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Chatham Waters is a large development of 199 luxury apartments in Kent, with far-reaching views over the historic Chatham Docks. Each of the 199 homes features its own large balcony space with Euroclass A1 fire-rated aluminium decking and porcelain paving used interchangeably throughout the scheme to provide zoning and interest.Systems UsedBalcaSmart® Aluminium decking system with boards in RAL 7036 (Platinum Grey) passes beautifully into Quadro porcelain in the shade ‘Argento’. Selected for their low-height build-up, TerraSmart® Pedestal and BalcaSmart® Aluminium decking systems utilise very similar low-height non-combustible RP-FR and RD-FR pedestals, which work together to achieve a seamless transition between zones. DetailThe contrasting external flooring is mirrored in the intermittent placement of the brass screening throughout the buildings in the scheme, providing a distinctive and luxurious appearance.

Eternit profiled sheeting has been specified to create a sustainable, low maintenance rainscreen cladding solution at a landmark primary school project in Nottingham. The £2.8m scheme at the Robin Hood Primary School is a new two-storey creative hub, which includes classrooms, a library, an ICT suite and an art studio.

DHL’s new supply chain campus in Brackmills, Northampton offers cost-competitive, flexible supply chain solutions that add value to businesses. This modern, purpose-built campus offers low cost, flexible warehousing managed by logistics industry experts and is set in a prime location with excellent communication and distribution networks.

A £4.6 million project by Liverpool Mutual Homes (LMH) delivered family homes for affordable rent on a neglected brownfield site as part of a series of measures to maximise energy efficiency. he award winning windows deliver easy-to-maintain aesthetics, but, more importantly for this project, exceptional security and low U values.

The Rooflight Company recently collaborated with Hogarth Architects in designing rooflights to compliment the construction of a new Kensington mews property. Here the brief was to achieve a completely minimal frameless internal appearance, with low U-Values, and at the same time meet the planning requirement for a rooflight that would sit flush within the slate roof.

Cottrell & Vermeulen Architects specified Marley Western Red Cedar Shingles in order to complement the surroundings. They recognised the excellent aesthetic qualities, along with providing a low maintenance building with a high level of thermal insulation, whilst also meeting the planning authorities requirements of keeping the building sympathetic to the historic church on the same site.

The Architects involved in the design of the new Marriott hotel at Aberdeen airport really understood the need for a solution for the kitchens which ticked all the boxes. Beplas’s Elite FRP was the product chosen to line the extensive kitchen areas because it holds the ultimate combination of fire rating, low smoke development, clean-ability and durability.

Chelsea Creek is a mixed residential and commercial project in Central London, combining luxurious apartments with low cost housing and a stunning Spa. As a major development it has been created by award winning developer St George. AluK supplied the windows, doors, sliding doors and ground floor treatment systems throughout the project.

The low maintenance benefits and an aesthetic sympathetic to its location led to the specification of Eternit’s corrosion-resistant profiled sheeting as an external cladding solution for an award-winning development by designers, Soup Architects, called The Studios. The project has been built within a mature landscaped garden on an existing residential plot at Aldeburgh in Suffolk.

Leicester based fabricators SB Aluminium Services were key to the success of the transformation of the offices of Crowland Cranes in Peterborough. The makeover of the business premises was driven by the desire to create a modern and striking frontage to the offices. Kestrel Aluminium System’s low rise curtain wall, 60mm windows and commercial doors were specified throughout the building.

Set in the Highland capital of Inverness, Solasta House is at the heart of the thriving life sciences quarter, Inverness Campus. Threesixty Architecture required a natural, low maintenance product that would give a consistent appearance. The client selected Russwood Accoya® A1 grade timber, made up of 150mm x 50mm boards on modular panels.

The form of the building was created by owner / developer David Grainger with Trespa® products in mind. He says: "Having seen this material used for offices in and around London and major residential apartment buildings, I decided to use the product on the house." He adds: "It was well worth doing, particularly in respect of the low-maintenance requirements of the product."

