"person"

Situated in the heart of London, The Natural History Museum is a beacon of knowledge and cultural heritage, drawing millions of visitors annually. Its vast collection spans centuries, offering captivating exhibits ranging from dinosaur skeletons to geological wonders.Astor Bannerman is thrilled to collaborate with the esteemed Natural History Museum in London, making strides in accessibility within this iconic venue. Components of the Changing Places FacilityLet’s dive into the details of the Changing Places facility at The Natural History Museum, designed to cater to diverse needs while enhancing the visitor experience.ABW-CP Height Adjustable Wall Mounted Wash Basin:Adjustable height for user convenienceWall-mounted design for space efficiencyOT200 Overhead Ceiling Track Hoist:Smooth and safe transfers for individuals with mobility challengesDiscreet design and quiet operation for minimal disruptionAstor CTX2-CP Height Adjustable Changing Table:Comfortable assistance for caregivers during personal care tasksSturdy construction and ergonomic design prioritise safety and comfortKwickScreen Wall Mounted Privacy Screen:Versatile screen for privacy on demandSleek design complements the modern aesthetic of the facilityThe Impact The installation of the Changing Places facility reflects the museum’s commitment to inclusivity and accessibility. It ensures that all visitors, regardless of physical abilities, can explore and enjoy the museum’s offerings without limitations.In summary, Astor Bannerman is honoured to partner with another prestigious landmark tourist attraction. With a proven track record spanning from Windsor Castle to the Sydney Opera House, our specialisation lies in enhancing accessibility for heritage sites and buildings of unique significance.As the leading provider worldwide for Changing Places Toilet installations, we are dedicated to fostering inclusivity in all venues. If your establishment is considering accessibility enhancements, consider Astor Bannerman for reliable expertise and solutions that prioritise accessibility for all visitors.

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

A record number of manual call points were maliciously activated across England for the year ending March 2022.The highest annual number of malicious false fire alarms on record came as people returned to public buildings en masse in a period markedly unaffected by COVID-19 lockdowns.The latest Home Office figures reveal there was a total of 3,212 false fire alarms caused by the “malicious activation of [a] fire call point/alarm” in England for the year ending March 2022, surpassing challenged hoax calls as the largest reason for malicious fire alarms.Accidental activations also increased over the period; 14,452 false fire alarms were recorded due to the accidental and careless activation of life safety equipment, including manual call points.Every false alarm is costly, disrupting schools and businesses, placing unnecessary strain on our emergency services and reducing public confidence in fire alarms.Despite online learning, working from home and limits on social contact, false fire alarm numbers, although down, persisted during the pandemic.As schools, offices and shops saw reduced attendance and footfall, malicious false fire alarms survived; now in a post-COVID world, there has been a boom in the number of false alarms plaguing the country.Continuing to be the largest incident type, false fire alarms accounted for 40 per cent of the incidents attended by Fire and Rescue Services in England for the period – fires accounted for just 26 per cent.Repeated false alarms reduce the public’s confidence in fire alarms, contributing to alarm fatigue and a complacent attitude toward evacuations. Alarm fatigue occurs when a person becomes desensitised to an alarm due to repeated false alarms and as a result, fails to react appropriately in an emergency.Safety Technology International manufacture a range of protective covers, specifically designed to prevent false alarms whether accidental or malicious.The STI story began in 1980 with a challenge by a school headteacher who wanted to stop their false fire alarms. Founder, Jack Taylor, used his expertise in security systems to invent the first and original Stopper® polycarbonate protective cover. From integral covers to outdoor and sounder models, there are now variations to suit all applications.The tamper-proof polycarbonate covers ensure call points are protected without restricting legitimate use in a real emergency, a combination of optional warning alarm, flashing beacon and break seal acts as a deterrent against malicious activation.In Wales, malicious false fire alarms rose by 33% to 426 during 2021-22, the highest figure for half a decade. And with similar figures reflected across the UK, over £1 billion is lost every year due to false alarms.To recoup this cost the London Fire Brigade became the first fire service in the country to recover costs from buildings like hospitals, airports and student halls with a poor false alarm record.Firefighters respond to fire signals as if they are real, this exposes the public and fire crew to unnecessary risk in their swift response to false alarms, directing them away from real emergencies.Under The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order Act 2005, it is the responsibility of the building owner or the “responsible person” to ensure effective fire precautions are in place to protect staff, customers or visitors.Several precautionary steps can be implemented to prevent false fire alarms before they occur; routine testing and maintenance of call points is a must to ensure proper operation, but it is not the only proactive approach.As recommended in BS 5839-1:2017, manual call points can be fitted with a protective cover to prevent false fire alarms. The British Standard Institute recommends in section 20.2b), that: “All MCPs should be fitted with a protective cover, which is moved to gain access to the frangible element.“It is now recommended that a protective cover is fitted to a Type A manual call point to help prevent false alarms.”

