Modular construction in schools: a modern and speedy solution

School buildings are in crisis. With many UK school buildings in poor condition and requiring urgent attention, funding for schools to refurbish and rebuild is also in short supply. But modular construction using structured insulated panels systems (SIPs for short) offers a fast, efficient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution.

Quick construction

Usually prefabricated in a factory and delivered fully-formed to the school site, classroom buildings constructed using modular SIPs panels are ideally suited to busy schools. Although the factory line approach suggests a rigid and uniform construction process, SIPs panel construction is in fact a flexible method – schools don’t have to stick to a one-size-fits-all template but can work with architects to design a classroom building that will meet their needs.

Importantly for schools requiring urgent refurbishment, the off-site construction method has several advantages that can help schools to get their new buildings up and running speedily.

Classrooms prefabricated using SIPs panels can be constructed and installed in a matter of weeks, because the site preparation work and off-site construction stages can be carried out simultaneously. With the prefabrication process taking place under cover, the project can go ahead whatever the weather. And by reducing the amount of time spent on-site, noisy and disruptive building work that might interrupt the school day can also be kept to a minimum.

Cost savings

A building project that is quick to complete and does not involve intrusive construction work translates into cost savings for the school – a vital concern in these cash-strapped times. Modular buildings are likely to provide a better return on investment than traditional builds. With excellent insulation properties, construction using SIPs panels also results in lower energy bills, because the classrooms retain warmth well and require only minimal heating.

For schools looking to the long term, durability is an important concern. Built using high quality, sustainable materials, modular SIPs panel classrooms can be expected to serve the school for as many as 50 years – providing a solution that offers real value for money and can be relied upon to last well into the future. (Modular buildings can even be uprooted and installed at another site, if the school relocates).

Comfortable learning spaces

Why is the state of our school buildings such an important issue? As well as being a potential health and safety concern, constructing comfortable learning spaces is vital for both teachers and pupils. According to a 2016 RIBA survey reported by Building Specifier, as many as 1 in 5 teachers have thought about leaving a school because of the environment they have to work in. So, creating a pleasant teaching space is high on the list if schools are to improve staff morale and retain valued teachers.

Learning environments can have a big impact on outcomes for children, too. From issues like lighting and air quality to factors like natural light and classroom structure, pupils do better in well-designed classrooms built from high quality materials.

Classroom construction using SIPS panels helps to address some of these issues, resulting in comfortable learning spaces that promote better engagement from all classroom users. Due to their structure and composition, SIPs panels offer excellent thermal performance, eliminating draughts and keeping out the cold and damp. The slimline profile of a SIPs panel also means thinner walls – and therefore more space inside the classroom. Finally, modular buildings constructed from SIPs panels have an aesthetically pleasing, modern appearance.

 

Author biography

Steve Warr is the Director of Green Modular, a company which supplies unique and environmentally-friendly outdoor modular buildings as effective space solutions. Each modular building can be tailored to suit every space or budget and they are perfect for school buildings, mobile classrooms, meeting rooms or offices. Steve is passionate about the environment and creating sustainable and stylish solutions for extra space.

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Material prices continue to rocket

More than half of small building firms say that rising material prices are squeezing their margins and the same percentage have had to pass these price increases onto consumers, according to the latest research by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).

Small and medium-sized (SME) building firms were asked which materials are in shortest supply and have the longest wait times. The average results were as follows (in order of longest to shortest wait times):

  • Bricks were in shortest supply with the longest reported wait time being more than one year
  • Roof tiles were second with the longest reported wait time being up to six months
  • Insulation was third with the longest reported wait time being up to four months
  • Slate was fourth with the longest reported wait time being up to six months
  • Windows were fifth with the longest reported wait time being more than one year
  • Blocks were sixth with the longest reported wait time being up to four months
  • Porcelain products were seventh with the longest reported wait time being more than one year
  • Plasterboard was eighth with the longest reported wait time being up to two months
  • Timber was ninth with the longest reported wait time being up to two months
  • Boilers were tenth, with the longest reported wait time being more than one year

SME building firms were also asked by what percentage different materials have increased over the past 12 months. On average, the following rises were reported:

  • Insulation increased by 16%
  • Bricks increased by 9%
  • Timber increased by 8%
  • Roof tiles increased by 8%
  • Slate increased by 8%
  • Windows increased by 7%
  • Blocks increased by 7%
  • Plasterboard increased by 7%
  • Boilers increased by 7%
  • Porcelain products increased by 6%

