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

Kingspan embraces the past with library extension at Dunfermline

A £12.4 million extension to the 19th century Dunfermline Carnegie Library in Scotland is helping raise the town’s cultural profile. The new building is designed and built to comply with Scottish Building Regulations, with the help of Kingspan Kooltherm K15 Rainscreen Board and Kingspan Kooltherm K10 Soffit Board.

The Dunfermline Carnegie Library & Galleries project has created an exciting new local history Reading Room, Museum and Children’s Library to engage and entertain a wider number of visitors at Dunfermline’s Heritage Quarter. In addition, it also provides the town’s first purpose-built art gallery space and a new mezzanine café, ensuring visitors can relax with a coffee whilst enjoying the stunning views of the landscaped gardens and Dunfermline Abbey.

Ashlar sandstone, oak and Corten steel cladding have been installed on the new extension of the library building as part of a rainscreen cladding system. 500 m2 of Kingspan Kooltherm K15 Rainscreen Board was fitted within the steel frame cladding system of the regenerated external façade in a 70 mm thickness. The angular features of the building also have overhanging structural ceilings which required the installation of 200 m2 of Kingspan Kooltherm K10 Soffit Board insulation in a 75 mm thickness.

Martin Lambie, Architect from Richard Murphy Architects Ltd, commented:

“We wanted to create a space that embraced both the rich history of the building and the expectations of visitors both now and in the future. The façade successfully delivered the visual appeal, but we also needed to ensure the space was comfortable too. We chose Kingspan Kooltherm for this project as we knew it would help us to deliver the target U-values.”

Kingspan Insulation products can allow target U-values to be achieved with minimal construction thickness. Both premium performance products feature a fibre-free core and can achieve thermal conductivities as low as 0.020 W/m.K.

Kingspan Kooltherm K15 Rainscreen Board and Kingspan Kooltherm K10 Soffit Board feature a fibre-free core manufactured with a blowing agent which has zero Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) and low Global Warming Potential (GWP). The product has been assigned a highest possible BREEAM Green Guide summary of A+ and is certified ‘Excellent’ under the demanding BES 6001: Responsible Sourcing of Construction Products standard.

Since the completion of the project, Kingspan has launched its Kooltherm K100 range offering thermal conductivities as low as 0.018 W/m.K across all thicknesses. The expanding range now includes Kingspan Kooltherm K110 Soffit Board helping buildings to achieve outstanding levels of thermal performance with a minimum construction thickness.

For further information, please contact: Tel: +44 (0) 1544 387 384
Email: info@kingspaninsulation.co.uk Website: www.kingspaninsulation.co.uk
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Act Smart and Save the Date

GEZE UK will demonstrate some ‘joined up thinking’ when it takes part at this year’s Smart Buildings Show (7-8 November 2018) at the Barbican, London.

Its stand, F3, Hall 2, is a third bigger than last year and will feature the latest integrated products that can form part of intelligent building networks.

By using smart building interfaces such as the GEZE Cockpit, IQ box KNX or the IO 420, modular solutions can be applied to achieve natural ventilation and climate control, security and fire safety. In turn, they can be integrated into building management systems which ‘talk’ to each other for complete control – often remotely.

Using GEZE’s range of automatic door and window systems, these ‘hubs’ can transform premises into smart buildings – making them more pleasant environments in which to live and work – conditions that help people feel more happy, healthy and productive.

Said GEZE UK managing director, Kaz Spiewakowski: “Our presence at the UK’s leading dedicated smart building event will be bigger and better this year.

“We have some ground-breaking products to demonstrate and in GEZE UK’s 30th year, we wish to make our presence felt and become firmly established as the ‘go to’ supplier for those looking to create the next generation of buildings.”

As the only company in the UK to offer both door and window solutions, GEZE is keen to be at the forefront of the ‘smart revolution’ allowing building performance to be optimised, costs reduced and environments improved through responsive and multifunctional systems.

Visitors to the stand will see products such as the Slimchain, IO 420, IQ box KNX, IQ locks, WS 1000 touch screen controller, Flat scan sensor, the GEZE Cockpit – which will be available in the UK very soon – and a first look at the Perlan AUT NT, a cost-effective alternative to the manual sliding door system – ideal for use in difficult-to-access areas which can help reduce accidents.

For details of the event visit www.smartbuildingshow.com

For more information about GEZE UK’s comprehensive range of products and system solutions call 01543 443000 or visit www.geze.co.uk
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RCM first (and currently only) approved stockist of Rockpanel (FS-Xtra)

RCM, Roofing and Cladding Materials Ltd, a specialist in complete through wall solutions, are delighted to be the first, and currently only stockist of A2 Rockpanel (FS-Xtra) in the UK.