The meticulous selection of products and materials can be sensed in every corner of the Arcadeon. Special combinations and unique, premium creations adorn each guest room, seminar room and bathroom, and add an entirely personal touch. The rooms were intended to contain an element of surprise, while still radiating authenticity; to be trendy and in sync with the times, but still full of comfort and appeal. That is why for Jörg Bachmann, who placed high value on local products and services in the renovations, there was only one logical choice when it came to selecting the fittings and accessories for the premium bathrooms: "Only KEUCO products harmonised with the modern and luxurious design." In the showers of the 80 rooms and two suites, guests have the pleasure of using KEUCO's innovative IXMO fittings. The special thing about IXMO is that the minimalist design of the fittings combines multiple functions in the smallest of spaces. As such, guests are met with a clear and uncluttered picture in Arcadeon's showers. Particularly popular among hotel guests is IXMO SOLO, the clever combination of single-lever mixer and shower hose in only one module. "Finally, a fitting that can be understood by every guest right away," acknowledges the hotelier.Crowning the washbasins are EDITION 400 fittings, which stand out luxuriously with their slender and organic design. The filigree elegance is underscored by brilliant chrome surfaces, whose high value is immediately apparent, adding a touch of style and aesthetics. This holistic approach is continued with the accessories in the bathrooms' toilets. Discreetly elegant, with a luxurious presence, KEUCO's EDITION 400 accessories set special accents with their superb design and high quality finishes. Hotel Arcadeon calls itself a "house of science and further training" and is known in the business community in the region for its generous and exceptionally designed seminar rooms. With its rich offering, the hotel doesn't just attract overnight guests or seminar participants to its dining facilities. In actual fact, for guests from towns in the vicinity the hotel has established itself as "Hagen's living room".

Established in 1890, Headingley Stadium has been a Leeds landmark for 130 years. Unlike traditional oval stadiums, Headingley has two adjacent grounds—the Headingley Cricket Ground and the Headingley Rugby Stadium. Dividing the two is a new corporate hospitality space, with panoramic views of each field. Completed in 2019, the hospitality space boasts eight event suites, 12 meeting rooms, and 36 hotel rooms, designed to be a world-class venue and corporate destination.“Raft was chosen for the space because of its sleek aesthetic and effectiveness in open-plan environments.”Interior designers SpaceInvader worked alongside Caddick Construction, tackling the project with a blend of functionality, flexibility, and aspiration. Finding the balance between timeless corporate design and practical event space meant incorporating design elements that perform a dual purpose. A feature of the building, the Emerald Suite functions as a versatile event space; easily configured to be a theater one night and a dinner and dance hall the next. Due to the 500-person capacity and spatial flexibility, the acoustics had to be perfect. Originally SpaceInvader were investigating an off-the-shelf product, however, when unimpressed with the offering, Autex were brought on to create a bespoke solution.While the acoustics were a priority, SpaceInvader wanted a treatment that could double as a design feature. A custom Frontier™ Acoustic Raft system was designed and installed as 40 mm slats; equal parts Flatiron and Savoye used to create a banded salt-and-pepper ceiling feature. Raft was chosen for the space because of its sleek aesthetic and effectiveness in open-plan environments. The compressed polyester outer shell absorbs high frequencies, while the calculated air gap in the centre absorbs lower frequencies. Spread across the expanse of the space, the Raft system controls the reverb and echo that would otherwise be exacerbated by the parallel glass walls. Completed on time and within budget, the finished space tastes of subtle elegance with rich, warm accents. The soft furnishings and tasteful luxury are matched with acoustic comfort, successfully creating space for people to eat, drink, and celebrate in the company of others.

