IAQ and the safe opening of high level windows

For centuries, windows have been the preferred and sometimes the only means of ventilating buildings to ensure that carbon dioxide, temperatures and pollutants can be vented and replenished by fresh air.

They remain an important part of the ventilation solution as windows can provide greater air flow rates and the capacity for purge ventilation required by Building Regulations ADF (for example to vent odours caused by spillages) and also the greater flow rates required for cooling during the warmer summer months, both during the day and as part of a night purge strategy.

Ensuring openable windows comply with Building regulations

Nevertheless, designers should be aware that any window upgrade undertaken as part of a building refurbishment or repurposing project that incorporates the replacement of high-level openable windows, must comply with Building Regulations Part K (Part N in Wales). They stipulate that window opening controls must be accessible and located no more than 1900mm above floor level (AFL) or 1700mm AFL, if obstructed.

Consequently, ordinary window handles on such high level vents do not meet building control requirements and alternative opening control methods should be considered. The regulations clearly specify that if the window controls cannot comply, then an alternative remote electrical or safe manual solution should be provided.

At SE Controls, we provide a range of solutions for the operation of high level windows; using push button operated electrical actuators, either stand-alone or linked to automatic indoor air quality monitors, such as our NVLogiQ system, or via a manual winding mechanism. We can also provide assistance to help designers specify the most appropriate solution.

Whatever method is used, windows still provide a simple, effective and economic route to air quality and temperature management, whilst allowing the all important ability for them to be controlled by building’s occupants.

Ventilation is not just about ensuring that fresh air can enter a building, but enabling contaminants to be removed, or at least diluted, to improve overall air quality. Although there are numerous methods of improving air quality, just opening a window is one of the easiest and most accessible, but it must be compliant.

By Dr Chris Iddon CEng MCIBSE – Natural Ventilation Design Manager with SE Controls
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Triton launches Dene Mixer range to help specifiers save time on site

Durability and Installation time on site are two of the most important considerations for social housing procurement and maintenance managers when it comes to retro-fit or new bathroom projects. To provide specifiers with a high quality showering range which is also designed to minimise set up time on site, Triton, The Great British Shower Company, has launched the Dene Mixer range.

Practical Design

New for 2016, Triton’s Dene Mixer showers offer a choice of options with all the necessary fittings to complete the job. The range consists of a bath shower mixer, sequential mixer, concentric mixer, bar diverter and three TMV2 bar mixers options – Hi-Flo, Eco and Cool Touch. All would particularly appeal to Housing Associations, as they provide a solution for a variety of requirements and user needs. The collection has a contemporary all-chrome finish with high quality metal handles, perfect for new and replacement property programmes. Furthermore, each shower is WRAS approved certifying its compliance with Water Fitting Regulations.

Ease of installation

One of the key benefits of the Dene Mixer range is that the showers can be installed quickly and efficiently ensuring installation teams and maintenance managers can undertake a job swiftly and effectively whilst achieving a high quality finish.

The Dene Bar mixers are specifically designed with installation in mind as they are supplied as standard with a pipe spacer to ensure pipes are spaced correctly and then cut to the correct length ready to fit the Fast-Fit surface brackets with Push-Fit pipe connectors that are quicker and easier to install than compression fittings.

Powerful Performance

Understanding that versatility is key for an efficient maintenance programme, each of the Dene bar mixer showers works on all water systems, including gravity fed whilst still offering great performance for the end user. The high performance bar mixer shower is available in Hi-Flo and Eco options. The Hi-Flo TMV2 bar mixer shower provides generous flow rates with 5 l/min at 0.1 bar (18l/min at 1.0 bar) offering a strong and invigorating water flow, even on gravity systems. By comparison, the Eco TMV2 bar mixer model is the ideal choice for new build projects as the water flow is capped at 6 l/min, making it a desirable unit on account of the relatively low associated running costs while assisting in compliance with Building Regulations and the Home Quality Mark (HQM).

The Dene TMV2 Cool Touch bar mixer offers the same easy installation and safety features as the standard bar mixer options. Plus, the cool touch function ensures that the body of the shower remains cool to touch at all times as the bar mixer draws cold water across the valve for extra peace of mind for residents who require additional care.

