"ground water control trench sheeting etc"

Knowle C of E Primary School in Solihull has undergone phase two of their major washroom refurbishment. Phase two of the refurbishment included additional washbasins, taps and final installations such as lighting and flooring. As one of the chosen washroom manufacturers in the final phase, Franke Water Systems provided:·        1 x SOLX1800T Miranit washtrough ·        3 x F3SV1001 self-closing tapsThe washtrough and taps were provided to complete the final phase of the project. Maintaining a high standard of hygiene is a key element to consider when specifying school washrooms. Franke’s composite washtroughs and basins are seamlessly moulded in Miranit, an advanced resin and granite composite with a gelcoat, providing a non-porous, robust and hygienic finish. Miranit is several times stronger than ceramic, highly impact-resistant and virtually shatter-proof, making it ideal for busy school washroom environments. Also provided were three F3 self-closing taps, the F3S range of taps combine functionality, robustness, and maintenance-friendly design which is ideal for highly frequented school washrooms.  

Liquasil's BBA Approved Metalseal 20 roof coating and Gutterseal system were specified for use on the Airspace Trampoline Park in Wolverhampton. The whole roof was pressure washed and a historical cut-edge corrosion treatment was removed before application; the cut-edges were treated with our SWT Corrosion Primer, with additional reinforcement to the mid-laps through the installation of Liquasil's optional HP Butyl Tape.The whole roof was then coated with Metalseal 20 in Goosewing Grey at a filmweight of c. 300 microns to provide a protective, aesthetically pleasing finish.The gutters were cleaned out and dried before being primed with our SWT Corrosion Primer. Once touch-dry, the joints could then be sealed using our Non-Sag Sealer and a single coat of Liquasil One was applied to the entire gutter. Liquasil One can be immediately applied over the top of Non-Sag Sealer, meaning no time is wasted waiting for it to cure before the works can continue.The end result was a revitalised metal roof with a protective, water-resistant coating that is guaranteed for 20 years.

Dorset House sits at the heart of Talbot Campus, where most of the undergraduate and postgraduate courses are delivered at Bournemouth University. It is home to the Doctoral College, providing important support to its postgraduate research community with a range of high-tech laboratory equipment, as well as the Business School’s Professional Engagement Suite.Sustainability is a top priority for Bournemouth University. In fact, the University is ranked 21st in the world and 6th in the UK for its contribution to UN Sustainable Goal 13: Climate Action for The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2023. As well as opening new eco-friendly buildings, Bournemouth University is carrying out major refurbishment works across its campuses, investing in a range of low or zero-carbon technologies to help minimise water and energy use.As part of this refurbishment, Dorset House was to undergo a significant transformation to help enhance the entrance area and make better use of the space. Bluestone Design & Construction Ltd was tasked with upgrading the building’s flat roofing system, in association with IKO, and the build-up include the installation of a new 80kWp solar PV system.

DCM Surfaces installs synthetic surfacing at Butlins new pool complex in Bognor Regis.The project, which took two years to complete, accommodates almost 1,000 guests and has unique seaside and fairground-themed rides, a wave pool and a special area for toddlers.Kier was the successful bidder for the contract. Following a rigorous selection process based on quality, cost and Health and Safety, selected DCM Surfaces to install synthetic surfacing for three main areas around the complex.DCM Surfaces was in a unique position to deliver all elements of synthetic surfacing, which included the installation of an Artificial Grass safety surface, Resin Bound Gravel pathway, and Rubber Mulch, which was used to fill several tree pits. A core requirement of the installation was that each surface would be permeable, allowing water to drain through and ensure that it could be used all year round.A Rubber Shockpad was installed beneath the Artificial Grass to give children a soft, impact-absorbing layer to run and play with.The installation, completed on March 19, covered an area of over 1000 sqm.

ChallengeThe London Stadium (formerly Olympic Stadium) and home of Premier League football club West Ham United, required an insulation solution that would not only upgrade the thermal and acoustic performance of the HVAC and service pipe areas, but also one that could meet the overall environmental demands of the project.SolutionAfter a series of consultations with the main contractor, Knauf Insulation developed a bespoke, one product solution, which met all requirements and helped to reduce engineering costs and installation time.23,000m2 of Rocksilk® Soffit Linerboard Standard was installed in the different elevations of the stadium, from level two to the lower ground level of the West Stand.Manufactured with ECOSE® Technology, Rocksilk® Soffit Linerboard Standard is a laminate of a compression resistant, non-combustible Rock Mineral Wool slab with a variety of aesthetic finishes designed to provide a robust faced solution suitable for installation in semi-exposed environments such as stadiums like this.The project was completed before West Ham’s first competitive game at the London Stadium in August 2016."The insulation product knits together to prevent open joints, which helped us to maximise the thermal efficiency of the insulation."Kunal Vekaria, Project Manager at HLS Installations

Opened in April 2019 by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, Hounslow House is the new greener-energy HQ of Hounslow Council in London.Building plans for the new purpose-built council offices included a rooftop communal area, and, impressed by what the team at AG could offer, it was agreed that AG’s TerraPave® premium granite flags perfectly fitted the requirement for a smooth granite finish flagstone, providing a more superior product than the original spec while also ensuring significant cost savings on the project.The 500m² area was given a beautiful aesthetic look through the use of our TerraPave® Rimini and Milano Ground (400x400x50mm) which was calibrated and laid on pedestals for speed of construction.Offering an attractive, cost-effective and practical alternative to traditional stone paving, TerraPave® is a favourite choice with architects and specifiers – and this is one project that proves why that’s the case.Dan Smith, AG Regional Sales Manager, said:“AG was able to provide better quality and a keener price on the products used. Furthermore, our team was also able to deliver both the experience and project know-how required to ensure the client received best value for money on the overall project.”

Providing 21 affordable homes in the first ‘carbon negative’ housing community of its kind in the UK. The initial concept began in 2009 with the aim of creating carbon negative housing. The project is ground breaking with a plan to lock away as much carbon as possible whilst generating excess energy from systems installed.Lewis Deck light weight steel/ screed composite floor system providing acoustic floors improving Building Regulations Part E standards by at least 8dB was installed in the apartments.This project achieved a Zero Carbon certification under the Code for Sustainable Homes and achieved Passiv Haus standards, but was not certified under this system. The performance was monitored by the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) as well as how the social tenants found the experience of living there given the lifestyle adjustments that were needed.The Lewis Deck was used as it achieved the enhanced acoustic and fire performance required in this project, especially given that this was a timber frame development. The elements of the building also had to achieve an A+ Green Guide to Specification rating from the BRE, this was achieved by using a liquid screed on top of the deck that contained a high recycled content.The project won a number of awards and was marketed as the UK's 1st "Carbon Negative" social housing scheme.

