"pipes including cladding lagging"

Wireworks London approached us looking for a modern industrialised Oak to clad onto a winding staircase in a beautiful London home. Amongst the options we presented was our CH-E780. This a White Oak with a brushed and band sawn surface giving it a clean yet worn texture. The rusticgrade Oak allows for some knotting to appear without it overpowering carefully detailed floorboards.These boards are finished with a commercial grade UV cured oil that makes it hard wearing and easy to maintain. This particular product has also been fitted throughout the busy, modern offices at 3 Shortlands, Hammersmith. It is easily one of our most popular surfaces and finishes.Wireworks didn’t want a separate stair nose component, instead opting for mitring the length of the boards to a 45-degree angle and jointing them together with a biscuit and high quality PVA glue. The effect is a stunning cascade of band sawn Oak which looks like it was purpose built in a specialist workshop or factory. This an excellent example of the ingenuity of the team at Wireworks and the adaptability of wood flooring.Would you like to see this type of cladding in using a herringbone parquet? Then please see our case study: Cladding Stairs in Engineered Herringbone Parquet

NORclad supplied nearly 7,000/LM of pre-coated Thermowood across this contemporary project in Berkhamsted.Thermowood is a great timber when it comes to applying a coating, after going through the heat treating process, the Finnish grown European Redwood/Whitewood (Scandinavian Pine/Spruce) is more stable. It is suitable in conditions of changing humidity, and its thermal insulation properties are improved, ideal for use in exposed areas such as External Timber Cladding.The heat treatment process enables the use of Scandinavian Redwood in areas requiring a service life of up to 30 years without the need for any further preservative or coating to be applied. The process removes resin from timber, as a result there is no resin leakage or “bleed” through the surface coatings. The effect of this together with the improved stability can lead to a lower maintenance requirement, combined with the application of the Sansin SDF system, which will further protect the outside of wood.The SDF product also protects the inside by allowing the timber to ‘breath’ – helping to prevent moisture from getting trapped in the wood and causing rot.

Bath Street Glasgow, featuring AlterEgo Facades Jura Beige limestone in vertical format.

A landmark in the regeneration of Spitalfields,The Steward Building is situated within the historically and architecturally interesting Artillery Passage Conservation Area.The site required the highest quality stainless steel louvre as a street front cladding, providing ventilation and visual screening, on two elevations of a prime office development.The design, which was developed by Lang+Fulton, featured recessed supports for the panels and incorporated a sliding door with concealed gate hardware to achieve a seamless aesthetic.The louvred panels were made from DeltaBox/SS-90 a pressure locked stainless steel product.

Few people realise that it is possible to clad old stairs with our engineered herringbone parquet floors. It is a specialist skill and you should only employ trusted professionals who have the specialist equipment. The parquet blocks used here are unfinished so that you get perfect square edges. They are then oiled after all other works are completed so that you get your perfect floor. There is no separate stair nose piece as the top layer of solid Oak is a good 4mm thick and this allows the fitters to create an accurate mitre join.

Forming part of a £400m Birmingham City Centre scheme the new 17 storey, 250 bedroom Holiday Inn Express forms part of the 2.3m square foot Arena Central mixed-use development. RCM supplied approx. 5,000m2 of ACM rainscreen cladding from Vitrabond, Trespa Meteon panels, the aluminium facade support framing system and fixings to this newly built hotel.

Timber Cladding: NORclad Painted ThermowoodCoating: Sansin SDF Paint SystemNORclad supplied over 18,500/LM of Painted product for this project, primarily across 3 different finished widths; 120mm (6500LM), 136mm (6100LM), and 178mm (4800/LM). A couple of additional board sizes were also supplied for reveals and particular detailing areas.Thermowood is the perfect Timber species for coating, being a timber with almost zero moisture movement the chance of coating failures is minimal. Supplied pre-finished with the Sansin SDF system, the material was ready to be installed as soon as it was delivered to site.

