"office desk"

Architectural practice, dMFK, attract staff back to the office with Oscar Acoustics market-leading SonaSpray acoustic ceiling spray.In 2022, award-winning architectural practice dMFK, in collaboration with architects Sher + White, embarked on refurbishing dMFK’s HQ in Fitzrovia, London, to create a collaborative space for its workforce. They enlisted Oscar Acoustics to help create an acoustically balanced environment which would also work with the aesthetics of the interior space.SonaSpray K-13 was applied in a stunning pale grey colourway to the ceilings of the areas with the greatest potential for excess noise – the communal areas, large meeting rooms, and co-working spaces.On the finished project, De Metz commented: “We’re thrilled with how the office looks and performs. Oscar Acoustic’s SonaSpray is the single most noticeable and effective material in our office and directly contributes to day-to-day comfort and the ability to work without bothering others.”

The learning and teaching activities in LSTM are diverse and wide-ranging, including the prestigious Masters programmes continue to attract highly-motivated students from around the world. Our works in the building included 5 floors themed meeting rooms, along with general office space and laboratories.

Individual or hinged panel single glazed sliding system with the option of with crittall bars. This single glazed sliding system can achieve 34dB.The benefit of our MG900 panels is that they work in the same way as conventional movable walls and can be either single or double point suspension. With the slim back painted border you have clear view visual lines. This allows a superior light flow around the office, cost-effective installation and flexibility in the work environment. Plus the simple fact that they look elegant and classy. Not only these, but they also offer exceptional sound reduction allowing for privacy to be had amongst clients or for important internal meetings.The MG900 glazed system is a 35mm thick panel that can be incorporated into your standard fixed glazed partitioning system.So this unique 35mm thickness gives endless designs and layout options.Furthermore, the aluminium frame can be coloured to your choice to match your design or branding needs. These panels retain a room’s spacious sense of proportion and maximise light and clear viewing lines. Truly a magnificent office aesthetic.MG900 Key FactsAcoustic reduction from 34dBSlimline 35mm thick panelsTop hung with a shallow 4mm floor guidePanel widths 450mm to 1200mmHeight up to 3000mmPanel border finish any chosen RAL finishCrittall bar glazing designs to suit your design needs

The company needed a slat wood wall in an office refit. MicroSlat - a lightweight, modular solution that's easy to install and provides acoustic absorption - was chosen in a bespoke Sand Ash finish. The 2.75m standard panel height is taller than other panels on the market and provides increased floor to ceiling coverage.

This 19 storey building incorporates high quality office accommodation commanding magnificent views of the river Thames. Location: LondonContractor: MaceArchitect: Allford Hall Monaghan Morris Aspex supplied: Ironmongery with stainless steel handles and doorsets with flush glazing beads and a shadow gap frame detail

The Met Office’s new state of the art building in Exeter Science Park features a large IT hall, along with a striking two-story ‘collaboration’ building, which will be a home for world-class research into climate change. In order to create a contemporary design which blended in with the natural landscape, Marshalls’ assisted the landscape design team in selecting the Prospero, Thalassa and Tritanial granites due to their complimentary tones and textures which matched the contemporary architectural design which juxtaposed with seminaturalised areas of sweeping soft landscaping and semi-mature native tree planting.

Thermal and acoustic insulation secondary glazing was installed by Selectaglaze for the National Trust as part of a full-scale refurbishment at the Grade I Listed Belton House stable block in Grantham, Lincolnshire, which has been converted into restaurant and office space. Selectaglaze Series 10 horizontal sliders were specified for 24 of the original leaded windows in the offices, and meeting rooms. Custom made timber grounds were affixed to all the openings which were splayed or out of shape. As a result of the installation, thermal efficiency has improved considerably, with the added benefit of increased acoustic insulation.

Our lightweight MaxiBeam System in a warm oak finish adorns the ceiling in a newly renovated 76,000 sq ft, multi tenanted commercial office building in Bristol. The design brief was to create a modern and welcoming reception space as well as an upgrade to lift core areas with the purposes of attracting new tenants to this centrally located office building. The ceiling design featured 40mm x 150mm MaxiBeams finished in a Warm Oak Supalami, FR Class 0, also incorporating a 12mm Black Acoustic Backing Board to provide further acoustic benefits. VIEW TECHNICAL DETAILS AND FULL PHOTO GALLERY...

