Kiwa BDA Hosts STA Members and Guests

BDA Founder Professor Nico Hendriks spoke at one of two lunches held for the Structural Timber Association during the week of the Ecobuild exhibition. BDA Technical Manager Paul Oakley spoke at the second event.

The STA comprises companies who make, supply or install structural timber products or systems and also companies supplying services to the sector.

A key role of the organisation is the maintenance of high standards and to that end it has introduced its STA Assured schemes covering different parts of the sector. The highest level, STA Assured Gold, is for products and systems supplied to construction sites. These include Structural Insulated Panel (SIPS) and framing systems as well as trussed rafters and roof systems.

We are delighted that the STA accepts Kiwa BDA Agrément® as meeting the requirements of its’ Gold scheme and Nico and Paul were pleased to be able to explain the way BDA goes about its’ assessments to those attending the events, including manufacturers, distributors, architects and building control personnel, as well as STA members and senior management. Key elements of our assessments include consideration of the requirements of Building Regulations for the products or systems concerned as well as NHBC or other non-statutory requirements. Arrangements are also made with the manufacturer to ensure maintenance of the agreed and approved specification for the product or system every time it is made or assembled.

The availability of approval by Kiwa BDA has been welcomed by manufacturers across the industry and we have many assessments underway, including timber and timber-related products.

Other speakers at the lunches included new RIBA President Ben Derbyshire, QS Ian Dacre, whose practice, Rider Levett Bucknall has worked with the STA on an estimating guide and costing exercise, as well as senior figures from the Construction Products Association and the House Builders Federation who addressed the issues facing our industry as it rises to meet the challenge of delivering 300,000 homes a year.

For more information please visit www.kiwa.co.uk.
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High quality building design is key to meeting noise challenges in London

In conjunction with International Noise Awareness Day this week, manufacturer ROCKWOOL UK published a report on the impact of noise in London. Entitled, ‘Good Growth, Quiet Buildings: Exploring the impact of noise in a growing city and solutions in the built environment’, the report draws together information on health impacts, costs and government policy and highlights how growth in high density living coupled with the move towards a 24-hour economy means that London will continue to face challenges in achieving good growth and a good night’s sleep.

Key points:

  • Trends such as urbanisation, high density living and the 24-hour economy result in more noise – London has more noise complaints than anywhere else in the UK
  • 48% of people across the UK say their home life is spoilt by noise, whilst 41% of Londoners cite noise as a main reason for leaving the city
  • Noise is costing the UK £7-10 billion a year due to ill health consequences, loss of amenity and loss of productivity
  • Good design can and should create buildings that support health and well-being

Noise is already the number one complaint in hotels in London, whilst it’s also one of the main reasons given by Londoners for moving out of the city – with 41% citing it as a reason for leaving. Meanwhile, a World Health Organization (WHO) study found that at least 1 million healthy life years are lost every year in Western Europe as result of exposure to environmental noise. That makes noise the second largest environmental cause of ill health after air pollution, with the social cost of environmental noise placed at £7-10bn a year in the UK alone.

So, despite the pressure to rapidly deliver many more homes, hotels and commercial premises in London, noise mitigation must not be forgotten. Research also shows that quiet sells. For example, Premier Inn’s sound conscious hotel in Leicester Square is one of the best-performing hotels in London, with occupancy rates of 95%.

Managing Director of ROCKWOOL UK, Rory Moss, said “Building in noise considerations from the outset of a project is the most straightforward and cost effective route to achieving quiet buildings. By considering noise as an integral part of the design process, alongside factors such as aesthetics, lighting and layout, materials can be carefully selected to meet real life performance needs. With so many developments in the pipeline for London, now is the time to ensure we’re building to support our health and well-being. ”

Good Growth, Quiet Buildings: Exploring the impact of noise in a growing city and solutions in the built environment is available to download via the ROCKWOOL website. Visit www.rockwool.co.uk/about-us/news/noise-report for more information.
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Securikey’s unique Mini Vault Range Gen 5 stands apart in market space

Building on the success of its bestselling Mini Vault range, leading supplier of physical security products Securikey has launched the Mini Vault Generation 5. All safes in the new range are EN14450 S2 approved and listed in the AiS Safe Book to offer you maximum security.

