Latest innovations and products in the external works section of the construction industry.

Joint Managing Directors Acquire Frameclad

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Nicholas Teague (left) with Martin Jamieson and founder Mark Munns (centre)

Light steel specialist Frameclad, announced that following a transitional period, Joint Managing Directors Nicholas Teagle and Martin Jamieson, have acquired the company from founder Mark Munns and his wife Diane.

 

Back in 2022 they were invited to become joint Managing Directors as Frameclad’s founder intended to eventually step back from his day-to-day role. During the last two years they have been working collectively to make strategic decisions to ensure a smooth handover of the business.

 

“We are excited to share the news that this transition is now complete, and we have officially acquired Frameclad,” said Nicholas Teagle. “We have many plans to build on the success Mark and Diane achieved, and we will continue with our long term strategy of ‘investment and innovation’ which is yielding positive results.

 

“I’m delighted to report that there will be no major changes in Frameclad’s management team, manufacturing output or our procedures. Delivering high quality light steel frame systems, backed by excellent customer service, will remain our priority.”

 

Martin added: “We would like to thank our team for their incredible support throughout this time. We are proud of the skills and specialisms we have within our Frameclad community and as many know, people are at the very heart of our operation.

 

“We look forward to growing our relationship with all our clients, partners and suppliers as we continue to deliver cost effective light steel solutions that are designed and manufactured to outstanding building safety standards.”

 

In line with Frameclad’s strategy, on the back of launching the company’s Lightweight Engineered Adjustable Frame – LEAF, the new owners have purchased a further five cold-roll forming machines and have increased their design and engineering team from 12 to 14.

As a leading BOPAS-accredited manufacturer of steel framing systems and components, Frameclad offers a complete package of services to customers. The business has invested significantly in state-of-the-art manufacturing technology and the in-house design and engineering team provides cost estimates within 10 days and detailed designs within one week. The precision steel roll-forming machinery produces one of the largest ranges of steel sections available in the UK today from a single manufacturer.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT FRAMECLAD CLICK HERE

 

 

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A secure hold above the sea

 

The longest pier in the Baltic Sea, currently being built directly off the coast of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, will offer a chance to breathe fresh sea air and experience the vast expanse of this extraordinary sea from the ‘midst of it’ instead of from the sidelines. An impressive structure to thrill tourists and locals alike, the pier has a length of 720 m, a width of 4.20 m and is supported by 87 piles. The bridge opens up a whole new world of possibilities in the Baltic Sea area. Local service vehicles and emergency vehicles are also permitted on the pier, with a traffic light to control the flow of traffic.

The new build replaced the former Prerow pier, which measured 390 m in length and was dismantled for the project. An island harbour with an elegant teardrop shape is also being built on a usable area of approx. 10,000 m², which will serve as a place of refuge and replace the former Darßer site, which has been closed and renaturated. In addition to its main function as an emergency harbour, the new island harbour with up to 45 berths will expand the marina network to include sailing marinas and a passenger jetty. The project has been under construction since 2022 and is due to be inaugurated and commissioned this summer. The state of Mecklenburg- Vorpommern is the client behind the project and is represented by the State Agency for Agriculture and Environment of Middle Mecklenburg.

A specialist and compliant steel railing created by the commissioned company Norcons GmbH from Sundhagen, Germany, protects people and infrastructure on the pier. The ship, industry and steel construction specialists at Norcons GmbH relied on a chemical fixing system by fischer with a European Technical Assessment (ETA) to anchor the posts of the railing into the construction made of precast concrete elements on the foundation piles.

8,640 fischer RSB 12 mini superbond resin capsules were used with 4,320 RG M 12 x 200 stainless steel threaded rods. The strong forces acting on the railings required a significant anchoring depth achieved with two resin capsules per fastening point. “When using chemical fixing systems, there is no expansion force while setting the threaded rods”, says Olaf Schinkel, Technical Field Service East Region at the fischer Group of Companies, who supported the project. “That’s why these systems are especially well suited for narrow components and anchorages close to the edge”. The steel construction specialists used fischer’s RG M threaded rod with a rotary hammer drill, which ground both capsules in the drill hole, mixing and activating the mortar contained inside. The mortar’s fast curing time allows installations to be carried out without having to wait, which is ideal for challenging windy winter conditions on the Baltic Sea. Overall, the system can be used in compliant applications up to -30°C and is approved for water-filled and diamond-drilled drill holes as well as for seismic applications in performance category C1.