The impact of these material price increases includes:

  • More than half of construction SMEs (56%) have had their margins squeezed, this has gone up from one third (32%) reporting this in July 2017
  • Half of firms (49%) have been forced to pass material price increases onto their clients, making building projects more expensive for consumers, this has gone up from less than one quarter (22%) reporting this in July 2017
  • A third of firms (30%) have recommended that clients use alternative materials or products to those originally specified, this has gone up from one in ten reporting this in July 2017
  • Nearly one fifth (17%) of builders report making losses on their building projects due to material price increases, this has gone up from one in ten reporting this in July 2017

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said “Material prices have rocketed over the past year. The reason for this could include the impact of the depreciation of sterling following the EU referendum still feeding through. High demand due to buoyant international markets could also be contributing to price increases. What’s particularly worrying is that when prices have increased mid-project, almost one fifth of builders have absorbed the increase and therefore made a loss. Also, if material price increases weren’t enough of a headache for building firms, they are also experiencing material shortages with wait times ticking up across a range of materials and products. Worst case scenarios include firms waiting for more than one year for a new order of bricks.”

“The rise in material prices is not just a problem for the country’s construction firms – it is also a problem for home owners. Half of firms have been forced to pass these price increases onto their clients, meaning building projects are becoming more and more expensive. This problem has worsened recently with more than twice as many firms passing material prices on to their clients now compared with nine months ago. What’s more, home owners should be prepared to have to use alternative materials or products to their first choice. One third of firms have recommended that their clients should use alternative materials or products to those originally specified. Now more than ever, it’s important that builders and their clients keep the lines of communication open in order to stay within time and within budget. Specified products or materials may need to be swapped for alternatives or clients will need to accept the additional cost.”

“We are calling on builders merchants to give their customers as much advance warning of forthcoming material prices increases or wait times as possible so that firms can warn their customers and plan ahead. We are also advising builders to price jobs and draft contracts with these material price rises in mind. The FMB’s latest State of Trade Survey shows that almost ninety per cent of building firms are expecting further rises over the next sixth months. This makes quoting for jobs difficult but if builders flag the issue to their client from the outset, and include a note in the contract that prices may be subject to increases, they shouldn’t be left short. What we don’t want is for the number of building firms making losses on projects to increase as this could result in firms going to the wall. A large number of collapsing construction companies will have a terrible knock-on effect in the wider economy.”

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Scouts herald a “New Beginning”, thanks to Armstrong Ceiling Solutions’ Dune eVo tile

 

Ceiling systems from Armstrong, including a next-generation ultra-green tile, are helping to herald a new beginning for Scouts in one English county as part of Armstrong’s ‘New Beginnings’ initiative to support community projects by offering a “New Beginning” for their ceiling space.

Armstrong’s new Dune eVo tile, which is 100% recyclable and provides class-leading visuals and improved acoustic performance through a new surface which is both brighter and smoother, has been used alongside moisture-resistant Hydroboard in a new bunkhouse for Derbyshire Scouts.

The Cradle to Cradle™ accredited system comprising 190m2 of Dune eVo Tegular tiles on a Prelude 24mm grid with TLS cross tees features in the entrance, main hall and corridors of their 368m2 new bunkhouse, while the 56m2 of Hydroboard Tegular tiles feature with non-corrosive grid in the kitchen, shower rooms and toilets.

The various Armstrong Ceiling Solutions were specified by regular Armstrong users Maber architects and supplied free of charge by Armstrong as part of the company’s “New Beginnings” initiative.

This gives community projects like Drum Hill Scout bunkhouse the chance to give their ceiling space a “New Beginning” with Dune eVo – the next generation in ceiling tiles. At Drum Hill Scout Campsite, they were installed over weekends by specialist sub-contractor Peveril Interiors, a member of Armstrong’s approved Omega network of installers.

Lee Smith (pictured bottom left), associate director at Maber as well as a Scout Leader, said: “As a long-time specifier over the past 12 years working in architecture I trust and know the Armstrong product range will deliver what we want, giving us quality and robustness within our budget range.