As with all Securikey safes, each model is either fitted with a robust key-lock as standard with the option of a manual or electronic digital lock to cater for individual requirements. Securikey’s ‘Safe Logic‘ lock is a high quality option which has been designed based on user feedback from the previous bestselling Mini Vault range.

Most importantly, users can now register their safes against a unique identity number with Securikey. In case a user forgets or misplaces their six digit code, Securikey will use the identity number to provide a unique code to override the lock on the safe, therefore gaining entry at times of emergency. This feature adds an extra layer of functionality that is unique to the Mini Vault Generation 5.

The Mini Vault Silver and Mini Vault Gold Fire Resistant Generation 5 have an 8mm anti-bludgeon door that prevents attack by prying and brute force and is laser cut to fit flush to the sides of the safe. The entire range has been approved as a quality security product by Secured by Design, a group of national police projects which acknowledge products on the principles of designing out crime.

Furthermore, the Mini Vault Gold Generation 5 range offers the additional benefit of double walled construction using a fire resistant barrier material to meet standard DIN 410, and gives the Gold range a light fire rating

In order to ensure ease of installation within suitable items of furniture, such as wardrobes, fixing options are available on the base and rear of each safe, and high quality fixings are supplied.

Both variations in the Mini Vault Generation 5 range, the Mini Vault Silver and the Mini Vault Gold Fire Resistant have a high quality paint finish to RAL 7001 and now also offer branded livery for easy identification. As quality reassurance, the safes display the complete list of accreditations that each safe in the range fulfils, and a Sold Secure approved blue badge is fixed inside each safe.

The Mini Vault range Generation 5 forms part of the comprehensive range of Securikey products encompassing cash safes, fire safes, key control systems, padlocks, personal security items, convex mirrors and digital door locks.

For more information, please contact Securikey on 01252 311888, email enquiries@securikey.co.uk or go to securikey.co.uk.
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Metsec delivers framing solution for Thetford riverside redevelopment

voestalpine Metsec plc has provided its Metframe pre-panelised steel-framing product for a new Travelodge hotel on the Thetford Riverside Development in Norfolk. The use of modern methods of construction allowed efficiency savings to be made and ensured the initial build phase of the project was completed within budget and to tight deadlines.

Thetford Travelodge is a 62-room hotel and is part of a 41,000 sq ft redevelopment of the riverside area in Thetford, which will also see the construction of a three-screen cinema and five restaurants. Opened in Autumn 2016, the investment into modern retail and leisure facilities represents a key part of overall renovation plans for Thetford town centre.

Work on the project began in June 2015 with Metsec product installed onsite by approved Metframe installer Vietchi Interiors in just eight weeks between December 2015 and February 2016. The Metframe load bearing walls and concrete floors formed the top three storeys of the hotel building. The acoustic properties of the hotel’s building structure were an important factor in the design process to prevent sound travelling between rooms and having a negative impact on overall guest experience. The concrete floors specified as part of the Metframe design provided the high levels of acoustic insulation required.

Metsec was engaged early on in the tender process to help assess the foundation and loading requirements of the building, establish a value engineered plan and achieve any savings possible.

The Metframe solution was selected due to the structural efficiency of the system and manufacturing the product offsite contributed to a fast build, allowing that section of the project to be completed to a tight schedule. Value engineering the structure resulted in key savings. For example, reduced weight allowed the use of shallower foundations, which reduced the amount of materials required and the overall cost of the building. Metsec’s SFS in-fill walling was also selected for use on the adjacent cinema building.

Colin Kennedy, Managing Director at Vietchi Interiors said “With the Metframe product we were able to achieve exactly what the client required on time and within budget despite challenges presented by the winter weather and a location where access was limited by proximity to the river. Metframe was chosen for this project due to the greater stability and fire resistance of the system compared with alternatives such as a timber-frame kit construction.”

The pre-panelised Metframe system is a lightweight steel structure designed to meet the demands of the modern construction environment. The cold rolled sections are manufactured in precise lengths and the panels are then assembled off-site.

Stairs and lift shafts are an integral part of the Metframe system and are installed as each floor is constructed. This removes the need to rely on external scaffold for access to upper levels, providing convenience and added speed to the erection sequence.

