Securikey works the room with its new Modulprim features

Leading physical security specialist, Securikey, has made innovative modifications to its range of Modulprim security rooms. The Modulprim is a bespoke modular vault solution for both new builds and existing buildings and is a convenient and cost effective method of adding a high security strong-room to a building. The Modulprim offers a complete storage facility for money, documents and pharmaceuticals and is adaptable to most building specifications, even those with limited space or those located on upper floors. This impressive level of adaptability has now been increased further with the introduction of new lighter-weight materials to offer even further convenience and more storage space.

Securikey’s Modulprim components have now been adapted, using new materials, to provide further options, ease of installation and accessible space. New light-weight panels combined with reduced steel work decrease the weight of the original Modulprim by up to 25%. In addition, the new method allows for unsupported space of up to 12 metres with no internal pillars, compared to 7.4 metres on the original, providing the customer with a much greater amount of useable space along with increased flexibility in layout.

Pre-fabricated off-site to precisely fit a detailed floor plan drawn up by Securikey, the Modulprim components are welded together from smaller panels allowing installation in difficult to reach locations which means that it can be easily modified at a future date and it is also possible to disassemble the vault and transfer it to another location.

The Modulprim can be installed on any floor capable of taking the minimum load capacity, the scope of which has now been widened with the introduction of the new lighter weight components and, although extremely robust, the walls are relatively small in width enabling the Modulprim to be installed in more compact areas without compromising on security.

Consisting of four walls, a floor, celing and vault door as standard, the Modulprim can also be supplied as a five sided solution if desired, as is often a requirement for the pharmaceuticals market. The Modulprim door, which is manufactured from steel and delivers a level of protection that is equal to or higher than the vault room itself, is available in Grades ranging from 0-9 depending on the level of security required. All vault elements are subjected to exhaustive tests to meet European security standard EN1143-1, ensuring European wide approval and, in addition, each product is branded with the appropriate badge as proof of certification – the Modluprim also has the approval of SBD (Secured By Design), the official UK Police flagship initiative combining the principles of ‘designing out crime’ with physical security.

As testimony to Securikey’s reputation for efficient and user-friendly products, the unique construction of the Modulprim also allows for the space above the Modulprim to be used for storage of up to 500kg per square meter if required, meaning that not an inch of space is wasted.

For more information about Securikey’s Modulprim or to download the latest strong-room catalogue, visit www.securikey.co.uk/vaults-and-safe-deposit or call 01252 311 888.

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Achieving the impossible with Sika Sarnafil

In a complex new build roofing project that was deemed almost impossible, Contour Roofing stepped up to the challenge with a Sika Sarnafil membrane to achieve truly stunning results.

32 Ewart Grove, a Paul Simon Homes residential development minutes from Wood Green tube station, required a high-performance roof with a striking aesthetic result to match the contemporary luxury flats within. Located in a prominent position at a fork in a road, the roof can be seen when travelling up to the building, as well as from the upper floors of surrounding buildings.

With its extremely intricate design, including two barrel roofs and a large, unique triangulated tower at the front, the project presented a real challenge. Originally the specification for the 400sq m area called for a metal roof but the cost implications of this meant that another solution was needed, and fast.

It was thought that such a complex roof design could not be done, especially with the time and budget available. However Jonathan Woods, director at Contour Roofing, alongside senior contracts manager, Lee Clift, sought to prove that the roof could indeed be covered using a high quality single ply membrane, if the correct product and level of expertise were applied.

Jonathan and Lee met with the architect and the director of Paul Simon Homes to discuss amending the roofing specification. Jonathan explained: “With our previous experience of Sika Sarnafil products, we knew that we could get the perfect finish within budget. In partnership with Sika Sarnafil we quickly presented a new bespoke specification; an adhered system using Sarnafil G410-15ELF Lead Grey with a polyester fleece backing as the main roof sheet for a flawless result and Sarnafil G410-15EL Lead Grey for all the detail work flashings.”

The installation was very challenging, with various shapes, details, upstands and intricate sections to cover.

Lee added: “Working closely with the carpenter, the plywood deck had to be spot on to make sure the membrane could be laid smartly and correctly. Absolute attention to detail and skill were required to make sure the membrane was flush with the substrate below. Décor profiles were used to imitate the standing seams of a metal roof, which is what the original designs had envisaged.

