"classrooms conference education fittings"

CUPA PIZARRAS has been specified across a major development and refurbishment at Tregenna Castle. The company’s products were selected for their ability to endure extreme local weather and provide an exceptionally long lifespan.Delivering spectacular views of the St Ives coastline, the Castle Approach Estate is a new collection of lodges built in the grounds of the historic Tregenna Castle Resort.Looking to complete the exclusive lodges, roofing contractor, Summit Roofing Solutions utilised a number of CUPA PIZARRAS’ products. Likewise, the project team also chose to use the company’s natural slate to complete a renovation of Tregenna Castle’s original roof.The lodges and castle are subject to difficult coastal conditions, including extreme winds and sea spray. As such, the project team needed access to roofing solutions that could deliver long-lasting, durable performance. Likewise, given Tregenna Castle’s status as a Grade II listed property, the team had to ensure that any selected products were able to deliver a traditional aesthetic, whilst still providing modern performance. Fortunately, CUPA PIZARRAS natural slate was able to meet all the desired criteria.Therefore, roofs on the lodges at Tregenna Estate exclusively used CUPA PIZARRAS’ 400mm x 200mm CUPA 12 natural slates, fixed using 100mm stainless steel hooks that were also produced and supplied by CUPA PIZARRAS.Notably, Summit Roofing Solutions was able to install the natural slate as a closed mitred hip system. In doing so, the project team ensured that all slates lined up perfectly with one another, which is only possible on account of the products’ uniform size and quality. This was particularly important on the lodges, where sections of roof were stepped down in certain locations and visible from ground level. Speaking on the project at Tregenna Estate, Adam Palmer, Company Owner of Summit Roofing Solutions commented: “Upon receiving the brief, we recognized that CUPA PIZARRAS’ solutions could help us to meet all key project goals. What’s more, the company helped us to overcome logistical challenges.”Following project completion, the Tregenna Estate played host to key stakeholders attending the G7 Summit in Cornwall, including the Prime Minister and US President Joe Biden. In anticipation of the event, enhanced security provisions were put in place on the site, which made the logistical side of the project more difficult.Thankfully, through its extensive distribution network, CUPA PIZARRAS was able to devise a well-considered delivery and logistics plan to ensure that supplies could reach the project team at critical times.CUPA 12 was chosen for this prestigious project as it is a high quality dark grey slate with a smooth finish. With a life span of more than one hundred years and very little maintenance required, natural slate is a durable, weatherproof product, un-matched by artificial alternatives. CUPA 12 has also received approval from Snowdonia National Park as a Welsh Slate alternative and has been certified by BRE Global as A+ for its quality, transparency, and sustainability credentials. Find out more about CUPA PIZARRAS solutions here at https://www.cupapizarras.com/uk/  

A major housing provider wanted their new workspace to reflect its corporate and environmental ethos. Vtec's premium wood-slatted system, SupaSlat, was used in the ceiling design. The beauty of the system was it supported the client's green initiatives, as FSC® Certified (FSC® 160047) wood was used. Vtec's SupaSlat system addressed the need for sustainable measures. The beautiful light-coloured grain complimented the sophisticated soft furnishes infusing warmth and vitality to the space. Read more to explore how the Lift and Shift system enabled accessible locations into the T-24 ceiling grid.

The UK's most exclusive and largest bungalow provider needed a refurbished space to tell their story. Vtec was excited to support the designers with a premium and modern ceiling beam design with the MaxiBeam system. The ceiling beams were 39mm x 85mm tall and the decorative ceiling was coffered, creating a sunken rectangle in the space. The ceiling carries occupiers on a journey in the large open areas achieving both visual and functional benefits. Learn more about how the Click Fix installation system made it easy for the beams to be removed for access to M&E services.

Project/ObjectiveProtection of offices from noise and vibration due to dropping freeweights.

