"electrical inspection and testing"

2020 General Binding RulesFor decades, millions of septic tanks have been installed throughout the UK in rural and urban areas. Septic tanks are known to be ineffective at processing sewage to modern environmental standards, causing long-term damage to the country’s natural water infrastructure and wildlife.It was therefore inevitable that new rules and a code of conduct would be introduced to prevent the effects of wastewater pollution once and for all; The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2014 came into force on 1 January 2015 creating the General Binding Rules (GBRs) for septic tanks or small sewage treatment plants for domestic use. These rules are designed to reduce the level of pollution from sewage in the nation’s watercourses.The rules state that any existing septic tank discharging to surface water, ie, to a water ditch, stream or river, etc, must have been upgraded or replaced with a new package sewage treatment plant by 1st January 2020.  Failure to comply can incur significant fines from the Environment agency and delays in selling impacted properties.OptionsCurrent methods of discharging wastewater from septic tanksPrevious to the General Binding Rules, wastewater from septic tanks was typically discharged in the following two ways:Drainage fieldWastewater is released through a network of pipes in surrounding sub-soils, providing an additional form of treatment for the waste from the septic tank. This helps to ensure that the wastewater being dispersed does not cause pollution.Septic tanks discharging into a drainage field are not affected by the 2020 septic tank regulations.Directly to surface waterWastewater flows through a pipe directly into a stream, river or lake. Binding rules state that direct discharge from a septic tank into a watercourse is not permitted.So, what are your options?1. Connect to the main sewerThis may not be possible in remote locations, although pump chambers can be used to direct wastewater to the mains sewer.2. Install a drainage field(Designed in accordance with BS6297)This allows the septic tank to discharge wastewater into the ground instead of surface water. In many cases, the installation of a drainage field is not possible due to site constraints such as space and/or the soil not having sufficient drainage potential (ie, rock, clay, high water table).3. Install a Uni:Gem septic conversion unitA Marsh Uni:Gem can be installed and connected to a pre-existing septic tank. This treats the wastewater to a sufficient quality allowing it to be discharged to surface water. See below for further detail.4. Upgrade your septic tank to a Marsh sewage treatment plantThis eliminates the need for a drainage field and ensures that the wastewater is fully treated before being discharged. Options include the Ensign, Ensign Shallow and Ultra Poylok L.Uni:Gem★Marsh Industries, the leading UK manufacturer of package sewage treatment plants, produces over 3000 units per year. However the company’s range of Uni:Gem★ septic conversion units is the only product available on the market which can treat wastewater from an existing septic tank without the need for a complete replacement product or drainage field upgrade.To comply with the GBRs and current EN standards, the entire Uni:Gem range was redeveloped from the ground up and tested, not only to meet, but to exceed UK and International standards. The Uni:Gem★ was born – creating an ‘industry first’ 2020 compliant septic conversion unit with outstanding processing performance.The Uni:Gem★ range was tested in accordance with BSEN12566-3/A1:2009 and EN12566-6 standards at the PIA GmbH test facility in Aachen, Germany, over the course of 38 weeks with a daily loading of:Flow: 900 litres/day BOD: 360g NH4: 48gTesting occurred between November 2018 and August 2019 to ensure all seasons were covered whilst minimum/maximum temperatures were tested to assure Ammonia and BOD process reduction for the UK climate. Holiday periods were also simulated during the test procedure. Final test results yielded an output of 12.5:16:4mg/ltr (BOD:Suspended solids:Ammonia) that is well within national discharge consent requirements.The Uni:Gem★ is an extremely cost effective solution for converting any polluting septic tank into a fully compliant sewage treatment plant ensuring homeowners, estate managers, water companies/amenities have an effective way to keep the environment clean whilst providing a quick and efficient installation process.

