Kee Klamp® expands its range of tubular fittings

Kee Safety, a leading global supplier of safety railing systems, has expanded its Kee Klamp® range with the introduction of 12 new types of tubular fittings. Designed for installation on steeper gradients, the new slope fittings offer builders and specifiers an aesthetically pleasing option.

The latest addition to the Kee Klamp® portfolio is an extension to the current range of slope fittings. The new components have been designed to enhance the building of guardrail along staircases and ramps, particularly when the slope is greater than 30 degrees. The new range introduces single fittings to cater for situations where currently a combination of fittings is required. Not only does this improve the aesthetics of the finished guardrail but it also allows for a quicker and easier installation.

The new range of slope fittings is available in the two most common sizes for handrails; size 7 (outside diameter 42.4mm) and size 8 (outside diameter 48.3mm). The new components form part of an extensive range of tubular fittings, the widest on the market. With so many fittings available, Kee Safety can provide a solution for all handrail designs.

Kee Klamp® is a range of cast iron tubular fittings that can be installed using a standard hex key. Each fitting incorporates an internal set screw to lock the respective fitting safely and securely onto the tube to create a strong, stable and safe structure. This method eliminates the need for time-consuming welding or specialist skills. Since no special tools are needed, workers can change and reconfigure Kee Klamp® structures quickly and easily. The Kee Klamp® system securely joins structural steel tube into almost any conceivable configuration across a variety of angles and is also capable of accommodating on-site variations.

“Kee Klamp® carries over 80 years of expertise in developing safe, secure and cost-effective tubular fittings,” says Vernon Barry, Product Manager at Kee Safety. “Aesthetically pleasing handrails are sought after by specifiers, so we are pleased to have been able to fill this gap in the market with our new range. Not only do the new Kee Klamp® fittings tick the design box, they also provide builders with a quick, easy and cost-effective solution. The fittings are suited for use in a number of applications, including the highway, railways, retail and education sectors.”

Kee Safety provides great customer service to support its Kee Klamp® range by offering technical advice, project drawing and an installation service. For more information, visit www.keesafety.co.uk.
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Gatic’s new high-performance access covers for paved areas

Gatic Civil Drainage, a global leader in engineered surface water drainage and access covers, introduces a new range of high-performance access covers for paved areas. Suitable for up to D400 weight loading, the new Pave range is ideal for urban public places and parking areas.

Gatic® Pave is a comprehensive system of single, duct and multi span access covers and frames for use in paved areas where an aesthetic finish with a paviour infill is required. The components of Pave covers are manufactured from ductile iron to BS EN 1563 and structural steel sections (removable beams) to BS 4-1 which are supplied with a galvanised finish.

The benefits of Pave include non-rocking under slow moving traffic, a watertight joint under normal rainwater conditions, and closed keyways fitted with plastic plugs to prevent ingress of dirt. Pave is also extremely secure and vandal resistant – the covers cannot be removed without the correct lifting key, making unauthorised removal virtually impossible. Locking bolts can be fitted as an additional security feature.

Gatic Managing Director Peter Burnap comments: “With a history of installations dating back more than eighty years, Gatic is without doubt the proven international standard for engineered, heavy duty access covers and drainage gratings. Our access covers are subject to continuous development to meet the ever increasing and diverse demands of our roads and infrastructure. Our wide range of ductile iron and machined access covers in a variety of surface finishes and load ratings ensure we have a solution for every size and specification of project.”

For more information, download our new Gatic Pave brochure at www.gatic.com.
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North Wales RSL standardises on Aico Multi-Sensor Fire Alarm for safer homes

Cartrefi Conwy, a Registered Social Landlord (RSL) in Conwy, North Wales has announced its decision to fit Aico’s mains powered Multi-Sensor Fire Alarm, Ei2110e as standard across its entire housing stock.