The Dene Mixer collection is set to prove extremely popular for social housing procurement and maintenance teams alike due to the versatility, durability and installation benefits it offers. Each model in the Dene collection is covered by a full five year parts and labour guarantee, with Triton’s national team of engineers on standby if needed. The new Triton Dene Bar Mixer is priced from £85 (manufacturer’s list price).

For more information on Triton’s range of mixer showers, visit www.tritonshowers.co.uk and for the latest promotions and information follow @tritonshowers on Twitter or like TritonInstallers on Facebook.

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A new generation of Piccolo – One of our best lifts just got better

Looks like a passenger lift? Check. Functions like a passenger lift? Check. All the gorgeous interior options of a passenger lift range? No problem!

Whilst technically being a machinery directive platform lift, our Piccolo looks just like a passenger lift with sliding doors, fully automatic cabin and landing controls. With its compact shaft size, minimal pit and headroom and its use of single-phase power supply, it’s the passenger lift your project needs with none of the headache.

Plus – we have made the installation of this groundbreaking product even easier with the introduction of the Stannah FX structure option. Unique to Stannah, the FX structure comprises of a ‘shaft within a shaft’. Erected by our engineers, it negates the need for scaffolding within the shaft – saving both time and money on site. Travel is now up to 12m and with smaller cabin sizes available, this lift is now even more adaptable to your project.

Piccolo offers the best of both worlds and is ideal in sites where digging a pit is neither practical nor possible. It delivers much of the functionality of a passenger lift but can be accommodated in surprisingly small spaces. It’s a great alternative to a traditional platform lift when the position of the lift is against a load bearing wall and a shaft can easily be created. It’s stylish, conventional appearance means it looks great in both public buildings, schools and colleges, shops and restaurants or even in your own home. It lends itself well to existing buildings but is equally at home in new-build projects.

The only thing you have to worry about with a Piccolo lift is letting us know your specifications. This is the lift for passengers – that isn’t a passenger lift!

To find out more call us on 01264 339090, email: liftsales@stannah.co.uk or go to http://www.stannahlifts.co.uk/platform-lifts/vertical/piccolo.asp

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One of Europe’s largest regeneration schemes specifies Silavent heat recovery systems

345 Silavent Green Line HRX2 Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) systems from Polypipe Ventilation are being installed into apartment schemes at London’s Greenwich Peninsula – one of the largest regeneration projects in Europe.

The ambitious regeneration scheme will supplement the extensive development that Greenwich has seen to date, including the iconic O2 venue. Once complete, Greenwich Peninsula will include over 10,000 residential units across 51 developments, providing homes for 23,000 residents, as well as 62,500sqm of commercial, retail and office space and 48 acres of green open space.

Polypipe Ventilation’s Silavent HRX2 MVHR systems have been specified by Wates Construction for two key plots, incorporating 201 and 144 apartments. Both plots feature buildings arranged to create a perimeter block and a central courtyard, with surrounding buildings ranging from two storey maisonettes to 11 storey blocks, over half of which are affordable housing.

The Silavent HRX2 units are being installed in utility cupboards within each apartment for easy access with Polypipe’s market leading Domus rigid ducting.

Featuring a heat exchange efficiency of up to 95%, the HRX2 offers the homeowner a year-round ventilation solution. It operates by transferring the heat from the waste stale air extracted from kitchens or bathrooms to fresh filtered air drawn in from the outside. The pre-warmed, filtered air is then distributed to the living rooms in the home. As well as helping to reduce demand on the central heating system, Silavent Green Line HRX2 MVHR units also provide a healthy living indoor environment through continuous balanced ventilation.

Designed and manufactured in the UK, the HRX2 is 2010 Building Regulations compliant and has the highest available heat exchange efficiency on the Performance Characteristics Database (previously known as SAP Appendix Q). Featuring the latest fan technology, these units offer an extremely low Specific Fan Power (SFP) down to 0.46 W/(l/s), resulting in minimal energy usage whilst retaining full airflow performance. The distinct moulded EPP casing helps to maximise airflow, as well as delivering improved thermal efficiency, thereby enhancing the recovery of a home’s waste heat.

When used with Polypipe Ventilation’s Domus rigid ducting, insulated by Domus Thermal insulation, as seen in the Greenwich Peninsula development, the Silavent Green Line HRX2 offers one of the most comprehensive MVHR solutions available on the market.