“The Armstrong range gives us the acoustic and light reflectance values we need in the main hall to makes this a truly multi-functional space as a seminar space, play space, dining hall and whatever else it needs to meet the constantly fluid demands of the campsite. They fit seamlessly within the project to give us a modern and functional building.”

And specifically of Dune eVo, he said: “I’ve been aware of it for a few months now. I think it’s another advancement for the ceiling tile in terms of the specification and the acoustic delivery that we will get for spaces such as the main hall that we use for dining and activities all the way through to training seminars.”

Maber’s brief was in essence to replace the previous building, Birch Hall, which stood on the site. They took the best features of other buildings on the site and of other camp sites internationally to create a modern, state-of-the-art camping bunkhouse.

He added: “Firstly, we and members of the Scout campsite team used our connections to work with other professionals and tradespeople to find those who could help us. Through a collaborative design process we then designed a building which met the brief but was also future proofed and easily maintainable. This was a critical part of the brief as the whole campsite is run by volunteers.
Future proofing has been key as the building will develop with technology and the needs of the users. We ensured the building fabric was super insulated to give the building longevity. This then allows us to add extra green features like the Armstrong Dune eVo ceiling tiles, grey water systems and PVs to the roof.

“The site has its own challenges with restricted access but through modular construction we were able to meet all of these. From a concrete slab to a fully clad building in two working weeks really showed the benefit of off-site modular construction. “

The new single-storey bunkhouse at the 47-acre Drum Hill Scout camp site in Little Eaton replaces a former Rolls Royce canteen that had reached the end of its 50-year life span. It comprises a training/dining hall, kitchen and bunk rooms with associated services for up to 44 residents and will also be available for use by the local Derbyshire community.

The result of five years of fundraising £200,000 as well as donations of products from companies such as Armstrong Ceiling Solutions, pro bono professional services such as the architectural design provided by Maber, and labour carried out by hosts of volunteers including Peveril Interiors, the new building has been achieved. Constructed of SIP timber frame on a ground-bearing slab with external brick plinth it features larch timber cladding and a profiled aluminium roof deck.

Kevin Leahy of Peveril Interiors said: “We prefer to use Armstrong ceiling products. They have never let us down and adding the new Dune eVo tile to the range has gone down really well with both the clients who value the aesthetics and performance and our installation teams who value the new tougher edge which gives a much better installation experience.

“We have made a good choice, both aesthetically for now and environmentally for the future. Young people will use this building for generations to come and deserve to be left with a product that is completely recyclable. That should really be the legacy and example that we leave for them.”

He added: “We were introduced to the team and the Scouts Association by a client of ours at Rolls Royce. Once we had visited the site at Drum Hill and understood the purpose of this building and what it would mean to the young people using it we felt we wanted to help the Scouts get the building completed to a very high standard and at minimum cost.

“It has been a rewarding project for us. The Scouts Association is giving young people from all backgrounds shared experiences that will really equip them with skills that will last a lifetime. To play a small part in that feels pretty good.”

Scout Leader and project manager Tom Stoddart said: “Armstrong Ceilings have been superb. From the first contact with Anthony Fawcett [Armstrong’s assistant sales manager, UK – commercial] their enthusiasm and support has been beyond our dreams really. They have just stepped forward and helped in ways that we hadn’t even imagined.

“Without Armstrong’s involvement there certainly would have been a time delay while we fundraised for the materials and then it would have been an even longer time delay being volunteers who would have installed it. No disrespect to our volunteers but I’m sure we wouldn’t have got the professional finish that we have.

“I’d like to think that over its [the Dune eVo tile] life it will look down on 40 to 50,000 young people who are experiencing all sorts of things. It will see those young people making friends, having fun and learning skills for life.”

Volunteer camp site manager and project manager Lesley Upton said: “I think it’s amazing what can be done by volunteers giving their time and companies supporting us to provide an outstanding building.

“It’s great that Armstrong have a community side to their company that would actually support organisations like the Scouts in providing facilities for young people when we couldn’t do it without company support.

“The project would have been delayed because we would have to financially raise the money to pay for our ceilings and then use volunteer time to actually install them. Whereas since Armstrong have come along and done it all it has speeded up the project and started to change it from a construction site to a usable space. “

She said Dune eVo’s recyclability had played a “really important” role. “We need to stop using new resources all the time and use the stuff that we have got on this planet.”

