New weberend protect provides hydrophobic coating for buildings

weberend protect by Saint-Gobain Weber is the perfect solution for invisibly protecting external renders and other building substrates from water and liquid ingress. This hydrophobic coating prevents absorption of most types of surface contamination including water, oil and graffiti and reduces the risk of algae, moss, lichen and mould.

Easily applied by roller, brush or spray, this protective coating keeps the building exterior clean and dry, providing permanent protection against the elements while allowing the substrate to breathe, ensuring the façade looks better for longer. Water beads simply run off the treated surface removing contaminants at the same time.

“weberend protect ensures dirt, stains and other atmospheric contaminants do not adhere to the surface,” says Tracey Dempster, head of marketing, Saint-Gobain Weber, “so preventing deterioration of surfaces. By doing so it increases the substrate lifespan and reduces maintenance costs. It is also ideal for areas of high weather exposure where substrates might be damp, such as coastal areas.” weberend protect is UV resistant, non-flammable and non-toxic.

The colourless protective coating does not stain, and can be used on external renders, decorative finishes, masonry and concrete substrates, in newbuild, refurbishment and retrofit projects, and on historic buildings. weberend protect is also suitable for ground and horizontal surfaces that receive high levels of foot traffic and prevents chewing gum from adhering to the surface.

weberend protect is sustainably manufactured in the UK, pre-packaged and ready for immediate on-site use.

For more information about this product, or for technical support including award winning training courses, please contact Saint-Gobain Weber on 08703 330 070, or visit www.netweber.co.uk.

A free download of the Weber App for iPhone and iPad users is also available from iTunes and from Google Play for Android smartphones and tablet users. Follow Saint-Gobain Weber on Twitter @SGWeberUK for the latest company news and updates.

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Historic Chocolate Works preserved with Sika Sarnafil

Eight years after being put on the ‘At Risk’ register by English Heritage, the landmark Terry’s Chocolate Factory has a new lease of life, following extensive refurbishment. The 1926, Grade II listed building now starts a new chapter as a care village owned by Springfield Healthcare.

Once home to famous brands such as Chocolate Orange, the factory and offices were closed in 2005 and fell into disrepair over the subsequent decade. Eventually the building, which is part of a 27-acre site, was acquired by Henry Boot Developments for conversion. The renovations included a full roof refurbishment that was undertaken by Hull-based roofing contractor L.A. Hall using a Sika Sarnafil single ply system.

One of the key focuses of the work was to preserve and retain the art deco features of the building while increasing its lifespan. A vital element of the repairs was the work on the existing flat and slate roof areas that were in a very poor state, and a roof for the new additional floor of the building.

Principal contractor Simpson (York) Ltd., brought L.A. Hall on board to complete the roofing works, which comprised a number of disciplines, including heritage Westmorland slating, single ply, zinc cladding and leadwork.

L.A. Hall suggested using a Sika Sarnafil system for the flat roof areas, as it matched the client’s requirements for longevity and sustainability, and is the company’s preferred membrane choice. The project’s conservation officer was initially concerned that the system would be too shiny, but Sika Sarnafil provided a number of samples, and after discussions, the specification was welcomed by all parties.

The project was complex due to the multiple roof areas and detailing. To begin, the existing slating on the central north light roof slopes, which were remaining in place as part of the new scheme, were re-covered using a fully adhered Sika Sarnafil system including G410-EL membrane in Lead Grey.

In addition to the existing roof areas, an extra floor to the building was constructed around the north lights. Its steep slated mansard-type external elevation included approximately 60 dormer windows, which required zinc on all the vertical faces and Sarnafil on the tops. The flat roof area of the extension was then also covered in the Sarnafil system, along with 140m of parapet guttering detailing, and a new roof terrace area.

Nigel Drysdale, Technical Advisor at Sika Sarnafil said “We had a great number of details to consider in order to preserve the original look of the building. For example, the architect and conservation officer required a timber mop roll detail to the perimeter of the main roof and the dormers. So all the parties worked closely to achieve a practical and aesthetic solution, which involved creating detailed life-sized models of key elements. This collaborative and applied approach gave the conservation officer confidence that the detailing was sympathetic to the building’s heritage and that’s what we eventually installed.”

The L.A. Hall team overcame various challenges, including working on sloped areas, tight time scales and challenging winter weather, but thanks to the skill of the fitters and the flexibility of the Sarnafil system, the project was finished to an impeccable standard and on time.

All members on the team agree that the newly refurbished roof looks stunning and will defend this iconic building from the elements for many years to come.