Over the past decade, the Capital Quarter redevelopment has provided more than 370,000 ft² of new office space and will eventually accommodate more than 3000 staff. It is already home to Finance Wales, Alert Logic, WSP-Parsons Brinckerhoff, Network Rail, Home Office, Public Health Wales and Opus Energy.The wider Capital Quarter scheme is well on track to delivering over 1,000,000 ft² of development including residential, café and student accommodation.No 4 Capital Quarter, the eight-storey canal-side landmark office building designed to BREEAM Excellent, is the fourth building to rise in the prestigious development in the heart of the city’s Enterprise Zone. The building incorporates the occupational density of open floor plates to suit the current and future needs of modern office occupiers as well as a central atrium, high-quality reception, sixth-floor roof terrace and ground-floor retail and leisure units.SolutionsThe Aruba Tegular15 mineral tiles had already been used by main contractor JR Smart on the previous office projects and were specified, with their approval, for this latest, 96,870 ft² Grade A building which is now home to Sky UK, legal firm Geldards and financial services company Optimum Credit.Some 11,000 m² of the Aruba panels were supplied to No 4 by the Cardiff branch of distributor Nevill Long and installed on the 2.7 m floor-to-ceiling heights by specialist sub-contractor 2nd Generation Facades.Fully recyclable, Aruba is the next evolution in ceiling tiles. The tiles provide a balanced acoustic performance of up to 0.65 αw, Class C sound absorption, and a sound attenuating performance of up to 39 dB. The perforation design of Aruba is unique to standard tiles, creating a smooth, contemporary finish.JR Smart construction director Gareth Smart said: “It has been a great 12 months at Capital Quarter which is testament to the commitment and hard work of the whole Capital Quarter development team, including our professional advisers and sub-contractors who I would personally like to thank.”

A global leader in world finance, the UK head offices of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (BNY Mellon), located in the prestigious 160 Queen Victoria Street building (160 QVS), London, have been recently refurbished. Partitioning expert Style was contracted to inject a high level of flexibility into the space, encouraging a positive environment by allowing the easy creation of personal work areas, divided meeting rooms and brainstorming hotspots. In the Thames Room, a large C-shaped Dorma Hüppe Variflex glass moveable wall offers 52dB acoustics, fully glazed pass doors and a stylish crittall-effect. Whilst Style’s unique working walls are installed in the Innovation Centre. Finished in a striking blue painted glass, the individual panels spin and slide along ceiling tracks, allowing freedom to segment the space into a wide variety of configurations. Elsewhere, a 59dB semi-automatic Dorma Hüppe Variflex solid moveable wall finished in contemporary fabric-wrapped panels, abuts a fixed glass wall that matches the crittall-effect of the glass Variflex, providing seamless interior design.As the world's largest custodian bank and asset servicing company, BNY Mellon is the main occupier of 160 QVS – a building which occupies an entire block and which actually has four separate postcodes! The newly refitted corporate headquarters comprises of both offices as well as a trading floor, delivering a flagship workplace fit for the future.Working with architects, T P Bennett and contractors ISG, Style was specified to create flexible space at BNY Mellon’s London offices using a blend of solid moveable walls, glass moveable walls and Style’s innovative working walls – designed for agile, collaborative space.“This is a great example of using various types of moveable and working walls to give different types of flexibility in various meeting areas and collaboration zones,” said Michael Porter, sales director at Style South.“It also highlights Style’s key strengths in the market in terms of our working walls and fully glazed pass doors, which are unrivalled and highly unique.”

