"foamglas®"

ChallengeThe London Stadium (formerly Olympic Stadium) and home of Premier League football club West Ham United, required an insulation solution that would not only upgrade the thermal and acoustic performance of the HVAC and service pipe areas, but also one that could meet the overall environmental demands of the project.SolutionAfter a series of consultations with the main contractor, Knauf Insulation developed a bespoke, one product solution, which met all requirements and helped to reduce engineering costs and installation time.23,000m2 of Rocksilk® Soffit Linerboard Standard was installed in the different elevations of the stadium, from level two to the lower ground level of the West Stand.Manufactured with ECOSE® Technology, Rocksilk® Soffit Linerboard Standard is a laminate of a compression resistant, non-combustible Rock Mineral Wool slab with a variety of aesthetic finishes designed to provide a robust faced solution suitable for installation in semi-exposed environments such as stadiums like this.The project was completed before West Ham’s first competitive game at the London Stadium in August 2016."The insulation product knits together to prevent open joints, which helped us to maximise the thermal efficiency of the insulation."Kunal Vekaria, Project Manager at HLS Installations

Opened in April 2019 by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, Hounslow House is the new greener-energy HQ of Hounslow Council in London.Building plans for the new purpose-built council offices included a rooftop communal area, and, impressed by what the team at AG could offer, it was agreed that AG’s TerraPave® premium granite flags perfectly fitted the requirement for a smooth granite finish flagstone, providing a more superior product than the original spec while also ensuring significant cost savings on the project.The 500m² area was given a beautiful aesthetic look through the use of our TerraPave® Rimini and Milano Ground (400x400x50mm) which was calibrated and laid on pedestals for speed of construction.Offering an attractive, cost-effective and practical alternative to traditional stone paving, TerraPave® is a favourite choice with architects and specifiers – and this is one project that proves why that’s the case.Dan Smith, AG Regional Sales Manager, said:“AG was able to provide better quality and a keener price on the products used. Furthermore, our team was also able to deliver both the experience and project know-how required to ensure the client received best value for money on the overall project.”

The development district now known as London Docklands is an area alongside the River Thames to the East and South East of London. The Harbour Central project involves the construction of a large single storey reinforced concrete basement, high-rise reinforced concrete cores and frames varying in height from 24 to 41 storeys, plus two low-rise reinforced concrete cores and frames.The product used to prevent punching failure throughout the Harbour Central development is the Schöck Bole® reinforcement system. This widely used and trusted Schöck Bole® solution consists of double-headed studs and anchors, with spacing bars, which enable installation after the bottom reinforcement and before the top layer. The two-spacer rods, which are welded to the vertical studs, ensure the correct distance between uprights and the size of the stud heads guarantee a perfect finishing bond with the concrete. As result, when compared with a typical stirrup reinforcement system, an increased shear force resistance of around 70% is achieved. It is cost-effective and timesaving solution and as the Modebest Senior Engineer on site, Sean Togher commented: “The Schöck Bole® product was easy to understand from a reference point of view and we found it really straightforward to install”.

CHALLENGEIn Toronto, ON a large mail sorting facility was having an issue with chemicals coming from a concrete processing plant bordering their employee parking lot. The customer was looking to create both a visual and physical barrier from the equipment and excess dust. The fence had to be 2.4m tall, solid and without worry of material maintenance. They wanted to replace the existing fence that was just chain link with tarps, and an eyesore on their property.SOLUTIONA much more visually appealing and effective solution was found with hanit® 100% recycled plastic tongue and groove boards by HAHN, supported by galvanized steel beams. The 3.6m long beams were sunk 1/3 of the length into concrete, then filled with the 3.8cm x 13cm x 2133cm long T&G boards. Each panel was further reinforced at the base using a small hanit® support. The result was a simple, long-lasting privacy fence that met the customer’s needs. Shown here nearly three years after installation, the privacy fence has been a continued success. After numerous seasonal changes and close exposure to the conditions produced by the concrete plant, this installation demonstrates the durability and potential applications of hanit® 100% recycled plastic products. 