Aluminium is an established and well used metal in Architecture. In the development of the Eastern Gateway apartments, Accord Indesign have been courageous in combining colour with shape and form creating a multi-layered, multi-coloured and highly visual façade. The variety of cladding solutions is successful breaking up the façade as well as providing a strong commercial versus residential statement. Interlocking Shingles breaking up the central core and interlocking reveal panels that create a linear regimentation in close keeping the traditional brick-built buildings along the High Street. Blended colours deliver a high level of interest.

Bespoke garage and car port doors from Rundum Meir, which provide natural ventilation and daylighting into enclosed garage spaces, can deliver a seamless aesthetic result in contemporary architecture featuring vertical timber board-on-batten cladding. This is illustrated at the Abode development in Cambridgeshire, where the architects delivered uniformity across different housing styles using a limited palette of materials. Horizontal and vertical cladding was extended into the doors for the car ports manufactured in matching oak. These ventilated doors enable fresh air and daylight to flow through the car ports from the rear gardens, adding an interesting visual dimension.

Technowood facade and ceiling systems, pergolas and many other products are used in Istanbul Airport spaces. These have different function such as entrance gates, check-in areas, passport control points and restaurants.Technowood real timber veneered product were used in this high-energy environment was due to the Euroclass A2 fire rating, adaptability in design and performance as real timber all without the short comings of solid timber.Lightweight, fascinating shapes and hidden fixing systems all add to make these products the most innovative and GOTO products used for all scale projects for both interior and exterior projects.“Why use solid timber when you can use a little 2% if you use Technowood products”If you can draw it, send it to us and use the skills of our in-house Architects to offer advice, realisation of all fixing considerations to be presented with the full scale of problem solving and a simple solution of installation for your contractors.I could write thousands of words, hyperbole and details of what for how and why but in this instance, I’ll leave you be with the photos that speak sufficiently for themselves…Credits and Further informationArchitect: Grimshaw in partnership with Nordic Office of ArchitectureLocation: Istanbul Airport Interiors Materials: Technowood louvres, panels and claddingCompletion: 2013

Canadian Western Red Cedar has been suppled in vast volumes for this project in the South East. Untreated Canadian Western Red Cedar cladding from NORclad will weather off to a silver grey appearance over time, and settle into the surrounding area. Canadian Western Red Cedar is a favourite to specify with architects and clients, the high quality of timber both visually with the minimal knot content, along with the natural durability the species make it a popular choice where and untreated softwood timber cladding is required.

Location: Port Street, Northern Quarter Manchester M1 2EGProject Type: Housing (Private Rental Sector) Development Cost: £27m Products: Aluminium Soffit Cladding to Recessed Balconies, Weatherstruck Aluminium Wall Copings Finish: Interpon D1036 RAL 1036 Matt Pearl Gold Fire rating: A2 s1, d0 (Classification Reaction to Fire EN BS 13501-1:2018). Client: Mulbury City Architect: Tim Groome Architects Main Contractor: Bardsley Construction Ltd Facades Contractor: Longworth Building Services Ltd Sub Contractor: Stafford Rainwater Systems Ltd

NORclad were specified as the timber cladding supplier to this project, working with the Main Contractor on site we were able to work to a length schedule and optimise the lengths supplied with the aim to minimize wastage from offcuts on site. Profiles: Over 9000/LM of 45 x 95mm PAR boards were supplied for this project, pre-treated before it arrives to site, the MicroShades ‘Brunnea’ treatment offers a 30 year warranty against Rot & Fungal decay.

