ROCKFON launches their whitest ceiling tile ever: ROCKFON® Blanka™

After years of research and testing with architects and installers, ROCKFON has developed their smoothest, whitest ceiling tile ever: ROCKFON® Blanka™.

A perfectly white ceiling is what architects want, but has been difficult to attain without sacrificing other crucial technical properties – until now. ROCKFON Managing Director, Anders Juhl Thomsen explains why they’ve developed a visibly whiter tile:

“To take suspended ceilings to the next level, we asked our customers what the ultimate improvement would be to them. The architects said they want a ceiling that combines aesthetics – especially whiteness and smoothness – with technical performance, such as fire resistance and acoustics. Installers and building owners look for simple installation and a long lifecycle. Choosing a ceiling shouldn’t be a trade-off between properties, so we decided to create a ceiling that delivers it all in one tile.”

The solution to achieving a whiter than white ceiling was literally out of this world. By applying a specialist coating sourced from the US space industry to a high performance stone wool core, ROCKFON® has developed an incredibly durable, matt ceiling tile that is visibly smoother and significantly whiter. The ultra-white ROCKFON® Blanka™ tiles have outstanding light reflection and light diffusion properties to maximise the uniform spread of natural light. Independent tests show that ROCKFON® Blanka™ has a light reflection index above 87% and an L Value of 94.5+, which makes it their whitest ceiling tile ever.

Thanks to this unique coating, the ROCKFON® Blanka™ tiles have a smooth surface that allows for easy installation because the tiles are patternless and can be installed in any direction, saving time and reducing waste. Surface durability tests rate ROCKFON® Blanka™ top of its class. The anti-static properties of the coating make ROCKFON® Blanka™ resistant to site dust and the tiles are easy to wipe clean with a damp cloth. The tiles are designed to be hard-wearing and can resist up to 100% relative humidity without losing their shape.

ROCKFON® Blanka™ delivers all the unique stone wool performance characteristics you would expect from ROCKFON including outstanding acoustic performance and fire safety properties. ROCKFON® Blanka™ tiles are produced from up to 42% recycled materials, are fully recyclable and come with a 15 year warranty to ensure building owners a long product lifecycle.

The ROCKFON® Blanka™ range is available in ceiling tiles for sound absorption and sound insulation as well as a complimentary wall panel range; all in a variety of sizes and edge details to provide architects with complete design freedom.

For more information about ROCKFON® Blanka™, please visit www.rockfon.co.uk.

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Panasonic unveils state-of-the-art digital controller

Panasonic has launched its latest controller, an innovative and easy to use interface that offers full functionality with an integrated schedule timer and system controller, making managing heating and cooling systems easier than ever before.

Marc Diaz, UK & Ireland Country Manager comments “This new Panasonic control system, the CZ-64ESMC3, is a significant step forward not just in the functionality it offers, but also in how the user actually operates the system. The new controller features a digital screen and large, simple buttons making it much easier to use, so that even those without experience of heating and cooling systems can operate them and achieve the best solution for their needs.”

The CZ-64ESMC3 will be available from November 2015, and includes Panasonic’s popular schedule timer, which gives users full flexibility over when they want their property heated or cooled. Users can adjust the system for holidays, pausing operations for long periods of time so that energy isn’t wasted heating/cooling an empty home or office. The controller also allows six operations per day to be programmed, including operating or stopping units, and allowing or prohibiting access by individuals. This again ensures that the system is run as efficiently as possible, and that disruption is not caused by unauthorised individuals making frequent changes to operations.

In the past, simply having a schedule timer would not have been sufficient, as it could not control the operation mode or temperature setting, and would have required a separate system controller. However, this new solution integrates these functions, removing the need for more than one controller. By bringing the schedule timer and the system controller together into one easy-to-use unit, installation is simplified, reducing the amount of wiring needed and the complexity of the system.