Having achieved the Welsh Housing Quality Standard, Cartrefi Conwy is one of North Wales’ foremost providers of affordable, high quality homes. It places the safety of its tenants at the highest priority and has a commendable 100% coverage of mains powered alarms across its 3,800 properties. A long standing Aico customer of over ten years, Cartrefi Conwy had been using Aico Ei160RC alarms, but has upgraded the specification to the premium Multi-Sensor Fire Alarm, Ei2110e.

The Multi-Sensor Fire Alarm, Ei2110e contains two sensor types, optical and heat, to constantly monitor smoke and heat levels, sending and receiving information via its intelligent detection software. This sensor information alters the alarm’s sensitivity and trigger points, automatically providing the best response to all fire types and reduces potential false alarms.

This was a key factor for Cartrefi Conwy as Property Services Manager Wayne Bannister explains: “Due to the combination of smoke and heat working in tandem we expect there to be fewer false alarms. They also offer reassurance to our tenants that they have a device that is cutting edge technology that will keep them safer in their homes.”

Cartrefi Conwy will be installing the Ei2110e to a minimum category of LD3, which requires alarms in all circulation spaces that form part of the escape routes from the premises. For its sheltered flats, it will increase the coverage to category LD2 which sees the addition of alarms in all rooms that present a high risk of fire to occupants. The alarms will be fitted during planned installation programmes and also reactively as required. In addition, they will be fitted as standard in Cartrefi Conwy’s new build development programme.

A feature rich device, the Multi-Sensor Fire Alarm, Ei2110e comes with sophisticated data extraction technology in the form of AudioLINK for single alarm data and RadioLINK+ for whole system data. “AudioLINK is definitely a technology we will be utilising especially where we have an incident” comments Wayne. AudioLINK enables real time data to be extracted from each alarm using its sounder directly to a smartphone or tablet via a free App to create an Alarm Status Report. The Report displays useful information about the alarm, such as battery life, alarm sensors status, number of times tested and removed; and any alarm activations, with details of when it occurred – all in a simple easy to read format.

RadioLINK+ technology will also be used to wirelessly interconnect Aico’s Ei450 Alarm Controller in all sheltered housing schemes and in properties where Carbon Monoxide (CO) alarms are present; and the Ei414 Fire/CO Alarm Interface which is installed in properties that are covered by a warden call scheme and have different detection types i.e. smoke, heats CO.

“Cartrefi Conwy use RadioLINK extensively and find it to be a huge cost benefit to us with reducing wiring costs” states Wayne. “The tenants have less or no decoration and the installation process is far less intrusive.”

Wayne is appreciative not only of the technology and sophisticated features of Aico’s alarms and accessories, but also of the customer service: “The service is excellent. Steve Trafford [Aico Regional Specification Manager] is always available to advise and calls in regularly providing me with updates. I’ve always been impressed with the customer focus of Aico and the user-friendliness of their products. I have made a point of standardising Cartrefi Conwy’s domestic fire detection to be solely Aico”.

A wholly owned subsidiary of Ei Electronics, Aico is the market leader in residential fire and CO protection in the UK. All alarms are designed and built in Ireland specifically to meet the UK standards and regulations. With more mains powered domestic smoke alarms installed in the UK’s social housing than any other manufacturer, Aico is tried, tested and trusted.

For more information please go to www.aico.co.uk or contact Aico on 01691 664100 or enquiries@aico.co.uk.
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webertherm EWI by Saint-Gobain Weber slashes U-values for Gwynedd properties

External Wall Insulation by Saint-Gobain Weber has been specified for the thermal upgrade of social housing properties in Bangor and Y Bala, North Wales. They have been transformed with the application of the innovative webertherm XP External Wall Insulation (EWI) with u-values that have been dramatically reduced while the aesthetics of the properties have been changed completely. Residents are praising these improvements, one reporting that their heating thermostat has been turned down to half its normal setting.

The properties, a combination of houses, bungalows and apartment buildings, are owned by Cartrefi Cymunedol Gwynedd, the largest housing association in North Wales. CCG was set up in 2010 to provide good quality, affordable homes and services, as an independent not-for-profit organisation which is registered and regulated by the Welsh Government. CCG has around 6,300 homes and is responsible for their maintenance and management.