The SSE Hydro is the biggest performance arena ever designed by Foster + Partners. Lang+Fulton have now supplied a decorative solution for the stage entrance constructed from their STEREO-KINETIC cladding system. Each stainless steel sheet is engraved with name of an artist, commemorating their performance. When the Hydro first opened in 2013 Lang+Fulton supplied the Roma-3 grating fence which secures the perimeter of the complex and storage compounds, as well as a Micro-15 balustrade for the elevated walkway which connects the car parking facilities with the venue. Product: STEREO-KINETIC cladding

Canadian Western Red Cedar Timber Cladding has been used as the primary external material on this private home in The South West, local to Bristol.A well thought out design is key when working with Timber Cladding as a façade material, on this project you can see the consideration has been made to ensure there are no large soffits that would hinder the weathering to silver/ grey as UV light hits the timber. Likewise a consideration has been made for the lengths available of the material, opting for prescribed breaks in material on a number of elevations, rather than opting for random or staggered joints.Tongue and Groove boards were selected for the main property in a horizontal installation, with a board on board design chosen for the verticals that can be seen on the outbuilding. On both structures visible stainless steel fixings have been used, although Canadian WRC is a timber than is stable enough to be secret fixed, the fixings work well on this property with the other design characteristics.Longer term; no coatings were applied to the cladding, allowing it to naturally weather down as can be seen in the photos. In turn there is almost zero maintenance to carry out, other than the usual of keeping the material clean from any dirt or debris that can build up over time from pollutants in the air.

Lang+Fulton products were used extensively at The Emirates Stadium for Arsenal FC as barrier fencing, security screening, balustrading and wall cladding. The Arezzo-25 fence panels with a 76x25mm aperture were supplied with the flat bars running horizontally in order to take a loading requirement of BS6399 – 1:1996. This guaranteed its suitability for use as a barrier fence for the crowd control areas surrounding the Emirates. Alternative fixing methods combined with the versatility of the panels created continuity of design throughout the varied applications within the project.

Product: Canadian Western Red Cedar Over 7000/LM of Canadian Western Red Cedar was provided for this job in London, a workspace environment is suited well to the timber cladding façade. An untreated board, machined to our NWCC1 Chamfered Cladding profile. All associated WRC machined trims, high pressure treated imported battens were also supplied for this project. Being a very high quality of timber both visually the minimal knot content, along with the natural durability the species offers, making Canadian Western Red Cedar a favourite amongst architect and clients alike.

Cedral Lap fibre cement cladding has been specified as the building material of choice by luxury developer Cedarmill Developments, adding real kerb appeal to its latest residential project in Hornchurch, Essex.Over 450sq.m of Cedral Lap in colour Pewter has been installed across a selection of three storey family homes, creating a contemporary visual appeal that perfectly encompasses the developer’s commitment to providing the highest standard in premium housing.Cedarmill Developments is dedicated to constructing residential and commercial properties across the UK’s Southern regions, offering clients first class functionality and style. The latest site in Havering consists of a combination of luxury detached houses, which will be completed in autumn 2019.Seamus Tattan, Senior Contracts Manager at Cedarmill Developments, said: “This is the first time we have specified Cedral Lap fibre cement cladding and we are already looking to utilise the material on a further two upcoming residential developments as we are so impressed with it.“Initially, we were looking for an exterior solution that offered the highest standards in aesthetics and fire performance, whilst offering the greatest value for money. Cedral surpassed these requirements, enabling us to create a resilient and stylish exterior that we are confident will offer the same impressive kerb appeal in years to come.”The properties’ ground floor is constructed of brick, with Cedral Lap clad across the first and second floors. This creates a contemporary New England style aesthetic that works in perfect harmony with the sleek black windows and doors.Seamus continued: “I cannot fault the Cedral team for their expertise and guidance, from the initial specification process, right through to final installation of the product. We look forward to working with Cedral on our upcoming developments as we continue to create beautiful homes.”Cedral Lap fibre cement cladding is a low maintenance alternative to traditional cladding materials, offering a minimum life expectancy of 50 years. Resistant to rot, attack from insects and the external elements, the easy to install solution is available in a wide range of shades and finishes and has a Class A fire performance rating.

