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Smet Supported Partners, Capel (CS) Ltd, completed the floor screed application of SMET LiteFlo® Lightweight Flowing Screed within the improvement works at Harold Wood Station.  A number of improvements were delivered at Harold Wood station in preparation for the new Elizabeth line service, including:A new footbridge over the tracks with new staircasesThree new lifts to provide step-free access to every platformPlatform extensions to accommodate the new, 200m long Elizabeth line trainsNew platform lightingNew station signage, help points, customer information screens, and CCTV.SMET LiteFlo® Lightweight Flowing Screed is a high-quality pumpable, factory-produced, CE marked, self-levelling screed based on calcium sulphate.German-made SMET LiteFlo® is unique because it’s the first pumpable lightweight flowing screed available. Made from specially selected aggregates - means it’s 30% lighter than conventional flowing screeds and can be laid in reduced thicknesses. The screed offers a high yield, 43kg per m2 @ 40mm.German-made LiteFlo® is unique, in that it’s the first pumpable lightweight flowing screed. Made from specially selected aggregates, makes it 30% lighter than conventional flowing screeds and therefore 70% lighter than traditional sand & cement – ultimately this means less is required per m2. Another plus is that that screed made from Calcium Sulphate has naturally substantially lower embodied carbon emissions than a sand and cement screed. LiteFlo® complies with EN 13813: 2002, is CE-marked, and is available in 27Kg bags or bulk silos.Have a look at the Northern Builder MagazineTop 5 Liquid Screeds Article.  Read about SMET LiteFlo® in the Irish Construction News.Whether your job is – self-build, retro-fit, floor renovation or repair, design floor, commercial or shop, sustainable build, historical renovation, ECO build, Lightweight, or an industrial flooring venture – SMET has a flooring compound or ready to use product suitable for your application.www.smetbuildingproducts.com or www.smet.ie

I first came across Vox Ignis when ROC took over a large project in London. I was instantly impressed with the systems they had fitted and quickly picked up the phone to get more details. It was then that I found out that I knew two of the firm’s directors, Tony and Jeremy, from their previous jobs and we began discussing how we could work together. We now work with Vox Ignis on all tenders.Over the years, I have used most of the systems out there, but I never had a preferred system until I started working with Vox Ignis. Having a good relationship with the team has really helped us, as has the ease of programming the system, and every client I have handed it over to has loved the touch screen user controls and how easy they are to use.One of the largest projects we have worked with Vox Ignis on was the fit-out of a 92-room luxury boutique hotel in the City of London, that required an Emergency Voice Communication System (EVCS). The project saw us fit out the development with seven different Vox Ignis products, amounting to 32 items in total.The products were easy to understand and the team were always on hand when we needed technical support. I have never had anything but positive feedback from clients when we have handed over the systems to them.The team at Vox Ignis really go above and beyond to make sure you are competitive and supported with the delivery of any project you use their products to fulfil. I would highly recommend Vox Ignis to any business as a go-to product for refuge and disabled alarms.Products used:1 x ViLX-TMS – Touchscreen Master Panel3 x ViLX-EX8 – Expander Panels9 x ViLX-ACB – Accessible Bedrooms6 x ViLX-OSB – Refuge Outstations1 x ViLX-OSA – Fireman’s Telephone11 x ViLX-OSC – Combined Fire Telephone and Refuge Outstations1 x ViLX-ACA – Accessible Toilet

‘Form follows function’ – this maybe a basic tenet of modern architecture but when it comes to designing entrances, aesthetics are inevitably a determining factor. They must contribute to the design concept, blend with other building materials, flow effectively into interiors and above all make an impact. But behind every grand entrance, is a myriad of decisions based on function: the purpose of the building itself, expected footfall, user requirements, accessibility, ventilation, heat loss, safety and security.Match that with thousands of products on the market, all with subtle differences, and it can make identifying the right solution a complex process. It’s said that people do business with people and that good relationships open doors; that’s certainly true of the specification process. Specifiers and architects build a relationship where trust is garnered through advice, guidance and sometimes compromise to identify the best solution for a project.Design and Specification of DoorsEarly liaison is helpful – consideration needs be given to the product type and application from the outset. Design based on assumption will only result in major reworking at a later stage which is never desirable for architect or client. When appraised of an architect’s ‘wish list’, I advise on the best possible options and try to drill down to a level of detail they may not have considered. For example, with a retail project, consideration will be given to maximising frontage for window display, levels of anticipated footfall and funnelling of traffic across the threshold and around the retail floor plan. In most cases, an automatic sliding door system would be an appropriate choice, and although this may seem an obvious selection, this is where we need to need to look further at its intended application and operation. A sliding door operation is usually triggered by movement sensors with side sensors for safety but if baskets or displays are put too near to where the doors open, they may cause them to operate ineffectively. Doors may be better installed with pocket screens – glass panels that the automatic doors slide in to – which are protective and also use available space without any hindrance. Automatic Doors in the Healthcare SectorPocket screens are also an essential safety feature in a hospital environment as they minimise the risk of serious injury occurring by reducing the possibility of contact with the moving door leaves and eliminating potential entrapment zones.Within healthcare, there is a range of specific needs that maybe required – reduced contact mechanisms, hermetically sealed doors for laboratories, different levels of security access and safety requirements for particular groups of patients, classed as ‘vulnerable traffic’.BS EN 16005 European Standard for Safety in the Use of Automatic DoorsAll automatic door suppliers are required to provide solutions in accordance with BS EN 16005 European Standard for safety in the use of automatic doors for pedestrian use. Under BS EN16005, automatic doors are classed as machines, so within the design users must be protected from risk of injury. Sometimes, a design aesthetic must give way to practicalities. For example, the desire to see an automatic swing door put in place where leaf size has to battle environmental factors may result in ‘sail effect’ where the wind speed makes the operator less effective so users become frustrated by the slowness of the door opening or in extreme conditions, or not opening at all. Where there is such an obvious conflict, I would prefer to provide alternative design solutions for a system that will consistently operate in the conditions in which it is installed. When it comes to specifying requirements for heritage and listed buildings, the partnership between specifier and architect really comes into its own. Products can be adapted to provide a tailor-made solution that can be accommodated into the premises without altering form or structure. Take for example, our work at Blenheim Palace in which sliding doors were incorporated for improved accessibility while maintaining the original large timber doors. These clearly could not be automated or removed so a secondary glazed entrance was created behind the original.Automatic Doors for LobbiesLobbies can enhance a building’s sustainability, but performing a vital function, doesn’t mean they have to be boring. Circular or elliptical automatic entrances look visually stunning and maximise space. A recent installation at No 1 New Oxford Street, London, saw a Moderne building enhanced by an entrance that followed the curves of the building’s original design.Whatever the project, exacting standards must be met and checks and balances put in place. The relationship between a specifier and architect is fundamental – form and function should never ‘stop at the door’. It must be considered and applied to create a grand entrance.