Over a number of phases, Clement have manufactured and installed new steel windows and doors from our EB24 range for this magnificent house in the Berkshire countryside. The original home was built in 1905 and the current owners have beautifully refurbished the whole property including the gardens. They have cleverly added a contemporary twist, but have retained all of their home’s original charm. The new slim framed steel windows and doors have opened up the views from the house to the garden and let masses of light into the home. Two different glass types were chosen: leaded light glass for the new multi point locking steel windows and G+ glass for the steel doors, and the combination works perfectly together. The larger panes of glass in the steel doors allow natural light to flow throughout the ground floor. The client said: “Clement Windows Group are a fantastic company. They have worked at my property now for the last couple of years, as the work has been carried out in phases. Throughout the whole process I have been impressed with their professional service. We are really happy with the quality of all our new windows and doors and would not hesitate to use Clement again in the future.” 

Covering 460,000 square meters, the equivalent of around 70 soccer fields, Starfield in scenic Hanam, just east of Seoul, is one of the largest shopping malls in South Korea. Stepping inside the mall, shoppers are greeted with copious amounts of natural light coming in through the two glass roofs standing at 35 meters above the ground, built to deliver a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. Our coatings are making sure that Starfield Hanam’s stunning roofs are looking great for the millions of shoppers that the giant mall is catering for.The owner specified a fast-curing primer to increase productivity in the workshop, followed by a high build polyurethane topcoat with a semi-gloss white surface.Intercure 200 was chosen to provide superior long term corrosion protection to the roofs’ steel. The zinc epoxy primer provides rapid cure even under low temperature conditions and is suitable for over-coating within 3 hours in most climatic conditions, speeding up production and throughput in fabrication shops.Semi-gloss and available in a wide range of colors, our Interthane 870 finish coat was used to deliver excellent cosmetics and extended recoatability, assisting in project flexibility.This two coat system boasts a very long global track record.

TGP Help Mark New Era with Manhattan Plank Paving at Greg’s PlaceTGP Landscape Architects Ltd was assigned the task of designing the landscape at Greg’s Place, a vibrant outdoor community space which at the University of York, replacing the previous dilapidated Vanbrugh Piazza. Helping TGP to mark a new era for the University, Tobermore supplied the landscape architect with modern Manhattan plank paving and Granite Step Units which were used to create a unique, striking hard landscape.Greg’s Place was named in honour of Greg Dyke, a highly respected journalist, broadcaster, and chairman of The Football Association, who was additionally Chancellor at the University for 11 years.Andrew Gardener, Director at TGP, explained how the company won the opportunity to be involved in the refurbishment scheme: “The original site (Vanbrugh Piazza) was designed in the 1960’s and had gone unused for years, having never been updated. We took part in a competition being run by the University of York to come up with a design for a multi-functional space that students could use. We won the competition and presented a proposal to Greg Dyke and the Student Union, taking their opinions on board and the students ‘a year in the life’ concept that reflected the events taking place throughout the year for students – festivals, Christmas markets, graduations, etc.”TGP’s design concept had to meet a variety of requirements. Andrew noted: “The strong central axis of the site, which runs North / South from Vanbrugh College, was further enhanced by extending it out into the lake and placing a large timber and galvanised steel feature seating window on it. The space itself needed to be flexible enough for multi-purpose use and needed to work on a North / South and East / West axis.“Greg Dyke wanted a large screen installed for the communal screening of sports and movies on the College building to the West of the site. Timber, circular seating and a raised grass terrace were included to create multiple viewing directions within the site.”Andrew explained the selection of materials for the landscape at Greg’s Place:“For the hard landscaping, we knew that paving needed to be a versatile, cost effective, hard-wearing solution for the scheme.”ANDREW GARDENER, DIRECTOR AT TGP LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS LTDTobermore paving products were an obvious choice for TGP and Andrew was particularly impressed with Tobermore’s Premium Collection’s Manhattan plank paving system: “I liked the large format size; the mixed size units and the variety of colours available with the product are impressive and it is always good to see paving that is different to the standard often seen in public spaces.”Manhattan was ideal for creating a contemporary look at Greg’s Place as it is manufactured with a sparkling granite aggregate surface layer, reflecting the aesthetics of natural granite that is popular in European cities.TGP specified the product in Silver and Mid Grey, forming a subtle colour pattern. The landscape architect selected Tobermore’s Granite Step Unit as a stepping solution, which was a wonderful, modern accompaniment to Manhattan as Granite Step Units are manufactured with a similar granite aggregate surface finish.Andrew commented on the results of Greg’s Place:“We are delighted with the finished look of the scheme and the University is pleased that students, staff and visitors are making use of the area in a way they never did before.ANDREW GARDENER, DIRECTOR AT TGP LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS LTD“We are very happy with the products supplied by Tobermore as they have given a great contemporary feel to the space.“We plan to use Tobermore products again for forthcoming projects.” 

Providing a secure and reliable office entranceEDF are one of the UKs largest energy providers, with their head office serving as the strategic hub that plays a pivotal role in its overall functioning and success. At FAAC Entrance Solutions, we understand just how vital a secure and reliable entrance is to such an important business. From the initial design working with Pick Everard, we reviewed the best entrance solution, to meet the clients brief and requirements.Project Year: 2023Product: FAAC A1400 Slider with pocket screen & TK35 profileProduct: RD100 Revolving DoorProduct: Magnetic mWing Pedestrian GatesProduct: FAAC Airslide Sliding DoorProject Background: The facilities team at EDF wanted to increase security with a safe and secure entrance that would suit their ground structure. They wanted a full entrance solution with a revolving door at the end of a bridge with a sheltered glass tunnel leading up to a pair of automatic sliding doors and security lanes. As part of the project, we worked closely with the contractor Imtech Inviron Ltd and all the project team, whilst meeting all challenges along the way, we aimed to create the perfect solution without disrupting the space and flow of the foyer whilst entering and exciting the building.Solution: One key item was enabling staff to be able to enter the entrance corridor through a revolving door, providing a sustainable and weathertight area out of the weather, then having a secondary entrance through a pair of automatic sliding doors, therefore providing an improved entrance with high protection against all weather conditions. To comply with Part M of buildings regulations, we provided our unique FAAC Airslide automatic sliding door system, to ensure accessibility for all.Once inside the building, we installed a bank of 3 security lanes, to control the access for authorised users only and preventing unauthorised personnel from entering the building.Revolving door: The RD100, a power-assisted door, elevates functionality for any office entrance with pedestrian traffic. This compact revolving door accommodates various pedestrian flows effortlessly and at their preferred pace. Manually activated, pedestrians push the door to start. Once the smart system activates, it guarantees smooth movement in both directions, reducing effort and power use, easing entry/exit, and reducing the carbon footprint.Sliding door: Our FAAC A1400 sliding door’s innovative “energy saving” feature empowers this system to discern transit direction, meticulously optimizing opening and closing times. This functionality effectively prevents unnecessary air dispersion, even amid cross traffic occurrences. The resulting product is environmentally conscious, reliable, secure, technologically advanced and notably, cost effective in the long term.Pedestrian Gates: The Magnetic mWing Pedestrian Gate system ensures swift visitor flow with quick opening times and preset travel features, ensuring high-security standards in both monitored and unmonitored areas. Engineered for durability and comes with a unique surface finish.AIRSLIDE Sliding Door: FAAC supplied and installed 1 of our unique AIRSLIDE automatic sliding doors, with an integrated air curtain. An air barrier protects the entrance area from the cold in winter and the heat in summer, without dispersion. This solution, designed for automatic entrances, allows the air to be kept inside the building, thereby helping to reduce energy consumption.The AIRSLIDE system combines the automatic opening and air curtain systems into a single unit, with obvious aesthetic and functional advantages. Its sleek design makes it easy to integrate into any architectural perspective.Check out more of our Energy Solutions.For more information or assistance with any project, please contact enquiries.esuk@faactechnologies.com where we can provide expert guidance and detailed documentation.

