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

Polypipe provides perfect attenuation solution for new housing development

Polypipe, the UK’s leading manufacturer of engineered sustainable drainage solutions, has seen its popular Ridgistorm-XL large diameter piping system installed as part of a water management attenuation solution for residential developers Kensington Developments.

Situated in the village of Marton, near Blackpool, the Magnolia Point development consists of 45 detached and 38 semi-detached three and four bedroom new family homes.

Due to the layout of the site, there was a limited public open space available to install a suitable attenuation system capable of storing the required stormwater for the development. Polypipe was approached to review the initial site drainage plan and worked alongside Consultant Engineer, Elluc Projects Ltd to design an alternative solution to meet the needs of both a 1 in 30 and 1 in 100 year storm events under Section 104 agreement.

The selected system was required to fit within an area of 1.25km² and store 680m3 of stormwater. In order to meet these requirements Elluc Projects Ltd specified an attenuation tank formed of 482m of Ridgistorm-XL 1200mm diameter SN2 pipe and fittings. Polypipe was able to take into account the site conditions in order to engineer the Ridgistorm-XL system to exact structural calculations. These calculations ensured that the Ridgistorm-XL system was designed to accommodate vehicles onsite, both during the backfilling and post installation.

The modularised system boasted 17 pipe runs as well as 20 prefabricated fittings, including 17 1200mm 90 degree bends, C and F sections, as well as 3 1800mm RIDGISTORMAccess Manholes. The system was connected together with sealing rings, the simplest jointing method which does not require welding, helping to save time during the installation.

Manufactured in Polypipe’s in-house specialist facility, the Ridgistorm-XL system was delivered to site in ready-to-install modular units, allow for easy handling, whilst reducing the need for heavy plant and minimising time and installation cost.

Richard Fox, Quantity Surveyor at Kensington Developments, said: “It was of paramount importance that the attenuation system used could be designed to fit into our limited available footprint. Polypipe’s pre-fabrication facilities meant that the system was designed and delivered to fit. The pre-fabricated fittings also assisted for a speedier installation, and reduced health and safety risks on site.”

Vikki Woodhouse, WMS Residential Manager at Polypipe Civils, said: “We have vast experience in providing water management solutions. The Ridgistorm-XL attenuation tank needed to be designed to fit within the limited space available and so Polypipe’s technical experts were on-hand to advise on the design from the beginning of the project. We were given a very unique project and designed a fully engineered system, taking all of Kensington Development’s requirements into consideration providing expert stormwater for the site.”

The installation of the Ridgistorm-XL attenuation system was completed in September 2015.

For more information please visit www.polypipe.com.

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Alutec and the future of housebuilding

Alutec’s aluminium rainwater systems have been installed on a landmark new housing project developed by Wienerberger, the leading provider of wall, roof and landscaping innovations. The Wienerberger e4 brick house™ at the BRE Innovation Park has been designed to be a future archetype for sustainable and affordable housing in the UK.

Designed in conjunction with global engineering and design consultancy ARUP, the e4 brick house™ is based around four fundamental principles of energy, economy, environment and emotion. Designed using Building Information Modelling (BIM), the Wienerberger e4 brick house™ has a build time of just 12 weeks, which is around half that of standard housing, and has the flexibility to work just as effectively through shared ownership as it would for a privately-owned home.

Central to the project’s ethos is the use of market leading building products and solutions that offer excellent sustainability credentials as well as high levels of performance. Specified for the coping, fascia and soffit system was Alutec’s Evoke range in RAL7016 Anthracite Grey. Made from highly durable composite aluminium, the Evoke range has a life expectancy of 50 years or more and features a unique nano self-cleaning coat resulting in minimal maintenance requirements.

Also specified was Alutec’s Evolve Half Round guttering and downpipes in the same colour. The Evolve product range is manufactured from marine grade aluminium and as this high quality material is so impervious to corrosion, it provides the same 50-year life expectancy as the coping, fascia and soffit. In addition, aluminium is also extremely light – up to 65 per cent lighter than cast iron alternatives – making it much safer to handle on site and quicker to install.

Paul Surin, Head of Built Environment at Wienerberger, commented: “The Wienerberger e4 brick house represents a significant step forward in the progression of UK housing and offers an accessible model that can be implemented now. Choosing the right materials was therefore crucial in achieving a build that met the strict requirements the future industry will demand and that we set for ourselves.

