scheme added to their portfolio. The regeneration scheme has and continues to be a success for Stockport Council and is a benchmark for future renovations to the town centre. 

Clear lacquer provides a sleek finishThe new Manchester Met University School of Digital Art (SoDA) houses the latest in technological facilities for students studying film, animation, AI, UX design, photography, gaming, sound design and more. This is a £35m investment into the future of digital story telling designed by architects Feilden Clegg Bradley (FCB) Studios and Kier as the constructors. SoDA is a groundbreaking interdisciplinary school supporting the growing demand for skilled workers in the region’s creative digital sector.Emphasising the creativity fostered within the school the entrance features a four-storey video light wall on the northern façade, creating a platform where the work of the students can be displayed.Powdertech was asked to provide the finish for the pleated aluminium façade, spanning 4000m2 across four aspects of the building above a new pedestrian street between SoDA and the adjacent Benzie Building, part of the Manchester School of Art. The sawtooth facade panels were finished in a Qualicoat Class 2 clear lacquer, applied using a chrome-free pre-treatment, and creating a sleek gleaming appearance. Transparent Metal Protection Lacquers are available in many shades and provide the same level of protection as opaque architectural powder coatings.BenefitsPowdertech has close relationships with the leading powder manufacturers who specialise in custom shades.All powders are of architectural quality and provide excellent weather resistance and colour stability.Powdertech's rigorous pre-treatment system will help to keep the façade free from corrosion for up to 40-years.Powdertech’s flexible plant can coat a wide variety of shapes and sizes of architectural metal work and fabrications.Powdertech has over 35 years’ experience in professional architectural powder coating.

OverviewCryfield Village, Warwick University, is a state-of-the-art student accommodation development, replacing outdated residences. Built as a series of townhouse-style apartments and studios, the village will eventually house around 830 residents. The new residences are fitted with photovoltaic panels that convert the sun's energy to electricity, supporting the University's aim to reach net zero carbon by 2030. The designers were keen to make a statement with the village properties and to impart a warm and welcoming feeling for the first year students.The SolutionWithin our “Collections” we have a number of terracotta-coloured finishes. The client particularly liked the tones and texture of ‘Cracked Clay’ from our Evolution range, and the 25 year guarantee for gloss, colour and adhesion was an important consideration. As do all our powders, Cracked Clay meets the Reaction to Fire Standards for fire classification A2-s1,d0, suitable for use on multi-storey residential buildings.We coated 900 m2 of aluminium cassette panels for the façade and roof of the phase 1 property which will house around 383 first year students. .The appealing, warm and eye-catching finish is (we think) a marked improvement on the existing building as one of these images shows.Benefits of Using PowdertechPowdertech has over 30 years’ experience in professional architectural powder coatingColour, tone and texture are our passion and we have the expertise to develop bespoke finishes.The Evolution range has a 25 year guarantee for gloss, colour and adhesion.Powdertech's rigorous pre-treatment system will help to keep the panelling free from corrosion for up to 40-years.Powdertech’s flexible plant can coat a wide variety of shapes and sizes of architectural metal work and fabrications.

The power of a good student council has helped to shape six new outdoor areas at Denton Community College.Students at the secondary school in Greater Manchester highlighted the need for sheltered outdoor spaces for recreation, dining and for more comfortable journeys around the buildings.Working for Robertson Facilities Management, which looks after the school, Broxap was contracted to complete six installations.To keep disruption to a minimum, works on site began in July 2022, as soon as Denton Community College had closed for the end of term.Prior to that, our team had been preparing behind the scenes to ensure the design and manufacture stages were complete so the installation could go ahead without delay throughout the school holidays.The project included the survey, design, manufacture and installation of two twin conic tensile canopies; a triple conic tensile canopy; two bespoke link walkway tensile canopies and a bespoke access tensile canopy.The early works were of particular importance as the triple conic canopy and two walkway canopies were situated within a central courtyard.This required specialist plant to be moved into the space to accommodate all of Broxap’s installation processes.Thanks to the fact design works were completed in May and June, manufacturing began on time and the delivery and installation phases maximised the available time frames by working in partnership with other contractors on site.All six canopies were completed by the end of August, and students returned to school in September to three covered dining, study and recreation areas, as well as two covered walkways across the courtyard and a bespoke L-shaped entrance canopy over an inclusive access point to one of the buildings.