Commissioned by 30 member states of the European Union, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) monitors the climate and weather. In light of climate change, the data it collects using complex satellite systems is becoming increasingly important. The growth of the organization associated with this is reflected in the continuous expansion of its HQ in Darmstadt. The construction of a new six-floor office building also includes a canteen for all employees working at the location. This canteen gets its unmistakable face from a lamella-style suspended ceiling made of golden PC-ALU 6010 aluminum mesh from GKD – GEBR. KUFFERATH AG.Modern weather forecasts today have little in common with traditional country weather lore. Satellites make it possible to monitor the climate and weather on a global scale. The data collected is then used to keep authorities, citizens and companies up-to-date with the latest developments at all times. In Europe, EUMETSAT monitors the atmosphere, oceans and earth’s surface around the clock and then transmits the data to the participating EU member states. Established in 1986, the organization opened its headquarters in Darmstadt in 1991. However, ever increasing requirements and staff numbers meant that the operation quickly outgrew its original space. A six-floor office building with 160 workplaces represents the final phase of a whole range of extensions and new buildings. Following a construction period of just 18 months, around 100 employees were able to move out of their temporary container offices and into the new building costing around €10 million, while a further 60 new employees are set to follow. The shape of the new building, designed by Pielok Marquardt Architects from Offenbach, is a mirror image of an existing building. Beside excellent energy efficiency and multifunctionality, the new building is characterized by transparency and modern design. Four office levels offer versatile space with transparent partition walls for any desired arrangement – whether open space, combination offices or classic cubicles.Functional division – exceptional aestheticsThe ground level comprises two separate functional units that can be accessed via separate entrances. Beside a control center for a new satellite program, this is also home to the campus kitchen with connected canteen for the workforce at the location, which has now grown to include around 600 employees. The kitchen has been designed to provide 410 meals a day and the canteen offers 250 seats. The mullion-transom facade also ensures that the room is flooded with light. Carefully chosen furnishings divide its area into various acoustically optimized zones. The white of the desks and chairs is picked up by strips in the glossy flooring and the cladding of the food counter, pillars and supports. In the central zone, bright red benches with high, sound-absorbing backrests offer a vibrant contrast. The color scheme is rounded off by the warm brown of the stone floor and the wooden acoustic cladding. However, the striking element in the room is the suspended ceiling, made from 400 square meters of golden aluminum mesh. Its 120 elements with a blade-type design mimic the appearance of sunshine in the canteen with their discreet shimmer. LED lighting strips further underline this impression. At the same time, the mesh conceals the ventilation technology with incoming air outlets on the element frames. As a result, the accessibility of the woven ceiling elements was among the key requirements for GKD. The planners opted for a particularly open mesh design in the form of the PC-ALU 6010 mesh with various warp and weft wire thicknesses. The function and aesthetics of the ceiling mesh thereby provide the desired high level of comfort in the canteen, while also making the room a unique feast for the eyes.

Center Parcs Whinfell is an award-winning village located on the edge of the stunning Lake District National Park in Cumbria. Offering one of the most picturesque destinations for short break holidays, it is a haven for nature-lovers and provides countless activities to keep the whole family happily. New to the village is The Pancake House, an all-time guest favourite restaurant offering sweet and savoury pancakes in traditional Dutch style. Center Parcs needed to replace their well-used decking area outside of the restaurant which forms a main thoroughfare around the the village's eateries, overlooking the water. Gripsure's Classic deck boards were specified for this public walkway to ensure the safety of their guests; with 3 non-slip aggregate inserts, our Classic deck boards achieves the highest non-slip safety rating on the market. Not only that, this profile has a smooth board offering a stylish and contemporary finish, in keeping with Center Parc's modern facilities. In addition to this, Gripsure's Boardwalk Heritage profile was specified to replace a decked bridge connecting the eating quarters to the rest of the village. This innovative profile features 100m wide aggregate insert, offering excellent coverage whilst managing to retain the feel of using a natural product. The finishing touches to the project were applied to the steps connecting the different deck levels. For this, a custom profile was created for stair nosings using bold and contrasting coloured aggregate to alert guests and staff of the height change, whilst maintaining a sophisticated look. The high aggregate coverage ensures optimum safety for little feet running around at speed, big feet which have just been in the water, and friendly paws along for the ride. A representative for Center Parcs said "Center Parcs have been working with Gripsure for over 6 years. A great relationship has evolved in that time and they have not only worked with us to put together a standards document for the different areas that we use decking products, but they have also developed products for us to overcome specific challenges. The team at Gripsure are great to work with and they have also delivered CPD sessions to key managers within our business. We specify their products for use across all of our villages because of the range of products that can be applied across different areas, from boardwalks and bridges to decks and steps and the non-slip performance and quality are excellent." Gripsure previously worked with the team at Center Parcs Longleat to replace its iconic wooden boardwalk. You can take a look at the case study here.

The National Physical Labratory, the UK’s National Metrology Institue, was due a washroom upgrade and Dart Valley Systems provided products for the project. Developing and maintaining national primary measurement standards, the NPL has been responsible for building eliable and successful measurment foundations that help towards evolving antibiotics to tackle resistence, more effective cancer treatments, superfast 5G and unhackable quantum communications. The range of products provided are as follows: • 40 x AT03-011 Aquarius DM A45 tap spout only in s/steel with pex hose • 40 x WC02-013 Concealed plastic cistern kit – vertical – 1 ½“ • 40 x WC03-013 Low voltage WC flushvalve with programmable sensor (1 ½“ base c/w mains PSU) • 17 x WC02-001 Concealed plastic cistern – cistern only – 1 ½“ • 17 x UC00-002 Auto-Syphon for cisterns – 8 ¼“ x 1 ½“ BSP • 12 x AT00-007 Two station mains kit low pressure 0.5-1 BAR • 3 x AT00-003 Two station mains kit standard pressure 1-10 BAR • 1 x AT00-002 Single station mains kit standard pressure 1-10 BAR • 1 x AT00-004 Three station mains kit standard pressure 1-10 BAR • 2 x AT00-006 Single station mains kit low pressure 0.5-1 BAR • 2 x AT00-008 Three station mains kit low pressure 0.5-1 BAR • 7 X UC01-024 Flushmatic downlighter kit for suspended ceilings in White - Mains • 24 x AC17-047 Thermostatic mixing valve 4in1 15/22mm Our DVS no-touch WC flushing system is an electroincally operated drop valve which replaces the traditional syphon and delivers a measured volume of water from the cistern to the lavatory bowl. A simple wave of a hand past the fitted sensor will acitivate the electronic Flushvalve.The system typically saves 30% on water costs, is vandal proof and easy to install a maintain. For over a hundred years, the NPL has worked with it’s customers to convert scientific proficiency into economic success, proficent employment and the enhanced quality of life. As an insitute that has aided in saving lives and protecting our enviroment National Physical Labratory has played a huge role in helping the British public feel safe and secure. 

