"communications"

The initial phase of a large-scale regeneration project featuring community sports facilities, office accommodation and an Enterprise Hub in Irvine, North Ayrshire, has been constructed with the use of 50,000 Carsington Cream bricks produced by Forterra in Measham exclusively for Taylor Maxwell. The construction on Quarry Road, Irvine, houses the office headquarters of a local leisure company and work spaces for Business Gateway, who aim to support local entrepreneurs and business start-ups, encouraging local employment. It provides a gateway into the development that will include local indoor and outdoor sports facilities and multi-use community spaces. The building was designed to mark the development entrance, draw people into the site and set the construction standard for the phases to follow. Andrew Martin, Sales Executive at Taylor Maxwell, said: “We were tasked with finding a suitable facing brick for Irvine Community Hub. With a budget to adhere to and a remit to provide a buff/cream coloured brick with a traditional appearance, the Carsington Cream Facing Brick was ideal. “This brick type is part of a commitment to certain product lines manufactured in the UK and mainland Europe that Taylor Maxwell makes to provide a ‘Select’ range of brick types. This provided Clark Contracts with a commitment on price and availability for a soft mud manufactured brick with the technical qualities needed for the Scottish climate.” Steven Nicolson, Forterra’s Area Sales Manager for Scotland, said: “The Carsington Cream brick is a handmade, low water absorbency brick that was used here to combine with the modern aspect of the building and to complement the surrounding buildings.” Nick Shepherd, Architectural Assistant at Anderson Bell + Christie, said: “Forterra and Taylor Maxwell’s Carsington Cream brick was used to contrast with the residential context and establish the building as a landmark. The tone of the brick was selected to harmonise with the timber cladding, as well as the timber louvres within the window openings which accentuate the texture of the brick.” Forterra nominated the project for the 2018 Brick Awards, in the Public category. 

Project: Parish Community Centre St. Hubertus, Vienna, Austria

Web developers, Mission Communications, were looking to make a positive impact on visitors to their West End offices. Stainless steel specialists, GEC Anderson ,were asked to provide the stainless steel elements, comprising surface, side-panels and shelf components that formed part of the main reception counter. With some imaginative use of lighting as well as glass panes, the result was very creative but also highly professional looking. Behind the main counter were some other stainless steel worktops as well as sinks that formed part of the office tea point and catering facilities.GEC Anderson’s usual EN 1.4301 grade brushed satin stainless steel was used throughout.

Westhill Community Church was a new, green field project in Aberdeenshire. Its highly contemporary style was designed for maximum functionality and to encourage use by the wider community. Natural light and climate controllability were the central considerations for the clients of McLean Architects during initial discussions - a common request for high ceiling, large space developments.The architect, McLean Architects (based in Glasgow), had used FAKRO roof windows on a number of other projects and specified FAKRO products because of the excellent technical support and the option to specify matching zinc flashings.33 FAKRO roof windows were discreetly positioned to flood the stage with natural light as well as illuminate a cluster of buildings that formed the sanctuary, low-rise foyer, and adjoining offices.Products included electrically operated FTP-V U3 windows with a rain sensor, specially constructed EFW Kerb Upstands were made to enhance the internal light with combination flashings, Smoke Vent windows, wall switches, and remote controls.

Formerly known as the Neighbourhood Learning Centre (NLC), Compass Community Hub in Merthyr Tydfil has undergone a complete redevelopment sponsored through the Shared Prosperity Fund. The project has been transformed into a unique accommodation centre providing young residents with both housing and on-site training.In 2022, the demolition phase began and as part of the Council’s Capital Programme investment project, the centre was relocated from the three into two blocks, with the third converted into five self-contained apartments.Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council have previously used KEIM Mineral Paints on another regeneration project and specified using KEIM again on this redevelopment, due to its breathability and longevity credentials.Bryan Roe of KEIM Mineral Paints visited the project and specified KEIM Royalan. The main reason for this was that on the high elevations, they are open to windswept rain.KEIM Royalan, in colours 9505, 9543, 9514 and 9162, was applied onto the new render to allow full breathability and longevity. The masonry paint will last for years to come.KEIM Royalan is designed to withstand harsh weather conditions, prominently in coastal and exposed locations.The new community centre opened in March 2023, with Merthyr Valleys Homes taking over the housing element of the scheme. 

From aesthetic versatility to low energy, low maintenance performance, VELFAC glazing delivers a range of benefits at the Raymond Fenton Youth and Community Centre (Fenton’s), an innovative addition to a high-end housing development from Redrow Homes.

Burton Albion Community Trust receive a brand new TigerTurf artificial grass 3G pitch.

300 vertically hung Rockfon Industrial baffles are installed to provide acoustic absorption in the double height central hub of the college.