Phillip Browne, Contracts Manager from Farrans Construction concluded: “The Thetford Riverside development required a high quality solution that would meet the required acoustic, fire and insulation u-Values. Metframe ticked all these boxes and represented a solution that could streamline the construction process while maintaining high levels of build quality. The build of the hotel went exactly as expected. It was simple and straightforward, the panels came straight off the delivery in the correct sequence and were lifted into place.”

For more information on the Metsec product range visit: www.metsec.com. Alternatively, connect via @MetsecUK or facebook.com/MetsecUK.
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The Natural Stone Show returns!

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Image: St James’s Market, London Portland limestone: Fancy Beach Whitbed; Grove Whitbed; and Jordan Whitbed from Albion Stone (Stand E6)

Returning for its 12th edition, the Natural Stone Show remains the only UK exhibition and conference dedicated to natural stone. Thousands of architects, designers, developers, stonemasons, wholesalers and retailers will flock to London’s ExCeL this April to see exhibitors from across the globe and enjoy 3 days of seminars; each seeking inspiration and advice for their next stone project.

If your marketplace is stone slabs, tiling or block; CNC machinery; diamond tooling; the latest fixing systems; sealants, adhesives, cleaning materials or another related product or service, then the Natural Stone Show is for you.

Natural Stone Show

Image: The Sainsbury Laboratory, Cambridge – England using Crosland Hill Hard Yorkstone paving from Johnsons Wellfield (Stand E25)

Natural Stone Show

Image: Private project, London   Silver travertine crafted by Ateliers Romeo (stand P16)

Register here for free tickets.
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South Shields starts a new chapter

South Shields is benefitting from a £16 million cultural centre featuring an iconic circular façade created with the Kingspan TEK Cladding Panel.

Contractors Bowmer & Kirkland have overseen the project, named ‘The Word, National Centre for the Written Word’. The three-storey structure designed by FaulknerBrowns Architects, includes library and exhibition space, IT suite, 3D printers, and café. The development, completed in October 2016, is part of a £100 million regeneration masterplan which partners South Tyneside Council with Muse Developments.

Creating a curved structure can pose a challenge, but the Kingspan TEK Cladding Panel was successfully engineered to provide a smooth, highly insulated exterior envelope. To achieve this, the structural insulated panels (SIPs) were designed and factory cut into narrow widths. This allowed them to be quickly and easily fixed to the concrete frame.

Steve McIntyre, Partner at FaulknerBrowns, explained their vision for the project: “The form and design approach of this iconic building seeks to establish a new benchmark in terms of quality of design, use of materials, and integration of public realm within the wider urban fabric of South Shields. This circular form encourages pedestrian movement between the Town Centre and the Riverside as well as having a striking and contemporary presence. The circular construction achieved with the Kingspan TEK Cladding Panel helped us to accomplish the concept of the spreading pages of a book.”

The 142 mm Kingspan TEK Cladding Panel installed on ‘The Word’ can help to achieve U-values of 0.20 W/m2.K or better whilst its OSB/3 facing and unique jointing system helps to minimise unnecessary air loss. The manufacturing facility where the panels are produced carries both FSC® (FSC®-C109304) and PEFC Chain of Custody certification. Also, there are constructions available that correspond to BRE Global Green Guide generic elements which achieve a Summary Rating of A+.

Councillor John Anglin, Lead Member for Regeneration and Economy at South Tyneside Council, said: “The new building needed to reflect our Sustainable Development goals, which is why we opted for low environmental impact and sustainable materials with a Green Guide rating of A or A+ whenever we could. This is to help us with our target of receiving a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating. We were also keen to ensure all timber used on the library was FSC® certified or equivalent.”

Both the Kingspan TEK Cladding Panel and Kingspan TEK Building System panels are now available in a 172 mm thickness, achieving even lower U-values of 0.17 W/m2.K or better.

For further information, please email literature@kingspantek.co.uk or visit www.kingspantek.co.uk.
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OPTIM-R installed at Aberdeen medical centre

GP practice staff in Aberdeen city are enjoying a new and improved environment at their purpose-built facility, with the help of the Kingspan OPTIM-R Balcony & Terrace System.

Woodside Fountain Health Centre is a bespoke build replacing the Woodside Medical Group’s premises on Western Road. The triple primary care facility offers a collaboration of services within the fully accessible building. The new health centre is comprised of 12 consulting rooms, a minor procedures room, treatment rooms, an NHS dental practice, and a team of community nurses. The project was overseen by contractors Miller Construction, which was acquired by Galliford Try in 2014.

