"foamglas®"

In 2010, Protech where approached by The Clegg Group for a renovation project of an eight storey 1930’s building.Originally known as Shaftesbury House, the building was opened in 1938 to house migrant workers in Leeds that had previously been living in appalling conditions. The development had deteriorated and was eventually closed and boarded up in 1998. As part of a regeneration programme of the area, Leeds City Council co ordinated the redevelopment of the site into what is now known as Greenhouse, a mixed-use block of eco-flats.  Roofing:ROOFING: Sarnafil® Light Grey G410-15EL.Sika® S-Vap 500.120 mm PIR Insulation.Sarnafil® Walkway.

With more than 1,500 units, Shurgard Greenwich is one of the largest self-storage facilities in Europe. Spread over four floors the facility provides dry, clean and secure self-storage in a secure facility, and the building also achieved an BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating.Around 3,000m2 of Trimapanel® flat insulated panels manufactured using Colorcoat HPS200 Ultra® pre-finished steel was used to clad the external face of the Greenwich Shurgard unit, meeting all the clients requirements and complying with current Building Regulation standards.Tata Steel also supplied 3,000m2 of ComFlor® 60 floor decking, used throughout the facility and installed by Composite Profiles. 

With its ten cinemas and six restaurants, the East Square leisure complex in Basildon in Essex is part of an ambitious master plan to restore the town centre’s appeal by creating daytime and evening entertainment and dining opportunities. Partly inspired by the city’s artistic past, when Basildon was known for its 1960s ceramic murals, the building also evokes the modern edge of digital images. The set of multicoloured hexagonal cassettes designed by Pollard Thomas Edwards’ architects in London evokes the shape of coloured pixels in the digital images projected on the cinema’s screens. This combination of four surface coverings - AZENGAR®, ANTHRA-ZINC®, QUARTZ-ZINC®, GOLD lacquered zinc - and two types of installation - MOZAIK® cassettes and hexagonal shingles - on some 4,000 m2 of facades creates a playful and dynamic effect. A future image is coming into view. The irregularity of the facade’s upper edge is a good illustration of the city’s urban renewal project; it seems to show that the city’s future is still being constructed and rewritten in this very place. 

Leading infrastructure services company, Amey, have used UltraCrete Tough Patch® to repair a failed pothole on the M180.BackgroundLocated between Junction 3 and Junction 2 of the M180, a dangerous pothole was once again in need of urgent repair and Amey Highway Infrastructure Area 12 were the team to fix it for the last time.The ChallengeThe biggest challenge facing Amey was the location of the pothole. The repair needed to be carried out quickly, but permanently, to keep motorists and operatives as safe as possible whilst working on this extremely busy road.The SolutionTo complete the repair, Tough Patch® was applied in 100mm layers and compacted until the same level as the surrounding carriageway.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.ResultsThe hazardous site was repaired quickly and motorists along the M180 are now enjoying a pothole-free journey.On using Tough Patch®, an Amey representative commented: “Tough Patch is very easy to use and spreads with no big chunks and doesn’t go hard if opened and only used half of the tub.”

Architectural glazing systems by Kawneer were specified as a “key aspect” of the new regional head office of British Sugar’s parent company, the FTSE 25 Associated British Foods (ABF), for their pedigree and quality.CPMG Architects selected products from all of Kawneer’s portfolio for the building on a 4.5-acre site at Cygnet Business Park, Hampton, Peterborough, which would enable the relocation of almost 400 people from ABF businesses locally (AB Sugar, British Sugar, AB Mauri, ABF Ingredients and ABF) with the addition of purpose-built conference and training facilities and a showcase central reception area. Kawneer’s aluminium AA®100 SSG (Structurally Silicone Glazed) curtain walling features on the ground floor reception, meeting/conference spaces and south-facing restaurant/café while AA®100 mullion-drained curtain walling has been used on the first and second floor open-plan offices of the three-storey building.In addition, the 5,755m2 (GIA) building features ultra-thermally efficient AA®720 doors, large (3m high by 9m wide) AA®3572 sliding doors and over-sized (2.4m by 0.7m) AA®720 parallel opening windows, all installed by approved specialist sub-contractor Norman & Underwood.