he University of South Wales (USW) has recently installed 900 m2 of Taraflex® Area Elastic (AE) System vinyl sports flooring in ‘Maple’ from international flooring specialist Gerflor. This high-quality installation was for a replacement floor in the USW Fitzone at their Treforest campus.“USW were looking to replace their existing timber sports floor due to damages caused by flooding. As they had an installation at USW Nantgarw Sport Park One of our Taraflex Combisport system they wanted costings to install a similar system at the Treforest site.” Tony Thorne added, “We specified 900m2 of our world class Taraflex AE System, as there was existing equipment which included bleachers and doors. As part of the rigorous specification process, we had to meet the same height as the existing flooring. At Gerflor we have timber sports floors within our portfolio, however following conversations with various stakeholders on the project and due to factors, such as non-sport use and high life cycle costs due to the repeated maintenance needed for timber, we specified Taraflex as the floor finish.”Richard Lewis, Capital Projects Manager at USW said,” We decided to replace the existing sports surface due to a previous roof leak that damaged the floor. The Taraflex sports flooring has only recently been installed, but it is already exceeding our high expectations.”The installation of the Taraflex® sports system would be the responsibility of Swansea-based Artisan Flooring who have installed Gerflor products on previous projects.Lewis Williams, Contracts Manager, Artisan Flooring said, “We would choose Gerflor’s Taraflex again as it’s always been a reliable brand, especially when it comes to sports flooring. It’s a great product to work with.”Taraflex® AE systems are area elastic floors consisting of undercarriage construction topped with Taraflex® Surface. Taraflex® Surface is a compact vinyl sheet sports floor covering consisting of a D-Max™ surface - Gerflor’s own complex made up of calendered polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sheets reinforced with a fibre glass grid for high durability and outstanding dimensional stability.

TYDE was recently approached by Garry Wells at Wells Commercial Refurbishment Solutions Ltd who were looking for a solution for a project they were working on for the refurbishment of Norton public toilets on behalf of Stockton on Tees Borough Council. The brief that Garry and his team had from Stockton on Tees Borough Council included a requirement for Anti-Vandal WC Pans and Basins.After researching our Resan® products online the team at Wells Commercial Refurbishment contacted one of our Business Development Managers to find out more about what kind of solution we could provide. After some initial discussions we were invited to meet with Garry and his team to go through the requirements of the project in more depth.Over a period of time, we worked together to create a comprehensive list of exactly what would be needed to complete the job to the high standards demanded by Stockton on Tees Borough Council. We provided samples of our recommended products to Garry and his team and satisfied that Resan® was what they were looking for, Wells CRS placed the order for our products via Crosslings Merchants in Stockton on Tees.In order to ensure that the installation of the products went smoothly for Wells, our Resan® Specification Manager attended the site several times to offer advice and suggestions on all aspects of installation and setup. This helped to ensure that Garry and his team at Wells CRS met the high expectations of their client who were delighted with the finished project. Stockton on Tees Borough Council are confident that the finished project will serve the community of Norton for many years to come.This project highlights the benefits of using our Resan® products on projects of this type due to their damage resistant qualities. It also provides further evidence that the excellent onsite expertise and service we can offer to contractors will always guarantee the best quality finishes.Gary Wells from Wells Commercial Refurbishment Solutions Ltd commented, “The new toilet block is an important facility for the popular High Street and anti-vandal sanitaryware was essential. The Resan® range from Dudley was perfect for what we needed and the experts at TYDE were fantastic throughout the project from our initial conversation to completion."

Set on the former site of a pub and a fish and chip shop, the stunning new Clifftown Shore residential development has breathed new life into the Western Esplanade in Southend-on-Sea in Essex. The development boasts a stunning location close to both the seafront and the nearby Conservation Area, which encompasses some of the coastal city’s most celebrated local architecture including the 1912 built Cliff Lift funicular railway. In addition to the 51 luxury one, two and three bedroomed apartments, the development also features a ground floor restaurant and cocktail bar and a host of aluminium fenestration systems.Taking inspiration from the Art Deco style of the neighbouring buildings and the beauty of the natural landscape, the undulating ‘waves’ of the white concrete framed building have been further accentuated by the curved installation and slim sightlines of Senior’s thermally-efficient SF52 aluminium curtain wall system.The stunning views from the individual apartments have been framed using Senior’s patented PURe® tilt and turn aluminium windows, with PURe® SLIDE aluminium doors providing access to the outdoor terraces. The thermal efficiency achieved by Senior’s PURe® aluminium system has been further enhanced with the use of energy-efficient triple glazing.The main entrance to the development features Senior’s aluminium PURe® Commercial Doors to provide safe and secure access. As well as contributing to a more energy-efficient building envelope, with all of Senior’s aluminium windows and doors comfortably meeting the new lower U-value targets of Part L of the Building Regulations, the use of the PURe® system also offers improved acoustic performance.Owing to the coastal location of the development, Senior’s aluminium fenestration systems were powder-coated in marine grade Matt Black to offer additional protection from the elements and provide an attractive contrast with the white building design. The installation of aluminium brise soleil, also powder-coated to match the aluminium windows, is both an attractive and practical feature, and will provide solar shading and protection against solar gain.Designed by LAP Architects and built by Cura Construction, all of Senior’s aluminium fenestration solutions were fabricated and installed by supply chain partner Glass & General.