“Alutec’s products were a perfect fit in this respect as their longevity, sustainability and low maintenance requirements meant we could deliver not only the type of building we wanted to but the intended lifestyle for the future residents as well.

Importantly, Alutec’s products are available as BIM components which meant they could be seamlessly integrated into the design and allowed us to meet the tight deadlines we had set ourselves for the build of this project.”

Alutec has the most comprehensive BIM portfolio of components of any rainwater product manufacturer and has an experienced technical team that can assist with bespoke design and project management. What’s more, Alutec’s products installed on the Wienerberger e4 brick house are full recyclable at the end of their extended life span, making them some of the most sustainable products available in the UK.

Designed to achieve standards such as the Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4 without renewables, 2016 Part L and complying with Lifetime Homes and the London Housing Design Guide, the Wienerberger e4 brick house provides a real solution to the current housing crisis.

For more information about Alutec please visit: www.marleyalutec.co.uk.

For more information about Wienerberger and the e4 brick house please visit: www.wienerberger.co.uk/e4-house

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A final coating to put others in the shade

The first new building to open in Northampton’s flagship Waterside Enterprise Zone is the £8.5m University of Northampton Innovation Centre, seen as a hub for organisations that deliver social impact. This striking six floor cubic building leaves the onlooker in no doubt that Northampton’s new development means business.

Locally based Powdertech Corby Ltd powder coated the solar shading system on the exterior of the building, a contract worth £11K.

Richard Besant, Powdertech Corby Sales Director commented “We coated over 1800 individual sections comprising fins, end plates and brackets, in a premium quality Valspar architectural powder, RAL 9010 white matt. When we viewed the completed building at the end of the job, we could appreciate the fabulous visual effect these solar shades create, in addition to being part of a highly functional design.”

Vertical solar shading fins on the north, east and west side of the building will shade the windows from summer sun and moderate solar gain. They improve the insulation value of glass in the winter by acting as a windbreak. On the south side of the building, horizontal solar shading fins, across the windows, will reduce glare and solar heat gain in the summer but also allow low winter sunlight to shine through in the colder darker months.

Architectural powder coatings are especially suited for use on solar shading systems. The powders have excellent gloss retention, resistance to corrosion and UV light and will last for up to 40 years without significant colour change.

The Waterside Enterprise Zone is part of the Northampton Alive regeneration scheme and incorporates a new £330m campus for the city’s University alongside global brands and thriving small businesses.

For further information on Powdertech (Corby) Ltd and the benefits of powder coating please call 01536 400890,visit www.powdertechcorby.co.uk or email Richard.b@powdertech.co.uk.

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Winter Wrapped Up!

To help you prepare for the colder months we’ve got winter wrapped up with our comprehensive range of winter safety products. Turbocast 800™ towable grit spreader can be used as a broadcast or drop spreader. Turbocast 800 will hold approximately 10 x 25kg bags of rock salt and gives controlled, accurate coverage up to 8 metres width at speeds from 5-20mph. Turbocast 300™ manual grit spreader spreads to a width of between 3 and 7 metres with minimum effort and can be easily pushed along, even when fully laden. Nestor 400 grit bin has a double skinned lid for supreme strength and durability. The weight of the lid is sufficient to minimise the risk of it opening in strong winds and therefore protects the contents from adverse weather conditions.

Glasdon UK Limited
Telephone: 01253 600410
E-mail: sales@glasdon-uk.co.uk
Website: www.gritbins.co.uk

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Polypipe Terrain awarded Investors in People Silver Award

The people management skills of Polypipe Terrain, the UK’s leading plastic piping manufacturer, have been recognised by renowned independent commissioner, Investors in People.

For their continued dedication to managing performance, delivering continued improvement and creating sustainable success, Investors in People awarded Polypipe Terrain with its sought after Silver Award.

To achieve the Investors in People Silver accreditation, Polypipe Terrain had to demonstrate best practice across areas outlined in the Investors in People framework. The framework focusses on 9 key indicators, with Polypipe Terrain required to consistently outperform their peers when measured against the criteria.

Whilst a large number of British companies are awarded the Investors in People award, as of December 2014 only 6% of those who entered were awarded the prestigious silver certificate.

Members of the team, including operations and logistic staff, sales team, office staff and senior management, were interviewed by an Investors in People representative over a number of months in order to achieve the accreditation.