Our premium granite TerraPave® flagstones were a perfect choice for this scheme at one of London’s foremost rooftop cocktail bars and pizzerias. Skylark Roof Garden, located on Kingdom Street, sits on the 10th floor of Paddington Central, offering incredible views overlooking the beautiful Notting Hill, on the banks of Little Venice. For this project, a combination of Pedestals and TerraPave® flags were utilised. The incorporation of Pedestals (stools on which the flags were laid) , meant no base was required. The depth of TerraPave® flags is calibrated as part of the manufacturing process, delivering exceptional dimensional accuracy which in turn delivered consistent levelling across the terrace. Project architects, Allies and Morrison selected our TerraPave® Flags, in Rimini and Milano Ground due to their rich, distinctive styles and impressive durability in highly pedestrianised areas. These flags are produced with locally-sourced, natural aggregates instead of pigments meaning their unique colouration won’t fade. TerraPave® also offers a cost-effective, and practical alternative to traditional stone paving. The £80m Paddington Central scheme was completed built by Wates Construction and designed by Allies & Morrison. Some of the impressive project’s additional features include London’s highest basketball court, an external glazed stair tower, and a public colonnade around the retail space on the ground floor.

The “Wohnpark in der südlichen Luisenstrasse” residential project was built in Karlsruhe in 2015. At the client’s request, architects AGP Generalplaner GmbH designed the building with enhanced impact sound insulation. Schöck Tronsole® was chosen as the impact sound insulation system for the stairs.Spacious rental and owner-occupied apartments with 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms were designed on a floor area totalling 18,000 m². All of the stairs in the buildings comply with the requirements of soundproofing level III as per VDI 4100 or DEGA class B. Specifically, the measured standard impact sound level of the stairs and landings ranges between 32 dB and 38 dB. These levels are about 10 dB better than the required standard impact sound level of 46 dB. By comparison: A reduction of 10 dB is equivalent to reducing the volume by half. The residents in the complex in Karlsruhe will notice this difference quite clearly. By not being able to impact noise from the stairs. The stairs are soundproofed using Schöck Tronsole® type F on the ceiling slabs while Tronsole® type Z separates the landings from the stairs and outer walls. The supporting element for the Tronsole® type Z was cemented into the 26 cm landing back at the prefabricating plant. Accordingly, the Tronsole® type Z wall element was installed and type F fastened to the landings and stairs on site.

When Cardiff High school needed a high-quality multi-use sports flooring solution for their main hall, they chose international flooring specialist Gerflor to supply 700m2 of their world class Taraflex® Multi-Use vinyl sports floor. Gerflor also supplied an Isolsport underlay and their ubiquitous Taraflex® Bateco moveable protective covering which would ensure that the Taraflex® sports floor would remain protected during non-sporting activities.The contracting responsibility for the sports floor would be undertaken by Cardiff-based Floor Furnishings Limited. Nick Jefferies, Company Director, Floor Furnishings Ltd commented, “Gerflor’s Taraflex sports floor was extremely easy to lay. The Isolsport underlay also supplied by Gerflor, enabled us to lay the Taraflex Multi-Use directly over the existing concrete floor, this was a real benefit as the project was on a very tight schedule, due to the hall being required for exams.”The Taraflex® Multi-Use is a P1 category sports flooring, designed for both sport and non-sport use making it ideal for multi-purpose areas. Taraflex® Multi-Use protects users with excellent shock absorption and impact protection of 25% to 35%. Yet it’s tough enough to protect itself against non-sport demands often found in many education environments such as the movement of tables, chairs, and exercise equipment.

ChallengeTargeted with achieving a minimum BREEAM rating of Excellent and with only a short window of time to complete the project, Associated Architects, who designed the building, needed insulation products that would meet strict thermal and environmental requirements – as well as a manufacturer that could offer quick turnaround times and a high level of technical support.SolutionWith the help of Knauf Insulation specification manager, Marc Lawson, a through wall solution using 5,000m² of Knauf Insulation’s 100mm Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab – a rock mineral wool slab containing a water repellent additive, specifically designed for rainscreen cladding systems was used. It is quick and easy to install and is simple to cut and fit around brackets. The slabs knit together with no need to tape the joints – ensuring maximum acoustic and thermal performance, with no air gaps. Knauf Insulation’s Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab is also non-combustible and has the highest Euroclass A1 reaction to fire classification, as well as excellent sound absorption performance.To further enhance the thermal properties of the element, 10,500m² of Knauf Insulation’s Rocksilk® Flexible Slab 100mm, was installed in two layers within the SFS system. Designed to friction fit between metal studs, rafters and joists, Rocksilk® Flexible Slab is a multi-purpose rock mineral wool insulation slab, which provides excellent thermal and acoustic performance.Chris Kinman, Senior Design Manager at Willmott Dixon commented; “Knauf Insulation’s products are easy to handle and cut which makes them very easy to use on site. The first phase of the project has gone well, and the architect has adopted a similar approach to Phase 2 - which is testament to the excellent performance so far. Overall, we have been very impressed by the help and support we have received from Knauf Insulation on the project, and we have since recommended them to other colleagues."Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab and Rocksilk® Flexible Slab rock mineral wool products are made with ECOSE® Technology, a formaldehyde-free binder derived from rapidly renewable materials, instead of traditional petro-based chemicals used in other insulation. Additionally, ECOSE® Technology is up to 70% less energy intensive than traditional binders.

