"advisory organisations"

Hush Acoustics provided an acoustic solution for the Aviation Academy in Norwich as part of its project to transform the building through the creation of an innovative learning environment. Based within a World War 2 aircraft hangar, home to a museum, cafe and now classrooms, catering for pupils and youth organisations as well as holding events and conferences, this academy accommodates a wide variety of uses and needs. Hanson Barron and Smith Architects worked on the design of the custom facility, with the aim to create a mezzanine floor within the atrium on which classrooms would be created.The atrium itself holds conferences that can accommodate over 300 people, so in order to ensure the acoustics within the building were fit for purpose, a site visit was conducted to assess how the required acoustic standards could be achieved.On visiting the site, an acoustic concern within the building was the footfall noise being created from the mezzanine floor.The solution proposed after calculating the requirements of the areas was 1500m2 of Hush Panel 17, which would be fitted over the structural plywood deck.Hush Panel 17 is a thin overlay board which minimises floor build-up without compromising performance. By reducing impact sound transmission through the separating floors, it achieves excellent results, with the upper layer of moisture resistant MDF providing a consistently smooth surface for application of floor finishes.Working with Robert Goss from Hanson Barron and Smith and RG Carter who were the main contractors on site, over 2000 sheets of Hush Panel 17 were supplied and fitted to the area.

Student Loans Company (SLC) are a non-profit making government-owned organisation that administers loans and grants to students in colleges and universities in the UK. Since 2008, one of SLC’s main offices has been located in the North Eastern town of Darlington at The Memphis Building.What was once part of a wool factory is now a leading open plan workspace for hundreds of staff. Over the last fifteen years, the interior has undergone a number of major changes to accommodate the SLC team’s ever changing needs – including the design, manufacture and installation of multiple Glide moving panel systems we delivered in 2021.SLC wanted to implement a solution that would allow them to re-configure the large, open plan and create smaller more private areas for staff when required. All panels are top-hung, meaning there is no obtrusive floor track. Despite this, each individual panel can be locked in to position thanks a foot-operated compression bolt.Half of the panels are equipped with a drywipe surface which allows for extra writing space during team meetings, presentations, brainstorming sessions and more.The other half of the panels feature PET polyester, which incorporates custom cut-out shapes in a variety of colours. In addition to providing a uniquely textured finish, the PET panels offer protection from noise distraction thanks to the material being sound absorbent.The aluminium panel frames – which have been painted to match the PET finishes on show – ensure durability, increasing the system’s lifespan.

For us, creativity and sustainability in design and architecture are of great importance. We believe more and more people should be aware of the opportunities that new technologies can provide them, so we asked our partners to share more on the role of innovation in the pursuit of sustainable development, and guess what? Our carbon-neutral functional paints make it to the list. A smart home can also help reduce our carbon footprint. This can be done technologically - by integrating a variety of sensors (for indoor air quality, carbon monoxide and dioxide, proper lighting, temperature, etc.), as well as by integrating more innovative interior solutions - the use of carbon-neutral writable whiteboard paints, such with magnetic properties or interior paints that purify the air. One of the last such examples are our carbon neutral functional paints. ESCREO whiteboard paint gives people the chance to optimise unusable surfaces - which are otherwise so attractive, especially for the little ones! The creation of writable whiteboard surfaces frees us from the need to invest in other tools for organisation, planning and drawing, so we reduce our consumption of hard-to-renew resources and those that often cannot even be recycled. Soon we will be taking it to a new level by launching an air purifying paint - ESCREO Clean Air - a non-toxic environmentally friendly interior paint that purifies the air in any room. The ingredient in the paint is an enriched natural mineral that attracts and neutralises harmful air pollutants, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), odours, airborne chemicals and CO2.

London 2012 organisers wanted to protect temporary Games venues as securely as the main Stratford site. But they needed the perimeter protection to be removed as soon as the competition was over to minimise disruption to the local community.They also wanted to incorporate vehicle and pedestrian access along with CCTV and detection systems and tailor protection individually to each location and the security threat and attack potential identified by security advisers.The SolutionZaun offered a single Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM) contract for almost 5km of fencing at all temporary venues, including Horse Guards Parade, Wembley Stadium, and Arena, Greenwich Park, the O2 Arena, the Royal Artillery Barracks, St James’s Park Newcastle and Weymouth sailing village. It developed a mobile high-security HVM fence especially for the Games, mounting its PAS 68 Multi-Fence® into concrete blocks to resist attack by 7.5-tonne vehicles driven straight at it at 40mph.MultiFence uses anti-climb mesh fencing and is available up to 5m high. One of the first temporary solutions to achieve PAS68: 2010 V7500(N2) 64/90: 5.0/0.0 is manufactured to BS EN 1317 Part 2 (vehicle restraint systems) and approved by the Highways Agency.The solution at each venue had to work with existing security and perimeters. Typically this entailed another ‘cordon of security around existing installations with access portals at strategic locations.Zaun secured the main TV and temporary CCTV control centres at Horse Guards and made Wembley safe – then dismantled the security cordon as soon as the last ball was kicked.

Olympics organisers accredited 21,000 media and broadcasters to report on the greatest show on earth. They were crafting the story beamed to the estimated global audience of almost five billion tuned in to London 2012.Quite apart from keeping them safe and secure, any hint of a breach of security would have been latched upon, sending negative tales of London far and wide and damaging the city’s image and the nation’s tourist industry for years. The SolutionThe London Olympics Media Centre (LOMC) was designed by architects Allies and Morrison. It is 900,000 sq ft and 275m long and cost £355 million to build on the former Hackney Wick Stadium close to the Riverbank Arena.The main contractor Carillion asked Zaun to design, manufacture and install the 1.5km of HiSec and MultiFence security fencing with the same Super6 panels as the Olympic Park perimeter. The two high-security fencing systems use a close mesh of 6mm steel vertical wires near impossible to scale and very hard to cut through except with power tools.The fencing incorporated vehicle and pedestrian access points, as well as detection systems and CCTV. The Olympic Delivery Authority planned to create a high-security complex of business space that would form part of the legacy to the Games, recouping much of the public investment in the construction.The LOMC was part of Zaun’s Olympics contract, its largest ever, which included work on the perimeters to the Olympic Park and Stadium and temporary installations at venues across the country, all completed on time and within budget.

The Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich made for a stunning venue for the London 2012 shooting competitions. But organisers knew that the ease of access and the number of roads in the area rendered the temporary shooting ranges and grandstands potentially vulnerable.Given the arsenal within, they needed a temporary perimeter that would remain intact even under deliberate attack by vehicles or people – and yet that could be removed once the Games were over with no damage to the 18th-century site.The SolutionZaun developed a mobile high-security fence with Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM), especially for the London 2012 Olympics, mounting its PAS 68 Multi- Fence® into concrete blocks to resist attack by 7.5-tonne vehicles driven straight at it at 40mph.Zaun installed 2km of MultiFence and access gates around the Royal Artillery Barracks site and added HVM enhancements, detection systems and CCTV to secure the entire venue.Multi-Fence uses anti-climb mesh fencing and is available up to 5m high. The fence posts are mounted in concrete blocks that can follow a curve or go from a flat surface to an incline with ease due to an ingenious bolting method.It is one of the world’s first temporary solutions to achieve PAS68: 2010 V7500(N2) 64/90:5.0/0.0. It is manufactured to the BS EN 1317 Part 2 (vehicle restraint systems) and is approved by the Highways Agency.It is ideal for supporting crowd control at key events or for permanent installations at airports, freight terminals and ports, as no below-ground foundations are required, and they can be used on soft and hard standing. 

