Building News is an information portal for all professional building specifiers. Here you can find all of the latest construction news from around the UK and the rest of the world.

SARNAFIL HD PROVES IT’S TOUGH ENOUGH

New Elgin primary school in Moray, Scotland, has had a Sarnafil HD system installed to meet their need for a new high-quality flat roof refurbishment.

With previous roof re-coverings not up to scratch, the school needed a system to improve the building’s thermal performance, save energy and improve robustness – providing a solution tough enough to mitigate damage caused by vandalism attacks experienced at the school.

By combining the thickest single ply membrane available – 2mm – and the most robust insulation board – SarnaTherm HD – the Sarnafil HD system offered a resilient and well-insulated solution. Plus, with the 2mm membrane outperforming all other membranes according to puncture test data, the system guarantees a long-lasting roof.

Moray Council specified Sarnafil HD for the 2500m2 roof after having previously used Sika Sarnafil products for numerous other school and council properties with great success.

The main challenge of the refurbishment was installing the roof during term time in an operational school. However, all required health and safety measures were executed by principal contractor, Morrison Construction, ensuring the safety of those working onsite as well as staff, pupils and visitors.

Roofing sub-contractor A & B Buchan Ltd, a Sika Sarnafil Registered Contractor, was tasked with the installation. Despite the thicker HD membrane specified, their thirty years of experience with Sarnafil products meant the system was installed seamlessly by their expertly trained team.

Senior Technical Advisor at Sika, John Love said: “Despite the challenges of the project, regular site visits carried out by Sika and the excellent communication maintained between Morrison Construction and A & B Buchan Ltd meant the installation ran smoothly and was completed to the client’s satisfaction. This project is also a prime example of the many benefits of Sarnafil HD and we are thrilled with the final result in terms of durability and longevity.”

Moray Council said: “The design had measures of complexity, however, our Environmental Services Property section worked with Sika throughout the process to combat any issues and were completely satisfied that the end result is an efficient, effective and long-term flat roof construction.”

With a combination of the hard-wearing Sarnafil HD and the use of SarnaLite roof lights and SikaLastic liquid polyurethane to finish the installation, the durable roof is now protected for years to come. And with a twenty-year Sarnafil Plus Extended Product and Installation Guarantee, the school has gained complete peace of mind.

 

Sika-Sarnafil

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RINNAI DELIVERS HOT WATER AT SCARBOROUGH CARE HOME

RINNAI HOT WATER – INSTANT, CONTINUOUS, LIMITLESS AND SENSIBLY ECONOMIC FOR EVERY TYPE OF COMMERCIAL SITE

Rinnai continuous flow hot water heating units have replaced a vastly oversized and close to redundant traditional style of system at the Coombe Hay Care Home in Scarborough.

Coombe Hay is situated in large, attractive and tranquil gardens on the outskirts of Scarborough, only minutes from the town centre and seafront. Coombe Hay offers accommodation which is fully en-suite and suitable for male and female residents with some larger apartments available for two people.

Coombe Hay began in 1958 when money bequeathed by George Edward Smart established the Charitable Trust which now owns and runs the Home. Nowadays the Board of Trustees ensure that the benefactor’s vision for a home providing excellent care for its residents continues to develop, incorporating all that anyone would want from their new home, and as a registered charity all money is reinvested into the home to deliver excellent services and to keep fees and costs affordable.

Comgas Heating advised on the replacement system and chose 2 x Rinnai HD55i units – heavy duty high efficiency gas fired continuous flow water heating units with optimal fuel consumption. In like-for-like comparison to more traditional methods, the continuous flow system is proven to be more cost effective over a lifetime. Rinnai is an acknowledged global leader in the manufacture of tankless hot water heating units with group sales approaching £2 Billion.

The Rinnai HD55i is an internal wall hung, gas fired, continuous flow water heater capable of producing hot water in excess of 820 litres per hour at a 50°C rise. The HD55i has a 125mm concentric flue which can be extended up to 15m, less 1m per 45° bend. As with the whole of the Rinnai range the HD55i is ErP A-rated.