Standing derelict on the south bank of the River Thames, Battersea Power Station renowned for its four chimneys and art deco design is undergoing a massive phased transformation in a multi-billion redevelopment programme.A ComFlor® composite floor system throughout was chosen for a number of reasons including its ability to provide a solution that is strong and robust and one that was capable of achieving the load and long span requirements. It has a low floor self-weight, obtains good load optimisation and offers fast build times.Prodeck Fixing installed over 135,000m2 of our ComFlor® floor decks on this project which will support the flooring system for the whole project using a mix of ComFlor® profiles

Worcester has invested in a new £10m swimming pool as part of the city’s Perdiswell Leisure Centre refurbishment. RCM supplied the colourful Trespa® Meteon® cladding panels to the project, which were used on the outside of the pool area and entrance. RCM also supplied the colour-matched fixings and associated trims and the aluminium support frame system to this worthy project.

When the London School of Economics (LSE) sought an architect for The Marshall Building, it held an international competition to select a contemporary design that matches its global academic reputation.The winning design by Grafton Architects features striking pale stone rainscreen cladding that contrasts with the red bricks of surrounding buildings on Lincoln’s Inn Fields.At 10 storeys high, the building needed to conform with the changes to building regulations which ban the use of combustible materials on all buildings over 18m in England and Wales. As a result, Grafton Architects specified Knauf Insulation’s Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab for the three external wall build-ups.Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab is BBA certified for use at any height and the broadest range of thicknesses and build-ups on the market. It has the best possible Euroclass A1 reaction to fire classification, is manufactured from Rock Mineral Wool and has a thermal conductivity of 0.034 W/mK.With U-values of 0.14 Wm2K, 0.20 Wm2K, and 0.21 Wm2K required for the different rainscreen wall build-ups, sub-contractor I&S Construction consulted Knauf Insulation’s Technical Support Team about the right depth of insulation. After conducting U-value calculations, 150mm Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab was recommended for all three build-ups.As well as fire safety and thermal performance, Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab has excellent sound absorption properties.It is manufactured with ECOSE® Technology, Knauf Insulation's unique bio-based binder that contains no added formaldehyde or phenol. It is made from natural raw materials that are rapidly renewable and is 70% less energy-intensive to manufacture than traditional binder, so it is more environmentally friendly.Products made with ECOSE® Technology are also soft to touch and easy to handle. They generate low levels of dust and VOCs and have been awarded the Eurofins Gold Certificate for Indoor Air Comfort.Thanks to Knauf Insulation’s Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab, the Marshall Building will provide students and academics at LSE with a comfortable and quiet environment to facilitate their world-class academic work.