Achieving Welsh Housing Quality Standard, in which social landlords are required to improve, meet and maintain their housing stock to an acceptable level before, or no later than, 2020 is an important part of CCG’s work. A total of £136million has been committed to improving homes to meet the needs of existing and future residents since the organisation’s inception.

The houses in Britannia Square, Bangor, are post-war, system-built, non-traditional Unity Structures designed with storey-level precast reinforced panels, metal braced from within the cavity, and poorly insulated offering little thermal performance. In Y Bala the homes are of 1960s non-trad Trusteel frame construction with similar thermal deficiencies. While upgrading properties, Weber’s EWI extends the life of existing buildings, particularly hard-to-treat properties, by keeping the old structure warm and stable.

CCG awarded the main contract to Willmott Dixon’s Conway office who in turn appointed specialist EWI contractor R W Hough & Sons of Flintshire to apply the BBA certificated webertherm XP EWI system with webertherm M1 render. Martin Hough rates the Weber system highly: “The webertherm XP system is a very good product. We have experienced no problems at all with these materials that offer speed and simplicity while protecting tired facades and minimising heat loss.”

Challenging u-value improvements for Britannia and Bala homes were calculated by Weber: properties at Britannia Square, Bangor were slashed from 1.42W/m²K down to 0.28W/m²K whilst an even more dramatic result at Y Bala saw the poor 1.60W/m²K pre-installation U-value reduced to 0.29W/m²K.

To achieve these tough target U-values the webertherm XP EWI system required 90mm of EPS insulation which was mechanically fixed to the external wall surfaces prior to the render application. The Britannia Square properties had an angled corner coin feature and the client required this to be altered to a normal square edge corner profile for a more modern look. R W Hough masked this original feature with an extension of the EPS insulation prior to render application.

The revolutionary webertherm M1 render is a through-coloured, factory-batched, lightweight mineral render formulated for one-coat application. The system was applied with a combination of pump delivery and skilled hand application. The first pass of render is applied at 6mm and the meshcloth laid-in and, as the render takes up, a second 6mm application is made to deliver a total of 12mm of render for durable, low maintenance protection. CCG specified a dash finish to match other properties in the region and Ashton Cream was selected from an extensive colour palette. Over 4336m² of EWI have been applied at these two locations.

Geraint Jones, project manager for R W Hough during the six month program, reports on the success of the project: “Everyone is really pleased with the results here. We had good weather right through the program. The webertherm XP system requires such a straight forward application process and my team are always pleased to be using Weber high quality products.

“The properties now look clean, modern and rejuvenated and already the residents are commenting on the radical change in warmth. I’m sure they will also notice that the internal noise level is also reduced. One resident has told me that their thermostat is now set at half the usual level and they have plenty of heat and are very comfortable. This will mean considerable savings in energy costs.” Gary O’Brien, Assets and Contracts manager, CCG, said: “We are very pleased with the product and the assistance with specification and supervision provided by Saint-Gobain Weber. We look forward to continuing our good working relationship with the company.”

For more information about this project, or for technical support, please contact Saint-Gobain Weber on 08703 330 070, or visit www.netweber.co.uk. Customers in Ireland should call 028 9335 2999 or visit www.weber.ie.
A free download of the new 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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GLASSOLUTIONS reaches new heights in Greenwich Peninsula’s latest development

Leading UK curtain walling, window and door fabricator and installer GLASSOLUTIONS has completed an extensive project for Kier Construction as part of the latest transformational development on east London’s Greenwich Peninsula.

Called The Fulmar and Teal, the project is a residential-led mixed use development on the Lower Riverside district of Greenwich Peninsula, a major redevelopment area close to the iconic Millennium Dome – now the O2 Arena – and Canary Wharf. It includes 139 homes in a mix of private, intermediate and social rent tenures across the three buildings, plus 218m2 of retail/commercial space, a car park and bicycle storage area.

