Cedral clicks into place in conservation area

Fibre cement Cedral Click has helped a self builder in Northamptonshire achieve an architectural fusion between their property’s impressive angular design and the neighbouring Grade II listed church spire.

The facade’s ability to visually reduce the impact of the building on the landscape is based around a symbiotic relationship with the slate grey Cedral Click and honey coloured stone, which work together to make the most of sunlight, shadow and sightlines in this beautiful Conservation Area of Broughton, Northamptonshire.

This juxtaposition of facade materials was accentuated by the architects following through the angular roof design within the facade. The effect is to further reduce the building’s dominance, whichever elevation it is viewed from, creating a structure that appears less imposing, yet retains a geometry that works with the church spire in the background.

Aside from Cedral Click’s visual possibilities, the flush-fitting boards give a sense of elegance and weightlessness, avoiding the issue on some buildings where a solid facade over dominates the overall design.

Cedral Click, with its lightweight yet strong properties, enabled the designers to create a structure with complex, engaging forms, yet one that still appears deceptively at home in this Conservation Area.

The 300m², three bedroom home was the inspiration of the Manning family and Market Harborough-based Leaf Architecture. Mr Manning said: “The support from Marley Eternit has been phenomenal, our sales contact took the time to meet us and discuss exactly what it was that we wanted. We couldn’t fault their customer service and Cedral Click has far exceeded our expectations and created a striking feature.”

Cedral Click is the UK’s first and only fibre cement tongue and groove cladding system where the planks fit together flush and is offered in a range of seven colours.

With the visual appeal of natural timber and the durability of a fibre cement product, Cedral Click has good resistance to fire (A2-s1,d0 to EN13501-1). Being made from fibre cement means that it won’t warp or shrink over time like timber. The installers used a concealed fixing system to enhance the sheer, smooth facade.

Cedral Click achieves an A+ rating in the BRE (Building Research Establishment) Green Guide to Specification based on generic rating: Cedral Click – autoclaved fibre cement (calcium silicate) cladding – (Element Ref: 806220701, 806220675, 806220676).

Marley Eternit also offers Cedral Lap weatherboard, a more traditional, clapper-board aesthetic where the planks overlap. Both Cedral Click and Cedral Lap are made from fibre cement, which ensures low maintenance and a life expectancy of 50 years.

For further information on Cedral just ask ME at www.cedral.co.uk or call ME on 01283 722588. You can also follow ME on Twitter @MarleyEternit. If it matters to you it matters to us, that’s why with ME it’s all about you.

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Marley Contract Services recognised for quality workmanship in National Awards

Marley Contract Services is celebrating success after winning in the UK Roofing Awards 2015 for its work on a community housing development in Aberdeen.

Marley Contract Services has been awarded in the best Single-Lap Tiling & Slating category in the prestigious awards, which are led by the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC) to recognise outstanding standards of workmanship and safety across the roofing industry.

The win is for the team’s work with Scotia Homes, which appointed Marley Contract Services to carry out roof works on a series of town houses as part of its innovative community style housing development in the sought after suburb of Bridge of Don in Aberdeen.

The project saw the regional team carry out intricate tiling on the roof areas to create aesthetic appeal to complement the different housing styles on the site and surrounding area. This included the roof valleys being cut near and straight as well as cutting the ridge hips neatly at the mitred junction.

The builder specified a red clay tile on the main roof area to create striking stand out, while small plain tiles were used around the bay windows to provide a contrasting affect. Hips were installed using a dry system on the Main Roof sections with close mitred hips on Bay Windows.

Due to the number of other contractors operating across the site, timescales for the roofing project were extremely tight, which required the expert team from Marley Contract Services to work closely with the other on-site teams to meet strict deadlines. In addition to time constraints, keeping the building watertight throughout the build was of paramount importance, which meant the team had to operate with maximum efficiency, while adhering to stringent health and safety regulations.

The knowledge and expertise of the team, which included a second year apprentice, saw the successful completion of the project, on time, and to the great satisfaction of Scotia Homes.