WHAT IS SOTECH CITY?Sotech City is a fully immersive virtual world, developed to help architects and designers to make informed decisions when selecting a rainscreen system suitable for their scheme. We wanted the experience to be as close to real life as possible and have replicated our offices and manufacturing facility. You emerge into the city from Sotech’s front doors.We have built a low-level building with horizontal panels and a high rise building with vertical panels to give architects and designers an idea of what their project may look like in their chosen Optima system, material and finish.We’ve developed it to allow the user to visualise how each system would look on a full-scale building. But rather than seeing this as a 3D render on a page, they can experience Sotech City ‘in first person’ on their computer screen, or in VR, but putting on a VR headset, diving into our virtual world and walking right up to a building to view the systems like never before.People can see how the shadows fall on the panels, how the building looks in the morning vs. in the evening. Architects care about those details, and so do we. The invention of Sotech City puts the love of design front and centre. HOW IS SOTECH CITY DIFFERENT FROM SOTECH’S VIRTUAL REALITY SHOWROOM?Sotech’s virtual reality showroom is a fully immersive environment where architects can view the full range of Optima rainscreen systems. The panels are designed to be small enough to pick up and examine closely as though you are in our actual showroom.The user can change the material and finish on a given rainscreen system, choosing from our supply partners wide range of colour pallets. Architects can view project case studies of the selected system and read the full specifications. By interacting with the showroom avatars you can learn more about who we are and what we offer.What you can’t do in the showroom is see how that selection looks on large panels on a full-scale building in a virtual environment. Sotech City is the answer to that.There is something uniquely special about putting on a VR head set, shutting out the outside world and really engaging with this unique experience. There is nothing like this currently and we’re excited for architects to experience this more deeply.CAN ARCHITECTS SEE THEIR CURRENT PROJECTS IN SOTECH CITY?Not yet but watch this space! Right now, in Sotech City, architects can see their rainscreen cladding selection on two types of buildings: A high rise tower with portrait panels, and a school-type building with landscape panels.This is a huge development in the way architects can visualise, manipulate and inspect buildings in real time. It’s so much more than a sketch on a page, an artist impression or even a 3D mock up on a screen. This gives architects the opportunity to turn off the noise, immerse themselves in a real time virtual environment and truly consider the possibilities. The user can view it from afar or walk right up to the building to inspect the finish at close range. It gives architects and designers total immersion.It is our intention in time that user would be able to upload a 3D model of their unique building into our virtual city. For now, our hope is that this really helps with the process of creation and the user can now make even more informed decisions, with a much clearer idea of how that finish will look in a real-world environment. WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT SOTECH CITY?There has been a lot of excitement around Sotech City and our supply partners have been keen to collaborate. When you select a finish or a colour, you’re not just selecting ‘an idea’ or a theme. You’re selecting one of many real-life options available through our incredible partners. This means the selection is available in real life and can be specified immediately. We don’t have to search it out. We can supply it.We have made it possible to change the time of day and even the weather conditions to give a full appreciation of how the system will look in different environments. Depending on the time of day shadows will fall on the panels differently in the morning to the evening allowing the user to visualise how the buildings will appear in real time.As with the showroom, we put together a testing team and called ourselves the ‘Guinea Pigs’. The team was made up of people from different departments to gain perspective from different personalities and understand their expectations of what the user might enjoy and value. We did this to ensure the final outcome is useful and practical for everyone. It is too easy to focus on your own ideas but with our team of ‘Guinea Pigs’ we had a lot of interaction, enthusiastic input and ideas.And lastly, we wanted this to be fun and surprising. We’ve hidden a few quirks in Sotech City for users to spot and enjoy as they walk around. Hint hint: brum, brum, swoosh, swooshWHEN WILL SOTECH CITY BE AVAILABLE TO ACCESS?Sotech City is live now.Please download the update to your showroom experience or, if this is your first experience of the Sotech VR solution, download the experience here: https://sotech-optima.co.uk/vr/ or contact us to arrange a demonstration. WHICH VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT IS BEST FOR WHOM?Installers/designers will very likely get the most benefit from Sotech’s virtual reality showroom. They can pick up the panels, inspect the substructure and see how the panels mount to the wall.Architects will get a lot of benefit from the showroom too, as they can visit our learning zone where they can book RIBA approved CPDs, download full system details and learn more about CWCT and BS8414-2 fire testing, which have been carried out on all our Optima rainscreen systems.But there is something special about seeing your design at scale on a building in a city environment. I’d suggest everyone would benefit from exploring the showroom to make their panel selection, and then walk out into Sotech City to see it rendered full scale on a Sotech City building.WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF VIRTUAL REALITY FOR SOTECH?We are putting a lot of time and investment into virtual reality. The lockdowns showed us how much can be done remotely and there is a clear move to virtual working.With all of the current hype around the Metaverse, Sotech wants to get in there early. There is nothing stopping us from being able to hold virtual meetings in the future and for users to upload their own 3D building models or participate in virtual system training.Sotech were having conversations about virtual reality 5-6 years ago. The world wasn’t ready then but one thing that has come out of Covid is that technology has progressed quickly bringing our ideas of a virtual world to reality in 2022. HOW DO I ACCESS THE SHOWROOM AND SOTECH CITY?Both the Showroom and Sotech City can be accessed using a virtual reality headset or via most desktop computers with adjustable settings to allow the most optimised experience.The best and most immersive way to enjoy these virtual environments is through a virtual reality headset. If you’d like to experience this but don’t have access to a headset, you’re welcome to visit our offices in London or County Durham in the North East of England to enter the VR world through our dedicated in-house VR spaces.If you’d like to experience the Showroom or Sotech City without a headset, you can experience it on most laptops and PCs. The programme will automatically detect if a headset is present and start up accordingly. 