“Chemical fixing systems transfer particularly high loads in concrete and other building materials”, Olaf Schinkel explains. “Under the extraordinary conditions on the pier, it’s very important to seal the drill hole against penetrating moisture. fischer’s Superbond system offers a lasting and secure solution for fastening the railing on the Prerow pier”.

In addition to providing suitable fixing solutions, fischer also supported the construction project with its accompanying range of services. These included designing fastenings according to the requirements of the railing structure, the geometry of the base plate and concrete component as well as the acting forces. The structural analysis for the chosen anchorage was provided taking into account all relevant parameters. The services provided by fischer ranged from consultation and design to on-site support until the railing was successfully installed.

 

 

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BRIGGSAMASCO’S AWARD-WINNING WATERPROOFING

BriggsAmasco supplied the waterproofing and finishes for a stunning, state-of-the-art sports and science centre that will provide a world-class training environment for generations of students.

 

The project, which was delivered by McLaren Construction, formed part of a £38m transformation of Brighton College. Designed by award-winning Dutch architect, OMA, the stunning centre boasts a cinema-style auditorium linked up to science departments across the globe, 18 university-standard laboratories, six break out spaces for personal research and tutorials, a 25-metre pool, a strength and conditioning suite, a rooftop running track with panoramic views and a double-height sports hall.

Selected to fulfil the centre’s waterproofing requirements, BriggsAmasco was confronted with a challenging installation. It involved creating a watertight seal for the centre’s 2,650m2 main roof, a winter garden, entrance stairs, a step tread area and a car park. The college development was planned with the environment in mind. It contains high-quality elevations enclosing a development with high levels of sustainability – the offices boasting BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and EPC ‘A’ ratings.

The project’s waterproofing aspect included a number of complexities. The centre’s main roof area was located on the building’s uppermost fourth floor, which meant a standard installation process was not possible. Challenges such as these were exacerbated by waterproofing work taking place during periods of extreme weather, with heat, heavy wind and rainfall making surfacing works difficult. Multiple changes to the working environment and the requirement to work alongside numerous other trades were also hurdles to overcome for Briggs’ installers. Additionally, the team needed to ensure material deliveries were scheduled in advance to allow works access to the onsite crane.

In terms of design, the biggest challenge was to create a waterproofing system that was capable of incorporating a range of features and activities in order to optimise the centre’s main roof space. A rest area with benches and a barbeque, a running track and rooflights were included as part of the imaginative roof design. It also featured a green roof with architect OMA, in conjunction with BriggsAmasco and material supplier IKO, being responsible for the buildability aspect of the main roof’s overall design. Prior to the roof’s installation, BriggsAmasco took part in site inspections, design meetings and problem-solving brainstorm exercises to ensure the roof’s waterproofing programme progressed smoothly.

For the installation, BriggsAmasco installed the following waterproofing systems: IKO Permatec Antiroot (IKO Permaflash-R reinforcement and IKO Permaguard-F protection membrane), IKO FCS liquid cold-applied system and an IKO built-up felt system. BriggsAmasco’s excellent workmanship was underpinned throughout by a superb collaborative working relationship with IKO and OMA. Quality inspections were carried out throughout the project’s lifetime and as part of the company’s all-round service provision, BriggsAmasco drafted a detailed works programme to ensure deliveries were timed and workflows were not disrupted. The schedule included one-month ‘look aheads’ to incorporate programme changes, crane and weather conditions. This intensive project management was required throughout the works programme to ensure the new facilities were delivered within a rigid timeframe.

The redeveloped Brighton College was opened in January 2020. Described as ‘an expression of global ambition’ by architect OMA, the site’s new facilities have introduced a world of academic and sporting opportunity for students. For BriggsAmasco, as well as taking pride at having delivered an intricate waterproofing programme with such precision and panache in the time available, its performance on the project earned the company a ‘Contractor Recognition’ honour at the annual IKO Awards.

 

www.briggsamasco.co.uk

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Brett paving used in Premier League club’s £20m academy

Brett Landscaping played a key role in the completion of Crystal Palace’s new £20m academy and training ground when they were able to offer the best product with the shortest lead time.

 

The leading independent concrete paving manufacturer was selected to provide more than 1,300 square metres of the new high performance Invicta block paving at the Premier League club’s new complex in Beckenham.