PROJECTAquilana, Baden [CH]COMPLETIONMarch 2023ARCHITECTofficeKonzept GmbHPRODUCTSTICELL-N open-cell ceilingSingle-louvre open-cell ceiling made of ’woven’ aluminium; cell dimensions: 33 mm; height: 40 mm; rectangular and round design; white strip-painted [74 m²]TANGENTA-Q24 linear LED lightingLight distribution: 2 x 60° wide distribution; light colour: 4000 K; DALI dimmable; CRI > 80; various dimensions [approx. 15 linear metres]PUNTEO-N 1x1 S02 LED downlightLight distribution: 2 x 38° wide distribution; light colour: 4000 K; CRI > 80 [81 units]’Health for Generations’ – Aquilana Versicherungen has been committed to this guiding principle for the best part of 130 years. This company values direct and personal contact to its customers. This is reflected in the modern design of its new customer zone. Sustainable materials, plants and natural colours create a pleasing atmosphere. The reception area is visually fascinating thanks to the round curves of the TICELL-N single-blade open-cell ceiling made of ’woven’ aluminium. The integrated and highly efficient PUNTEO-N downlights feature superlative anti-glare properties while also delivering maximum light output for a pleasing and well-lit ambience. In the consulting rooms, TICELL-N combines with the elegant TANGENTA-Q24 linear lighting installed above the open-cell ceiling and with LED spotlights to create unique light reflections, bathing these interior spaces in homogeneous light. Aquilana’s generously proportioned customer zone succeeds in creating interior spaces that situate customers and employees centre stage.

Aluminium has been increasingly recognised as a viable material for construction products over recent years. With concerns over fire safety in external wall systems shifting the industry towards non-combustible solutions, the benefits specifically of extruded aluminium profiles, such as decking or cladding boards, have answered many of these new challenges.

This confident and considered office design scheme at Edinburgh-based construction and property business Thomas & Adamson features exposed walls and ceilings combined with Milliken's sumptuous Artistic Liberties modular carpet. The beautifully layered tones of Without Reserve and highly-decorative Outspoken Tradition were the perfect choice for this progressive, agile workspace.

Combining all three types of waterproofing system (Types A, B and C) supplied by Triton Systems, at the time of construction this project was believed to be the UK’s largest domestic basement. The three storey habitable space below ground was retrofitted under the existing property, and extends beneath the new build adjacent luxury apartment blocks.

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) identified health and safety as its number one priority in the construction of the venues, infrastructure and Athletes’ Village (Olympic park) for London 2012. With Eurosafe Solutions playing a part in the ‘exemplary health and safety record’ of the London 2012 Olympics, which has become a key part of the Olympic legacy.

In 2013 the London Fire Brigade received £51.5 million from central government to rebuild nine fire stations. A consortium led by construction group Kier, along with BDP architects, was given the contract following a detailed procurement process. Jacksons were specified to supply access gates for eight of the stations undergoing refurbishment.

Extension and renovation of an existing building in front of Lake Como, Italy.The building is able to manage on its own: once the construction is finished, thanks to the geothermal, solar thermal, photovoltaic, controlled ventilation and air conditioning systems, coordinated through home automation management, the building can be considered to all effects as energetically independent.

