"shower fittings and controls"

In late 2016, the Francis Crick Institute was opened by The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh. It is the largest biomedical research institute under one roof in Europe, allowing in over 1500 scientists and support staff everyday.The striking landmark sits next to London’s St Pancras Station, with floor space approaching one million square feet over 12 floors. To achieve an ‘excellent’ BREEAM rating, the Crick was developed minimising environmental impact to be highly sustainable.ChallengeDesigned by HOK and PLP architects, the building is highly complex with a significant specification. To support scientific research goals while promoting public engagement, Francis Crick aimed to encourage interaction between scientists with an open feel layout. With this, it also needed to be accessible for public lectures, exhibitions, and a teaching laboratory therefore posed a high security risk towards entrance control.To find out more please follow the link. Francis Crick Institute - Case Studies - Meesons

Britannia Metalwork worked with building contractors Gilbert-Ash and Architects Hawkins/Brown in designing, fabricating, and fitting bespoke decorative floor grilles to replace the damaged originals in the Orangery at the City of London Freeman’s School.It was a project that we were thrilled to be commissioned for and work that we are extremely proud of - the grilles were manufactured, delivered and fitted within the project timeframe, despite pressures of the ongoing global pandemic of 2021.The 168-year-old City of London Freemen's School is set in 57 acres of Ashtead Park in the heart of Surrey. The masterplan scheme included the renovation works to the Grade II listed Main House (including an energy centre), and some new buildings including junior school, dining hall and assembly hall as well as landscaping and car park works. The total cost of the project was £15 and won a place as a Finalist in the 2022 Conservation & Regeneration Constructing Excellence SECBE Awards.Britannia was commissioned to design and make a total of 33 bespoke cast iron grilles, with bare metal finish, to be placed within the marbled floor of the historic and beautiful Orangery. The focus of the work was to complement the heritage of the iconic building while ensuring good ventilation to allow the building to become a flexible and useful large space for school events.Frequently referred to as Cathedral, Ecclesiastical or Victorian decorative floor grilles and as seen here, often placed over channels holding heating pipes, they provide a practical and decorative heating vent. Originally designed for churches they are increasingly popular in private houses, greenhouses, and commercial building developments. Our grilles can be ordered in cast iron or cast aluminium and finished in a wide variety of options. We also work in association with Gunning Heating, making decorative cast iron grilles that fit seamlessly into their underfloor trench heater units.  See our website for a full list of our grille designs or contact us to discuss your bespoke requirements.

The 10 apartment buildings of the Cerisier Residences development in Bertrange, Luxembourg are surrounded by green spaces. The balconies with glass railings make for a stunning, modern appearance. Q-railing’s Easy Glass Slim glass balustrade system was identified as the perfect fit. It's extremely cost-efficient, since it is quick and easy to install – an important factor, given that more than 1,600 metres of glass balustrade were required for outside balconies and penthouse roof terraces.

Bowcliffe Hall is a stately home now hosting large events. the Blackburn Wing is a 2000sq ft tree house conference and event venue shaped like an airplane wing and nestled in ancient woodland at the heart of the estate. The challenge for Silent Gliss was to specify and discreetly fit products to work perfectly on sloping ceilings with an open plan design objective. the solution was found using the Silent Gliss motorised roller blinds System 4960 and 4880.

Quadra+®Metal door with insulated coreA very economical solution with fire resistance up to 2 hours whilst maintaining sleek aesthetics. The door leafs are hung on a unique quick-release pivot system and is supplied with all ironmongery pre-fitted which allows for a swift and simple installation. The Quadra+ system can be provided in banks of up to 6 doors wide and still maintain 2 hours fire rating, an industry first.