For more information please call 01707 394444, or visit http://gbr.sarnafil.sika.com
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Impressive Results for Evinox ModuSat® Under BESA HIU Testing

Evinox are very proud to announce that the ModuSat® XR Heat Interface Unit has been tested to the BESA (British Engineering Services Association) UK Standard for HIUs, achieving impressive results all round.

Launched in late 2016, the BESA UK Standard for Heat Interface Units was introduced to help designers and specifiers evaluate the performance of a particular HIU on their network. This new standard aims to provide HIU benchmarking, similar in many ways to the well-known SEDBUK scheme for domestic boilers.

Currently, only a handful of manufacturers have published results for the HIU test regime, with Evinox being one of the first to undertake the testing process.

With an overall VWART of just 33.4℃, impressively low domestic hot water return temperatures and the ability to deliver flexible Keep Warm operation, the BESA test results provide a clear, independently verified confirmation that the Evinox ModuSat® XR range delivers outstanding heating and hot water performance for modern heat networks.

Mike Shaw, Commercial Director at Evinox Energy commented “We believe independent testing is a vital step forward for the Communal & District heating industry, and as one of the UKs most established HIU manufacturers, we were determined to be involved from the early stages. Our latest ModuSat® XR and XR-ECO models have been developed very much with the new standard in mind and we’re confident that this regime from BESA will lead to more efficient heat networks being designed and delivered”.

The BESA standard is currently optional for HIU manufacturers, however, Evinox believes this will be a mandatory requirement in the near future, and asks designers and specifiers to start insisting on the use of BESA tested units for their heat network projects going forward.

The full report and test results can be found by visiting www.evinoxenergy.co.uk, or contact Evinox to book a CIBSE accredited CPD Seminar on 01372 722277.
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Kingspan Insulation invests in new production lines

Leading insulation manufacturer, Kingspan Insulation Ltd, has announced it is investing €17 million in two state-of-the-art, low waste production lines at its facilities in Derbyshire and North Yorkshire, further enhancing its portfolio of construction and mechanical engineering insulation products.

The prototype Continuous Process Line 3 (CPL3) – which is expected to go live at Kingspan Industrial Insulation’s site in Glossop in August 2018 – is the latest evolution in the firm’s Queen’s Award winning CPL technology. The twin manufacturing line will provide greater capacity, meeting growing market demand for the premium performance building service insulation. Its precision central bore design will also set a new benchmark for production accuracy.

CPL production technology automates the lamination of the product’s internal and external liner and has allowed Kingspan Industrial Insulation to achieve significant reductions in manufacturing waste when compared with the ‘cut from block’ approach.

A further €10 million investment is being made at Kingspan Insulation’s facility near Selby with the introduction of a manufacturing line for Kingspan Styrozone insulation. The new facility will offer even greater choice to specifiers and installers, producing boards in a comprehensive range of lengths, thicknesses, densities and compression strengths. Once fully operational, the line’s advanced design will also ensure a 100% recycled waste stream.

Richard Burnley, Managing Director at Kingspan Insulation Britain & Ireland commented “At Kingspan, we are constantly working to identify and employ new and advanced manufacturing methods, keeping our products at the cutting edge of the market. These new lines will allow us to continue to meet the growing market demand, providing greater choice to customers whilst also achieving significant improvements in the efficiency of our production processes.”

For more information www.kingspaninsulation.co.uk.
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Fire resistant glass specialist Promat UK completes major new factory programme

Promat UK, one of the country’s leading manufacturers of fire, thermal and acoustic insulation solutions, has completed its multi-million pound development programme to create a new headquarters and manufacturing plant in Lancashire.

The 66,000 sq. ft. facility – The Innovation Centre – at Heywood near Manchester gives Promat UK a state of the art platform to grow its business and respond to the growing demand for high performance insulation and reliable passive fire protection in all markets, including the door, window and industrial sectors. The completion of the move comes as Promat UK announces that it has also now achieved its transition to the 2015 updates to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, the two key internationally recognised quality and environmental management standards.

The site manufactures a wide range of products from the company’s portfolio, which includes glass brands such as PYROCET®, PYROSEC® and SMOKESTREAM®, along with its complete glazing solution SYSTEMGLAS®, which is rapidly growing in popularity in the market due to its unique a 360 degree ‘wheel of assurance’ for architects and clients. Promat UK’s insulation products including DALFRATEX® – used in glass manufacturing and heavy industry processing – are also produced at the new plant.

The two-year Heywood development programme, which has doubled Promat UK’s production space and increased staff numbers by 20%, has seen the company relocate its HQ from its original home in Bracknell, and integrate its made-to-order workshop and specialist solutions operations that were previously located at Bromborough on the Wirral. The new factory serves clients in all industry sectors across the UK, with four new purpose-built CNC machines ensuring that bespoke products are precision manufactured to the highest quality standards.