The Allsop family started planning their kitchen renovation project in September 2021 and wanted to create an inviting room featuring special touches such as glass work surfaces alongside the latest in energy-saving technology. As they had already installed underfloor heating in their home before, they knew that an electric floor heater would be the ideal heating solution due to its ease of use, sustainable technology, and low running costs. The DCM-PRO was chosen as the most efficient solution, offering rapid installation times and increased and huge savings on energy bills due to its efficiency, further enhanced after being paired with our 6iE Thermostat. This system was perfect for use with the Allsop’s new Karndean vinyl floors and is also ideal for kitchens with stone or ceramic floor tiles as its decoupling technology helps protect tiled floors from damage. The low-profile design of the DCM-PRO is also perfect for all types of refurbishment projects in rooms with fixed ceiling heights as it will have a negligible impact on floor levels.

Verdo, Kew BridgeEcoWorld BrentfordCemfloor Level PlusA luxury development of apartments, shops, restaurants, parks and offices situated next to Brentford Football Club in West London.Cemfloor Level Plus was chosen for this project as the contractor required a screed that could be installed at low thicknesses. Cemfloor Level Plus was supplied by Capital Concrete and installed by Advance Screeding UK ltdClose to the River Thames, and next to Brentford football club in West London, Kew Bridge is a selection of beautiful new homes, as well as shops, cafes and restaurants. It is part of the wider Brentford regeneration project, and developed by EcoWorld.There are a total of 6 blocks on the site, and Cemfloor was the screed of choice for the main contractor.The main contractor had problems with the floor levels on site, so Cemfloor provided a thin screed system to work alongside the unique low profile UFH system; a castellated mat system installed onto Superfoil insulation. The UFH system was supplied by Compact Underfloor Heating. The complete floor build was only 45mm in depth and included acoustic insulation, thermal insulation, castellated UFHsystem, and Cemfloor Level Plus.Advanced Screeding installed Cemfloor Level Plus throughout the development. In total 800m3 of screed was easily pumped to height, over 11 floors without issue,providing an excellent, fast drying low profile floor, and saving significant time on the project.As Cemfloor Level Plus is a ready mixed solution it removed the need for any site mixing, material storage and material disposal from the site. Given the volume of screed required; if a self leveling compound product was used this would have equated to approx. 55,000 x 25kg bags of material having to be mixed on site.

•Think Apartments provide value for money residential accommodation for all lengths of stay in the heart of London. •Atrium Building in Maltings Place, Tower Bridge Road, formerly housed the Sarsons Vinegar Brewery and was redeveloped to provide modern apartments. •Dreadnought entrance area carpet was installed in the corridors and entrance areas due to its durability and low maintenance costs.

This £14 million Waitrose superstore is built on a brownfield site located in Bagshot, Surrey. The client wanted the new development to replace the green space lost to the building’s footprint and minimise its overall impact on the surrounding landscape. This was achieved through the installation of 4,800m2 of Bauder’s high quality, low maintenance sedum blanket, which is highly visible even at ground level.

21 Moorfields is a new commercial development in the City of London made up of offices and high-quality retail space. The building sits directly above the London Underground and also a new Crossrail ticket hall. A selection of our specialist screed products was specified for use on this complicated project due to the high strengths gained at a low depth and fast-drying properties.

Sustainability was a key consideration for global management consulting firm Boston Consulting Group’s relocation to new premises at 80 Charlotte Street, London.Led by the vision of architects Piercy&Company, the design for the space would see timber framed partitioning used across 257 meeting rooms and offices to create an eye-catching finish with a low carbon footprint.

At Best of Lime, we develop and manufacture products that are appropriate and regularly used on some of the UK’s most important historic buildings.But..We are also absolutely determined to ensure that materials or systems supplied by us are done so in a ‘future proof’ way.Warmcote is a part of the answer to making our historic housing stock much more thermally efficient and low energy.