Siberian Larch was supplied for this project in four different half lap profiles, utilising standard widths of timber to retain the value from the timber, and reduce waste – whilst the different widths board create an interesting image over the vast areas of timber cladding. NORclad Grade B was supplied, offering a fair spread of knots, along with the distinctive grain of the species which can be seen across the images.

A regeneration development in Vauxhall by the Ballymore Group has seen the biggest transformation story London has ever seen. It has added an entirely new urban quarter to London. The South Bank regeneration stretches from the Shard in the east to Battersea Power station in the west. The area known as Embassy Gardens is at the heart of Nine Elms and includes up to 1.750 new homes and over 20,000sqm of office and flexible workspace spread over 8 building plots covering an impressive 241,548 sqm. RCM’s Y-Wall was used in its construction.

Location: Barnet, LondonProject Type: HousingDevelopment Cost: £26mProduct: Balcony Cladding with THX Soffit PanelsFinish: Syntha Pulvin RAL 7022 Matt Umbra GreyFire rating: A2 s1, d0 Non-combustible (Reaction to Fire EN BS 13501-1:2018)Client: Redrow HomesArchitect: Fourpoints ArchitectsMain Contractor: Barratt Developments PlcSub Contractor: Balguard Engineering Ltd

Benenden Hospital is a state-of-the-art private hospital in Cranbrook, Kent specialising in a wide range of discretionary healthcare and well-being services to individual and business healthcare members.• The original hospital opened in 1907 by National Association for the Establishment and Maintenance of Sanatoria - to treat postal workers suffering from tuberculosis. By 1951 the Association had disbandedand the Benenden Healthcare Society took over the sanatorium, dramatically expanding the services available.• Architects C A Vaughan Blundell were appointed to design a new atrium and welcoming area to enhance the patient and visitor experience.• The £55m project attained a Breeam status of ‘Good’.The SchemeThe scheme, designed by architects C A Vaughan Blundell with assistance from SR Architects Ltd, has created a wonderfully light and airy entrance atrium designed to welcome and create an enhanced patient and visitor experience with maximised natural daylight. The extensive breakout and catering facilities support theatres, en-suite rooms, outpatient department and ophthalmic suite along with diagnostic imaging, rest and recovery areas. The main contractor was Willmott Dixon Construction.The AdvantagesThe skylights have a unique ability to bathe interior spaces with diffused and glare-free daylight, which creates a stimulating and healthy environment. In addition, their heavily insulated composition eliminates glare and hotspots, thereby reducing the load on temperature control systems and the need for artificial lighting.They provide additional light in the large atrium projecting it deep into the interior. They were specified complete with highly insulating Nanogel which achieves an impress U value of 0.28W/m2K, helping the project attain a Breeam status of ‘Good’. This is particularly impressive given the amount of curtain walling and clerestory glazing involved in the scheme.Kalwall skylights can be manufactured to large spans up to six metres. The aluminium or thermally-broken grid core with interlocking I-beams gives Kalwall incredible strength. The lightweight system reduces the need for supporting structures while offering the highest protection in terms of wind-borne debris and resistance to impact, abrasion and point loads. The exterior face is colour stable and includes a UV resistant, self-cleaning surface. This means that normal  rainfall helps to keep the surface free of dust and dirt while at the same time retaining its original colour during the weathering process. Furthermore, the inclusion of an erosion-prevention barrier protects the interior from weather exposure and the risk of fibre-bloom, cracking and crazing.The CommentsGeoff Holden, Senior Technician at C A Vaughan Blundell comments, “The use of Kalwall represented the best value balance of energy saving and cost and provided us with the ideal way to achieve spatial daylighting within the requirements of Part L”Jane Abbott, Hospital Director, “We want to ensure our patients have an excellent, efficient and streamlined experience from the moment they arrive until the time they leave.”