SPSenvirowall’s RendaClad, the perfect solution of choice transformed a vacant site in Blackburn. This unique project features a mix of 73 modular homes consisting of two, three and four-bed houses and bungalows for Blackburn City Council. The units are timber-framed and BOPAS accredited making SPSenvirowall’s RendaClad System the perfect fit. SPSenvirowall supplied approximately 6,500m2 of its RendaClad System consisting of 9mm RendaClad board, Envirorend and a mixture of flexible SpeedySlips.

The project took place across a 21 m2 double garage roof that required updating and maintenance work as it had simply been left to the elements and was no longer fit for purpose.  Rob Rough, Director of PPM Care Ltd stated Degaflex that he was “really pleased with the outcome and impressed with how easy it is to install Degaflex” he went on to add that he would have traditionally used GRP, however, he will be “using Degaflex going-forwards”.

The Milton Keynes Hospital Paediatric Emergency Department was undergoing a refurbishment. The overall aim was to create a child-friendly environment that would appeal to children of all ages.AD Architects designed the new unit and chose Altro Orchestra to create two colourful, reception play areas. The variety of different shades and textures gave scope for an enchanted woodland forest theme to be created using Altro Orchestra throughout. Altro Suprema safety flooring was also fitted in the new unit’s observation areas, treatment bays and examination rooms. The new unit was built by Parias Commercial Interiors, and the Altro flooring fitted by Total Flooring. Altro Orchestra flooring helped to transform the Paediatric Emergency Department to a wonderfully bright, colourful area that children love to play in. Altro Orchestra offers comfort underfoot making life easier on the feet for staff and visitors, and with a palette of 40 colours and designs — varying from calming neutrals reflecting tones of nature to vibrant shades — it creates the right atmosphere every time. The Altro Suprema flooring provides a great, practical flooring which is ultrasafe, but also very stylish and it really adds to the environment. The hospital staff are thrilled with the result.

The ChallengeThe Kings Hill development, phase 3, is comprised of 132 new units ranging in scale from two-bedroomed apartments to five bedroomed houses, close to the village of West Malling, in Kent. The wider Kings Hill area is a mixed-use development of over 2,000 homes, commercial and retail space. It is situated on the site of the former RAF Kings Hill airfield, which has been developed over the last 25 years, and is noted for its rich, landscape-led design.The SolutionA more formal, urban design, the scheme provides a departure from earlier phases of Kings Hill by adopting a more contemporary architectural language, albeit one that still fits comfortably within its context.Extensive analysis of the conservation area in the nearby West Malling was undertaken and a contemporary interpretation of the predominantly brick Georgian architecture was proposed, with large windows and crisp minimal detailing, which was lifted and invigorated by extensive brick detailing referencing that found in the local vernacular.The brick chosen to complement the development’s architecture was Cathedral Cream, a buff, stock thrown brick from Forterra’s Ecostock range.The BenefitsThe choice of Cathedral Cream helped to provide a contemporary architectural language that fits comfortably within its context.

Caribbean Blinds have been an external shading expert since 1987. based in Sudbury provide from outdoor living to solar shading, exclusively designing and UK manufacturing luxury external shading systems.Helmsman manufactured, delivered and installed 22 two compartment heavy-duty laminate with camlock locker door. The specification of the locker is 1800 high, 300 wide and 450 deep, powder coated in black and with a laminate door colour of ‘Fenix Nero’.‘Fenix Nero’ is an aesthetic style of laminate, which has low light reflectivity with a matt surface. Additionally, it has a soft touch as well as being anti-fingerprint colour.On the laminated lockers the clients decided to have an oval laminate number plate with a key, making it easy for staff to use as they will be allocated a locker and a key to keep their personal belongings secure.The bespoke lockers were designed and manufactured at Helmsman. Some of the lockers were created to fit in alcove and were fitted with cladding and end panels in matching laminate to make the project look aesthetically pleasing.Get in touch today if you have a similar project, or want any more information on the products discussed, contact us today on 01284 530 427.