The new factory is also designed with sustainability at its core, with a comprehensive extraction system ensuring that production dust is collected to be re-used in other fire protection products. The plant is also evolving to be a zero landfill waste operation by 2020.

Ian Cowley, General Manager at Promat UK says: “The completion of our relocation programme and creation of this superb new facility cements our place at the forefront of the UK fire protection market. We are delighted that so many of our team have relocated with us to ensure we maintain the highest level of technical expertise and consistency in points of contact for clients.
“It’s an exciting time for the business and the realisation of our goal to establish an industrial hub in the North West of England, where there is a great talent pool in manufacturing and excellent supporting networks.”

Part of international building product manufacturing group the Etex Group, Promat UK has been producing fire, thermal and acoustic protection solutions for more than 30 years. In addition to its range of fire resistant glass, which offers both integrity and insulation (EI) and integrity only (E) solutions, the company manufactures market leading high performance solutions which are used in numerous hi-tech, engineering and industrial sectors. These range from Formula One racing, train rolling stock and aircraft manufacture, to offshore wind turbines, the nuclear industry and white goods.

Find out more at www.promat-glass.co.uk.
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Longworth chooses SFS Fasteners for Birmingham’s new tallest building

Leading building envelope contractor Longworth is working with SFS in the construction of two iconic towers in the heart of Birmingham, one clad in brass, the other silver. The proposals will transform the city’s skyline and deliver a mix of luxury apartments and retail spaces.

The striking Left Bank development in the city centre’s popular West End is the brainchild of Regal Property Group, with finance by Aprirose, and will create the tallest exclusively residential building in Britain’s second city when it is completed in Summer 2019. Designed by Glancy Nicholls Architects, the buildings are already taking shape on a key site close to the entrance to Brindley Place. The first 22-storey building will accommodate 189 luxury apartments and 3,580m2 ground floor retail space, with the second phase being a 31-storey residential tower with retail space too.

The development is a prime location for residents as it’s within easy walking distance of the major attractions and landmarks of central Birmingham. It will also offer amazing city views as well as the relaxing canals, bars, restaurants and shops that align Broad Street. Due to Birmingham’s mix of modern and historic buildings, Glancy Nicholls Architects designed these two towers in response to the Grade II Listed building, the adjacent Brasshouse building, and the industrial heritage of the site.

Longworth was appointed by main contactor Wates Construction at an early stage, and worked closely with them, alongside the architects, for over a year in the pre-construction phase of the project. This allowed for expert building envelope input during a period in which there were numerous specification changes and as well as the overall design for the first tower. The final choice of surface finishes for the envelope demanded high quality fastening solutions that would stand the test of time and perfectly complement the crucial aesthetic goals.

The partnership agreed on the supply and installation of an Alucoil Larson ACM FR – Brass Brushed panel with a fire-rated mineral core. This drained and back-ventilated rainscreen cladding system for Tower 1 was fitted with an Nvelope bracket and rail system and powder-coated SLA3 frame fasteners, SLA 5 fasteners, as well as SX3 and SX5 A4 (grade 316) stainless steel fasteners from SFS.

Ben Parker, Business Development Manager at Longworth, comments: “We’re very proud to be appointed on the Left Bank development contract for cladding. We have brought a more creative project approach to provide a solution for an application that would usually be fixed with a rivet. Instead we chose to use self-drilling fasteners from SFS for several key reasons.

“Firstly, these fasteners enabled us to overcome the architect’s concerns regarding the colour match of the fixings to the ACM panels. We collaborated with SFS at an early stage to produce a number of fastener samples to get the closest match possible. Despite the challenge of the panel board’s marble effect which shimmers in different light, the tenacity and determination of the SFS team to deliver the right powder coated fastener result was impressive, and on the sixth version we knew we’d achieved the perfect match.

“We used the SLA5 fastener to help fix the panel to the frame as this fastener provided significant time saving benefits over predrilling for rivets, and they offer a secure installation with prevention of overdriving and unwinding. SFS supported us by making several pull out tests on site to prove the fasteners’ effectiveness. We also used SX3 and SX5 fasteners in A4 (grade 316) stainless steel fasteners from SFS for their improved corrosion resistance.”

Graeme McIlroy, SFS Regional Sales Manager, comments, “It was a pleasure working with Longworth on this prestigious project. It’s a perfect demonstration of our powder coated fasteners capability which enables over 200 RAL colours. For this project, we were happy to go that extra mile to ensure a truly bespoke finish for our powder-coated fasteners and ensure the architects vision of the building could be fully realised. Tower 1 looks set to be a stunning building and I’m sure Tower 2, which will be clad in shades of silver, will make a striking contrast.”