Our Partner, Fast Floor Screed Ltd, pump-applied self-levelling, Südanit 280 Alpha Hemihydrate Screed in this new wonderful Passive house, A1 rated self-build in Cork. The delivery, completed using their mobile screed factory, enabled our Alpha Hemihydrate flooring solution to be installed quickly and efficiently over the entire project. The architect Wain Morehead Architects, described the screed ‘the response time in your screeds also helps maintain comfort – verified during this week during monitoring/testing’, which we knew but are delighted to hear this also from Wain Moore Architects.This CE marked, self-smoothing, self-levelling screed is the most technologically-advanced floor screed available, complying with the performance requirements of EN 13813.Südanit 280 Alpha Hemihydrate Screed’s advanced composition means that it reacts with water quickly – providing consistent, reliable drying characteristics and considerably faster drying times – enabling following trades to proceed without delay.The major delivery, completed using their mobile screed factory enabled our Alpha Hemihydrate flooring solution to be installed quickly and efficiently over the entire project. The Fast Floor Screed Mobile Screed Factory – is a unique system. The lorry mounted rigs carry Sudanit 280 Alpha Hemihydrate binder, sand & aggregates and water in separate compartments. The automatic production process ensures materials are precisely weighed, fed to the mixing bin, and into the pump for easy, mess-free installation. This ensures the Fast Floor Screed Mobile Screed Factory produces Sudanit 280 Alpha Hemihydrate floor screed to a consistently high quality. Have a look at some previous projects we delivered to Fast Floor Screed Ltd.The floor is remarkably quick to walk-on – applied at 500m² per day and walkable within 6 hours and it’s particularly suitable for use with UFH, fully encapsulating pipes and services – increasing the performance of underfloor heating.Did you know…?This Alpha Hemihydrate Screed can be installed in a heated floating-floor screed construction, uniquely, with the commissioned underfloor heating system up and running @ 25°C?!Smet Building Products Ltd in partnership with Fast Floor Screed Ltd, demonstrates, once again, a superior level of customer service, both pre and aftercare. Whether your job is self-build, retro-fit, floor renovation, design, commercial or an industrial venture – we have a floor compound suitable for you.Contact Smet Building Products Ltd for any advice regarding your substrate.

F. Ball and Co. Ltd.’s newest high-performance water-mix smoothing underlayment, Stopgap 1500 AquaPro, and Styccobond F48 PLUS temperature tolerant fibre-reinforced adhesive have enabled a fast-track LVT installation as part of barn conversions to create three holiday cottages in rural Nottinghamshire.Flooring contractors installed floorcoverings in bedrooms, open-plan living and dining areas and corridors of three previously disused farm buildings of varying size, a total area of over 200m2.Work began by sanding down the new concrete bases, which had been installed as part of the renovation of the properties, by mechanically preparing them, removing any laitance, contamination, dust and debris, to leave a solid, sound, micro textured surface to receive floor preparation products.A moisture test was undertaken by one of F. Ball’s technical representatives to ensure that the building’s subfloors were dry enough to receive floorcoverings. Surfaces were then primed using Stopgap P131 general-purpose primer to promote the application characteristics of subsequently applied subfloor preparation products.Stopgap 1500 AquaPro was applied to create a perfectly smooth base for floorcoverings. Fast-setting and fast-drying, it is walk-on hard in as little as 60 minutes after application and ready to receive floorcoverings from just four hours. The product uses the latest technology to offer a water-mix smoothing underlayment that can be applied over old adhesive residues, including bitumen, carpet tile tackifiers and ceramic tile adhesives. As it is moisture resistant, it can be applied to damp subfloors prior to the application of a waterproof surface membrane.Flooring contractors then used Styccobond F48 PLUS to adhere 7-inch wood-effect vinyl planks in each of the three cottages. The temperature tolerant adhesive holds floorcoverings in place when subject to high temperatures, which may be an issue as a result of solar gain caused by large patio doors. This can cause tenting and gapping at the edges of vinyl floorcoverings as a result of repeated expansion and contraction over time. Fibres in the adhesive also provide high initial grab, a benefit when installing LVTs.Commenting on the project, Anthony Holmewood, fitter at Forester Flooring, said: “Using Stopgap 1500 AquaPro meant that we could complete the work in less than a week. We opted for Styccobond F48 PLUS to install LVTs mainly because we like the adhesive, but also for the reason that floorcoverings are exposed to direct sunlight in some areas.”

About Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Milton KeynesHotel MK is a Hilton-branded hotel built into Stadium MK, home of MK Dons FC and 2015 Rugby World Cup venue. It has 304 bedrooms as well as multiple event spaces. Its conference space regularly accommodates up to 700 people for banquets, 1,000 for conferences and up to 2,500 on match day. Consequently the urinals in the conference area can experience very high usage. The hotel operates under the Hilton brand and so must comply with Hilton’s brand standards. It also takes part in Hilton’s Lightstay programme, designed to reduce energy and water usage throughout the Hilton portfolio.In 2016 Sue Dawson, the hotel’s Operations Director, was tasked with arranging the refurbishment of the two blocks of toilets in the hotel’s conference area. Waterless urinals were already in use in the Stadium and the hotel was keen to reduce its water usage further by installing them in the conference areas.Why did Hotel MK choose waterless urinals?Waterless urinals offered several benefits to the hotel. The conference area is not used every day so moving to waterless urinals means no water is used on the days that the conference area is not used. The hotel also needed to ensure that the installation fitted with Hilton’s brand standards for design. Waterless urinals offer an aesthetic advantage as the waste from them simply runs directly into the drains, eliminating the need for ugly pipes on show or any need to box pipes in. Draining into a wide pipe, rather than a narrow pipe as is the case with traditional urinals, also means that waterless urinals are highly unlikely ever to block.Why did Hotel MK choose URIMAT urinals?"I searched online for waterless urinals but none of the ones I looked at were particularly nice looking and it was very important to us to get something that fitted with the overall look of the facility and with Hilton’s own brand standards. When I came across Ecoprod I felt that their products were much more attractive and fitted with the clean look we wanted to achieve. They ticked all the boxes for us.The key selling points were the fact that the urinals were eco-friendly and the aesthetics of their design – that’s what sold me."Sue Dawson, Operations DirectorSmooth and quick installationThe installation was done by the hotel’s in-house team of builders and joiners in conjunction with external plumbing contractors and took only a few days to complete."I liaised with Edward at Ecoprod and together we agreed a plan and a delivery date. Everything went very smoothly. The products were all delivered on time. We arranged a split delivery so that one set of urinals could be installed while a second set remained in use."Sue Dawson, Operations DirectorPositive feedback from staff and customers"There have been no operational issues at all since launch. Edward came down to demonstrate the cleaning regime and everything is really hunky-dory. Ecoprod has been very helpful and on the case the whole time, very diligent and attentive, making sure we had everything we needed on time and knew what we were doing the whole time."Sue Dawson, Operations Director"Conference people notice the new urinals, and we do a lot of show arounds. They look so much better – much more hygienic than standard urinals.The cleaners have also noticed a difference. These urinals are mounted onto a wood board rather than tiles, so there’s no grout or other areas where dirt and residue can accumulate. The wood is much easier to wipe around. The hotel design is all driven by making things easier to clean so this is a really important consideration for us."Mark Watson, Operations Manager."It’s a very modern-looking facility – we’re very happy with the results – it feels fresh and modern."Sue Dawson, Operations Director