South Lanarkshire College (SLC) in Scotland has opened a new, ‘zero-energy’ teaching block on its East Kilbride campus. Specifically designed with first-rate environmental credentials in mind, it boasts a whole host of efficiency-enhancing measures – including highly insulated floors, walls and roofs, triple-glazed windows, low-energy lighting and electrics, rainwater harvesting and solar PV panels on the roof. The college approached NIBE Pro Installer Anderson Floor Warming and Renewables in search of a system that would meet the heating requirements of the eight-classroom block in the most sustainable, cost-effective and reliable way possible.The SolutionSLC already has a range of NIBE products in its on-site renewables training centre, which students use for practical sessions, so a heat pump from NIBE was the natural choice to heat the new block. Mike Anderson, director at Anderson Floor Warming and Renewables, specified, designed and fitted a NIBE F1345 40kW ground source heat pump (GSHP) system to complement the building’s water-based underfloor heating, which operates at similarly low flow temperatures.ResultsNow up and running, the NIBE system is so efficient that it has been awarded a rating of A+++ in line with energy labelling criteria under the ErP Directive. SLC’s new teaching block has become the first building in the UK to achieve a BREEAM sustainability rating of ‘Outstanding’, with the facility excelling in all 10 assessment categories – from energy, waste and water to health and wellbeing.Customer Testimonials“We pride ourselves on our forward-thinking approach to sustainability at SLC, and we couldn’t be happier that our new teaching block has been deemed ‘Outstanding’ by BREEAM assessors. The NIBE heat pump system and the solar PV panels combined generate enough renewable energy to meet the block’s entire heating and power needs, making it a ‘zero-energy’ building. It really is a huge asset to the whole college – not only from a resource point of view, but also as a real-life example of sustainability in action. As well as being a valuable learning space for our construction and energy students, it’s a place for us to bring local businesses and community groups, and showcase the benefits of low-carbon, low-resource buildings first-hand.”Stewart McKillop, principal at South Lanarkshire College

Four Formica® Laminates from the Formica® Collection transform a residential kitchen project with bespoke carpentry. Laminate was chosen to create kitchen doors, shelves, worktops and even an accessible spice rack and a matching dining table. All decors chosen featured a Matte58 finish offering a smooth texture that provides low-level light reflection and minimal maintenance for the owner. 

ASF have been manufacturing and supplying these cycle stands to Halfords stores since 2013. Manufactured in stainless steel and finished either polished or painted, these stylish bike stands look great and are long lasting and low maintenance. Because ASF use stainless steel as a base metal on all of these stands, including the painted ones, they will not rust even if the paint is deeply scratched

CABI, the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International, have moved into their brand new bespoke global headquarters for the organisation in Wallingford, Oxfordshire. Sitting in an area of outstanding natural beauty, this unique office development by architects, Scott Brownrigg, has been built with a low impact design and a strong emphasis on low carbon. The complete development incorporates energy-saving measures above current Building Regulations standards.  Whilst the outside of the building has been designed to be unobtrusive, allowing it to blend into its environment, internally the design has certainly been given the wow factor.  Rooflights allow natural light into the building, which continues to flow throughout by clever use of Lusso Atria glazing and Lusso 25 single frameless glazing. The glazed atrium has been installed with stunning affect and glazed partitions provide a 2,500sqm of workspace which incorporates a café restaurant, meeting rooms, and conference room/auditorium. This state-of-the-art headquarters is certainly fitting for an international organisation which will be visited by both guests and staff from around the world.     

The ChallengeA former industrial area along the south bank of the Union Canal in Merchiston, Edinburgh required transformation with the expected outcome of becoming one of the places to live in the city centre. A housing development was to provide a stylish addition to the already thriving growing community.The development consists of 11 stylish, one, two and three-bedroom apartments. The apartments feature high quality engineered flooring, bespoke kitchens, designer bathrooms and fitted wardrobes, and each has a terrace or balcony enjoying open views over the canal.It was important that the building materials used were sympathetic to the local sandstone buildings.The SolutionThe original intention had been to use extruded bricks for the project, however, it was decided instead to use Forterra’s buff, stock thrown, Belgravia Gault Blend from its Ecostock range. A total of 55,000 bricks were used in the construction of Horne Terrace.The BenefitsBelgravia Gault Blend complemented beautifully the sandstone aesthetic of the buildings in the locality, while at the same time delivering great technical specification of low water absorption and low embodied carbon.