“The project really took installation to new frontiers and pushed the boundaries of what can be achieved in roofing.”

Sikalastic was used for the guttering when the space was just too tight for single ply, demonstrating the compatibility between Sika’s various roofing products. Both the Sika Sarnafil and Sika Liquid Plastics systems were awarded a 20 year guarantee.

Carly Tan, quantity surveyor, Paul Simon Homes, said: “We didn’t think this project could be done within the budget, but Contour assured us that they could take on the challenge with single ply. No one else would even try.

“The roof is unique and when I saw the end results on a site visit I was really impressed with the finish. The Sika Sarnafil membrane looks very smart and mirror the metal look we originally wanted. The skill of Contour is obvious in the results. It meets our requirements perfectly, matching the luxury feel we wanted to achieve throughout the building.”

The project impressed the judges of the upcoming NFRC UK Roofing Awards and has been shortlisted in the Single Ply category. The winners will be announced in May.

For more information on Sika Sarnafil’s products and services, call 01707 394444, email sarnafilroofing@uk.sika.com or visit http://gbr.sarnafil.sika.com.

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MVHR-Easy with Posi-Joist

The Posi-Joist floor system was recently used on high quality homes for Severnside Housing, incorporating the latest in Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery systems.

Severnside Housing is one of Shropshire’s largest social landlords owning more than 5,400 properties in Shrewsbury and the surrounding areas. A not-for-profit company they invest in their neighbourhoods and work closely with residents, partners and the wider-community to deliver their vision of ‘Excellent Homes in thriving communities’. Morris Property Ltd were chosen by Severnside due to their reputation for building high quality homes and the long standing relationship between the companies. Morris Property are keen to partner on future development projects in Shropshire. The contract commenced on the 23rd March and is scheduled for completion in June 2016.

MITEK-INSET-1

AC Roof Trusses were chosen by Morris Property to supply and install the timber frame walls, roof trusses and Posi floor joists for the 28 room, 3 floor apartment block. The apartments are to have a robust detail sound floor along with a MVHR system in each of the apartments.

The two bedroom apartments all have ‘state of the art’ Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery systems supplied and installed by SCS Group (Shropshire Cooling Services) who although local to the site also operate nationwide.

MITEK-INSERT-2SCS commented on the Abbey Foregate job “We recently used Posi joists supplied by AC Roof Trusses and found that because of this, we were able to provide a more competitive installation price due to the reduced labour costs. Because they were metal web Posi joists we did not have to cut any holes for the ducting to pass through. It also enabled our electricians and plumbers to save time on installation and on materials costs. Having to use a core drill every time our ducting passed through a joist would have taken a lot of time and effort, but we didn’t because they were Posi-joists.”

 

“As a company we design and install whole systems and with the Posi joists we were able to bring it all together much quicker and more efficiently.”

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

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Lucideon launches new balustrade testing service

Lucideon, the international materials technology company, has launched a new balustrade testing service. The testing covers free standing glass, post, rail, spindle and infill balustrades to BS 6180: 2011 ‘Barriers in and about buildings’ and Eurocode 1.

The new service will allow designers, manufacturers, distributors, importers and suppliers of new balustrades, and Health and Safety and Facilities Managers of existing in-situ balustrades, to obtain performance testing to ensure that the temporary or permanent barriers (panels and structural components) protect people from hazards or restrict access.

Balustrades can be tested in Lucideon’s large-scale construction laboratory in Stoke-on-Trent or on-site, if the system is already in place. It is crucial that balustrades are safe and fit for purpose before installation and during service.

Steve Newman, Product Manager, Lucideon said “Balustrades can look great in any setting, but without complying with regulations and meeting specifications, they can pose a serious risk. Loading tests ensure the safety and performance of balustrades and their components.”

In addition to balustrades, Lucideon also offers testing for staircases, balconies, handrails, and Glass-reinforced Plastic (GRP) products. The GRP products include canopies, chimneys and dormer windows.

To find out more about Lucideon’s balustrade testing services, visit www.lucideon.com/balustrades.

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COMPAC launch Unique Calacatta – inspired by the beauty and elegance of natural stone

COMPAC have just launched Unique Calacatta, a quartz worksurface that offers a stunning contrasting grey veining design on a pure white background.

Inspired by the beauty and elegance of natural stone, Unique Calacatta offers a mechanical and chemical performance that is superior to nature’s own.