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

RSP Consulting Engineers designed 1.8km of RAYCHEM HWAT-R self-regulating heating cable in a single-pipe hot water system throughout this new hospital. Capable of maintaining water temperatures at a standard 55°C, the system also provides the capability to boost temperatures to 65°C periodically during legionella prevention cycles. The system is controlled via 19 RAYCHEM HWAT-ECO controllers which communicate seamlessly with the central BMS. As the system uses half the pipework of a conventional re-circulation system the installation time was cut dramatically and much needed space savings were made in walls and ceiling voids.

Mono M311 Glass Infill Top FixOrbis OS211 Glass Infill Top Fix As part of the North West Fire PFI scheme, the Southport Community Fire Station provided improved facilities for Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service and the North West Ambulance Service.The client’s main objectives were to create well designed facilities to a high architectural standard and provide a safe and healthy environment. Designed and built by Balfour Beatty Construction, this new 6 bay station included community-orientated facilities, training facilities, rest rooms, additional office space and two staircases.In line with the client’s vision, Delta Balustrades were appointed by Balfour Beatty to design, supply and install handrails and balustrades to both staircases and an external balcony area. Combining a minimalistic look and feel with a high quality stainless steel finish, the Mono system with clear glass infill panels was chosen for the main staircase. For the rear stair and external areas, the Orbis system with powder coated uprights was chosen.

Orbis OS211 Glass Infill Top FixThe Birkenhead Community Fire Station was completed in 2013, as part of the North West Fire PFI scheme, a framework of 16 fire stations across North West England. The client’s main objectives were to provide a safe and healthy environment with improved facilities for firefighters and other personnel.Following demolition of the existing fire station, the design and construction of this multi-appliance station, led by Balfour Beatty Construction, included community orientated facilities, training facilities, rest rooms, additional office space and two communal staircases. At early design stages, Delta Balustrades worked closely with Balfour Beatty to meet the client’s objectives of creating well designed facilities to a high architectural standard. The Orbis system was chosen as a cost-effective, high-quality tubular balustrade solution for both staircases.The main stair boasted a brushed stainless steel finish with unique Banjo glass fixings. Savings were made on the rear stairs by selecting powder coated uprights and D type glass fixings.

TigerTurf completed a multi-use games area at Manor Farm Community Centre providing local residents with a high-quality artificial grass surface perfect for a host of activities.

NOMA is a new breed of mixed-use development in the centre of Manchester, a multi-phase scheme to create a 20-acre neighbourhood with a strong sense of community, built to world-class sustainability standards. For the public and accessible toilets in this building on the NOMA commons, architects Simpson Haugh implemented a Superloo layout interspersed with DDA-compliant cubicles. The Splash Lab was privileged to work with Simpson Haugh closely over many years to bring this vision to life with taps and accessories from our Radius Collection in a bronze PVD finish, as well as a Monolith DDA basin. Our comprehensive support for superloo designs helped achieve an efficient installation that doesn’t sacrifice clean, minimalist design. The contemporary bronze finish of the fittings provides a rich contrast with the white panelling and basin to create a washroom that looks both luxurious and streamlined.

25 Churchill Place is a 23 storey commercial office tower in Canary Wharf, London. The tower includes 20 floors of high quality (Grade A) office space and is one of the most energy efficient office buildings in the area. Environmental features include lifts that store energy that is re-used elsewhere in the building, and also a highly efficient air conditioning system.Standing at 130m tall, 25 Churchill Place has a VIGIL2 EVAS voice alarm system and an Omnicare EVC system installed.Initially the voice alarm system was installed to service the ‘shell and core’ of the building, with the system racks being designed and built to enable the fitting of ‘tenant’ functionality as and when required. This process is easily achieved due to the modular design of a VIGIL voice alarm system and is a frequently used benefit for ‘new builds’.For the disabled refuge and fire telephone system (EVC), the loop wired Omnicare system was chosen. Canary Wharf Contractors (landlord of BP4) opted for the dual coloured combined fire telephone (red)/disabled refuge (green) outstation which provides users with a choice of communication method.Both systems were designed and installed by Global Fire & Security Systems - one of our Gold Account achievers. Commenting on the installation, Stuart Beeley, Operations Director, Global Fire & Security Systems, said “We have worked closely with Canary Wharf Contractors and Baldwin Boxall on many great projects, and BP4 is another one to add to that list. We choose Baldwin Boxall systems, not only because we know them to be well built and reliable, but because of the support we receive from the company - at all levels.”