Skyliner Sports Centre, Bury St Edmonds

Award-winning global practice, WilkinsonEyre, specified bricks and brick slips from innovation-led manufacturer, Vandersanden, to emphasise the horizontal volumes and architectural context of the contemporary, new Graduate Centre at Queen Mary University in London. Zero®, a new brick system from Vandersanden, offers a contemporary joint-free appearance and was WilkinsonEyre’s material of choice for the external walls of this 80m-long, seven-storey ground-scraper. Instead of being pointed up to the face of the bricks, the mortar is set well back, with rainwater draining behind. The use of brick draws attention to the horizontality of the building’s volumes and blends with neighbouring buildings...To find out more about the bricks used in this project or to see the wide range of high-quality bricks available from Vandersanden, click on the 'View more' link

BackgroundWard Flooring were required to fit a Stair Nosing which met DDA and Equality Act guidelines. Whilst helping to create an attractive and colourful new learning environment for the school’s students.SolutionThe new Q Range, available in 21 special profiles of Stair Nosing proved to be the perfect solution. This unique Stair Nosing design proved to be the most suitable solution for installation in Drapers Mills Primary Academy. Owing to its all over tread design, which provides a slip resistant surface from the nose to the back edge, gives the benefit of extra safety when ascending or descending stairs.The satin etched aluminium riser surface provides the double benefit of being scratch resistant and it inhibits the potential for ‘glare’, which is one of the requirements of the latest BS8300:2008 and Building Regulation guidelines applicable to stairways in areas of Public Access. For more information about the Q Range of Stair Nosings visit www.quantumflooring.co.uk.

These are the latest secure bike hangars manufactured, supplied and installed by Falco for Ayrshire College’s Kilwinning Campus on Lauchlan Way, Kilwinning. Commissioned for staff and student use, the four new bike hangars provide the college with 24 secure cycle parking spaces, all within a sheltered lockable unit.The design of each bike hangar includes the colleges own logo, instructional signage and powder coating in an attractive ‘Turquoise Blue’ RAL colour for additional durability.Installed near to the main car park, each bike hangar takes up no more room than a single car parking space and is capable of accommodating all types of cycles - from road and mountain bikes to bikes with a child seat on the back or storage basket on the front.The FalcoPod bike hangar, as shown here at Ayrshire College, is a robust on-street cycle parking solution designed to meet the needs of cyclists who don’t have access to private cycle parking facilities. The improved innovative shape means that users no longer have to remove some baskets or child seats when storing their bike!Falco design is both evolutionary and innovative by nature and the new FalcoPod is no exception. This is the third generation of ‘bike hangar’ type product building on the pedigree of the original street locker the ‘Midi Bike Box’ with some great new features over existing products as follows:Size - fits in half a car parking space and houses 6 bikes, with covered weather protection.Family inclusive – with an ergonomically improved design, the additional space/height (55% more) means there is no need to remove child seats or baskets from the back or front of bikes.Bike security - the six place FalcoSound bike rack has three locking points including the ability to use a ‘D’ lock through the rear wheel and frame.Easy access - single door with integral lock and gas strut for assisted lifting.The effective bike hangar has already been successfully rolled out to the London Borough of Waltham Forest, Brent, Camden, Westminster and Merton Councils. Bike Hangar Management and MaintenanceThrough our ‘Falco Rentals’ team, Falco now offers local authorities and private companies a fully managed bike hangar service dealing with key management and public payments as well as a regular planned maintenance service to support the council with its ongoing public service maintenance obligations.This service is not just restricted to bike hangars though, we are able to provide a rental service for any cycle parking facility, from cycle hubs and bike stores through to individual cycle lockers, the Falco Rentals system is both flexible and simple to use.For more information about the FalcoPod Bike Hangar, the FalcoPod Bike Hangar service or your cycle parking scheme, please contact our helpful sales team on 01538 380080. 

We were commissioned to supply and install cloakroom fittings and a bespoke ‘classpack’ package for a four-classroom extension at Hillside School in the north-east of Scotland... all to seriously tight deadlines.Portlethen is one of Aberdeen’s fastest-growing commuter towns and, within two years of completion, the local primary school needed space for more pupils... quickly. What’s more, the four-classroom extension had to be completed while the existing school and nursery operated as normal.Boyco were approached to simply provide fixed furniture and equipment but, instead, proposed a fully managed, supply and installation service that would ease the pressure on main contractor Bancon Construction. Our end-to-end package included the design, manufacture and installation of a bespoke system of cloakroom fittings, teacher walls, kitchen units and height-adjustable worktops.Challenging lead times were made more difficult by the coronavirus pandemic and new construction site rules. However, we put together a plan of works for accelerated manufacture and installed the systems in just two weeks at the end of 2020. The extension was handed over to the client in January 2021.“It was satisfying that even in the midst of a global pandemic, the Council and its partners could work together to ensure the completion of the project,” said Cllr Gillian Owen, chair of Aberdeenshire Council’s Education and Children’s Services Committee.Throughout, we liaised directly with the architect and the end client, combining our skills and experience to provide a fully-managed service designed to take the pressure off the main contractor. “Hassle-free” was how they described it. The project contributed to a portfolio of successful supply-and-fit projects in Scotland. “I will be recommending that Bancon Construction use Boyco on future projects,” said site manager Colin Smith.The service from Boyco couldn’t be faulted - from the drawings and delivery schedule to the quality of fittings, and an installation team who worked diligently without fuss to get the work completed on time.Colin Smith, Site Manager, Bancon Construction