The unit is compact, reliable and combines industry standards with innovation and quality. The HD55i operates between 1-10 bar pressure, which is suitable for mains cold water supply and systems with booster pumps and reaches water temperatures of up to 85°C, making the HD55i suitable for secondary return systems.

Rinnai Heavy Duty continuous flow gas fired water heaters feature outputs up to 58kW and water can be delivered at very precise, high volume temperature control. The smart digital controller regulates to within +/- 1ºC without any variation of temperature even with additional outlets. All models have full electronic ignition with no pilot light and operate on demand only, consuming no gas when not in use.

The Rinnai HD55i is a fully modulating 52.6kW unit that can also be installed in a manifold arrangement. This ensures that the system can and will meet any hot water demand at all peak times, no matter what the demand.
Typical applications include major restaurant chains, industry offices, hotels, sports centres, schools, sports clubs, shower blocks in holiday parks – anywhere with a need for extremely reliable supplies of hot water delivered economically and at energy efficiency levels surpassing all building regulations and European standards.

 

Rinnai

 

 

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LEISURE SINKS INTRODUCES NEW STAINLESS STEEL MODELS

Leisure Sinks has extended its offering of stainless steel sinks with the launch of seven new

models.

Albion is a new range manufactured from 0.7mm 18/10 stainless steel. Paying homage to its

UK manufacture in the heart of the midlands, the Albion range includes three models – a

single bowl, a double-bowl and a compact single-bowl – each featuring distinctive straight

lines, softly curved bowls and reversible drainers.

In response to an increase in demand for smaller, more compact kitchen sinks, Leisure Sinks

has launched Euroline, a 650mm 18/10 stainless steel single-bowl model with a reversible

drainer, available in a polished or satin finish.

To complement kitchen worktops with a shorter projection, Leisure Sinks has launched a new

version of its Linear sink. The compact 18/10 stainless steel inset model has a projection of

just 435mm. Its bowl is 135mm deep and it is available in a glossy satin finish.

Finally, to allow for additional storage space underneath the sink, Leisure Sinks has

introduced two shallow-bowl versions of its Seattle and Linear sinks, which have depths of

125mm and 120mm respectively. While both models feature reversible drainers, the shallow

Seattle features a single bowl and has a sleek polished finish, while Linear has double bowls

and boasts a bright satin finish.

All Leisure Sinks products are regularly tested by independent inspectors to guarantee that

they are manufactured to the highest standards.

The new sinks are available to UK retailers now. For more information about Leisure Sinks,

please visit www.leisuresinks.co.uk

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KINGSPAN ADDS GLITZ TO BIRMINGHAM APARTMENTS

Kingspan Kooltherm K110 PLUS Soffit Board and Kingspan Kooltherm K118 Insulated Plasterboard have been installed as part of the conversion and expansion of a former office building, adding luxury accommodation to Birmingham’s historic Jewellery Quarter.

Beaufort House offers 88 one and two bedroomed apartments in the heart of Birmingham city centre. Benchmark Architects have drawn on Urban Luxe and Art Deco influences for their revisions to the Beaufort Housing Development Project. This styling is continued within all of the apartment rooms, which also feature generous open-plan living areas and a range of modern facilities. The construction work, overseen by Shaylor Group Ltd, included the erection of a recessed, two-storey roof extension.

To ensure the new apartments provided a comfortable environment for occupants, the design team looked to address the performance of areas of the existing building fabric – bringing them up to the standard of current Building Regulations. To insulate the ceiling of the basement (containing a residents’ bike store) and an undercroft below the ground floor they specified over 650 m2 of Kingspan Kooltherm K110 PLUS Soffit Board.

The soffit board has a thermal conductivity of just 0.018 W/m·K across all thicknesses, the lowest of any commonly used insulation material. This allowed heat loss through the ground floor of the building to be minimised without significantly reducing headroom within the basement area. Installers mechanically fixed the boards to the basement ceiling and concrete undercroft soffit.