THE PROJECTParadise Student Village is in a prime location being only a short walk from Coventry City Centre and the main University campus. This impressive site contains over a thousand rooms, and this is likely to grow.The company behind this development is AXO, a student accommodation provider, who is committed to going that extra mile for their residents. The living experience of the student community is their top priority, with a range of future-proofed attractive facilities.One of the new services on offer at Paradise Student Village is the intelligent parcel management system myRENZbox delivered by The Safety Letterbox Company, part of the RENZ Group.Available to all couriers, this system allows students to manage their parcel deliveries and returns with utmost security and discretion via mobile app or online portal. It can also be used as a safe storage location or to securely exchange personal items between residents or for collection of packages by local services, such as dry-cleaning companies.Not only does myRENZbox save time for users, but having this system as a secure central delivery location also increases the number of successful first-time deliveries at Paradise Student Village. This intelligent parcel box solution has a positive impact on the environment, as there are fewer journeys made by delivery personnel.For AXO, the headache of intercepting and organising parcel deliveries has been solved by myRENZbox. Deliveries are made directly into the system, so the front of house staff can concentrate on offering the best living experience to the students. The responsibility for lost or damaged parcels becomes a thing of the past!For students, myRENZbox streamlines the process. There is no waiting time to pick-up their parcels. They are in control of their deliveries via the mobile app. As soon as they receive a notification of delivery into the system, they can collect their items.The myRENZbox configuration installed expertly at Paradise Student Village comprises of a control module, two 533mm extension modules and seven 300mm extension modules. It has been designed to fit snuggly in the alcove space available. The system has been powder coated in Traffic White (RAL9016), which is one of many standard colours. The overall appearance is clean and bright and allows the myRENZbox logo to stand out.

The ChallengeThis prestigious three storey new build property in the village of Bilton was designed following close liaison with the local planning authority, in order to be sympathetic to other nearby homes.The SolutionCareful selection of the brick type was critical to this process, as the property needed a soft aesthetic to its front elevation, addressing the local authority’s concerns about the impact of the finished project while still meeting the client’s personal requirements.With this in mind the client selected Forterra’s Autumn Glow facing brick. This not only met all the criteria set by the local planning authority, but its enhanced durability designation allowed the brick to be used to create a seamless brick façade.Tom Holland, Managing Director of Holland Build, said, “We put forward several brick types to the planning authority as part of this two storey project, and a unanimous decision was reached that the Autumn Glow best fitted the design of the property, and was most in keeping with the local area.“I was already familiar with the Autumn Glow, having used it extensively on the construction of a luxury apartment building on a previous job, and never had any issue with them. They’re a good, solid facing brick, and extremely durable, and I’d recommend using them as a reliable stock brick.”The BenefitsGareth Rouse, Architectural Technologist for Forterra, said, “The Autumn Glow is a stock facing brick more tailored to the self-build market, due to its relatively soft aesthetic and higher-grade durability. It also contains recycled content and is the most sustainable stock brick available on the UK market.“It suited this project particularly well, complementing the timber frames used in the windows and doors and also proving ideal for the construction of the arch above the main entrance.”Although the main brickwork was intentionally kept simple, the client required a grand entrance that would draw visitors to the front door. Owing to the easily moulded nature of this particular clay type, special shaped bullnose bricks were utilised on the jambs of the main entrance, which then continued as tapered voussouirs into the semi-circular arch above. Simple, but effective herringbone panels were also introduced to draw the eye, breaking the appearance of mass stretcher bond brickwork.Forterra nominated the finished project for the 2018 Brick Awards, in the Individual Housing Development category.

Islington Square is a mixed-use development offering over 250 apartments as well as retail and leisure facilities in this Islington suburb just north of the Thames. At the site of the former North London Royal Mail sorting office, this Grade 2 listed building is a monument to Edwardian architecture, and the renovation of this square brings together the old and new, building a timeless community feel for residents and visitors.Main contractors, Galliard Construction worked with Kilhan Construction for the hard and soft landscaping in the public and residential areas, focusing on building the perfect connection between the apartments, shops and restaurants as well as the communal gardens and outdoor spaces. The crowning social hub is the summer terrace, which is a relaxing outdoor retreat of flowers and deckchairs, away from the hustle and bustle of the high street.Marshalls supplied Modal Textured in Anthracite Granite and Mid Grey Granite for the roads and pathways, these two colours were chosen to contrast perfectly for this ‘pixelated’ paving effect, creating a wonderful contemporary design for the dedicated pedestrian areas. Conservation X kerbs and steps were used for the delineation of the paving as well as the sectioning of the multi-levelled areas - as one of our more design-leading kerb options; Conservation X provided a functional and complementary addition to this overall design, tying together nicely with the Modal paving.Peter Conway from Kilhan said, "The project design was quite complex with a lot of intricate detailing and various products being matched together, however working in unison with Marshalls, who were extremely helpful throughout, made the project delivery seamless. As you can see the finished product looks amazing, I’m sure the residents on the development and in the surrounding areas are delighted with how well it looks."When completed back in 2019, this renovation had proven both creative and inspiring, and Marshalls were proud to have supplied products that contributed to this perfect example of a mixed-use environment. Even when we returned to photograph in 2021, the community feel of the square was very apparent, with still plenty to enjoy at the markets, shops, cinema and even yoga to take part in. This development has built a lasting neighbourhood ethos and established a personality for the square, with its own website and social media platform to boot.