“We are building a structure for the future, not just a team of all-stars” announced Sheikh Mansour in 2008 with reference to Manchester City Football Club.Six years and £200m later, Mansour’s vision has been realised in the Etihad Training Complex; an 80-acre site where over 450 players train each week. The site, home to 17 football pitches and a 7,000-seat stadium for reserve matches, is an epitome of innovation and state-of-the-art design that CLD is proud to have contributed to.The BriefCreating a world class training complex presents a number of key requirements when it comes to the external, internal fencing systems and physical access control.An external perimeter to LPS 1775 SR1Swing gates with guaranteed delay of at least 3 minutes against attackFast operation cycle main gates to prevent tailgatingPitch separation that allows clear viewAbility to stop balls leaving the training area up to 6m in heightMust compliment the Manchester City brandMUGA fencing that can withstand impact from Professional PlayersFull Operation and Maintanence Schedules ProducedCAD Design and ‘as-built drawings’ of all systems used on the project

When a new mental health unit planned to provide a safe and secure environment for their patients and staff, CLD Fencing Systems and a Littlewood Fencing were asked to design, manufacture and supply the perfect solution for this project.Hafan Y Coed (Haven of Trees) Mental Health Unit at the University Hospital Llandough opened the doors of their £ 88 million facility back in 2016 offering patients a modern, therapeutic and recovery-focused unit.Powell Dobson and Laing O’Rouke designed and constructed the detailed mental health unit, and in order to match the level of safety of the building, their hospital security fencing needed to encourage privacy and security throughout.The BriefSecurity of patients and staff was paramount when understanding the brief for the new perimeter fence line and security access control. The following requirements were set out to maintain their security needs:Create a safe and secure environment for staff and patients by implementing high security perimeter fencing.Feature anti-climb, anti-cut and anti-ligature properties for both fencing and gate solutions.Provide privacy screens for specific areas of the unit to promote recovery.Manufacture 18 gate solutions for easy access for staff through the entire site.

Universal Music Group – 4 Pancras Square, London
Architect: Aros
Installer: BOK Construction Ltd
Product:  Durlum PolylamIn the summer of 2018 Universal Music Group joins the likes of Google and Louis Vuitton inside the commercial floors of Eric Parry Architects’ Pancras Square 9 building development in Kings Cross, London. UMG’s 1,000 strong workforce occupy the entirety of the buildings 10 floors and 174,570 sq ft of floorspace.LSA Projects Ltd supplied 1,532 Durlum Polylam baffles (roughly 1000m2) to the project in 4 different lengths and custom timber effect finishes: natural oak, light stained oak, medium stained oak, and light grey stained oak. The baffles are installed independently at varying pitches and offset linear spacings to encourage visual flow through the space and elegant incorporation of linear lighting.By using metal baffles rather than a solid or wrapped timber product the architect and client were able to achieve the effect of a linear timber ceiling on a more dramatic scale than would be possible with natural wood. The baffles are also finished with micro perforations to the vertical sides and are filled with mineral wool for additional acoustic control.

Architect: Moses Cameron WilliamsInstaller: Willmott DixonProduct: Gustafs Linear RibThe new Library at the Luton campus of the University of Bedfordshire which opened in June 2016 was designed by Moses Cameron Williams Architects (of Cambridge) and project managed and installed by Willmott Dixon.The University has been around for over 100 years and teaches in a wide range of subject areas as well as conducting award winning research across health, energy and technology, and social policy topics.The library is spread over 7 floors including silent study rooms, group work and meeting spaces, computer labs and presentation facilities and a café as well as miles of bookshelves. Gustafs and LSA Projects supplied over 8,000 linear metres of ribs to the project for both wall and ceiling application covering around 450m2.Over 3,000 individual 28mm deep ribs in natural Oak veneer have been used to clad the impressive open atrium and cafe area as well as throughout the library isles and study spaces. 12mm gaps between ribs give the entire installation depth, texture, and warmth as well as impressive acoustic control; perfect for a busy university library!

PROJECT OVERVIEWAs part of an extensive refurbishment scheme to modernise and transform Glasgow Royal Infirmary University Tower, Norwood were specified by architects Armitage Associates in partnership with main contractors Balfour Beatty Scottish and Southern Ltd. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde commissioned the £12.5 million project to significantly improve efficiency within the University Tower. SCOPE OF WORK The transformation included creation of the new state-of-the-art laboratory, as well as a plant room and an impressive glazed vertical ‘eyebrow’, which was installed on the north elevation to enable hospital staff spectacular views of the city within dedicated break-out zones. We were involved from an early stage in the design process and successfully developed a unique internal wall lining system which allowed the interior of the building to be upgraded whilst reflecting the features of the building exterior. From the outset Norwood understood the Royal Infirmary’s need to work within exceptional project and budget control whilst utilising a new bespoke system for the client. The system’s intelligent functionality was developed and manufactured specifically for the University Tower and as such perfectly demonstrates the capabilities and adaptability of our partitions. We also provided our steel door sets.

Oval Village in Lambeth is a project that comprises affordable residential apartments, with office and commercial space, retail and leisure facilities, and parking.The site is part of a large-scale redevelopment of the former Oval Gasworks site, offering 598 apartments with balconies and terraces for which we designed and developed the paving support system.The balconies used the TerraSmart Pedestal Paving System, which is straightforward to install, powerful and fully non-combustible, with the paving laid safely on our RP-FR, millimetre-perfect adjustable paving support pedestals, with edge spring clips around the edges to ensure uniform spacing for an aesthetically perfect finish.The terraces, with a commanding view of the city at the top of the building, feature a hybrid system starting with the TerraSmart Rail Paving System – super-strong thanks to its overlapping lattice framework – to form the ramps, which transition seamlessly into the TerraSmart Pedestal Paving System for the rest of the area.Throughout the project, we worked closely with Formation Architects, HTA Architects, Building Control, NHBC and Berkeley Group to design the most relevant systems for the project. Fenland Flat Roofing installed the systems for the balconies, while those for the terraces were installed by NAO Landscapes.

