Latest innovations and products in the building fabric section of the construction industry.

New Cavity Wall Insulation Installer Assessment and Surveillance Scheme from Kiwa

Kiwa has launched new approval schemes for injected systems and their installers and has recently awarded BDA Agrément® to Warmfill Moulded Foams, Energystore and Thermabead. These documents are easily accessible via the website www.kiwa.co.uk/bda, and readers can see that all relevant performance factors have been assessed. The approvals cover the use of the system in the UK and the Irish Republic, where applicable, all subject to consideration of the location of the installation and degree of exposure.

The installer must be approved by the System Designer in the first instance, and there is an on-going rigorous and thorough independent check in the form of the Kiwa Installer Assessment and Surveillance Scheme to address installer competence via training and qualifications, as well as site practice – all verified by site and office inspection.

Properties under consideration for CWI must be surveyed thoroughly before any material is installed. A detailed check-list form must be completed, looking at the exposure of the location, the layout of the property, details of its construction, chimneys and heat-producing appliances and type and position of the damp proof course. The age of the property should be established and the topography – the position of the property in relation to the area around it – must be described.

Considerable attention must be paid to defects in the property – is there external or internal damp penetration, evidence of bulge or heave in any elevation? The condition of windows, doors and rainwater systems must be reported and any damage to render or defects in masonry, such as spalling, loose mortar joints or damage due to failed or failing services must be noted.

An assessment of the wind-driven rain conditions typically experienced by the property, using the guidance given in BS 8104 and relevant national Building Regulations, must be made. BRE Report 262; thermal insulation avoiding risks in walls up to 12m high should also be consulted. Gradings run from Sheltered – less than 33 litres per rain spell to Very Severe – 100 or more litres per rain spell.

At survey stage a borescope investigation must also be carried out, looking at the condition of the cavity. Is it clear and are the wall ties clean or covered with mortar snots, contributing to both thermal bridging and damp transfer from outer to inner leaf? Is there any existing insulation already, a batt or slab, and if so, what is its condition?

Any remedial measures required should be set out and must be completed before any CWI measures are undertaken.

If the property is considered suitable for CWI the surveyor will detail the drilling pattern from the System Designers’ Installation Guide and determine the volume of material required.
Once the installation has commenced, the leader of the team must document details of the fill material and equipment used, as well as on-site test data: for example, the box test to check material density. The installer must sign off the job once completed, declaring the work has been undertaken correctly and all required checks have been carried out.
All documentation should be retained and is subject to audit by Kiwa inspectors.

The Kiwa scheme is rigorous and thorough and it provides the customer, whether developer, housing association or householder with the assurance they should be entitled to. And if more installers are doing what good installers are doing anyway, who can argue with that!?

For more information please visit www.kiwa.co.uk.
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CATS College uses Metframe to complete project ahead of tight schedule

Founded nearly 65 years ago, CATS College is an innovative independent education provider with four campuses across the UK and USA, and provides residential education to students studying GCSEs, A Levels and International Baccalaureates. With the continued success of CATS College and its growing number of students, the Canterbury campus identified the need to expand its accommodation facilities as well as its social and catering spaces.

A new student accommodation block was commissioned to offer 87 en-suite rooms, a café, common room and flexible social areas for the students. The project had a tight timeline to ensure a handover date to coincide with the academic year, and needed to be completed within just 14 weeks, so speed of build was paramount.

Another key consideration of the project was the design. With CATS College’s prestigious locations and buildings, it was important that the features of the new building complemented the existing architecture and blended in.

Atkin Trade Specialists was awarded the framing element of the contract, and used voestalpine Metsec plc’s Metframe solution to overcome the complex structural design challenges as well as achieve the tight timescales. Metframe is a pre-panelised system which is used to provide the load bearing structure for low to medium rise structures. The system uses stud, track and zed ledger sections which are bolted together off site to form panels providing the benefit of speed of build, with Metframe structures regularly taking under two weeks per floor to construct. Each structure is bespoke to allow flexible architectural design as well as to complement the surrounding buildings on campus. The building design incorporated several traditional features such as large bay windows with castellation, feature stone-work and mansard roofs, inspired by the existing architecture of the adjacent buildings.