Commenting on the win, Billy Baird, Managing Director at Marley Contract Services, said: “High quality workmanship is at the heart of Marley Contract Service’s operation, so we’re delighted to be recognised for this within a national award scheme. The Scotia Homes development is a perfect example of the high level of expertise and skills deployed by the team to deliver a project, on time and to the highest of standards, no matter how intricate the design details and I’d like to congratulate everybody involved in this award winning project.”

For more information on Marley Contract Services, call 0141 761 4321 or visit: www.marleycontractservices.co.uk

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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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Introducing Airflow’s new generation of MVHR commercial units

During UK Construction Week 2015, Airflow Developments launched the new Duplexvent ROTARY range. Representing a significant advancement in the compact construction of a high performance of Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery system, the range utilises a rotary thermal wheel principle to allow for up to 85% heat recovery and the delivery of air volumes from 8000 to 16,000m³/hr. Furthermore, all units comply with the latest ErP Regulations.

The Duplexvent ROTARY Wheel Ventilation with Heat Recovery system is the latest addition to Airflow’s popular Duplexvent range. Each unit houses a thermal wheel, which rotates. Heat is picked up from the exhaust air stream in the top half of the rotation and given up to the fresh air stream in the bottom half of the rotation. This creates a higher flow of air through the unit, despite a more concise space.

Available in a rooftop or indoor version and suitable for commercial or industrial applications, the units are delivered in three parts. The units can be customised with a choice of duct orientations where supply and extract ports can be rotated by up to 90 degrees to allow connections to be installed within the demands of the building’s size and layout.

Quiet in operation, with low Specific Fan Power (from 0.45W/m³H, dependent on flow), Airflow’s Duplexvent ROTARY units provide significant energy savings through its EC fans. The units consist of double skin construction, with high performance 45mm mineral wool with thermal bridging to class T2 and a heat bridge factor of TB2 – contributing towards heat transfer characteristics of 0.037W/mk. In addition, the units are fitted with anti-cross contamination technology, which includes a crossbar across the rotary component, to guard against air contaminants entering the new, fresh air supply.

The equipment is fully specified with a range of optional components and full BMS and Internet connectivity, while optional additions include mixing dampers, integrated heating or cooling coils and purge chambers.

“Our new Duplexvent ROTARY Wheel Ventilation with Heat Recovery system represents a significant evolution in capability,” explained Toni Wong, Product Marketing Executive at Airflow Developments. “The range provides anyone responsible for ventilation within a commercial or industrial environment with a range of easy to install units that offer powerful performance and outstanding energy efficiency.”

For further information, please follow @AirflowD on Twitter, search Airflow Developments Limited on Facebook, or visit www.airflow.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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Cembrit to invest in natural slate

Cembrit is pleased to announce the creation of a dedicated natural slates division to offer the UK’s specifiers and slaters greater choice of top end material for prestigious roofing contracts. The philosophy will be to enhance the existing range with additional high quality slates. The new brands will offer reliable, long term availability. This will be supported by dedicated personnel and focused marketing. As a start of the investment and long term commitment to Natural Slate, the group has decided to dedicate a specific person to this product group, Sales Director, Rob Wallace.

Cembrit’s ancestry in the UK begins with Alan Blunn Ltd, one of the UK’s original natural slate agents, set up in 1924, offering customer service and technical expertise to all involved in pitched roofing. Acquired by Cembrit in 2000, the reputation and sales of the combined company has continued to grow, to the extent that Cembrit’s natural slates activities became an attractive proposition for others seeking to enhance their position in the UK market.

Encouraged by this, Cembrit has realized that there is a responsibility as well as huge potential to provide durable, verifiable, high quality natural slates to the British market. The new division will be headed by Rob Wallace, who has 18 years of experience in growing Cembrit’s business from its Welsh depot in Llandow. Cembrit’s growth has been achieved through unbeatable customer service.

“We have seen continued growth in the demand for natural slate, particularly with proven origin and consistent supply,” comments Rob Wallace, Sales Director, Cembrit. “Our stance will be one of honesty and transparency as this is important to clients but not always available in our complex market”.

Marketing Manager Ged Ferris adds “This marks the beginning of a new phase in Cembrit’s commitment to natural slate. Cembrit will be making substantial investments in this environmentally attractive material. Look out for more news as the division takes shape”.