London Stadium (formerly and also known as Olympic Stadium) is a multi-purpose outdoor stadium at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park London.Project/doors:21 Fire and Security shutters (2010)50+ Fire and Security shutters (2015)The challengeHart assisted with the specification prior to the award. Technical collaboration was ongoing ensuring that integration and operation of the shutters went smoothly with safety and continuity in mind. Hart was subject to strict working practices and the factory was visited to review progress and audit Hart's quality system procedures.The solution2010 - Manufacture, supply, deliver and install 21 Fire Resistant and Security Shutters to the Olympic Main Stadium requiring advance battery backup and operational features. 2015 - Manufacture, supply, deliver and install over 50 Security and Fire shutters to the new build including kiosk shutters, security entrances and POD buildings surrounding the arena. The successHart was chosen out of 50+ door companies to supply all of the roller shutters to the London 2012 Olympic main stadium. Hart was again awarded all of the roller shutters under much competition on the stadium transformation project in 2015 which was transformed to cater for the multi-use environment.The review:“You should be commended for the cooperation, commitment and effort applied by your entire team. From early design discussions to your final commissioning activities of the 50 new shutters onsite, it was a pleasure to work with such proactive and knowledgeable organisation.” Jon Pepper, Project Manager, Balfour Beatty

Our client approached us with a unique challenge: they needed to convert their existing restaurant into a drive-thru establishment. Departing from conventional construction methods involving brick buildings, we proposed an innovative solution: a comprehensive aluminium bolt-on pod system. This system offered unparalleled advantages, allowing for rapid on-site expansion while minimising disruption to ongoing operations. Fabricated entirely off-site in our workshops, the pod system was swiftly assembled on-site, providing ample space for the drive-thru restaurant within a remarkably short timeframe. This modular approach not only streamlined the construction process but also empowered the main contractor to efficiently carry out internal fit-out works tailored to the client’s specific requirements.The aluminium pod system we implemented catered to carious needs, seamlessly integrating essential functionalities into its design. Within the structure, we incorporated designated spaces for a stockroom and an electrical intake room, ensuring optimal organisation and efficiency. Moreover, the pod featured a dedicated drive-thru serving booth, complete with a strategically positioned side access door and a robust, heavy duty drive-thru window system. Crafted from commercial-grade aluminium sections, the pod system was meticulously customised to reflect the client’s corporate identity, incorporating their distinctive colour schemes throughout. Solid infill panels, positioned below waist height and above the suspended ceiling height, added both aesthetic appeal and structural integrity to the design. By embracing innovation and customisation, we delivered a turnkey solution that not only met but exceeded our client’s expectations for their drive-thru restaurant conversion project.

During the hotel’s modernisation, interior designer and architect Manfred Ronstedt successfully created a pleasant living environment, through carefully chosen interiors. Here, usability for guests was not to be forgotten. The accessories and fittings from KEUCO impress by perfectly uniting design with stylish comfort. Gleaming chrome finishes underscore the noble ambience of the refined interior architecture of the hotel.This 4-star business hotel of the Best Western Group is situated directly at Lake Neuchâtel, not far from the historical city centre of Neuchâtel. With the natural materials and gentle colours, the unique location and the wonderful natural setting of the area acted as inspiration for the design of the high quality furnishings in the rooms and suites. Wood and colours such as sand, truffle, gold and brown dominate the room design. Whilst selecting the products, Manfred Ronstedt of Ronstedt hotel concepts placed strong emphasis on the timeless elegance: "The accessories and fittings from KEUCO harmonise perfectly with the design concept of the hotel rooms – a modern ambience of well-being.“The exclusive bathroom furnishings include generously-sized showers, and some also have a bath tub. Some rooms also offer a separate WC. Ample space for setting things down at the washbasin and carefully selected KEUCO accessories from the Moll collection allow things to be comfortably organised. The straight lines and sensuous curves of the fittings harmonise perfectly with the inviting furnishings. A cosmetic mirror and a large towel holder as well as a noble sponge wire basket and handholds in the wet area underscore the comfort and high-quality touch of each bathroom. A large head shower and the additional hand shower transform showering into a spa-like experience.

Constructed in 2009, Cardiff International Sports Stadium is the most important athletics stadium in Wales, with capacity for 2,553 seated and 2,400 standing spectators. It serves as the headquarters of Welsh Athletics, the organisation governing Welsh athletics and which is part of UK Athletics, the national umbrella body for sport.The stadium has been given a new look in 2019, with the running track as well as the sprint sections and sector surfaces extensively renovated by Polytan. The choice for the new synthetic surface fell on the “professional among sports surfaces” – the Rekortan M from Polytan. It features in many large athletics stadiums around the world, where its outstanding acceleration and tread elasticity have proven the worth of the surface in international elite sport. For the retopping in the Cardiff International Sports Stadium, the complete renewal of the tartan top was accompanied by a change in the colour of the surface: the athletes are now training and competing on a Rekortan M in “Hertha blue”. Hertha blue is an intensive blue shade that became famous the world over when it was first used in the Olympic Stadium in Berlin in 2004. The sprint sections and the sector surfaces in Cardiff, however, remained in classic brick red, presenting a striking visual contrast with the blue running track and the blue run-up tracks in the sectors.The stadium operators decided to use the opportunity of the surface retopping to add a technical innovation, the Polytan SmarTracks time and data recording system. This is designed to enable comprehensive performance diagnostics of the athletes using timing gates embedded invisibly in the surface. The running time, speed, step length, step frequency and jump height of the users can be recorded and analysed. The system is installed not just on an inside lane but also on two sprint sections.

Our client, the world’s second largest producer of bottled water, was looking for industrial floor paints to renovate and maintain indoor walkways and create seamless traffic flows in its factories. And that’s no mean feat as the area to paint was over 2500 m2!"The objective of the refurbishment was to improve the visibility of the walkways in the production area to enhance employees’ safety."As the factory hadn’t been renovated for some years, floor markings were no longer visible and cracks were appearing throughout thus increasing the risk of trips and falls.In a food processing plant, there are strict environmental and safety regulations to comply with. It was therefore important that the paints and coatings used in the refurbishment conform to those regulations, but also have a rapid curing times to minimise downtime.Our client’s organisation relies heavily upon the dynamism of its teams. It was therefore only natural that employees themselves – from the accounting department to the technical teams - rolled up their sleeves and got on with the refurbishment project. The idea was to raise awareness of safety issues in the factory. For us, it meant we needed to supply user-friendly paints and coatings that could be applied easily by staff. Our solutionOur client researched various solutions and suppliers for their refurbishment project. Watco products, which are long lasting and user-friendly, stood out from the competition. Three products were applied: Safety Grip: A heavy duty anti slip, two pack epoxy resin coating designed for dangerous areas. Epoxyline: A heavy duty, fast drying, line marking paint. Epoxy Gloss Coat: An extremely tough floor coating that is virtually solvent free, and therefore ideal for a food processing plant.