The Olympic Village consists of 11 blocks, each block comprising between six and eight individual buildings, which are eight to twelve storeys high. Of the many amenities in the Village, by far the largest usage is for apartments, of which there are around 3000 units.Despite the height and density of the scheme, it has a surprisingly open feel, aided by the glazed winter gardens and mostly generous sized balconies, which are very much in evidence throughout the entire development. There was a huge demand here for the Schöck Isokorb®, with around 10,000 thermally broken structural connections to be considered. For podium slabs and pre-cast balcony applications the Isokorb® T type K, for concrete-to-concrete connectivity was used. The T type S, T type Q-P and Schöck SLD dowels combined to meet the requirement for securing the winter garden balconies. Types SK-MM1 and SK-MM2 for steel-to-concrete, provided the solution for connecting the various concrete frames to steel balconies.Some of the steel balconies had a cantilever length of approximately two metres and in most cases SK-MM2 units offered the ideal solution. However, in certain locations – concrete edge beams for example – the reinforcement bars had to be shaped to suit and for these applications special SK-MM1 modules were utilised.The unusual T-shaped winter gardens provided one of the greater challenges. Remarkably, the winter garden concrete slabs are designed to span two building blocks – approximately seven metres – and it was essential to allow for movement of the slabs by combining the Isokorb® T type Q-P at one end and SLD dowels at the other.Exceptionally strong steel-to-concrete thermal break connections were required and usually the Isokorb® T type SK would be the natural choice. On this occasion however, the forces involved exceeded even the capabilities of the SK units and it was necessary to design a T type S configuration, in combination with a specially developed steel bracket. Back at ground and first floor levels a huge number of T type K concrete-to-concrete thermal breaks were required for the large slab sections. In some cases the extreme dimensions of the slab sections resulted in thermal movement beyond the Isokorb®'s capability and SLD dowels were used in their place.

Complementary green shades from the Formica® Collection have been used alongside light woods to create a range of five furniture pieces for the latest collection from renowned consumer brand La Redoute. 

We collaborated with French furniture brand, Hetch Mobilier, who used our ColorCore® by Formica Group range on their ‘FLOWA’ collection in the most creative way. Their unique design approach produced stunning results!

We supplied 8mm thick Ceramapanel® rainscreen cladding panels for the project. Our panels are the lighter panels used at the top of the building in the images, finished in Natural Textures Raw with the colour of 1021 Light Slate.

Refurbishment of two former WWII barrage balloon hangars in Pucklechurch, South Gloucestershire into striking new industrial facilities has been completed with the help of Tata Steel’s Trisomet® insulated roof and wall panels.

CHALLENGEAn ambitious project, and one of the first certified PassivHaus homes in the UK - the Denby Dale PassivHaus in West Yorkshire, had to to use 90% less energy for space heating than the average UK dwelling – with a space heating need of only 15 kWh/m2/ year. The three-bedroom property is the first UK Passivhaus to be built in a traditional style using cavity wall construction and had to be built to a tight budget of £141,000.SOLUTION“We decided to go down the cavity wall path and arrived at the design for several reasons including: planning restrictions, thermal store, cost, and maybe most important of all, buildability,” explains Bill Butcher, Project Leader.Excellent performing insulation is obviously fundamental to Passivhaus construction and the Denby Dale house has 300mm Knauf Insulation DriTherm® Cavity Slab 32 in the walls, 500mm Knauf Insulation Loft Roll 44 in the roof void (both of which incorporate ECOSE® Technology) along with 225mm of high-performing Polyfoam® Floorboard Standard* insulation in the floor.“We’re fully filling the cavity with glass mineral wool insulation for the walls above ground, because it helps minimise air movement in the cavity and offers greater flexibility, fitting snugly around the ties, openings and imperfections of the masonry surface.” comments Bill Butcher.Economics, performance, availability, ease of fitting and reducing thermal bypass were all among the benefits of the Knauf Insulation products chosen.*No longer sold through Knauf Insulation.BENEFITSGlass Mineral Wool was specified over rigid insulation to ensure a tight thermal fit. Knauf Insulation DriTherm® Cavity Slabs are flexible enough to eliminate air gaps and prevent heat loss due to their inherent ability to knit together at joints between the slabs. If rigid insulation is used and fitted badly with too many gaps, air movement around and between the insulation boards is increased, which can drastically reduce its insulation value.Knauf Insulation DriTherm® Cavity Slabs are BBA Certified for all exposure zones and formally guaranteed for 50 years to prevent the transmission of liquid water from the outer masonry leaf to the inner masonry leaf.In addition to its thermal performance glass mineral wool also has other sustainable features. In manufacture it uses a high content of recycled glass bottles and requires less overall energy consumption than some alternative products, resulting in less carbon emissions. In addition, it can be recycled at the end of a building’s life and has zero GWP and zero ODP. ECOSE® Technology further extends these established green credentials as it is manufactured with 70% less energy than traditional binders and the products contain no dyes or added formaldehyde – providing the ideal solution to the eco-friendly house.