Polypipe Terrain used the assessment to establish core values which now underpin the company including Excellence in Service, Quality, Together and Health, Safety & Environment.

Lee Dawes, Finance Director at Polypipe Terrain, said “We have always been dedicated to developing and growing the team at Polypipe Terrain, the Investor in People award gave us the opportunity to prove that our hard work is paying off.

“To be awarded the silver award was a brilliant achievement and is a testament to the hard work of everyone in the team.

“We are now working hard towards the gold certificate, continuing to improve and develop our core values.”

To learn more visit www.polypipe.com/terrain

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Versatile Hydro-Brake® Agile Expands Options for SuDS on New Developments

Hydro International is launching the Hydro-Brake® Agile flow control, marking a significant new opportunity for highly-efficient surface water attenuation with the lowest-possible flood storage volumes to meet stringent planning and Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) requirements.

Simple, cost-effective and easy-to-install, the float-activated Hydro-Brake® Agile extends the Hydro-Brake® Flow Control Series, a versatile toolbox of precision-engineered flow controls for every project and budget.

The Hydro-Brake® Agile meets stringent stipulations for surface water discharge rates and can be engineered to achieve the lowest-possible flood storage. It can therefore help developers meet strict planning requirements and ensure acceptance by adopting authorities, while reducing land take and construction costs.

“The Hydro-Brake® Agile achieves a constant rate of discharge and therefore the lowest possible upstream storage volumes,” says Phil Collins, Stormwater Sales and Marketing Manager UK and Ireland. “It is ideal for new developments, watercourse flood alleviation or highways projects with stringent discharge requirements, where the space available for flood storage is very limited.”

“Minimising flood storage above ground avoids the use of valuable building land and minimising flood storage below ground helps solve space limitations in underground tanks or pipework. It also keeps contracting and equipment costs as low as possible.”

“As the cost of a flow control is a small proportion of total project costs, an investment in a precision-engineered device can result in considerable savings, especially where space is at a premium.”

The unit’s automatic operation and predictable, repeatable performance ensure that maintenance costs are minimal. The Hydro-Brake® Agile reduces the long-term management burden by providing a predictable schedule for site management companies or adopting authorities.

Designing an effective system using Hydro-Brake® Agile is easy using Hydro International’s free technical and design support service. Professional engineers are available to provide advice on sizing, flow and storage calculations, as well as assisting with dimensioned installation drawings.

Hydro-Brake® Agile

The Hydro-Brake® Agile comprises an orifice plate with a variable open area regulated by a float-arm operated gate to deliver a constant discharge rate over a wide range of heads. The discharge rate is adjustable to match the discharge requirements for the site.

Discharge through the open gate at low flows is unimpeded. During a storm, the float arm closes the gate until the maximum water level and discharge rate is reached for a designated event, so that the gate is prevented from closing further, despite any increases in head.

The maximum discharge rate is maintained while upstream storage is drained down rapidly, ensuring the unit is ready for subsequent storm events, until the float returns to the resting position with the gate fully open. The Hydro-Brake® Agile is easily adjustable to accommodate changes in operating conditions.

Manufactured from high-grade stainless steel, the Hydro-Brake® Agile Flow Control can be matched to a range of outlet pipe sizes. The unit can be supplied prefitted in a cast concrete chamber for easy on-site installation. To suit the location and invert required, the chamber depth can be easily varied with concrete rings.

The Hydro-Brake® Flow Control Series

The Hydro-Brake® Flow Control Series is a versatile toolbox of precision-engineered devices for surface water control: Hydro-Brake® Agile; Hydro-Brake® Flood Alleviation; Hydro-Brake® Optimum; Hydro-Brake® Orifice.

For more information about the Hydro-Brake® Flow Control Series and other stormwater and waste water management products please call 01275 337937, email enquiries@hydro-int.com or visit www.hydro-int.com.

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EQUITONE inspires modern design at Ashton Sixth Form College

Photography: Infinite 3D

Ashton Sixth Form College in Greater Manchester is inspiring the next generation of students with a new entrance structure that’s clad in EQUITONE [tectiva] fibre cement facade material.

The new entrance building utilises the translation of the college’s ‘graphic’ logo in a simple extraction of geometry.

EQUITONE [tectiva] was used externally and internally for the new reception building, and executes a striking aesthetic through a series of dramatic fins. The entry axis from the main road brings one into a transitional zone between ‘old’ and ‘new’ architecture, expressing the contrasting textures of the fibre cement material against the existing brick and stone work.