Silavent Green Line HRX and Domus duct systems have a well deserved reputation for quality, supported by excellent technical support, from a market leading manufacturer and designer. Polypipe Ventilation is well placed to offer immediate, practical solutions to Building Regulations Parts F & L. The company continues to provide differentiated solutions in the private and social housing sectors, transforming the way developers, specifiers, installers, home owners and distributors meet emerging environmental standards.

For further information please go to www.polypipe.com/ventilation or call 03443 715523.

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Armstrong launches time-saving plasterboard ceiling suspension system

Drywall Grid System by Armstrong delivers up to 40% installation time savings.

Armstrong Ceilings has formally launched its time-saving Drywall Grid System (DGS) to the UK market following its stunning use on the largest hospital building project in Europe to date.

A new DGS brochure showcases the project Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow as well as other UK DGS projects, and in the United States where the system has been popular for years, the NOAA offices in Alabama and the Pennsylvania Academy of Music.

Now that the system is launched to the UK office, education, retail, leisure and hospitality sectors, giving specifiers the option to use as a standalone, wall-to-wall, or in combination with Armstrong tiles and Axiom perimeter systems as a fully compatible solution.

Up to 40% quicker to install, the DGS suspension system for plasterboard ceilings is available in three versions – standard for typical flat installations, faceted for curved and domed ceilings of any radius, and Shortspan for smaller areas such as corridors.

Designed for strength, but using 15% less steel, the CE-marked Drywall Grid System utilizes Armstrong’s popular T-shaped grids and can easily incorporate service elements such as light fixtures, access panels and air diffusers or ventilation systems.

A total of 70,000 linear meters of DGS were used at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital – flat DGS was installed alongside Armstrong’s bespoke pre-engineered Axiom perimeter solutions in the stunning reception atrium and curved DGS was used for the nurses’ stations in the wards.

The Drywall Grid System launch is supported with a technical brochure and also features on the Armstrong website (www.armstrongceilings.co.uk) and the Ceiling Systems App available from both the Apple store as well as the Google Play store. Just click on one of the links below with your mobile device www.armstrong.com/CeilingDownloads-Apple or www.armstrong.com/CeilingDownloads-Android.

Dry Wall Grid specialist Martin Dalby recently joined the Armstrong UK sales team and will support customers with technical training and on-site installation and support.

For further information, please contact Armstrong Ceilings on Freephone 0800 371 849 (UK) or 1800 409002 (RoI). Visit www.armstrongceilings.co.uk.

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Time to breathe

Sand and cement renders have been the most common replastering method used on rising damp affected walls since the 1950s. Whilst effective, they can also present problems. Hudson Lambert of Safeguard Europe explains.

In the face of rising or penetrating damp, there is a need for internal plastering that is impervious to salt-based damp damage. Traditional strong sharp sand and cement mixes are effective at holding back damp and salts; yet they are slow and expensive to apply, and are associated with condensation risk, poor insulation qualities and a cold feel that is unpopular with building occupants. They are also not suitable for heritage structures because they are inflexible, don’t breathe and can damage underlying brickwork.

For this reason, Safeguard has developed two new replastering systems that combine the effectiveness of sand and cement without the drawbacks. Both Dryzone Renovation Plasters and Dryzone Express Replastering complete the Dryzone System range of rising damp renovation products, enabling the sourcing of all necessary materials from one place.

The Dryzone System enables the treatment of rising damp from start to finish. Simply install a new damp-proof course with either Dryrod DPC Rods or Dryzone DPC Cream and choose one of the plastering specifications below.

Replastering System No.1: Dryzone Renovation Plasters

Dryzone Damp-Resistant Plaster is a modern formulation of breathable damp and salt resistant plaster that can be applied with traditional plastering techniques. For older buildings, Dryzone Hi-Lime Renovation Plaster is also available.

Unlike sand and cement renders, Dryzone Renovation Plasters are non-destructive to the underlying masonry, do not require gauging and provide a warmer surface. Simply mix and apply two coats.

These highly effective Safeguard renovation plasters can be applied to walls while they are still damp and has a porous structure which controls salt migration, allows walls to dry out by evaporation and results in higher thermal resistance, reducing the risk of condensation. Other properties include a low compressive strength ensuring that the plaster can easily be removed at a later date without damaging underlying brickwork; high water vapour diffusion and conformity for the EN998-1 CE Standard as ‘Renovation Mortars’.