Architect: Page \ ParkInstaller: McLaughlin & HarveyProduct: ‘Shiluvit’ by Oranit400m2 of Shuluvit panels in 7-501 formation and Natural Yellow Pine were installed to the ceilings of the entrance way and cafe area of Kelvin Hall in Glasgow as well as 170m2 of linear acoustic planks in Natural Oak veneer to the main lecture theatre.The facility on historic Argyle street to the west of Glasgow city centre is a thriving community hub. Home to event and lecture space for the public as well as the University of Glasgow and local businesses. Kelvin Hall also houses the Glasgow Museums and the National Library of Scotland, celebrating the country’s history in historic and present literature and manuscripts as well as maps, films, and digital media.In addition to the educational spaces Kelvin Hall also has fitness suites for both adult and child classes as well as a 100 piece gym and multiple sports hall for public and commercial use. New to the facility in 2019 is the public climbing wall activity centre and soft-play for younger community members!The newly refurbished Kelvin Hall is home to parts of the National Library of Scotland, Glasgow Museums, and University of Glasgow research exhibitions as well as the Glasgow Club hosting fitness classes and children’s gymnastics clubs.

Altro solution rocks Rockville HospitalAltro Pisces, Altro Whiterock White, Altro Whiterock recessed shelfIssueRockville Hospital, part of the Eastern Connecticut Healthcare Network, boasts a strong behavioural health unit that provides support and specialized, sophisticated services for many areas of mental health, including additions, anxiety, depression and other counseling.The project had originally called for competitor products, but the Altro Regional Representative met with Jeff Lawton and Rockville Hospital housekeeping staff and presented Altro products, showing the proper cleaning regimen.ApproachJeff Lawton worked with the hospital, selecting Altro floors and walls to ensure a safe, easy and familiar bathing experience for residents at the unit. The hospital was impressed, and staff members continue to be happy with their installation.SolutionFor the bathrooms and other wet areas throughout the unit, award winning Altro Pisces was specified for the floors, accompanied by Altro Whiterock White hygienic wall sheets, preventing moisture and water ingress. With increasing efforts to combat healthcare acquired infections in hospitals around the country, impact-resistant and hygienic wall products are essential. With creating a safe environment for users a priority, Altro Whiterock recessed shelves were selected to offer a lip and ligature-free solution for holding toiletries.Altro Pisces achieves Class B to DIN 51097 for barefoot use, plus a Pendulum Test Value (PTV) of ≥50 (Slider 96). Altro Pisces offers 16 soft-look shades; the result is the soft appearance that you would want from domestic interiors, with the lifetime sustained slip resistance you expect from Altro.Combined with Altro Whiterock White hygienic wall sheets it pro vides an impervious and easy to clean solution for wet environments.The Altro Whiterock recessed shelf is a pre-fabricated unit, us ing proven Altro Whiterock hygienic walls sheet, providing a watertight, rust-proof shelf for shower toiletries which is tamper-resistant and free from potential ligature points, helping to keep users safe.

For the construction of a large villa of soft and natural colours in the countryside near Bologna, various Atlas Concorde floor and wall-tiles collections were used. Stone and wood effect porcelain stoneware tiles highlight the volumes and geometries in interior design by coordinating with outdoor floors that surround the home. Atlas Concorde floor and wall tiles offer interesting cues and ideas for home furnishing.The private dwelling, divided into two separate blocks, is at the heart of a lusciously green and bright garden rich in walkways made from the Trust stone effect outdoor floor collection. Indoor floors alternate the Axi wood effect porcelain stoneware and stone effect Advance collections. For the bathroom was used wall tiles, a cladding that combines expressive power with practicality, the Ewall collection, inspired by the look of spatula spread cement. Prestigious materials throughout the kitchen. The kitchen of the villa is enriched with style thanks to the Atlas Concorde porcelain stoneware and wall tiles. The tiles distinguish themselves for impeccable aesthetics and decorative character, guaranteeing numerous advantages, such as easy cleaning and maintenance. The low porosity makes the kitchen wall tiles resistant to humidity, stains, mildew and bacteria, and make them perfect for creating the kitchen backsplash, which needs to have other specific requirements, such as ease of cleaning, resistance to stain and resistance to heat. Bathroom tiles in a hose of great aesthetical impact. The bathroom wall tiles of the villa are covered in tiles from the Ewall collection by Atlas Concorde. Inspired to spatula-worked cement, the surface is enhanced by a delicate structuring and reflections of light, for a tremendous aesthetic and visual impact. Atlas Concorde ceramic tiles also guarantee easy cleaning and maintenance when used as a wall tile in showers, where they carefully highlight the elegance of every detail.Safe living outdoor. The surfaces immediately surrounding the villa created using the Trust porcelain stoneware collection give life to outdoor floors that combine the naturalness of stone with resistance to heavy footfall and adverse weather conditions, durability and safety. Outdoor floors in 2 cm thickness are also perfect as patio or terrazzo tiles, to experience the outdoor living of the house in total freedom.