EQUITONE [tectiva] is a through coloured fibre cement facade material that is available in a range of elegant shades of natural colour. Its fine sanded lines and naturally occurring hues within the material enhance its aesthetic appeal, which constantly changes with the effect of light and shade.

It was the crisp, clean and lightweight properties of the fibre cement facade that initially attracted project architects GA Studio. “We specified EQUITONE [tectiva] because of its unique aesthetic properties and its ability to help us create a simple yet, striking, geometric form that would reflect the forward thinking nature of the college and provide a new corporate face,” said Martin James Gibson, managing director of GA Studio.

He added: “By combining a mix of new build and refurbished space we were able to provide a naturally lit, dramatic space that looks impressive during the day and acts as a beacon at night.”

For further information on EQUITONE [tectiva] please visit: www.equitone.co.uk

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Reading College uses Tanktronic to Ensure Safe Healthy Water at all times for Students

UTC Reading is a University Technical College that offers computer science and engineering courses to up to 600 students, aged 14-19 years. The college is located in a new building (opened in 2013) which is situated a short distance from the University campus.

In common with most large commercial buildings, the college is provided with cold water from the rising main via a ground-floor tank which guarantees an uninterrupted supply of drinking quality water whatever the demands placed on it by its many occupants.

During term time, demand is at its highest so the challenge is to ensure a constant supply throughout the building at all times. That demand obviously drops during the holidays which means the focus shifts to ensuring the water in the tank remains healthy. Even during terms, occupancy levels fluctuate particularly at weekends, meaning demand is rarely constant.

The water tank at UTC Reading is divided into two chambers to allow easy maintenance and cleaning while still ensuring an uninterrupted supply of water to the building. However, a divided tank has to be carefully managed; both sides of the tank need to fill with water at the same rate from the rising main to ensure neither side becomes ‘static’ as this could lead to bacterial growth and stagnant water.

At UTC Reading, the water within a divided tank was controlled by two independent equilibrium valves which were not working simultaneously, thus one side of the tank filled and emptied faster than the other side – the latter was in danger of becoming static.

M&E contractors LJJ Ltd turned to Keraflo for a solution that would not only guarantee the safety of the water, but would also deliver a highly flexible supply within the building. The decision was made to install Tanktronic (TT43 and TT15) as the preferred option for both managing water quality and to act as valves, controlling the water influx into both sides of the tank.

Tanktronic is an electronic tank management system which provides a complete solution to managing and controlling tank filling, as well as monitoring/reporting water levels and temperature.

Where required, it can be integrated into a building management system to alert the management team to any changes in the stored water. It also has a very useful calendar (holiday) setting so that the building management team can vary tank capacity to match demand.

Its smart functionality includes a Repeater Panel, which enables control from up to 100 metres away (meaning tanks housed in basements or roofs can be controlled from the comfort of the management office) and the Battery Module, which provides up to two days of normal operation in the event of a power failure. Having been launched three years ago, Tanktronic is already installed in many prominent buildings including The O2 Arena in London.

Philip Eykel, Operations Director of LLJ Ltd says: “We were very pleased with the service provided by the Keraflo team. Their technical support was fantastic, installation was easy and the team was onsite to ensure everything went smoothly. As far as I’m aware, the system is working perfectly providing both a high level of control and ensuring that water in the tank is regularly turned over to keep supplies healthy.”

For more information call 0118 921 9920, email info@keraflo.co.uk or visit www.keraflo.co.uk.

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Iconic Butlins’ chalets come to life with contemporary new look… thanks to Cedral weatherboard!

Its speed and ease of installation, low maintenance benefits, fresh and modern aesthetic and varied colour options, have seen Marley Eternit’s Cedral Lap weatherboard specified to play a central role in the contemporary re-creation of the iconic Butlins’ chalets at a new £16 million development in Minehead.

West Lakes Village at Butlins’ Minehead resort has been created ahead of the company’s 80th birthday, with the construction of 117 colourful brand new holiday homes inspired by the original chalets created by Billy Butlin in the 1930s.

Architects Allison Pike were actively involved in the project since inception, helping Butlins to evolve the chalet concept to meet the needs of 21st century families. Multi award winning Principal Contractors McGoff & Byrne were appointed for the construction phase of the development.