Dryzone Damp-Resistant Plaster is applied in two layers as a 5mm anchoring rough coat and a 15mm to 20mm top coat. The working time of the plaster is 30 – 60 minutes depending on temperature and humidity; and a 2mm skim coat can be applied after 24 hours.

Replastering System No. 2: Dryzone Express Replastering System

This specification utilises plasterboard and provides the speed and convenience advantages of a traditional dot and dab plasterboard application and also provides a salt and damp-proof interior wall surface.

The system is quicker and consequently less expensive to install per m2 than traditional ‘wet’ plaster systems. These materials combined allow for treatment and room reinstatement in around a day – a massive improvement over the weeks that more traditional methods may take – and obviate, for example, problems associated with decanting tenants for significant periods of time.

There are two elements to the system: Dryshield Cream, which primes walls; and Drygrip Adhesive to direct bond plasterboard to treated walls. Armed with these products, a skilled operative can treat rising damp, replaster and complete re-decoration in just 24 hours.

Once a DPC is installed, Dryshield Cream is applied to affected walls. It is a breathable, salt-resistant water-repellent that weakens the crystal strength of salts forming in or at the masonry surface as damp evaporates. Easy to apply by brush or roller, the cream not only acts as a primer for Drygrip Adhesive but also penetrates the masonry structure deeply so as to form a durable, robust bond.

Developed for ‘dab’ fixing plasterboard directly to masonry surfaces, Drygrip Adhesive forms a strong and long-lasting bond and is resistant to both salts and damp. Once fixed, the boards can be tape-jointed and skimmed as in ordinary drylining situations.

For more information please email info@safeguardeurope.com or visit www.safeguardeurope.com.

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Supply chain partnerships and innovation key aspects of building refurbs

Managing Director of Mila Window and Door Maintenance Tristan Cooke tells us that as service providers to the Social, Educational, and Commercial sectors for nearly 30 years now they are always taken by what seems to be a never ending drive from the product supply chain to innovate new ideas and launch new products.

“In my view the sector supply chains are to be congratulated for understanding that things can never stay the same, that even the best and most reliable products can and indeed need to be enhanced to deliver better results when being used as a part of a building refurbishment”.

“Nothing stands still – there is always something more that can be done, and as a service provider into the same sectors I firmly believe that this applies to us equally”.
“Key in amongst this is that we are constantly talking to suppliers – looking at developing our existing supply chains and discovering news ones”.

“It is important as a specialist contractor for large scale window and door remodelling or regeneration projects that we are able to offer our potential clients not only the best service, but the best information and knowledge on the products available to them for their schemes”.

“It is one part of an innovative culture in our business and as a direct consequence we have developed formal partnership programmes with our supply chains in which we don’t just buy products, but where we share information and technical knowledge, we undertake on-going programmes of technical training for our staff, and we share best practice borne out of our experiences on site”.
“Anything which enables us to offer the clients we work with more innovative solutions for the buildings they are going to is a good thing as far as I am concerned”.

Case study – Aragon Tower London

Mila Window and Door Maintenance worked in partnership with German hardware producer WSS on the re-modelling of the windows in one of the most iconic structures in London.

The 26 storey Aragon Tower was bought from social housing ownership in 2006 and was later converted into luxury apartments including the addition of 3 new stories of penthouses to take it to 29 stories – at the time the highest privately owned residential block in the city.

When after a period of time there was a requirement to re-model the windows and to fit a new range of hardware to upgrade them from both an aesthetic and performance point WSS hardware was chosen.

Mila Windows and Doors worked with WSS from a technical point of view to understand their products and how they were to be fitted to ensure that the installation of all items was correct. Working on Aragon Tower was the start of what is now an on-going partnership between the two companies which is delivering benefits for other clients.

“Working with WSS on Aragon Tower is just one of the many success stories we can point to” says Tristan “WSS is renowned world-wide for its innovative range of products, its extensive testing, and the quality of its workmanship. For us to be in partnership with such a dynamic company enables us to install the latest and most comprehensive range of innovative products for our clients supported by our own high service levels”.

Tristan Cooke is Managing Director of Mila Window and Door Maintenance. For more information please visit www.milamaintenance.co.uk 0808 100 8881. For more information on WSS www.wss.de.
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Designing an imposing entrance for a heritage building

No two renovation projects are ever the same, making them uniquely challenging when it comes to the design and installation of entrances, especially when a building is of aesthetic and historical significance.