UltraTile are delighted to have played a part in the restoration of The White Swan – a pub based at the heart of Gressenhall Green, Norfolk.BackgroundThere has been a pub at the heart of Gressenhall Green for over 250 years but when the doors sadly had to close in 2018, and with the threat of the land being redeveloped for housing, the local community took it upon themselves to raise the necessary funds to transform their much-loved pub and reopen its doors once again.The ChallengeThe ‘Save our Swan’ community project has ambitious plans for the pub. Builders and volunteers have been hard at work stripping out the old fixtures, redesigning the interior space to provide more room and better facilities, and renovating the Cartshed to install a wood-fired pizza oven and dining area.The Gressenhall Community Enterprise have done a tremendous job in raising the funds needed to restore and revitalise The White Swan. For the project to be a success, and to ensure funds and volunteers’ time are used most effectively, it was crucial that the materials used throughout the restoration were reputable, trusted and guaranteed to perform.Dereham Tiles & Carpets, flooring specialists with over 20 years of knowledge and expertise, recommended the use of UltraTile for all tiling installations.The SolutionUltraTile was delighted to be part of such an important community project and was more than happy to donate 50% of the adhesives and grouts needed, free of charge.UltraTile ProLevel One was used to prepare the subfloor in the main pub and Cartshed, ready for installing the Jaipur Heritage antiquated limestone tiles with ProRapid RS tile adhesive and ProGrout Flexible grout.Formulated for depths up to 60mm in one application, ProLevel One deep fill floor leveller incorporates a blend of specially graded fillers, cements and polymers to offer a rapid curing profile for early fixing of tiles, even at thicker depth applications.ProRapid RS is a flexible rapid set tile adhesive specially formulated with enhanced adhesion and flexibility. These properties make ProRapid RS an ideal choice for use in wet areas, with underfloor heating systems and for installing porcelain, mosaic and natural stone tiles.Available in 12 colours to complement popular tile choices, ProGrout Flexible has been formulated using ColourShield Technology for a vibrant and long-lasting finish with all tile types. Polymers have been added to the formulation of ProGrout Flexible to increase flexibility and to provide a virtually impermeable set.Results“Brilliant, quality product that complements our limestone floor and adds to the character of our community pub”. Rosie Begg, Secretary at Gressenhall Community Enterprise.There is still work to be done at The White Swan but with the hard work and dedication of the local community, the doors to this much-loved pub will reopen for business around Easter 2022.

Hush Acoustics provided a solution to reverberation issues at the newly extended Queen Elizabeth Hall in the village of Layer de la Haye near Colchester.The hall was designed to be used as a multi-functional amenity for local residents and the general public and is host to anything from Scouts groups to wedding receptions. It was therefore imperative that the acoustics within the building were to a good level to be able to comfortably make use of the hall for all the varying activities.As in many domestic and public places, reverberation and in severe cases, echoes, had become a problem in with mid to high frequency sounds (in most cases) of speech causing disruptive and discomforting noise problems.After an initial inspection, Hush Acoustics proposed the installation of 30x Hush Absorber 50A panels. This Class A sound absorber has built in support frames to allow for bracket fixing to provide an air void behind the absorber for enhanced acoustic performance. The absorber panels were fitted over two days which meant the work had minimal impact to the running of the community activities.The client’s feedback was that the acoustics in the hall after installation “are perfect”.

ABOUT CURRAGH:Nestled in the glorious countryside of Southern Ireland sits the Curragh Race Course. Initially founded in the coffee rooms of Kildare, the Irish Turf Club was quickly established as the governing body for horse racing throughout Ireland.The first recorded race on the plain took place in 1727 and now Curragh (from the Irish name ‘Cuirreach’ meaning ‘place of the running horse’) is home to Ireland’s five classic races.ABOUT THE PROJECT:The Curragh site has recently undergone a 65 million Euro redevelopment project across its entirety. Works carried out included the stable yard (featuring 135 stables) and the building of a brand new grandstand with a spectacular sweeping roof. Covering 10,500 square metres the new grandstand can cater for up to 6,000 people within its four levels – in fact, the site as a whole, has an incredible crowd capacity of 30,000 - which is a typical number for events such as Derby Day!Visitor enjoyment and responsible ‘crowd’ control during any event at Curragh are equally important to the site owners and managers; therefore, all aspects of this were to be considered carefully during the planning stage of the redevelopment. Ensuring an event at Curragh is a pleasurable experience takes a lot thought and care. Aspects such as creating the right atmosphere for the different areas and ensuring that everyone can hear race commentaries and announcements, all form part of the overall impression of the day’s event. Taking great lengths to provide all visitors with a memorable day is likely to encourage them to return again in the future.To carry out the works required, a selection of top consultants were selected for the different aspects of communication throughout the site. Dublin based, Sound Productions Ltd was chosen to design and commission the PA/VA and EVC, as well as the TV and other audio distribution systems required for the Curragh buildings and surrounding grounds.The brief to Sound Productions was to supply a flexible multi-zone audio and voice alarm system with top quality audio. The specification was for a complex zone arrangement, with multiple audio inputs from broadcast companies, live commentary, background music and TV audio distribution. This included the requirement for a 98dB sound level trackside, with absolute intelligibility throughout all areas (including those with high reverberation) and, for this, a highquality PA/VA system was needed. It was imperative that these works were delivered on schedule, with ‘quality’ to be considered as the prevailing factor, without exception, throughout the project.The PA/VA system was to be delivered over two phases – the first one being the system rack for the Parade Ring; the second to be the New Grandstand, including two main Baldwin Boxall PA/VA VIGIL control racks delivering power to a network of EN54 loudspeakers. The specification for VIGIL to be the PA/VA system for Curragh was due to Baldwin Boxall’s renowned reputation for product quality and reliability, as well as the company’s excellent track record for the delivery of large projects.Now fully installed and operational, the PA/VA system is equipped to cater for up to 24 analogue and 32 digital audio channels all distributed to over 50 zones. Multi-zone general paging is also delivered using Baldwin Boxall’s BVRD TSM touch screen microphones along with BFM series microphones for emergency purposes.The project’s requirement for disabled refuge call points has been fulfilled by the installation of Baldwin Boxall’s Omnicare EVC system, which is controlled via a 16-way control panel situated in the Security Room.Commenting, Peadar Carley, Project Engineer, Sound Productions said “We are delighted to have been involved with such an amazing project. We have a long-standing professional relationship with Mercury Engineering (the project electrical contractors), who share our ethos of being very particular with detail and passionate about providing the best quality. To know that we were chosen due to our ability to deliver large, complex systems and for our audio knowledge, makes us very proud indeed.”When asked about Baldwin Boxall, Peadar continued, “We have been buying, installing and commissioning Baldwin Boxall products for very many years - over 30 in fact. The systems just keep on going - they really are robust! But it is not only for this reason that we return to Baldwin Boxall repeatedly, but also because of the support we can get from them. They know their stuff, are easy to deal with and I recommend them without hesitation.”