Combining traditional skill with innovation, COMPAC has been able to create a worksurface that makes it possible to decorate private homes and public spaces with elegant overall compositions that transmit serenity and harmony.

The striking contrast of pure white with the powerful grey veins characteristic of marble will give any space clad with Unique Calacatta a truly magnetic personality.

Architects and designers can now specify this new finish for their projects with the confidence. Every reference in this new product category is unique on the market, because just like in nature, each slab presents different nuances and patterns in design.

Added to this is an enviable set of technical specifications, the natural hardness of quartz comes hand in hand with a waterproof, hygienic finish offering even greater resistance.

This means that Unique Calacatta is especially appropriate for intensive use areas such as kitchen surfaces, floor tiling or wall cladding.

For more information www.compac.es.

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Charcon Materials used in London’s best new place to live

Charcon, the commercial hard landscaping division of Aggregate Industries, has collaborated on a top London residential project, Trafalgar Place in Elephant & Castle, which is being hailed by The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson MP for design innovation and longevity.

The project, part of a wider £1.5 billion, 28 acre regeneration scheme to upgrade and reconnect Elephant & Castle with the mostly derelict Heygate Estate, saw an office block converted into a development of 235 homes.

With a brief to create a quality urban residential space, Charcon was consulted to recommend approximately 3,500m2 of hard landscaping options that would establish a strong relationship between the green spaces of both the private communal and public areas, to the adjacent buildings and edges.

1,840m2 of Charcon’s Andover Textured flag and block paving in Midnight Grey, Silver Grey and Light Grey was supplied, offering a premium quality block paving product at an affordable price. Pairing the unique three colour blend with five different block sizes specified Andover Textured offers an eye-catching design solution that runs throughout all of the main tree-lined avenues of the scheme.

1,050m2 of premium Appalachian flag paving in Leemoor Ground was used for an upper private courtyard podium. Incorporating up to 60% recycled and reclaimed materials, the uniquely formulated granite aggregates offer exceptional performance and durability.

Charcon’s technical specialists also created a bespoke product for the project, producing 250m2 of ‘Special’ Appalachian Leemoor. Using a double process prior to sandblasting to expose a greater amount of aggregate, the end product was a unique polished and sandblasted finish which, when laid alongside the Leemoor Ground, created a distinctive contrast of textures within the private courtyard.

In addition, 100 linear metres of hard wearing Natural Granite kerbs and radii in Silver Grey were incorporated to create features throughout the scheme, and 240m2 of Europa block paving in Brindle was the ideal solution for the heavy-use pedestrianised areas.

Together with the buildings, planting and communal space, Trafalgar Place has been praised within the industry as an example of exemplary design, scooping prestigious awards such as The Mayor’s Award for Planning Excellence and Best New Place to Live, both at the London Planning Awards 2016.

Architects dRMM worked with landscape architect Grant Associates to create the regeneration masterplan. The project was managed by developer Lend Lease and leading landscape architecture company Randle Siddeley was invited to complete the detailed landscape design.

Sharon Chan, Project Landscape Architect at Randle Siddeley, comments: “Peter Brown from Charcon was very professional and extremely efficient in providing us with technical information we needed during both the design stage and construction stage. Andover and Leemoor are cost effective products that meet the planning requirements but do not compromise the aesthetics of the landscape scheme.”

Mike Davies, Specification and Major Projects Manager at Charcon, said: “This has been a fascinating project to watch evolve and we’re very proud to have played a role in what has become a flagship for urban regeneration in London. Our goal is to provide innovative solutions using the highest quality and most sustainable materials across every aspect of the construction industry, and these credentials married perfectly with Randle Siddeley’s vision for the development.”

More information is available on www.charcon.com.

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Government’s financial support for Tata Steel UK explained

A package of support worth hundreds of millions of pounds will be made available to potential buyers of Tata Steel UK. What does this mean for the UK steel industry?

According to the gov.uk website, the support will include the following:

  • hundreds of millions of pounds worth of financial support on commercial terms will be made available
  • additional grant funding support also on offer
  • comes on top of wider action already being taken by the UK and Welsh governments to support the steel industry
  • A package of support worth hundreds of millions of pounds will be made available on commercial terms to potential buyers of Tata Steel UK, the UK and Welsh governments have confirmed

The announcement follows a second meeting between Business Secretary Sajid Javid and Tata Global Chairman Cyrus Mistry last week in Mumbai where progress on the sales process was discussed.