Holland had to mount its largest-ever security operation when it hosted the third Nuclear Security Summit at the World Forum in The Hague in March 2014, with 13,000 police officers, 3,000 soldiers and 4,000 military police mobilized during the summit.Organisers had to guarantee the security of the world leaders from 53 countries, including event sponsor US President Barack Obama, and up to 3,000 journalists without unduly disrupting the day-to-day lives and business of local Dutch citizens.The SolutionDutch police turned to a British high-security fencing systems manufacturer with a growing international reputation as the go-to company when world leaders gather and the hosts need to guarantee their protection.Zaun installed 30km of fencing to secure the London 2012 Olympics including VIP emergency gates at the Olympic Stadium which were dubbed the Obama Gates.Last year it provided the same service for the G8 Summit in Northern Ireland and the influential meeting of global leaders and the world’s commercial, political and financial powers at the Bilderberg conference at The Grove in Watford.Zaun worked with long-term partners Hardstaff Barriers and Highway Care to design, manufacture, install and decommission the temporary high-security cordon around the summit, which included 13 gates and almost 3km of fencing, much of it designed to mitigate the attack by hostile vehicles or protesting mobs of people.Debates within the security cordon – 1.8km of SecureGuard and 1.1km of its RDS Rapid Deployable System – focused on how to lock up the world’s nuclear materials more securely so they would not be so easy for terrorists to steal: a field again where Zaun has helped in securing the nuclear industry.

THE COMPANYAs you UK leading manufacturer in mail and parcel boxes, we always welcome the opportunity to create different solutions for our customers, whether it’s the design, size or functionality of a mail or parcel box or the feel, look and shape of materials. When Mars Foods UK got in touch, this was no exception.The Mars foods factory has been running for over 100 years and have over 130,000 associates in over 80 countries. They focus on business, wellbeing, people and sustainability.The Mars Foods factory has a strict policy regarding protective clothing in their workplace in order to meet the strict Food Quality & Safety regulations. Overalls are fully laundered after every shift, and the issuing and control of these must be organised. This project also utilises a storage shelf built under the mailboxes, offering an area to place parcels.THE PROJECTThe laundry boxes we designed and manufactured are open on the rear side of the product and locked on the front side. Laundry is placed into the box through the open side, and members of staff unlock their specific box with a designated key – accessing their fresh clean overalls ready for each shift.This project features over 300 boxes that are semi-recessed into a stud wall, mounted upon plinths which provide stability and support to the banks of boxes. Each bank of laundry boxes is fitted with a surround flange (on both the rear and front sides), ensuring a neat finish between the boxes and the wall. The mailboxes are finished in a Sky Blue (RAL 5015) colour finish which was specified to meet the branding guidelines of the company.Always aiming to think outside the box, this was another opportunity to provide a high quality solution on another interesting project.

Catnic's lintels have given definition to Beaumont, a stunning Country and Coast Homes development of 6 large houses in Highcroft, Exeter. Approximately 60 1.25inch CX cavity lintels were supplied, which support the sharp, unusual shape of the architect-designed buildings, were chosen for their strength, reliability and thermal capabilities.The lintels support the exterior window and door features; special corner lintels support the external over-eaves, while large window openings elegantly contour the shape of each house. Chosen specifically to support the specialist architectural features of the development, offering both the structural and thermal performance required for the building envelopes.Constructed using the traditional brick and block method, the building facades were then finished with a white K-render to all external elevations.Consistent with Country and Coast Homes' portfolio of luxury contemporary homes, the development features superior quality fixtures inside and out. As a brand synonymous with quality in the construction industry, Catnic reflects this too. County and Coast Homes focuses on exceptional attention to detail, it only uses the most reliable and durable products in the construction of its homes. Chris Dodge at County and Coast Homes said: "We have been using Catnic Lintels for over 10 years, they are by far the best. A superbly well organised company who offer exemplary service, their lintels are extremely capable and well suited to our high quality homes."Country and Coast Homes prides itself on a high level of sustainability in each development. Catnic lintels surpassed the energy targets in this particular development by helping deliver the efficiency required to achieve a B on the EPC rating.

A leading Brighton veterinary practice has specified made to measure stainless steel sinktops from GEC Anderson for its new clinic. Combining durability and easy maintenance with an aseptic surface, the sinktops give Coastway Veterinary Group a quality solution to a key requirement in specialist areas. GEC Anderson supplied five sinktops in satin stainless steel for the new clinic at Freshfield Way, which provides treatment for many of the city’s pets.Coastway needed the sinktops for the new premises which replace its original Kemp Town surgery, at nearby Montague Place. Founder and senior partner Tony Cowie says: “We chose GEC Anderson sinks at the recommendation of our architect who well knows the abuse that routine veterinary work can dish out on the unsuspecting sink. We wanted something resilient and hard wearing for our new showcase clinic. The Freshfield site is the first where we have had no design constraints. It was a huge industrial shell unit, in which we could design the ideal practice in terms of ergonomics, health and safety and the ever present clinical imperatives. With GEC Anderson we had the opportunity to have sinks made to our bespoke specifications – and ‘man’ enough to cope with what we will throw at them.”Specialist veterinary architect Norman Ray, who has designed all Coastway’s clinics, says he has specified GEC Anderson products for 15 years. “They are good, solid products, and ideal for veterinary surgeries. GEC Anderson can manufacture virtually anything and they have an excellent advisory service.”GEC Anderson provided five satin stainless steel sinktops in three configurations, all with water retaining edges and integral bowls with basket strainer wastes and overflow fittings. The 1,215 x 600mm sinktop for the consulting room hand wash has two bowls, each 500 x 400 x 190mm; the front edge is 30mm high, while side and rear edges are 50mm high. The cat and dog recovery rooms each have 1,000 x 615mm sinktops with 30mm high edges all round and a single 550 x 500 x 240mm bowl. The isolation unit and the education room have identical 450 x 500mm sinktops with 30mm high edges and a 300 x 344 x 175mm bowl.Coastway opened its first Brighton surgery at Montague Place in 1974, and the group now has five clinics between Shoreham and Rottingdean. Tony Cowie says relocating its Montague Place clinic to Freshfield Way provides improved facilities for staff, patients, and owners. These include separate cat and dog areas, bespoke hospitalisation and intensive care facilities, a specialist referral centre and a new home for the group’s 24 hour emergency surgery. “The move also allows us to extend our veterinary nurse training programme, holding seminars and courses on the premises. We’ve waited several years to make this move, ensuring that the new position, building and facilities were worth the wait,” he says.Martin Tye, GEC Anderson Managing Director, says the new Brighton clinic highlights the role that quality stainless steel products can play in modern veterinary, medical and dental facilities. “Stainless steel is extremely durable and it can be maintained to high standards of hygiene with minimal effort. It is impervious to most chemicals and is available in a special acid resistant grade for special applications.”