Hindu Temple & Community Centre, Nottingham, looked for a washroom revamp and specified Franke products for the project. Inspired Washrooms, a Nottingham based fit-out company, executed the project by installing a wide range of Franke products. The three-week programme included the installation of Franke Miranit washbasins and accessories from the Rodan range. The full range of products provided was: ·       2 x ANMW431 Quadro triple washbasins ·       6 x F3SV1001 FS3 self-closing pillar taps·       9 x CHRX669  Jumbo toilet roll holders ·       5 x RODX618 RODAN soap dispensers for wall mounting ·       4 x F1390 AIRBLAST hand dryers (white) The Temple, based in the City of Nottingham, was developed in the early 1970s and has since evolved into an establishment covering a wide range of activities promoting the Hindu ethos. These activities range from Religious, Cultural, Social, Festive, Educational and Charity events to Yoga practice.Miranit washbasins are ideal for busy areas such as community centres. Miranit is a shatter-proof, resin bonded mineral granite material and provided a robust and aesthetically pleasing solution to the project. Miranit is cast in a single mold with no adhesive seams or joints and offers high stability and high durability while keeping a contemporary style.  Chris Kightley, Managing Director of Inspired Washrooms, commented ‘‘We work with Franke regularly and can always trust them to provide us with quality products. Over the years, we have worked on many projects together, and we would consider them one of our most trusted partners. Their range Miranit composite washroom basins are excellent for various projects that we complete, and the Rodan accessories angular side profiles complement the contemporary décor of the washrooms”.

A new secondary school situated right at the heart of one of the UK's most ambitious regeneration projects

Optima windows were chosen for the construction of 18 houses, 38 flats and two retail units as part of a regeneration scheme in Maidstone, Kent. Housing association Golding Homes has invested £50m in a three phase regeneration project to transform and improve the former Park Wood estate in Maidstone. The scheme involved providing over 200 new homes, mainly family houses, as well as new community facilities including new shops, and a much wider package of investment to improve the local area.

A not-for-profit community food business in Sheffield has been reflecting on its success over the past year and praising the support of an addition to the team that allowed them to meet overwhelming demand. Regather, in Highfield, has been established for over a decade and is a sustainable, worker-owned community benefit society, run with co-operative values. With the help of its 15 acre market garden, the team sells fruit and vegetable boxes made up of local produce, by local workers. The BriefAs demand for the fruit and veg boxes grew – space became a premium. Initially, a marquee was put up to extend space outside the building, but this was not a suitable long term solution.‘It came to a point where we either needed to move premises or look for other solutions to reconfigure the building’ says Gareth Roberts founder of Regather. ‘Due to the pandemic moving the business was not a viable option. After much consideration, we decided to repurpose the event space upstairs into another working area. The problem then was getting the 600 – 700kg of produce safely between floors’.The ChallengeRegather only had a very small area for a goods lift to be installed due to the main entrance and a staircase. Goods Lift Design Engineer Umar Lodhi was up to the task and created a MezzLift design that not only fits the space but does not block the entrance to the building when the doors were open. ‘Special thanks to Umar Lodhi, the designer who worked with us to make the lift fit within our restrictive space,’ says Gareth.Another challenge faced by both Regather and Penny Hydraulics was the installation of goods lift during the pandemic. Social distancing was adhered to and the lift was able to be installed on-time with little disruption.The SolutionThe MezzLight goods lift can safely move up to 250kg of goods between floors, providing Regather with the flexibility to reconfigure their workspace. This has helped the business to grow in line with the increased demand, without the need for downtime or the huge expense of moving. ‘I actually did some the prep work myself – within a week the lift was in and up and running, it has really helped to transform the business’ says Gareth.