Architects KSS worked very closely with the Crystal Palace chairman and senior management in selecting premium products for the exterior at the prestigious site -and Brett’s Invicta Pearl and Invicta Onyx met the high standards of everyone at the club.

The club and architect required a high-end product, with the flexibility of large plank sizes for larger areas, but that would match up and blend with a more striking pattern in a diamond configuration for the entrance into the academy building itself. Brett was able to provide all of these elements with readily available, high-end aesthetics with multiple sizes and colours which allowed flexible and varied design.

The Invicta range has a specially formulated surface layer creating a hard-wearing paving block with a durable but vibrant finish which shimmers in different lights. Brett’s AggTech manufacturing process allows unique natural aggregates to be used on the surface of each paving block to create a stunning durable finish.

As well as the premium products, Brett was able to provide a full Auto-CAD design service in less than 24 hours, meaning they were able to get the right information, product and quotation back to the architect quickly.

Antony Spencer, Civils Sales Manager for Brett Landscaping, said: “This is one of the most prestigious projects we have been involved with. It demanded effective and timely communication, design and problem-solving as well as delivering a product which matches with the client’s extremely high expectations.

“We had almost daily communication with the club, architect and contractors and everything was delivered as scheduled allowing for the build to remain on schedule.”

The Crystal Palace academy has six full-size pitches as well as classrooms, lecture room, analysis and meeting rooms. It has allowed Crystal Palace to bring their facilities up to ‘Category One Status’ in the Elite Player Performance Plan rankings.

Brett Landscaping worked with KSS architects, Clive Richardson Ltd (main contractors), TriAgg (groundworks contractor) and Wolseley MPS Fareham.

They supplied 1,352 square metres of Invicta 80mm, in Pearl and Onyx 200×100, 200×200, 300×200, 600×200. There were seven size/colour combinations installed.

 

www.brettlandscaping.co.uk

 

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Threat of an Internet Dark Ages for Rural Areas

  • Property values in less densely populated areas have risen almost twice as fast as in urban hubs
  • The broadband infrastructure is lagging behind in rural areas
  • With the increase of population in areas with poor infrastructure, this will strain the current internet connections.
  • There has never been a more essential time to have good broadband with families being unable to meet and work being conducted from home.-Peak network traffic will have doubled by 2025

If nothing is done now some rural areas will be left in a digital dark age.

Rural property values in less populated areas have risen almost twice as fast as urban hubs over the last year. Naturally, this is due to people making the most of the freedoms we have been allowed and craving more space- inside and out.

Whilst rural housing prices have been rising to meet this demand, rural broadband infrastructure has not. In urban settings, good broadband is a common sight, with FTTP availability on the up and being fueled by the Governments ‘Project Gigabit’ scheme. However, in rural locations good internet is more of a luxury with some big providers refusing to touch the rural areas with anything more than FTTC, deeming them unprofitable.

Naturally, these factors create a dilemma as increased service in this area may leave residents struggling to connect to the internet and strain the existing infrastructure. In a time where good broadband is essential for contacting family and friends but also to work from home, this could cripple whole villages from keeping up with modern life.

Compare Fibre research has predicted that peak network traffic will have doubled by 2025. In this time, left unchecked, the fallout of this could be anything from damaged mental health due to increased loneliness right up to people being made unemployed for not being able to do their job. It is here then that the digital divide has very real implications.

With rural living on the up, infrastructure in these areas needs to be futureproofed within the next four years. It is in the interest of the residents, the housing market and the telecoms industries to do so with FTTP connections adding value to property prices. Alt Nets such as B4RN are already stepping up and bringing Gigabit-capable broadband to rural areas but these are a patchwork of networks across the country. If the dots are not connected in this time then some rural locations will inevitably be heading for a digital dark age.

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EUROBRICK FOR MODULAR SCHOOLS INNOVATION

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Leading brick slip cladding specialist, Eurobrick, has been supplying its systems to the education sector for 30 years and, more recently, with offsite construction specialist Reds10 to supply two new school projects in Reading; Green Park Village Primary Academy and Addington School.

Green Park Village Primary Academy is a new two-storey primary school that is situated within a new housing development of 1400 homes. Designed and built using a steel framed volumetric modular design, the 2,400m2 school project also benefits from SMART building technology to create an energy efficient space.

Eurobrick’s P-Clad system was chosen as part of a number of finishes for the exterior, with around 1200m2 installed with specially cut 22mm thick Vandersanden Corum brick slips and corners and Eurobrick’s specially formulated Europoint mortar in Light Sandstone.