The UK government has been clear that since Tata announced its intention to divest its UK operations, it is ready to support a credible private buyer of Tata Steel UK, offering financing on commercial terms to support the ongoing operations and deliver long-term investment in the future of the business.

The financial support package will be tailored to the purchaser’s strategy and financing needs. However, it is expected that all, or the large majority, will be through the provision of debt financing. Other options include:

  • providing hybrid (convertible debt) or alternative forms of financing
  • supporting a purchaser’s financing by taking a minority equity stake (up to 25%) acting in support of the purchaser; however, government will not acquire a material element of control over the business

The UK government say that they are actively working with Tata Steel and the British Steel Pension Scheme’s Trustees to find a solution that will help minimise its impact on a potential purchaser, and potentially separate it from the business.

Business Secretary Sajid Javid said “This government is committed to supporting the steel industry to secure a long-term viable future and we are working closely with Tata Steel UK on its process to find a credible buyer. The detail of our commercial funding offer is clear evidence of the extent of that commitment.”

“Ministers have visited Tata Steel sites across the country and the pride and dedication of the highly-skilled men and women working there is obvious to see. We have already delivered on energy compensation, on tackling unfair trading practices and on procurement of British steel, and we will keep on going further to support this vital industry.”

Read more: Sir David Attenborough opens namesake building… by abseiling down living wall in the atrium!

First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones added “We’re committed to supporting any credible bid to secure steel making in Wales. We have worked with the UK government to put in place this significant package of support and we believe that this will help secure a successful sale of Tata Steel’s operations in Wales and the rest of the UK.”

Last week’s announcement, made in partnership with the Welsh government, follows the start of a formal sales process announced by Tata Steel last week. In addition to the support package, the UK and Welsh governments will also be willing to consider additional grant funding support, for example to support the development of power plant infrastructure, energy efficiency and/or environmental protection measures, R&D and training.

The European Investment Bank has also stated that it recognises the diverse challenges facing European steel companies and stands ready to consider possible financing for new investment in the UK steel industry on the basis of specific proposals.

How Europe affects UK steel

Approximately 18,000 people are employed within the UK steel sector. Analysts suggest that if current trends hold up, around one in four of these jobs could be at risk over coming years.

However, whilst cries have been heard for the government to simply bail out struggling companies within the sector to reduce this risk, it isn’t as simple as that. EU rules tightly restrict just how much support governments can give to certain industries. This includes the steel industry, with EU member states not able to use public funds to rescue struggling steel manufacturers.

However, despite these preventions being in place, EU countries are permitted to increase the global competitiveness of their own steel firms, through R&D funding and help paying high energy bills.

Do you think the government’s announcement will help the UK steel industry? Let us know in the comments below!
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Sir David Attenborough opens namesake building – with a twist!

Sir David Attenborough officially opened the new conservation campus named for him… by abseiling down the living wall in the atrium.

Sir David Attenborough said “By bringing together leaders in research, practice, policy and teaching, we stand the greatest chance of developing the solutions required to save our planet. I am enormously proud that these collaborations are occurring in a building bearing my name.”

The building is the new home of the Cambridge Conservation Initiative, a strategic collaboration between the University of Cambridge and nine biodiversity conservation organisations. The radical remodelling and refurbishment, designed by Nicholas Hare Architects, is a working exploration of how to promote biodiversity and create new habitats in the midst of a busy city.

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Volvo urges construction industry to be more sustainable

Martin Weissburg, president of Volvo Construction Equipment, discusses the industry’s obligation to address environmental issues during Volvo’s Construction Climate Challenge seminar at bauma 2016.

Weissburg notes that the industry as a whole currently contributes 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions, requiring all participants to be part of the solution in reducing the carbon footprint created in meeting the needs of growing global economy.

Watch the video below:
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VIDEO: Construction mistakes and mishaps

There are a multitude of examples of fine architecture, engineering feats and skilled construction… these are not any of them.

From bridges that don’t meet up in the middle to a door suspended 30ft in the air with no way of getting to it, Worst Things Ever have compiled a collection of embarrassing blunders made by the construction industry. Hey, nobody’s perfect!

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