When HSP Architects and Price & Myers wanted to transform a listed commercial basement in Temple Fortune to create a new community centre, they needed to look no further than Newton Specialist Contractor Arti Construction to perform the waterproofing.ning three of the walls were either fully or partially below-ground and suffering from water penetration. Arti recommended the Newton CDM System, as it is the most safe and reliable form of waterproofing that would deliver a completely dry internal space and cause the minimal amount of disruption to the Listed structure.The basement, part of a four-storey Listed building, was built into a hillside, meaning that three of the walls were either fully or partially below-ground and suffering from water penetration. Arti Construction worked with the design team at an early stage to design a waterproofing solution.With existing Listed basements such as this one, Arti Construction were quick to recommend a Type C cavity drain waterproofing solution in the form of the Newton CDM System. Type C waterproofing is the safest and most reliable form of waterproofing that will deliver a completely dry internal space, whilst also causing the minimum amount of disruption to the Listed structure.Before Arti could proceed with the installation, they first had to re-level the existing concrete slab in order to provide a flat and stable floor.With the structure fully prepared, Arti could then proceed with installing a full cavity drain waterproofing system. This consisted of installing Newton 508 with minimal MultiPlug fixings to the walls and floors to capture the ingressing water. The water is then directed via Newton Basedrain channels to a Titan-Pro sump chamber, for removal by dual NP400 clean water pumps.The complex basement space included existing columns, windows and an internal staircase which all had to be factored into the waterproofing design.Regardless of this, Arti Construction completed the 280m2 installation within budget in just one week, delivering a reliable Type C structural waterproofing system that is also compliant with British Standard 8102:2009.

The BriefWates Construction contacted us in October 2017 as they were tendering for the £7.8m development at Murray Park Community School in Mickleover, Derby. The project which was supported by SCAPE and funded by the ESFA, comprised of a brand-new building with a new reception area, 15 additional classrooms and office space.The SolutionWe were invited to attend a design meeting in February 2019 to discuss a shade and shelter solution that would work well with the area and match the design whilst also being cost effective and of the highest quality. From the meeting, it was agreed by all that the Coniston Wall Mounted Canopy would be the perfect shade and shelter solution and the Langdale Cycle Shelters were the perfect product to provide the cycle coverage required.

Park Community Primary School provides infant and primary education for over 250 children from the age of 3 to 11 years. Whilst in the process of building a new annexe at the school's site in Wrexham, the school identified a need for a number of canopies at various areas around the exterior of the building to provide shade and shelter for the pupils and staff.These new canopies would provide a covered outside area that could be enjoyed all year round, whatever the weather. However, in order to provide effective cover when moving from inside the building to under the canopy. Furthermore, the school was not keen on the aesthetics of a metal framed structure and so required an alternative material to be used for the framework.As the school did not want a metal structure installed, Able Canopies recommended their new range of Tarnhow Canopies which are constructed from Glulam timber.

Promat plays key role in transforming vacant site into valuable community hub 

Extensive edging was required for the courtyards to delineate hard and soft landscapes. During a site visit, BAM asked us to also supply planters, benches, tiles and accessories for the terraces. This required a full supply and install package. Two 80m walkways were lined with 1.2 x 0.6m Atria tiles. One walkway was built on top of extensive M&E pipework so a bespoke steel pipe cover system was needed to support the tiles. Atria beige tiles were also used on four of the terraces to surround CorTen steel Planterline bespoke planters with inset iroko timber seating.