With the integration of the system controller the user has much more control over their heating and cooling rather than simply setting a schedule of operation for the system. The user can allocate up to 64 units into zones, and then divide the zones into groups, allowing them to control up to 64 individual groups. Settings within each group can then be controlled such as operation mode, fan speed and air flow direction, creating a totally flexible heating and cooling system.

By integrating the schedule timer and system controller into an advanced unit with a digital display, Panasonic has made operating and controlling heating and air conditioning much easier, ensuring more efficient and effective systems.

For more information on Panasonic’s range of control systems, please visit www.aircon.panasonic.eu.

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Realising the design potential of Tilebrick

Ibstock, the UK’s largest brickmaker, has launched a new guide for its innovative Tilebrick range to showcase both the creative and contemporary designs achievable and provide specifiers with greater insight into the unique portfolio.

As well as examples of stand-out projects which incorporate Tilebrick – a novel brick which can simulate a traditional tile-hung wall elevation as well striking contemporary facades – the guide includes a step-by-step section, providing effective application advice and tips.

In addition, it provides a detailed breakdown of the technical aspects of the range, outlining the new profiles available. These include Planar, which gives a crisp and defined finish, Banded, for a strong linear definition and Curved, which delivers a more traditional finish with a softer appeal. Measurements and the wide range of colour and texture options available are also detailed in the guide.

Tilebrick’s unique design means it can be used to provide a monolithic appearance without the visual disruption of mortar joints and can still be laid using traditional standard mortars. As such, it is contributing to the creation of original and contemporary architecture across the UK.

The Tilebrick is supported by a range of accessories to satisfy any design requirement, details for which can also be found in the new brochure.

Andrew Halstead-Smith, Group Marketing Manager at Ibstock, comments “Thanks to its flexible design capabilities and ability to give a new dimension to facades, Tilebrick is proving to be an increasingly popular range. The new guide has been developed so that specifiers can explore the portfolio’s full potential and confidently specify this innovative brick product, knowing it can bring any architectural vision to life.”

For more information and for a copy of the new guide, visit www.ibstock.com or call 0844 800 4575.

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Fabric First Principles – Delivering Optimum Performance

With rising energy costs and a growing requirement for more energy efficient homes and commercial buildings, Fabric First principles are now being widely adopted, particularly within the structural timber sectors.

For the last decade innovators in the construction sector have been developing solutions to address areas of thermal bridging which occur when there is a gap between materials and the structural surfaces. By improving the airtightness of the building fabric and the thermal performance of the structure – cold bridging can be eliminated and thermal performance enhanced – reducing heat loss, carbon emissions and ultimately, offering vast savings on energy consumption.

Numerous technologies looking to maximise offsite manufacturing, have embraced the Fabric First building principles, are now gaining traction with the end users – home owners and developers – particularly in the self-build, education, health care and social housing sectors, where sustainability and ‘whole life costs’ of the building are crucial to the specifying decision process.

The latest technologies will be on show at the Fabric First Event, being held on 18 November 2015 at the Inmarsat Conference Centre, 99 City Road, London, EC1Y 1AX. Tickets cost just £95+VAT and include entry to the conference and exhibition, plus lunch and refreshments throughout the day.

The event brings together distinguished and pioneering speakers from a broad spectrum of the industry drawing upon their considerable experience to deliver a comprehensive programme of policy and regulation presentations, technology and project case studies.

Speakers include:

  • Steve Hornblow – A2 Dominion
  • Douglas Drewniak – Bio Regional
  • Ian Loughnane – Kingspan Timber Solutions
  • Christopher Jofeh – Arup
  • Shaun Fitzgerald – Breathing Buildings
  • David Alderson – Climate Energy Homes
  • Paul Rogatzki – Hanson Group
  • Stewart Dalgarno – Stewart Milne
  • Gordon Evans – YOOP Architectural Practice
  • Ross Holleron – Zero Carbon Hub
  • Jon Bootland – Passivhaus Trust
  • Alasdair Donn – Willmott Dixon

To book your place, simply go to: www.fabricfirstevent.co.uk/book.