The new £75 million Murray Royal Hospital, Perth was officially opened by Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond last year. The hospital provides state-of-the-art mental healthcare for adults from across Tayside. Franke supplied all manner of janitorial and healthcare washroom products to the project. Specification was exacting to ensure long and efficient product life and savings in water and energy use. Products from Franke Washroom Systems have included; an array of differing formats of HTM63 stainless steels sinks and worktops, disposal and janitorial units.

Estudio B76 designed its new headquarters in an industrial warehouse built in the 50s. They kept and revealed reinforced concrete trusses and the perimetral walls made of bricks. The design focuses on using glass and steel to maintain the industrial atmosphere.Thanks to active and passive sustainable measures, such as photovoltaic panels, aerothermal energy, and efficient shading solutions, the project achieves high sustainability.From Bandalux, we proposed a combination of systems suitable for both the working and residential parts of this mixed project:, but Veranda Plus is particularly convenient as it completes without denaturing the former structure of the building.

Four rooms affected by noise and dust ingress in the Grade II Listed Harris Manchester College, part of Oxford University had thermal secondary glazing installed by Selectaglaze to lower noise breakthrough and to make the buildings more energy efficient. Selectaglaze installed secondary glazing to 28 windows. A number of products were combined for the specification, including Series 20 slimline vertical units. Series 10 horizontal sliding units were used in conjunction with Series 42 fixed lights and Series 42 curved fixed lights for large gothic arched windows. The College has created a more comfortable environment for all users of its spaces.

Products: Flexi light – flexi frames. Flexi heavy – flexi modular frames & QUAD frames. Application: Air-handling units & Chillers. Roof build-up: Inverted roof design – (upside down roof). Diversitech recently supplied a number of their flat roof plant support frames to the REEC School development in Twickenham. The mechanical contractor on the project, chose Flexi Support Systems to support their rooftop air-handling units and packaged chillers. All flexi frames are fully adjustable, due to their M24 adjustable leg assemblies supplied as standard. Pump House carry out full load management reviews of all services being supported on their frameworks.

Timber frame manufacturer Scotts of Thrapston has used fermacell on a pioneering school build. Scotts of Thrapston in Northamptonshire have 95 years’ expertise in the equestrian and garden buildings sector but recently decided to try and break into the education sector by supplying modular classroom buildings. They specified 153 of fermacell’s 1200mm x 2400mm x 12.5mm boards for their first such project, Weldon Church of England Primary School, in their home county, and have not looked back since, also using fermacell® for another school and an office building.