Knauf Insulation is delighted to have been appointed as preferred insulation supplier to innovative new housebuilder, HarperCrewe. In addition to supplying their Supafil® and Loft Roll glass mineral wool solutions, Knauf Insulation will provide support to HarperCrewe’s team, from the design phase through to installation. Their first collaboration is already underway at The Steadings, HarperCrewe’s new neighbourhood of homes in Cirencester, and future projects look set to benefit from the same end-to-end support service. John Nunney, Commercial Director for HarperCrewe explains, “Outstanding build quality is at the forefront of our approach but, as a smaller business, it can be harder to get first pick at the best products on the market. Supafil® 34 is in demand because it’s straightforward to install and it works as it’s supposed to, so our relationship with Knauf Insulation is very important to us. It means we have consistent access to reliable, high-quality products that form an essential part of our builds.” Working closely with HarperCrewe’s design team from the very beginning of the process, Knauf Insulation’s Housing Specification Managers have already helped the business to navigate the latest updates to Part L of the Building Regulations. Advice on SAP calculations and detail drawings, as well as guidance to optimise their insulation specification have helped HarperCrewe’s team meet the new requirements, without compromising on their existing priorities. Of course, getting the specification right is just the first step, so Knauf Insulation’s support will continue well beyond the design phase. As projects move into construction, Housing Specification Managers will attend site start meetings and discuss each plot with HarperCrewe’s team. This will allow them to identify the right time for installation to take place, preventing the product’s performance from being compromised by subsequent construction work. When that time comes, Knauf Insulation’s Regional Technical Managers will be on-hand to offer advice to site teams as needed and ensure a smooth installation.  For projects using Supafil® insulation, HarperCrewe will have access to a list of Approved Supafil® Installers, who have the necessary training and experience to deliver a high-quality installation. Those installers will in turn have access to KinetiK®, Knauf Insulation’s app-based site reporting system that creates an instant digital record of installations.  Using the app on their mobile device, the installer will simply select their site and plot number, take a photo of each elevation, scan the unique QR code on each pack of Supafil®, and install the product as specified. HarperCrewe will then receive confirmation that the specified product has been installed. Not only will this provide additional confidence in the specification integrity, it will also streamline HarperCrewe’s reporting process, giving them more time to focus on the ‘big picture’ aspects of their development. 