Avantage MP AOVAvantage MP is a 1 and 2 hour fire resistant AOV smoke control damper suitable for multi compartment applications of smoke control such as lobby to smoke shaft ventilators.The product is based on a damper door design and has been tested and certified to BS EN12101-8 achieving 1 and 2 hour fire rating. This is particularly important so to maintain the fire integrity of any shaft.The Avantage AOV smoke control damper is noted for its superior airtight properties. The damper is available as a motorised version providing a practical solution for large buildings where fire safety equipment is regularly testedThe unit is completed with a decorative silver anodised aluminium grille on the front. It fixes into a fire compartment shaft wall and is direct fixed within the opening through the sides of the damper. Once the damper has been securely fixed to the structure any shaft side perimeter gaps must be caulked with intumescent sealing material.Recommended fixing details are available on request to suit an array of fire compartment walls together with safety, installation and maintenance instructions.The front face grille is fixed to the damper unit flange and has the option of being coloured black behind the grille for improved visual appearance. The grilles are attached with concealed fixings.Key featuresSuperior air tightness (tested at -1500 Pa)Minimal pressure dropImproved energy efficiency and acoustic insulationRemovable grille for easy maintenanceAuxiliary switches for remote damper position indicationEfficient robust decorative finishing grille with concealed fixingsThe wiring connection and the drive motor mechanism is accessed lobby side of the ventilator behind the decorative grilleEasy access for service and maintenanceWide range of sizes for optimal selection considering pressure drop and space available

Selfridges are renowned for their quirky and stylish stores and this eatery and bar was no exception. Local design firm Harrison were tasked with updating an existing restaurant, working closely with Selfridges’ in-house team to create a haven in this busy department store. Andrew Kirk, Harrison’s lead designer on the project, commented, “Amtico was a product chosen by the in-house team as it has been tried and tested in other stores throughout the UK.

A BREEAM Excellent development with a Wired Score Platinum Certification, the Ewart has exemplary sustainable and technology features throughout, including Kingspan PSA grade raised access floors.Working with our certified installation specialists in Northern Ireland, Drew Wylie Building Services, we supplied circa 25,000 sq m of Kingspan RMG600 & FDEB_H systems, both tested in accordance with the PSA specification.

Rekortan M (Re-Topping) and Polytan SMART at Willesden Sports Centre, LondonTHE POWER OF SPORTWillesden Sports Centre is a fitness, leisure and community centre in North London. In Willesden, a neighbourhood not far from the famous Wembley Stadium, there is an expansive sports complex that includes the whole of King Edward VII Park. The complex encompasses two swimming pools, a fitness studio, a sports hall with a 60-metre indoor track and four courts, as well as steam rooms and saunas. For outdoor sports, there is an athletics facility with six 400-metre lanes and an integrated sprinting track with two additional lanes, along with facilities for various jumping and throwing disciplines.All the lanes of the athletics track were renewed with Rekortan M in brick red in the course of a full renovation in 2022. The consistency of the Rekortan M tread strikes the perfect balance between excellent shock absorption and maximum acceleration – properties that are appreciated by both middle-distance and short-distance runners alike. All the running and run-up tracks were refurbished using the re-topping process. This means that used and worn synthetic surfaces are completely technically and cosmetically restored. Re-topping is not only an extremely economical and explicitly sustainable solution for the renovation of sports facilities. It also allows the existing elastic substructures to remain in place, rather than being disposed of.The athletics facility at Willesden Sports Centre was also fitted with two Polytan SMART systems for the precise measurement and documentation of training performance. On one of the running tracks and sprinting tracks, athletes can conduct agility tests, jumping tests, endurance tests and sprint tests. Multiple Polytan SMART timing gates are integrated in the lanes.The athletics facility at Willesden Sports Centre can be booked by schools and clubs. Among them are the Willesden Triathlon Club and, in particular, the Track Academy. At the latter, former international athletes, coaches, mentors and teachers are of the belief that sport and education have the power to change people’s lives for the better. Under the motto “The Power of Sport”, they support disadvantaged young people to realise their potential and develop in a positive way. This includes building their self-confidence, affirming their self-worth and helping them to find the courage to acquire new skills and to plan and shape their own future.Currently, almost 400 young athletes train at the Track Academy at Willesden Sports Centre every week. We share this belief in the social power of sport, especially for disadvantaged children and young people, and are proud to support the goals of the Track Academy with our surfaces and our Polytan SMART system.