With modern design, the building is at the forefront of technology ... These offices focused on writing newspaper and various journals under a single roof. The aim of this ambitious project is to maximise company resources, and be in agreement with the innovations of the new millennia... Barrisol contributed to this project with the provision of 1,100sqm of Barrisol acoustic light (BSA301010B) materials. 149 ceilings with 142 identical hexagons

This 7-storey, grade two listed building has every reason to become London’s most sought-after residence, in more ways than one.Aside from the internal luxuries with multiple gyms, a 16-seat cinema, hotel pool, multiple lounges, 9 restaurants, a spa, etc etc, it’s perhaps more famous for serving one of our most legendary prime ministers. Sir Winston Churchill.As a place where the Second World War was overseen, walking through the theatrical marble entrance is like stepping back into history. The restored mosaic floors and the old messenger rooms repurposed as a design feature are just two things that add to this architectural wonder, with Churchill’s old room itself being available for private dinners.And you know Ian Fleming? Author of the James Bond series? Well, it’s thought that he came up with the idea for Bond during his time at the office working as a British Naval Intelligence Officer. To keep the 007 idea authentic, three of the films were filmed at this very location, meaning it stars in more James Bond films than any other building. Talking of filming locations, it’s also starred in one of the most popular TV series currently, The Crown, which is rather apt given it’s located (approximately) 1.3km from Buckingham Palace.We supplied a range of Selo products throughout the OWO renovation including sliding pocket doors, riser doors, clad riser doors, automatic opening vents,

Providing a secure and reliable office entranceEDF are one of the UKs largest energy providers, with their head office serving as the strategic hub that plays a pivotal role in its overall functioning and success. At FAAC Entrance Solutions, we understand just how vital a secure and reliable entrance is to such an important business. From the initial design working with Pick Everard, we reviewed the best entrance solution, to meet the clients brief and requirements.Project Year: 2023Product: FAAC A1400 Slider with pocket screen & TK35 profileProduct: RD100 Revolving DoorProduct: Magnetic mWing Pedestrian GatesProduct: FAAC Airslide Sliding DoorProject Background: The facilities team at EDF wanted to increase security with a safe and secure entrance that would suit their ground structure. They wanted a full entrance solution with a revolving door at the end of a bridge with a sheltered glass tunnel leading up to a pair of automatic sliding doors and security lanes. As part of the project, we worked closely with the contractor Imtech Inviron Ltd and all the project team, whilst meeting all challenges along the way, we aimed to create the perfect solution without disrupting the space and flow of the foyer whilst entering and exciting the building.Solution: One key item was enabling staff to be able to enter the entrance corridor through a revolving door, providing a sustainable and weathertight area out of the weather, then having a secondary entrance through a pair of automatic sliding doors, therefore providing an improved entrance with high protection against all weather conditions. To comply with Part M of buildings regulations, we provided our unique FAAC Airslide automatic sliding door system, to ensure accessibility for all.Once inside the building, we installed a bank of 3 security lanes, to control the access for authorised users only and preventing unauthorised personnel from entering the building.Revolving door: The RD100, a power-assisted door, elevates functionality for any office entrance with pedestrian traffic. This compact revolving door accommodates various pedestrian flows effortlessly and at their preferred pace. Manually activated, pedestrians push the door to start. Once the smart system activates, it guarantees smooth movement in both directions, reducing effort and power use, easing entry/exit, and reducing the carbon footprint.Sliding door: Our FAAC A1400 sliding door’s innovative “energy saving” feature empowers this system to discern transit direction, meticulously optimizing opening and closing times. This functionality effectively prevents unnecessary air dispersion, even amid cross traffic occurrences. The resulting product is environmentally conscious, reliable, secure, technologically advanced and notably, cost effective in the long term.Pedestrian Gates: The Magnetic mWing Pedestrian Gate system ensures swift visitor flow with quick opening times and preset travel features, ensuring high-security standards in both monitored and unmonitored areas. Engineered for durability and comes with a unique surface finish.AIRSLIDE Sliding Door: FAAC supplied and installed 1 of our unique AIRSLIDE automatic sliding doors, with an integrated air curtain. An air barrier protects the entrance area from the cold in winter and the heat in summer, without dispersion. This solution, designed for automatic entrances, allows the air to be kept inside the building, thereby helping to reduce energy consumption.The AIRSLIDE system combines the automatic opening and air curtain systems into a single unit, with obvious aesthetic and functional advantages. Its sleek design makes it easy to integrate into any architectural perspective.Check out more of our Energy Solutions.For more information or assistance with any project, please contact enquiries.esuk@faactechnologies.com where we can provide expert guidance and detailed documentation.