Scout Felix Hughes (pictured top with Explorer Scout Libby Halford) said: “I think it’s a really nice place. It looks a lot better than the old one and it’s a lot more friendly and inviting. It will make a big difference because there is now a greater opportunity to do stuff than there used to be.

Of his experience helping Peveril interiors install the Dune eVo tiles, he said: “I have enjoyed the involvement of designing, putting my ideas forth and helping out, like actually putting the ceiling tiles in. I have respect for people who do this now because it is a bit difficult.”

And of the new Dune eVo tile above, he said: “It might want to tell me that it’s looking forward to seeing the generations of Scouts go through and using this space a lot more.”

Lee Smith concluded: “The project is difficult to value due to the generosity of numerous local companies and volunteers giving their free time. If we had approached a main contractor to deliver it would probably be in the region of £600,000 to £700,000 to deliver the scheme.”

As part of Armstrong’s “New Beginnings” initiative, the company is running a social media competition in May and June for one community-based project to win a new beginning for their ceiling space.

Anthony Fawcett said: “This first use of our next-generation Dune eVo tile prompted us to offer other community projects the chance to win a new ceiling and we are confident that once they see what can be achieved with it we will be inundated with entries into our New Beginnings competition.”

Community groups interested in applying to win 250m2 of Dune eVo tiles and grid and up to three days of free installation should click here to apply. For more information go to #eVoNewBeginnings.

Derbyshire Scouts’ new bunkhouse will play host to a Scout and Guide activity camp for 1,500 campers over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend when it will be officially opened.

More information is accessible via www.armstrongceilings.com/commercial/en-gb/.
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Kingspan TEK is light on its feet at Safari Park

The Kingspan TEK Building System has been erected at West Midland Safari Park to provide research and educational space, with minimal impact on the site, due to the lightweight system.

The 250-acre landscaped park in Bewdley, Worcestershire has continued to increase its purpose-built space to meet the growing interest in animal conservation and study. It is estimated that the site receives up to 46,000 school children per year from more than 1,000 schools across the UK, who come to learn about wildlife and take part in activities. 500 m2 of the Kingspan TEK Building System in a 142 mm thickness were pre-cut to specification by delivery partners, Glosford SIPS.

Richard Painter, Director of Painter Architects Ltd, explains the specification of the Kingspan TEK Building System for the building envelope: “We needed to provide large teaching spaces within a quick construction period that would leave no footprint on the land if it was returned to grazing land in the future. The Kingspan TEK Building System was an obvious choice as it is low maintenance and lightweight. It also provided a well-insulated structure to help us meet Simplified Building Energy Model (SBEM) compliance.”

The entire building envelope was manufactured off-site and transported to the park then craned into position above screw pile foundations. Mike Fleming, Director from Glosford SIPS, added:
“With the installation having to be completed during the closed season, there had to be a quick turnaround. We have had lots of experience working with Kingspan though and the system is really quick – the entire envelope was up in two weeks! We also really enjoyed working alongside the Safari Park construction team and the wild animals too.”

Following this, the Kingspan TEK panels were clad with cedar and African art panels on the walls and dark green corrugated tin sheeting on the mono pitched roof, to blend in with the landscape and fit the aesthetic of the park. With the roof panels being light, there was also less structural stress.

By erecting a Kingspan TEK Building System envelope, the project could accomplish excellent levels of thermal performance by achieving U-values of 0.20 W/m2.K or better for the walls and roof. The insulated spline jointing detail, in combination with its OSB/3 facing bonded to a highly insulated core, ensured minimal thermal bridging through the insulation layer and resulted in a very airtight building shell which offered air permeability of less than 1 m3/hr.m2 at 50 Pa. Once the system was sealed with a breather membrane, the entire structure is watertight.

The manufacturing facility where the panels are produced carries both FSC® (FSC®-C109304) and PEFC Chain of Custody certification. As standard, the OSB/3 facing of all Kingspan TEK panels is PEFC certified.

For further information, please call 01544 387 384, email literature@kingspantek.co.uk or visit www.kingspantek.co.uk.
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Rinnai hot water – the Solo Stored range

Rinnai, the world-renowned innovator for every possible type of commercial site, has revolutionised the supply and delivery of hot water units and systems since the launch of its fully electronically-controlled gas-fired continuous flow product ranges.