When the 35th South West Cheshire Scouts moved into their brand new £285,000 state of the art Scout Centre, they immediately noticed that a problem with extreme echoes in the main hall.The hall is used by over 120 Beavers, Cubs and Scouts weekly, plus wider community use, so it was imperative that the acoustic issues were resolved as quickly as possible.The building itself was purpose built and is a conventional brick construction lined with Thermalite blocks. The main activity area measures 11 x 11 metres and around this are toilets, a kitchen, large equipment store and a small meeting room. The store area remains with the painted Thermalite blocks, but the remainder of the building has been rendered and skimmed with plasterboard. The decision was made by the Scout leaders that it was inappropriate to use plasterboard in the main activity hall fearing it would not stand up to the rigorous activities of the scouts and would soon get damaged, therefore opting for render and plaster. The ceiling was skimmed plasterboard.After immediate recognition of the acoustic problems within the building, the organisation approached Hush for advice and guidance. Our technical manager carried out tests, calculating the overall existing reverberation time to be 3.9 seconds with a peak at 500 Hz of 5.39 seconds. Subjectively the reverberation time seemed longer, around 6-8 seconds, which was surprising in a hall of these dimensions and construction.After carrying out the tests on the centre, Hush recommended a solution to treat the hall (aiming for a reverberation time of 1.5 seconds over the wider frequency spectrum) using 40x Hush Absorber 50 panels.The transformation was instantaneous, with immediate feedback that they could hear the room recovering. John Bennett, Group Scout Leader, said“The result has exceeded our hopes, it is now possible to have a quiet conversation whilst 20+ six to eight year olds are having fun! Not only that, it looks good as well.

When the idyllic village of Tormarton nestled in the Cotswolds wanted to transform the main room in their village hall, the committee responsible for organising and specifying a replacement floor would choose Taraflex® Multi-Use from international flooring specialist Gerflor.Tormarton has a population of about 350 people from a wide variety of backgrounds. At the centre of village life is the parish hall which provides a blank canvass for a raft of local community activities.Stewart Waters, Chair of the Tormarton Parish Council commented, “We specified Gerflor Taraflex® Multi-Use indoor sports surface as it would cater for a variety of needs. The new Taraflex® sports vinyl floor is much easier to maintain and clean and so much brighter than the old, dated tiles.”Commenting on the project Chris Pursey, Gerflor Area Sales Specification Manager, Southwest & Channel Islands said,” The existing subfloor consisted of old vinyl tiles, which although were well bonded to the substrate, presented a health and safety risk if removed due to possible presence of asbestos.” Chris Pursey added, “For this reason, we specified that the installation should ideally be over an Isolsport membrane, which left the tiles undisturbed and also enabled the installation to be done quickly with minimal floor preparation.”Stewart Waters ended by saying, “We have had lots of positive comments and all parties are really pleased with the refurbishment. We would definitely choose Gerflor flooring again.”Taraflex® sports flooring has been fitted at every Olympic Games since 1976. Approved by many National and International governing bodies as a world class sports surface, it is also widely installed within the education, community, leisure, health, and fitness sectors.

Part of the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Princess Anne Hospital opened in 1981 and is known as a centre of excellence for maternity care. Providing specialist care for women during pregnancy, as well as genetics and breast screening.Project Year: 2023Product: ASSA ABLOY SL500 FrameArchitect: Strata DesignClient: West End ConstructionProject Background: During the first wave of Covid, a piece of art named 'Game Changer' appeared at Southampton Hospital, this was a gift from Banksy to thank the 14000 staff members, as well as honour the work of NHS workers everywhere. The canvas was auctioned to raise money for NHS charities and organisations, raising a total £16.8m.Part of these funds have been used to improve the facilities, and this is where Landscape Architects Strata Design and West End Construction were engaged, to design and build a rooftop oasis for all the hospital staff, to have a place to enjoy and unwind.Solution: Working collaboratively and having surveyed the site where a window was to be turned into a door, FAAC Entrance Solutions proposed a framed SL500 bi-parting sliding door, in order to both maximise the opening width as well as keep the natural light into the building. Being a staff restricted area, access control was also a must, so this was integrated with existing staff passes to facilitate swipe access and with our QFlow traffic light system which regulates occupancy. The SL500’s framed system is a robust resilient door, making it perfect to manage high volumes of traffic as well Southampton coastal wind loads. Additionally, with its thermally broken profiles, additional tight-fitting brushes, it will contribute to keeping energy costs down in comparison to slimmer or manual door entrances.For more information or assistance with any project, please contact enquiries.esuk@faactechnologies.com where we can provide expert guidance and detailed documentation.

The challengeThe building housed old conventional hand dryers which hardly dried the hands and were very energy hungry. The requirement was that new units dried the hands quickly enough, but also were energy efficient. “They make the place more hygienic and people are less inclined to use toilet roll.” Jonathan Newey - Centre Director, St Werburghs Community AssociationAbout St Werburghs CentreBased in St Werburghs in East-Central Bristol, they serve the local communities and communities of interest across the city. Managed by the St Werburghs Community Association, it aims to provide accessible and affordable meeting rooms and facilities for individuals, community groups and voluntary organisations. Rooms are offered within its characterful Victorian building or contemporary and eco-friendly Annexe.The solutionThe Ecoforce hand dryer can run at just 500W and still provide a dry time that satisfies all user expectations. A low noise hand dryer suitable for all demographicsModel: Dryflow EcoforceDry time range: 20 – 25 secondsRated power: 500W – 1250W (On/Off heater switch)Guarantee length: 3 yearsThe resultsEstimated annual cost to use old hand dryers: £180 (based on 12p per kW/h) Estimated annual cost to use new hand dryers: £18.90 - £47.25 (based on 12p per kW/h)Annual cost savings: £132.75 - £161.10Estimated annual old hand dryer carbon production: 810 Kg/CO2 (based on 1kW = 0.54 kg/CO2) Estimated annual new hand dryer carbon production: 85 – 212.63 Kg/CO2 (based on 1kW = 0.54 kg/CO2)Annual carbon savings: 597.37 – 725 Kg/CO2Estimated return on investment period:Payback period: approx. 3.9 – 4.7 years

The Head of Security at a prominent London University was faced with key security issues when the organisation took over the security of an old building. The large ground floor building led directly onto a public pavement and housed academic and research staff with valuable computer equipment. The Security Team needed to find a way of securing the building, especially the large windows, without replacing them entirely.Bernadette Duncan (MBE) Chief Operating Officer of AUCSO explained the options they looked into:“We considered installing bars on the windows but did not want the building to look like a jail block or draw attention to it. The staff were also concerned about the sunlight on the south facing side of the building, so we would also need to install blinds. After looking at several options we selected 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐒® as the best option to maximise security, as well as giving the occupants the option to use the blinds on sunny days.”Bernadette went on to explain the other benefits of 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐒®:“From the public side, the blinds looked like normal vertical blinds, so did not draw attention as a highly protected building or a potential target for thieves. In the evening when the lights were on, the blinds could be closed to provide privacy and at night time could be locked to provide a secure screen against vandalism or a forced entry. It was the ideal solution for us.“The 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐒® team measured the windows and manufactured them for a bespoke fit. The delivery and installation timings were agreed and everything was fitted in time for the building to be occupied. The blinds gave the staff the required feeling of privacy and security, without feeling barred in. A great product which suited the building and a good team behind them.”Bernadette Duncan (MBE) Chief Operating Officer of AUCSO