The campus in Colchester, which is home to 15,000 students, is undergoing a massive phased transformation. Benx-RCM are currently supplying into phase three of the campus-build, known as The Pastures.Split across five new buildings, The Pastures will bring an additional 1,262 student bedrooms to the Colchester campus. One of these blocks will create a new hub which will include a reception, a post room, an administrative area and a student services centre, along with a laundrette and staff welfare facilities.Overseeing this £168 million project as main contactor is Bouygues Construction.Stanta were awarded the SFS infill package at the site. As part of this package, Benx RCM were selected to supply Y-Wall external sheathing board for the entire project.Y-Wall is a flexible calcium silicate based fibre cement building board, offering excellent fire properties as well as high levels of dimensional stability. The Y-Wall BBA Certification provided the Stanta project team with assurance that this building board solution has been tested to exacting standards, evaluated onsite, as well as undergoing a life expectancy assessment and a quality management system review.Y-Wall was utilised to create a sheathing for the five high rise structures. In buildings with storeys more than 18m above ground level, any products used in the external wall construction should be of limited combustibility. Being a non-combustible, A1 fire-rated building board, utilising BS EN ISO 1182 and BS EN ISO 1716 tests, Y-Wall is the optimum solution for a project of this type and size.In specifying the building board for this project it was important to ensure the optimum racking performance to enhance structural strength. Y-Wall conforms to European Norm - BS EN 594:2011 - the certification which proves the system has been rigorously tested and offers excellent racking performance, structural strength and stability.Specifying a building board that is fully tested to BS EN 1062-1 allows for adequate moisture resistance and durability. Y-Wall fully complies with this standard which ensures the building boards will have a life equal to that of the building. Selecting a building board with good external performance and durability is important, particularly through the build phase, as the product may be left exposed for several months prior to a secondary facade being installed over the top of the system. In order to generate speed and ease of construction, Y-Wall was supplied pre-cut to specified panel sizes. The fabrication work was undertaken by Benx Façades at its dedicated facility, to ensure a seamless process.

The G8 Summit in Enniskillen of the world’s most powerful politicians involved 4,700 Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officers and 3,600 from other UK forces in a security operation that cost about £60m.The PSNI wanted the securest G8 ever at a time of ‘severe terrorist threat’ and hoped that its reputation for dealing with public disorder plus unprecedented physical, cyber, technical and logistical protection would keep many potential protesters away.The SolutionPSNI approached Zaun to design, manufacture, project manage and install an ‘impregnable cordon’ around the world leaders to guarantee their security throughout the summit at Lough Erne.The rectangular site was protected on its long northeastern boundary by the Lough Erne lake. After extensive testing, Zaun designed its single largest ever temporary installation using two of its premier high-security fencing systems for the other three sides.It installed its 3.6m high SecureGuard PAS68 temporary security fencing along the 5.7km road to the southwest of the site, which runs broadly parallel with the lough. In addition, Zaun integrated rising arm barriers and 10 PAS68 gates for secure access control along the fence line.It also put in 1.7km of its award-winning Rapid Deployable System (RDS) at each end, creating a secure perimeter from the road to the edge of and into the lake.RDSZaun had to make several adaptations to its multi-award-winning RDS that was first used for four political conferences on the mainland in 2012 and bought by The Home Office to add to the National Barrier Asset.In addition to the cable system on the front of the fence line gives the system it's PAS68 rating of 30mph (PAS 68:2010 V/7500(N2)/48/90:11.6/0.0), Zaun incorporated further enhancements to prevent mob attack on the run-up to the summit. Both RDS and SecureGuard were extensively tested by PSNI and the Home Office against mob attacks. These tests will now form the basis of a new standard adopted by the Home Office when testing systems.Zaun also created specially designed posts to carry additional one-tonne weights to prevent movement on the 30-metre section of RDS fencing that actually tracked into the lake itself to discourage protesters from breaching the perimeter via the water.RDS was used on remoter areas around the edge of forest land, dirt tracks and grassy knolls with undulating ground, and boggy land at the airport to provide Airforce One and other presidential jet landings.

Products: Flexi light – Flexi Base & Extender frames, Flexi heavy – Ahu Frameworks, Flexi everyday – Duct, pipe and electrical containment. Services: VRF Condensers & Air handling units. Roof build-up: Warm roof design – PIR/PUR insulation with PVC/TPO field membrane. Supplied via a wholesaler in Cardiff, our hot dip galvanised frameworks were supplied in lengths and widths to suit each unit being supported. With all products available from stock, the contractor ordered frameworks in stages, to suit the phased project programme, and eliminated having to find space within an already restricted working environment for everything to be delivered at once.