Qbic Manchester, the fourth property in the Qbic portfolio, mixes striking design with admirable eco-credentials and affordability to deliver a truly eclectic destination hotel. Working with Qbic’s own interior designers and contractor, MY Construction, Style was specified to create flexible space in the hotel’s meeting rooms whilst also complementing the breath-takingly chic decor.Finished in a stunning steel blue, the two identical Dorma Hüppe Variflex glass moveable walls incorporate telescopic end panels, giving a truly aesthetic finish. With 52dB acoustic integrity and semi-automatic operation the walls can be quickly manoeuvred into place, dividing or opening out the meeting areas to meet the demands of the day.Combining a stylish crittall effect with a reeded manifestation added to the glass to match the room’s fixed glazing, these moveable partitioning walls not only add flexibility to the hotel’s space but also enhance the overall interior design.Qbic has reinvented the concept of affordable hotels, by focusing on what matters to its stylish, savvy, environmentally responsible guests. Located on the lively Deansgate strip, the Manchester hotel offers 261 pet-friendly rooms, boasts comfortable king-sized beds, has high-speed WiFi, plus water-efficient power showers and sustainable toiletries.“This hotel oozes the ‘wow’ factor,” said Andy Gibson, Style’s director for the North.“The moveable walls are effortless to manoeuvre, enabling hotel staff to create either three separate meeting rooms, one large and one small room, or open up the entire area."Semi-automatic operation ensures the acoustic seals are always applied to exactly the right pressure, offering high levels of privacy when meetings are in progress. The Qbic design team’s vision of a blue steel finish in this vibrant environment was truly inspiring and something we were proud to be able to deliver.”Style is the UK market leader in moveable, folding and partitioning walls and its glass range has expanded this year with a complete range of acoustic and non-acoustic solutions – each with manual, semi-automatic or fully automatic operation.

Inspired by traditional Belgravia garden squares, Chelsea Barracks is an exceptional development that will create an entirely new neighbourhood combining magnificent townhouses and spacious apartments with five acres of landscaped gardens, exclusive shops, fine-dining and state-of-the-art leisure facilities. It has been under construction since 2019 and it due to be completed in 2024.Chelsea Barracks represents a historic collaboration between world-renowned architects, best-in-class landscapers and the finest craftsmanship. It is the most coveted neighbourhood in London.It is a development of 440 residential luxury apartments, penthouses and townhouses. It cost £3bn to build and was the most sustainable developments in Europe in 2021, attaining LEED platinum certification for green building.The design and quality of finish in the properties is extremely high end and includes high spec finishes including natural stonework finished by Italian stone Artisans, bronzed ironwork balustrades inspired by the botanical prints of William Morris and elegantly crafted wooden floors and bespoke cabinetry.ECLISSE UK supplied 250 bespoke pocket door systems, including Classic singles and Classic doubles with accessories, to the project and they were predominately used in the bathrooms and living rooms. Classic singles were used in bathrooms to create more space where the arc of standard hinged doors would have otherwise encroached on the space. This allowed more space for larger shower enclosures and enhanced room layouts. Double pocket doors were used to create more space and enhanced layouts in the living rooms to allow furniture to be placed closer to the edges of the room to create more spacious layouts that feel bigger. Product: 250 bespoke Classic Pocket Door System with accessoriesLocation: Chelsea Bridge Road, London, SW1W 8RGDeveloper: Qatari Diar GroupArchitect: Masterplanners - Dixon Jones, Squire & Partners and landscape architect Kim WilkieDevelopment: Over 440 two to Seven bedroom luxury residences and townhousesCompletion: The development is being completed in phases with the final phase expected to be completed in 2024.Image Source: Savills