Crown Commercial Service (CCS) is the biggest public procurement organisation the UK. At its busy offices in Norwich, Style worked with contractor, Sol Services Ltd, to create flexible space in one of the meeting rooms, enabling staff to configure the area into two smaller rooms or to completely open-up the area into one single space.The partitioning experts at Style designed a system that combines two glass folding partitions with impressive 42dB Rw acoustic ratings, alongside a Stylefold 120 solid folding wall with a 50 dB Rw rating, successfully delivering the level of adaptability demanded by CCS.With over 900 employees spread across four UK offices, CCS uses its commercial expertise to help buyers in central government and across the public and third sectors to purchase everything from locum doctors and laptops to police cars and electricity. The new partitioning moveable walls help ensure there is always the required room space available to accommodate the myriad of meetings that happen each week. “This is a great example of how a combination of solid and glass acoustic folding walls can create flexible meeting room space which offers light and visibility but is also very private,” said Steve Williams, sales director for Style Midlands.“These walls are so effortless and light to manoeuvre that the space can be reconfigured in minutes, which means different room options can be created for different meetings throughout the day.“The glass moveable walls also retain that feeling of having open plan space, whilst the impressive acoustic integrity of these folding walls means that meetings can take place completely undisturbed.”Further adding to the interior design of the room, graphics were added to the solid moveable wall with matching manifestations on the glass.

The 65-year old Altro safety flooring that is still performing todayWhen West Bridgford Baptist Church refitted its kitchen, they wanted high quality flooring that was safe, durable and easy to maintain. They chose what was then a new product – Altro safety flooring – and hoped it would deliver. That was in 1950, and over 65 years later, after innumerable coffee mornings, christenings and other events, Altro revisited the site with the most modern testing equipment and found the original safety flooring still meets the latest HSE standards. A pendulum test achieved PTV 40, representing a one in a million risk of slipping in both wet and dry conditions.Church Secretary Carol Hodgkinson said: “Our kitchen has had much use over the years and is important to the people who attend the Church and use its facilities. We’ve run a lunch club, cooked up amazing Christmas dinners and plenty of simple lunches too. Today it’s mainly used to prepare refreshments for our own church activities and for other groups that use our building, which includes toddler groups, keep fit groups, uniformed organisations and U3A groups, amongst others.“We were amazed when we were told how old the flooring is, we had no idea! We just know that it’s easy to clean. It’s reassuring to know that it’s still helping to prevent people from slipping after all this time.”The flooring that was laid at West Bridgford Baptist Church was called ASF Classic X25 and was the first Altro safety flooring solution. Roll-on to today and Altro Classic 25 is still here, albeit with a few tweaks! It remains a popular choice, although these days you’re more likely to find it in craft, design and technology rooms plus circulation areas.

Alghanim International Planetarium Kuwait City, KuwaitCultural Innovations was appointed in 2013 to develop the vision, content and exhibition design for the world’s largest cultural project - the Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre.As part of this project, a Planetarium was designed which incorporated our 3D Tetris acoustic panels, which were specifically designed to follow the curvature of the building.Using their wealth of experience in museums, culture, science and attractions development, the Cultural Innovations team curated a modern and immersive series of museums with enormous breadth, not constrained by existing collections, which delivered content and experiences that are directly relevant to the people of Kuwait. Opened in 2018 on a 13-hectare site in the Al-Sha’ab district of Kuwait City, the cultural centre includes the Natural History Museum, Science and Technology Museum, Arabic Islamic Science Museum and Space Museum.Using leading-edge technology, immersive environments, large-scale models and compelling interactivity across all four museums, the Sheikh Abdullah Al Salam Cultural Centre provides an exciting range of attractions as well as a fresh new learning approach for Kuwaitis.To deliver this landmark project Cultural Innovations worked in collaboration with architects SSH Design and contractors Alghanim International and Beck Interiors. The museum complex houses 23 galleries in over 22,000 square metres, presenting over 800 exhibits and experiences. To deliver the project a team of over 140 people, with 30 content specialists focused on interpretation and content development, and 25 exhibition designers with additional expertise for graphics, lighting and audio-visual development. Our extensive range of experts were assembled from universities, zoos, botanic gardens, museums and organisations such as the European Space Agency to provide advice and to ensure scientific facts and interpretation are correct.

A major global company selected Andel to install leak detection systems in multiple data centres, based on our approach, experience, quality and price. The end-user customer is one of the world’s leading digital infrastructure companies, providing a secure, sustainable, global collaboration platform to numerous industry-leading organisations in finance, manufacturing, retail, transportation, government, healthcare and education. The challengeThe data centres were built to the latest design specifications employing cutting-edge features and technologies. Mile upon mile of data network and power cable is installed under raised access floors where it can be organised and routed safely out of sight. The problem is that the same void, hidden from view, also contains water service pipes feeding air conditioning units, toilets and kitchens. A tailored, robust, hybrid solution needed to be installed meeting multiple requirements, primarily at low level, within the floor voids around the perimeter of the data halls with distance measuring systems monitoring CRAC units, plumbing and other plant. Additionally, a range of zonal systems provided early warning alarms and automatic isolation for water, refrigerant gas and oil leak detection.The solutionFloodline® HLD, Ranger® distance measuring system and a range of zonal senorsAndel’s Floodline® is a flexible, future-proof, zonal and distance measuring leak detection system. State-of-the-art, hybrid, Floodline® HLD multifunction control panels were installed in conjunction with Floodline Ranger® distance measuring systems and a range of zonal leak detection sensors including water, refrigerant gas and oil. Floodline® HLD control panel can monitor up to 224 zones using a combination of resistance-based and Modbus-enabled sensors.High-visibility Floodline Ranger® cable provides up to 1500 metres of continuous leak detection, detecting the presence of water and conductive liquid at any point along its entire length. Conductive-polymer technology construction makes the the sensor highly resistant to corrosion and abrasion. Sensor cable was strategically installed in floor voids to continually monitor the server halls, ensuring early leak detection through alarms and automatic valve shut-off systems.  The system triggers audio-visual alarms as well as sending onward communication to BMS. Resilient, sustainable, cost-effective, easy to install and maintain, Andel’s Floodline® is a flexible, future-proof, zonal and distance measuring leak detection system. Proactive approachPrior to installation, great care was given to ensure the customer was happy with all Andel’s Floodline® equipment and to demonstrate the superior build-quality and functionality and to allow the customer to see and handle the equipment first-hand. The customer was provided with all relevant technical specifications and user information. The project involved detailed assessment and planning for the five sites. Bespoke installation kits were manufactured in advance for each installation team. Andel put together mobile crews to visit each of the sites. The installation took 20 days from start to finish, meeting the deadline. The resultA successful leak detection installation that fulfills the customer’s brief, protecting priority servers and IT infrastructure in new major data centres. Installing Andel’s Floodline® leak detection systems now means the customer has:A cost-effective, reliable and low-maintenance leak detection system across five mission-critical sites.A bespoke, tailored solution for each site.Peace of mind with a leak detection system that will give early warning alarms and onward communication, allowing for evasive action to be taken to avoid any damage.A future-proof solution with a leak detection system where additional zones, sensors and upgrades can be added easily and cost effectively. What the customer said;We are delighted with the installation of the Ranger leak detection system across our sites. We feel at peace knowing our servers are protected with high quality systems providing realtime leak detection monitoring.Robert Gilbert, Project Manager