Even its location is one-of-a-kind: HafenCity Hamburg, on the Strandkai directly along the Elbe River, within sight of the Elbe Philharmonic Concert Hall on one side and the cruise ship terminal on the other. The Marco Polo Terraces are right around the corner. Unilever Germany has built its new corporate headquarters on this striking location of the currently largest inner-city construction project in Europe. The building was designed by Behnisch Architekten from Stuttgart, and it covers 30,000 square metres and sets new standards in a variety of ways.Building technology: HKP Ingenieure GmbHElectrical installation: Bauer Elektroanlagen GmbH HallePhotos: Adam Mørk

The ModernGlide MG100 Top Hung Movable Acoustic Wall provides seamless room dividing options and is ideal for dividing your interior space.Movable Walls Key Facts & Specifications:Acoustic reduction from 37dB to 58dBTop-hung with no floor trackFixing to beam or concrete soffitPanel widths of 650mm to 1250mmHeight up to 12000mmFull height or inset pass door optionsSemi-electric top and bottom seal optionsStacking via single and double point suspensionFinishes include melamine, laminate, veneer, magnetic wipe boardIntegral glazing options30 minute and 1 hour fire rating options

The ModernGlide MG100 Top Hung Acoustic Wall is ideal for large auditorium spaces and halls where room heights can be up to 12 mtrs high.Movable Walls Key Facts & Specifications:Acoustic reduction from 37dB to 58dBTop-hung with no floor trackFixing to beam on concrete soffitPanel widths of 650mm to 1250mmHeight up to 12000mmInset pass door optionsSemi-electric top and bottom seal optionsStacking via single and double point suspensionFinishes include melamine, laminate, veneer, magnetic wipe boardIntegral glazing options30 minute and 1 hour fire rating options

We were delighted to be commissioned to provide a complete playground regeneration project, for a prestigious school in Sussex. The current play facilities were starting to feel dates, and the school wanted some fresh, colourful and natural themed equipment and surfacing to reenergise the areas.3 different areas on the site catered to various age groups, and the level of challenge on the equipment reflected this. A mixture of climbing, trim trails, multiplays, a zip wire, and some tall slides will make playtimes fun for many years to come. Equally, the safety surfacing was designed to be colourful and informative, with inlaid graphics featuring windmills and electric charging points on the track helping reinforce the importance of a low carbon future.

 Adidas chose the R-Tile Dovetail Textured Light Grey for their refurbishment project in Stockport.The R-Tile not only met all their strict accreditation needs, but it also provided the solution to their functional constraints.   The project requirements were:Surface area to cover 3,000m2Must be able to handle manual and electric pallet trucksFire retardant - Bfl S1Fast installationImpact resistantNo adhesive or damp-proof membrane requiredHardwearingReduce dust and noiseEasy to clean and maintainCE accredited R-Tile Textured Dovetail by R-Tek Manufacturing was the clear choice, we supplied and fitted a durable, hardwearing flooring suitable for their needs and requirements.

ProjectSurespan designed and manufactured a single leaf hatch that was installed in a residential home in Solihull, for access to an underground level gym.ProductThe HIACE external single leaf access hatch to fit a structural opening 1200 x 3400. The pan-type door was recessed for 40mm paving slabs infill with an EPDM unbroken seal to help prevent the ingress of dirt and moisture. The floor hatch was fitted with a retractable safety grid operated by a 24v actuator. FeaturesRated at pedestrian loading, operated by two 24v DC Actuators. 40mm paving slabs infill. Retractable safety grid Supplied with a Zen-controlled 240vAC/24vDC electrical supply, and transformer.

ProjectSurespan manufactured and supplied a double-glazed access hatch for use on a private residential apartment in downtown San Francisco. ProductThe 915 (36”) x 4115 (162”) hatch was electrically operated for easy operation and allowed easy access to the roof deck for Al Fresco dining in the Californian sun. “The glass hatch is one of the best features of the house.” Glazed hatches feature a frameless design eliminating water ponding. The 28.4mm sealed glazed unit comprised of Pilkington Insulight™ Therm, 6mm Optifloat™ Clear ‘T’ (toughened), 16mm Argon filled cavity, 6.4mm Pilkington Optilam™ ‘K’ Glass Laminated glass.

Surespan manufactured a double-glazed sliding access hatch for use in a private residential apartment in London. Product2640 (103?) x 2020mm (79?) hatch was electrically operated via a key switch for easy operation and allowed access to the roof providing views across the London skyline. The sliding cover was finished in grey external polyester powder coating with a white internal finish. The 35.5mm sealed double glazed unit comprised of Pilkington 6mm toughened K polished all-round outer pane, 20mm Warm Edge silver spacer Bar argon filled, Pilkington 9.5mm toughened & laminated inner pane, divided into two panes.