The development was shortlisted for two categories at the Offsite Awards and one at the Building Awards 2020.

Addington School is for young people with special educational needs and disabilities. They needed to expand capacity due to an increase in applications, so Wokingham Borough Council embarked on a project to create a new space for Sixth Form pupils which would allow an additional 50 places at the school.

This 1000m2 steel framed volumetric modular design was created by HLM Architects and delivered by Reds10. Around 512m2 of P-Clad was installed with specially cut 22mm Olivier Karma White Grey stock brick slips and finished with Light Grey Europoint mortar. Whole bricks were also supplied for landscaping works.

The school won the School Procurement Awards and the Education Business Awards 2020.

P-Clad has proved very popular in the education sector with schools and universities alike. It is specially designed so that it can be fixed directly to steel frame structures as well as other batten or bracket systems, and is ideal for providing a brick finish rainscreen on prefabricated structures. As well as being extensively tested to achieve BBA certification, P-Clad is LABC registered and comes with Eurobrick’s own 25 year product guarantee.

These eye-catching buildings provide essential spaces for education that are sustainable and innovative in their design and delivery and show the quality and versatility that modular construction can offer.

 

You can find out more about Eurobrick’s systems and products at www.eurobrick.co.uk.

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The k-briq – 90% reduction in emissions

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Professor Gabriela Medero with the K-Briq

 

A new recycled brick, made using a tenth of the energy of a standard clay brick, has been named STEM Research Project of the Year at the UK’s Times Higher Education awards.

The brainchild of academics at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, the K-Briq was recognised by competition judges as an ‘important contribution…to sustainable construction worldwide’ and ‘a potential game changer’.

Up to 90% of the the K-Briq’s constituents come from building-site waste, with the unfired production process said to take two to three minutes, as opposed to up to 40 hours for traditional fired bricks. The process has also been shown to reduce C02 emissions by 90%.

A spin-off company, Kenoteq, has now established a production process with a goal of manufacturing as many as 3 million K-Briq’s by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, a flagship project has been established for 2021, with the new Serpentine Pavilion in London set to use the new bricks in its construction.

The university project that resulted in the development of the K-Briq was led by Professor Gabriela Medero from the School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, and Dr Sam Chapman, managing director of Kenoteq.

Professor Gabriela Medero, said, “We set out to create a building product that could embed sustainability at the heart of the construction industry. Globally, construction accounts for 39% of the world’s total CO2 emissions so tackling this challenge will have a huge impact on the sustainability of the sector as we push towards net zero targets. This award is testament to the tireless work of our interdisciplinary team of civil, structural, chemical and mechanical engineers, architects, chemists and geologists who have collaborated for more than a decade to bring K-Briq to market.”

 

Source: Construction Europe

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Kingspan enhances old textile mill’s fabric

Kingspan Kooltherm K7 and K107 Pitched Roof Board have been installed as part of a major refurbishment project, transforming a former Victorian mill into CAT B office space for Manchester Metropolitan University.

6 Great Marlborough Street forms part of Manchester’s rich industrial heritage and sits within Little Ireland, the earliest area of Irish settlement within the city. The sensitive restoration plans make a feature of the historic building fabric, exposing the original brickwork and beams internally, whilst incorporating more contemporary elements such as building services and modern windows.

The design team prepared the fit-out using the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyor’s SKA Rating environmental assessment method – targeting a Silver rating certificate. As part of this process, they identified an opportunity to upgrade the thermal performance of the poorly insulated pitched roof. To minimise heat loss through the roof, a construction combining Kingspan Kooltherm K7 and K107 Pitched Roof Board was installed.

Kingspan Kooltherm K7 and K107 Pitched Roof Board can achieve thermal conductivities as low as 0.020 W/m·K and 0.018 W/m·K, respectively. In combination with their low emissivity foil facing, this makes them amongst the most thermally efficient pitched roof insulation materials in common use.

As the original roof slates have been retained, the boards were cut to size by hand and fitted between and below the existing roof rafters from inside the building. This premium specification allowed the target U-value to be met with the slimmest possible construction – maximising floor to ceiling heights in the top storey spaces in the 5-floor building.