Nestled at the heart of the University of Warwick campus, Scarman House is a 210-bed hotel accommodation and conference facility. This versatile establishment provides not only comfortable lodgings but also top-notch conference facilities, well-equipped meeting rooms, and enticing on-site dining options.In the summer of 2023, the hotel underwent a three-floor refurbishment project. Towelrads, in collaboration with the architect firm Baker Hicks, was instrumental in identifying optimal heating solutions for both Electric Towel Rails and Radiators. The client’s vision was to maintain a modern yet contemporary aesthetic in the individual rooms.We take pride in crafting a bespoke solution by designing, specifying, and supplying our Pisa Chrome Electrical Towel Rails for the bathrooms. These towel rails are equipped with Smart Thermostatic Elements, enabling occupants to have complete control over time and temperature settings, ensuring a comfortable stay.For the radiators, we selected a range of Vertical and Horizontal Windsor Column Radiators. This option added a touch of modernity blended with a hint of retro charm to the rooms, all while delivering exceptionally high heat outputs.Throughout this project, the collaborative partnership proved essential in navigating and meeting the challenging project timelines, ensuring its successful and timely completion.

Nearly forty years after the lights were switched off at Battersea Power Station, a decommissioned Grade II listed coal-fired power station, located on the south bank of the River Thames, this much loved London landmark recently re-opened to the public following a transformational eight-year restorationApple Inc. will be leasing approximately 500,000 sq ft. across 6 floors of the central Boiler House and plans to move all of its 1,400 London employees to the new venue. This will make Apple by far the largest tenant at Battersea Power Station.221m² of Stravifloor Channel, a resilient high-performance floating floor based on floor channels containing steel springs as resilient supports was installed to decouple the acoustically critical listening, screening and control room spaces at Battersea Power Station.The added insulation material between the channels contributes to the acoustic optimization of the spaces by preventing the so-called standing wave effect to take place within the air void.During the installation of the acoustic floating floor, careful attention was paid to the many service penetrations as improper installation would most certainly lead to rigid connection which in turn affect the system’s performance.

Situated in the north dock of the West India Quay,Canary Wharf’s Crossrail Place is a unique architecturaltriumph that houses a train station,retail space and apublic garden.Designed by Foster & Partners and constructed byCanary Wharf Contractors, the £500 million project’sdistinctive 300 metre timber latice roof has lead to thebuilding being likened to a ship moored in thedocks.Beneath it’s eye-catching facade lies Canary Wharf’sCrossrail station. Scheduled to open in 2018, it is one ofseven new underground stations built to facilitate theCrossrail project. With a 256 metre long station box, it isalso one of the largest facilities on the Crossrail network.Allgood began work on the project in early 2015, withthe task of providing an ironmongery package to matchthe high quality theme of the building.With a 25 year guarantee on all products, the Modricrange was selected for the steel doors in order toprovide a durable product that also formed a uniformappearance for the door.With the public nature of the building, security was ofparamount importance. The steel door package enabledaccess from public to private areas and thereforerequired higher security measures. Allgood installedhigh security solenoid redlocks that enable electronicsynchronisation with access control.

Challenge: C-Probe's LoCem® +chase® anode mortar has been installed at the Omni Shopping Centre Car Park in Edinburgh, Scotland to 4 levels of underground car parking as part of a comprehensive corrosion management strategy. Overtime the popular car park had succumbed to structural damage and corrosion caused by the ingress of chlorides from de-icing salts from above.Solution: This system comprised of 42 ICCP zones and 7 additional monitoring zones forlevels protected using surface-applied corrosion inhibitors. In addition to this, some 6000 C-Puck galvanic anodes were used to protect newly repaired areas to 2 levels. All the anodes and monitoring could be controlled and data accessed remotely throughoutthe car park with AchillesICP and AchillesIES, helping to extend its service life for 100+ years.Outcome: This ESG compliant approach meant there was no need for demolition or extensive reconstruction using new materials, helping to reduce waste and harmful emissions. Reconstruction was also a near-impossible strategy due to underground facility and electric tram on land, meaning something non-invasive like cathodic protection was essentialto minimise social disruption. 

Lambertsson is one of Scandinavia’s largest rental companies and service providers in construction and industrial solutions. Lambertsson erects cranes and elevators for construction projects, among other activities. Shorter building times, better control over costs and smoother processes are therefore critical and beneficial to the project owners.ChallengeLambertsson has been erecting and dismantling elevators for more than a decade using wooden planks or plywood for building the elevator ramps. This method of building ramps is time consuming and resource demanding. Lambertsson needed a simple ramp solution that would make the project planning time more predictable and less time consuming when erecting the elevators. Lambertsson needed a ramp that could handle the same weight as the elevator, equivalent to a capacity of 2.1 tonnes, and without exceeding 1.3 metres from the position .SolutionIn order to meet the criteria of Lambertsson, PcP Scaffolding developed a custom solution based on the PcP OPTIMO® grating series, which is the safest choice for applications in construction, where workers are on the job. To customise a simple solution, PcP built a ramp that is able to lift the same capacity as the elevators, up to 2.1 tonnes, with a span of 80 cm. The ramp is made of aluminium decks and is very light to install.