MJ Quinn and subcontractors, HT Installations Limited, have used UltraCrete’s market-leading Flowable Installation System to repair a faulty carriageway frame and cover on the B4299 in Carmarthen.BackgroundA large section of a rural road in Carmarthen was severely damaged. The area in question is located at the bottom of a hill and over time, the relentless force in which cars and tractors have hit the road surface has severely deformed the surface.The consequence of this damage also caused structural damage to a nearby carriageway frame and cover.The ChallengeLocated on the B4299, this rural road is the main thoroughfare for the village, with tractors and cars using the road daily. The repair needed to be carried out quickly to minimise disruption, and most importantly, it needed to be a first time permanent repair to prevent any further disruption and damage to the surrounding road surface.In this instance, HT Installations Limited, the subcontractor working on behalf of MJ Quinn, the main contractor for Wales for Openreach, were only responsible for repairing the frame, cover and trim back area. However, in order to prevent further deterioration caused by the deformed road surface, HT Installations went above and beyond and replaced the heavily deteriorating asphalt on the CW2 frame and covers leading edge. This would ensure a longer life expectancy for the new carriageway frame and cover installation and avoid costly return visits.The SolutionHT Installations Limited utilised UltraCrete QC10 F flowable fibre modified concrete to repair the brickwork chamber and their Envirobed® Flowable Installation System to install the replacement CW2 frame and cover – a process used by Openreach for all their carriageway repairs.To begin, the entire area was excavated and spoil removed. The contractors assessed the chamber and utilised the Mortar Buoy® installation aid within the chamber as an alternative to formwork/shuttering. They proceeded to mix and pour UltraCrete QC10 F, rapid set flowable concrete, to repair the damaged concrete chamber. Utilising Mortar Buoy® significantly speeds up the repair process, helping to save you time and money.QC10 F sets in less than 20 minutes, so a very short time after being poured, Mortar Buoy® was re-inflated inside the chamber and the CW2 frame dropped into position ready for levelling with the existing road surface. A sand bund was then formed 50mm beyond the flange edge, as opposed to shuttering, to retain the flowable mortar.UltraCrete Envirobed® CD534 Flowable Red was mixed and applied to fully encapsulate the frame flange up to 20mm above and 50mm beyond the frame edge. Envirobed® CD534 sets within 20 minutes, allowing the sand bund to be swept clear and site prepared for hot asphalt application, really quickly.ResultsThanks to the rapid high strength gain and setting superior performance qualities of UltraCrete’s Flowable Installation System, HT Installations were able to carry out their repairs quickly, safely and permanently, much to the delight of MJ Quinn, Openreach and the local residents.

Unity Place was designed as the anchor project in the Swindon Kimmerfields development. Aiming to achieve a rating of BREEAM “Excellent”, minimise waste during construction, and run efficiently throughout its lifespan, the building is a sustainable commitment to Swindon that provided the 950 staff of Zurich Insurance with 100,000ft2 of office space.Kawneer’s AA®190 TB Severe Duty Entrance Doors were selected for use on the ground floor to meet the needs of the heavy footfall of Unity Place – the solution is an all-purpose door for use in high-traffic areas and automatic entrances.Kawneer’s AA®110 Curtain Wall System on the façade, was chosen for its high thermal and weather performance, perfect for a project that required efficiency and sustainability at every phase.

GreenCoat PLX Pural BT from steel manufacturer SSAB. Highly durable GreenCoat products feature a bio-based coating whereby a substantial portion of Swedish rapeseed oil replaces the dependency on fossil fuel oils. A patented solution reducing the environmental footprint making GreenCoat the market’s greenest steel for roofs and façades. This formable steel can be worked at temperatures below -15°C and is backed up by a 50-year technical guarantee. GreenLine® colour matched rainwater goods are made from GreenCoat RWS and offer the perfect finish to any project large or small. Easy to install using rubber sealed connection joints. GreenLine® rainwater goods are offered with a 30-year guarantee.

Working with Purcell, the project architects, and William Anelay, Nicholson is providing the stainless steel AIRTRAK® ventilation profiles. Many of these profiles are being manufactured to bespoke angles and dimensions for each particular situation in which they are being utilised.

Lorient supplied LAS8001 si drop seals with bespoke 'Battersea bronze' end caps, Batwing® perimeter seals, Finesse™ acoustic, smoke and fire seals, and lock and latch protection kits to the residential project.

The Olympic Stadium renovation had acoustic performance as a central goal to obtain. ROCKWOOL's solution involved the installation of an acoustically insulated membrane roof, featuring ROCKWOOL HARDROCK® Multi-Fix (DD) and ROCKWOOL Acoustic Infills.