The SIPs Cladding Panel has been included as part of the innovative design for the Research Acceleration and Demonstration (RAD) Building at The University of Nottingham.The ProjectThe RAD Building has been designed to achieve BREEAM Excellent and will include Passivhaus measures to reduce energy requirements, providing a comfortable space for users whilst maintaining outstanding energy efficiency.The £7m development, funded by Innovate UK, houses many of the UK’s leading academics in its laboratories, offices and breakout spaces. The 142 mm SIPs Cladding Panel was used in the walls of the iconic 2000 m2 building, in order ton restrict energy demand.The original specification indicated both SIP and, space saving opportunities and quality delivery by qualified installers.Rising to the challengeA multi-disciplinary approach was taken to meet the project’s challenging performance targets including input from building fabric engineers, specialist designers and BREEAM consultants. The use of the SIPs Cladding Panel was essential to maximise space in the laboratory building, whilst maintaining excellent levels of insulation.High performanceIn addition to their excellent thermal performance, the combination of the panel’s OSB/3 facing and unique jointing system also help to limit air loss from the building. This allowed the project team to limit air-leakage to below 0.6 ach@50 Pa.The RAD Building development offered the opportunity for creating a building with a dynamic appearance and unique identity, consistent with the aspirations of the ERA initiative.The use of the SIP Cladding Panel was essential for maximising space in the laboratory building, whilst maintaining excellent levels of insulation.The RAD Building development offered the opportunity for creating a building with a dynamic appearance and unique identity, consistent with the aspirations of the ERA initiative. The use of the SIP Cladding Panel aligns perfectly with these aspirations, due to the panels’ FSC® (FSC®-C109304) certification, which demonstrates sustainable sourcing of construction materials.University of Nottingham RAD Building | Lewis and Hickey Architecture4Awards2019 – Winner | Sustainability Award 2019, East Midlands Celebrating Construction Awards – Celebrating Construction Excellence2019 – Winner | LABC East Midlands Awards Winner & Highly Commended2018 – Winner | EMPD – Sustainable Project of the Year, constructing excellence

This project transforms an industrial site, featuring 11 buildings with up to 44 storeys, offering homes, industrial and commercial spaces.The Challenge:The Malt Street Redevelopment Project marks a significant milestone as the inaugural strategic initiative within the Old Kent Road Opportunity Area. This project is designed to leverage the rich cultural identity of the community while harnessing the industrial character and diverse heritage of the area.The Malt Street Redevelopment Project is segmented into three distinct phases. Construction activities are actively progressing for Phases 1 and 2, with Phase 3 securing outline planning permission, paving the way for its subsequent development.The project features eleven buildings with up to 44 storeys, offering 1,300 homes, industrial and commercial spaces.Groundworkers often face the challenge of achieving thorough concrete compaction within the liner wall, especially to the underside of the capping beam, where proper encapsulation around the water bar is required.When using a letterbox shutter during the concrete pour of the liner wall, it’s particularly difficult to ensure concrete reaches all the way to the underside of the capping beam – which posed a challenge in this situation.The Solution:Our solution involves using a method similar to ‘tremie pipes’. This involves installing vertical pipes with diameters of 100-125mm through the Rebar cage of the capping beam. This technique allows concrete to be poured vertically at various points along the capping beam. By filling up the pipe and using a concrete vibration poker, the concrete can efficiently fill the shuttered liner wall up to the underside of the capping beam.Premcrete Products Used-Maxiprufe Plus-HydrocreteProject DeliverablesPremcrete are proud to be a part of this project, set to bring a great deal of positives to the area including:1,453 high quality homes, including 40% affordable housing50% of the site as new public space, including an important part of the new Grand Surrey Canal Linear Park5,400 sqm safe, new, adventurous play spaces966 cycle spaces as part of phases 1 and 27,000 square metres of commercial and retail space, including affordable workspaces1,250 construction jobs and nearly 70 local construction apprenticeships392 jobs post-construction