HTA Architects designed the Next Wave scheme to renovate the seafront and public realm surrounding the Grade 1 listed modernist De La Warr pavilion. The CABE Seachange Funded project which aims to make the area a more attractive place for residents and visitors to Bexhill, and a catalyst for economic regeneration of this seaside resort.When Bexhill on Sea needed a new barrier for the seafront promenade, Architectural Street Furnishings (ASF) was contacted to look at the project.For harsh coastal environments, ASF would typically advise the use of cast iron products, however the client brief requested the barrier was constructed from aluminium, in a design that was sympathetic to the architecture of the De La Warr pavilion.Aluminium is not renowned for being particularly durable in coastal environments. To ensure the barrier would withstand the environmental conditions over time, ASF had the aluminium hard anodised.The anodising process involved the immersion of aluminium in a bath of sulphuric acid (an electrolyte) and running a low voltage electrical current through the bath. Normal anodising results in a thin coating of aluminium oxide (rust) on the surface of the material, hard anodising is achieved by cooling the solution to freezing temperature and increasing the amount of electric current that is passed through the bath.Hard anodising produces a much thicker coating of aluminium oxide, rendering the finished material only a few hardness points below diamond and protecting it against harsh environments such as the salt at the coast.The client agreed the simple clean lines of the design and a machined aluminium cap was added to finish off the modern and stylish barrier.The finished result is a low maintenance, minimalist seafront barrier that will not pitt or corrode over time. The use of anodised aluminium enabled the client's brief to be matched without the need for compromise.

Since 2021, Dryflow has supplied the compact, yet perfectly formed EcoWave Hand Dryers to Burger King restaurants throughout the UK, saving the firm thousands of pounds in energy costs, whilst providing speedy hand drying for fast food lovers and staff.Dan Warwick, purchasing manager at ICM Complete Fit Out Solutions says:“The Dryflow EcoWave is an aesthetically pleasing and reliable product“Units Supplied: Continuous supply, 200+ to dateInstaller: ICMKey Benefits: Slim, sleek, quiet, energy efficientRated Power: 0.4kW - 0.95kW | 1.67 - 2.64 Wh per dryProjectWe worked closely with Burger King’s longstanding fit out company, ICM Complete Fit Out Solutions, to supply our energy-efficient, space-savvy Dryflow Eco Dryers which are ideal for a wide range of sites with high footfall, including city centres, airports and motorway service areas.SolutionAs one of the most slimline dryers on the market, with a depth of just 10cm, and complete with hygienic HEPA filter, is the perfect dryer for any restaurant wishing to maximise space, style AND efficiency in the washroom.The Dryflow Eco WavePerfect for fast food and all other hospitality outlets, The Dryflow EcoWave Hand Dryer completely dries hands in just 10 – 15 seconds.Boasting second-to-none energy and cost efficiency – with 3,000 dries possible per £1 spent on electricity – this elegant, extremely well constructed, slimline dryer will save any business money when they make the switch from paper towels or a less efficient electric unit. The Dryflow brand is the world’s very first range of hand dryers to be classed as Carbon Neutral by ClimatePartner

These are the ingenious FalcoCrea cycle lockers recently manufactured, supplied and installed by Falco at the Queens Cross Housing Association, Cedar Court, for Glasgow City Council. Providing secure cycle parking for up to four bikes per cycle locker, in an eye catching and compact design, the new FalcoCrea cycle lockers have been commissioned by the Council for the residents of Cedar Court to benefit from.Each cycle locker features bold, distinctive branding on each side of the unit and strongly promotes cycling to residents of the housing association as an alternative mode of transport.Feedback from residents of Cedar Court has been extremely positive with all cycle spaces being fully booked and a waiting list already in place due to overwhelming demand.The FalcoCrea has proven to be a highly popular cycle locker since its launch last year providing local authorities with a cycle parking solution which answers three common problems; security, spacing footprint and branding. The FalcoCrea is designed to provide maximum security, within a compact space saving design and fully capable to incorporate branding to promote cycling as a principal mode of transport.  The ingenious cycle locker has already been commissioned for a number of schemes across the UK including recent installations at; The Social Bite Village in Edinburgh, Rouken Glen Park in Glasgow, Barra Airport and Oban Airport.With the use of an electric cycle charging point (FalcoCrea+), the cycle locker can be transformed into a convenient charging hub for electric bikes whilst retaining all of the benefits from the standard model.For more information about the ingenious FalcoCrea cycle locker please contact our helpful sales team on 01538 380080.