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

THE PROJECT: Recticel Insulation supplied the high quality insulation solution for an old school in Oxford. The main aim of this project, carried out by Touchstone Lofts, was to convert an uninsulated historic school building originally constructed in 1860 into a modern, energy efficient four-bedroom residential unit. The contractor endeavored to create a two storey dwelling and hoped to minimise headroom loss with insulation in both the floor and pitched roof, therefore selecting the right product was paramount.THE SOLUTION: Eurothane® GP, a low-thermal conductivity PIR insulation panel for use in multiple building envelope applications, was the obvious choice for The Institute’s ground floor and loft insulation. The product's thermal performance of λ = 0.022 W/mK enabled an appropriate thickness selection, so the desired minimum headroom loss was achieved giving the completed build an energy efficiency rating of B. The contractor was thrilled with this given the constraints associated with retrofitting insulation into a period building.Paul Johal, Owner of Touchstone Lofts explained:"Recticel’s insulation provided us with a thermal solution that achieved the required U-value targets whilst keeping the overall thickness to a minimum. The quality of the product is excellent and at a competitive price. The extremely proficient technical team of Recticel Insulation were very responsive with U-value calculations, meaning we could move forward with the project more efficiently. Having the right advice and products from Recticel certainly played a crucial role in achieving our aims. We are delighted with the final outcome."About Eurothane® GP:Eurothane® GP is a high performance PIR insulation board that is light weight, easy to cut, handle and install. Whether it’s a pitched roof, framed wall or floor, Eurothane® GP is the ideal solution amongst contractors and installers

The new Village Centre scheme at the existing Kidbrooke Village housing development in Greenwich, southeast London, has been designed by Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands and developed by Berkeley Homes. With a welcoming ‘village square’ at its heart, this green landscaped area is bordered by the surrounding buildings which have apartments above and a mixture of shops, restaurants and community use facilities below.The new Village Centre will provide a central hub for the community at Kidbrooke Village, which comprises four distinct neighbourhoods. Boasting a central location in the Royal Borough of Greenwich and benefiting from close transport links, including its own overground rail station, the new development offers a mix of housing from one to four bedrooms and access to a number of onsite amenities and facilities.The project also features an attractive combination of Senior’s SF52 aluminium curtain wall and low U-value PURe® Commercial Doors.The contract saw Senior work closely with two of its fabricator partners, with Soundcraft undertaking the installation of the curtain wall and commercial doors on several of the ground floor retail units, and R.E.L working on the entrances for both the new supermarket and pub.Ideally suited to meet the demands of commercial projects, the popular SF52 aluminium curtain wall system offers slim sightlines to maximise daylighting and enhanced thermal-efficiency to help create more comfortable interior spaces. When used in conjunction with the PURe® Commercial Door, which is part of the Senior’s patented PURe® range of low U-value aluminium doors and windows, further savings can be made in terms of reducing both operational costs and carbon emissions. As Senior’s largest, strongest and most robust commercial door, the thermally-efficient PURe® Commercial Door is ideally suited for high traffic retail environments and offers both security and safety.

Shingler Homes is an independent housing developer keen to provide individual, attractive homes sympathetic to their surroundings.Their development at Perry View, near Shrewsbury, is such a development. With thirty houses ranging in size from 2 to 4 bedrooms, Shingler Homes offers a quality, personal approach to housing development.Direct Roofing Services (DRS), who are a long-standing customer of ARP, approached Shingler Homes to quote them for the Mustang® Seamless Aluminium Guttering System as it is a high-quality, cost-effective gutter system, which is quick, easy and safe to install, and requires no maintenance.The Mustang® Seamless Aluminium guttering system was the obvious choice, as it is produced on-site from coated aluminium coil, roll-formed in continuous lengths of up to 30 metres. Brackets stop ends and outlets are installed at ground level before the finished section is raised to roofline level for the final fixing. As the gutter lengths are cut to size on site, there is no waste, and the aluminium coil is made from recycled aluminium, which, once it reaches the end of its useful life, can be further recycled.Mustang® Seamless Aluminium Gutter system is the ideal solution for housing developments as it is a strong, sustainable, leak-free, no maintenance option, which has a life expectancy in excess of 30 years.Mustang® Aluminium Seamless Guttering is a unique joint-less system and is the only seamless gutter system approved by the British Board of Agrément (BBA).By meeting the strict BBA guidelines, both ARP and their approved installer network are audited and assessed twice yearly to ensure that the product and installers maintain these high standards.Jeremy Shingler, Managing Director of Shingler Homes, said, “DRS provide an excellent service supplying and fixing aluminium guttering, which our customers like due to its low maintenance”.