Project BackgroundThe Harrow Club in London W10 has been creating positive futures for marginalised young people in West London since it was formed in 1883 as The Harrow Mission Church. Through general youth clubs and specialist interventions, they aim to empower young people to complete their education, avoid anti-social behaviour and become positive contributors to society. They work with up to 500 young people each week across 6 clubs, helping them to recognise their full potential.The Harrow Club with high ceilings, period windows, and exposed beams has a large sports hall which is a preserved reminder of the Club’s heritage, plus a smaller dance studio, both of which were heated by an old continuous gas-fired radiant tube system that had ‘life-expired’.Project SolutionBuilding Services Engineering Consultants, SS and A of Great Portland Street were commissioned by the Harrow Club to explore options for the replacement of the old radiant heating system. They called on the expertise of Powrmatic to review possibilities and offer a solution.The installation of the new systems was expertly undertaken by Industrial Commercial Environments Ltd of East Sussex. Radiant heating is the most suitable form of heat for both sports halls and dance studios as the lower air temperature for the same comfort level is approx. 5ºC lower than with a warm air system, thus producing a beneficial environment for the activities. A new Powrmatic SRP-PCV+ continuous gas-fired radiant tube system was the proposed solution. This enabled the installation to follow the route of the existing thus minimising costs and disruption during the works.Project ResultThe new Powrmatic SRP-PCV+ continuous radiant heating systems in the two halls have provided the Harrow Club with energy-efficient heating for the next two to three decades. These systems deliver the comfortable environment crucial for the well-being of the young people that the club nurtures in their quest to improve their futures.The Harrow Club now benefits from the energy-efficient Powrmatic SRP-PCV+ systems, listed on the Carbon Trust Energy Technology List (ETL), reducing their fuel bills, carbon emissions and thus their impact on the environment.

In June 2021, work finished on the regeneration of a social housing project in Glasgow, Scotland.The project saw the replacement of 34 doors for Parkhead Housing Association, which were in poor condition due to the age and constant use of the existing door sets.

The client, East Lindsay District Council, planned to build a brand new £7m state of the art Public Sector Hub facility in Horncastle, Lincolnshire to provide office space for the District Council, Boston College, along with Lincolnshire Police and local medical organisations. A sustainable approach was needed towards the construction of the large 220 space car park required to serve the new building to avoid surface run off and flood risk to the surrounding area.  Using Tarmac's ULTIPOROUS meant planning conditions and would keep the car park free from standing water, even after heavy rainfall. It also avoided the need for additional costly drainage systems and was far less labour intensive than alternatives like block paving, which helped saved time and cost for the client. The smooth, even finish also met the client’s requirement for a safe, low maintenance, all weather surface.

This community engagement project for YMCA in Milton Keynes featured Wallbarn M-Tray on a roof space which acted as a leisure and social area for the students and residents of the YMCA campus in Milton Keynes. It also featured in the training and development of young people with learning difficulties and with challenging upbringings to learn about construction and green roofing, being able to gain NVQ qualification and further certification for installing green roofs.The green roof will be moved in its entirety to a new premises in early 2022 where the benefits of the M-Tray system are fully demonstrated. Rather than have to dig up tonnes of loose aggregate, established sedum and wildflower planting and sheet drainage materials; each module can be simply lifted up and transported via pallets to the its new home the other side of Milton Keynes at the new YMCA building. As this new premises will house many of the young people using YMCA services, this new green roof becomes their green roof to enjoy.

The challengeBoth male and female student washrooms were to be fully refurbished in the main building as they were tired looking and the busiest in a school with 1200+ students. The old hand dryers were loud and slow to dry the hands. The washrooms were opposite classrooms, so noise was an issue. New hand dryers needed to be energy efficient, cost effective, robust, reliable, attractive and with quick drying times.“They are quieter than the old hand dryers so neighbouring rooms have benefited. Since installation we feel they have encouraged more usage as a result, so contributing to improved hygiene by users in the premises.”Alexis O’Brien - Premises Manager, Gladesmore Community SchoolAbout Gladesmore Community SchoolGladesmore is an 11-16, mixed school with approximately 1,250 pupils. It is situated in the urban area of South Tottenham, adjacent to Markfield Park which backs onto the River Lea. It has repeatedly been judged to be an ‘Outstanding School’ in all aspects by Ofsted Inspectors.The solutionProviding a quick dry time yet Quiet Mark approved low noise volume, this vandal resistant hand dryer has 4 settings to maximise energy efficiency and minimise running costs.Model: Dryflow ViperDry time range: 15 - 20 secondsRated power: 600W - 2000W (4 settings available)Guarantee length: 3 yearsThe results“The hand dryers are robust while still looking attractive. They dry hands just as quick as a more expensive brand but at more than half the cost.The quick drying time has also helped to alleviate congestion at peak rush periods during break times.The ability to easily adjust the temperature and speed with no special tools is useful and can be done in under one minute.”Alexis O’Brien - Premises Manager, Gladesmore Community SchoolEstimated annual savings using new high-speed hand dryers compared to previous units+:Cost Savings: £196Electricity savings: 1,634 kW/hCarbon Savings: 882kg/CO2Estimated annual savings using new high-speed hand dryers compared to if paper towels were used+**:Cost Savings: £9,856Carbon Savings: 11,592kg/CO2(+Dryflow Viper running at its most energy efficient setting based on 12p per kW/h and 1kW = 0.54kg/CO2; **Based on 3 paper towels used per dry, 0.6p per paper towel, 22.5gms/CO2 per dry)