In an office environment the new ‘Signal’ solution dyed Carpet tiles offer a product as an education carpet tile, public space carpet tile or office carpet tile solution.

The challengeCeiling systems by Zentia have provided form and function for an award-winning Grade A office building at the heart of one of the largest regeneration projects in the UK.Zentia’s Cradle to Cradle™ certified mineral tiles were specified by regular Zentia users Falconer Chester Hall Architects for the Kingsgate building at Birkenhead in Wirral Waters which was built at a cost of £11.4 million.The solutionThe decision to choose Zentia Prestige hA+ Tegular24 tiles with Prelude 24mm XL2 grid was made simple due to the 30 year system warranty and both having Cradle to Cradle certificates helping achieve Kingsgate’s BREEAM Excellent rating.Manufactured with up to 41% recycled content, the Prestige family is available in three core densities that allow specifiers to engineer sound absorption and attenuation for optimum acoustic performance – standard Prestige giving medium density, Prestige hA+ giving low density (both of these variables were used at Kingsgate) and Prestige dB giving high density, up to 41 dB.Stephen Fieldsend of Falconer Chester Hall said the Zentia systems were specified to reduce acoustics in the open plan office areas which serve as the core business for The Contact Company in its role as a contact centre. Flexible open-plan office spaces allow greater flexibility for the call centre which takes up three of the four storeys, with offices and meeting rooms on the top floor. While its design concept references Liverpool’s past and the trading vessels that once negotiated the waters on its doorstep, the building remains forward focused on sustainability.

VIEGA MEGAPRESS – THE IDEAL FIT FOR FESTOOL HQAward-winning international power tools manufacturer, Festool has invested £10 million into its new headquarters based in Bury St. Edmonds. As part of the construction, Viega’s Megapress press connection technology has been utilised for the building’s new state-of-the-art heating system, allowing for an efficient and effective installation.Festool has relocated its 55 office-based employees to the new site in Suffolk Business Park, in Bury St. Edmonds. The large, modern facility includes meeting rooms, cafés and office space with a separate warehouse and demonstration facility. It was important for the company that its new headquarters represented a modern and sustainable design and could be a facility where the company can continue to expand and develop.The headquarters has a complex range of HVAC systems, including a hybrid air conditioning system, underfloor heating and domestic services. Viega’s carbon steel press fitting system, Megapress was an ideal solution to create the pipework connections, offering a fast and effective alternative to traditional methods such as welding.David Aldous, Mechanical Project Manager at Ceetech, the contractor for the project, commented: “We selected Megapress as it ticked all the boxes. It provided a secure press connection without the need for welding and allowed our team to undertake the work efficiently and effectively. This project had to be completed to a tight deadline, so it was essential to make strategic time gains throughout the installation period.“We were also able to make valuable time-savings because with the Megapress system, there is no need to prepare the pipe surface or clean it after as with welding, threading or grooving. From a health and safety perspective – it also removes the element of hot works.”A highly effective pressing method, Megapress connections can be made in just seven seconds – helping to achieve a 60% reduction in installation time. After cutting the pipe to the required length, contractors need only deburr the cut surface, slide the press fitting into place and press the connection.The simplicity of the press fitting process also ensures that a uniform seal is created on each connection throughout the project; particularly important on large-scale developments where there is set to be thousands of joints across a single site. Once the fitting has been pressed, it forms a strong and secure connection.David concluded: “The Megapress system is excellent, I’ll certainly select Viega again for future projects. It was a clean installation and the end-client was pleased with the high quality of work."