RCM are now able to offer Rockpanel (FS-Xtra) in a selection of colours directly from stock.

Made from compressed mineral wool, originating from basalt, Rockpanel has the strength and durability of stone, yet the workability of wood.

The addition of this ‘stone-based’ cladding further enhances RCM’s already extensive facades offering. Recent supplied projects by RCM have included the University of West England in Bristol, where over 1,000m² of Rockpanel Metallics were supplied to newly built high-quality student accommodation on the Frenchay campus.

Rockpanel is suitable for use as exterior cladding, applications along the roofline and for building detailing. It has the fire rating A2, which is ideally suited for applications where high levels of fire performance are desirable or mandatory.

The number of colours and finishes to choose from is huge and RCM are now able to deliver four of the most popular colours (Signal Grey, Anthracite Grey, Dusty Grey and Pure White) directly from its Staffordshire warehouses. It brings with it a great benefit to RCM’s customers by shortening lead times for these stock items, thus improving the service RCM are able to offer.

As well as choosing one of these stock colours, RCM are also able to supply the full 50 standard colours with an additional 100 special colours, including a further 10 Rockpanel ranges, which include Woods, Metallics, Stones, Uni, Ply, Natural, Chameleon, Brilliant, Lines and Premium.

Ian Quinton, RCM Managing Director said “It is a pleasure to announce RCM as a stockist of Rockpanel. Being able to stock four of the most popular colours means that we will be able to supply our customers much faster with the facades. This will reduce wasted time and allows RCM to become more efficient in the long run. Many great UK based projects have used Rockpanel in the past, endorsing the quality and sustainability of this fire safe exterior cladding from Rockpanel., not to mention the huge choice of colour finishes.”

A good example of the full range can be seen on RCM’s website – www.buildingboards.co.uk/products/rcm-rockpanelfacades/
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M P Plastering working with Saint-Gobain Weber For Cotswold Homes Ltd

(image accreditation: Cotswold Homes Ltd)

Experienced rendering contractor M P Plastering of Somerset excels with the use of high performance, technically advanced products manufactured by Saint-Gobain Weber. As a specialist applicator, M P Plastering has a wealth of experience in the application of sprayed renders and external wall insulation. Projects range from one-off domestic applications to large new-build developments for NHBC registered property developers.

Training plays an important role at M P Plastering and managing director Mark Pickthall personally invests in regular training for himself and his expanding team. “All our jobs come with written specifications and guarantees so it is essential that we ensure exemplary standards of craftsmanship if we are to be considered for more work in the future.” In maintaining these standards Mark and members of his 35-strong team have undertaken on-site training provided by Saint-Gobain Weber to install floors using their existing render pumps to apply screed to floors.

They have also undertaken training in floor screed application at the Saint-Gobain Technical Academy in Flitwick. “Expanding the services we can offer has given us the opportunity to tender for both rendering and flooring contracts on some of the bigger projects,” says Mark. A perfect example is the contract M P Plastering has won from Cotswold Homes Limited, a prestigious property developer dedicated to delivering quality new homes in the South West, at their Corsham Rise development in Bath.

Guy Edge, head of construction, Cotswold Homes, comments: “We’ve got a great relationship with Mark Pickthall of M P Plastering. He and his team have been involved in some outstanding render applications over the years; while he champions the Weber brand, Cotswold Homes share this opinion.”

The concrete floors in the kitchens and bathrooms required perfect levelling in preparation for a laminate floor covering. Here weberfloor 4716, an acrylic primer for use with Weber’s flooring systems and products, has been brush applied to the concrete substrate. M P Plastering then followed with a pump-applied application of weberfloor 4150 fine flow at an average thickness of 10mm. This levelling compound, designed for application at thicknesses between 2 to 30mm, is formulated to combine consistent and reliable drying characteristics with strength and durability. It is supplied as a pre-blended dry powder and designed specifically for renovation of existing solid floors in domestic and commercial applications.

“The reason we got involved with Weber for the floor preparation is that we are constantly looking to achieve as perfect a finish as is possible before we cover them with beautiful tiles. Mark enthusiastically recommended Weber’s pump applied floor screeds and, without a doubt, both the application and the quality of the product has been a great success. We’ll be using Weber’s screeds again,” says Guy Edge.

weberfloor 4150 fine flow is suitable for covering with a wide variety of finishes including tiles, carpets, flexible floor coverings and parquet flooring. weberfloor 4150 fine flow has excellent spreading and smoothing characteristics, has low alkalinity and low emissions during drying, is casein-free and manufactured to BSI Quality Assurance Scheme ISO 9001 in the UK.