One major part of the Rinnai Infinity condensing water heaters is the Solo range – a highly efficient Heavy-Duty gas-fired recirculatory water heater with a completely insulated stainless steel storage cylinder.

The combination of continuous flow units with a storage cylinder for pre-heated hot water allows for periods of peak hour use. This is of importance at those sites where limited gas services may dictate the use and application of water heating systems. The Rinnai Solo answers this problem – with system efficiency, ease of installation and end-user satisfaction.

Rinnai’s Infinity Solo low NOX water heaters can be used for the ‘Direct to Outlet’ system, and secondary return systems. Infinity Solo will deliver a constant output temperature of 60°C or higher, ensuring stored water is at levels that significantly reduce any risk of legionella proliferation.

The design parameters of this product – it is all in one compact footprint – empowering specifiers, designers, installers and engineers to benefit from unique Rinnai technology in applications it was once not previously possible.

For instance, the Infinity Solo has 35kW, 37kW and 54kW sized heat engines, ensuring sites with a smaller gas meter can readily use this technology. The larger Infinity Solo model will also act as a high-efficiency alternative to gas fired storage appliances that still exist in today’s market and can be easily installed on a ‘like for like’ basis where plant room services are concerned.

The cylinder is stainless steel, and this reduces the weight compared to glass lined models, and it makes transportation and installation a lot easier. As well as the difference in weight, the cylinders also have extremely low heat loss figures (as low as 1.41kW/h day), so the user pays less to maintain the heat within the tank.

One other benefit of the Infinity Solo using a stainless-steel cylinder is that the life expectancy of the material is far greater than that of a glass-lined equivalent as glass can suffer from thermal shock causing it to crack after a period of time.

Certain Infinity Solo models are renewables compatible and supplied pre-fitted with a coil, meaning that the primary energy source will always be from renewable gains and the complementary Rinnai water heater will only apply the precise amount of gas to boost the difference in temperature.

Rinnai’s Infinity brand carries the widest range of condensing gas-fired water heating units and systems- and all are A rated on ErP – on the market today with the most impressive efficiencies in operation, leading the field in technological innovation.

Key Features of the Solo range are: Stainless steel cylinder with high thermal efficiency and Ultra Low standing heat loss; Highly efficient continuous flow water heater is used as the heating booster; Rinnai Patented Lean-rich Low NOx burner (Solo20 & Solo32 only); Compatible with Renewable heating source through the renewable pipe in the cylinder (Solo20 & Solo32 only); Industry leading higher modulating ratio; Compact design for limited space; Inbuilt lime scale detector; Inbuilt immersion heater for the emergency backup; Easy read fault diagnostics via Status monitor; 10 years cylinder warranty (subject to terms & conditions).

For more information on the RINNAI product range visit www.rinnaiuk.com.
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SFS provides a single secret fix solution for Cembrit rainscreen range

Installing Cembrit fibre cement rainscreen panels as thin as 8mm using mechanical secret fixings just became quicker, easier and safer thanks to the innovative new range of TUF-S rivets by the world’s leading fastening systems manufacturer SFS.

Extensive testing by SFS demonstrated how TUF-S challenges the convention that installers need to use different fasteners for different panel materials and thicknesses. Until now, no other rivet of this kind has provided a reliable secret fix for panels manufactured in both HPL and fibre cement.

The TUF-S range is designed to eliminate the risk of overtightening which can ruin the aesthetics of a façade and result in very costly damage. It consists of nine variants of A4 stainless steel fixings, with a carbon steel mandrel, that can be used to secure a range of panel thicknesses to the rainscreen support clips using the GESIPA Powerbird Pro tool. The rivet’s design provides a wide range of installation benefits to save time and money, and deliver a safer, better quality overall result.

The performance of TUF-S for 8mm Cembrit panels was proven by SFS through a series of load tests conducted in its laboratory in Switzerland. This allowed for a set of technical values to be calculated to enable façade engineers to easily determine the number of fasteners and clips required to accommodate different locations, wind loadings, etc. This provided Cembrit with total assurance according to Ged Ferris, Cembrit UK Marketing Manager.

Ged says: “We are pleased that SFS have developed an innovative mechanical secret fix system for use with the standard 8mm thick rainscreen cladding boards. Designed and tested by SFS for use with fibre cement cladding, the combination of SFS rear rivets and Cembrit boards creates an attractive façade, uninterrupted by visible fixings, that will appeal to rainscreen cladding specifiers throughout the British Isles.