Through a collaborative effort with Ashe Construction, Team BOYCO successfully undertook the transformation of classroom areas.Project ScopeNestled in the heart of Bishop’s Stortford, Avanti Brook Primary School is dedicated to providing students with a holistic and challenging learning experience. Recognised for its commitment to educational excellence, the school endeavors to cultivate a nurturing learning environment. In pursuit of this commitment, Avanti Brook sought to enhance its classrooms.Through a collaborative effort with Ashe Construction, Team BOYCO successfully undertook the transformation of a classroom area, crafting a space that seamlessly blends comfort with functionality for the benefit of students. The BOYCO WayBackgroundThe furniture was crafted to cater to 30 students, featuring a lower split-level sink for accessibility. Storeroom shelving was also installed, increasing classroom storage space and provide teaching staff with the space to create an organised and efficient learning environment. This has allowed for quick access to learning materials, and teaching essentials that need to be kept close to hand.Our dedicated in-house design and project management teams collaborated closely with architects to grasp the specifics of the client's requirements, ensuring the final product seamlessly complemented the school's overall aesthetic.The selection of our bespoke Peg Rails, Benching, and Sink Areas were chosen due to the Primary Schools requirement for a practical, everyday solution. The ranges selected also provide comfort and functionality for pupils, making them perfect for the classroom environment.Following a joint approach between BOYCO's project management team and Ashe Construction, along with our competitive pricing, the project was successfully fitted and completed within a 2-week timeframe.Quality Bespoke ProductsThe spaces that house the Split Height sink area and Cloakroom Benches were anticipated to be frequently used by students, so it was important for us to place a high emphasis on both durability and hygiene.As per the BOYCO standard, our timber is twice coated with our anti-microbial lacquer designed to prevent the spread of 99% of known bacteria, contributing towards a clean and safe learning environment.Additionally, all our metal work is coated in our 'Hot Dip’ Nylon, offering an unparalleled abrasion resistance that surpasses powder-coated paint alternatives by 500X. This robust solution ensures a long-lasting and aesthetically pleasing product, contributing to the overall visuals of Avanti Brook Primary School. Project SuccessThis project with Ashe Construction resulted in the client expressing full satisfaction with the product, followed by positive feedback.Team BOYCO are proud to have contributed to the delivery of this excellent project and are thrilled to have transformed learning spaces for pupils at Avanti Brook.

Swansea Council has transformed the support it delivers to pupils either outside or at risk of leaving mainstream education by building a brand new £9.64M school. When ‘scoping-out’ the project Swansea Council in conjunction with the contractor, would specify over 2000m2 of Gradus carpet tiles for the flooring element of the project. They would ultimately opt for the ‘Streetwise Design and Stratus designs for the school’s classrooms, corridors and communal areas.Cockett (Pupil Referral Unit) PRU school now provides staff and pupils with attractive and functional facilities all on one site.Gradus Carpets is a brand of the Gerflor Group, manufacturing premium quality carpet tiles and planks, broadloom, and impervious backed carpets. Utilising a range of high-performance yarns, Gradus’ extensive range of carpets are suitable for a wide variety of contract applications including commercial office, healthcare, and education environments.

Delivered under the 21st Century Schools and Education Programme, the new Caldicot School building in Monmouthshire offer the innovative and flexible learning facilities demanded by a contemporary secondary school. There are spacious classrooms, a multi-use hall, theatre-style learning areas and studio spaces for students to study informally. The building is designed to be energy efficient and natural light has been optimised throughout. Monmouth Comprehensive is equipped with state of the art facilities. Rockfon acoustic products play a pivotal role in both schools by creating stimulating learning environments that are at the heart of the architect’s vision.

Sector:     EducationArchitect:  Innes Associates Specified for: ·      Sustainable construction·      Inner timber frame ·      Durable external aluminium·      Design versatility·      Competitive pricingDesigned by architects Innes Associates, the latest addition to Cromer Road Primary School is a distinctive, L-shaped red-brick classroom building which wraps around a newly landscaped play space. VELFAC slim-framed windows and doors are a key feature of every facade, with dark grey external frames emphasising the pattern of shadows created by textured brickwork and inset window apertures. The VELFAC system has also helped architect Corrie Rounding meet challenging regulatory and sustainability targets while maximising usable space, increasing natural light and improving ventilation. ‘We pushed the contractor to specify VELFAC as we knew the composite frame was the right fit for the Cromer Road project,’ says Corrie. ‘The sustainability of the VELFAC system, and its low energy performance, met Department of Education requirements, while the robust external aluminium frame is ideal for a busy school environment. The design of the windows and doors also met our aesthetic brief, especially the inner timber frames. These are clear lacquered to emphasise the wood, provide a link with the trees surrounding the new building, and to deliver a less ‘sterile’ finish than aluminium or uPVC.’The VELFAC system could also meet key ventilation, daylighting and budget targets: ‘To manage costs, and maximise daylight in the right places, we concentrated our glazing allowance at the areas of most activity,’ explains Corrie, ‘but we also used windows to maximise the usability of the interior. For example, we used tall slim VELFAC units to illuminate the staircase but placed larger windows directly under the stairs to create an additional and useful breakout space.’The Cromer Road building is naturally ventilated, unusual for a Department for Education funded primary school project, with VELFAC units carefully configured to support an efficient flow of fresh air: ‘We wanted to make sure the building could stay comfortable without the need for mechanical cooling, even through the hottest summer,’ says Corrie. ‘This meant the placement of smaller windows on south facing facades, to manage solar gain, and the specification of multiple opening units across the building, including high level teleflex-operated lights. These are especially important in the classroom window screens where ventilation is guided by CO2 monitors.’ To ensure the security of children and staff, all windows also feature restrictors, with finger guards fitted to doors as an additional safety measure.Corrie was also pleased with the support provided by the VELFAC team, especially in the early stages: ‘VELFAC provided the estimates and performance data we needed to convince the contractor that VELFAC was the ideal solution for this project,’ she says, ‘and the school was certainly very happy with the end result’.