Kaz Spiewakowski managing director of GEZE UK explains that it is important to balance the need to preserve historical features with those of accessibility, compliance and sustainability during the design stage.

He said: “Most heritage buildings need substantial alteration to ensure their entrances can safely cater for an increased footfall. For example, Ripon Cathedral wanted to fundamentally change the way people enter, creating an entrance that reflected its national importance and allow people to see in from the street.

“Behind the Cathedral’s large historic wooden doors, the Narthex Entrance – a stunning glass porch – has been installed flooding the Cathedral with light. We installed Slimdrive SL NT automatic operators to power the entrance and exit single-leaf doors positioned on either side of the lobby. This controlled the flow of people and created a safe automatic entrance for extremely high levels of footfall.

“At 1 Finsbury Circus, however, it wasn’t the Grade II listed building that was the issue, it was the floor! We designed an elegant circular glass entrance lobby with automatic sliding glass doors and a discreet Slimdrive SCR operator.

“The listed floor was created from the thick steel hull from a ship, the building was once home to a shipping company, making installation a challenge. It was impossible to dig into the floor to fit a floor ring so we needed to design a new way to install the doors that was both functional and aesthetically pleasing. We made a specially fabricated floor ring from a stainless steel sheet just 15mm thick, which was then machined on to the floor and every fixture was surface mounted. It was the first time we made a steel ring in this way, which was an exciting challenge.

“Sometimes a building’s use can affect the design of an entrance such as at No.1 Smithery in the Historic Dockyard Chatham where the priceless displays at needed protection from the elements – and from theft.

“Temperature and humidity changes caused by opening and closing doors needed to be minimised to preserve the historic artefacts. We installed a stylish three leaf manual TSA 325 revolving door to maintain the building’s delicate environment and a UV protective film was installed on the glass surfaces to protect the interior from sunlight.

“The revolving door enhances the historical atmosphere of the museum and reduces the speed with which people can exit, reducing the likelihood of theft. A roller shutter was installed for added security.

“Then to meet Building Regulations and the demands of the Equality Act two pass doors were installed. One was fitted with the sleek Slimdrive EMD-F automatic swing operator which was concealed in the façade. The second door was manual and was fitted with a panic bar to provide quick and easy outside access in an emergency.

“Ultimately, when it comes to specifying and installing entrances for heritage projects there’s far more to consider than the style of door and a building’s footfall. But if you consider issues such as aesthetics, functionality, the building’s use and its historical significance from the start you will create an entrance solution that like the building is truly unique.”

For more information about GEZE UK’s comprehensive range of automatic and manual door closers call 01543 443000 or visit www.geze.co.uk.
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Windows and doors: time to review your suppliers?

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Residential windows and doors have an impact on a building that is completely disproportionate to their cost and the overall value of the project. Of course they are essential to the function and performance of the building but the aesthetic and even emotional impact they have on a residential property, for tenents and owners, should never be underestimated.

The process of opening every project out to the market is not practical which means that a hardcore of window suppliers and brands will supply most specifiers’ needs. But there is also a great deal to be said for shaking the tree now and again to see what else is out there. After all, that is probably how you met your present suppliers…all those years ago.

Still the most effective way of identifying new potential suppliers are exhibitions. However, the failure of Interbuild and decline of other events means there is quite simply no comprehensive ‘one-stop-shop’ exhibition for professional specifiers currently.

However windows, doors, glass and other elements of residential glazing such as conservatories and porches particularly for the private and public sector housing markets, have commanded their own exhibitions and forums for almost 40 years.

Following the demise of a specialist show alongside Interbuild, a new event with the unlikely title of ‘The FIT Show’ – it is an acronym of ‘Fabricator Installer Trade’ – now provides the most comprehensive buyers guide to windows, door, roofs and anything to do with (mostly) residential glazing there has been for perhaps 10 years or more. Although its core visitor base are the companies and individuals that manufacture and fit the stuff, it is thorough and the most comprehensive and useful event around through which an effective review of glazing products and suppliers may be carried out.

With its maiden outing almost three years ago The FIT Show, which takes place this April at The International Centre, Telford, has now grown into a substantial event that will feature around 180 exhibitors in four halls representing most of the major brands of windows and doors – including composite, sliding and bi-folding – available in the UK. Add in legions of hardware, manufacturing machinery, widgets and support services and it is pretty much everything a window ‘professional’ could possibly need.