 

he building’s stylish, glazed roof extension has been designed to provide contrast with the brick façade of the main building. To insulate its external walls, 57.5 mm Kingspan Kooltherm K118 Insulated Plasterboard was installed. The product combines vapour control, 12.5 mm plasterboard and a premium performance insulation core in a single product. This allowed installers to rapidly fit the insulation and begin decorating the apartments. The internal layer of insulation also mean that flats respond more quickly to heating – keeping them comfortable throughout the cooler months.

Kingspan Kooltherm K110 PLUS Soffit Board and Kingspan Kooltherm K118 Insulated Plasterboard produced at Kingspan Insulation’s Pembridge manufacturing facility are certified ‘Excellent’ to the demanding BES 6001 (Framework Standard for the Responsible Sourcing of Construction Products) responsible sourcing standard.

 

Website: www.kingspaninsulation.co.uk

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Metal Technology enlightens BREEAM outstanding rated office

Grade A office development, Aurora, at Bristol’s Finzel’s Reach, is the perfect example of design and sustainability working seamlessly to create a striking architectural landmark using the latest technology from architectural aluminium systems’ firm, Metal Technology. The seven storey 95,000 sq ft building features a stunning glass atrium, basement car and bicycle parking with electric vehicle charging points, plus five upper levels of accommodation.

With a key focus on sustainability, Aurora is the first BREEAM 2014 Outstanding rated office outside of London, achieving a score of 91% and one of only eight BREEAM outstanding offices in the UK.

Utilising Metal Technology’s System 17HR curtain walling on all elevations, this impressive office development not only meets high sustainability standards, it also delivers a striking aesthetic. Particular attention was paid to the south elevation where a bespoke brise soleil system was introduced using purpose designed bracketry to carry the opaque glass blades. The building also utilised Metal technology’s 5-20D Hi+ doors and 4-35Hi+ casement windows from their Thermal range offering high levels of weathering, thermal and security performance.

Alex Roberts, Sustainability Manager at Willmott Dixon, said:

“A healthy building environment helps create a happier and more productive workforce. With this in mind, optimised thermal comfort, high acoustic performance and glare control which allows natural light to connect the building’s users with the outside, were all achieved within the design of Aurora.”

All Metal Technology systems are designed to perform seamlessly together to deliver the desired aesthetic and performance standards. Used individually or together, they offer complete design flexibility for creative aesthetics with the assurance of value engineered structural, weather and security performance.

For more information visit: https://www.metaltechnology.com

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Kalwall rockets away

Aerospace company Blue Origin’s vast new 70,000 square metre factory in Kennedy Space Centre’s Exploration Park in Florida is now manufacturing ‘Glenn’ rockets for launches at Cape Canaveral 10 miles away. In addition, it is expected that the factory’s upper-level spaces will be used as launch control for the space vehicles including those recently announced for the new manned missions to the moon.

Owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the Blue Origin building features specially-designed Kalwall® translucent cladding which has been used across the top of the building in a clerestory design. Manufactured with a bespoke face sheet to match the corporate colour scheme, 100’s square metres of Kalwall transmits high quality diffused daylight into the structure whilst also solving the twin requirements of privacy and security. Interestingly, the use of a bespoke coloured face sheet does not affect the quality of light internally.

Kalwall offers complete line-of-sight protection, maintaining privacy for building occupants and operations while throwing diffused daylighting deep into the interior space. It also eliminates shadows and glare and the stark contrasts of light and shade making it safer for within. The system also enhances simplicity in external design by negating the need for blinds, curtains or solar control.

In the United States, Kalwall is accepted as one of the core materials for the construction of secure locations. It can be configured to exceed Large Missile D hurricane compliance for wind-borne debris protection making it suitable for facilities needing enhanced protection or serving critical national defence functions. It can also be manufactured for blast resistance and is compliant with ASIAD, DoD, GSA anti-terrorism, ATFP and UFC.

The exterior face is colour stable and includes a UV resistant, self-cleaning surface. This means that normal rainfall helps to keep the surface free of dust and dirt while at the same time retaining its original colour during the weathering process.