The centre features a spacious roof terrace. To insulate this, whilst also maintaining an even transition from the internal area, 30 mm thickness of the Kingspan OPTIM-R Balcony & Terrace System was specified. Unlike conventional insulation, Kingspan OPTIM-R panels feature a microporous core which is evacuated, encased and sealed in a gas-tight envelope. This design allows the panels to achieve outstanding insulation performance with an aged thermal conductivity of 0.007 W/m.K, enabling the target U-value of 0.15 W/m2.K to be achieved with the slimmest possible construction. A further layer of Kingspan Styrozone was installed above the System, followed by a waterproof membrane and the final balcony surface.

The Kingspan OPTIM-R Balcony & Terrace System also includes OPTIM-R flex infill strips which can be cut to size, ensuring the System can meet all design requirements. When installed to Kingspan Insulation’s guidelines, the Kingspan OPTIM-R Balcony & Terrace System can provide outstanding long term thermal performance over the lifetime of a building.

Kingspan OPTIM-R has a BDA Agrément® certification for thicknesses of 20-40 mm. BDA Agrément® is recognised by professional bodies such as the NHBC and LABC, which can fast-track approvals and offers an assurance that the products are safe and effective.

For more information, please email info@kingspaninsulation.co.uk or visit www.kingspaninsulation.co.uk/optim-r.
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Kingspan Kooltherm K100 range expands

Kingspan Insulation has announced the launch of two new products to join their innovative new Kooltherm K100 Range, designed to deliver lower U-values with a minimal construction thickness.

Kingspan Kooltherm K112 Framing Board and K107 Pitched Roof Board are the latest products in the range, which was launched last year. Their advanced, fibre-free insulation core has a thermal conductivity of just 0.018 W/m.K across all available board thicknesses, the lowest for any rigid phenolic insulation board. This revolutionary composition offers architects, specifiers and builders the freedom to design and construct buildings with inherently outstanding fabric performance, without having to compromise on internal space.

All the products in the Kooltherm K100 Range are manufactured with a blowing agent that has zero Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) and very low Global Warming Potential (GWP). The insulation boards are non-deleterious, easy to handle and install, and are unaffected by air infiltration.

Kooltherm, Therma and KoolDuct insulation products and cavity closers manufactured at Kingspan Insulation’s facilities in Pembridge and Selby are certified to BES 6001 (Framework Standard for the Responsible Sourcing of Construction Products) ‘Excellent’.

The Kingspan Kooltherm K100 Range is now available on the Kingspan Insulation U-value Calculator, and detailed product brochures are available for download www.kingspaninsulation.co.uk.

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Sarnafil plus has Market roof covered

The roof refurbishment of Kirkgate Market in Leeds is a story of problem solving and partnership. Rising to the challenge, Protech Roofing and Sarnafil Plus delivered an exemplary solution, which allowed the market to remain open throughout.

Europe’s largest covered market, Kirkgate has 800 stalls attracting over 100,000 visitors a week. As part of a £14m refurbishment to improve the market for the stallholders and the public, the leaking roof, extending over both the 1976 and 1981 halls, needed renewing while the building was fully operational. Being such an important and iconic city landmark, viewable from many of the surrounding buildings, attention to detail and aesthetics were also incredibly important to the final result.

The Sarnafil Plus team did the groundwork to secure the tender with the architect, asserting the benefits of a Sarnafil system, Sarnafil Plus technical support and guarantee. Following this, Protech Roofing, a registered Sarnafil contractor, spent many hours visiting the site and attending meetings, gaining the trust of all parties.

Eamonn Cahill, Interserve senior project manager, said “Protech showed outstanding levels of proactive problem solving and integrity throughout the project. The Sika Sarnafil membrane has given the market hall roofs a smart, clean finish with the durability to keep the building weatherproof for years to come.”

The original design specification called for the existing felt waterproofing to be removed back to the metal decking. However, as this would cause massive disruption and with no guarantee of a watertight building. To combat this issue, Protech recommended a mechanically fastened Sarnafil system that could be overlayed onto the existing substrate.

A full Sarnafil Plus survey and moisture mapping revealed the worst areas for water ingress before the project started to assist with planning the work.