Find out more about SFS fasteners at www.sfsintec.co.uk.
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Thinking fast with Kingspan Kooltherm

A new special education and training college, dedicated to the future of the UK’s rail industry, is the latest project to benefit from the outstanding thermal performance of the Kingspan Kooltherm K110 Soffit Board.

The National College for High Speed Rail, which opens its doors to learners for the first time in September, is the largest of five new national colleges being created by the Government to ensure British workers learn world-class skills.

The Birmingham-based college has been designed by Bond Bryan Architects to embody the institution’s mission to pioneer technical excellence in the next generation. Constructed by Willmott Dixon, the facility contains a variety of practical and classroom-based learning spaces inside a visually striking, yet simple building shell formed from two intersecting blocks. The solid bronze cladding, redolent of the site’s industrial past, has been perforated in places with binary code patterns. This is effectively juxtaposed with the transparency of large areas of glazed curtain walling which allow onlookers a glimpse of the activities within.

This commitment to creating a truly contemporary facility also included ensuring the building was as energy efficient as possible and, in line with funding guidance from BIS and the Skills Funding Agency, a BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’ has been targeted for the new development. To meet these requirements, a fabric first approach was adopted and several Kingspan Kooltherm products were specified across the site, most notably the new Kingspan Kooltherm K110 Soffit Board.

The main entrance is defined by a simple yet striking cantilevered upper floor, providing a sheltered social space in front of the building. To insulate this, Kingspan Kooltherm K110 Soffit Board was installed by Sage Roofing. The product is a premium performance insulation board comprising an advanced fibre-free rigid thermoset phenolic insulation core with a thermal conductivity of 0.018 W/m·K across all board thicknesses. This performance, combined with its BRE Green Guide rating of A+, help to contribute towards the award of credits within the BREEAM assessments.

The boards can be fixed directly to concrete soffits using thermally broken fasteners, making installation quick and simple. The product offers excellent fire protection, passing all the requirements of FM approval to FMRC 4880 Class 1 fire classification. Further details on the fire performance of Kingspan Insulation products may be obtained from the Kingspan Insulation Technical Service Department.

For further information, please visit www.kingspaninsulation.co.uk.
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Kingspan TEK offers speedy fit at Surrey Square Primary

Offsite construction has facilitated the quick erection of an Early Years Centre for an Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ school. The building envelope was successfully completed in just over two weeks, with the help of the Kingspan TEK Building System of structural insulated panels (SIPs).

Surrey Square Primary School commenced a 10-year improvement plan in 2006, the final part of which included the erection of its single-storey Early Years Centre (EYC) and crèche. This new build is situated in the existing playground and will accommodate up to 34 pre-school children and eight under three-year olds. Earle Architects specified 420 m2 of the Kingspan TEK Building System in a 142 mm thickness for the walls and roof of the new centre.

Earle Architects commented on the specification: “The Early Years Centre and crèche have been designed to achieve harmony with the original Victorian school building through the use of natural materials including exposed glulam beams. We chose Kingspan TEK as all of the panels are PEFC Chain of Custody certified with low embodied energy and excellent U-values, to ensure minimal environmental impact.”

The Kingspan TEK Building System panels have been fixed to the glulam frame on the walls and roof, which provided a secure building envelope that was then sealed with a breather membrane to make it watertight. Following this, the rooflights were installed down the centre of the roof and the Kingspan TEK panels clad with western red cedar shingles creating a visually striking aesthetic. Kingspan TEK Building System panels are light which ensured there was less structural stress on the school building in addition to being easy to handle. They were pre-cut by delivery partners, Glosford Timber Solutions, to specification and delivered to site ready for installation.

Earle Architects added “The entire building envelope was manufactured off-site and transported to the school. The fast-track Kingspan TEK Building System panels were craned into position and fully assembled, along with the entire outer shell, in 2 weeks and 1 day.”

With their high-performance insulation core, and their ability to achieve U-values of 0.20 W/m2.K or better, SIPs have helped the school to meet the criteria for materials to be sustainably sourced and thermally efficient.

Mike Fleming, Director from Glosford Timber Solutions, commented “As a leading SIP provider and a key delivery partner for the Kingspan TEK Building System, we were able to provide a quick solution not only for the on-site build but also for the intricate design process. Both the Glulam Frame and the SIPs came together seamlessly whilst meeting the client’s requirements for both performance and programme.”