The complex mansard roof configuration had multiple valleys and hips that needed to be incorporated into the design and the flexibility of the Metframe solution meant that the roof for the project could be formed using steel. It’s a competitive solution; rather than needing to commission a second company to design and form a roof, Metsec could supply one package, including a steel roofing solution, which added value and provided significant time savings to the project.

Inside, the building was designed to be future-proof. Internal walls were left out in the build to provide flexibility and enable rooms to be opened to form larger ones if required. This element had to be accounted for in the design and hot rolled steel beams were integrated into the design to provide this flexibility.

The detailing process involved in the design began with the import of the architectural CAD modelling into a bespoke 3D environment. This determined all setting-out and allowed structural components to be fully modelled in this environment. In turn, this enabled Metsec to precisely manufacture all of its components according to the agreed design. Manufactured at its UK facilities to the design specified lengths, even the holes in the product are punched that are required for both off-site panel assembly and on-site final build. Atkins selected the Metframe solution for its ability to be prefabricated off-site enabling the onsite construction to be completed by only five personnel in just 13 weeks, a week ahead of schedule.

The CATS College project demonstrates a broad range of environmentally friendly material and processes. The cold rolled steel used in Metframe offers an excellent strength to weight ratio meaning that not only did the project require less steel overall, but the lightweight structure required shallower foundations to be installed, providing material, time and cost savings. In addition, the structural components are manufactured to the precise length required reducing site waste.

James Gallear, of Atkin Trade Specialists, says “This project not only meets the client’s current design requirements, but it exceeds them by providing a future-proof solution.

“The modern design provides flexible additional space for the college, coupled with the architectural reflection of existing buildings on campus meaning that it blends in with the style of the surroundings buildings.”

Ryan Simmonds, sales director of Framing at Metsec, adds “This project challenges the common perception of the type of building which is suitable for off-site construction. With special design elements such as the mansard roof at CATS College, installers will often disregard the off-site option, but our project with Atkin Trade Group shows that off-site can not only be an efficient and cost-effective solution, it can also provide solutions to complex architectural designs.”

For more information on the Metsec product range visit www.metsec.com. Alternatively, connect with Metsec via @MetsecUK or facebook.com/MetsecUK.
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New ductwork installation guide from Kingspan

Kingspan Insulation has released a new installation guide for Kingspan Kooltherm FM Ductwork Insulation and Therma Duct Insulation, available for download from www.kingspaninsulation.co.uk.

The easy-reference document covers all aspects of the installation process for rectangular, circular and flat oval ductwork applications; from initial preparation, to TICA recommended methods of insulating flanges, stiffeners and connections. Clear annotated diagrams are included throughout, illustrating best practice in a range of areas such as dealing with radius sections and circular bends.

Both Kingspan Kooltherm FM Ductwork Insulation and Therma Duct Insulation offer a number of advantages for installers. The product’s high and premium performance insulation cores can help to keep ductwork dimensions to a minimum, without compromising energy performance. They’re suitable for indoor and outdoor applications on ductwork and associated products within an operating temperature range of –20°C to 80°C. Whilst their fibre-free insulation cores make them particularly well suited to controlled environment applications such as laboratories, food preparation and server rooms.

For further peace of mind, Kingspan Kooltherm FM Ductwork Insulation is also certified by FM Approval to Factory Mutual Research Approval Standard – Pipe Insulation Class Number 4924, when manufactured and installed in accordance with the conditions defined by the approval.

Kingspan Kooltherm FM Duct Insulation and Therma Duct Insulation produced at Kingspan Insulation’s Pembridge and Selby manufacturing facilities are certified to BES 6001 ‘Very Good’ and have been assigned a highest possible 2008 Green Guide Summary Rating of ‘A+’.