SFS have proven the rivet’s effectiveness in the clearest terms through their extensive testing and this gives us complete confidence in recommending the fastener’s use in any Cembrit rainscreen applications in the UK.”

Installation of TUF-S requires just a standard hole, with no need for complex undercutting – this provides the installer with the flexibility to drill new holes on site if required to accommodate unforeseen issues. The rivet also eliminates the risk of overtorquing, which can damage the rainscreen panels, and it has high pull-out values with no unwinding and uninstallation possible via a hex head.

Andy Stolworthy, Director of Product & Market Development at SFS says: “We’re delighted to have worked closely with Cembrit to provide them with a highly effective secret fix solution that will work across their different rainscreen panels. This development project is an excellent example of how SFS is able to create products with innovative unique features that provide OEMs with the assurances they need and address the most common issues faced by installers.”

Find out more about TUF-S at www.sfsintec.co.uk.
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Government calls on industry to embrace offsite

Ministers today called on industry to embrace the latest innovations to make sure we are building the good quality homes that our country needs.

As part of the government’s focus on fixing the broken housing market and its ambition of delivering 300,000 new homes in England by the mid-2020s, it’s essential that the quality and design of new housing is addressed. This can help secure support from communities for new homes, and make sure we have good quality homes that people can feel proud living in and next-door to.

Recent research shows that more than 7 out of 10 people would support new residential development if buildings are well-designed and in keeping with their local area.

Action to boost innovative approaches for well-designed new homes include:

£1 billion investment through the Home Building Fund to develop new, modern approaches to design and construction

To date, 8 projects across 11 local authorities, backed by government funding, will use modern methods of construction such as modular homes to build good quality homes, using the latest techniques, whilst helping to speed up housing delivery.

Learning from other countries like Australia, Norway and Sweden where good design is embedded in decision making

For example, based on an Australian model, the government will urge councils to set their own design quality standards, giving communities the ability to better reflect their own unique character in local planning policy.

Embracing new technologies

For example using Virtual Reality (VR) technology to win the confidence of communities before a single brick is laid. By visualising proposed new housing from the neighbour or homebuyer’s perspective, communities will be able to see how development can visually contribute to the area from an early stage, even before planning permission has been granted.

Housing Secretary Sajid Javid said “Our homes are the making of all of us, which is why today’s event on raising the bar on the quality of new homes is so important.

“This government is determined to make sure that high quality design is the norm rather than the exception.”

Housing Minister Dominic Raab added “We are putting high-quality design on the map as never before when it comes to building better homes and stronger communities.

“Today’s conference marks an important milestone in that journey.”

Industry leaders, including local authority planners, developers and design professionals, attended the Design Quality Conference to share their expertise to ensure how homes look becomes just as important as the number delivered.

Ministers made it clear that they intend to focus on how developers can use better quality design in order to win over both communities and new generations of first-time buyers, who expect the highest quality homes before parting with their hard-earned deposits.

When things go wrong, the government has also proposed strengthening ways for homebuyers to complain when their home hasn’t been built satisfactorily – with these new measures recently being subject to a consultation.

The event will build on previous government action to ensure new homes are built using quality materials and design methods, as set out in the recently published draft National Planning Policy Framework.

The document, which is currently out to consultation, outlines requirements for design guides and codes to feature prominently in new Local Plans, significant consideration to be given to existing local character as well as setting out the density of developments that meet the needs and expectations of the community.

The conference also included speakers from the Royal Institute of British Architects, Stephen Lawrence Trust, The Princes Foundation, Historic England and Homes England as well as other experts with experience in delivering excellent build quality for new and existing communities.

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Fusing the options

Ventilation design and specification for multi-occupancy buildings is now as simple as A,B,C through an innovative approach pioneered by Gilberts.

Britain’s leading air movement specialist is the first to develop a stock, single-unit hybrid solution focussed on natural ventilation with heat recovery- its Mistrale Fusion System (MFS). The company’s pioneering approach has continued, with the evolution of the system that now enables simple addition of extra elements.

Thus, the core MFS is manufactured as a standard product, with ‘add-on’ items to meet the varying specifications of each project. Elements such as heating coils, filters, silencers, duct connection outlets and louvre transformation, plus a range of air volumes for warm up or purge ventilation, to supplement the standard airflow rates, ensure the MFS brings a comprehensive hybrid solution to the extensive, variable building demands for ventilation.