Background & BuildingSituated within an Art Deco Grade 1 listed building is MediCity Nottingham, the pharma incubator. MediCity is a collaboration between Boots and BioCity, the UK’s leading life sciences incubation business. To provide and encourage a stimulating and supportive business development environment for innovators, their premises was completely refurbished.The Brief in BriefThe co-working space is a stylish art deco alternative, which was designed to encourage collaboration and productivity for all.Hot desks and “pods” were designed and installed to create a flexible working environment for individuals or small teams. The facilities include laboratory and office space, access to high-end equipment, shared services, training, business support and access to investment. Aligning to the purpose of the facility, building performance was a key aspect of the brief.Komfort’s SolutionWith the intent of meeting performance requirements, Komfort’s glazed Firescreens were installed in the reception area. Komfort’s technical and project management teams worked closely with the design team to provide a solution to fully glaze the reception area from floor to ceiling.Our specialist internal glazing and firescreens provide a fire rating of up to 2 hours, along with sound and structural performance. Utilising thin glass, minimal framing and exceptional structural performance the specialist internal glazing and firescreens are unique, combining aesthetics with performance.The End ResultKomfort thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the design process and working so closely with Roshal Space Consultants. The building now serves the purpose of providing an ideal and inspiring environment for both start-up and established companies to grow and achieve success, whilst adhering to building performance requirements.

Challenge Modern paving flags required for city centre roof terrace at flexible workspace Urban HQ situated in Eagle Star House offers state-of-the-art facilities including meeting rooms, event space, a member’s lounge and bar.  One of its most notable spaces is the rooftop terrace. The roof garden provides co-workers with a valuable communal area to foster company culture or escape from their desk. The terrace offers a flexible space to relax, socialise or entertain while taking in the views of Belfast city and beyond. The central design aspiration was to bring a New York or London feel to Belfast city. It was essential that the roof terrace hard landscaping aligned with the design ethos. SolutionContemporary Mayfair Flags installed on pedestals were the perfect choice  Tobermore’s Mayfair Flags with their granite aggregate contemporary finish were the perfect choice for Eagle Star House. A contrasting finish was created on the terrace in the colours Silver and Graphite. A simple yet effective stacked laying pattern was deployed which adds to the clean look of the contemporary roof terrace. The commercial space has more of a boutique hotel feel than a city centre office. The Mayfair paving flags were installed onto adjustable pedestals, creating a level surface throughout the terrace. The use of this installation system enables the laying of paving flags without the need for grout, sand or adhesive. It also creates a void beneath the paved surface allowing an easy and convenient route for exterior cables or other services. View our Roof Terrace Support for installation on pedestals for roof terraces, balconies and roof gardens.

A former HMRC building has been transformed, inside and out, to create Telford’s largest serviced office accommodation with over 52,000 sq.ft of space for 50 offices.As part of the extensive refurbishment programme, the building’s main entrance has also been given a facelift with a new canopy incorporating Radius metal column casings, with a bespoke stepped collar design, as well as bespoke metal bulkheads and fascia's from the Pendock Linea building linings range.

Completed in July 2020, The Sorting Office has been designed and constructed to the highest sustainable standards achieving LEED platinum certification.The development is articulated with design features that add visual interest and assert a clear geometric form. The material palette of the facade consists of perforated aluminium brise-soleil fins applied in a fine texture metallic powder coating that are strategically placed to minimise solar gains.Finish: YW387I Ordos Sable

This office redesign for a client in the healthy living space incorporated a variety of natural finishes and details for the right look and feel. Vtec’s texture range met the natural requirement with ease and STONE WALL PANELS in STRATA WHITE were used as a design statement in the reception area, reflecting the client’s wellbeing brand and setting the tone for visitors. The panels were an ideal backdrop for company signage to be added. Throughout the design, the execution is impeccable with high quality fixtures and colourful details bringing the office to life.