For more information please call +44 (0) 1544 388 601 or visit www.kingspaninsulation.co.uk.
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“It’s a Wrap!” Optimise airtightness and seal awkward areas with new Tyvek® FlexWrap EZ tape

To ensure structures perform as designed, every detail counts. Tyvek® FlexWrap tapes are ingenious solutions from DuPont created to maximise the functionality of breather membranes and air and vapour control layers (AVCLs) by adapting to the most challenging penetrations in the building envelope. In addition to Tyvek® FlexWrap NF, now there’s an even easier to fit and attractively priced version of this highly valued tape: Tyvek® FlexWrap EZ, which comes in a narrower width of 60mm and a roll length of 10m.

A clever concertina style design means that Tyvek® FlexWrap tape can shape itself to create a highly effective seal for the membrane around any irregular shape or complex joint, whether around services, piping or cabling, into the corners and junctions of an aperture, around doorways, rafters, joists, etc.

Supplied in ready to use rolls, Tyvek® FlexWrap EZ is simple and straightforward to apply and compatible with most building materials, while being quicker to fit than many standard tapes. Premium butyl adhesive with a Tyvek® top-sheet, it offers all the long term dependability you would expect of a DuPont product, ensuring that insulation, timber frames, interior cladding etc., are properly protected from air and moisture ingress and so function to capacity. UV resistant, prior to covering, it also allows for structural movements and performs over a wide temperature range.

Don’t let the headache of properly sealing your project drive you around the bend…for complete peace of mind install expandable, curve-able Tyvek® FlexWrap EZ as part of a proven, optimal system.

About DuPont™ Tyvek® & DuPont Building Membranes and Products:

DuPont™ Tyvek® advanced building membranes are unique in the market due to their high-quality single layer construction. Tyvek®, in all its specialised versions, is naturally vapour open but also durably wind and water-tight. Lightweight yet robust, it is easy to install and offers long-term, proven reliability. Designed to protect the building envelope against the effects of weather and moisture, this family of membranes also offers optimal air-tightness and can help to improve the thermal performance, energy-efficiency and interior climatic stability of a building.

Tyvek® is also designed to work as part of a holistic and optimal system with a range of other proven DuPont products for the building envelope, including the DuPont™ AirGuard® advanced AVCL series, the highly versatile Tyvek® FlexWrap tapes, plus other specialised tapes and sealants. All DuPont building products come with the renowned service, expertise and technical back-up of a world-class science company.

For more information about DuPont™ Tyvek® FlexWrap NF / EZ and AirGuard® in the UK please visit: www.construction.tyvek.co.uk or call 08444 068 722 (087 922 2740 in ROI)
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Weber monocouche render remodels Lochside restaurant in Scotland

The market leading, high performance weberpral M monocouche render by Saint-Gobain Weber has been architecturally specified in the extension programme of a popular restaurant in the tourist area of the western Southern Uplands of Scotland.

Standing on the shores of the gleaming Loch Ryan, the Driftwood Restaurant is a popular venue for tourists exploring the beautiful area of Dumfries and Galloway. Nestling by the water’s edge, just minutes from the Stranraer ferry terminal that connects Scotland with Northern Ireland, the Driftwood has recently been extended and refurbished to meet the expanding “staycation” business that is boosting Scottish tourism.

Dumfries and Galloway Council are the property landlords of Driftwood who carried out a business assessment that established the need to expand the property to meet the required capacity and the commercial viability of the restaurant in servicing the local and visiting community. The design and build project was handled by DG First, the Council’s in-house construction and maintenance division, and plans were drawn up by Alan Hewitt of the Property and Architectural Services department. The design almost doubled the size of the structure using timber frame with a blockwork skin which has been finished with weberpral M monocouche render.

Factory produced to ensure product consistency weberpral M is a cementitious, through-coloured render suitable for one-coat application to appropriate brick or block work substrates. Produced from carefully selected raw materials, weberpral M monocouche render is formulated for pump application which allows quick and efficient installation. This contributes significantly to shorter programme periods, reducing associated scaffolding and site costs and permitting the completion of ground works at an earlier state. It is supplied ready-mixed with only the requirement of clean water to be added on site and is applied in a two pass operation to a thickness of 20-28mm; it is then scraped when green giving a minimum render thickness of 15-25mm.