Weber’s floor screeds have been developed for optimum speed, durability, strength and smoothness, essential for allowing early access by following trades that contribute to project efficiencies and the fastest possible completion times. Here the use of proven, pumpable screeds, that harden rapidly and are self-smoothing, will achieve durable surfaces that are ready for foot traffic in just 2 to 4 hours after application. “In this project the floors were ready for light foot traffic in 4 hours and ready for covering a week later,” comments Mark. “weberfloor 4150 fine flow is probably the most straight forward product we have worked with and is proving successful every time.”

“My real love is using render as you can see it and admire it for years to come. With floor screed it is hidden by a variety of coverings and completely hidden from sight, that’s the nature of the product.”

For more information about this project, or for technical support including award winning training courses and the new RIBA-Assessed Flowing Floor Screeds CPD, please contact Saint-Gobain Weber on 08703 330 070, or visit www.netweber.co.uk.
A free download of the 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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Titon appoints new Area Sales Manager for timber and PVCu division

Leading ventilation and window hardware manufacturer Titon has appointed Mark Barzotelli as Area Sales Manager for its Timber and PVCu division.

Mark will be covering the South and South West area of England, along with South Wales. Reporting to Titon’s National Sales Manager Matthew Yates, he will be responsible for sales and specification of Titon’s expanding window and door hardware ranges – including trickle vents – to fabricators of PVCu or timber windows and doors.

Formerly a Sales Manager for Essex-based hinge, fitting and window hardware producer Nico Manufacturing, where he worked for 11 years, Mark brings with him a wealth of experience in window and door hardware. He also has an HNC diploma in building construction.

Commenting on his new role, Mark said “Having been in the industry for some time, I know the Titon team well and I’m delighted to have joined them at such an exciting time for the company. I’m looking forward to working on increasing sales and developing awareness of the brand’s excellent products.”

Mark lives in Brixham in Devon. His pastimes include motorcycling and raising money for charity – he has previously completed a charity motorbike ride from Lowestoft to Land’s End to raise money for the Devon Freewheelers, a team of volunteers who deliver essential medical supplies, including blood for transfusions, around the UK. He was also part of the Teignmouth Lifeboat Crew for 8 years.

For more information about Titon’s Ventilation Systems Division, please visit: www.titon.co.uk
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Welsh Slate turns itself inside out

UK’s leading manufacturer launches brochures for interior and exterior uses.

New coffee table-style brochures showcasing Welsh Slate products for interior as well as exterior applications have been launched by the leading UK manufacturer.

Available through www.welshslate.com, the eight-page brochures dispel the myth once and for all that Welsh Slate, part of the Breedon Group, is just about roofing, with stunning photographs proving the product’s versatility for a wide range of uses.

Both beautifully illustrated brochures talk briefly about the company’s quarries in North Wales, including Penrhyn at Bethesda and Cwt-y-Bugail in Llan Ffestiniog, being a focal point for the production of UK natural stone for the past 700 years – the slate’s 500 million-year-old pedigree is reflected in the fact it is still handcrafted.

Although both show the range of colours (Penrhyn Heather Blue and Grey and Cwt-y-Bugail Dark Blue Grey) and finishes (riven, honed, flamed and machined) there the similarity ends.

The exteriors brochure features copings and sills, as used at the ME Hotel in London, walling and cladding as used at the National Waterfront Museum and many prestige private properties, paving, and roofing as used at York Racecourse and St Mary Abbots Church, London.

The interiors brochure features flooring, as used at the British Museum, interior walling and cladding, worktops, and fire and hearth surrounds.

No matter inside or out, the brochures reinforce Welsh Slate’s suitability for a wide range of contemporary and heritage architectural and interior design uses due to its aesthetics, durability and low maintenance.

For more information please visit www.welshslate.com.
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Schueco Jansen renovation window is the preferred solution

Janisol Arte 2.0, the second-generation renovation window from steel systems specialist Schueco Jansen, is proving popular with architects because of its enhanced specification, improved performance characteristics and ability to satisfy the aesthetic concerns of local authority planners and conservation officers.

Now being seen as the preferred solution for many refurbishment projects, especially those involving a listed building, elegantly ‘retro’ Janisol Arte 2.0 offers an enlarged range of profiles with slim sight-lines from 25 mm. A wider choice of glazing bead shapes – right-angled, bevelled, scotia and flat – makes it even easier to find an exact match for the steel windows being replaced.