Perfection Homes Ltd specified Catnic's® Urban  Roofing and Cladding System to help create a modern and distinctive exterior for a collection of new apartments. The company then subsequently installed the panels after its director attended an Urban installation course at Catnic’s dedicated training facility.Situated within the City of Hereford, The Copper Trees project will comprise of eight individual apartments in one luxurious building. Due to be completed in November of this year, residents are set to benefit from state of the art interiors, beautiful communal gardens and convenient parking facilities.Shaun Galvin, Director at Perfection Homes Ltd, working alongside partner Gail Small, is actively involved in leading the developments within their project portfolio. With a desire to create a clean and contemporary aesthetic for the exterior of the new building, Catnic's® Urban Roofing and Cladding system was chosen for the wall cladding.Furthermore, Shaun also installed the panels himself after attending a free installation course designed for those using the product for the first time, at Catnic's® Urban Training Centre in Caerphilly, Wales.“The training day was extremely beneficial,” he explained. “Being able to take part in such a hands-on experience with the product highlighted its technical qualities in that it is lightweight, easy to handle and designed well. The training helped make the installation process on site much more efficient and it was completed in just five days.”The Catnic® Urban system is manufactured to meet all relevant legislation, including load bearing for wind speed in accordance with EN 1991-4 and weather tightness in accordance with BS 5534 Parts 1 and 2. In addition, helping to meet requirements for sustainable building solutions – Urban is BRE Green Guide Rated ‘A’ and at end of life – the panels are 100% recyclable.“The Catnic® Urban system was the ideal addition to the exterior of The Copper Trees development, creating a distinctive aesthetic in keeping with the brief,” concluded Shaun. “We would definitely work with the product again.”Available in a range of contemporary colours, the Catnic® Urban Roofing and Cladding system is manufactured from Tata Steel’s Colorcoat HPS200 Ultra® pre-finished steel.

Today’s students demand a high standard of living, and with 348 beds, separate study and social spaces, a dining room and gym, The Malthouse, new luxury apartments in Wilder Street, Bristol have been designed to provide it.Spread over five stories, the external envelope features a combination of different coloured brickwork and rainscreen cladding. AWW Architects had specified non-combustible insulation to meet the requirements of building regulations in England and Wales, which ban the use of combustible materials on the external walls of certain types of buildings over 18m.With this in mind, main contractors Watkin Jones contacted Knauf Insulation’s Technical Support Team to determine which insulation solution would be most suitable to achieve the required U-value of 0.19 W/m²K. They also wanted to determine whether the wall build-up would prevent cold bridging and act as a vapour barrier.The Technical Support Team undertook complex 3D U-value calculations and condensation analysis. 3D U-value calculations completed in line with BS EN 10211 are used for rainscreen projects because they are the most accurate way to ensure a building’s thermal performance matches the initial design. The Technical Support Team provided a fast turnaround on the enquiry and recommended 100mm Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab as the best solution for the project.Manufactured from Rock Mineral Wool, Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab is non-combustible with the best possible Euroclass A1 reaction to fire classification. This means it will not contribute to the development or spread of fire should it occur. As well as having a British Board of Agrément (BBA) certificate for high rise residential applications, it also has a BBA certificate for use behind masonry façades – making it suitable for the different applications on The Malthouse.In addition to fire safety and thermal performance, Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab offers excellent sound reduction characteristics.More than 8,000m2 of Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab insulation was supplied to the development by builders’ merchants M Markovitz Ltd.Like all Knauf Insulation products, Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab has been designed for ease of installation. Improved robustness means it is easy to manoeuvre into place and it can be installed either way round without compromising performance.Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab is manufactured with ECOSE® Technology, Knauf Insulation's unique bio-based binder that contains no added formaldehyde or phenol. Products made with ECOSE® Technology are soft to touch and easy to handle. They generate low levels of dust and VOCs and have been awarded the Eurofins Gold Certificate for Indoor Air Comfort. ECOSE® Technology is also made from natural raw materials that are rapidly renewable and is 70% less energy-intensive to manufacture than traditional binders, so it is more environmentally friendly.Thanks to the technical support from Knauf Insulation, The Malthouse will deliver the students a comfortable, warm, quiet and safe environment where they can enjoy their university years.