We supplied and installed vertical fins, brise soleil light shelves and louvred rooftop plant screens on Arco’s new five-storey office building – as well as fins and an expanded mesh façade to the 350-space car park.“The overall look of the new development is modern and bold, and has already received many positive comments about its ‘iconic’ appearance,” said Arco’s Estates & Facilities Project Leader, Steve Owen.

Cibes installed their A5000 lift in Dyno Plumbing’s colourful and modern office in Trimdon. This one stop lift provides the ideal accessibility solution to this industrial inspired office. Homage is paid to the towns mining history with artefacts proudly displayed on the walls. The white steel panels and glass door sit perfectly in the bright and colourful surroundings. The plumbing and drainage experts have 50 years of experience, offer free call-outs 24/7 and fixed prices. They cover just about any commercial and private work, from the largest projects right down to unclogging your kitchen sink!

“Rip up the rule book and create a space that inspires” – this was the brief for the new 91,000 sq ft Moneypenny Headquarters in Wrexham. The building brings staff from five offices under one roof and features a village pub, stadium seating and a treehouse boardroom. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/dh5vphfmvdyjt93/AABqtUaSXhtS6zDlhhUGpebpa?dl=0

With the vision being to create one of the city’s most ‘instagrammable’ offices, fit out contractor Paramount needed every product specified for the refurbishment of Dock House to be aesthetically pleasing as well as highly practical. Zip’s HydroTap and InLine ranges met the brief for all of their water needs."We pride ourselves on making places where people want to be and that’s certainly the case with our new Bristol office. We wanted every detail to reflect our vision of creating a destination workplace and this included the water provision. Zip Water could provide world class products combined with the best service so we had no hesitation in specifying their products."Kevin Marshford, Sales Director | Paramount OfficeThe briefDock House, a three storey building in Bristol’s Welsh Back, was ripe for redevelopment. Paramount wanted to create a striking office space that was flexible enough for working, events and meetings. And, taking the ground floor as their new Bristol head office, Paramount had a vested interest in designing a modern and desirable workplace which was in-keeping with its historic location. In terms of water products, Paramount wanted energy efficient water heaters for washrooms which could reliably deliver hot water whenever required. With the building being used frequently but with a low intensity interspersed with short stints of high occupancy, it was important that the systems were as efficient as possible. In addition to washroom water heaters, Paramount wanted to offer staff and visitors a sociable tea point in the communal bar area. With aesthetics and sustainability so high on the priority list, a stylish drinking water product was needed that could provide filtered boiling, chilled and sparkling water without the need for single-use plastic water bottles.The solutionThanks to an existing relationship with Paramount, Zip Water was specified to provide a number of products for this project. Washroom hot water was solved thanks to Zip’s InLine range, which discreetly provides instantaneous hot water whenever needed. Its innovative design heats water as it flows through, meaning there is no standing heat loss, just energy efficient hot water. For the bar area, Zip provided its HydroTap Classic Plus in smart matt black. This clever tap which was installed on the bar with the help of a font, provides instant filtered boiling, chilled and sparkling water. This transforms the way staff and visitors can make hot and cold drinks - and helps to encourage a refill culture within the workplace. Another benefit of the HydroTap is the enhanced hygiene thanks to SteriTouch which is embedded in the touchpad, as well as in key components of the water path, reducing the growth of bacteria by 99.99%.The results"We pride ourselves on making places where people want to be and that’s certainly the case with our new Bristol office. We wanted every detail to reflect our vision of creating a destination workplace and this included the water provision. Zip Water could provide world class products combined with the best service so we had no hesitation in specifying their products."Kevin Marshford , Sales DirectorParamount Office Interiors

The transformation and repurposing of an existing building into new serviced offices in Shropshire is using bespoke manufactured aluminium parapet capping from the Pendock Linea range to provide high-quality finish.Incorporating a slate grey PPC finish, to blend in with the existing column casings that support the canopy, the PC-F style flat parapet capping's are manufactured from 2mm thick aluminium, which resists weatheringPendock carried out all the site surveys, manufacturing and the final installation of the parapet capping's on this project, which involved the removal and re-fitting of the column casings to provide a water-resistant barrier for the brickwork.