The nine-month project saw a team of between eight and 10 people working on the roof through all four seasons, including rain showers and temperatures of over 27°C., without the project or waterproofing ever being compromised.

Sarnavap 5000E SA a cold applied, self-adhesive vapour control layer was used to ensure temporary waterproofing for the market while the roofing work was being carried out. The SarnaTherm insulation boards were mechanically fixed into the existing roof and installation of Sarnafil S327-15EL Light Grey membrane with stainless steel fixings created a durable, weathertight and aesthetically pleasing finish. Sarnafil membranes are certified by the British Board of Agrement to have a service life in excess of 40 years, giving the client confidence in the durability and longevity of the roof.

A further feature of Sarnafil roofing systems that appealed to the client was that the Sarnafil S327-15EL Light Grey membrane is cold applied – welded together using hot air rather than with a naked flame. The system can be used without restrictions as it meets the fire performance requirements of BS476-Part 3:2004 and BS EN 13501-5:2005. This was an important safety consideration as the market had suffered a terrible fire back in 1975.

Six rooflights over 51m long were replaced with SarnaLites, situated close together in rows, making sure that the market continued to benefit from natural daylight. This part of the refurbishment was carried out at night to limit any disruption to the market below.

Sarnafil Plus visited the site regularly and a successful final inspection resulting in the issuing of a Sarnafil Plus guarantee.

For more information on Sika Sarnafil’s products and services, call 01707 394444, email sarnafilroofing@uk.sika.com or visit http://gbr.sarnafil.sika.com.
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Rinnai creates ‘system efficiency’ solution for longer life

Limescale can be a major contributor to a loss of efficiencies for water heating systems of any type, so leading continuous flow water heater manufacturer Rinnai has taken steps to maintain superior efficiencies throughout the life of the system by incorporating a proven limescale inhibitor that will significantly reduce the impact of limescale, thereby maximising efficiency over the product’s lifetime.

Rinnai has teamed up with electrolytic in line inhibitors, pioneers in limescale inhibitor technology, to maximise system efficiency on its range of A rated commercial water heaters.
This electrolytic scale inhibitor kit is for commercial hot water systems. Independently tested, it is a low-maintenance way to protect against the damaging and expensive impact of limescale on hot water systems.

Not only does it offer long lasting protection against the formation of hard limescale it also ensures bacteria has fewer places to hide as a result of cleaner surfaces, so in a secondary return DHW system the problem of Legionella is also heavily reduced. The independently tested and proven technology protects capital investment and occupier health.

The electrolytic zinc anode technology used in this solution is mentioned in the Part L Building Services Compliance Guide, whereas “external to pipe” water conditioning techniques are not.

The system’s low level zinc additions change the water chemistry to inhibit the formation of limescale by transforming calcite in such a way that they do not stick to the interior of the unit or pipework.

The system delivers value engineering as it does not decay after dosing and its effectiveness is not impacted by water storage or agitation caused by passing through a booster set.

Rinnai has recently supplied its system efficiency systems for London-based SGA Consulting, a specialist in low energy buildings, after liaising with the practice’s mechanical engineer Vivek Devan on two restaurant projects. Devan says “The Rinnai units are compact and their smaller footprint both physically and environmentally made them a good choice here. The scale inhibitor technology was also a factor.” Devan spoke with Rinnai technical experts before specifying the units and heard that Rinnai is actively promoting and selling scale inhibitor solutions following the successful results obtained from various trial sites.

The electrolytic unit may be installed in the rising main, before the water heater and booster set. Capex cost savings are probable because the rising main pipe size is often a smaller diameter than the hot and cold water distribution pipe sizes. Therefore, just one inhibitor system will treat the whole location, also offering an attractive value engineering opportunity.

The inhibitor is widely specified and installed in a range of sectors such as manufacturing, hotels, retail and supermarkets, healthcare and education as well as public authorities.

For buildings using BMS systems, a Pulse Splitter is an option that provides water flow rate or water usage data directly to the BMS from the water meter in the system.

The inclusion of the electrolytic system in Rinnai’s A-rated continuous flow water heating systems delivers peace of mind to installers and end users as performance is maintained throughout the lifetime of the appliances.

The scale protection units are available in a variety of pipe sizes – large 67,76 and 108mm; medium 28,35,42 and 54mm; and small 22mm.

For more information on the RINNAI product range visit www.rinnaiuk.com.
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