A barn conversion in Brecon has had a renewable heating system installed, featuring an Aerona³ air source heat pump and a QR hot water cylinder, a system which was designed by Grant UK and installed by a G1 Installer.

Over 250 Profile 22 Optima Flush Tilt and Turn windows were manufactured and installed in a stunning new build contemporary apartment development on a prominent plot in Shirley, West Midlands. The windows manufactured and supplied were Optima Flush Tilt and Turn Windows from Profile 22, the UK’s leading award-winning commercial window system. The fabrication and installation contract was awarded to experienced Profile 22 Approved Contractor Kingfisher Windows, a leading manufacturer and supplier of windows, doors and conservatories.

Crown Trade’s Clean Extreme range has been used throughout a new school building to provide a colourful and long-lasting paint finish. Stoneham Park Primary Academy is a brand-new school in Eastleigh which welcomed its first class of five-year-old pupils in September 2020. The school building has been constructed by Morgan Sindall with sustainability firmly in mind and specifying products from Crown Trade’s Clean Extreme range for the school’s paintwork will help reduce future maintenance cycles and save resources.

Radii’s elegant double glazed Parallel 50 (45dB RW) and Parallel 100 (50dB RW) partitions with single glazed pivoting doors was used for Marsh McLennan’s office fronts, meeting rooms and larger ‘project rooms’ along with retro-fit room booking and aluminium faced tech units.Parallel 100 was also utilised with pocket sliding doors for the Level 6 conference rooms, while 4490mm high Parallel 100 extended screens were installed to the East Thames Room on Level 6 and conference rooms. This required structural steel work to support both the weight of the glass above the transom and the hanging weight of a folding wall below by others. Linear 59 (39dB Rw) with bi-parting sliding doors was used on small meeting hubs on Level 6.

Many educational establishments now benefit from one or more partitioning wall systems, delivering flexibility to available space by allowing smaller classrooms to be quickly created, as required. As with any product, the lifespan of a moveable wall can be dramatically extended with routine servicing and timely repairs. Partitioning experts Style, recommends a service contract as the most cost-effective solution, helping ensure safe operation and maximum acoustic performance long into the future. Style also offers a ‘call out’ service for one-off repairs and emergencies and can service almost any moveable wall, even if they were not involved in the original installation

Berlin's new Waldorf Astoria Hotel next to the “Kurfürstendamm” – the first in Germany – continues the Renaissance of the old western part of Berlin. However there remains a clear commitment to the modern spirit. All rooms including conference rooms had to meet to the highest requirements and systems from Silent Gliss could fulfil those high expectations in all areas. Fitted with Silent Gliss Panel Glide systems.

A total of 31 Flexirol Straight Sliding systems were installed as room dividers in the Presidential Suite and as sliding doors in the hotel’s conference rooms. Soltaire 120 hardware was employed in the grand ballroom, with two sets of our Securefold 150 folding door systems fitted in the hotel’s restaurant. Phase 1 of the build also included the installation of 32 Husky 100 sliding door hardware systems, complete with soft close mechanisms, in rooms for the hotel’s branded residences. The 2nd phase of the development will see the fit out of 143 rooms within the same tower.

TigerTurf completed an Advantage Pro installation at The Avenue Lawn Tennis Club in Havant after their existing Artificial Grass courts needed replacing.