Creating a Passivhaus home Balancing sustainability and style, Sort Trae is the culmination of a retired architect’s vision for a home and creative space that blends into a South Yorkshire hillside. HEM Architects helped the client to bring this dream to life, using Knauf Insulation’s glass mineral wool insulation to achieve the incredibly high Passivhaus standards for energy efficiency. Low carbon and high comfort The client envisioned a sustainable build using Passivhaus, a voluntary standard for designing and building properties with very low energy consumption, that offer high levels of comfort for their occupants. To achieve this, the levels of air tightness and thermal performance far exceed those mandated by building regulations. FrameTherm® Slab 32 was friction-fitted within the 140mm thick timber frame walls on the first floor, while DriTherm® Cavity Slab 32 was used to fill the stone-clad masonry cavity walls on the ground floor.  “We try to specify fully filled masonry cavity walls where possible, sometimes up to 200mm wide, to maximise the use of mineral wool insulation. It pays dividends for the client”, explained Liam Seaman, Architectural Technologist for HEM Architects. Thermal performance is critical to the Passivhaus approach. The FrameTherm® Slab 32 provided a calculated U-value of 0.137 W/m2K in combination with the black timber frame wall and cladding. For the masonry cavity wall on the ground floor, a fractionally higher U-value of 0.138 W/m2K was achieved using thermally broken wall ties and DriTherm® Cavity Slab 32. This has contributed to Sort Trae’s exceptional thermal efficiency. Because glass mineral wool is flexible and fibrous, slabs knit together and adapt to minor imperfections in the substrate. This tight fit contributed to an overall air change of 0.54 ach (air change per hour), comfortably below the Passivhaus standard of 0.6 ach, meaning the property is air-tight while still providing good ventilation. Sustainable practices Liam explained his reasons for choosing Knauf Insulation, “The alternative products are often oil-based and the application of these is outweighed by the environmental impact of their production and lifecycle.” Both FrameTherm® Slab 32 and DriTherm® Cavity Slab 32 are manufactured with ECOSE® Technology, Knauf Insulation’s unique bio-based binder that contains no added formaldehyde or phenol. The binder is made from natural raw materials that are rapidly renewable and is 70% less energy-intensive to manufacture than traditional binders. Knauf Insulation’s glass mineral wool insulation contains up to 80% recycled content, mostly glass bottles and jars. It is also compressed so more product can fit per pack or pallet, and less packaging is used. This means there’s more product per truck, resulting in fewer vehicles on the road, and less packaging per m2 of insulation. Achieving the Passivhaus standard In collaboration with HEM Architects and other suppliers, the client has created a stunning home and an inspiring set-up for her loom-weaving workshop. “It is general practice for us to specify Knauf Insulation as standard because we find the product information available to be really clear and useful”, Liam added. Knauf Insulation’s practical, detailed product information made it HEM Architects’ first choice to achieve the Passivhaus standard for thermal performance. 

ChallengeKalzip were tasked, alongside contractors Lakesmere, to develop a roofing structure that would be vital to the overall appearance of the building and one that would fulfil the stringent acoustic criteria – whilst working to tight deadlines.SolutionFollowing extensive testing, Knauf Insulation Rocksilk® RS45 product in 50mm and 75mm were specified within the 40,000m2 Kalzip System in the AluPlusPatina finish.Heathrow’s new Terminal 2, also known as The Queen’s Terminal, boasts exceptional architectural design and is 40% more carbon efficient than the previous building. Kalzip’s large waveform roof bestows one of the iconic features of the terminal.A multi-layer approach was taken when it came to installing Knauf Insulation Rocksilk® RS45. By layering the insulation products in different densities across the Kalzip standing seam roof, rigorous sound absorption and sound transmission measures were met, whilst retaining the form and functionality required by the designers.As a robust, resilient and dense Rock Mineral Wool insulation slab, Knauf Insulation Rocksilk® RS45 has excellent acoustic properties that help to reduce the impact of airborne and rain impact noise. It also has an excellent thermal conductivity of 0.035W/mK, helping to provide passengers with a comfortable environment.

Winner of the MIPM 2010 award for Hotels and Tourism, which is presented for outstanding real state projects worldwide, the Kameha Grand was designed by architect Karl-Heinz Schommer Bonner. The unique elliptical section design did however make serious demands on the requirement for protection against thermal bridging. The architect discussed the issue with Schöck, the European specialists in thermal bridging solutions and it was agreed that a combination of three product variants would meet the requirement.The outer concrete arches on the roof and facade of the building cantilever 1.30 m on each side and this, combined with the subtle design of the facade, meant that it was not possible to use a standard thermal break solution. To minimise any thermal bridging problems along the two outer arcs an inventive solution had to be found by the Schöck design team. This was achieved by dividing the projecting element of the framework into a number of sections and using the appropriate Isokorb® T for the required forces. At the ground floor Isokorb® T type Q is used, with T type D being installed higher up the structure, followed by T type K on the top floor. Because of the arch profile, the Isokorb® T type D was cut and installed at 90 degrees and run under the curved edge of the roof emergency exits, providing F90 fire protection.