Case studies and technical information are available from Structura UK Ltd on tel: 01233 501 504 or by visiting www.structura-uk.com/kalwall

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TITON REACHES NEW HEIGHTS IN GLASGOW HOTEL

Titon has supplied over 370 Sobinco Chrono aluminium tilt and turn window systems as part of the new Motel One project in Glasgow. Situated next to Glasgow Central Station at the junction of Oswald Street, Motel One Glasgow has 374 rooms spread over 13 floors, making it one of the largest – and tallest – in Scotland.

The new hotel was designed by Leach Rhodes Walker Architects and built by Ogilvie Construction, while the windows were fabricated by another Glasgow-based company, Marshall Brown Limited.

Commenting on the decision to use Titon’s window hardware, Brian Ross, Commercial Manager at Marshall Brown (Windows) Limited, said: “We have used Titon on many projects over the years, as we have an excellent relationship with the company. The Sobinco Chrono range was perfect for the Motel One Glasgow project, as the product is robust, reliable, easy to fabricate and maintain. All these features were ideal for use in a hotel environment.

Sobinco Chrono fast-fit hinge and locking systems are suitable for most aluminium link bar profiles. They are suitable for virtually all variations of open-in window, with options available for high-security and French casement. A standard tilt and turn units can be assembled in around five minutes, greatly reducing fabrication time, while a choice of handle designs and attractive RAL colour finishes are also available.

Titon has been the exclusive UK distributor for Sobinco for nearly 40 years, supplying tilt and turn window systems, pivots, catches and handles, as well as locks, lift-slide systems, roller assemblies and handles for doors.

 

For more information about Titon and its comprehensive range of window & door hardware, as well as whole house ventilation products, please visit: www.titon.com. For more details about Sobinco, visit: www.sobinco.com/en

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Leith to Welcome 97 New Affordable Homes at Destination Development

WORK is set to start on urgently-needed affordable homes in a prime Leith location thanks to the efforts of three locally-based organisations.  

 

The 82 high-spec apartment homes, located at the prominent CALA Homes (East) Waterfront Plaza development, will be delivered in addition to 15 homes for discounted “Golden Share” sale, 291 further private homes and 1500sq.m of flexible workspace units.

 

After steering the entire project through the planning process and completing enabling works, CALA Homes (East) in partnership with Hart Builders (part of Cruden Group) will construct the affordable homes.

 

Comprising four three-bedroom, 58 two-bedroom and 20 one bedroom properties, the homes will be handed over to Port of Leith Housing Association (PoLHA) with the first tenants moving in by May 2021.

 

Half (41) of the affordable apartment homes will become social housing with the other half allocated for mid-market rent (intended for people who would not qualify for social housing and find full open market rents unaffordable).

 

Craig Lynes, Land Director at CALA Homes (East), said: “These homes are an important element of Waterfront Plaza, a project that is fast becoming one of the most exciting new communities in the city.

 

“With Golden Share and both social housing and mid-market rent included alongside the range of private homes, we are confident that this development will meet the needs of the growing and diverse local market.

 

“We’re delighted to be playing our role in the provision of affordable homes in such a vibrant, exciting part of town.”

 

The development continues CALA’s strong legacy delivering on-site affordable homes, with recent projects including nearby Ten Brunswick Road and Albert Dock proving hugely successful, with both winning major industry accolades.

 

Later this year it will pass a milestone of 600 on-site affordable homes delivered in the Edinburgh area, as it progresses work at its Boroughmuir High School in the south of the city.

 

Jason Steele of the Cruden Group, said: “We are thrilled to strengthen the Cruden Group’s relationship with both CALA and Port of Leith Housing Association through the delivery of the Affordable homes at this exciting mixed tenure development.

 

“Construction is now underway at Waterfront Plaza and we’re delighted to play an integral role in yet another important milestone towards achieving the Scottish Government’s target to deliver 50,000 Affordable homes by 2021.

 

Keith Anderson, Chief Executive of Port of Leith Housing Association, said: “We are looking forward to providing these high-quality, affordable homes which will breathe new life into this part of Leith and help to create a new community there.”  