Gripsure decking has been used to complete a landmark health building. The £41 million Health Innovation One is the new home of Lancaster University’s Medical School and Division of Health Research.The state-of-the-art building is also a regional hub, which brings together industry, research partners, health and care providers, the voluntary sector and local authorities. The focus is to help improve the health and well-being of the area.With such a variety of uses and needs, it was important to get Health Innovation One’s outside space just right.BAM Construction Ltd, the firm behind the project, came to Gripsure because they wanted a safe, non-slip decking area which blended with the style of the building and its natural surroundings. Gripsure Cumaru was the ideal choice. This hard-wearing, non-slip decking range comes with a 25+ year expected in-service life.Up to 3,500 linear metres of our Cumaru boards have been used outside Health Innovation One’s main entrance and for the flooring of an outdoor seating area.“The Cumaru product was offered as a value engineering option and offered a significant saving to the specified product as well as being a high-quality solution.” said Jonah Speaks, Assistant Project Surveyor at BAM Construction Ltd.As well as the quality and look of the product, Jonah said the construction team was impressed with Gripsure’s support and help at every stage.He said: “There was ongoing support from the technical team to propose the correct fixings and interfaces to ensure long term performance and robustness.”Work was completed last year on Health Innovation One, which features various meeting rooms and event spaces – including a dedicated Innovation Lab and Business Lounge and an on-site cafe.The building is part of the wider Health Innovation Campus at Lancaster University. The site will allow external organisations to work with university experts when addressing health challenges in Lancashire, the North West and across the country.Gripsure is proud to have contributed to such an important project.

C-TEC’s revolutionary new evacuation alert system, EVAC-ALERT, has been specified for a new purpose-built residential building in London.Located in the Elephant and Castle area of the London Borough of Southwark, Joyce Newman House is an 8-storey block of 40 spacious living spaces commissioned by Leathermarket JMB, Southwark’s largest resident-managed housing organisation. The affordable-housing development also features landscaped gardens, an interactive playground and a communal kitchen garden for residents to grow their own vegetables.Specified and supplied by Churches Fire & Security working alongside Blu Electrical Installations Ltd, C-TEC’s EVAC-ALERT has been designed to comply with the new BS 8629, which recommends evacuation alert systems be installed in all new blocks of flats over 18 metres to assist the Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) in evacuating part or all of a building in an emergency.The system consists of a 2-loop control panel connected to a host of single and multi-way interface units, self-testing sounders and visual indicators. Simple and intuitive with manual controls to allow firefighters to easily operate the evacuation alert devices located inside flats on a zone by zone or floor by floor basis, the panel is stored in a secure vandal resistant cabinet which can only be accessed by the FRS using a special copy-protected key.David Collins, Project Manager at Churches Fire & Security, said: “Evacuation alert systems ensure firefighters can alert occupants in a building of the need to evacuate if a fire gets out of control. The EVAC-ALERT system we’ve specified provides peace of mind for residents and, crucially, also demonstrates that building management have taken every precaution possible to protect the people residing in the property. Our client is delighted with the system.”Certified to all relevant EN54 product standards, EVAC-ALERT is powered by C-TEC’s CAST protocol and fully compatible with ENVISION, its powerful new cloud-based remote access data management software which can be used to provide duty holders with a verifiable audit trail of system activity and device testing.

THE PROJECTParadise Student Village is in a prime location being only a short walk from Coventry City Centre and the main University campus. This impressive site contains over a thousand rooms, and this is likely to grow.The company behind this development is AXO, a student accommodation provider, who is committed to going that extra mile for their residents. The living experience of the student community is their top priority, with a range of future-proofed attractive facilities.One of the new services on offer at Paradise Student Village is the intelligent parcel management system myRENZbox delivered by The Safety Letterbox Company, part of the RENZ Group.Available to all couriers, this system allows students to manage their parcel deliveries and returns with utmost security and discretion via mobile app or online portal. It can also be used as a safe storage location or to securely exchange personal items between residents or for collection of packages by local services, such as dry-cleaning companies.Not only does myRENZbox save time for users, but having this system as a secure central delivery location also increases the number of successful first-time deliveries at Paradise Student Village. This intelligent parcel box solution has a positive impact on the environment, as there are fewer journeys made by delivery personnel.For AXO, the headache of intercepting and organising parcel deliveries has been solved by myRENZbox. Deliveries are made directly into the system, so the front of house staff can concentrate on offering the best living experience to the students. The responsibility for lost or damaged parcels becomes a thing of the past!For students, myRENZbox streamlines the process. There is no waiting time to pick-up their parcels. They are in control of their deliveries via the mobile app. As soon as they receive a notification of delivery into the system, they can collect their items.The myRENZbox configuration installed expertly at Paradise Student Village comprises of a control module, two 533mm extension modules and seven 300mm extension modules. It has been designed to fit snuggly in the alcove space available. The system has been powder coated in Traffic White (RAL9016), which is one of many standard colours. The overall appearance is clean and bright and allows the myRENZbox logo to stand out.

The purpose: Energy savings of £¼million over 20 years at just two of its sites are predicted to be achieved by London Fire Brigade through effective roof refurbishment using our Roofing Solutions. The brigade identified that the roofs at Erith and East Ham Fire Stations were in need of refurbishment. Numerous intermediate repairs had already been undertaken. An efficient solution was needed to help London Fire Brigade optimise best value in its asset management and reduce its requirement for planned- or unplanned- maintenance.London Fire Brigade therefore turned to Currie & Brown construction management consultants to oversee the design and execution of the refurbishment projects under a contract management framework agreement in place between the two organisations. We was called in to assess the roofs and advise on a course of action. Data driven roof condition reports from surveys were taken across the two premises. We highlighted that the roofs were beyond economical repair and needed new waterproofing and insulation- a U value of 5.00W/m2K was discovered in one roof area, against the Regulatory threshold of 0.35W/m2K and best practice 0.18W/m2K. Our solution: We advised that in the main, overlaying of the existing roof covering with CP-20 Paracoat Cold Polyurea Liquid System (warm roof) application was the most-efficient and cost-effective solution.The over-laying using the CP-20 system satisfies London Fire Brigade’s policy of preference for flame-free, with no roof replacement needed this minimised waste to landfill.Our Approved Contractor CWG Group won the contracts to undertake the upgrading, working to Langley’s detailed individual specifications for each site.At East Ham Fire Station, four main roof areas plus a separate ancillary building were addressed.LangGuard free-standing safety rail was installed around the perimeter of roofs 1 and 4.The final touch for the field roof area was provided with Paracoat Fast SF slip-inhibiting finish to agreed walkway areas.At Erith Fire Station, the refurbishment involved upgrading two roof areas including a rooftop tank room and adjoining canopy of corrugated PVC over the Station building, and a separate stores roof.