This exciting project, situated close to a major wind farm, required a sheathing board with exceptional pull-over performance; and the need for unusual board sizes meant that waste was an issue, particularly in light of the architect’s BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating ambitions.The Project: Hugh Baird Community and Higher Education Centre, LiverpoolProject Value: £8 millionMain Contractor: Wates Construction North WestSub-Contractor: Sound Interiors LimitedProduct: VersapanelSize: 1200 — 2800 — 12mmQuantity: 2,000m2About the ProjectAn £8 million, 2,600 square metre project, the new Hugh Baird Community and Higher Education Centre in Liverpool offers an innovative mix of facilities, not only for Hugh Baird’s students and apprentices but also to the local community, schools and businesses.The facility will incorporate a University Centre, a flexible performance and exhibition space, a public library and a Jobcentre Plus. A new Business Development Centre, providing professional training for local businesses, is also to be a core feature.Architects IBI Taylor Young have created a striking modern design, incorporating a semi-rotunda feature and a three-storey overhanging box structure.The ChallengeThere were two key challenges on this project for sub-contractors Sound Interiors Limited. Firstly, the unusual design called for non-standard panel sizes. This is becoming all too common as contemporary architecture moves increasingly toward the unique and, in some cases, the downright eccentric.Secondly, the five-storey structure is located in a windy area; so windy, in fact, that, less than a mile away, you can find the Port of Liverpool 10MW wind farm, capable of generating electricity for 5,500 homes. Where wind is a factor, the pull-over performance of any building boards used is critical, particularly during construction when wind can penetrate the structure and create areas of negative wind pressure.The SolutionSize is EverythingAs modern British architecture moves away from the conventional, the challenges for construction professionals like Sound Interiors increase. Whilst, in the past, construction has largely been a logistically focused endeavour — the ‘when’ and ‘where’ of it all — increasingly, the question that dominates the pre-construction phase of a project is ‘How?’The skill and experience of Sound Interiors came into play not only in applying their technical knowhow to the challenges of constructing an overhanging box and creating a curving rotunda from flat building boards, it also influenced their choice of materials.Said John Sheeran, Contracts Manager at Sound Interiors Limited, “We opted for Euroform’s Versapanel on this project — and numerous other projects — because it’s easy to work with and reliable. Plus we get exceptionally good technical support from the team at Euroform. For the Hugh Baird project, where lots of unusual sizes were required, the fact that Versapanel is available in a larger 1200 — 2800 — 12mm size meant we could dramatically reduce wastage. This material-conscious approach also helps us support IBI Taylor Young’s ambition of achieving a BREEAM rating of ‘Very Good’ for the building.”Under PressureIt’s no coincidence that four 125-metre Nordex N90, 2.5-MW turbines, capable of producing a total of 10MW of electricity, have been strategically located just a mile or so away. This is a windy area of Liverpool. Thankfully, Sound Interiors’ commitment to Versapanel also resolved this second challenge, reducing the effects of negative wind pressure during construction.John Taylor, Business Development Manager at Euroform, said, “Versapanel makes the ideal sheathing panel for challenging construction environments. For areas of high wind load, such as coastal regions, a board with effective wind-load and pull-over performance can be extremely important. Obviously, no two projects are alike, and we’re only too happy to work closely with professionals like Sound Interiors to ensure the best possible outcome.”ConclusionThis isn’t the first time that Sound Interiors, Euroform and Versapanel have come together to overcome adverse weather condition. At Gogarth School in Llandudno, freezing temperatures and driving rain presented a significant challenge. At Hugh Baird, it was strong winds. In both cases a desire to reduce waste was a key commitment of all parties involved. And in both cases, a successful outcome was enjoyed by all.

Product:1no. Bespoke Coniston Wall Mounted Canopy: 74.26m x 3m – 3.5m2no. Standard Coniston Wall Mounted Canopies: 8m x 2.1m and 8.9m x 2.1mCanopy Frame Colour: Light Blue RAL 5012, matt finishInstallation Date: August - September 2019Contractor: Morgan SindallArchitect: Miller Bourne ArchitectsThe BriefIn September 2018, an invitation to tender was received by Able Canopies from Morgan Sindall Construction Ltd for a number of canopies at the brand new two-storey, primary and nursery school for which they had been awarded the contract to build to form part of the Hailsham Community College Academy Trust.After reviewing the tender documents we put our recommended products forward, which was a large Kensington wall mounted canopy and two Coniston wall mounted canopies.The architect then contacted us directly to detail that the main building frame was made up of large timber SIPS panels and the large steel posts were required to support the roof. However, they were also decorative in essence and played a significant part in the building aesthetic appeal, and they required Able Canopies to supply and install them as part of the package as they would run through the larger canopy.The original design and price we submitted did not require the inclusion of the steel posts, however we were then asked to include in our canpy costs. We therefore went back to the drawing board to come up with a canopy design which would fit the aesthetic and structural features required.The SolutionWhilst in talks with the architect, they explained that they favoured our Coniston Wall Mounted Canopy system and also requested the NBS spec for the product which wasn’t a problem as our products are all listed on the NBS National BIM Library.We therefore looked at the Coniston system and worked with the structural engineer to ensure the steel beams could be incorporated into the canopy. This enabled us to supply the contractor and architect with an estimate so we could secure the works as an early package enabling them to cast the foundations required within the main slab.Because the bespoke Coniston would have the required large steel beams through the roof, we designed a solution to ensure the canopy would still be a fully waterproof system. This was easily achieved with the Coniston because we were able to comfortably flash/dress around the roof support columns, to create a seamless walkway with a watertight roof.However, the large steel beams and underside required a lot of design work, we diligently designed bespoke connections for the posts to the beams, bespoke connections for the roof bar to the steel beams and bespoke guttering & gutter connections. This replaced the Coniston’s standard integral guttering system with an external gutter system that worked with the design perfectly.Click the link to continue reading..... https://www.ablecanopies.co.uk/c/wall-mounted-canopy-case-studies/hailsham-community-college-primary-academy-case-study.html