In the construction industry, contractors move at lightning speed to source the best products at the right price for their projects, all with the goal of ensuring client satisfaction and meeting tight deadlines. Renowned for our leading sealing, bonding, and insulation solutions, a selection of illbruck products were chosen through our extensive distribution network for the New Avenue project in Oakwood, London.The ProjectErected in an affluent neighbourhood within the London Borough of Enfield, New Avenue is an idyllic development boasting the peace and tranquillity of suburban life, whilst being only a stone’s throw from the hustle and bustle of Central London.Due to consist of over 400 mixed-type homes, ranging from apartments, maisonettes, as well as houses, this eight-year development will also include a community and energy centre, in addition to a new nursery. The SolutionDuring phase two of the new housing scheme, illbruck’s expertise were called upon to provide a vapour control layer for the Reinforced Concrete (RC) frame element of the project. This was to restrict warm, moist air from the interior of the finished structure from entering the fabric of the building. For the 11-storey block of flats, Central Essex Interiors required a solution at a competitive rate from a manufacturer with a good supply chain, due to the extensive size of the project.As a brand of CPG UK, illbruck has been recognised for over 70 years across the UK, Europe, and around the globe for supplying high performing solutions that meet the stringent requirements of the construction industry. Catering to a wide range of installation environments for both interiors and exteriors, from major building schemes to home improvements, our solutions can be tailormade to you or your client’s specification.The ApplicationProcured through one of our distribution partners, AC Fixings Ltd, illbruck ME003 Vapour Barrier was stapled into the party walls of the construction to achieve adequate vapour control. 500 rolls of this innovative 3-ply solution were required to protect the fabric of the building and its insulation, by providing a vapour and airtight seal. This in effect will help to improve the overall energy efficiency of the New Avenue apartment block, due to the product’s high-grade granules, which means that the SD value (resistance to vapour diffusion) is not lowered. The flexible and tear-resistant nature of this product boasts ease of application due to its lightweight properties, and is compatible with a number of illbruck’s intelligent window membranes and adhesives.Following the installation of ME003, illbruck’s ME315 Total Protection Tape was used to provide a high performance air and weather tight seal. This special tape is suitable for a wide variety of applications, and achieves a permanent bond to all illbruck indoor and outdoor building protection membranes. This fully compatible solution is highly UV and moisture resistant, quick and easy to install, and can be used within partially open facades. ME315 is also certified to EMICODE EC1 due to its low emission production, contributing to the energy efficient properties of ME003 to provide a total green solution for New Avenue.Scott Hurry, Area Sales Manager for illbruck, commented: “It has been a pleasure to work with our valued customer, AC Fixings, who in turn have supplied Central Essex Interiors with two of our leading products from our sealing and vapour control range.“illbruck was chosen due to being a highly recognised name within the marketplace, and we have been able to work with the Client to supply the products at a competitive rate and turn the project around quickly. The installation is due to span over a course of seven months with completion scheduled for late 2023.“When working with illbruck, however, you will receive more than just products. Behind our brand is a team of experts beholding a wealth of knowledge and industry experience, all of whom are well versed in applying the technique of illbruck’s innovative, high-quality products into the complexities of today’s construction environments. “As a customer of illbruck, you will receive technical support as and when is required, in addition to our suite of training, which encompasses everything from CPD seminars for architects, application tutorials for contractors and installers, as well as trade mornings for distributors.”

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

Wadham CollegeBauder Bakor 790-11 Hot Melt structural waterproofing system with BauderGREEN componentsSynopsisThe University of Oxford’s Wadham College graduate centre project was a complex refurbishment. Led by Lee Fitzgerald Architects and main contractor Feltham Construction it involved the careful restoration, adaptation and extension of the 1960’s grade II listed building.Bauder Building BoardProject:Wadham CollegeLocation:OxfordRoof Area:439m²Specifier:Lee Fitzgerald Architects​Main Contractor:Feltham ConstructionApproved Contractor:Deane Roofing & CladdingThe specification The brief for the project was to renovate the graduate centre and to link to the main college by creating a new entrance to the building. This led to the construction of a new building, the McCall MacBain Graduate Centre, which also now provides access to the Barbara Naylor rooftop gardens above the different reading, media and seminar rooms of the graduate centre. With the ageing existing waterproofing exceeding its life expectancy, the roof garden terrace was in need of a replacement roof system.As an accessible area which will experience a significant amount of foot traffic, the Bauder Hot Melt was determined to be the best solution for this roof. With a durability to match the expected life of the building and a self-healing system, the Bauder Bakor Hot Melt System is ideal for use on protected roofs such as inverted, paved, ballasted and terrace roofs.The resultApproved contractor Deane Roofing & Cladding carefully removed 439m² of the existing waterproofing, stripping the rooftop back to the concrete deck surface before installing the different layers of the Hot Melt system.The completed roof terrace now provides a modern and peaceful garden area where graduate students can relax and socialize between their work periods. Following several site visits by Bauder’s expert Site Technicians and a final leak test, a 20 year guarantee was issued for the roof terrace.System installed1 BauderPLANT E 42Green torch-on root-resistant capping sheet.2 790-11Hot melt rubberised bitumen asphalt with a percentage of post-consumer recycled materials that infills and fully bonds to all minor deviations in the deck.3 DeckPrimed concrete.

Over the Summer of 2018, Cyclehoop installed first batch of Bikehangars in Salford, Greater Manchester.Transport for Greater Manchester’s  overall aim is for the proportion of journeys made by bike to increase from 2 per cent today to 10% by 2025. This target has been broken down in to a package of proposed improvements for the region, partly funded by two Cycle City Ambition grants, awarded by the government and the Local Sustainable Transport Fund.Lack of secure cycle storage provision has been a barrier in realising this goal. At Cyclehoop, our commitment is to break down barriers that prevent people from cycling.In June this year, we installed 11 of our award-winning Bikehangars in June on residential streets in Salford. This will run for a test period of approximately 12 months. Cyclehoop’s team installed these 6-space units over the course of a week, primarily to provide cycle parking for residents with little or no internal space to store bikes.The Bikehangar has a galvanised sheet steel body that protects up to 6 bikes from the elements and vandalism. Along with a lockable, gas-sprung door which can only be accessed by registered members. Crucially, all of this is achieved in just half a car parking bay.If the Salford pilot is successful, Salford City Council and Transport for Greater Manchester plan to roll out the scheme to other areas. To find out more on the current Bikehangar locations, pricing and how to apply, please click here.Cyclehoop were praised for their delivery of the project and the fledgling pilot scheme has been received extremely well across the board.Councillor Antrobus, Lead Member for Planning and Sustainable Regeneration said:“Many people say they would like to cycle but have no space to store a bike at home. These new Bikehangers solve that problem and are already proving extremely popular. It’s all part of our commitment to encourage more people to cycle in Salford – either for commuting to reduce congestion on the roads or for pleasure and health benefits”While Infrastructure Manager for Cycling and Walking, Catriona Swanson commented:“The bikehangars look great and have generated a lot of interest from cyclists. We’ve had a lot of positive comments from cyclists and cycling campaigners for piloting the scheme in Greater Manchester.”