Weber recommended applicator J & J Runcie Plasterers Limited, Stranraer, carried out the render to the new structure. “The architect specified weberpral M from the experience gained on many housing refurbishment and new build projects in the region. As an applicator, we always choose Weber products for their quality and ease of application,” reports James Runcie. “The Chalk colour selected really sets the Driftwood Restaurant off to its best in this parkland setting. We machine applied the render as weberpral M is perfectly formulated for this fast and accurate application method. We are very pleased with the finished result.”

Recent changes to the formulation of weberpral M have been designed to be fit for combat in the war against unsightly algae. Saint-Gobain Weber has worked closely with French microbiologists to understand the effect of the composition of the render and the effect that external factors have to play, such as surface condensation, temperature and rain fall. By changing the product formula as classified in EN998-1 weberpral M effectively repels water from the surface helping to ensure that Britain’s homes and buildings remain looking better for longer.

Saint-Gobain Weber is the first manufacturer of monocouche renders to be awarded an A+ rating as defined in the BRE Global 2008 Green Guide to Specification. This audited material helps specifiers to make selections that will collectively reduce the environmental impact of their buildings while achieving a higher number of BREEAM material specification credits. weberpral M has excellent weather resistance and durability whilst allowing the structure to breathe. Its through-coloured characteristic requires no decoration, is truly low maintenance and offers a variety of ways to achieve architectural features. It is available in a palette of 24 attractive colours.

For more information, or for technical support, please contact Saint-Gobain Weber on 08703 330 070, or visit www.netweber.co.uk
Customers in Ireland should call 028 9335 2999 or visit www.weber.ie
A free download of the new weber.app for iPhone and iPad users is also available from iTunes and from Google Play for Android smartphones and tablet users. Follow Saint-Gobain Weber on Twitter @SGWeberUK for the latest company news and updates.
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Brett Martin Daylighting Solution ‘Pops-Up’ In Croydon’s Boxpark

With the pop-up culture seen as a flexible, fast and low-cost solution to revitalising and unlocking urban environments, Brett Martin Daylight Systems’ lightweight and robust Marlon CS profiled polycarbonate glazing panels have maximised daylight and been an integral element in the creation of Boxpark Croydon, a new pop-up mall featuring a range of shopping and dining venues.

Located next to East Croydon train station and designed by architects BDP as part of the mixed-use Ruskin Square Development, Boxpark Croydon has been built from 96 stripped and refitted shipping containers arranged around a covered courtyard space which can be used for year-round events. To bring natural daylight and to provide cover to the central piazza which has drawn inspiration from Covent Garden, the specification of single-skin Marlon CS Longlife ensured this project met the fast- build programme.

The early involvement of Brett Martin technical team on the project ensured the most appropriate daylighting solution was chosen which met the individual daylighting and aesthetic requirements of the project.

The project saw the creation of a transparent roof made up of 1331m2 of 2mm thick Marlon CS Longlife glazing panels in three pre-cut sizes and installed at a pitch of 5 degrees.

Commenting on the project, Daniel Isaac, Area Business Manager at Brett Martin Daylight Systems said; “We recommended a pitch of 5 degrees to avoid any water ingress issues in the space below and advised on fixing methods which included 2mm thick EPDM dry seal compression tape at the end laps due to longer overlaps.”

In addition to the impact resistance, resilience and structural strength inherent in all of Brett Martin’s high performance polycarbonate sheet products, Marlon CS Longlife is also lightweight and easy to handle. With an unrivalled range of profile options, it can be used to form complete roof coverings or can be incorporated into any corrugated metal roofing and cladding system, from simple single skin to advanced composite panels.

By incorporating Brett Martin’s Marlon CS Profiled Polycarbonate sheet, visitors to BoxPark will be able to enjoy a bright, airy environment that is protected from the extremes of wet weather as well as protection from the sun’s UV rays.

Offering long-term performance, Marlon CS Longlife polycarbonate comes with a co-extruded UV protection layer and carries a 10-year warranty on light transmission and durability, guaranteeing daylight into this pop-up mall for years to come.