London’s new countryside escape, Birch, dating back to the 15th century, has undergone extensive redecoration thanks to support from the Dulux Trade team and its Heritage Range. The grade II listed country escape hotel was built in 1763 and became the 140 bedroom Theobalds Estate hotel in the 1990s. The country estate was once a royal favourite for King James I, a Georgian family home and Sir Christopher Wren’s retreat, a WWII military riding school and is now one of Hertfordshire’s most socially engaged and creative hotels. To maintain the heritage of the estate with its new contemporary purpose, the designers chose the Dulux Trade Heritage Range to redecorate Theobalds Park’s hotel rooms, foyer and corridors in a variety of colours - as the hotel underwent a transformation and rebrand into Birch, a new city escape. The rich colour range was the ideal match for the hotel’s contemporary theme allowing the country mansion, surrounded by acres of fields, to maintain its classic elegance whilst incorporating modern escapism into its new interior design concept. A combination of Green Oxide, Buff and Potters Pink were used for the geometric design on the hotel suite and corridor walls, complemented by Green Oxide and Roman White throughout the project. The former De Vere Theobalds Estate hotel is set to officially open as Birch on 3rd August 2020. Birch, which is billed as a city escape that “looks like a hotel, feels like a festival”, is the brainchild of former Ace Hotel London MD Chris Penn and his business partner Chris King, will feature a growing farm, an interactive bakery, two restaurants in partnership with Robin Gill, three bars and co-working and wellness space, as well as a 25-metre Lido (opening later this year) and pottery, music, screening, and art rooms. Dulux Trade Technical Support Manager, Steve Plowman, worked closely with the hotel’s architects, Red Deer, to adapt the colour scheme and specifications to meet with the colour contrast requirements of the Equality Act Part M. This included particular consideration of Light Reflectance Values (LRV), to ensure that critical surfaces could be clearly distinguished, aiding navigation for those with a visual impairment. The team worked to match the design to colours in the Heritage Range, to ensure that the project was completed to achieve a high aesthetic and functional standard. To bring this vision to life, Dean Jones and his team of highly skilled painters at Broadway Painting Ltd worked tirelessly to achieve outstanding results. Dulux Trade Diamond Matt was used for the corridors, walls and staircases due to its high durability and effectiveness in masking wall imperfections. The paint is wipeable and scuff resistant to ensure these high traffic areas remain perfect for years to come. It also offers new anti-fade technology and superior stain resistance through its unique Stain Repellent Technology, which can be wiped clean repeatedly without polishing up, helping to extend maintenance for up to five years. Dulux Trade Diamond Matt was also used on the ceilings, while Dulux Trade Eggshell provided the finishing touch on the doors and trim. The local Dulux Decorator Centre in Enfield worked closely with the Dulux Trade team to ensure colour accuracy and stock supply throughout the project. This collaborative work, along with regular site visits from Steve Plowman, kept the project on track and meant that any issues that arose, could be resolved very quickly. Ciarán O’Brein, founder of Red Deer, said: “Our ethos in creating Birch was to sensitively restore and listen to the existing buildings as best we could. True sustainability meant to us removing and adding things to spaces only where necessary. To this end we relied heavily on working with furniture, sculpture and of course paint to install new moods and agendas across the Grade II Listed building, bedrooms and even the bathrooms. We worked with Dulux on this exciting project; a deep Dulux Yves Klein blue transforms a traditional stairwell, pastel kaleidoscopic colours adorn listed ceilings in the Screening Room and a dark green creates warmth in a Drawing Room overlooking the lawns.” Steven Plowman said: “The work completed goes far beyond a normal redecoration program. The design is matched throughout all rooms and hallways exactly - with no variation in Heritage colour. The attention to detail is outstanding and clearly shows how a stunning design alongside an effectively executed colour scheme transforms any area. “The bespoke contemporary paint finish has transformed the hotel interior into a work of art that will stand the test of time and many visitors.”