A large commercial client of EnviroBuild required a contemporary and low maintenance decking solution for their purpose built flat refurbishment project in South London. The decking would be supported over a flat roof surface, plug on balconies and garden decking areas, so required a versatile decking bearing system.The SolutionThe project used 400 m² of Hyperion Granite Pioneer decking installed on a sub-frame made of non-rot Manticore recycled plastic lumber. To support the decking over the low profile balconies and taller flat roof sections, adjustable decking supports were used. The various sizes of pedestals, allowed both very shallow decking heights and other sections to be supported securely with minimal installation time.Customer FeedbackThe client loved the look of the Granite Pioneer decking against the classic redbrick building. Combined with the modern glass balustrade, they created the perfect outdoor living spaces.Project DetailsSize: 400 m²Product: Granite Hyperion Composite DeckingSubstructure: Mesa Adjustable pedestals & Manticore Plastic LumberLocation: London

Background to the projectSouthway Housing Trust is a South Manchester based housing association managing 6,000 local homes.Southway has pledged to be zero-carbon by 2038 and has identified switching its homes from gas to electric heating as crucial to achieving this target.In 2022, a survey of Southway’s residents found that 88% were keen to reduce their impact on climate change, and Southway’s commitment to reducing carbon is in line with Manchester City Council’s net-zero ambitions.The Arrowfield Low Carbon Living Project represents an early and ambitious retrofit of a south Manchester neighbourhood that will reduce the estate’s carbon footprint by as much as 50%.Southway is replacing 396 of Arrowfield’s inefficient gas boilers in-line with long term government plans to electrify heat and will also improve the fabric of homes to make them more energy efficient.The scale of the project, part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), has made it one of the UK’s biggest home retrofit schemes.NIBE products used:NIBE F2040 Air Source Heat PumpKey stats:112 NIBE F2040 Air Source Heat Pumps installedContributes to project to remove 370 tonnes per annum of CO2 in ArrowfieldInstalled by Rothwell Plumbing GroupPart of a project to retrofit 199 homes with air source heat pumpsThe solution to the projectArrowfield Low Carbon Living is a flagship scheme in Manchester, retrofitting 199 homes and 197 apartments with air source heat pumps. NIBE was chosen as one of two heat pump providers to bring low carbon, sustainable heating to residents living in the Arrowfield estate. NIBE’s high quality, reliable heat pump systems provide optimum savings and automatically adapt to each home’s output requirements.Rothwell Plumbing Group (RPS) was chosen as the installation partner for the project, with a proven track record for delivering high quality heat pump systems, in both the public and private sectors. RPS are also MCS & Trustmark accredited, with the experience and technical ability to install NIBE systems to the highest of standards.Southway’s aim is for the project to act as a learning process and blueprint for how it can scale up the retrofitting of its entire housing stock over the next 15 years.Ahead of this ambitious project, a community engagement programme enabled greater awareness of heat pumps as a low carbon heating solution, whilst providing the opportunity to listen and respond to resident feedback.The Arrowfield Hub, located in in a repurposed empty house on the estate, became a venue for regular engagement between the residents and the project team, creating an open forum for questions and comments on the proposed scheme.The Hub was also heated by an air source heat pump, allowing residents to witness a live heat pump in operation and experience the warmth of the building.Residents were also able to express their concerns surrounding the project, and these could be addressed accordingly. This regular and open engagement was key to keeping residents informed and more familiar with their soon-to-be new heating systems.The Hub also allowed for the project team to dispel common myths and misconceptions about air source heat pumps and reassure residents that their homes would remain warm throughout the yearThe Results112 NIBE’s F2040 Air Source Heat Pumps have been providing heat and hot water to residents across the estate, adapting to the requirements of each and every home in the estate, whilst providing powerful output even down to outdoor temperatures as low as -20°C.The systems will provide homes across the estate with optimised energy and cost savings, whilst supplying a supply line temperature of up to 58°C regardless of outdoor temperatures.TestimonialMatt Roberts, Strategic Director of Property and Development at Southway Housing, said:"Community engagement for the Arrowfield Low Carbon Living Project was central to the project's aims. Foregrounding the needs of Arrowfield's residents as central to the project’s implementation, helped us to better convey the benefits of low carbon heating and address concerns and suggestions brought forward by homes set to benefit from the retrofit scheme.Air source heat pumps are essential to Southway Housing Trust decarbonising our housing stock and achieving our net-zero goals. Working in partnership with NIBE is part of that process and has contributed to achieving carbon savings of 370 tonnes CO2 per annum on Arrowfield.”About the installerRothwell Plumbing Services Group Ltd, formed in 1997, are a family run business specialising in delivering renewable solutions across the North of England. The company helped to ensure residents in Arrowfield Estate could access maximum energy savings and reduced energy bills.