Kingspan Kooltherm K7 and K107 Pitched Roof Board are produced under an integrated management system which is certified to the highest standards including ISO 9001: 2015 (Quality), ISO 14001: 2015 (Environmental), BS OHSAS 18001: 2007 (Health and Safety) and ISO 50001: 2011 (Energy). Their insulation core is manufactured with a blowing agent that has zero Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) and low Global Warming Potential (GWP).

Image credit: Manchester Metropolitan University ©

For further information, please contact:

Tel: +44 (0) 1544 387 384

Fax: +44 (0) 1544 387 484

Email: info@kingspaninsulation.co.uk

Website: www.kingspaninsulation.co.uk

www.twitter.com/KingspanIns_UK

www.linkedin.com/company/kingspan-insulation-uk

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Redefining public spaces with AG’s Plaza Lineal®

AG, one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of innovative concrete products has launched a brand new premium paving product; answering industry demand for a flagstone that is durable, versatile and strong whilst possessing an aesthetically pleasing plank-like appearance.

Plaza Lineal®, a premium water-etched, lightly textured, granite aggregate paving that is 120mm deep comes in a range of rectangular dimensions and six colours that can be ‘mixed and matched’ to create a broad range of patterns that blend seamlessly with any outdoor environment.

The factory-developed paving is durable and hard wearing with a minimum surface layer of 5mm that is made up of 90% natural granite and quartz aggregate – a resilient combination. This robust surface makes Plaza Lineal® especially well-suited to spaces with heavy footfall and the associated abrasive effects.

As part of the production process, state of the art factory-controlled vapour curing significantly reduces efflorescence on the surface of the product; a naturally occurring chemical reaction that leads to unsightly blemishes – a common concern within the market.

Plaza lineal has been designed in a way that optimises bending strength (>3.5Mpa) thereby tackling another issue that can arise with other rectangular paving solutions on the market. The paving has also been designed with slip resistance (USRV >75) making it especially safe and suitable for commercial and residential projects alike.

As with any AG product, clients can rest assured that the highest quality and standards have been employed in the production of Plaza Lineal®; the paving is manufactured in a strict factory environment to comply with BS EN 1338/1339:2003.

Plaza Lineal® clients also have the added benefit of knowing they are using a solution that is environmentally friendly; it is 100% renewable, produced using 90% recycled water and is 100% recyclable. An A BREEAM rating can be achieved when the paving is used in conjunction with a prepared recycling sub-base.

Rodney Davidson, AG’s Commercial Director commented:

“At AG we are constantly monitoring market developments to ensure we are ahead of trends. We are especially proud of Plaza Lineal® which is the result of an in-depth research and development programme that highlighted demand within the urban space, residential and commercial sectors for a rectangular paving solution that mirrored the wider interior / exterior trend favouring plank-like aesthetics.”

“By carefully designing Plaza Lineal® within a strictly controlled factory environment we have successfully developed a product that possesses a widely appealing appearance and is unique to the market in terms of its design versatility, durability and strength.”

Terrakerb®: Plaza Lineal®’s perfect partner

As a reconstituted natural granite kerb, AG’s Terrakerb® is the perfect partner for Plaza Lineal® due to its complimentary dimensions and design options. Together, the two products present an excellent cost-effective value engineering option without compromising on a premium appearance.

To find out more visit: www.ag.uk.com
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Supplier of the year award for AG

One of Northern Ireland’s leading manufacturers of Hard Landscaping and Building Products, AG, has been named ‘Supplier of the Year 2018’ at national awards; beating off stiff competition from large-scale manufacturers across the UK.

Tyrone-based AG was awarded the prestigious NBG Award within the ‘Civils and Landscaping CMT’ category at the independent builders merchant buying group’s gala event in Liverpool.

The awards honour the building industry’s major brands, recognising their contribution to the business success of NBG’s merchant partners.

NBG is a community of independent merchants committed to collective buying power and supporting suppliers in the building, plumbing and civils industries.

Stuart Thomas, Head of Sales at AG commented, “We are delighted to have received this award. Builders merchants play a key role in supporting AG’s business growth, so to be recognised as the top supplier of civils and landscaping products by NBG is fantastic.

“Well done to AG’s production, sales support, sales teams and the wider business for the hard work and determination which helped beat off some stern competition for this award.”

Pictured L-R: Stuart Thomas (AG), Tim Rowbottom (AG), the Chairman of the Category for Civils and Landscaping for NBG, Neil Cauldwell (AG) and Ben Westwood (AG).

For further information please visit www.ag.uk.com
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