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Interior Film – refurbishment made simple

Interior Film from David Clouting Ltd is a self-adhesive, decorative film designed for a wide range of applications where speed of refurbishment is often time critical.

Interior Film can be applied to almost any surface including: wood, metal, plaster board, plastics and melamine. This enables walls, doors, furniture, skirting and architrave to be quickly transformed with minimum disruption and at low cost.

Features & benefits:

  • Safety – Self-extinguishing when tested for flammability
  • Application – no air bubbles
  • Durability – resistant to impact, abrasion and scratching
  • Stability – remains stable when exposed to heat, cold and humidity
  • Flexibility – can be adhered to complex shapes and curves
  • Economical – rapid installation, easy to repair or remove
  • CE Certificated –specify with confidence
  • Manufactured – by LG Hausys

Available in a range of designs and finishes including: Exotic woods, Leather effect, textured metals and Natural stone, the Interior Film range is also available to view on the BIMSTORE website.

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

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Relcross Automatic Door Systems Continued Growth at Harper Adams University

The relationship between Relcross Ltd and Harper Adams University goes back a long way with specialist installer Rowsman Ltd the happy intermediary. Since 2008 Rowsman have installed 25 Relcross LCN Auto Equalizers around the campus to provide occasional automatic opening for doors designed primarily for manual operation. The six latest to be installed are all in their new, and very impressive, Agricultural Engineering Innovation Centre.

Harper Adams University recognised that some of their staff and students would struggle to operate some of the doors encountered in the course of their normal daily routines. So, since 2008 they have been steadily installing LCN Auto Equalizers. These can be activated in a variety of ways including wall mounted push buttons and wheelchair mounted fobs.

When activated, the pneumatically powered Auto Equalizer silently pushes or pulls the door open depending on which side of the door it is mounted. After a short delay the integral traditional door closer takes over to close the door and complete the cycle. Power is supplied by a pneumatic compressor tucked away out of sight in a convenient cupboard or cubby hole and a single compressor can power up to 5 or 6 doors. The capacity of the compressor is selected carefully at the specification stage to accommodate the likely traffic profile (i.e. frequency of use of doors) and the distances involved between the compressor and the doors to be controlled. In fact costs per door leaf decrease significantly as the number of door leaves increases.

An added advantage is reliability and ease of service. A lack of reliance upon micro-processors and (often) complicated electronics means the Relcross Auto Equalizer has much less opportunity for failure. It has been independently tested to over three million full load cycles and requires only occasional, minimal servicing of the compressor, usually with easily available proprietary components. The compressor is almost silent in operation with a noise level of dB (A)/1m 45 – equivalent to a ‘country quiet’ sound level.

The extreme reliability of the system is one of its major attractions. Estate Foreman Arthur Broadhurst said “They are very cost effective and virtually maintenance free whereas electric doors almost always need something replacing at a service”. Some of the doors are fire doors and are in a “hold open” state which is automatically released in the event of a fire alarm. UK Fire Certification is in accordance with BS EN 1634-1:2014 (timber) – 120 minutes.

The history of Harper Adams University goes back more than a century. In 1892 a wealthy Shropshire gentleman farmer called Thomas Harper Adams died and bequeathed his considerable estate ‘for the purpose of teaching practical and theoretical agriculture’. The institution developed throughout the 20th century offering a wide variety of agricultural diploma courses progressing to the development of degrees and achieving its own degree awarding powers in 1996. Today Harper Adams University is highly regarded nationally and internationally and was runner-up University of the Year at the WhatUni Student Choice Awards 2015.

The University Campus is a single site and includes a commercial farm of about 550 hectares involving both arable and livestock enterprises. Their quest for excellence in all their activities is equally reflected in everything from their academic standards to the quality of the maintenance and facilities management.

For further information call Relcross on 01380 729600, email sales@relcross.co.uk or visit www.relcross.co.uk.

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Manifolds from Marflow Hydronics

Reacting to what customers want, as always, the technical team at Marflow Hydronics has modified its portfolio of manifold solutions and has just relaunched them as the Diversiflow range.