Project type: Student Accommodation Location: Spreytonway & Moberly House, St Germans Road, Exeter, EX4 6TJ Project Cost: £41m Product: Meridian Coping System Finish: Syntha Pulvin RAL 7016 Anthracite Grey Fire Rating: A2 s1, d0 Non-combustible (Reaction to Fire EN BS 13501-1:2018) Product: Rainscreen Cladding (Dales DF-System Panels) Finish: Powdertech Corby Peat Fire (Corten) Fire Rating:A2-s1, d0 (EN BS 13501-1). Architect: Willmore Iles Architects Contractor: Vinci Construction UK Ltd Sub Contractor: Longworth Building Services Ltd

Location: Catford, LondonProject Type: HousingDevelopment Cost: £8.95mProduct: Self-Draining Balcony Soffit Cladding with Integral Gutter​Finish: Syntha Pulvin RAL 7006 Matt Beige GreyFire rating: A2 s1, d0 Non-combustible (Reaction to Fire EN BS 13501-1:2018)Client: Barratt Developments PlcArchitects: ATP Group PartnershipMain Contractor: Barratt Developments PlcSub Contractor: Balguard Engineering Ltd

Capturing all the glamour and splendour of the roaring twentiesthis latest scheme takes to the spotlight. For the restoration of this magnificent building, St. George and TP Bennett turned to a rainscreen which would not only project the right image, yet stand up to the most demanding requirements.For a building with such status and heritage, bothSt. George and TP Bennett opted for a rainscreen solution which would not only project exactly the right image, yet stand up to the most demanding requirements. As a mixed-use development, comprising 209 new homes overlooking a central square, lined with bars and restaurants, and an impressive double-height entrance foyer to the eight-screen Picturehouse Cinema, 'the biggest outside London’s West End,' it was vital that the chosen rainscreen could withstand numerous vying challenges. Thanks to a comprehensive list of intrinsic qualities; including extreme weather resistance, durability, longevity, impact and graffiti resistance, as well as BBA, CWCT and NHBC 2021 certification, Petrarch ticked all the right boxes and exudes pure elegance with its smooth Alabaster finish.Petrarch enrobed Filmworks wins Best Refurbishment project at this year’s Facade AwardsWe’re extremely proud to share that The Filmworks has won the Best Refurbishment project at this year’s Facade Awards. This is the first year that Architectural Panel Solutions has personally entered the awards and we’re thrilled to have debuted as award-winners. We cannot, of course, take all the credit for this project; it is the result of a highly successful collaboration with Richardson Roofing, and talented architect tp bennett for our client Berkeley Group, St George.The Ealing Filmworks by Berkeley Group, St. GeorgeFor a building with such status and heritage, both Berkeley Group, St. George and tp bennett turned to a rainscreen and framing solution which would not only project exactly the right image and retain the splendour of a bygone age, yet also stand up to the most demanding requirements. Blending elegant aesthetics and exacting technical standards; our Petrarch engineered stone rainscreen facade offered the perfect balance.As a £100m mixed-use regeneration scheme comprising: 209 new homes, a central square, lined with bars, restaurants, and featuring a double-height eight-screen Picture-house Cinema (the biggest outside London’s West End) the demands and rigour demanded of the chosen building materials were to be immense.About The Filmworks, in the words of the architect tp bennettGiven the delicate restoration and the fact that this was a conservation area, it was important that the chosen facade retained an elegant and natural aesthetic.’A careful infill within an existing urban block, the scheme has been designed by tp bennett as a contextual response to the surrounding buildings in the conservation areas. Each perimeter facade is designed in a subtly different language, depending on the character of the particular street it is facing. The architectural language changes towards the interior, where the contextual red brick and stone have been complemented with a more contemporary materials palette, including dark blue brick with contrasting green-glazed brick inserts and bronze-coloured cladding laser cut with a distinctive, three-dimensional geometric pattern.‘tp bennett are dedicated to ’creative reuse‘ as a practice – ’our ethos is to re-animate and adapt redundant historic buildings to reinforce a unique sense of place within each project. With our in-house skills and experience to draw from – as well as access to a strong network of conservation specialists – the practice is in a prime position to animate the past and inform the future.‘Here’s what our esteemed installer, Richardson Roofing had to say about Petrarch panels and our level of customer service:‘APS were very easy to deal with during the purchase and logistics process, of getting the Petrarch engineered stone to site. They are very responsive to queries, helpful and went out of their way to assist in any way they could. The team really do know their products well and were very helpful. Despite this being a somewhat difficult site with delivery booking requirements, APS worked with us to optimise logistics for just-in-time deliveries.’Krissy Dawson (Contracts Coordinator)