Working to a design by architects DSDHA, GLASSOLUTIONS was appointed by main contractor Kier Construction to deliver all curtain walling, windows and doors for the external envelope of The Fulmar’s three blocks, the tallest of which is ten storeys. The Fulmar is part of a collection of buildings within an extensive project by property developer Knight Dragon who are seeking to create a new and vibrant district on the peninsula.

GLASSOLUTIONS played an important role is developing the fenestration specification after a revised approach was sought by the architect. In proposing a combination of Wicona aluminium systems integrating with high performance insulating glass units (IGUs), spandrels and sandwich panels, GLASSOLUTIONS was able to meet the brief to provide superb aesthetics whilst meeting a number of key design factors. These included a maximum pressure in ‘general wind zone’ of 1,200 kN/m2 and air permeability of 3m3/hr/m2 at a test pressure of 600 Pa.

The ‘stick’ curtain walling was fabricated using the range of Wicona Wintec 50 systems, which provide a slim 50mm face width and ensure excellent thermal insulation through the incorporation of a uPVC thermal break. Integrated with the curtain wall structure are windows created using the Wicline 75 Evo concealed sash system. This slim profile helped to maximise natural light transmission into individual properties and outward views, without compromising thermal performance thanks to a polyurethane insulator and an innovative glazing bead design.

A variety of door types were required, with Wictec 50 and Wicstyle 75 evo systems applied to manufacture hinged doors and swing doors accordingly. Ground floor doors were designed to comply with the RC2 European security standard. Lifting sliding doors feature throughout the development which GLASSOLUTIONS manufactured using the Wicslide 160 system. All the doors are fully complementary in terms of aesthetics and performance.

GLASSOLUTIONS’ IGU specification accommodates the requirements for safety, security, thermal insulation and solar control. It also addresses sound reduction to help keep homes quieter, with enhanced acoustic insulation delivering a maximum Rw rating of 36dB (weighted noise reduction).

The outer pane is 6mm SGG Securit, a thermally toughened safety glass, with the inner pane being an 8.8mm combination of SGG Stadip Protect and Planitherm One. The units feature a 90% argon fill 16mm cavity with a black warm edge spacer bar and polysulphide seals. This delivers a U-value of 1.0 W/m2K and a g-value of 0.49 or 0.51 for those units featuring a satin finish.

Spandrels are configured in a 6-16-6 unit, with 6mm SGG Security glass again used on the outer pane and the same cavity, fill and spacer bar and the vision units. The inner pane is a 6mm SGG Emalit glass with 60mm foil backed insulation, a configuration that delivers a U-value 0.45 W/m2K. The building’s design also required sandwich panels with a bronze anodised finish and punched mesh in matching colour for specific elements – all of which were installed by GLASSOLUTIONS too.

GLASSOLUTIONS’ external envelope project took 11 months to complete with The Fulmar handed over on 21.10.16.

Find out more about GLASSOLUTIONS at www.glassolutions.co.uk.
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Forbo launches new Flotex Plank collection

Forbo Flooring Systems has developed a new Flotex Plank collection, allowing users to create stunning, contemporary floor designs for areas where safety, hygiene and well-being are priorities.

Combining the comfort of carpet, the durability of a resilient floor covering and the design versatility of a plank format, the new design collection lends itself perfectly to contemporary workspaces, as well as high traffic areas such as hotels and transport hubs.

Offering six new designs: Triad, Box-cross, Lava, Seagrass, Concrete and Wood, in plank sizes of 100x25cm, the collection provides endless design possibilities, from colourful and complex layouts to minimal, sophisticated aesthetics, which use shape and pile direction to create a stimulating floor pattern.

Julie Dempster, Marketing Manager at Forbo, said: “With people now spending an estimated 80-90% of their time indoors, the industry is now recognising the impact creating healthy interiors can have on the well-being of a building’s occupants. This new collection combines the outstanding indoor air quality performance of Flotex with surprising designs and a modular format, so users don’t have to choose between functionality and high design.”