For the new distribution centre at Schiphol Trade Park along the A4, living walls have been realised with MobiPanel, the living wall system from Mobilane. With a total surface spanning 750 m2, the facades of the new distribution centre is greened with the latest generation vertical green from Mobilane.Sustainable and innovative distribution centreA lot of attention has been paid to the appearance of the new distribution centre. With the design of Dedato Architecten, sustainability has not only been taken into account on the inside, but also sustainability at the outside of the building has been taken into consideration by including nature-inclusitivity. Dick Venneman, architect and owner of Dedato Architecten tells: “It is a building with its own characteristic appearance, a landmark from the highway. The building is in its materials friendly and accessible. The different surfaces in the facade gives it a human approach. The living walls and the vertically placed solar panels tells something about the sustainability of the building and plays a role in the preservation of biodiversity in the area”. In addition, the MobiPanel living walls makes the environment more sustainable and improves air quality. The installation of the living walls was carried out by Mobicare in collaboration with Zoontjens Boomprojecten. In addition to the living walls, Zoontjens also installed two large roof gardens with various trees, shrubs and 2,600 MobiRoof ECO sedum cassettes totalling 650 square metres.Distribution centre 2.0 Schiphol Trade ParkThe building spans 30.000 m2 of which 3000 m2 is available for offices. Under the distribution centre, there is a car park spanning 7500 m2 with space for 270 cars. The construction of the new distribution centre began in 2020 and is delivered by Dijkham Bouw BV. “From the environment, wellbeing and to prevent a paved environment, for the design it has been chosen to implement living walls, green roofs and ground level. We are very satisfied about this procedure. The execution is very good, the communication was good”, according to Marcel Smeets – Coordinator at Dijkham Bouw BV. The distribution centre was developed by Minerva Development. Minerva Development is an independent developer with years of experience in the development and realisation of business premises. “Since Schiphol Trade Park has set the goal of becoming one the most sustainable logistics centre, as developers we were very happy to take on the challenge. Next to all other facilities such as solar panels, we have opted for a lot of greenery in the design. Not only on the facades, but also in the surroundings of the building and on the roof. We are very happy with the end result and proud of the fact that because of the living walls, this is by far the most beautiful DC in the area. We are very curious about what the result will be over a few months when everything is in bloom”, Bob Lukassen – Minerva Development.Latest generation vertical greenFor greening the distribution, it was chosen for the new living wall system MobiPanel from Mobilane. MobiPanel is an innovative, sustainable and lightweight system for living walls. It is a modular and circular system consisting of omega profiles and pregrown plant cassettes (40 x 40 cm), provided with an automatic irrigation and drainage system. The plants in the cassettes receive water through capillary action. MobiPanel can be installed on flat or curved walls and is suitable for different types of walls, including certain types of sandwich panels. For the facades of the new distribution centre, sandwich panels from Cladding Point have been used. “With Mobilane, as a global expert with many years of experience, we can continue to lead the way in innovation and sustainability. Cladding Point and Mobilane are ready for the future together”, Frank Janssen – Managing Director at Cladding Point. Cladding Point’s Design+ Carrier sandwich panels contribute to the highest BREEAM category.Client: Minerva DevelopmentArchitect: Dedato ArchitectenConstruction period: 2021Installation: Mobicare

Leading insulation manufacturer, URSA, has been selected as the specifier of choice at the redevelopment of historic London building, The Whiteley. The former Whiteley's shopping centre in London's Bayswater is the setting for one of the most impressive property redevelopments in Europe, in a £1 billion project to convert the century-old shopping arcade into a high luxury residential, hotel, restaurant and retail complex covering more than 90,000 square metres. In one of the company’s largest single project specifications to date, contractors Laing O’Rourke and architects, Foster and Partners, have opted for over 5,000 square metres of URSA’s glass wool insulation. Ian Claydon, Technical Manager for URSA UK, commented: “This is undoubtedly one of the largest building projects in Europe and so being part of that is incredibly exciting. “We have worked closely with the scheme architects to ensure that they have the best possible specification for their project and that is undoubtedly URSA’s glass wool insulation, our premium insulation product. “Glass mineral wool is the most efficient and user-friendly thermal and acoustic insulation material, both environmentally and from a cost-effective point of view. It is suitable for use throughout a structure, providing the most efficient insulation solution available on the market today.” Ian added: “We’ll continue to work closely with both the contractor and architect to ensure products are delivered to site in line with the construction team’s needs. This is a long-term project and vast on every scale; we will continue to partner with distributor, Encon Insulation in Maidstone, who have been instrumental in this specification.” The 110-year-old historic shopping center has been closed for two years after a prolonged decline following the opening of the famous giant Westfield London shopping center nearby in 2008. The former shopping arcade, in one of the most influential areas of the City of London, at the northern end of Queensway and about 5 minutes' walk from Kensington Gardens, has become London's most fashionable development with the commencement of the building development behind the retained and refurbished Queensway and Porchester Gardens frontages. The development includes 139 one to five-bedroom luxury flats and townhouses, with a starting price rumored to be in the region of £1.5 million, complete with spa, pool and exclusive communal workspace. 20 luxury shops and restaurants and 110 hotel rooms in the UK landing of the Six Senses luxury hotel/spa chain. The project, which involves construction and engineering firm Laing O'Rourke and famed London contractors Lyons & Annoot, is based on an architectural project designed by Norman Foster's architectural practice, Foster and Partners. Mark Guest, Regional Sales Manager for URSA UK commented: “Talking through the initial enquiry from Lyons & Annoot, the client was impressed by our quick response and ability to provide swift technical reassurance with an open approach. Being able to supply products immediately by working with the Encon network enabled URSA to cut delays associated with Covid, that were previously thought inevitable and costly”. The redevelopment will retain the essence of the building, which at its opening in 1911 was the height of luxury at the time, with a theatre and even a rooftop golf course before being listed in 1970 and converted into a shopping centre in 1989. The works will respect the iconic façade, central courtyard and dome of the old building which will be restored as well as the majestic and historic interior staircase, which will form the centerpiece of the hotel's ground floor. URSA's state-of-the-art insulation materials are being used in the refurbishment work. The contractors have already used URSA CAVITY BATT 32 glass wool slab treated with water-repellent additives and glass mineral wool for first-class thermal and acoustic insulation. With a fit-out contract of around £111 million, the 139 luxury homes will occupy a unique space of almost 28,000 square metres and are expected to be completed in 2023.  

IssueA 15-year-old bathroom in a housing development was looking tired and dated and the owner wanted to refresh the area with minimal disruption in a quick timescale. The bathroom had three walls of ceramic tiles, and a sink splashback, which were in good condition but were unfashionable and required high levels of maintenance to remove limescale and mould.The property, a first floor flat, had easy access but no lift, so equipment, materials and any waste needed to be carried up and down the stairs.Approach“We wanted to replace the ceramic tiles, without having to re-plaster the bathroom walls which would mean a complete renovation and redecoration project,” said Helen Green, the owner. “We live in an area with hard water and limescale is a real problem so a wall that is easy to keep clean would be ideal.”SolutionAfter liaising with Altro customer services, the new Altro Walls ShowerKit was recommended as being the ideal solution as the wall panels can be installed over existing ceramic tiles and provides ease of maintenance for residents. There is also no requirement for construction materials or heavy equipment as Altro Walls ShowerKit is lighter to transport than ceramic tiles.

Cannon Park Shopping Centre in Coventry has undergone a significant transformation. Led by MPR, the redevelopment project includes refurbishment of the existing shopping centre, construction of a new 780-bed student residence, and the addition of a new 400-space multi-storey car park. Biotecture was brought on board to incorporate living walls into the development.In 2021, Biotecture installed a 690 square metre green wall on the multi-storey car park as part of the project’s first phase. We then continued to collaborate with the project’s architects, Urban Innovations, and landscape architects, Parkhood, on phase 2; 9 living walls on the student accommodation phase. The vertical greening was an important part of the scheme, helping to help soften the development, improve air quality, contribute to biodiversity net gain.The living walls are integrated into the building fabric. We worked closely with the design team to ensure that the living walls not only aligned with the desired aesthetics but also met the technical requirements.We used our BioPanel system which uses Grodan® as the growing medium. Grodan is dimensionally stable, chemically inert, and water retentive resulting in healthier and longer-lasting plants.