Brett Landscaping’s premium Invicta products have been used to create a range of walkways and modern hard landscaped areas for pupils of a new school in Surrey to use and enjoy. Heathside School is a new comprehensive school, opened in September 2022, serving the communities of Walton on Thames and Molesey. The capacity of the school is 900, and the first two year groups in the school are currently enjoying a state of the art, modern environment for education. Brett Landscaping supplied the school with more than 2,100 square metres of Invicta products in a range of finishes, including Citrine (with black fleck), Pearl and Onyx, alongside Omega in Natural, to create the external walkways and paths between school buildings. The Pearl and Onyx Invicta products were used to create a theatre style terrace in the main school yard, and a range of external communal areas for pupils to gather during their school day.

Jo Richardson Community SchoolProduct: Tarnhow Dome Free Standing Timber CanopyTimber Stain Colour: Antique PineCanopy Size: 35m x 11mEstimated Value: £90,000Installation Date: August 2017Contractor: KCH Contractors Ltd.The BriefJo Richardson Community School is a large school in east London. The School has around 1400 pupils between 11 – 19 years of age.In one part of the School there is a generous sized space that is enclosed on three sides by school buildings. The School has many courtyard spaces like this but this one is the busiest because it is next to the canteen and on the most direct route to the separate sports hall. As the space is uncovered it offers little shelter to pupils and staff. To transform this area, so that it could be protected and safe to use for dining, break times and other activities, the school wanted to cover it with a canopy.Initially they requested a steel framed canopy with no central posts. This would allow maximum use of the space (with no posts to restrict the flow of people or potential uses). There were two major drawbacks to this approach. The first was cost. A steel structure large enough to cover the space and work without central posts would not be cheap. The second was that using a steel structure, that was big enough to fit the space, had the potential to not be sympathetic to the surrounding buildings and environment.As this was such an important project it was essential that any solution satisfied both practical and aesthetic requirements. This can be seen in the rendered image below which shows how the all steel structure would have looked.A second, more cost-effective option was then proposed. This still used steel but included posts that would support from the centre. This gives more flexibility to the installation process and reduces costs, but does place limitations on the use of the space and flow of pupils under the canopy.In both cases a steel canopy was proving not to be the ideal option.The SolutionTo overcome the issues of using steel we suggested to the School that they consider our Tarnhow Dome Free Standing Timber Canopy. This would allow them to maximise the space, work within a manageable budget and use a material that would complement the existing buildings and make a strong and appealing visual statement.The final size was a canopy that measured 35 metres in length, by 11metres wide, with a height of 5 metres. This could be installed without central posts, thereby ensuring the space could be maximised and used for different activities and occasions.While timber was not the first thought for the customer it proved to be the perfect choice. With its good looks, provision of effective weather protection and value for money price, it ensured the school achieved their project goal of a transformed space that would provide value for them well into the future.InstallationThe final installation not only gave the school everything they needed in terms of weather protection but it also looked extremely impressive with the dramatic lines of the wooden Tarnhow frame drawing the eye through the structure to the end wall. The substantial height of the canopy added to the feel of space and depth that will mean the school can use it for all sorts of activities and events and not just as a seating area.It also allows large number of pupils to move around the space safely with plenty of room for seating and other equipment, such as a hot snack trolley, to be used.The installation itself was a textbook process with the frame going up quickly and then the roof panels being added to the structure. Our pre-installation visits and accurate measurements allowed us to have all the elements in place before the agreed installation date, meaning we could finish on time and on budget. We were even able to design and construct a neat bespoke solution where the canopy had to fit with the existing building – see image to the right.This meant that the protection from rain and snow was complete wherever you were under the canopy and would allow the school to get the most from their new space all year round.