Contour recently completed a project involving the supply and installation of 350 anti-ligature radiator covers across 15 mental health wards in Southeast England. The existing radiators posed a significant risk of harm to service users due to their outdated design. After inspecting a single ward, it was evident that all wards faced similar risks. Contour was tasked with surveying, supplying, and manufacturing anti-ligature radiator guards for each ward to ensure safety.The challenges faced by the customer included the absence of anti-ligature radiators, sharp corners posing threats, and cleanliness issues with old guards. To address these challenges, Contour installed a comprehensive range of anti-ligature covers designed to enhance safety and hygiene without compromising heating efficiency. The new covers featured small grilles and rounded edges to minimize risks and facilitate easier cleaning.The results were immediate improvements in safety and hygiene within the environments. The installed radiator guards featured IP3x grilles with 2mm holes, preventing ligature creation. Additionally, drop-down front access was incorporated for easier cleaning, and rounded corners provided enhanced protection. Overall, the project successfully mitigated risks and enhanced safety for service users in mental health environments.

Working in partnership with The Expanded Metal Company we were delighted to secure the first project where we could utilise our CWCT tested Vantage EMSA Site assembled expanded mesh system. The expanded mesh system featured Athens expanded mesh, our Vantage® EMSA support system and was used to shroud four Chimney stacks on the SCCC development in Llanfrechfa Grange, just outside Cwmbran.

Installer – Prater / LindnerMain Contractor – TBCArchitect – Pascall+WatsonClient – LCASystem – Vantage®️ MF in CortenThis is our CWCT tested Vantage®️ MF in Corten metal This was mechanically face fixed to the substructure by expert installation partners, Lindner PraterThis shows pre weathered and a fully weathered finish and looks absolutely stunning and was a recently nominated for the best use of specialist metal at the Façade Awards

The Hepworth Gallery required access to their low pitched roofs to facilitate safe working at height when carrying out external glazing cleaning and general maintenance. The concrete design of the building resulted in a thin roof construction, so The Gallery needed to ensure that any systems installed were fit-for-purpose, fully tested and compatible. With such a prestigious and architecturally prominent building, it was imperative that the chosen system also suited the design of the building.

Find out why IOBAC Adhesive-Free Magnetic Flooring was specified by innovative house-builder Etopia for its BRE test house showcasing best-in-class sustainable buildings.The magnetically receptive Ezy-Install Underlay took just 45 mins to lay over the 55m2 ground floor area, followed by 3 hours to dry install magnetic Karndean Luxury Vinyl Tile in a modern herringbone pattern.

The Hong Kong Science Park is a living laboratory where innovative technologies are tested and applied, and valuable data and feedback are collected to enable future innovation. It is also piloted as a smart region to further Hong Kong’s Smart City vision. Lorient supplied high performance acoustic sealing solutions to over 2000 doors; combining LAS8001 si drop seals, Batwing® and Firtree® acoustic and smoke seals.

The high strength Isotec 200 loft ladder offers superb thermal insulation with a U-value of 0.17 W/m2K and a class 4 certified airtight seal. In addition, it offers 60 minutes fire and heat protection (tested according to EN 1634-1, EN1363-1, ÖNORM 3860). The Isotec 200 loft ladder is ideally suited for energy efficient, low-carbon buildings where fire protection is needed.

The Haggerston West & Kingsland development is a residential housing scheme undertaken and operated by the renowned L&Q group. Several blocks of buildings were featured within the project. A community kitchen was included within Block B. Project architects, PRP specified the kitchen to be in stainless steel and GEC Anderson were awarded the task of supplying and installing the required units as well as the various electrical and gas appliances. The fully stainless steel kitchen was laid out in a symmetrical configuration and includes two sink areas, base cabinets, wall cabinets and drawer units. All units were lockable.Other areas of the project were also supplied by GEC Anderson, including the nursery and baby change facilities. 