Furthermore, since laser-welded profiles can now be added to standard Arte profiles, mullion spans can be significantly increased, so enabling the Janisol Arte 2.0 window to accommodate much larger areas of fenestration.

Available in all the opening types commonly encountered in both pre- and post-war industrial buildings, maximum vent weights have increased to 150 kg thanks to the introduction of state-of-the-art, 3D adjustable stainless steel hinges.

Another benefit is that simpler fabrication techniques reduce manufacturing time by up to 85%, meaning that six and a half Janisol Arte 2.0 vents can be produced in the time it took to make a single vent in the previous system.

Special new foam profiles located between the glass and the frame mean that the insulation in the Janisol Arte 2.0 window has been significantly enhanced and following the introduction of insert profiles – which also speed up fabrication times – results in drainage that is even more reliable.

In addition, because all Janisol Arte 2.0 profiles now go through the latest ZF 100 galvannealed hot-dip process, corrosion resistance has been improved and processing weldability enhanced.

Finally, as well as standard, premium-quality steel profiles, clients can opt for Janisol Arte 2.0 profiles in high-grade austenitic 1.4401 stainless steel or Corten steel, completing a specification that is thought to be unmatched by any other renovation window on the market.

For more information on Schueco Jansen’s Janisol Arte 2.0 renovation window, please email mkinfobox@schueco.com
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In-patient unit insulated with Kingspan

Kingspan Insulation products have been installed throughout the envelope of the new in-patient unit at St David’s Hospice Care in Newport, creating a warm, comfortable environment for patients to receive first-class care.

The 15-bed unit adjoins an existing day hospice, providing specialist support for patients with complex symptom management needs, end of life care and occasional respite care. Each room features a wet room and a private terrace, providing views of the newly-planted wildflower meadow and hills beyond. The Welsh Government has provided £3 million towards the cost of the unit which has been constructed by Andrew Scott Ltd.

KKE Architects selected natural materials for the building cladding, including tumbled sandstone and cedar shingles, providing it with a welcoming external appearance. To ensure a slim external wall construction whilst also achieving the target U-value of 0.16 W/m2.K, Kingspan Kooltherm K8 Cavity Board was specified within the cavity wall sections of the construction.

The unit, which holds an Energy Performance Certificate of A, also features a highly insulated floor and roof, with both elements achieving a U-value of 0.10 W/m2.K. To deliver this, almost 3000 m2 of Kingspan Kooltherm K3 Floorboard was fitted along with Kingspan Kooltherm K7 Pitched Roof Board and Thermaroof TR27 LPC/FM.

Kyle Fowler, Architectural Technologist at KKE Architects commented “The Kingspan Insulation products delivered reliable performance, enabling us to achieve our desired design details. We were also able to contact their technical support team throughout the design process, ensuring the completed elements performed as expected”.

Since the completion of the in-patient unit, Kingspan has launched its Kooltherm K100 range offering thermal conductivities of just 0.018 W/m.K across all thicknesses. The expanding range now includes K103 Floorboard, K107 Pitched Roof Board and K108 Cavity Board, helping buildings to achieve outstanding levels of thermal performance with a minimum construction thickness.

For further information please call 01544 387384, email info@kingspaninsulation.co.uk or visit www.kingspaninsulation.co.uk.
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Bespoke wall panelling from Armstrong Ceilings helps Hackney to award-winning heights

Customised wall panels by Armstrong Ceiling Solutions have proved a key feature in the award-winning refurbishment of the Grade II listed Hackney Town Hall.

The folded bronze anodised aluminium panels were selected by regular Armstrong specifiers Hawkins\Brown architects for the end walls of two underused interior service courtyards that have been transformed into full-height multi-functional atria as part of the redevelopment.

The bespoke wall panels were custom perforated by laser into a pattern that mimics the original walls behind, including aged brickwork, Crittall windows, drain pipes and services. They serve to conceal new ducts linked to the smoke ventilation system and feature an acoustic fleece behind the panels to absorb sound.

Some 110m2 of the 1.5mm WH-1000 2m x 1m panels, which also feature a butterfly effect, where random perforations have been fabricated into “wings” to dapple the light, were installed by specialist Omega sub-contractor Roskel Contracts for main contractor Osborne onto a lightweight steel framing system on the walls at the eastern ends of the north and south atria.

These were complemented by anodised trough boxes containing continuous strips of LED lights at the top of each three-storey wall.