Central M40, a 70 acre industrial estate situated off J11 of the M40 in Banbury, comprises six warehouses totalling over 1 million sq ft of accommodation – equivalent to roughly 17 football pitches. The estate was developed speculatively by db Symmetry*, who specified CA Group’s robust Twin-Therm® Built-up Roof and Wall systems.A key component of the Twin-Therm® building envelope system is Therma-Quilt, a bespoke high-performance Glass Mineral Wool insulation. It is manufactured by Knauf Insulation specifically for CA Group and is the result of a long standing partnership between the two companies.Therma-Quilt is ideally suited for non-residential cladding applications. It offers outstanding performance and functionality available in different thicknesses to support the Twin-Therm® system, delivering enhanced thermal U-values as low as 0.09W/m2K. It is non-combustible with a Euroclass A1 Reaction to Fire Classification, meaning it will not contribute to the development or the spread of a fire.Therma-Quilt is also a high-performing acoustic insulation. In Twin-Therm® roof applications, it helps reduce the drumming effect of rainwater, while in Twin-Therm® wall applications, it aids with sound reduction and can minimise the reverberation of internal sound when used in conjunction with perforated metal liner sheets. Therma-Quilt has been developed with water resistance in mind and uses materials that help prevent water ingress.The Twin-Therm® system has been designed with sustainability in mind and Therma-Quilt is no exception. Knauf Insulation’s Glass Mineral Wool products contain up to 80% recycled materials. This saves on virgin raw materials and energy demands, cuts carbon emissions, and reduces waste going to landfill.It is manufactured with ECOSE® Technology, Knauf Insulation's unique bio-based binder that contains no added formaldehyde or phenol. It is made from natural raw materials that are rapidly renewable and is 70% less energy-intensive to manufacture than traditional binder, so it is more environmentally-friendly.Products made with ECOSE® Technology are soft to touch and easy to handle. They generate low levels of dust and VOCs and have been awarded the Eurofins Gold Certificate for Indoor Air Comfort.In total, more than 70 tonnes of Therma-Quilt insulation were used on the six megasheds on the Central M40 development. While the industrial estate was built speculatively, its strategic location has previously attracted premium occupiers including Hellofresh, Prodrive Motorsport, TVS Supply Chain Solutions and Rinkit.Thanks to the Twin-Therm® system with its Therma-Quilt insulation, the warehouses have achieved BREEAM ‘Very Good’ ratings, while the businesses using them will enjoy more comfortable, warmer and safer working environments – and lower energy costs. *db Symmetry has rebranded as Tritax Symmetry

More than 150 metres of UNIFOLD® was installed at HM Land Registry, Coventry.This installation utilized the UNIFOLD® patented clip-joint system designed to allow joints to be competently and successfully completed behind obstructions and where access is particularly difficult.The existing gutter systems installed on the roof of the building were manufactured from GRP (Glass Reinforced Polyester).The GRP gutter joints had broken down due to thermal movement, for which this material is particularly prone.In order to ensure the integrity of the lining, system expansion joints were strategically introduced to induce Unifold to move in complete unison with the gutters beneath.This was the second HM Land Registry building to receive UNIFOLD®. The previous installation was in Leicester.

At Bangor University in North Wales, they are proud of their sports facilities. So, when the university had a necessity to replace the flooring in two of their main sports halls, they naturally turned to international flooring specialist Gerflor to supply over 1300m2 of their world class Olympic standard Taraflex® sports flooring in ‘London Light Blue’ and ‘Maple’ to complete the flooring aspect of the refurbishment project.The replacement indoor flooring surfaces would include both Taraflex® Comfort and Taraflex® Evolution from Gerflor, they would prove to be a perfect fit for both halls. The improved Taraflex® Evolution product, of which approx. 625m2 has been installed in the Hall 1 facility at the university, is safer, better performing and offers even more protection than the previous flooring that had to be replacedCommenting on the project Sam Wallwork, Head of Sport, Bangor University said, “We have previously used Gerflor before and have always been really impressed by their high-quality products and high levels of customer service.”David Hebblethwaite, Specification Manager (North), Gerflor commented, “Specifying both the Taraflex® Comfort and Taraflex® Evolution surfaces for the desired locations, delivered the optimum choice for the client in terms of comfort, performance, and safety.”Overseeing the installation of the indoor Taraflex sports flooring in both sports halls would be tasked to Llandudno-based flooring specialists Linney Cooper. Lance Haldane, Office, and Accreditation Manager, Linney Cooper commented, “From the beginning of the installation and right up to the very end, the project ran very smoothly. Gerflor’s Taraflex sports flooring is a prestigious product, and our installation team had no problems when installing it. We now recommend it to our customers when and where applicable”

When Colchester Academy in Essex required a new sports floor for their main hall and their dance studio, they turned to international flooring specialist Gerflor for an Olympic pedigree solution. For this prestigious education establishment, Gerflor would supply a total of 552m2 of their world class Taraflex® Performance vinyl sports flooring for the sports hall, and 258m2 of their Taraflex® Combi 85 System in Evolution for their dance studio.

Grand Lisboa Palace is a $5 billion development in Macau,China, with 1,900 guest rooms and suites in the GrandLisboa Palace Hotel, Palazzo Versace Macau, and KarlLagerfeld Hotel. Lorient supplied a combination of AURA® AAS8501 dropseals, Batwing®, FirtreeTM and LAS7001 perimeter seals,LAS3006 door bottom seals, LAS6002 magnetic seals andRP2004 fire seals.