Our specially developed Bikehangars were first ordered by Lambeth Council and installed on their streets in February 2013. Each Bikehangar provides six spaces to securely store bicycles with each space available for residents to rent.Our award-winning design is an effective way to protect bikes from theft and tough weather conditions where outdoor storage space is limited. This made the Bikehangar an ideal solution for Lambeth Council to offer its residents, most of who live in small flats where space is at a premium.The success of the scheme over the years has resulted in a further 200 Bikehangars being installed throughout the borough (as of July 2016) providing 1,200 secure cycle parking spaces. The success of the Bikehangar scheme in Lambeth and the increasing demand for on-street cycle parking from residents of other boroughs have seen our Bikehangars installed throughout the UK. Cyclehoop currently works with 75 councils UK wide, having produced over 2,000 Bikehangars providing a total of 12,000 secure cycle parking spaces.“The Bikehangar scheme has been a great addition to Lambeth streets. It is a much-cherished council service, popularity of which greatly exceeded our expectations. Almost every hangar we installed is oversubscribed and we cannot keep up with the demand to install additional units. The convenience, safety and reliability of this cycle parking solution has been demonstrated by popularity of the 220 units installed throughout the borough to date, the very low damage and vandalism rate and none reported bike theft. Local Police, councillors and residents are all in love with Lambeth Bikehangars. It has proven to be a crucial service in enabling our residents to use a cycle as their transport mode.” – Pawel Ryczan, Cycle Parking Project Manager, Lambeth Council“The service offered by Cyclehoop was not only efficient and professional but the whole experience was personable and friendly. We are so grateful for our Bikehangar as the area is not safe for leaving bikes outside and we don’t have a lift so it has been so much hassle keeping two bikes inside the flat. The service we received has been exceptional and there’s a real sense of customer care that is very hard to come by. 10/10.”– Bikehangar Rental Scheme Customer, London

This is the latest cycle hub designed, manufactured, supplied and installed this month by Falco for Stromness Travel Centre, located on the southwestern area of the picturesque Orkney Islands mainland.Installed on behalf of the Orkney Islands Council, the new cycle hub provides visitors to the Travel Centre with up to 20 secure cycle parking spaces utilising traditional Toaster cycle racks.In addition to the cycle parking, the cycle hub has been provided with 24 convenient lockers for the storage of helmets and personal equipment. The cycle hub makes use of toughened safety glass and bespoke branding graphics chosen by the client with powder coated applied to the galvanised steel framework in an attractive ‘Sapphire Blue’ RAL colour.The images attached show the new cycle hub installation, taken on a windy Wednesday afternoon and located on Ferry Road, near to the Stromness Ferry Terminal.Stromness Travel Centre is a tourism office providing visitors to the island with all travelling and sightseeing needs within one stop - with leaflets, timetables, booking services and a souvenir shop available to use and now secure sheltered cycle parking.The FalcoLok cycle hub as shown here at Stromness Travel Centre, is a contemporary cycle store manufactured from a combination of a galvanised steel frame and reinforced safety glass, designed to be sympathetic to the surrounding area. The FalcoHub was developed by Falco’s in house design team to ensure it met the client’s specification including structural calculations so that the whole design meets the UK/European CPR regulations EN1090 and is CE marked as per UK law.In addition to the cycle hub shown here for Stromness Travel Centre, Falco has also recently installed cycle hubs for many locations across the UK including Crewe, Runcorn, Birmingham International, Warrington Bank Quay and Carlisle station for Avanti West Coast, Bradford Royal Infirmary and St Luke’s Hospital for Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation, The Royal Oldham Hospital for Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, Ninewells Hospital & Medical School in Dundee and a bespoke cycle hub for Leicester City Council.For more information about the scheme here at Stromness Travel Centre, or how Falco can assist your cycle parking project, please contact our helpful sales team at sales@falco.co.uk.