Flotex has been awarded the prestigious “Seal of Approval” from Allergy UK as, with the correct cleaning regime, it will not harbour dust mites. Thanks to the anti-microbial treatment Sanitized®, Flotex also offers constant protection against mould odours and bacteria, including MRSA and E-coli

Julie concludes: “At Forbo, it’s the company’s ambition to design and manufacture floor coverings that benefit every individual by helping to provide safe, hygienic and comfortable living and working environments. The Flotex Plank collection contains 67% recycled content (by weight) and is 100% waterproof, which means that only water and standard materials are required for an effective clean, using minimal hazardous chemicals that would have a detrimental effect on the building’s environment. “

For more information please telephone 0844 822 3928, email info.flooring.uk@forbo.com or visit www.forbo-flooring.co.uk/flotexplanks.
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Colour palette research shows consumer taste is not all black and white

Extensive James Hardie colour research has noted an emerging trend towards monochrome and muted design styles over the last five years, with architects opting to create elegant design statements in black, grey, white and off-white hues, in line with changing tastes of homeowners.

Monochrome might be leading the way in terms of volume, but it’s not an entirely black and white picture when it comes to UK house design:

  • In the last year, monochrome shades have accounted for over 70% of all cladding sales. Five years ago, the same palette would have accounted for just under 50%.
  • From the Hardie colour palette, Arctic White – a pure white – Soft Green and Light Mist (off-whites with hints of pastel blue and green) make up more than a third of all the company’s UK sales today.
  • Blue is becoming increasingly popular with sales of lighter and darker shades doubling over the past three years.
  • Sales of reds and greens are down by 20% while browns, previously integral to achieving an authentic wood effect, now account for less than 10% of all Hardie sales.
  • The James Hardie colour research is showing distinctiveness in palette choices across the UK, with remarkable differences in preference separated only by a few miles.
  • After white, one of the biggest sellers in Essex is Midnight Black, accounting for nearly a quarter of all James Hardie sales there. Yet in neighbouring Kent, it is one of the least used Hardie shades.
  • Elegant light blue weatherboard Light Mist has doubled its sales in Essex, but in Devon it is rarely used. These differences can to some extent be explained by environment, not just fashion trends.
  • No matter which county, in coastal areas, the consistent desire for pastels. Creams, pale blues and greens still dominate coastal sales, reinforcing how classic British seaside chic doesn’t look set to go out of style any time soon.

Rob Windle, James Hardie’s European commercial director explained: “As a leading materials manufacturer, we believe in developing products that will give architects the maximum design flexibility, not just in following the current design trends but in paving the way for future innovation.

“For us, colour choice in facade design is a key part of this. Colour palettes are changing and we aim to provide the right tools to design homes that will last for generations to come.

“Over the past decade, we have seen a real design shift taking place in the UK residential sector. The muted brick and block-style housing of the 1990s has been replaced with mixed-use building products and accents in next-generation smart materials such as fibre cement. The use of colour is also an increasingly important design consideration.”

The new Hardie research is showing homeowners are increasingly seeing the exterior of their home as an opportunity to make a personal design statement, much like the interior of their house. This is resulting in more flexible briefs for architects, lending the freedom to design with more colour creativity in mind.

And this shift is producing some stunningly bold results, with mixing colours, materials and installation techniques including horizontal, vertical and even diagonal cladding.

Popular material blends comprise red and yellow brick with render, cladding or hanging tiles; render and cladding; wood and fibre cement or metallic cladding together – mixing of natural materials and advanced technology is now another emerging trend James Hardie is observing.

Housebuilders are being braver too – top developers are paving the way with design statements. Berkeley Homes’ 750 house village development at Green Park in Reading boasts seven different coloured facades currently under construction, with more colours to come.