“Using this modular approach makes it as simple as possible for the precise needs of each room to be met, in line with the latest F.O.S and BB101 requirements,” explains Gilberts’ Technical Director Roy Jones. “It means the MFS is retained as a standard, individual module to which bespoke parts are added in compliance with the architectural requirements, simplifying and accelerating the whole building services design, supply and installation process.

Further, because Gilberts undertakes all R&D in-house, it can still efficiently tailor-engineer the MFS to create a bespoke answer to individual project demands. Thus, all involved in the construction supply process benefit from a commercially viable single source strategy.

The approach has been exemplified in delivery of a number of schools- new build and refurbishment. Gilberts’ MFS enabled the precise requirements of each classroom to be accommodated- level of occupation, room orientation, site geography- even in those learning spaces with complex needs such as IT suites, science laboratories and SEN special needs classrooms.

It also meant project-specific design constraints could be overcome- for example one façade included a 6° deviation from the vertical, so Gilberts engineered a bespoke duct transition piece and special louvre system to ensure an airtight fit. In another, there was no suitable external façade, so Gilberts engineered a vertical solution to provide intake and extraction through the roof.

“The flexibility of the product are limited only by the building designer’s imagination!” adds Roy Jones. “The standard permutations cover almost every core requirement; our ability to develop, engineer and test bespoke strategies means that an issue which may normally be a deal-breaker can be addressed and turned into a deal-maker: a true one stop shop solution with the benefits of modular design.”

MFS is just part of Gilberts’ diverse range of ventilation systems, grilles, louvres and diffusers which, coupled with its in-house expertise, have established it as the leading independent supplier of air movement solutions in the UK.Family-owned, Gilberts has a 55 year pedigree in developing and manufacturing innovative air movement solutions. It is unique in its sector in its ability to design, engineer and supply its products with all processes undertaken in-house at its 85,000ft2 head office and manufacturing facility in Blackpool.

For more information please visit www.gilbertsblackpool.com.
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Construction industry needs 1.5m new recruits by 2021

In a report, Consultancy firm Arcadis suggest that around 400,000+ new workers will be needed each year up until 2021, in order to keep up with ambitious plans within the construction sector – that’s the equivalent of one new person every 77 seconds!

Housebuilding

Plans outlined in the recent Housing Whitepaper are extremely positive for house builders, who will have government support and reduced restrictions to help them deliver the sheer volume of housing needed in Britain today. However, could the lack of skilled people in the sector prove to be a hindrance if left unaddressed?

The report says “When it comes to the much maligned ‘housing crisis’, there is no doubt that the sheer lack of people to physically build the homes we need is evident.

“Between now and 2026 the UK needs to build an additional 110,000 homes per annum on top of those currently projected in order to keep pace with our growing and ageing population.

“Housebuilding is a particularly labour intensive industry and although new technologies and increased off-site production are being implemented to reduce costs and increase productivity, the supply of labour is still one of the binding constrictions on output.

“Existing evidence suggests that the relationship between labour and number of houses that can be built is close to being linear. Therefore, in order to increase the number of homes being built the labour force employed in housebuilding needs to increase by the same share.”

Infrastructure

The report also touches on infrastructure. Britain currently has one of the most ambitious national infrastructure programmes in Europe. With HS2 and Crossrail underway and much more planned, companies in the industry will draw heavily on the common talent pool.

“Despite the uncertain outlook for the UK economy following Brexit, the government under Theresa May seems committed to drive the largest projects forward.

“Moreover, it is expected that the government will set aside more money for road and rail works in order to support the UK economy over the coming years.

“According to figures from the Construction Products Association, the infrastructure sector is projected to grow only by 1.2 percent in 2016. However, for the years from 2017 to 2020 it predicts a pick-up in infrastructure output of 30 percent. Increased demand for people in the infrastructure industry is calculated by assuming that the workforce has to expand in line with this growth.”

To read the full report, click here.
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CIF Bids: helping to transform the learning environment

A well designed, comfortable, safe and healthy environment is critical when creating an effective learning space for young students.