Shortly before the new school year started, the municipality of Ogre in Latvia opened a brand new sports complex at Ogre’s gymnasium. In the contest “Sustainability in Architecture Construction Design in the Baltics 2023”, organised by the Building Design and Construction Council, the sports complex was awarded 1st place in the category “Most Sustainable Project”. It was constructed by MONUM construction company.The multifunctional and energy-efficient sports hall has stationary and mobile tribunes, therefore providing space for up to 1700 spectators. The sports complex meets the requirements of the International Athletic Federation with four circular (200 meters) and six sprint tracks, a sector for the long jump, high jump, pole vault, and shot put. Also, in the centre of the hall, there are team sports courts suitable for basketball, floorball, tennis, volleyball and other games. On the second floor, the project's developers have built halls for a gym, gym classes and choreography. The building is complex and multifunctional, and four different Riga Wood birch plywood products have been applied here. Perforated Riga Decor and Riga Lacquer panels ensure excellent acoustics during sports activities, while Riga Paint gives an elegant touch to the lobby. Riga Ply has been used for various construction elements.“Riga Wood birch plywood products were chosen due to two main factors: it is a sustainable, renewable material with excellent technical properties and durable, with high wear resistance. Furthermore, in sports halls it is important to ensure good acoustics and perforated acoustic panels made of Riga Wood birch plywood panels serve their duty perfectly,” comments Maksims Žaguļins, project manager at MONUM.Riga Wood birch plywood has a long lifespan, and what is no less important, the maintenance is easy too. “In recent years, birch plywood has been used in many sports halls, especially for acoustic panels. The technologies that we use allow us to adjust the panels to the specific needs of each project with great results”, comments Intars Metums, head of the Wholesale Department of Riga Wood Baltics. “Furthermore, the versatility in our Riga Wood birch plywood products allows us to find the best solution, whether it’s for wall lining, floors or tribunes,” adds Intars.

Celebrating 50 years trading this year, as part of their celebrations and charitable activities, Harrison Thompson were pleased to offer their services to their local hospice.The Sue Ryder Wheatfields at Headingley Leeds is a charity run 18-bed hospice, offering the very highest care and services to patients with life-limiting conditions and their families, free of charge.“For our 50th anniversary, we wanted to focus our charity efforts on local organisations.” Explained Harrison Thompson Director, Graeme Brumwell.“Serious illness has touched a number of lives within the company and Wheatfields Hospice has been a facility close to our hearts helping families on these difficult occasions.“It seemed only fitting that we should offer something back for the care that Wheatfield has provided over the years.” Concluded Graeme.Yeoman Shield – the wall and door protection division of Harrison Thompson – got in contact with the Hospice to offer free material and installation for wall and door protection products to be fitted in an area of their choice which was gratefully accepted.2.0mm thick wall protection panels in Cream were fitted to the bedroom walls at the head of beds protecting from marking and damage which can occur from the movement of both the bed and medical equipment.In the corridors, Yeoman Shield’s Fire Rated Door Edge Protectors were fitted to the meeting edge of doors helping to protect from damage and helping to prolong the life of expensive to replace fire doors.The installation of Yeoman Shield will help Wheatfields to keep looking smart and inviting for all those who use the facilities whilst importantly helping to reduce their repair and redecoration cost over the years to come.Sue Waddington, Service Improvement Matron commented “I cannot commend high enough the service that we have received from Yeoman Shield’s contract department.“Due to the nature of our provision of specialist care and services, we had to call on Yeoman Shield at short notice to carry out the work when rooms were available. The installation was undertaken with great empathy and regard for the surroundings.“Now completed the Wall & Door protection looks great and dovetails into our existing décor lovely and gets the hospice well on the way to our forthcoming refurbishment plans for the inpatient unit” Concluded Sue.

A global construction, energy and infrastructure organisation required a durable, chemical resistant floor coating solution with an anti-slip profile that would withstand the daily wear and tear of its internal vehicle repair and maintenance facility. VINCI Construction is part of VINCI Group, a multinational enterprise with operations in the energy, infrastructure and construction industries. Founded in 1899, the company now has a presence in over 120 countries with a global team of around 220,000 people. The Widnes facility is one of ten VINCI Construction UK locations and houses, among other facilities, a vehicle maintenance workshop where the company ensures their fleet of general and specialist vehicles. The industrial unit that houses the workshop previously had a concrete paving slab floor that proved to be uneven, unsafe, and difficult to maintain.  Not only did the new flooring solution need to address these concerns, it also needed to be both slip and chemical resistant as well as feature clearly marked automotive bays and provide enough durability to withstand frequent wheeled traffic as well as the impact of dropped tools and the weight of heavy equipment. Installed in a combination of RAL 7037 Dusty Grey and RAL 6024 Traffic Green, vebrores EP HBC was installed across the 332 m2 vehicle workshop, with the Traffic Green used to mark out the facility’s six automotive bays, before being outlined using vebrodeck PU Linemarker in Yellow. Prior to the installation of vebrores EP HBC SR – a system comprising an initial layer of vebro EP Primer followed two coats of vebro EP Universal with a broadcast of 52 mesh silica sand after the first coat for an anti-slip profile – the pre-existing concrete paving slabs were first coated with an epoxy DPM and a 20.0 mm screed to level the surface. vebrores EP HBC SR is a pigmented, solvent-free, slip-resistant high build epoxy floor coating system that is best suited to floors in medium duty processing areas where a textured, hard-wearing, chemical resistant finish is required. Available in a wide range of BS 4008 or RAL matched shades, the system is ideally suited to areas where there is a need for navigational demarcation and zoning. 

Leading moveable wall specialist, Style Partitions, is offering a new range of recycled fabric finishes thanks to its exclusive UK partnership with Skyfold. This fully automatic, vertical-rising partitioning system is now available with either a Marin 1300 or Resolve 1301 fabric finish, both of which use between 90-100%, post-consumer recycled polyester. Complementing any interior décor, the sustainable fabric is available in a wide range of contemporary colourways. With environmental impact being a critical aspect of any development, this green initiative is yet another huge leap forward in Style’s ability to offer the most sustainable moveable wall solutions in the UK. Many years ago, Style was the first supplier to secure a UK Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) certification for moveable walls.The Resolve fabric selection use an incomparable, 100% post-consumer recycled polyester fabric, solving the root cause of the problem by helping keep plastics out of oceans and landfill. Taking sustainability to the next level, during the yarn-extrusion process, a biocatalyst is added to enable anaerobic digestion of the Resolve fabric should it ever end up in landfill or a wastewater treatment plant in the future. Tackling one of the most pressing environmental issues we face today, for every pound of Marin fabric produced, up to half a pound of recovered plastic waste from the ocean is utilised. Combined with other post-consumer recycled polyester, this industry-leading textile range is created using 90% upcycled plastic waste.“This latest enhancement to the Skyfold fabric range means we are even more perfectly positioned to help organisations become more sustainable, and this is also another important development for our range of finishes only a month after we announced the anti-bacterial effectiveness of our laminates,” said Julian Sargent, Style’s group managing director.Style is the exclusive UK partner to Dorma Hüppe, Skyfold and SWG offering a complete moveable wall design, installation and after care service. With an extensive portfolio, customers can choose from simple folding walls through to fully automatic acoustic systems, with a wide range of finishes and glass options to enhance any interior.