Beautiful, spectacular curved glass designs made with evguard®. One of absolutely gorgeous designs accomplished by Inhouse Brand Architects for GAIA Group Offices. It is made up of concrete and exposed brickwork and has got curved walls and timber beams. Curved glass windows and intricate timber-clad ceilings enhanced the beauty of the building. Glass Benders have been manufacturing and supplying quality curved glass since 1998. They make unique glass products for a wide range of applications. More under www.glassbenders.co.za or please contact our distributor: Fraser Global Trading (Pty) Ltd Johannesburg, South Africa Web: www.fgtrading.co.za

Decorative wall linings from the Pendock Linea building linings range are being used at 2 Ruskin Square in Croydon, to conceal mechanical details surrounding a ground floor feature wall & fire curtain, while also providing a consistent finish to lift lobbies on each level of the 10 storey building.Designed by architects, Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, the building provides 340,000 square feet of office space and incorporates retail units at ground level. The bespoke wall linings are manufactured from 3mm thick aluminium with a RAL 8022 finish and were also installed by Pendock using a concealed panel hanging system.

The Stress Research Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, conducted a study with Ecophon in a real-life office environment to examine how sound affects people in open-plan offices. During the study the sound environment went from poor to good and back to poor again.

Just 100 metres away from the Royal Courts of Justice in London stands 188 Fleet Street, which until recently was the home of bankers Coutts & Co. The 35,000 sq ft building, purchased for £11 million, has been recently refurbished by HD Architects to house a publishing company. The renovated office benefits from a number of striking internal steel screens which feature throughout the office and contribute to the amount of natural daylight that filters through the space.

The Glass Yard is a prestigious mixed office and retail development in Chesterfield, on the site of what was the once the largest manufacturer of domestic glassware in the UK. It has been designed sustainably and ergonomically by developer Blue Deer Ltd. for an open plan, daylight filled environment. The client approached Tarmac’s representatives looking for a safe, practical, durable and visually distinctive finish for the main external walkways and first-floor balconies that would complement the modern design and sustainable ethos of the building. After providing advice and number of samples, the client chose TOPTINT Glow a unique, glow in the dark decorative concrete that uses light sensitive chippings to help illuminate areas such as footpaths, cycleways and pedestrian areas. The glowing aggregate provided a passive and energy efficient form of demarcation to help guide clients along the balconies and walkways at night-time and in low ambient light conditions. This fitted with the building’s sustainable design ethos. The gentle glow provided by the light emitting chippings also provided an ambience that was sure to be a talking point for customers and would help put the new development on the map.

A contemporary office environment demands a number of important considerations; functionality, aesthetics, space, accessibility and wellbeing.  Ticking all of these boxes are the multiple LivePicture installations at the headquarters of Ultraleap, a technology company in Bristol. A framed piece of artwork with living plants, LivePicture has brought foliage, freshness and visual impact to the offices, thanks to installers Inleaf.