A centrally located, multi terminal manifold unit provides significant benefits when compared with the conventional approach of installing individual valve sets at each terminal unit. The Diversiflow manifold system houses all of the valves required for a group of terminal units in a single, insulated box and this provides easy and convenient access for the commissioning and maintenance of a number of chilled beams or fan coil units.

Nick Martin, Technical Manager, says “We have extended our range and we now offer four different types of multiple valve sets. We have the Large Linear, Small Side Entry, Large Bi-Lateral and Small Linear. They are all designed to be used with multiple terminal units and massive savings can be made in terms of commissioning time, as there’s no longer a need to visit each individual terminal unit to perform the task. Just visit the one manifold box and all the units can be adjusted.”

For more information on the Diversiflow range from Marflow Hydronics, go to www.marflowhydronics.co.uk/diversiflow.

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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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Is Offsite Construction the Perfectly Timed Solution for the Construction Industry?

The call for a quick and sustainable solution to the current housing shortage has created an opportunity for offsite construction to become a key building method to meet the demand in the housing industry. Kingspan Timber Solutions’ Business Unit Director, Ian Loughnane, offers his perspective on the offsite construction in the housing industry:

“Back in February 2013 the Offsite Housing Review was published by the Construction Industry Council – the most striking aspect of the investigation was the broad level of agreement amongst experts that the solution to the shortfall in housing stock would require the extensive use of prefabricated building techniques. The timber frame industry can certainly answer that call when it comes, which surely it must. The impetus required will undoubtedly be government led but it’s not just about the numbers. As a nation we need affordable, well designed and energy efficient homes that address the significant issues of fuel poverty and climate change. This combination of requirements plays to the strengths of timber frame and structural insulated panels (SIPS), which deliver the sustainable solution.

Energy efficiency doesn’t mean an explosion of high tech, expensive and ultimately obsolete eco-bling. The industry has invested heavily in getting fabric solutions that deliver high performance without the future maintenance costs that non-fabric solutions entail. This approach, synonymous with offsite construction, focuses on the delivery of an airtight building envelope to achieve sustainable and energy efficient new homes, reducing CO2 emissions, energy consumption and associated costs.

In the two years since the publication of this report we have come a long way. Offsite construction technology delivers a predictable performance level, with fewer construction defects or wasted materials. We are able to provide a marked decrease in the build time with a marked increase in the standard of build. This combination of requirements plays to the strengths of timber technology which offers a low-energy design as standard.

The compounded problem of lack of delivery of housing stock during the recession is now reversing to a large pipeline of activity where the pressure is building and the tap is about to be opened. Research finds that there are no regulatory barriers to the increased use of offsite methods and it is predicted by industry professionals that at some point there will be a transition that will see offsite components increasingly being used in place of conventional site-based construction methods.
Housebuilders have concerns over the declining levels of traditional skills, however as a timber frame manufacturer and supplier, I recognise that new skills are required for offsite construction and gaining the right skills will offer employment opportunities for many.

Many purchasers have no clue that their new home may be five years out of date as far as energy performance is concerned. The need to bring these matters to the fore is why the BRE developed the customer facing Housing Quality Mark scheme, which includes energy performance. The sooner the house buying public begins to look at home energy running costs in the same way as car buyers look at MPG, the better.

The market is definitely showing higher levels of optimism amongst the timber offsite solution suppliers, with more positive signs of investment and an increase in activity levels. The transition to a low-carbon economy presents our industry with great opportunities for growth. Environmental considerations will transform how our buildings are constructed, what materials are used and the methods employed. I believe that we are now on the cusp of the predicted ‘sea-change’ and that the time is right for the construction industry to embrace innovative timber technology and offsite techniques to develop better buildings at a rapid rate to enhance lives, minimise the environmental impact and reduce energy costs for occupants for many years to come.”

To find out more about Kingspan Timber Solutions visit: www.kingspantimbersolutions.co.uk

To book a CPD session: call: 01767 676400 or email: info@kingspantimbersolutions.com

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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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