Anchor is England’s largest not-for-profit provider of housing and care for people  in later life, committed to providing homes where people love living in later life. This not-for-profit organisation serves more than 65,000 residents in 54,000 homes across almost 1,700 locations and operates in more than 85% of local councils in England.Deep rooted within the company values are robust initiatives aimed at providing the highest level of nutritional standards to the residents to support overall health & wellbeing. Comprehensive water hygiene inspection regimes are put in place to minimise risks and they continually seek new opportunities to reduce their environmental impact through reuse and recycling schemes.Committed to fulfilling their sustainability initiatives, Anchor partnered with BRITA VIVREAU and invested in premium drinking water solutions across multiple locations, bringing filtered, refreshing, clean drinking water for both it’s residents and staff. Based on business and residents’ needs, Anchor opted for different BRITA water dispensers across their care home sites – the versatile Top Pro is situated in waiting rooms and corridors and the powerhouse Fill model in the kitchen canteen, allowing for bottle-filling for residents in room, and keeping guests and staff hydrated. Additionally, BRITA’s signature Extra C-tap installed in the kitchen caters to hot & cold water requirements for their staff and residents.By being plumbed-in water dispensers, the care home could not only save money and use space more efficiently, without having to compromise on patient care, but this also encouraged round the clock access to fresh and hygienic purified drinking water, thanks to the powerful BRITA ThermalGateTM solution.Noel Finnegan,National Catering & Hospitality ManagerAnchor Hanover Group"To us, being sustainable means providing residences that people love living in. Sometimes maintaining an environmental policy in a healthcare setting can come with certain challenges and uncertainties, but our recommendation would be to start by taking small steps. Investing in a water dispenser program has been an easy way for us to reduce our carbon emissions, as we no longer have to worry about the logistics involved with handling, storing or recycling bottled water. We knew we needed to move away from our unreliable and expensive pre-bottled water process and the BRITA water dispensers helped us achieve that."

The Wates Group was established in 1897 and is one of the leading privately owned, construction, development, and property services companies in the UK. It employs almost 4,000 people, working with a range of clients and partners from across the public and private sectors.“Wates is committed to zero carbon and waste from its operations. As part of this strategy, Wates Sustainable Technology Services (WSTS) looks for better ways to design, construct and maintain buildings sustainably and our technical screening team has assessed over 40 sustainable innovation partners. We launched the Wates Innovation Network (WIN) Portal in March 2021 to help businesses ‘build back better’, connecting companies directly, and free of charge, with innovation partners who can offer solutions to help meet sustainability targets. Ecoprod’s URIMAT waterless urinals are among the Innovation Partners we feature on the WIN Portal.”Dr Zainab Dangana – Wates Sustainable Technology Services ManagerWates works with Clarion Housing to provide facilities management and property development services to its North London properties. It has established a North London site office in Manor House known as the Innovation Hub where it showcases the use of innovative products from the online WIN portal for customers to see how these products work in real life.It has installed two URIMAT waterless urinals within the Innovation Hub each of which can save as much as 100,000 litres of water per year, as well as substantially reducing maintenance, cleaning and other costs associated with the operation of traditional urinals."We intend to be based in this office for many years and we’ve invested money in making it a nice place to work; the waterless urinals certainly help with that and we expect to be using them for the long term, so there will be significant water saving over that time when you think about how much water would be running constantly if we had old-style flushing urinals.As well as water saving, another big benefit of the URIMAT urinals is that they emit no odour. Some people find this a bit counter-intuitive, but it really works. There’s no smell at all which is a definite improvement on traditional flushing urinals. I would definitely recommend URIMAT waterless urinals to other organisations."Fred Owusu-Bennoah – Operations manager Wates

A combination of external wall insulation and resin brick slips from Sto has helped create a thermally-efficient and visually striking appearance for a £7.8m residential refurbishment project in London. Located on the Stockwell Park estate, Tyler House now benefits from the use of Sto resin brick slips which have been installed as the final façade finish, onto the company’s StoTherm Mineral K external wall insulation system. The Tyler House building is organised around a central courtyard, and houses 48 flats with one, two, three or four bedrooms. “The buildings underwent a significant amount of refurbishment in order to improve the living conditions of the residents, and providing effective thermal insulation was a key element in that process,” explains Richard Watson of project architects Rock Townsend. “The Sto solution allowed us to provide that insulation. We also wanted to add 13 additional flats and the Sto brick slips gave us the opportunity to create a dramatic new appearance for the existing parts of the building which would contrast with the rooftop extension.” The Sto materials were installed by Sto applicator Regency Plastering of Dartford. “The residents remained in their homes throughout, and there were no problems in installing the external insulation and brick slips whilst they were there,” explains Regency’s Paul Brown. The BBA-certified StoTherm Mineral K insulation system is ideal for refurbishment projects such as Tyler House. Its external installation means that insulation performance can be substantially upgraded without the loss of any living space inside the premises. Comprising mineral-fibre boards which deliver high thermal performance and unrivalled fire protection, the system also incorporates reinforcing layers to provide additional impact resistance. For this project the insulation was installed using StoLevell Uni adhesive and supplementary fixings to create a strong and reliable bond with the substrate. Designed specifically for use with Sto’s external wall insulation systems and StoRend systems, the Sto mineral brick slips used on Tyler House are manufactured from a rugged and durable synthetic render, and combine a realistic simulated brick appearance with reliable, weatherproof properties. They can be used to match the appearance of surrounding buildings without compromising on thermal insulation, or as in this case, to create dramatic and individual facades. For Tyler House they were specified in a white brick slip colour which contrasts with the new, rooftop extension. 

In 2013, Cyclehoop were approached by Network Rail to find a cycle parking solution for platform 9 in Paddington Rail station.This was quite a challenge due to limited space on this platform, as well as the restrictions of working within a listed building which prevented a space-efficient two-tier cycle parking from being installed. The new design needed to be approved by Westminster Council and Network Rail, and installation had to be undertaken outside normal hours and within four days.We undertook a careful site survey and planning in order to maximise the cycle parking as well as permeability and ease of access. The 380 strong cycle hub on platform 9 is sympathetic to the station’s aesthetics, featuring a minimal guardrail and barriers in line with the station’s traditional interior, and is designed in such a way that people who cycle cannot lock their bike to the handrail or kick the cycle stands. As well as this, we installed our Public Bike Pump and Bike Repair Stand to ensure people who cycle have facilities in emergency situations.This project was overwhelmingly successful and resulted in a request from Network Rail for a second parking solution for platform 10 and 11. It made sense to replicate the original solution from platform 9, to keep the aesthetics in line with each other.Both of the 380 space Cycle Hubs were highly commended in the ATOC Cycle-Rail awards in 2014 recognising the progress made by the rail industry and associated organisations towards encouraging integrated Cycle-Rail travel. ATOC has a claim to encourage the greater use of cycles to access the railway. These awards enable ATOC and its partners to move closer towards fulfilling this ambition this ambition, through improving communication and the spread of the best practice across the industry.“Before the new cycle racks were installed at Paddington Station we had a lot of complaints from cyclists about the cycle parking, which lead to negative customer feedback. As the station is a grade 1 listed building there were many restrictions on what we could do. Cyclehoop listened intently to our problems and presented us with various creative designs. The installation was a dream and we are thrilled with the new cycle racks. It has been a pleasure working with Cyclehoop and we would highly recommend them.” – Nick Hartnell, Station Manager, Paddington Station