 

Despite being initially recommended for refusal due to historic zoning for a commercial-led scheme, the brownfield site was unanimously backed by Councillors after receiving strong support by local community leaders, businesses and politicians.

 

A number of those supporters, including Councillors Adam McVey (SNP) and Gordon Munro (Labour) – as well as representatives from Forth Ports, visited the wider development in recognition of work starting in November 2018.

 

Speaking at the time, Local Councillor and City of Edinburgh Council Leader, Adam McVey, said: “This development has a strong sense of place and strong understanding of Leith.

 

“I’m delighted that such a prominent patch of land in Leith which has been brownfield for so long is finally getting a development our community can be proud of.”

 

The private homes at Waterfront Plaza by CALA Homes (East) officially opened on Saturday 13th July, with the major housebuilder seeing 16 early reservations and over 200 site visitors in the first two weeks alone.

CALA Homes is headquartered in Scotland and employs more than 850 people and earned its reputation on the high quality of the homes it builds, which are sensitively designed to augment the areas in which they are located.

 

The result is homes that are highly sought after and which retain their value over decades, earning loyalty from owners, who often live in a series of CALA properties.

   

Port of Leith Housing Association

 

https://www.polha.co.uk/

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Housing Association plays starring role in new procurement ‘bible’

A growing East Midlands housing provider has been named as a pioneer in a new book which will be used by procurement experts throughout the world.

Futures Housing Group features in a new academic textbook by Professor David Mosey of King’s College London – “Collaborative construction procurement and improved value”.

Futures, which manages 10,000 homes throughout the East Midlands, is highlighted for being the first in the world to use the professor’s FAC-1 framework.

It is a unique approach to procurement which enables small business win chunks of large contracts and levels the supply chain playing field. It has now been used across the world in £40 billion worth of construction tenders.

John Thornhill, the Group’s former procurement and contracts manager, said: “We first looked at FAC-1 when it was in the original consultative draft in early 2016.

“We then became the first-ever adopters of the contract and to be involved with Professor Mosey’s research with King’s College is a huge reward for a regional housing provider.

“Futures proved it is possible to create a tender which includes measures attractive to SMEs but open to all.

“For the contract now to be responsible for £40 billion construction collaborations world-wide and for us to be the first is a source of great pride for Futures Housing Group.”

The book will be used primarily as one of the key parts of the syllabus for teaching Masters level construction law at King’s College London but is likely to be used by procurement academics and experts across the globe.

Futures Housing Group is an award-winning, growing housing provider which manages nearly 10,000 homes throughout the East Midlands. But we’re much more than just a landlord.

We also own a grounds maintenance social enterprise called Futures Greenscape; we co-own Access Training, a Midlands-based further education provider, and we own a commercial development company called Limehouse.

For more information on Futures Housing Group, visit www.futureshg.co.uk.

 

 

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Showcasing construction to youngsters, to give them grown up choices

The skill shortage in the construction industry is well documented, but schemes are being introduced to change the perception of the industry, here we report on one of those schemes.

A new north-east scheme aims to showcase construction as a buoyant, exciting and potentially lucrative sector to work in.

The Build Your Future schools challenge is aimed at S2 secondary school pupils as they decide which subjects to take in third and fourth year.

Every secondary in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire will be invited to submit a team of 10 pupils, meaning there could be as many as 300.

It is being organised by Grampian Construction Training (GCT) and Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), with several key partners.

The scheme is part of a series of challenges designed to inspire young people to consider careers in the sector as well as tackling skills shortages.

GCT, CITB and the other project partners previously launched their Bridge Building construction challenge for primary school pupils.

The latest event involves initial half-day heats, which will take place in October and November at different locations, building towards a one-day final in January.

Several schools have already confirmed they will take part.

Aberdeen Association of Construction Professionals chairwoman Michelle Forth said: “For several years now, different groups have been working on a range of projects to engage with pupils at an early stage.

“Our hope is that this challenge offers one platform for each of these groups to come together.

“This will in turn allow us to demonstrate the diverse and exciting range of career opportunities available within construction.

“It can also familiarise students with different learning and working environments.”

Source: The Press and Journal

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