McGoff & Byrne specified Marley Eternit’s Cedral Lap weatherboard to create the colourful timber aesthetic synonymous with the facades of the original Butlins chalets, but with the longevity and simple installation offered by the fibre cement cladding.

Harry Galloway, Construction Director from McGoff & Byrne, explains: “The original West Lakes Village design utilised timber for the chalets’ cladding. We amended the specification to Cedral as it provided us with a wide colour palette to choose from and would ensure the striking looks of the chalets’ exteriors lasted with minimal maintenance.

“The seaside location of the development means the chalets have to withstand exposure to salt, so we needed a cladding material that could stand-up to this challenge without requiring significant maintenance to keep the look fresh.

“The different pastel colours of the chalets are a key feature and help recreate the original Butlins 1930s’ feel. By using Cedral, we were able to obtain all of the colours we needed from the factory without having to paint on site, including a special made to order colour manufactured specifically for the project.

“The fibre cement cladding helped us to achieve Butlins’ sustainability aspirations with its A+ rating and responsible sourcing accreditation*. Everyone is delighted with the end result; the redesign is very impressive, contemporary with just the right hint of nostalgia.”

Marley Eternit’s Cedral Lap weatherboard has been used as external cladding on all of the one and two storey lakeside, lake view and park view chalets clustered in landscaped parkland around two newly created lakes.

Jayne Arkell, national sales manager – Cedral at Marley Eternit, comments: “We are delighted to be able to help the iconic 1930s’ Butlins’ chalets make a fun and fresh comeback, with high specifications for 21st century families. By using fibre cement weatherboard, rather than timber, the chalets will still be looking this good for many years to come while still paying homage to the original Butlins aesthetic, with the pastel shades and timber effect detailing.”

Fibre cement Cedral weatherboard is a low maintenance, rot free alternative to traditional timber weatherboarding with a life expectancy of 50 years and can be supplied in a standard range of 21 factory applied solid colours and two woodstain finishes. Cedral Lap is specially designed so the planks are overlapped when installed creating a traditional, clapper-board aesthetic. Or to create a more unusual aesthetic, Cedral Click planks are fitted together flush, creating a striking modern and contemporary facade.

The new West Lakes Village development was completed on time and in budget, with the chalets welcoming their first guests in April 2015.

For more information about Cedral, please visit www.cedral.co.uk

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HadleyFRAME™ – offsite residential and commercial construction solution

HadleyFRAME™ provides a pre-panelised, stand alone steel frame structure which is a lighter and easier to erect alternative to steel or concrete primary frames and offers distinct advantages over timber frame construction within the residential property and commercial construction markets.

Properties up to four storeys can be quickly and cost effectively produced. Spans of up to 6m offer the potential to eliminate internal loadbearing walls and thereby provide more options for internal space planning.

As an off-site solution HadleyFRAME™ is manufactured using our cold rolled forming expertise ensuring an accurate, lightweight, fast-track structure with the flexibility to accommodate joisted or concrete floors and support most external cladding systems such as brick and render. It saves on-site time and costs and delivers a superior structure which is future proof, BIM compliant.

As a light gauge piled solution HadleyFRAME™ is especially effective on brownfield sites where, instead of having to remove tons of contaminated soil from site the HadleyFRAME™ solution enables capping of the pile through the contamination, saving significantly on site remediation costs and time. Construction speed is therefore up to 50% faster than traditional construction techniques, providing the earliest possible weathered envelope to a property and no short or long term frame settlement issues. Adverse weather is not an obstacle to construction.

HadleyFRAME™ also provides excellent acoustic and thermal performance, is fully compliant with the Code for Sustainable Homes.

Foundation requirements can also be reduced as lightweight HadleyFRAME™ can be utilised on poor ground conditions. Fewer deliveries to site minimise disruption to established neighbourhoods and reduce on site waste.

Any waste is also recycled during the manufacturing process. A typical two storey home can be constructed from as few as 12 wall panels and the panels for up to four houses can be delivered on one lorry. The resulting robust structure HadleyFRAME™ creates affords early commencement of initial dry lining, just two weeks after floor installation. First fix M or E and roof coverings are also more rapidly achieved.

Hadley Steel Framing can also provide expert structural engineering advice throughout the project lifecycle, working with architects, specifiers and installers to optimise the variety of house styles used and plan a rapid build schedule.

For more information please call 0121 555 1385 or visit http://www.hadleygroup.com/hadley-steel-framing.aspx

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