Canadian Western Red Cedar Timber Cladding with NORclad Brunnea treatment Approximately 7.5km of Canadian Western Red Cedar has been suppled for this project in Wednesbury, machined to our face fix NWC2 T&G profile. Brunnea treated Canadian Western Red Cedar cladding from NORclad offers a formal 30 year warranty against rot and fungal decay. The NORclad Brunnea treatment is a popular choice, containing a pigment and UV inhibitors – there is a good level of colour stability VS uncoated timbers. Being a preservative treatment rather than a coating, there is less involved in terms of maintaining the product.

Designed by architects from Qatar, this complex villa has a very different design from the usual house models; Clean and angular forms which are broken up with massive section of timber structures. These structures are not ordinarily large section of timber. They are created in house at Technowood and serve as a “reduced timber option”. Furthermore, with only using 2% when compared to using sold timber for the same project.Stone, metals and glass are the main texture of the design. These white tones of concrete structured against panels of natural timber, it’s most eye-catching feature. Located in Dohada, one of the most modern cities of Qatar, this futuristic house is also accompanied by the tranquil nature of the pool and the wooden sunbathing areas surrounding the secluded exterior.When working with designs for projects, Technowood allows the Architect to think big and realise big at the same time. Unsupported beams of this natural material can span up to 12 metres unsupported… imagine this section in a hard wood, the weight would be tonnes in comparison to the lightweight Technowood option.Credits and Further informationLocationDohada, QatarMaterialsCantilevered Bris Soleil, solid forms and cladding in TechnowoodProjectPrivate Villa

We visited one of our approved installers to check out the refurbishment process underway at The Kingsbury Building project on Horsell Road in Islington, London. Alu-Installations installed our complete non-combustible balcony solution, using AliClad Flow aluminium soffit cladding and AliDeck Junior Ridged aluminium decking boards.

The Arc was a large and complex project with over 1,000,000 Brick Slip cuts and 235,000 Cut and Bonded Bricks. The Architects AHMM had chosen a bespoke blended product from our wider product range to create a random bond effect for the brickwork, this consisted of 126 different lengths of brick slips which all needed to be manufactured by ourselves.The Arc is a new mixed-use building in east London delivering new retail opportunities, office floorspace, 100 new homes, landscaped roof terraces and a new area of public realm onto City Road.The building is inspired by early 19th century New York towers with three stages of tiered massing in response to the surrounding context heights and Conservation Areas. There is a consistent treatment of the facade materiality across the building with vertically expressed brick piers and a horizontal concrete banding wrapping the building. This treatment relates to the adjacent Victorian warehouse aesthetics and is accented by the use of glazed brickwork in the first two levels.At ground level the main entrance is angled away from City Road and is set behind a two-storey colonnade, providing secure access for both the office and residential tenants. The office lobby design contrasts with the calm external appearance through the use of organic GRG elements developed by interior architects Massive Design. An area of affordable office space is proposed at ground level running through the building and linking Shepherdess Walk to Wellesley Terrace. Restaurants and cafes activate the street frontage around the site and the internal lobby space. Externally, retained elements of the former St Luke’s Parish Workhouse are integrated with a new public space and sculptural bench around the existing London plane tree.Levels one to six comprise the office component of the scheme providing 145,000 square feet of office floorspace. Above the office, at Level 07, the building steps back to form a slender element which contains the residential accommodation. The set-back also generates a large landscaped roof terrace with accompanying residents lounge. All the residential areas are designed by the interior architects Bowler James Bridley.