To complement the atrium’s strong linear aesthetic the architect specified INTRAform DM Low Profile entrance matting in silver finish. In a striking design statement, the entrance mat is rotated from square, creating an angular extension of matting towards the reception desk. This unique positioning helps to both guide visitors towards reception whilst simultaneously orientating itself towards the main traffic flow of the building.

Say goodbye to Bechtel House and hello to 245 Hammersmith Road. Here the external painted concrete soffit of the undercroft was in poor condition. It needed a solution which would require low future maintenance due to its inaccessible position. Two coats of KEIM Soldalit were applied to the soffit for a long-lasting coverage, and KEIM Concretal Lasur applied to each column to create a uniform finish. 

Chamberlain, based in Edgbaston, is a brand new student accommodation development comprised of a 21-storey tower and three low-rise blocks. The student rooms have been fitted with the Aperio® solution, which required full integration into the Gallagher Command Centre, which is an industry leading critical business platform, delivering organisational security and operational continuity... Click on the link below to read more.

This sociable housing project located on a backlands site behind terraces of Victorian houses in Beckenham comprises six homes, with coach house and is an exemplar low carbon, flood resistant scheme. As in all sociable housing schemes, private space is combined with valuable shared amenity which contribute to and support community. The project combines a number of products including ANTHRA-ZINC standing seam roofing. 

Stone: LUNDHS Blue® - silk and polished surfaces.As visually arresting as it is practical, Lundhs Blue, used in and around this outdoor pool, has extremely low absorption properties, meaning it is not affected by the outdoor elements or swimming pool chemicals. Inside the pool, high gloss polished tiles have been used whilst a silk finish has been used o the surround to create a less slippery surface.

The English National Ballet – the AJ100 Building of The Year 2020 – impressed judges with its ‘pared-back, attractive simplicity’. This design restraint filters through every aspect of the build, down to the specification of a classic monochrome entrance mat using INTRAform DM Low Profile. Using a combination of black ribbed polypropylene and multidirectional rubber inserts, the architect has created a highly effective zonal matting system with a clean, simple aesthetic.

The English National Ballet – the AJ100 Building of The Year 2020 – impressed judges with its ‘pared-back, attractive simplicity’. This design restraint filters through every aspect of the build, down to the specification of a classic monochrome entrance mat using INTRAform DM Low Profile. Using a combination of black ribbed polypropylene and multidirectional rubber inserts, the architect has created a highly effective zonal matting system with a clean, simple aesthetic.

The Hepworth Gallery required access to their low pitched roofs to facilitate safe working at height when carrying out external glazing cleaning and general maintenance. The concrete design of the building resulted in a thin roof construction, so The Gallery needed to ensure that any systems installed were fit-for-purpose, fully tested and compatible. With such a prestigious and architecturally prominent building, it was imperative that the chosen system also suited the design of the building.

A mixed use development for Leeds Metropolitan University and property group Downing, some of the building’s diversity comes from the expression of the fenestration which encorporates integrated low-energy design. The apparently random patterns were composed to ensure that the vertically modulated cuts provided an orientation-specific balance of daylight penetration and solar gain reduction. The result is a building with irregular sides which maximises natural light without creating overheating.

The high strength Isotec 200 loft ladder offers superb thermal insulation with a U-value of 0.17 W/m2K and a class 4 certified airtight seal. In addition, it offers 60 minutes fire and heat protection (tested according to EN 1634-1, EN1363-1, ÖNORM 3860). The Isotec 200 loft ladder is ideally suited for energy efficient, low-carbon buildings where fire protection is needed.