Accoya was chosen for its long-lasting benefits which are required for demanding coastal settings such as these. Accoya was also selected as the ideal weatherboard material for the Christchurch residence due to its exterior, above ground guarantee of 50 years. Accoya wood was used for all the Bevelback weatherboards which clad the building and are finished using black Dulux matt paint. Accoya was selected as the perfect fit for this type of weatherboarding, which is renowned to combine stability and durability in every project.

A range of specialist fittings were supplied by GEC Anderson, for use the police forensic laboratory.These included a large height adjustable examination table; cabinets shelving and work surfaces with integrated bowls, upstands and special drainers. Perforated, height adjustable stepless shelving (GEC Anderson V90 System) was also supplied.Single-piece L-shaped stainless steel worktop with integral bowls, integral upstands and perforated draining rack. Shelving and cabinets with 'D' handles.

Durable and decorative lift reveals, manufactured from stainless steel, aluminium and laminated plywood, provide a practical and aesthetic enhancement to lift installation and refurbishment projects, as well as lift lobby upgrades.Every lift reveal is designed and manufactured by us to meet the exact specifications of each individual project with great attention to the detail, fit and finish of every component.All linings are manufactured to comply with the relevant safety legislation, incorporating safe edges and corner radius detail.

SCW curtain wall. SPW300 windows. SD commercial door system. Leicester’s latest newly built school has been creatively designed and fitted with a suite of aluminium doors, windows and curtain wall from Senior Architectural Systems’ high performance ranges, which collectively account for around 60% of the building’s facade. The building is simple and functional, yet the impressive result is a reflection of the school’s aim to inspire and reflect the rich and diverse community it serves.

Castlemead is a social housing block in the London Borough of Southwark, located in the busy Camberwell Road area. The vacant building was undergoing an internal refurbishment project, delivered by fit out specialist, Paragon, and as part of these works the main contractor brought in roofing specialist, Hambro Roofing, to carry out some repairs to the existing felt roof. It quickly became apparent that the existing roof surface had reached the end of its service life and actually required a full refurbishment.

The world’s leading museum of art and design, the V&A Museum, appointed Consultancy Webb Yates to carry out significant design upgrade work to its ventilation systems to provide heating and cooling for the staff kitchen and back of house area. A small window provided the only access point to the installation area in the courtyard. S&P UK was selected to supply a heat recovery unit that could fit through the small access point and meet the bespoke requirements of the building

Using a step-ladder to access a loft is not convenient or safe. As such, it is not surprising that Lydia was not confident taking items in and out of her loft. To make the most of this valuable storage space the ‘Elite' retractable ladder from Premier Loft Ladders was fitted above the existing hatch. This easy-to-use, heavy-duty retractable loft ladder instilled the confidence that was previously missing. Read our case study to learn more and view the photo gallery to see the finished result…

Situated in the heart of the City, in the former Midland Bank headquarters, The Ned houses Ned’s Club, a private members’ space, gym and rooftop, alongside a public spa, ten restaurants & bars and 250 hotel bedrooms.Our Fitzroy of London team worked closely with the architect, and designers to ensure that the hotel’s Doc M washroom spaces were in keeping with the hotel’s overall high standard. Featuring fixtures and fittings and a customised finish from our Portland collection.