For more information please visit www.brettmartin.com.
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Kingspan TEK is fit for a King

Holiday-home owners at Haggerston Castle Holiday Park in Northumberland will be relaxing in style this summer at the Park’s new owners’ lounge, constructed from the Kingspan TEK Building System of Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) during the short off-season period.

The Haven holiday park is situated within the lush former grounds of Haggerston Castle, with its award-winning landscape gardens and picturesque lakes. Designed with guidance from Hill Cannon to complement its lakeside position, the new owners’ lounge offers a light and modern multifunctional space with a bar, restaurant and outdoor terrace. Kingspan TEK Delivery Partners, SIP Build UK, erected the Kingspan TEK Building System to form both the walls and roof of the lounge. Chris Duckworth, Managing Director of the company, discussed the specification:

“It was vital for the new owners’ lounge to be fully complete and ready to welcome guests by the end of the closure season in March. That gave us five months, over the worst of the winter weather, to get the build completed. The Kingspan TEK Building System really comes into its own in these conditions. We pre-cut the SIPs to the project’s exact specifications in our factory. As a result, the delivery was carefully scheduled in advance and once we arrived on site, our team were able to erect the system with virtually no alterations. The panelised design meant there was no need to wait for wet trades to dry and we were able to erect the main shell in just two weeks. Once we had the shell erected and a membrane applied, the building was weathertight meaning the first fix could begin internally whilst the external cladding was being applied.”

In alignment with Haven’s dedication to preserving the natural environment, the excellent fabric performance of the Kingspan TEK Building System should also help to reduce the facilities’ energy requirements. The highly insulated core of the 142 mm Kingspan TEK Building System panels can allow them to achieve U-values of 0.20 W/m2.K and below, whilst the OSB/3 facing and unique jointing system help to minimise unnecessary air loss.

Both the Kingspan TEK Cladding Panel and Kingspan TEK Building System panels are also available in a 172 mm thickness, delivering U-values of 0.17 W/m2.K or better, without the need for additional insulation. The manufacturing facility where the panels are produced carries both FSC® (FSC®-C109304) and PEFC Chain of Custody certification.

For further information, please visit www.kingspantek.co.uk

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Armstrong Ceiling Solutions launches new websites for UK and Ireland

 

 

Prize draw to win a Herman Miller Cradle To Cradle designer chair

Armstrong Ceiling Solutions has redesigned its UK and Ireland websites to make inspiration, specification and installation resources faster and easier to find than ever before.

The new global-styled website has already been launched to acclaim in the US, Canada and Asia Pacific and is now being rolled out across Europe.

One highlight of the new mobile-friendly site is the highly visual global project gallery section which enables customers to search, filter and browse more than 800 projects and almost 5,000 photos from around the globe.

While this gives form to the medium, the technical downloads section brings function, helping customers who have been inspired by the images to take their plans to the next level through information such as BIM, CAD, product data pages and installation instructions.

The intuitive website seamlessly adapts to mobile phones and tablets while maintaining a user-friendly experience.

In a new applications section, customers can quickly access “A ceilings for any space,” innovative online tool which provides ceiling recommendations for almost any type of space in a commercial project including clean rooms, commercial kitchens and swimming pools.

Designed to simplify its peerless portfolio and to reflect the brand theme Inspiring Great Spaces, the new website features inspiring visuals on every page.

Customers can also browse products by material and application type, scan product performance features at a glance, and compare product lines. Colour, veneer, shape, edge detail and perforation options are highlighted on each page to make designing easy. Related case studies, project photos, videos and installation details are easily accessible throughout the site.

So confident is the company that its new website is the ultimate customer tool that it is incentivising user feedback on the UK site by offering a Herman Miller Cradle To Cradle Setu chair every month.

Armstrong Setu ChairJohn Kerr, marketing and commercial excellence director EMEA, said “We have redesigned our website to make it even easier for our customers to find what they want in the multitude of products and services that we have grown over the past 150 years. This will be rolled out across Europe in 2017 to enhance our truly international reach.”

To visit the new Armstrong Ceiling Solutions website, click here.
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Metsec launches new wide flange Purlins product

voestalpine Metsec plc has launched its newest purlins product line, the wide flange purlin.