On the roof at the famous Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich, London; is a very considerable amount of equipment for services such as air-conditioning, electricity, and gas. Specialist contractor Mid Kent Roofing were approached and asked by Vinci Facilities to provide a walkway solution to this need, and the DukMat walkway system was the only option. Supplying more than two kilometres of the walkway system, Fixfast worked closely with Mid Kent Roofing to provide the solution - easy to install and neatly packaged, the DukMat system is second to none."Deliveries were perfect and times adhered to which stopped any traffic flow problems with emergency services also using the same access points as the deliveries"Stave Cayford - Mid Kent Roofing

The ModernGlide MG100 Top Hung Double Point Movable Acoustic Wall provides seamless room dividing options and is ideal for separating meeting room space.Movable Walls Key Facts & Specifications:Acoustic reduction from 37dB to 58dBTop-hung with no floor trackFixing to beam on concrete soffitPanel widths of 650mm to 1250mmHeight up to 12000mmFull height or inset pass door optionsSemi-electric top and bottom seal optionsVersatile stacking via double point suspensionFinishes include melamine, laminate, veneer and magnetic wipe boardIntegral glazing options30 minute and 1 hour fire rating options

Home Bargains, a leading UK retailer, sought to embrace sustainable infrastructure by introducing EV charging across their UK car park network. Partnering with Rolec EV, a pioneer in EV technology, they installed a mix of 25 AC fast and DC rapid chargepoints across 14 sites, with plans for further expansion. Tailored to meet the needs of both customers and fleet vehicles, the charging network offers bespoke branding and smart back-office management for seamless operation. This initiative not only optimizes fleet charging, reducing downtime, but also contributes to the advancement of the UK's public charging network, promoting the transition to electric vehicles.Click "view more" to read the full case study.

One of the world’s largest battery storage facilities is taking shape on the site of the former power station at Roosecote, near Barrow in Cumbria. Commissioned by Centrica, as part of a £180m investment programme to develop new, flexible power plants across the country, the Roosecote battery storage facility is a state of the art project that will store energy harvested from the grid until needed.With work on the site expected to be completed by the end of 2018, when the facility comes online it will boast the capacity to generate a staggering 49MW. That’s enough electricity to power around 50,000 homes at a very nimble response time of less than a second. Containing approximately 100,000 battery cells, it marks a new era for the energy industry.

Project:Downtown Doha is a multimillion-pound scheme to regenerate the Downtown Doha district. Surespan supplied a wide number of electrically operated glazed roof hatches along with solid top roof access hatches. Product:Sizes included a 3310 x 1120, 4320 x 1110, 3245 x 760, 1098 x 4330mm and the biggest size came in at 4462 x 6654mm. All the hatches were provided powder coated using the Interpon D series for enhanced durability. In addition, a variety of other products including wall & ceiling access panels were manufactured from Stainless steel. The largest panel was 2700 x 1600mm manufactured as a double door.

3900m2 Optima TFC in PPC Aluminium and 1800sqm Optima FC in Axalta PPC Aluminium have been used in the completion of the 400+ room in Salfords student accommodation project. The Optima TFC system was proposed to create a ‘basket weave’ pattern to the façade including a mixture of both landscape and portrait lay orientation, visible in the project photos.The Optima FC included multi-depth panels to create a 3D effect along with secret fix assembled triangle segments to further emphasize the projection.When you stand back from the building, you can see the two separate towers seem to connect ‘through’ each other.The expert team at Sotech worked closely with Britplas Facades and their team of specialists to design the unique façade, ensuring it was both viable and achievable to the installation programme. As a team, we developed a method to secret fix the triangular sections onto standard panels at our fabrication facility, to reduce the quantity of parts the installer would have to handle.No additional testing was required for the project as Optima TFC and Optima FC have been extensively tested and are approved by CWCT and have been tested to BS8414-2 (compliant to BR135).Jamie Brown, Estimating Manager at Sotech said: “This is a truly unique, vibrant and striking building. It was a real pleasure to have been involved in this scheme from concept to completion working closely with our supply chain partner, Britplas Facades, to develop a solution that ticked all the boxes – cost, programme and exceptional quality.”Discovery Quays includes 404 student bedrooms over 10,325 sqft in two blocks. The finished building also provides a coffee shop, library, lounge, media wall, gaming area and a stunning double-story reception.To find out more about how the expert team at Sotech can assist in your next rainscreen cladding project, click here.

Dubai Ski Dome is situated in The Mall of the Emirates in the Al Barsha district of Dubai. It is the second largest Mall in the Middle East being some 2.4 million sq/ft in size. It is the only Ski “resort” in the Middle East. All product endured rigorous testing to ensure that they would be compatible with the extreme low temperatures required to keep the snow good for skiing. FSi Ltd Pyrocoustic Intumescent Sealant was used extensively throughout the Ski Dome.

• Location: Thornton House Apartment Tower Block, Birmingham • Contractor: Assured Passive Fire Protection • Challenge: Fire protection required on timber batons around the windows. • Solution: Applying Zeroflame Fire Retardant Treatment on the batons to achieve Class 0 spread of flame and fire propagation as required by building control. Zeroflame Treatment didn't take long to dry between coats, it was very simple to use and it is fully tested and certified for building control.