Bushboard’s HBN 00-10 Part C compliant healthcare units were specified at Acre Mills, meeting the brief set by Huddersfield and Calderdale NHS Trust.Healthcare sanitary assemblies were supplied as ready plumbed modules (RPM), meaning all healthcare units have sanitaryware and brassware pre-fitted. Chris was keen to use Bushboard’s RPM for the speed of on-site installation and quality of workmanship.Read the whole case study on our website.

The Centre for Agricultural and Biosciences International (CABI) is an inter-governmental, not-for-profit organization that improves people’s lives worldwide by providing information and applying scientific expertise to solve problems in agriculture and the environment.His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales opened the old CABI headquarters in September 1987. Over time, the former school building had become outdated and was no longer fit for purpose, being uneconomical in terms of layout and energy efficiency, and required a high level of maintenance.

Inspired by and integrated within the natural landscape around it, the River Building at Grace Farms, which was designed by SANAA, gently slopes, bends and ‘pools’ with its surroundings.For a place in which people gather to experience nature, encounter the arts, pursue justice, foster community and explore faith, the use of glass, steel, concrete and wood is particularly fitting. In the building’s bathrooms, d line sanitary ware was used for its simple lines and the natural rawness of its material.

Mungret Gate is ideally located just 5km from Limerick City Centre with plenty of activities nearby including a playground, stunning scenery and 2km of walk and cycle paths.The development by Homeland Group consists of 3 and 4-bedroom family homes that are modern and stylish but also sustainable, with an abundance of green communal space for children to play in andfamilies to enjoy. Homeland Group felt that energystore’s TLA would be the perfect fit for their new Mungret Gate development.

Minsthorpe Leisure Centre in Yorkshire is managed by Wakefield Council - offering a 25-metre swimming pool, a gym, and fitness classes including Zumba, Pilates, HIIT workouts, and boxercise.With support from our technical team, JML Building Services were advised to use Fixfast TapFast Stainless HCR fasteners, for use in corrosive environments. The finished effect was a brand-new swimming pool with roofing and cladding fixings that would stay in place despite the risk of corrosion.

Fairlawns Hotel & Spa is a family-run hotel near Walsall in the West Midlands. A recent refurbishment of their gym facility would see a trio of international flooring specialist Gerflor’s fitness flooring products being specified to ensure that the free weights, cardio and stretch zones would meet the hotel’s high standards. A remit that would be ideally suited to Gerflor’s Powershock 300 and Creation 70 LVT, together with their world-renowned Taraflex® sports flooring.

A complete wall protection system from Gradus has been installed at the newly refurbished Lysholm Department of Neuroradiology at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN). Supplied and fitted by the Gradus Contracts Team, the system includes wall guards, corner guards, kickplates and bollards from the stainless steel range, plus handrails from the 450 timber range, which is designed to meet guidelines in Approved Document M, BS8300:2009+A1:2010 and HBN00-04.

10 George Street rises 37 storeys above Canary Wharf’s new district, Wood Wharf. The balconies of its superb 327 fully furnished apartments overlook waterside gardens and boardwalks below and give exclusive views of London.InterLace designed, manufactured and installed luxury dimout curtains to all bedrooms, with matching shading curtains in living spaces. The resident’s amenity areas are fitted with heat reducing electric solar blinds for maximum comfort.

The first homes at Barratt Homes’ new energy efficient Hanham Hall development feature Posi-Joists as the floor system of choice. Each home is constructed using highly insulated materials and is fitted with a Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) system, which is why Posi-Joist was the natural choice for the floor system. Kingspan Potton have been involved throughout the design and delivery of the project, supplying both Structural Insulated Panels and the Posi-Joist floors.