We met digital content creator and charity ambassador Sally, in her gorgeous detached house in the English countryside in Surrey. Sally, her husband Gav, their three sons, dog and cat live in a beautiful cottage with lots of outdoor space for football, dens and four chickens (all named Barbara). They’re an active, outdoorsy family who love embracing nature, from scuba diving to surfing Cornwall’s finest beaches.Over the years they have built two extensions to their house. In the most recent extension project, Sally chose to illuminate the end of her gorgeous country kitchen/diner with a Vario by VELUX bespoke rectangular rooflight, so we went to visit her for a cuppa and a lovely chat about her impressions and experience on the importance of daylight. Sally, what a bright and stunning space you have in here. Could you please tell us more about your extension project?"We love this house; it has plenty of space and we absolutely love the country lifestyle. We bought a house 12 years ago and that time it was much smaller. The first big extension we did was 9 years ago, but we didn't quite get what we wanted as the building restrictions at the time were very strict.The key thing for us was to bring the light in. A wall of glass made perfect sense, but as the extension has a flat roof, we also started to think about what was above. In a room like this, I think the roof should be seen as the fifth wall.”Your original plan was to put a glass lantern in the extension. What made you change your mind and choose a flat glass rooflight instead?“Initially we thought we would put a glass lantern in like everybody else and it didn’t even occur to me that I could have anything else until I was invited to a rooflight launch event by Vario by VELUX. At the event, I completely fell in love with the idea of having a rooflight in my house. I got all the information and, after I realised that even a modern flat rooflight comes with an upstand and you also get the height of the roof built in, which would also give the room the height we wanted, and that the cost would be less than having a lantern of the same size and with no breaks in the glass, choosing a flat glass rooflight was a no-brainer! What do you love most about owning a bespoke rooflight?“It’s so cool and yet functional. Rooflights brings so much more light in than you would get from a normal side window and the fact is that daylight does make you feel better, especially in winter. On top of that, the customer service was excellent, there is always a backup call from Vario by VELUX to make sure you are ordering the right window, they hold your hand through the whole thing and the whole process of designing and ordering was made fun and easy. They helped me with things like setting the window at a slight angle, so the rain just runs off and we don’t end up with a swimming pool situation on the roof! It’s a really hands on, personal service from a small team, but backed by a big name like VELUX so you know you can really trust them. It’s like the gold standard of roof windows.”How did you perceive the installation process of the rooflight?“The process was really simple, easy and quick. Our constructor was provided with all the information they needed to know, in order to put the rooflight in. Our bespoke rooflight was delivered in 6 weeks and we rented a small crane for a day to lift it in. The crane was literally tiny, it fitted through our side gate. Then it was simply a matter of dropping it into the opening and letting the builders do their thing to seal it in. I have to admit, I was a bit nervous on the installation day as the dog insisted on sitting under the opening and it was very windy, but it all went very well. That moment when the hardboard comes off and you get your first glimpse of the sky above, it’s just magic.”Do you think changing your house has improved your everyday life?“Extending the house, and how we use it, has changed the way we live, the way we work and the way we relax. Having an extension, an extra room, the flow and the light we wanted has definitely increased the value of the house but also the saleability of the house. How many older properties have flat roof extensions and haven’t put in a rooflight? There must be loads and they’re definitely missing a trick. We wanted to build personality and I believe that with the extension and bespoke rooflight we got exactly what we wanted. With more daylight and space, I feel more active, I feel more awake, I feel fresher, I get things done. It has definitely changed the way we live.”