For more information, and to download the fibre cement slate guide, visit www.cembrit.co.uk

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Bostik the complete solution for Lincolnshire Flooring in Healing School project

Bostik, a global leader in adhesives and sealants, has been chosen by flooring specialist, Lincolnshire Flooring, to provide all sub floor preparation and adhesive products for a landmark £3m project at Ofsted’s ‘outstanding’ rated Healing School in Grimsby.

JemBuild was taken on as the main contractor for the science academy’s three-story development, who then sub-contracted the 2,500 square metres of flooring required. The project provided Lincolnshire Flooring with some challenging demands, on account of the site’s anhydrite screed alongside the need for luxury vinyl tile, slip-resistant vinyl sheet and carpet tile finishes.

Seven Bostik products were deployed for the operation, including the Laybond Screedmaster Universal Primer, Epoxy Primer, Carpet Tile Tackifier, Vinyl Adhesive, HT Adhesive and Pressure Sensitive Adhesive, plus the Screedmaster Flow.

Bostik’s wide product and service offering, including analytical support and on site testing, was seen as a key driver in winning the project. With the scheme running from mid June to the end of July 2015, timely execution was also essential.

Steve Horton, Contracts Manager at Lincolnshire Flooring, commented: “Being a world leader in flooring adhesives, we were aware of the wide range, quality and competitive pricing of Bostik’s products. However, it was the company’s complete solution offering that really made the difference for this diverse and challenging job.

“Even before the contract was signed, Bostik’s team of technical experts was pro-actively offering the ideal product package, technical advice, measurement surveys and on-site services. The value added by these additional practices cannot be underestimated, especially as this was our first job partnership with the main contractor, JemBuild.

“Another benefit was that, by using a single brand’s products, we had the added confidence that product compatibility would not be an issue. You know what to expect and how the different substances will work with each other.”

One of the biggest challenges faced on the project was the anhydrite screed subfloor accompanied by the under-floor heating on all three levels of development. Whilst the thinness and spread of the calcium sulphate screed is positive from a builder’s perspective, the moisture suppression presents both technical and working difficulties for the floor laying.

Steve added: “The drying aspect of the anhydrite sub-floor will always provide a test, as it is imperative that we only apply the primer once the correct relative humidity (RH) is achieved. Inevitably, managing the school’s under floor heating makes the testing process more complex. Bostik’s moisture testing service was a real asset in this regard, as it gave us an added sense of security as to when we could proceed.”

Bostik’s specialist products were another key part of the project’s solution. For the vinyl areas, Screedmaster Flow was deemed the most appropriate smoothing compound offering exceptional flow and curing characteristics to give a superior finish on which to bond vinyl. However, due to the nature of the anhydrite screed it was necessary to utilise a high performance barrier primer, Screedmaster Epoxy Primer, prior to applying the Screedmaster Flow to prevent interaction between the subfloor and the smoothing compound.

The Vinyl, HT and Pressure Sensitive adhesives offered Lincolnshire Flooring the correct products with a high level of tack, as well as good resistance to plasticiser migration and high temperatures in the various vinyl sections.

For the carpet tile areas, which made up 1,500 square metres of the project’s total flooring, the Screedmaster Universal Primer was used to prepare the floor to receive the Carpet Tile Tackifier adhesive, making it an efficient procedure.

For further information on the extensive range of subfloor preparation and adhesive products available from Bostik, please visit www.bostik.co.uk or call 01785 272625.

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Second Queen’s Award presentation in three years for Ancon

Just three years after its first Queen’s Award for Enterprise presentation in 2012, Ancon Building Products officially received its second award on Thursday 15th October at a special ceremony at its manufacturing site in Deeside, North Wales.

The 2015 Award for International Trade recognises Ancon’s outstanding success in growing sales across new and existing export markets. It follows the company’s previous Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation for its ground-breaking Lockable Dowel, a system that has since revolutionised post-tensioned concrete construction.

The prestigious award, the highest accolade that any UK business can achieve for export growth, was presented to Ancon by the Lord Lieutenant of Clwyd, Mr Henry George Fetherstonhaugh OBE, on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen.