Kingspan TEK Building System panels also feature a unique jointing system which, in combination with their OSB/3 facing, can help to create highly airtight buildings. The manufacturing facility where the panels are produced carries both FSC® (FSC®-C109304) and PEFC Chain of Custody certification. As standard, the OSB/3 facing of all Kingspan TEK panels is PEFC certified.

For further information please visit www.kingspantek.co.uk

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With great height, comes great responsibility

ROCKWOOL RAINSCREEN DUO SLAB® has been installed on a new high rise building in Manchester to provide a fire safety solution that also delivers reliable thermal performance and superior acoustics.

In March 2016, construction began on a new high rise development, named One Regent, on Water Street in Manchester. Made up of 307 apartments, including six townhouses and 326 sqm of commercial space, the project sits at the gateway to Manchester’s city centre. The development was partially funded by the Greater Manchester Housing Fund, which aims to alleviate growing demand for residential property. Many new developments across Manchester are reaching great heights, presenting a number of different challenges for building contractors. In particular, fire spread.

This project required an insulation solution that would provide optimal fire safety, a thermal performance U-value of 0.18 W/m²K, and acoustic protection. Due to this, developer and main contractor, Renaker Build Ltd chose 21,000m2 of ROCKWOOL RAINSCREEN DUO SLAB® in 125mm for the project. ROCKWOOL RAINSCREEN DUO SLAB® is a dual density insulation board that has been specifically designed for high rise buildings. It’s robust and weather proof thanks to a compressed 15mm primary fleece that’s placed on top of the insulation and achieves a thermal performance of 0.18 W/m²K. A European classification: A1 non-combustible product, RAINSCREEN DUO SLAB® has been designed to slow the spread of flames and provides vital fire protection, allowing all occupants to evacuate the building safely in the event of a fire.

John Messer, Project Manager at Renaker Build, comments “As well as its leading thermal efficiency and fire resistance, one of the main qualities that stands out when using ROCKWOOL RAINSCREEN DUO SLAB® is the fewer fixings that are required to install the product. This helped us keep costs down during installation, in terms of product and manual labour.”

Renaker Build also liked the fact that ROCKWOOL RAINSCREEN DUO SLAB® offered better acoustic protection than other façade insulants on the market. With development in Manchester on the rise, acoustics has become an important issue for building contractors to overcome. ROCKWOOL RAINSCREEN DUO SLAB® significantly improves the acoustic performance of the external building structure from airborne noise because of its high density and randomly assembled fibre structure.

John concludes, “The project was completed to schedule in July 2017. ROCKWOOL RAINSCREEN DUO SLAB® not only saved us time in the long run, but greatly achieved the desired thermal performance required. It also provided us with a fire resistant material that gave the building unrivalled acoustic insulation, which is becoming an ever increasing concern for our clients. The versatility of the product was ideal for the project and gave us the optimum solution to each of our requirements as well as aesthetic freedom. I’m confident to say, this won’t be the last time we install ROCKWOOL RAINSCREEN DUO SLAB®.”

For more information please visit www.rockwool.co.uk.
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Altro resins transform University renovation

A package of Altro resins products have been used to transform a 30 year old building, which was previously part of the Hewlett Packard campus in Bristol, into the University of the West of England (UWE) Future Space. The building is used by Research and Development project teams to nurture start-up companies working in the fields of robotics and smart-controlled machinery and vehicles. The renovation project was completed by BAM Construction.

The timelines for the project were tight, but an added complication was that half the building needed to continue to be occupied by the staff of the Bristol Robotics Laboratory. This meant that noise, dust, vibration and odours had to be kept to a minimum. Lucie Phillips, at WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff architects said “We felt, as designers, that a standard resin or vinyl floor finish would look bland in such a large space so we started to explore the options of using a feature resin and we are exceptionally happy with the results of the final product.”

A combination of Altro resins products was used to create solutions for areas such as the circulation hub, main access route from the entrance to the hub, laboratories, workshops and corridors. Products were selected for their UV stability and slip-resistance, flexibility and durability.

The renovation of an old building into a home for such hi-tech industries demanded a significant transformation. Large new sky-lights flooded the central circulation hub with natural daylight, which in-turn greatly increased UV light illuminating the light-coloured quartz floor, so Altro and WSP Parsons Brinkerhoff enhanced colour stability by including clear UV-stable seal coats.

Polydeck Resins Ltd were selected to install the floors, but the project still faced a number of challenges, some of which were not anticipated. Polydeck were able to provide ongoing specification guidance to improve the resultant finishes and problem-solving assistance with programming before and during the installation in order to help to bring the project to completion by the required date.

For more information visit www.altro.co.uk.
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