Located on the former Anglia Ruskin University site, in the heart of Chelmsford, City Park West is a newly created vibrant community. The scheme started in 2013 and has already delivered homes and new green space with commercial units. The second phase includes the construction of 426 new homes, 4,900sqm of commercial floor space, new public open spaces and underground parking. RCM were appointed by Conneely Facades to supply fabricated Alucobond A2 cassettes, Y-wall sheathing boards, Aluminium façade support frame and fixings to the construction of phase 2.

The vision for Rochdale Riverside was to provide a revitalised and vibrant town centre incorporating a contemporary architectural form and material palette. In this way it was hoped that it would create a destination experience and re-establish Rochdale as a major shopping centre.The impact of the Stereo-kinetic® wall cladding was fundamental within the design of the project.As described by architects, TP Bennet, “The centrepiece of the scheme, a striking, copper-clad cinema, is set against a background of a dramatic kinetic wall featuring a relief depicting the River Roch, which runs in a culvert underneath the centre”.And also noted within the report by Rochdale Online, “To bring visual interest and activity a unique moving tile wall is proposed which will move with the wind to create rippling effects. It will create a truly distinctive piece of public art and feature at a key entrance point to the town for tram and bus passengers”.Lang+Fulton fitted the 77,500 stainless steel tiles off-site using a template corresponding to the architects design and supplied their panels fully finished with protective, recyclable wrapping for ease of installation.

A self-detached home in Brighton that once blended in with its' neighbours is now arguably the street's most striking resident. The homeowners were passionate about creating a contemporary two-toned look, using materials that are durable and low maintenance.The exterior walls are clad with Hardie® VL Plank fibre cement board, showcasing a mix of a vertical installation on the top half and horizontal installation on the bottom half. The clean, modern lines of the interlock V groove help to accentuate the building's shape, enhancing a sense of spaciousnous.

Location: Lots Road, Chelsea, LondonProject Type: HousingDevelopment Cost: £60mProduct: Rainscreen CladdingMeridian Wall CopingsShadex 150 Privacy ScreensPerforated Secret Fix Soffit Panels (To Balconies)Finish: Syntha Pulvin RAL 7012 Matt Basalt Grey S4L0891: Qualicoat 2Fire rating: A2 s1, d0 Non-combustible (Reaction to Fire EN BS 13501-1:2018)Client: CK Asset Holdings LtdArchitect: FarrellsMain Contractor: Rollecate Facades LtdSub Contractor: Rollecate Facades Ltd

Westhill Community Church was a new, green field project in Aberdeenshire. Its highly contemporary style was designed for maximum functionality and to encourage use by the wider community. Natural light and climate controllability were the central considerations for the clients of McLean Architects during initial discussions - a common request for high ceiling, large space developments.The architect, McLean Architects (based in Glasgow), had used FAKRO roof windows on a number of other projects and specified FAKRO products because of the excellent technical support and the option to specify matching zinc flashings.33 FAKRO roof windows were discreetly positioned to flood the stage with natural light as well as illuminate a cluster of buildings that formed the sanctuary, low-rise foyer, and adjoining offices.Products included electrically operated FTP-V U3 windows with a rain sensor, specially constructed EFW Kerb Upstands were made to enhance the internal light with combination flashings, Smoke Vent windows, wall switches, and remote controls.