The ceremony at the Deeside facility, the largest and most advanced Wall Tie manufacturing operation in the UK, was attended by 36 employees who proudly watched Ancon’s Export Team Leader, Angela Reeve, accept the ceremonial scroll from the Lord Lieutenant. Her colleague Lynn Forster, Deeside’s Purchasing Manager and longest-serving employee at the site, who has been part of the Ancon team there for the last 32 years, received the commemorative Queen’s Award crystal bowl on behalf of the company.

The Lord Lieutenant said “Ancon represents the very best of British innovation and technology, and this dynamic company, which has trebled its exports in the last ten years, has led the way in its field.”

“To win one award is pretty spectacular; to win two awards in three years is absolutely amazing.”

“It is very gratifying to present this award here in Deeside, where Ancon provides 92 much needed jobs and I wish the company every continued success in the future.”

In addition to its headquarters and two manufacturing sites in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, Ancon has operated production facilities in North Wales since 1983. The Lord Lieutenant met several employees as he toured the site on Deeside Industrial Park, where the company has been based since 2008 when they outgrew previous sites in Flint and Greenfield.

Speaking after the ceremony, Managing Director, Stuart Maxwell said “It’s another very proud day for the Ancon business. We now hold Queen’s Awards for both Innovation and International Trade, confirming that we are successfully combining the development of market-specific solutions with effective worldwide distribution strategies. Our UK-manufactured products are now exported across the globe from the USA, Russia, throughout the far east and into the Asian pacific regions.”

“Our outstanding achievements over the last few years are down to the knowledge, hard work and commitment of our employees, as well as our distributors around the world. My sincere thanks and congratulations go out to everyone.”

“With a number of major construction projects and new product launches in the pipeline, I am certain the business will continue to go from strength-to strength.”

For more information please visit www.ancon.co.uk

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Swish Building Products seals the deal with ALMO

Swish Building Products has been named roofline and rainwater supplier for a rolling refurbishment programme by ALMO, Your Homes Newcastle (YHN). Supplied and installed by Swish Approved Installer JDP Contracting Services, the Swish roofline and rainwater systems will be installed on around 500 homes per year.

YHN demanded an ‘equal or approved’ product in response to its performance specification. The contractor selected the products which best fitted the criteria. “We are very happy with the Swish products and have recently started using the Sustainable Rainwater range which contains a high percentage of recycled content,” commented Tom Jarman, environmental sustainability coordinator, property services for YHN. “In using this particular range of products we are able to fulfil our environmental commitments. Also we are now starting to replace older PVC-U products so in buying rainwater goods with recycled content we are helping to ‘close the loop’ when the waste items are taken away.”

Swish’s Sustainable Rainwater products contain up to 84% recycled content, a combination of old windows and guttering systems. This can save up to 70% in CO2 output during the production process when compared to 100% virgin material. The products are two-tone; the recycled material is grey and is co-extruded with an outer skin of virgin material, avoiding the unnecessary use of additional colouring agents. Co-extrusion improves the aesthetics of the product and allows installers to achieve a colour match.

The use of the Gateshead-based collection depot meant that the product choice also supported local employment, an important factor in meeting the ALMO’s social responsibilities.

YHN reached Decent Homes Standard in 2012 so now all its work is lifecycle replacement. The roofline and rainwater products are being installed in conjunction with its rolling re-roofing programme, replacing timber and asbestos cement products. “The reason behind the replacement was maintenance,” continues Tom. “We wanted to cut right back on the level of painting required; in doing so we would not only withdraw the cost from the maintenance programme but also reduce the overheads associated with it, scaffolding for example. Swish’s PVC-U products have allowed us to achieve this.”

Swish roofline and rainwater products have been fitted on 300 YHN homes with a further 230 currently underway. The refurbishment of 300 more homes is planned for the remainder of 2015 as part of an ongoing schedule of works.

YHN manages council houses on behalf of Newcastle City Council. Established in 2004 with the specific target of meeting Decent Homes Standard, the ALMO now manages around 30,000 properties. One of its main objectives is to ‘make the money deliver’, the use of low maintenance products like those available from Swish Building Products go some way in helping to achieve this.

For more information on Swish Building Products’ full range of rainwater, roofline and cladding products visit www.swishbp.co.uk or call 01827 317 200.

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