Landmark is a 180,000 sq ft prime office development located in Manchester’s premier business district. Partially built off-site, it has been designed to achieve the highest sustainability standards – a BREEAM rating of ‘excellent’ and an Energy Performance Certificate rating of A so the thermal performance of its insulation was hugely important.Building regulations in England and Wales ban the use of combustible materials on all buildings over 18m. With 14 floors and a roof height of 27m, the architect, Squire and Partners, specified non-combustible insulation with Euroclass A1 reaction to fire classification.With this in mind, external wall sub-contractor FK Group consulted the Knauf Insulation Technical Support Team for advice about which insulation to use. The team conducted 3D U-value calculations and determined that Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab in thicknesses of 50mm, 100mm and 150mm would achieve the desired U-value.Rocksilk® RainScreen SlabRocksilk® RainScreen Slab is manufactured from Rock Mineral Wool and has a thermal conductivity of 0.034W/mK. It is BBA certified for use over 18m and has the best possible Euroclass A1 reaction to fire classification, meaning it met the required specification for fire safety.FK Group also sought advice about what to do if the Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab was exposed to rainwater during installation. There is a common misconception that the thermal performance of Mineral Wool will be permanently compromised if it gets wet, but this simply isn’t the case. Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab has been developed for external applications – its fibre matrix promotes water run-off, and it contains moisture-repellent additives in the binder. This ensures it can withstand higher levels of exposure to moisture during installation. Knauf Insulation also provided advice on the storage of insulation on site to protect the insulation from prolonged exposure to rainwater prior to use.Offsite constructionLandmark was built using an offsite construction method. Decorative concrete rainscreen panels were manufactured by Techrete in Hull. Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab was fitted offsite before the entire panel was transported to Manchester and craned into position on the concrete frame.The Knauf Insulation Specification Team provided further support by carrying out visits to both the Techrete manufacturing facility and the construction site to check the insulation was being installed correctly.SustainabilityAs well as its thermal and fire performance, Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab offers considerable sustainability credentials. It is manufactured with ECOSE® Technology, Knauf Insulation's unique bio-based binder that contains no added formaldehyde or phenol. ECOSE® Technology 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. This is beneficial when insulation is being installed offsite in an enclosed industrial environment.Enhancing the St Peter’s Square heritageMurray Levinson partner at Squire and Partners said “Landmark is an important project for Squire & Partners, representing our first completed new build project in Manchester. When we were approached to design Landmark, we recognised an opportunity to extend the cluster of prime office buildings of the adjacent St Peter’s Square southwards. Our design concept aligned itself with the new developments, whilst creating a building which enhanced its specific site heritage and context.“A priority for both ourselves and the client was to create a building with exceptional sustainability and wellbeing credentials, and we are proud to have achieved BREEAM Excellent and EPC A ratings,” added Levinson.Thanks to its thermal performance, fire safety and environmental credentials, Rocksilk® RainScreen Slab will contribute to Landmark achieving the world's foremost environmental assessment method and rating system for buildings. All of which means this will truly be a landmark building both visually and in terms of sustainability.For further information about how our insulation can contribute to BREEAM, see below.https://www.knaufinsulation.co.uk/all-downloads?search=BREEAM

It never ceases to amaze us what a difference a new finish makes to wood cladding. We have recently had a customer who was in desperate need of a makeover for cedar clad garden office & gym.Roger at R and A Pressure Washing has given us another great case study to show you and we think it’s looking amazing. When the office was installed 2 years previously, the customer had used Seasonite new wood protection to protect and stabilise the new wood. The wood therefore needed a good clean before a finish could be applied, as you can see:Now they wanted to complete the look and were straight back to Owatrol products with the help of Roger!Firstly, he applied Net-TrolBy using this powerful and fast acting wood cleaner and brightener, Roger was able to restore the natural colour of the cedar cladding and decking and clean it quickly and easily. Before starting work, Roger masked off all the areas of the building which he didn’t want to be treated.Net-Trol is non-aggressive and is harmless to plants, so Roger didn’t need to worry about it damaging the grass next to the garden office.Firstly, he wet the cladding and the Southern Yellow Pine decking with fresh, clean water.They then applied Net-Trol with a synthetic roller and then scrubbed the surface with a stiff synthetic brush.After leaving it to stand for around 15 minutes, the customer then scrubbed the surface whilst simultaneously rinsing it with water. You could also use a pressure washer, max. 60 bar.If the surface starts to dry while you’re leaving the Net-Trol to work, simply mist it with some water.If you want, you can repeat the procedure but in this case, the client did not have to.The customer then left the cladding and decking to dry for 48 hours before applying the finish.Next, Aquadecks was appliedA water-based penetrating wood finish that provides advanced UV protection, Aquadecks was the ideal choice to revive and protect this customer’s cladding and decking.One of the great things about Aquadecks is that maintenance is easy, with no sanding or stripping required.Roger applied a liberal amount of Aquadecks. He worked in sections that he could complete within 30 minutes, working in the direction of the grain.After the ‘wet look’ of the first application disappeared, he then applied a second coat of Aquadecks. He then allowed it to penetrate for 15-20 minutes.Roger then wiped away any excess Aquadecks that had not penetrated. This avoided it drying in shiny spots on the surface of the cladding.Aquadecks comes in a variety of colours but in this case the customer chose a Honey tint, which we think looks stunning.By using Net-Trol and Aquadecks, Roger has given his customer’s garden office and gym a makeover that has brought the building and adjacent decking back to life.