The Caudwell International Children’s Centre (CICC) is an award-winning £18 million development located at Keele University Science & Innovation Park, and the UK’s first independent facility dedicated to the diagnosis, support and research of autism. The awards won by the project include; RICS® Project of the Year 2019, Design in Mental Health Project of the Year 2019 and Healthcare Estates® IHEEM Awards Project of the Year 2019.

Principal Place has a 50-storey residential building and a further 3 buildings housing the Amazon head office. Providing a significant land mark development in an area fast becoming a sought after location for residential and commercial reasons. RiserSafe® was used in all buildings in the development specified by Multiplex and installed by Byrne Bros and P.J. Carey. Fully utilising the 11 functions of RiserSafe® across the scheme.

Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, the new landmark Antwerp Port House comprises of a new highly architectural four-storey extension positioned above a restored former fire station. Providing 12,800m2 of office space, the project has given the Port Authority a single headquarters building for the first time.ComFlor® was the preferred flooring option out of five put forward, based on its light weight and cost. The system also provides the required strength, could achieve the required load and span requirements and offered a fast build time.5,000m2 of ComFlor® 80 in 0.90mm gauge, as well as a quantity of ComFlor® 60 in a 1.20mm gauge for the sloped stairs, was used to deliver the flooring solution, all supplied by Dutch Engineering.

Outdoor life tends to take place inside the perimeter of block buildings in towns and cities. An inner courtyard becomes the outdoor area of choice, shielded from the noise from the roads that surround the building. The Wright Place project involved the installation of 60 balconies that were also planned as design elements. Schöck Isokorb® type KS was used for both structural stability and thermal insulation.Precast balconies as design elementsA total of 300 Schöck Isokorb® elements – between four and six per balcony, depending on size – were installed in the building structure, with some welded to the reinforcement to prevent tipping during concrete application. The Isokorb® used was type KS from Schöck's standard range, which functions as a load bearing thermal insulation element, eliminating thermal bridges between reinforced concrete and steel structures and thus preventing mould formation at the critical joints. The Schöck Isokorb® allows steel and metalworkers to prefabricate to a large degree, thus reducing installation times to a minimum. Its superb load bearing capacity offers enormous scope for balcony design while ensuring outstanding structural stability.

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here to view onlinePRESS RELEASE:Towering triumph for Gerflor’s Taraflex® at Beaconsfield High SchoolBeaconsfield High School, in Buckinghamshire have been delivering a highly successful academic culture for more than over 50 years. Creativity and physical activity are just some of the additional life skills and behaviours that are taught to pupils. When the school wanted to refurbish their main sports hall, the natural choice was to turn to international flooring specialist Gerflor to supply 635m2 of their world class Taraflex® Performance vinyl sports flooring, in Light Blue, to successfully complete the project.Taraflex® Performance is a synthetic indoor sports flooring that can be specified for a wide range of sports applications, in a variety of sectors and is available in an extensive choice of vibrant designs, making it the ideal choice for a host of locations. With a complete range of outstanding sports surfaces that can meet specification requirements for compliance with P1/P2/P3 shock absorption Taraflex® sports floorings are perfect for delivering optimal safety and protection for users, regardless of their age and sporting ability.

This project was a re-development of an existing supermarket together with the adjoining Fulham Wharf site. It comprised the new 100,000 sq. ft store and 463 residential units with their own balcony and terrace, many with views over podium gardens and the River Thames.Systems in useWilotekt®-PlusEcoflex®Starcoat® PMMAStarcoat® QCStarcoat® RChallengesThis was a challenging site logistically with limited delivery and site access points, and the project had to be completed with consideration being given to residents and with the existing supermarket remaining fully operational. The waterproofing system had to be monolithic, fully adhered to prevent water tracking during and post construction, robust, durable and capable of withstanding construction-related traffic without defect.SolutionsCareful design consideration was provided to ensure Axter’s driving philosophy of the right system in the right place was employed successfully. The design, supply and installation of Wilotekt-Plus, unique second generation hot melt structural waterproofing system, provided 30% quicker on site installation speeds than traditional first generation hot melt systems. This ensured the waterproofing was completed swiftly, which enabled landscaping finishes to be installed within deadline.Wilotekt-Plus also fulfilled the requirement for a system that was adaptable through its approved application beneath a variety of roof finishes including ballast, decorative paving and living roofs, so as to facilitate the achievement of interesting visual aesthetics, enhancing built environment and life experience of its residents.