Wood Wharf consists of 2.6 million sq ft of residential space including up to 3,600 new homes offering the very best in city and waterside living. A Bespoke Shallow Wet room Drainage was required to fit within the POD manufactures and the Architects Design constraints. THE CHALLENGE Wood Wharf is a new district in Canary Wharf which is creating a vibrant new urban quarter. The size of the project itself poses a challenge due to the logistics that go into conducting work at various points throughout the site at any one point. The decision to have the wetrooms and bathrooms constructed off site by POD manufacturing would mean that time spent on site would be drastically reduced, however a bespoke drainage offering would have to be made available in order to present a drainage solution that would fit within the confines of the POD system. Due to the nature of the project, a sophisticated design would be needed within the bathroom in order to tie in with the rest of the interiors of the residential apartments. THE SOLUTION Wetroom Materials worked closely with the POD Manufacturer to present a wetroom system that would be able to adapt to the demands of the POD construction. Wetroom Materials have a range of different channel lengths that can be used on a variety of projects with different requirements; a channel length was specified around the parameters of the space available. Due to the limited floor depths within the suggested POD construction, Wetroom Materials offered a low-profile system starting from just 64mm, that still had the capacity to take a large flow rate. On the back of Wetroom Materials’ advice, the wetroom design was altered to have the drain running along the long wall in order to minimise the required floor depth needed to slope the floor space to allow the water to fall to the drain gulley, whilst still providing a level entrance point across the threshold to the shower area. The drain finish chosen was the HighLine Panel. The reason for this choice was to provide a clean, minimalistic finish that kept in line with the high-end nature of the entire project, while still providing a function and durable product that will stand the test of time. In succeeding to provide a drainage solution that adapted to the requirements of a POD construction, Wetroom Materials were able to reduce the project timescale and increase the site’s work efficiency.

The striking five-storey building at the Ellesmere Port Campus of West Cheshire College is constructed on a circular plan, which creates a large open space and atrium.From the ground floor to the uppermost level, a series of Pendock Radius metal column casings conceal the structural supports, which provide clean lines that integrate with the interior.

This drinks cabinet has exquisitely sculpted doors from a piece of solid oak revealing wonderful shapes and patterns in the grain that lie beneath the surface.Solid oak construction throughout provides a solid piece that will stand the test of time and become a true heirloom. The cabinet was finished with Rubio Monocoat Oil Plus 2C in Pure.

Gowriehill Distribution Service Reservoir is located in Dundee City and managed by Scottish Water. In late 2021, part of the reservoir tank construction was discovered to have a brittle asphalt waterproofing layer over the top of a beam and block roof. Fosroc proposed a solution that was easy to apply and provided a robust watertight finish and a 20 year warranty.

The first stages of Liverpool City Council’s £32million development project to improve Great Howard Street (A565), which links Liverpool and Sefton, are now well underway. As part of the scheme, a new abutment has been constructed to create a visually spectacular design feature for the new gateway to Liverpool, reflecting the city’s rich legacy.

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.