The House of St Johns’ is a beautifully restored andrenovated Grade I listed building in the heart of Bath, UK.The building now houses a mix of flexible office spaces,dedicated desks, meeting rooms and modern eventsspaces – offering a fully flexible working environment formodern times.Working in close collaboration with architect FelidenClegg Bradley Studios and contractors Emery BrothersLtd, Allgood provided a complete ironmongeryspecification throughout, while Allgood Secure designedand installed a security and access control system thatmet with the client’s requirements.The Modric range in a Spectra bronze finish was chosenthroughout the building as its timeless aesthetic andelegant simplicity matched the architect’s vision for thespace. Our Holt range was also fitted onto the lowerground floor communal doors and shower rooms from European oak, Holt’s super circular design providesa welcoming, warm to the touch feel that suited thedesign intent to provide welcoming spaces.Allgood Secure designed a comprehensive securityspecification for this project, including an access controlsystem, CCTV, and a video intercom system. All of thiswas backed up with powerful cloud-based software,Brivo Access, giving the staff full visibility across the siteand allowing them to lock and unlock doors remotely.The system was also integrated with House of StJohns’ room booking system, meaning members canunlock meeting rooms themselves using their accesscredentials.A key part of the security system was the installationof Eagle Eye cloud-hosted CCTV cameras. Thesecameras are fully integrated with the Brivo Accessplatform, allowing the team to view the live video feedsfrom anywhere and with ease. All of this is backed upwith expertly selected and fitted electronic locks andironmongery from the wider Allgood team, ensuring alldoors are compliant with the relevant fire, escape andaccessibility criteria.

Located at Swansea University’s Bay Campus, and designed and constructed by SPECIFIC Innovation and Knowledge Centre, the Active Office and Active Classroom are both designed to be energy positive buildings, capable of generating more solar energy than they consume during a typical annual cycle.The Swansea area of South Wales is synonymous with steelmaking as Tata Steel’s Port Talbot steelworks is just a few miles away from the Bay Campus. For this reason, SPECIFIC wanted to use steel as much as possible on these structures and so a Tata Steel wall and roof cladding system was chosen using Colorcoat Prisma® pre-finished steel, all made in Wales.The Active Classroom also feature Tata Steel’s Colorcoat Renew SC® transpired solar collectors, The system captures heat from the sun and draws it into the building through a microperforated collector on the exterior of the building. Heated fresh air from the cavity is then used as a pre-heater to the main heating system. A transpired solar collector can collect around 50% of the energy falling on its surface, which equates to approximately 500wp/m2 of the collector’s surface area and can deliver around 250KWH/m2per year or up to 50% of space heating requirements.

This project sees the refurbishment and remodelling of a collection of warehouse buildings to create a new hub for Kensal Green.Project BreakdownThe overall philosophy of the development is to initiate commercial rejuvenation. The project takes a long term view on material quality and build construction that will eventually see it fit into a much larger development.The SolutionThe Gramophone Works, which won the New London Awards 2021 Environmental Prize, is a forward-thinking commercial office building that supports green construction technology. Benefitting from a great quantity of outdoor amenity thanks to spacious terraces covered with Hyperion composite decking.Project DetailsSize: 600 m²Product: Silver Birch Hyperion DeckingSubstructure: MESA Aluminium JoistsArchitect: Studio RHEContractor: Graham ConstructionSub-Contractor: BWC ltdLocation: London

Capital One recently turned their attention to breathing new life into their washrooms to give their staff the very best facilities throughout their office.Venesta Unity toilet cubicles were specified and complement the décor of the new washroom areas. Stylish, modern and easy to maintain the Unity toilet cubicles feature setback satin anodised aluminium pedestals fixed to the partitions for a contemporary floating appearance.The cubicles were specified in Solid Grade Laminate which is ideal for heavy use commercial washrooms.Read the full case study for more details.