ASF have for decades been supplying the supermarket chain Morrisons with a host of external furniture and fittings. From the very beginning ASF were specified as manufacturers for the M Logo Cast Iron Bollards, still in use today on their heritage stores. In this example the bollards were converted into railings, allowing the supermarket retain their corporate branding whilst creating a site perimeter. ASF are also specified on the stainless steel and recycled plastic products seen at Morrisons stores.

The ProjectAlbion Mills is a high-end, purpose-built office complex near Willerby Shopping Park in Hull. It is a two-storey building, with numerous office suites for businesses to utilise.The custodians of Albion Mills planned to revitalise the interior of the offices. The new-look space would need a design with an understated colour scheme, which would be suitable for a working environment. This would include resilient flooring in parts, with carpet tiles adjacent to it. To link the vinyl and carpeted areas, a flooring transition would be needed.The flooring transition would need to bridge the gap between the two floorcoverings, incorporating the different thicknesses of the resilient and carpeted flooring without creating a trip or slip hazard. The design of the new offices called for the transition to be curved into different shapes, meaning that they would need to be suitable to curve on-site.The ApproachFloors Hull were appointed as the flooring contractor for the refurbishment. After deciding on the floorcoverings they would use for the project, they needed a flooring transition that would link the two together. Floors Hull decided that Quantum Flooring Solutions’ TopClip transitions range would offer the best option.TopClip is a range of flooring transitions which consists of 4 uPVC tops, which can fit into 6 different bases; 2 aluminium and 4 uPVC. All of the uPVC bases can be curved to a radius of approximately 750mm. Between them, the TopClip range can transition between practically any different gauge or type of floorcoverings.For the Albion Mills project, Quantum’s QTC42R top was used with the QVB1 uPVC base. This meant that the profiles could be curved into the necessary shapes. In order to get around tight curves, it can help to gently heat the profile with a hot air gun. This would have to be done skilfully by Floors Hull, so the profile would not become distorted.The OutcomeSteve McDonald from Floors Hull fitted the flooring in Albion Mills, along with the TopClip transition profiles. The end result looks fantastic, with the QTC42R and QVB1 curving well. As Steve says: “A very small amount of heat was used to create this tight radius, but the product itself was very flexible and went round with ease. Fantastic transition profile.”TopClip tops have 3 “teeth”, which allow them to be pushed flush to both floorcoverings which they transition between. This ensures that TopClip fits snugly on both the carpet and vinyl in Albion Mills, minimising the risk of trips. The tops are also slip resistant and durable, for extra safety.The flint coloured QTC42R tops look great with the dark and light grey carpet tiles. They fit perfectly with the aesthetic of the refurbished offices. Floors Hull, with the help of Quantum Flooring, have ensured that Albion Mills has a modern, professional design scheme for prospective tenants.