After a break of almost two years since the last FIT Show the majority of exhibitors will have something new on their stands that is being shown for the first time anywhere, so planning is recommended rather than a simple stroll around the aisles; there is much to detain the unprepared visitor.

Despite the propensity of exhibitors to keep their new wares under wraps until the event some details have leaked out. We know, for example at least four brand new window systems will be revealed at The FIT Show although one of these, a product called Lumi, has been seen at public shows over the past year. Called ‘a product that truly reinvents the window’ by the judges of a recent awards programme, Lumi offers virtually seamless, edge-to-edge glazing through windows, and residential, sliding and bi-folding doors. In fact doors, especially those of the composite and bi-folding persuasions are at The FIT Show in droves.

A spectacular must-see is the electronically tintable glass being show for the first time anywhere in the UK. Tintable in stages using amongst other things a smartphone app, it is the product of US manufacturer SageGlass, a Saint-Gobain company. And here’s the rub: the firm has replaced the whole of one curtain-walled end of an exhibition hall – no less than 314 metres2 – with its product, in what is the ultimate exhibition demo. Clayton Glass, with a stand in that very same exhibition hall, is the UK agent for the product.

If you are serious about windows, doors and glass and glazing then The Fabricator Installer Trade (FIT) Show really should not be missed. 12th, 13th 14th April 2016, at The International Centre Telford. www.fitshow.co.uk.
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Looking to improve an interior space? Decorative casings add style and practicality

Most of our lives are spent within buildings, at work, socialising or relaxing, so it’s essential that our built environment is designed and constructed with care and attention. From the layout and ‘flow’ of a building to the very fixtures and fittings within its walls, every aspect needs to be considered when attempting to promote healthy and vibrant spaces in which to exist and thrive.

We spoke to Martin Taylor, MD of Peterborough-based decorative casing company, Encasement Ltd, about the importance of good design and how column casing and wall lining solutions help combine aesthetics with practicality.

Q) Martin, what role do decorative casing solutions play in helping a building achieve its maximum potential visually?
“In simple terms, if it wasn’t for column casings and interior wall cladding solutions, building interiors would be considerably less attractive environments. Yet, as they are designed to integrate as part of the fabric of a building, their importance may often be overlooked or taken for granted by the building’s occupants.

Very few people stand back to admire a laminated plywood column casing at a school or the brushed stainless steel wall lining in a prestige office building, yet they are key elements in interior design and integral to the aesthetics of countless building environments.

However, it must be remembered that these products are not just about decoration. For column casings their primary purpose is to conceal unsightly structural columns, whether they’re steel or concrete, while wall linings provide a durable surface for high traffic areas.

Apart from improving aesthetics, column casings are also designed to be durable. Our ‘Circa, laminated plywood column casings, for example, are resistant to impact damage and scuffing, making them virtually maintenance free. It’s a similar story with our ‘Polyma’ GRP range, which is highly resilient and can even be hosed down to keep them clean, which is a feature exploited at a project in Manchester’s new Smithfield Fish market.”

Q) With that level of versatility, are you seeing an increase in the use of good quality casing installations on building projects? As architectural trends shift, are you finding that they’re becoming more prominent?
“Yes, absolutely. As I mentioned, column casings are both practical and decorative. Their role, however, has been transformed since the mid 1980s from being a purely functional device for concealing structural steelwork to one of visual and decorative importance. Although they were initially used by a relatively small number of architects, they are now commonplace, with their aesthetic values and appeal being a key consideration during the specification process.

As a result, the demand for wider choice and enhanced aesthetics from architects, interior designers and specifiers has increased significantly in recent years, which have been key influences on the growth and development of our company. As styles and tastes invariably change from building to building, it is essential that designers have the broadest palette to work with. This has resulted in our product range becoming the most comprehensive available in the UK.”

Q) The positive effect that an interior can have on users of public buildings is very real and cannot be overstated. From the colours on the walls to the brightness and positioning of the lighting, every aspect has to be carefully considered. Is this an area where you feel Encasement products have something tangible to offer?
“Definitely, and it is an area in which we have a proven track record. Some of our most recent projects include Winchester College, Birmingham Dental Hospital and University College London, all of which are very different buildings requiring different solutions to integrate with the interior design.

In addition, some products in our column casing range are designed to also be used in exterior applications, where they’re used to conceal structural steelwork and improve aesthetics.