The Brewhouse, formerly known as Farsons Brewery was one of the first and finest examples of concrete-reinforced Art Deco buildings on the island of Malta. The building was founded and designed by Lewis V Farrugia and William Binnie and originally opened 73 years ago in June 1950.Now a Grade II listed building The Brewhouse has been part of a €86 million redevelopment project, reimagined by world-renowned London based ritchie*studio. Covering over 7,000 sq m of industrial space, the building now includes a unique mix of office, food and beverage, retail, visitor experience, and events space over seven floors.In a building of such historical and architectural significance the new windows not only had to look as close to the originals as possible, but also meet stringent requirements for thermal efficiency, as the building was designed to meet the strictest of environmental codes. Clement was thrilled that over one hundred white Clement EB24 steel framed windows were specified, featuring T bars and multi point locking.Robert Abela, the Prime Minister of Malta, was among around 400 people who attended the inauguration ceremony of Trident Park and The Brewhouse, one of the most iconic regeneration projects in Maltese history.ritchie*studio director, Ian Ritchie said: “Clement Windows provided the perfect steel window profile and workmanship solution to help restore this beautiful and iconic Maltese industrial Art Deco building."

Twinfix has over thirty years’ experience designing, manufacturing, and installing school canopies, playground shelters and covered walkways for education establishments, including nursery schools, primary schools, secondary schools, colleges and universities. Each structure is designed to fit and enhance its surroundings while providing the school with the type of canopy, playground shelter or walkway they need. Twinfix provide a full in-house service, from design right through to installation.Outdoor areas that are currently not usable during hot or wet weather conditions can be made into fully productive parts of the school or nursery. Canopies installed adjacent to a nursery classroom create an easily accessible area for sand and water play, while a walkway can give protected transit for staff and pupils between buildings at any school site.Golborne High School is a coeducational foundation secondary school located in Golborne, Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, England.The oldest part of the school was opened in January 1954 and today it is a trust school under the umbrella of the newly formed Golborne and Lowton Co-operative Learning partnership.Last year, Twinfix were approached by Parklands Services to design, manufacture and install three fabricated, lean-to mono-pitch canopies at the school. The canopies all served a different purpose: one provided cover for an outdoor eating area, provide shelter to pupils outside their classroom as they learn and play and to provide cover to parents and students waiting to enter and leave.The structures spanning a total of 162 square metres comprise of Twinfix’s innovative Multi-Link-Panel Non-Fragile (NF) roofing system, glazed with 25mm multiwall polycarbonate. The roofs are non-fragile in accordance with the HSE’s test for fragility ACR[M]001:2019, an important factor when installing canopies where children may try and access the roof. Each canopy has an aluminium frame, powder-coated to RAL 7016 anthracite grey.Being a one-stop shop for designing, manufacturing and installing such outdoor structures Twinfix are proud to offer a seamless service to any school or other education establishment looking for a canopy or walkway. The staff and pupils at Golborne High School are delighted with the latest additions to their school.

Gradus' Stratus carpet in Flint (grey) was installed in all of the school classrooms. The carpet forms a clean, blank canvas for the bright accent colours of the furniture and fittings.Primary barrier matting from the Esplanade range was installed to the main entrance and all side entrances reducing the amount of tracked-in dirt and moisture.ADM1 aluminium stair edgings with Jet (black) slip-resistant inserts were fitted to all staircases defining the step and helping to ensure the safety of all users circulating between floors.