Fire separation between floors reinstated with FireMaster® Fire Curtains

West Dunbartonshire Council began plans to combine local primary schools and pool resources in a 53,280 sq ft, £16.5 million development. They bought St Kessog’s Primary and Balloch Primary into one place, along with an additional support needs unit and early learning and childcare centre. They installed YewdaleDefiant® R20 Sidewinder systems, and YewdaleDefiant® C20 and C47 cassette blind systems. Read more about this project.

Glenfield in Leicester is one of the UK’s leading hospitals for coronary care and respiratory diseases. The hospital’s Vascular Services Department has been redeveloped to provide additional patient accommodation and services including a new Angiography Treatment Suite with a technically advanced Hybrid Theatre. 2,000m² Rockfon® MediCare® ceilings were installed throughout to meet the demanding specification requirements which included acoustic control, fire protection and hygiene.

The Hong Kong Science Park is a living laboratory where innovative technologies are tested and applied, and valuable data and feedback are collected to enable future innovation. It is also piloted as a smart region to further Hong Kong’s Smart City vision. Lorient supplied high performance acoustic sealing solutions to over 2000 doors; combining LAS8001 si drop seals, Batwing® and Firtree® acoustic and smoke seals.

With the introduction of new sports areas and a sixth form college, The Belper School faced a significant shortage of parking spaces. The growing demand for additional parking became evident as staff, visitors, and students resorted to parking on grassed areas. Consequently, numerous muddy patches emerged around the school grounds, negatively impacting the area's aesthetics and making it increasingly inaccessible. Moreover, this led to an increase in the amount of mud brought inside the school, placing a greater burden on the caretaking and cleaning staff.To address the drainage issues and offer an environmentally friendly alternative to concrete or tarmac, the school opted for X-Grid® as a permeable alternative for traditional car park surfacing. The school identified several areas around the premises as suitable locations for the car parks and proceeded to excavate them. A compacted hardcore base made of MoT-type stone was used to establish a strong and stable sub-base for the X-Grid®. By placing a geotextile membrane over the hardcore, the school minimised the risk of weed growth and created a separation layer between the build-up layers. The X-Grid® was then installed on a well-screeded sand blinding layer and filled with durable decorative gravel.By replacing the existing grassed areas with X-Grid® filled with gravel, Belper School successfully resolved their overcrowded car parks without the need for additional drainage infrastructure. The highly permeable nature of X-Grid® facilitated the controlled dispersion of surface water back into the water table. Consequently, the amount of mud around the school grounds was significantly reduced, virtually eliminating it altogether. This enabled the availability of parking spaces throughout the year, providing staff, visitors, and students with ample parking options while preserving the aesthetic appeal of their surroundings. Moreover, the use of X-Grid® ensured that the gravel remained in place, eliminating migration and greatly reducing surface maintenance requirements, thus keeping the areas looking as attractive as possible.

The Priscilla Bacon Lodge in Norfolk is a new £12.5 million hospice that will provide state-of-the-art palliative care for 24 patients alongside day care facilities, a wellness centre, gym and community hub for those being cared for at home. It will also be used for education and research into palliative and end-of-life care. The facility, designed by LSI Architects and delivered by Morgan Sindall Construction, features both traditional masonry cavity walls, and a masonry rainscreen façade.  Meeting the brief At just two stories high, the building doesn’t fall under building regulations that ban combustible materials in the wall build-up. But even so, combustibility was a key factor when it came to specifying the insulation. Jordan Armstrong, Associate at LSI Architects explained: “As a practice we always try to minimise fire risk, especially for a project like The Priscilla Bacon Lodge, which will house extremely vulnerable people. So, it was essential that the materials we used were non-combustible, which meant mineral wool insulation was the only solution. “We regularly use Knauf Insulation products, so we specified DriTherm® Cavity Slab 32 for the cavity walls because it’s a high-performing glass mineral wool insulation that we expected could meet our required 0.16 W/m2K U-value. We were also keen to specify their Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab for partially filled cavity walls because then we would have one manufacturer for the whole build, and we think the products will work well together.” DriTherm® Cavity Slab 32 is full-fill insulation solution with a thermal conductivity of 0.032W/mK. While Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab for partially filled cavity walls is a rock mineral wool product with a thermal conductivity of 0.034W/mK. Both products are BBA certified for the application. In addition to non-combustibility and thermal performance, both products also offer sound reduction characteristics. Ease of installation Both DriTherm® Cavity Slab 32 and Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab contain a water repellent additive that preserves the integrity of the slabs while they are exposed during construction.  The products are also designed to be easy to install correctly. They are sized to suit standard centres for installation between wall ties or brick restraint systems. Slabs are robust so they can be manoeuvred into place while maintaining the flexibility required to adapt to minor imperfections in the substrate to prevent gaps that reduce thermal, fire and acoustic performance.  Lastly, they are both manufactured using ECOSE® Technology, Knauf Insulation’s unique bio-based binder, which contains no added formaldehyde or phenol. It is made from natural raw materials that are rapidly renewable, and is 70% less energy-intensive to manufacture than traditional binders, so it is more environmentally friendly. The product is soft to touch, easy to handle, and generates low levels of dust and VOCs. So, when it came to specifying the insulation for the Priscilla Bacon Lodge, Knauf Insulation’s DriTherm® Cavity Slab 32 and Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab for partially filled cavity walls ticked all the boxes. 