The ProjectLoughborough College provides a range of courses in further education, along with apprenticeships and professional qualifications. It is based on one of the largest student campuses in Europe, sharing the area with Loughborough University. Over 2000 students attend the college, with some living in adjacent halls of residence.The college staircases needed to be refurbished. The flooring was previously terrazzo, and this was to be changed to a rubber flooring. This was suitable in terms of durability and slip resistance for the large amount of people on the campus. To complement the flooring, the stair nosings had to be equally hard-wearing and safe.The stair nosings needed to adhere to all Building Regulations guidelines, along with BS8300:2-2018 and the Equality Act. This meant that they needed to have great slip resistant properties, and stand out from the black flooring to create a ladder effect on the staircases. This would help people to navigate the stairways, especially those with visual impairments.There was a special request from the college which would help to attain this noticeable difference between the stair nosings and the steps: “Hot Rod Pink” tread material, to match Loughborough College colours.The ApproachMidlands Flooring was hired as the flooring contractor for the refurb. As Hot Rod Pink is not a standard stair nosing colour, Dave Wilson from Midlands Flooring got in touch with a number of manufacturers to see if anyone could rise to the challenge.Within 24 hours, Quantum Flooring returned its proposal for manufacturing bespoke Hot Rod Pink tread material specifically for Loughborough College. The unique stair nosing tread would be made from the same material as Quantum’s normal tread, meaning it would be slip resistant and suitable for the frequent foot traffic.Quantum’s SR125R stair nosings were chosen to fit the tread material into. These profiles have a ramped back, to ensure that there would be no trip hazard on the staircases. They are raked back on the riser, to ensure a perfect fit on the steps. Plus, Quantum’s UTA aluminium stair edging trims were fitted, providing a safe and aesthetically pleasing finish to the side of the steps on the open string stairs.The OutcomeQuantum ensured a fast turnaround on the stair nosings, using the QSMS free measuring service. A Quantum representative electronically measured all of the steps to their precise lengths, and sent the results to the distributor Carpet & Flooring in Birmingham for the stair nosings to be cut and drilled.Midlands Flooring fixed the stair nosings with Q-Fix contact adhesive, ensuring a strong bond to the steps. Secret-fix was used to drill the profiles, meaning the tread material could be fitted on site, and there was no need for unsightly plugs to hide the screws in the tread. Quantum’s SR125R stair nosings with Hot Rod Pink tread material look fantastic in Loughborough College. The college was delighted with the results.Loughborough College has a unique, on-brand stair nosing tread for its refurbished stairways. Midlands Flooring did a fantastic job on the project, and Quantum backed them up with innovation and expedience.

CHALLENGEAn ambitious project, and one of the first certified PassivHaus homes in the UK - the Denby Dale PassivHaus in West Yorkshire, had to to use 90% less energy for space heating than the average UK dwelling – with a space heating need of only 15 kWh/m2/ year. The three-bedroom property is the first UK Passivhaus to be built in a traditional style using cavity wall construction and had to be built to a tight budget of £141,000.SOLUTION“We decided to go down the cavity wall path and arrived at the design for several reasons including: planning restrictions, thermal store, cost, and maybe most important of all, buildability,” explains Bill Butcher, Project Leader.Excellent performing insulation is obviously fundamental to Passivhaus construction and the Denby Dale house has 300mm Knauf Insulation DriTherm® Cavity Slab 32 in the walls, 500mm Knauf Insulation Loft Roll 44 in the roof void (both of which incorporate ECOSE® Technology) along with 225mm of high-performing Polyfoam® Floorboard Standard* insulation in the floor.“We’re fully filling the cavity with glass mineral wool insulation for the walls above ground, because it helps minimise air movement in the cavity and offers greater flexibility, fitting snugly around the ties, openings and imperfections of the masonry surface.” comments Bill Butcher.Economics, performance, availability, ease of fitting and reducing thermal bypass were all among the benefits of the Knauf Insulation products chosen.*No longer sold through Knauf Insulation.BENEFITSGlass Mineral Wool was specified over rigid insulation to ensure a tight thermal fit. Knauf Insulation DriTherm® Cavity Slabs are flexible enough to eliminate air gaps and prevent heat loss due to their inherent ability to knit together at joints between the slabs. If rigid insulation is used and fitted badly with too many gaps, air movement around and between the insulation boards is increased, which can drastically reduce its insulation value.Knauf Insulation DriTherm® Cavity Slabs are BBA Certified for all exposure zones and formally guaranteed for 50 years to prevent the transmission of liquid water from the outer masonry leaf to the inner masonry leaf.In addition to its thermal performance glass mineral wool also has other sustainable features. In manufacture it uses a high content of recycled glass bottles and requires less overall energy consumption than some alternative products, resulting in less carbon emissions. In addition, it can be recycled at the end of a building’s life and has zero GWP and zero ODP. ECOSE® Technology further extends these established green credentials as it is manufactured with 70% less energy than traditional binders and the products contain no dyes or added formaldehyde – providing the ideal solution to the eco-friendly house.