Over ten years ago The States of Guernsey in the Channel Islands wanted to source 500m2 of sports flooring for The Guernsey Grammar School and Sixth Form Centre. Taraflex® Evolution sports flooring was specified for their main sports hall.

Products:  Valcan VitraDual®Install:  Rivet fixColours:  Golden AshTotal M2:  Approximately, 600M2Sector:  AccommodationBenefits:  A1 Rated | Non-Combustible | BBA Approved | CWCT TestedInstallers: Craft Interior

In looking for a full tanking solution for the ensuite bathrooms of renowned chef Michael Caines’ dream project, stone specialists Devon Stone elected to use various forms of the multi-functional tile backerboard Schlüter®-KERDI-BOARD.

To ensure that a fabulous training surface would be available at the ground, Kent County Cricket Club turned to Architects PDP London who in turn specified Taraflex® vinyl sports flooring from international flooring specialist Gerflor.

When the school urgently needed to replace their existing wooden floor in their main hall due to flooding, they turned to international flooring specialist Gerflor to supply over 600m2 of their world-renowned Taraflex® Performance vinyl sports flooring.

The busy business hub of Bradmore square in Hammersmith, west London, has been newly reinvigorated by the Edible Bus Stop®, unique landscape architecture and design consultancy and Decorum London, creator and supplier of Shou Sugi Ban.

Delivering a large ISO Class 7 clean room for a specialist package production facilityThe Puracore® clean room system was selected by installer NGS Cleanroom Solutions for an expansion project at a specialist packaging production facility in Belgium.

Ringway Jacobs, on behalf of Essex Highways, have permanently repaired a dangerous pothole using UltraCrete Tough Patch®.BackgroundA large pothole had been causing disruption to motorists and homeowners in Great Notley in Essex. Located in the wheel track of a busy residential road, the pothole needed repairing quickly and permanently to minimise disruption and eliminate any potential damage to vehicles.The ChallengeRingway Jacobs had been let down by a number of pothole repair materials in the past, causing further disruption and upset to motorists, and costly repeat visits for them. Finding a first time permanent solution was of the utmost importance to the team at Ringway Jacobs.The SolutionBefore the damaged area was repaired, any loose debris was removed to create a dust and contaminant free area. Once clear, the vertical edges and surface base was sprayed with SCJ seal and tack coat spray to prevent water ingress and improve bond. Once applied, Tough Patch® was poured into the pothole and compacted with a plate.To complete the repair, Instaband ECO thermoplastic overbanding tape was applied to each edge to prolong the life of the repair.Tough Patch® is a PTS PAS approved, cold lay surface material for road repairs, which utilises a reactive binder that rapidly cures to create a first time, permanent repair that will accept traffic immediately after installation. By utilising Tough Patch®, the amount of time needed for closures and traffic management can be reduced, resulting in a significantly safer working environment for operatives carrying out the work.Quick and easy to apply, Tough Patch® can be used to repair defects in pavements, driveways, car parks and on high speed roads – it even provides a first time permanent repair in wheel turning locations such as junctions, traffic lights and roundabouts.Results“Tough Patch is very workable and maintains that throughout the colder seasons much better than any other product we have used. It goes down very well and gives a similar finished appearance to hot tarmac. Being able to carry as much as we need and not suffering any waste really helps us save time and money. Other products in the past have given us failures but since using Tough Patch, this has not been the case for us.” Aidan Fitzgerald, Area Supervisor at Essex Highways.

Installed by Kawneer’s approved specialist subcontractor FK Group, the £25.3 million project, designed by FCB Studios, was the first to use Kawneer’s newly enhanced AA®110 Curtain Wall system that features a bespoke expansion joint, which allows a building movement tolerance of +/- 15 mm. Creating a sense of scale and vibrancy, the white profiled terracotta ceramic façades contrast the earthy tones of the perimeter buildings in a modern interpretation of the grand Victorian warehouses nearby. The high-performance Curtain Wall was accompanied by AA®720 Side Hung Open-In Windows to deliver a high level of thermal performance throughout. Using passive principles, the high insulation building fabric coupled with solar control glazing, address the energy requirements for heating and cooling.