With a proven track record of providing a robust and compliant solution to the education sector, our PURe® aluminium windows have been extensively used for this new build school in Leicester.The new Avanti Fields School has been designed by architects Maber and provides a full range of facilities for nursery, primary and secondary education. Part of the Avanti Fields School Trust, the new school is one of 14 Avanti schools across the UK. The ethos of the Hindu faith school is one that promotes both spiritual and educational growth, and is open to children of all faiths and none. The inclusive nature of the school is also reflected in the design of the building, with an integrated sports hall and a light, bright interior.The school has been built by BAM Construction, with our PURe® aluminium windows installed by supply chain partner Red Systems. The use of our PURe® aluminium windows has not only ensured compliance with Part L of the Building Regulations but has provided the school with a low maintenance solution for preventing heat loss and reducing energy bills.The safe and secure style of the PURe® aluminium windows makes them ideally suited for use in the education sector, boosting daylighting and creating a comfortable learning environment.

As part of the broader regeneration plan in the northwest of Birmingham, Plot 6 at the Perry Barr Residential Scheme, is one of the largest developments.Providing 268 residential apartments, the eight-storey, mixed-use building also has a large courtyard garden, rooftop gardens and parking facilities for its residents. The living space has been created by blending modern architecture with traditional values.To achieve their vision, Glancy Nicholls Architects specified a range of Kawneer’s market-leading, architectural aluminium glazing systems for the residential scheme.The AA®100 Curtain Wall System, AA®720 Casement Windows and AA®720 Balcony Doors were used throughout the project and were chosen for their design flexibility and thermal performance. The Kawneer systems were installed on the project by approved specialist subcontractor APiC UK Ltd.Photos: Glancy Nicholls Architects

Challenge: The structure was had severe structural degradation due to the ingress of moisture and water over its near 100-year life. Corrosion to the steelframe resulted in tensile forces cracking and moving the brick skin, also causing a cracked façade. Strategy: ICCP was used as a method to control corrosion whilst the cracking and movement were repaired. This involved LoCem® and +point® AACM anode mortar to be grouted in the bed joints, alongside embedded corrosion rate sensors for service life tracking (AchillesICP and AiMS). LoCem® is a low carbon cement alternative, that can also act as a cathodic protection anode. Outcome: The structure was restored to be used as high-value residential apartments, saving tonnes of embodied carbon and eliminated the option of demolition. The embedded system successfully controlled and monitored corrosion for the long term, adding an additional 100 years to the structure’s service life.

Blenheim Palace is a country house in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England. It is the seat of the Dukes of Marlborough and the only non-royal country house in England to hold the title of palace.Lorient supplied AURA® AAS4507 threshold plates for this grand project. The AURA® range has been designed to integrate more successfully into beautiful doorsets and floors. The unique 'scooped' profile and concealed fixings add a more luxe aesthetic whilst enhancing the grip for foot or wheeled traffic.

Our White Stone Impervia® Marble Tile is 100% waterproof and is finished to a commercial grade. This tile also has an MGO core and is reinforced with tough fibreglass for stability and durability which also means it's fireproof.Some of the benefits of our White Stone Impervia® Marble Tile include:The rigid core helps to prevent warping when exposed to moisture.Great at resisting damage from impacts like high heels and heavy objects.