FORBO’S FLOORING ELEVATES THE SUSTAINABILITY ETHOS IN NEW ECO-FRIENDLY PRIMARY SCHOOL  Two Rivers primary school in Keynsham, Somerset, is only the second school in the country to achieve Passivhaus Plus accreditation. To achieve this impressive milestone, architects Hatcher Prichard had to make conscious choices when it came to choosing materials for this project. With outstanding sustainability credentials and a wide portfolio of solutions suitable for the education sector, Hatcher Prichard specified a variety of Forbo Flooring Systems’ contemporary floor coverings, including its Tessera carpet tiles, Sphera and Eternal vinyl floor coverings, as well as both its Surestep and Safestep safety flooring. A new build primary school for 420 pupils, Two Rivers Primary School was designed to add the much-needed provision for primary education to children in the Keynsham area, whilst also following sustainable building practices. With the requirement to achieve Passivhaus Plus accreditation, which meant the building had to produce as much energy as the occupants use, Hatcher Prichard had to carefully consider the materials used in the construction of this building.  Simon Hatcher, Director at Hatcher Prichard explains further: “Two Rivers achieved Passivhaus Plus accreditation in February 2023 and is only the second school in the country to do so. It is also the first to be built using standard building materials, including a steel frame with concrete floor slabs. When it came to specifying materials for the building, we looked for manufacturers that had strong sustainability credentials. With Forbo’s environmental goals so aligned with our own, and that of the building as a whole, it meant they were the perfect fit! In fact, Forbo’s sustainability credentials and flooring solutions were key to finishing this wonderful building.” However, as well as the sustainability objectives that Simon had to keep in mind, he also had to meet the design requirements. Simon commented on this, saying: “We were supplied with a document by the Department for Education on the Employer’s Requirements, which includes a section on floor coverings and the factors to consider when specifying materials for schools. The main area of consideration though was the functionality of the flooring; it had to withstand the heavy foot traffic we would expect to see in a school, whilst also being easy to clean and maintain.  “Additionally, the floor coverings needed to be installed seamlessly alongside each other to keep the joints between them flush, as well as provide some slip resistance. The chosen floor coverings also had to be suitable for the usage of each room, with the colourways used also needing to be appropriate for the age of the children using the space. The Forbo account managers really helped with this, thanks to their understanding of how specific products from Forbo’s portfolio met the individual requirements of each room in the school.” With the suitability of colours in mind, Simon looked to incorporate elements of the local environment into the design, as well as take inspiration from the school name too. He explained: “The design of the school draws from its location at the heart of Hygge Park, Keynsham. The surrounding area has a calm, Scandinavian palette of colours and materials, with the local houses made from light buff brickwork with white render above. We opted to use matching buff brick and white render externally, with complimentary blues, greys and whites for the walls and other surfaces inside. All the floor finishes were supplied using the contemporary and durable range of Forbo products required for each individual space. For example, Forbo’s Eternal vinyl was specified in the Washed Beech wood décor for the hall, hall store, studio and servery areas, which provided a natural contrast to the white paint on the walls, without being too distracting. “We also specified Forbo’s Sphera homogenous vinyl in a clear blue colourway, to represent the ‘two rivers’ of the school’s name, which runs along the ground floor corridor and extends back up along the first floor. We also used Forbo’s Eternal vinyl in the Smoke colourway for all the ground floor classrooms, which created a calm and neutral feeling.” What’s more, a selection of Forbo’s Tessera carpet tiles were chosen in a muted blue colourway for the first-floor classrooms, which helped to make them feel bright and spacious. Speaking on this decision, Simon said: “With the first-floor classrooms designed for the older students, we felt it would be more appropriate to use a textile flooring, as opposed to the vinyl flooring used in the Key Stage 1 classrooms. As such, Forbo’s Tessera Teviot carpet tiles were installed in the Mid Blue and Blue Moon colourways, both of which fit the colour theme running throughout the school. Additionally, the Tessera carpet tiles are really easy to clean, another requirement set out in the brief, so it ticked all the boxes.”  In addition to the above, Forbo’s Surestep and Safestep safety flooring were used across the project to ensure the safety of students throughout the building. Specified in the Smoke and Silver Grey colourways to match the colour scheme, the safety floors were installed in the wet rooms on both floors, as well as in the DT classroom on the first floor.  Simon concluded: “We’re really happy with the finished project, as are the school and students’ parents. The school held an open evening in mid-January where the Head and Deputy Head showed visitors around the building; both were delighted with every aspect, especially the hardwearing finishes throughout.” With the initial design stage beginning in August 2020, the school was completed in December 2022 and opened for students shortly afterwards in the new year. To find out more about Forbo’s offering for schools, visit: www.forbo-flooring.co.uk/education

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

Besides all the technical benefits with fume hood fittings from BROEN-LAB, it just looks better when the appearance on all fittings are the same. With BROEN-LAB fume hood valves, you have a variety of choices for industrial and educational applications

Creating a branded retail experience with Breeze acoustic baffles in Rosella Red and black channel to reflect Pearls Bubble Tea’s corporate colour and tie in with the overall theme of the store.