From the beginning, architects DLR Group designed Metea Valley High School in Aurora, Illinois, to light up education, both literally and figuratively. The sprawling campus with room for 3,000 students is broken down into a handful of more intimate, human-scale learning spaces, called “think tanks”, where interaction with faculty is encouraged. Two interior courtyards, open to the sky, offer fresh air during free periods. Shaped a bit like a bow tie, Metea combines three concepts – mind, in the midsection, and body and soul on either end – to offer students a truly 21st century school experience.Lighting up Metea in the literal sense comes largely from the extensive use of Kalwall translucent curtain wall throughout the school. Upon coming through the school’s main entrance, visitors are struck by the cheerful, airy, daylighted lobby. Controlled daylight also pours into the school’s innermost areas, traditionally a structure’s darkest, from the courtyards. Kalwall introduces daylight into the vast commons area that serves as the students’ lunchroom. In the gymnasium, Kalwall’s shadowless, glare-free light enhances ball handling in team events; sunlight does not glance off the shiny court surface. The diffuse-light-transmitting panels also prevent glare off computer screens, easing eyestrain. And in a dramatic demonstration of Kalwall’s superb flexibility, the design includes occasional, narrow, horizontal runs of clear glass – some serving as clerestories – adding visual interest as well as clear views to the outside.At 464,000 square feet, Metea could have been an energy-consumption nightmare, adding significantly to its $125 million total project cost. But innovations such as demand control ventilation, energy recovery wheels, and high efficiency boilers will save Indian Prairie School District 204, the state’s fifth largest, thousands of utility dollars every year and pay for themselves in just a few years. In fact, the building’s design is targeted to be 19 percent more efficient than ASHRAE 90.1 requires. Because translucent Kalwall admits so much controlled daylight, the school’s exterior light harvesting system, which monitors indoor light levels, can actually turn off electric lights in public spaces automatically when they are not needed. The harvesting system alone is expected to save the district over £16,000 a year in operational costs with a payback of under seven years.Illinois can get very cold in the winter and quite toasty in the summer. Highly insulating Kalwall helps there, too, keeping temperature extremes outside and lessening the need for and cost of heating and cooling. During the manufacturing process, standard 2-3/4” and optional 4” Kalwall sandwich panels can be infilled with various densities of specialized, translucent insulation. Architects and designers can achieve a thermal insulation value of up to R-20 (0.05 Btu/hr/ft²/F).At Metea Valley High School, DLR Group chose to include Verti-kal™, a unique design variation on the standard shoji or square grid layouts of Kalwall Translucent Systems. The panels incorporate internal, continuous supports to provide a vertical emphasis. As with all Kalwall translucent systems, Verti-kal distributes diffused daylight throughout the school, even on cloudy days, drastically reducing the amount of artificial lighting required and eliminating shadows and glare as well as stark contrasts of light and shade. Verti-Kal can be supplied in panels up to 5 ft. (1.5 m) wide and up to 12 ft. (3.6 m) high, minimizing the number of joints. The unique format creates an entirely different look while still utilizing the most highly insulating, diffuse-light-transmitting, structural composite technology.Any school system must concern itself with maintenance costs, and Kalwall excels there as well. The panels are vandal-resistant and self cleaning; dirt simply washes off with each rainfall. After dark, the diffuse, translucent properties of Kalwall contain interior lighting and prevent direct-beam light pollution. Instead, the exterior surface of the building simply glows beautifully, boosting Metea Valley High School’s aesthetics and welcoming both students and the surrounding community to a true masterpiece of daylighting.Photography: James Steinkamp

AWMS Skyline specified in prestigious educational projectThe INCA 2019 New Build Award Winner features one of Alumasc Water Management Solution (AWMS) most innovative products. AWMS Skyline range helped to create the now nationally recognised £5 million Shipston on Stour project.The construction of the Shipston High School began in November of 2017 and was completed last March (2019). Originally requiring a new teaching section, the educational institution acquired an entire new block. The successful new addition to the building was provided through extensive reviews of the building’s estate and cost modelling.With its new contemporary architectural design, the school earnt itself the winning position as the 2019 New Build and Judges’ Choice award. Shipston High School was said to demonstrate impressive window detail, as well as a simple and effective overall minimalist design.As the construction of the project focused on a simple and modern style, it comes as no surprise that AWMS Skyline products were specified for the school’s cladding, capping and trims.