Our ‘Forma’ metal casings and ‘Polyma’ GRP ranges are perfect examples and are widely used in both interior and exteriors applications. The exceptionally wide selection of finishes available, particularly in the Forma range, provides specifiers with an even greater scope of options enabling them to be specified with diameters from 250mm up to 1000mm or as square, rectangular or even hexagonal forms.”

Q) Would you say, then that Forma and Polyma are your most popular products in your column casings range?
“That’s an interesting question. While the versatility of ‘Forma’ metal casings makes them the ideal choice for many projects, our plywood ‘Circa’ and ‘Quadra’ ranges were the first that we launched and they are still, arguably, the most popular.”

Q) Why is that?
“Apart from being highly cost effective, the main reason is that they provide specifiers and contractors with a diverse palette of finishes from plain colours, wood grain and metallic, as well as textured and real wood veneers, to name but a few. Whilst ‘Circa’ is available as a plain casing for on site painting and decoration, by far the most popular finishes are durable decorative laminates.

‘Circa’ and ‘Quadra’ are designed specifically for interior decorative applications and they are used in almost every building type from education, retail, hotel, sports and leisure, as well as the health sector and commercial office buildings.

This versatility has also influenced the choice of sizes available, which is also very wide, to allow specifiers to select not only circular and square, but also extended circles and rectangular options, which use additional infill panels to give greater flexibility while ensuring they are still easy to install.”

Q) One of the more recent additions to your range has been the ‘Vecta’ wall lining system, which has already been installed in a number of buildings that many of us are very familiar with. Can you tell us a little more?
“We introduced Vecta just a few years ago and the system enables us to provide a high quality solution for interior wall linings, bulkheads and reveals, many of which are 100% bespoke and require immense precision during installation, which is why we also launched our specialist installation service at the same time.

Vecta has been widely used in retail, education and commercial buildings, such as Tesco, South Bank University and Prêt a Manger, as well as prestigious office developments, including Wellington House and the Carmine Building in Paddington, London.

These buildings experience high volumes of foot-fall and as such, everything within the building needs to be high quality, durable and in-keeping with the overall design features of the space. ‘Vecta’ is just one of the solutions we offer that is helping our customers enhance their surroundings for their clients, staff and anybody who uses the building.”

Q) Your company strapline says ‘sustainable building solutions’ and you must use a reasonably high volume of timber in the manufacture of your products. How important is it to ensure that timber is sourced legally and ethically? What efforts do you make to ensure that this happens?
“The use of timber as a structural and decorative material has grown considerably over the past 10 to 15 years, as it is one of the most environmentally friendly materials available, especially since sustainable and managed sources have increased and stronger regulation on illegal supply have been introduced.

I feel very strongly about sustainability, compliance and the ethics of using only certified sources of legal timber. As a direct result of our approach, we are currently the UK’s only supplier and manufacturer of pre-formed plywood decorative casing products that holds an FSC® ‘Chain of Custody Certification’ from the Forest Stewardship Council.

This is important for us, as both our ‘Circa’ and ‘Quadra’ column casing ranges are manufactured from FSC® certified plywood. This makes them automatically compliant with sustainability codes and environmental procurement policies.”

Q) Architects and designers are primarily focused on developing and improving our built environment; how does your product range help specifiers achieve this goal? “Our column casings provide a perfect mix of practicality and aesthetics. We’ve taken a lot of care to ensure our product range meets both of these key criteria while ensuring that we always remain competitive and maintain high quality standards throughout our business.

Also, by specifying and installing Encasement products manufactured from FSC® certified plywood, they can have a positive effect on improving the BREEAM rating.

Our products are used in projects across the UK in just about every sector of the construction industry and the entire range has been configured to provide the widest possible choice, as well as being easy to specify. We also offer some very specialised solutions, such as the Metza range, which provides up to two hours fire protection for mezzanine floor columns.

In addition, The ‘Vecta’ wall lining system allows specifiers to source a range of specialised interior finishing and decorative casing products from a single company with high levels of expertise and experience in this sector.”

Encasement’s latest ‘column casing solutions’ e-brochure is available for download from the company’s website and covers every product in the range as well as providing details on materials, sizes and finishes available alongside an extensive technical information section. Further information is also available from their website at www.encasement.co.uk or by calling 01733 266889.
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