At a Glance:New £253m resettlement prison required complete and secure cabling infrastructureManufacture and off site build of completed chambers reduced onsite labour by one third minimising COVID / H&S risksLighter, recyclable materials cut fuel use, accelerated installation and reduced environmental impactHMP Five Wells has won 15 major industry awardsThe ClientKier (www.kier.co.uk) is a leading UK construction and infrastructure services company, providing specialist design and build capabilities for vital economic and social building projects across the UK. Kier was awarded the contract by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) for a new build resettlement prison in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire – as part of their New Prisons Programme. The aim of the programme is to reform and modernise the prison estate to provide more safe, secure and functional prison places focused on supporting rehabilitation.The ChallengeKier needed a cable access infrastructure that could satisfy the extremely secure access requirements of a prison environment spanning a 36-acre site.Over 1100 components were supplied to ensure a fully secure cable access system with features such as custom cabling.Kier’s goals for efficiency and cost-effectiveness, as well as for environmental sustainability and social responsibility, is in line with their brand values.The site required a simplified installation, reduced fuel consumption and lower emissions solution that would both endure and be recyclable at the end of their life. The benefits of Kier’s approach came to the fore during the COVID-19 pandemic.As Kier’s project director Rob Stanton explains, ‘new ways of working and offsite manufacture were embraced to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on project delivery’.The SolutionUsing polypropylene products from Clark-Drain, via subcontractor Mitchellson, significantly reduced the weight of the components as compared to traditional concrete. This removed the need for lifting equipment, reduced the on-site labour required (and the attendant health and safety risks), and dramatically shortened the installation time on this £253 million project.From a sustainability point of view, too, these lighter components scored highly, not only in respect of reduced fuel consumption and end-of-life recyclability, but also in terms of provenance, robustness, and therefore long-life durability.Clark-Drain also made several prior visits to site to assess the project requirements, and, based on these early engagements, added further value by designing, building and deploying, in relatively short timeframes, two new chamber bellmouths, to protect below-ground cabling. The bellmouths enable cables to be easily routed within the inner chamber walls during installation by site operatives, but also enable ducts to be securely housed and connected, inside the chamber walls, prior to concrete backfill being applied during installation. Clark-Drain manufactures over 70% of its products inhouse, including the completed chambers, which were manufactured and built offsite at its yard in Yaxley, Peterborough.Demonstrating its commitment to social value and equitability throughout, Kier also involved its Digital Apprentice trainees in the project, and created a project bank account to ensure easier and quicker supplier payment.Outcomes and ResultsThe figures speak for themselves:Cable access for the project is being assembled 22% faster than if traditional construction methods had been usedLighter materials meant that one third less labour was required on-site to install the chambersSurveys were carried out 70% faster using dronesMillions are being saved on post-project snagging using cloud-based review and QA technologiesThe project has won 15 major industry awardsAnd as for the environmental benefits, long life and recycling apart, the polypropylene chambers are only 38% of the density of concrete, greatly reducing the project’s fuel consumption and carbon emissions.Rebecca Wade, Bid Director at Kier, describes the project’s successes: ‘Thanks to the deployment of agile digital methods and next-generation suppliers, we are delivering efficiently and cost-effectively, whilst respecting our commitments to our society, our community, and our planet.’For more information on how Clark-Drain can help your business deliver robust, cost-effective, environmentally responsible cable access solutions, no matter how big or small your project, get in touch.

Outdoor space is an increasingly sought-after commodity, with research suggesting that a well-kept stylish garden can add as much as 20% to a property’s value. Installing effective drainage is integral to the long-term health of a garden, which is why Langlea Garden Design and Construction pays close attention to the products it uses in its award-winning projects.

AliDeck has recently supplied our 20mm Junior Flat Boards, Lite Joist, and Micro Joist solutions to The Property Crew following their successful balcony remediation project at St. Mark’s Square in Bromley, Kent. This project was overseen by the developer, McLaren Construction Group and focused on the remediation of 16 apartments on levels 14 to 19 of a tower.

The development is situated at Killay and is part of a wider initiative to redevelop the Hendrefoilan area, which includes a £450 million new university campus. The project is part of a wider regional development for St. Modwen that includes provision for up to 4,000 homes, a 4 million square foot employment space, and the construction of Swansea University’s new Bay Campus.

Sevenoaks School’s Science & Technology Centre, designed by Tim Ronalds Architects, brings together a diverse set of disciplines and “puts learning, education and experimentation on display”. Daylit and naturally ventilated throughout, the £23m development has a robust interior of expressive structure, evident construction and natural materials, yet feels highly transparent, with views to the landscape and beyond.

Pen-Y-Bont is a development of new build waterfront properties in the popular seaside resort of Abersoch. A £3.5m investment has seen the creation of a mix of luxury waterfront properties, designed by SDA Architects, Leeds. RCM supplied its Supertech Weatherboard cladding to the construction, which enhanced the properties coastal feel and gave it a distinct and lasting impression.