Project: Jodrell BankMain Contractor: Sir Robert McAlpine LtdSubcontractor/installer: Sound Interiors LtdArchitect: HassellProduct: SuperPhonOverall Project Value: £16 millionQuantity: 56 triangular and 26 circular acoustic raftsHassel Architects and Robert McAlpine contractors collaborate on The First Light Pavillion, nestled in the Cheshire countryside at Jodrell Bank. The educational centre with a focus on not only the future of our planet, but of our universe.Jodrell Bank and the First Light PavilionJodrell Bank is the northern heart of British space research thanks to the Lovell telescope, which at 3200 tonnes is one of the world’s largest radio telescopes. The site hosts the yearly science and music festival ‘BlueDot,’ named after one astronomer’s description of planet earth from space as a ‘pale blue dot.’ As the name suggests, the event aims to change the way we think about our planet, with huge mechanical sculptures made of recycled items created each year. It attracts scientists and speakers from around the world, including Brian Cox and Richard Dawkins, award-winning author of ‘The Selfish Gene.’Drawing on the history of Jodrell bank, Manchester University are now embarking on a long term project to introduce a younger generation to science. The team believe ‘A passion for science, sparked in childhood, can be the catalyst that leads to bold new discoveries and a better understanding of the world around us.’ In order to spark this passion, The First Light Pavilion will use immersive installations to tell the history of Jodrell bank and it’s place in science history. The space will accommodate speakers, school trips and conferences, and will bring visitors from all over the UK.Robert McAlpineLead contractor on this project, Robert McAlpine have an equally future facing outlook. They are best known for the internationally recognised Eden Project, an indoor tropical paradise made of a series of interlocking biomes designed to emulate rainforest conditions. Unseen on this scale anywhere else in the world, Robert McAlpine constructed the world largest scaffolding, using 230 miles of poles. As well as looking the part, the offices are also built from entirely recycled materials, and the centre aims to promote caring for our environment. In a similar vein to The First Light Pavilion, the site was specially built to accommodate learning, as well as large scale festivals and events.Hassell ArchitectsHassell Architect’s ethos is focused on science education, winning them two AIA awards for their work with James Cook’s University’s science department. They were highly praised for “making science visible, accessible and attractive,” to both students and the general public. The firm is also known for recognising the changing needs of educational spaces in the digital age. Many of their projects focus on multi-use spaces that can be used for socialising, group learning and conferences. They are based both the UK and Australia, and have led projects everywhere from Brighton to Brisbane, bringing an international flair to the idyllic Jodrell Bank site.CMS Danskin AcousticsCMS Danskin Acoustics describe themselves as experts in soundproofing solutions, and have a huge amount of well known projects to back this up. Many of their most inventive projects have been in partnership with SuperPhon, and showcase CMS Danskin Acoustics ability to create distraction-proof educational environments. Most recently they were involved in a reinvention of Teesside University Library. Tasked with breathing new life into the study space, CMS Danskin Accoustics suspended foam plates from the ceiling to emulate a rainforest retreat. The foam plates were specially designed with study in mind and dispersed sound, keeping interference at a minimum for the students below.The ProblemReverberation is consistently a problem in large educational spaces, affecting sound quality and causing distractions. With 20,000 schoolchildren expected through it’s doors each year, and countless speeches and workshops happening year round, reducing reverberation is of high priority for The First Light Pavilion. A useful measure for the effectiveness of any sound absorption solution is BB93: acoustic design of schools – performance standards. This details the level of sound absorption acceptable for a classroom environment. BB93 recommends reverberation time to be as little as 0.4 seconds, which should be used as the benchmark for this project.The SolutionIn a similar technique used at Teesside University, SuperPhon’s sound absorption rafts will be suspended from the ceiling of the pavilion. They will integrate into the design of the pavilion, as they can be cut to bespoke sizes, mirroring the night sky above. The panels are sound absorbent, made of a composite construction and covered in acoustically transparent woven textile fabric..The ResultReverberation should decrease to 60 decibels in less than half a second, as recommended by the BB93, making The First Light Pavilion the calming educational space it was designed to be. The building will be able to comfortably accommodate thousands of visitors each year with minimal noise disturbances, allowing guests to focus on the majesty of space and the world around us.

The Exterior Colour Book has been created by the Crown Paints Colour Service to provide guidance and inspiration for exterior decoration projects. It includes details on Sandtex Trade, Crown Paints’ external substrate decoration and protection brand, as well as superior wood protection brand Sadolin. When selecting a colour for exterior projects, personal preference is sometimes secondary to concerns such as impact on the local context and the relevant planning regulations. That’s why Crown’s Exterior Colour Book provides information about the built environment, covering topics such as historical styles, geology and local materials, regional colours and colour application.

As a specialist in the automation of access control, Automatic Systems is well aware of the issues faced, especially in the light of recent events, and can offer tailored solutions that not only meet student and staff security needs but also the health and wellbeing of all.