Metsec is first to market with the product after identifying a need in the claddings market for a flange with a wider surface for fixing to. Previously, cladders working on a project that required a larger fixing face would have to engineer a solution from existing products and work around the problem.

The introduction of this product means that the roofing contractor has an on-hand, bespoke, engineered solution which reduces the amount of materials and labour needed, as well as providing a cost saving.

Kevin Jones, sales director for Metsec Purlins, said “Our focus is on service and meeting our customers’ needs at all times. In speaking with our customers we realised claddings that needed a larger fixing face was a pain point for them, and so we developed our wide flange purlin product that would give an engineered, fit-for-purpose solution.

“By introducing this into the market, we aim to save both time and money for our customers as well as providing an easy-to-use solution that we hope will become the standard for claddings with larger fixing faces.”

The product will feature in Metsec’s new purlins brochure, the first major update for four years, due for release in spring 2017. The user-friendly brochure contains case studies to give examples of application and load tables for specifying solutions.

Designed to be more user-friendly, the brochure will be released to market at the end of May.

For more information please visit www.metsec.com.
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Stevenage homes brought up to spec with Saint-Gobain Weber External Wall Insulation

Innovative, high performance External Wall Insulation (EWI) by Saint-Gobain Weber has been specified for a proportion of homes in the extensive property upgrade programme being carried out by Stevenage Borough Council in Hertfordshire. Seventy six homes have benefitted from this improved thermal efficiency and aesthetics treatment in 2015 and a further 150 properties were included in the 2016 program.

The homes, constructed in the late 40s, early 50s, are a combination of traditional solid brick and Wimpey No Fines system build. The u-value achieved for the improved properties is an impressive 0.30 W/m²K, down from the original 1.98 W/m²K rating. The webertherm XM EWI system specified 90mm EPS insulation and high performance render to achieve this substantial improvement.

Equally appealing for residents is the ‘new’ external visual results where four alternative render colours from the extensive palette of the weberplast TF acrylic based, pre-mixed decorative finishes have been applied. A new-for-this-project colour, Marshmallow, has been used alongside Antique Ivory, Winter White and Palest Pink.

Main contractor Wates Living Space, one of several contractors involved in this on-going renovation scheme, specified the Weber EWI system in order to meet the performance specification required by the Stevenage Borough Council property team who are familiar with the product’s qualities and attributes. Build-Therm Services, whose headquarters are in nearby St Albans, Hertfordshire, were responsible for the application.

Agron Sopjani, director of Build-Therm Services Limited responsible for the Stevenage program, acknowledges the value of the webertherm XM EWI system. “The application process is very straight-forward enabling our site teams to make good progress. Cutting the u-values down to these levels is impressive and the external finishes really lift the whole residential area. It’s clean and bright and together with the improved thermal performance it’s a real winner.”

The webertherm XM high performance external wall insulation and meshcloth reinforced polymer render system provides efficient thermal insulation for these refurbishments with the render coat and surface finish delivering water shedding capabilities to protect the building fabric. The 90mm of EPS insulation is mechanically fixed to the existing substrate surface and covered with a 6mm meshcloth reinforced coat of weberend LAC. This is a low density, polymer-modified cement-based mortar which is applied in two passes. weber PR310 primer is then applied prior to the application of the weberplast TF decorative finish.

“The External Wall Insulation installed in Stevenage has transformed our tenants’ homes by reducing heat loss, and making them easier to keep warm. Our tenants are very pleased with the results which should make considerable savings on their heating bills,” says Lydia Wisby, Stevenage Borough Council’s energy and sustainability co-ordinator.

For more information about this project, or for technical support, please contact Saint-Gobain Weber on 08703 330 070, or visit www.netweber.co.uk. Customers in Ireland should call 028 9335 2999 or visit www.weber.ie

A free download of the new weber.app for iPhone and iPad users is also available from iTunes and from Google Play for Android smartphones and tablet users. Follow Saint-Gobain Weber on Twitter @SGWeberUK for the latest company news and updates.

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