Hawkins/Brown associate director Chloe Marshall said “We wanted to choose a standard proprietary acoustic wall cladding system for which we could customise the perforation pattern and selected the W-H 1000 Armstrong product after advice from the representative that this would meet our performance requirements and design intent.”

Hawkins Brown then created two abstract images of each original windowed brick wall using the computer programme Grasshopper through which they programmed in the technical and aesthetic parameters and “plugged in” photographs.

“It was important to us that the perforation pattern could be customised to create a new feature within the rooms rather than a dominating plain rear wall. A bronzed finish was selected to link to the historic building materials of the 1930s interior and to interface well with the London Stock brickwork and painted steel structure of the new ETFE roof.”

Roskel director Alan Brown added: “The panels were perforated to individual patterns and when combined formed the overall image. The perforation pattern and anodised finish were new to Armstrong and proved challenging but the desired finish and visual effect were achieved.”

Built in 1937 to an Art Deco-style design by architects Lanchester and Lodge, Hackney Town Hall has been the subject of an exhaustive 12-year and 12,500m2 restoration and refurbishment programme throughout which it has remained fully open.

Previously shabby and in need of investment to create more office space, many of the building’s original Art Deco fittings and fixtures had been left intact, and this combined with a forward-thinking local authority, meant the planners were very open to new ideas and interventions, the Armstrong walls being just one of many elements.

In the new atria, the brickwork is topped by a continuous steel ring beam that supports the new ETFE roof spanned by secondary beams. The former service yard’s basement floor has been raised to ground-floor level to allow level access from the refurbished marriage suites which now open onto the new atria’s resin terrazzo floor.

Armstrong representative Alastair Wilson said: “The client’s requirement was for a tough, sustainable wall that had a unique look and was sympathetic with the building’s existing features. Hawkins\Brown worked with us to design the required solution. Armstrong was specified because of our approach, design concepts and ability to realise the vision required.”

As well as creating 66% more office space, the refurbishment of Hackney Town Hall, as part of a wider masterplan for the London Borough of Hackney, has made the building more energy efficient. During the programme of works 97% of waste was diverted from landfill.

Hackney Town Hall won a 2018 RIBA Award (London Part 2). The judges said: “This long-term, multi-phased conservation project is more than a refurbishment, as certain architectural moves have made significant improvements. These have generally been well-judged but the really impressive work has gone into the detailing. Nowhere has any cost or effort been spared so that the refurbishment has been carried out to the very highest standards. The overall detailing is impeccable and is the most rewarding aspect of the project.”

More information is accessible via the Armstrong Ceilings website.

Further information about the project is available via the Hawkins\Brown website.

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Velux offer bigger rewards and free bacon butties to customers this summer

VELUX® is offering customers across the UK and Ireland who are planning a home renovation project rewards this July.

The promotion will reward installers, builders and homeowners who choose VELUX white-polyurethane roof windows, ideal for kitchens and bathrooms where humidity can often be an issue.

To help promote the latest rewards scheme, VELUX have partnered with Fix Radio to give installers and builders across Greater London, Manchester and Liverpool free bacon butties. They will visit 150 sites throughout the month in branded vans and share further information about the rewards programme while enjoying a bacon roll.

VELUX white-polyurethane roof windows have evolved into a vast range of products ideal for contemporary white interiors and ceilings. They have no visible joints, ensuring a clean and moisture-resistant finish.

The rewards of £35 in the UK are redeemable at a range of retailers and restaurants including M&S, Argos, Thomas Cook, Curry’s PC World and Tesco. In Ireland, retailers include Dunnes, Argos, Tesco and Milanos.

Grant Sneddon, product manager for VELUX said “We have timed our latest offer to coincide with summer as we know this is a popular time for homeowners to make improvements to their house, from single-storey extensions to upgrading kitchens and bathrooms, which this range is ideally suited to.

“Good ventilation is a big step in the fight against condensation, which often occurs in these rooms. That is why almost the entire VELUX range is available in white-polyurethane, from manual centre-pivot and top-hung to combination solutions, and VELUX INTEGRA® roof windows.

“We’re also excited to take part in Fix Radio’s Bacon Butty Tour as it gives us an opportunity to meet more of our customers and talk to them in person about how they can earn rewards all year round on VELUX roof windows, flat roof windows and sun tunnels.”

To receive rewards from VELUX, upload your proof of purchase at www.velux.co.uk/rewards. If based in Ireland, upload your proof of purchase here www.velux.ie/rewards
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