With many older school buildings now deteriorating and suffering from a range of condition issues such as leaking roofs, spalling concrete, unsafe glazing, and uninsulated cavity walls, this ideal environment has become more difficult to achieve. Aside from the visible damage to a school’s buildings, the unseen dangers are of equal concern – an inadequate ventilation strategy results in poor indoor air quality and high levels of CO2 which can cause fatigue amongst the students, while the health implications are considerable.

With public budgets tightened and traditional sources of funding now less available, academies and colleges are becoming more reliant on the government’s Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) to support vital refurbishment work and tackle overcrowding by expanding. Competition is fierce – the fund was 4x oversubscribed in the 2017-2018 bidding round with only 1,510 out of 3,800 applications meeting CIF’s stringent criteria.

Projects are scored against three assessment criteria; need (70%), planning (15%) and value for money (15%). Priority is given to projects focused on compliance issues, health and safety failings, and the condition of the building’s fabric, so a bid application must demonstrate the severity of the concerns and the urgency of the need for funding – this can be challenging.

When the team at The Canterbury Academy in Kent were preparing their CIF proposal for a full facade replacement on the main classroom block, the school’s Business Manager and their chosen Consultant approached specialist glazing and cladding contractor Prima Systems to carry out a ‘Facade Condition Report’ to be included in the bid. A detailed cost and deliverability plan for the recommended works and supporting technical drawings were also requested.

Prima Systems has an excellent track record of contributing to successful funding applications for schools in London and the Home Counties. Their facade condition report examines all aspects of a building’s facade, recording all damage, defects and associated compliance failings – all backed up with photographic evidence. Technical data including indoor air quality readings obtained using remote monitoring software and heat loss coefficient calculations help to illustrate the improvements a new facade could offer.

In order to produce the report, a detailed survey of the ‘Crittall’ style steel facade was conducted. It highlighted many concerning issues with the windows, the locks and restrictors, the frames, the lack of ventilation, and the poor state of the facade, that had an adverse effect on the indoor air quality and thermal control.

The bid was announced as successful in April – and the full facade replacement project was underway soon after, transformed with a thermally efficient facade consisting of Rehau 70 PVCu framing, solar control glass, and steel insulated panels. It is expected to extend the lifespan of the building by up to 30 years, and the school will also benefit from reduced maintenance costs and utility bills.

Confirmation of your funding takes you to the next stage of your school improvement project – the construction site stage. Coordinating the school’s activities around a live construction environment can be taxing – preparation and flexibility are key. Summer holidays provide a window of opportunity, but depending on the scope of the project the installation is likely to run into term time – as it did when Prima Systems were undertaking a full facade refurbishment at Norton Knatchbull School in Ashford in 2017.

Noise assessments were performed to determine the effects of work on each elevation – it was determined that the fixing of the cladding brackets was too loud to be carried out during school hours so a weekend schedule was implemented. Attaching the cladding boards was less disruptive so the team would return to that area during the week. Exams were taking place at key points of the installation so teams would switch between the different phases around the site to allow work to continue.

Norton Knatchbull School was awarded the funding based on the poor state of repair of the building’s structure and environmental performance failings. To combat the issues, a high performing, energy efficient combination of cladding and glazing systems were specified to improve the thermal efficiency, ventilation, and temperature control in the building, and visually transform the dilapidated facade of the school.

Owing to the scale and complexity of this project, Prima Systems provided a fully integrated approach with a full design package of detailed drawings and specifications, allowing the interfacing details between the glazing and cladding elements to be resolved before being on site.

Sapa Dualframe aluminium casement windows were selected for their high thermal efficiency, energy performance, and low maintenance requirements, with high level windows fitted with teleflex remote gearing and vents. Jack TD68 thermally broken commercial doors were used throughout with robust, heavy duty hardware to suit the environment, including fire escape hardware and remote automatic door gearing to the main entrance doors. The glass requirements were calculated and specified to provide the best possible U-value whilst also achieving the correct LT and G values that best suited each elevation.

Roof replacement works were also included in the bid so this, coupled with the cladding system specified by Prima Systems, provided a watertight and thermally efficient building envelope.

The Condition Improvement Fund can help to dramatically transform your school if it has fallen into disrepair due to both financial and operational constraints. But securing the funding is just the start of the challenges – you need a team of invested subcontractors involved from the start who will advise and guide you through the process ensuring you achieve the best outcome for your school.

For more information please visit www.primasystems.co.uk.
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