According to James Miller, buyer at Bellway Homes Kent office, “There are local differences in the colours we choose for facade cladding. This is mostly connected to environmental characteristics. For instance, in the South East, where we have many leafy suburbs, we would tend to avoid green shades as this would cause housing to ‘blend in’ too much to the surroundings, rather than providing a contrast. Ultimately we aim for the best colours to complement the natural environment”.

For more information please visit www.jameshardie.co.uk.
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The only roofing waterproofing membrane with a 40-year durability statement that also includes zero falls

Derbigum, the UK’s highest-performance bituminous roofing membrane with a 40-year BBA durability statement, now also includes zero falls.

Alumasc’s Derbigum waterproofing membrane is the only high-performance bituminous roofing membrane with a 40-year durability statement that also includes zero falls from the BBA (British Board of Agrément).

Whilst other competitors’ may have durability statements that are typically for 20 or 25 years, Alumasc’s Derbigum stands out for its proven reliability with a 40-year BBA durability statement – giving specifiers and end-users added confidence as to the product’s in-service longevity. This BBA now also includes for use as fully-bonded or partially bonded waterproofing on flat, pitched or zero-pitched roofs with limited access, and is the only bituminous membrane on the market with proven 40-year durability and approval for zero falls installations.

With a proven track record of success, Alumasc’s Derbigum systems have held a BBA certificate since 1980 and offer a variety of environmentally-beneficial, sustainable characteristics including: membranes with high levels of recycled content; innovative CO2 neutralising membranes; energy efficient ‘cool’ roofs; and vegetal, non-bituminous solutions.

Click here to download your copy of the BBA certificate or call +44 (0) 3335 771 500.
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Kalwall creates healthy shelter

Around 8 million people a year are expected to be sheltering under Kalwall at the beautifully-designed new bus station at West Croydon. Designed by Transport for London Architects, this is an unusual example of how translucent Kalwall can offer many different advantages above its normal use for translucent traditional building cladding and rooflighting.

The brief for this project was to create a user-friendly waiting and assembly shelter to service the thousands of passengers using this important and busy transport hub linking the 150 buses an hour with the adjacent tram stop and West Croydon railway station providing routes to Canada Water and east London, and via the tram network to Beckenham and Wimbledon.

The normal choice of construction for a translucent and weatherproof canopy would be to glaze the roof with glass, However in-house architect Martin Eriksson and the project team at TfL realised that Kalwall offered a better solution in this location which would not only solve the brief and contribute to a better design but would offer many other benefits over traditional glazing.

For example, since Kalwall is much lighter than glass it meant that the supporting structure needed to be less strong and far less chunky. In additional, not only would the shelter be less high but the vertical supports would be less obstructive and open up a better view of the environment including the very attractive church nearby which had previously been blocked from the view of waiting passengers.

Unlike conventional glazing, highly insulating Kalwall is far more attractive than glass while eliminating shadows and glare and the stark contrasts of light and shade; improving the experience for passengers below.

Also, due to the way it diffuses natural daylight downwards and at night reduces vertical illumination and reflection upwards, it controls light pollution on the surrounding high rise buildings. Soil and detritus are less obvious on Kalwall than on glass and maintenance and cleaning is much simpler because access scaffolding is not required and maintenance staff can safely walk across its surface.

One of the main attractions of specifying high performance Kalwall for conventional buildings is its unique effect on both the interior and exterior. Internally, rooms are flooded with diffused natural daylight which creates a stimulating and very attractive environment. Although translucent, it also offers the big advantage of privacy while the elevations appear crisp, simple and inviting. When illuminated at night they emit a very attractive ethereal glow.

Apart from being specified for all types of new build, Kalwall is increasingly used for the refurbishment of cladding or rooflights on aged buildings. Case studies and technical information are available from Structura UK Ltd, Tel: 01233 501 504 or visit www.structura-uk.com/kalwall.
Structura UK is the exclusive distributor of the Kalwall translucent daylight building system for England, Wales and Northern Ireland and a leading supplier, fabricator and installer of glass curtain walling, rainscreens, glass atria, windows and other architectural glass building products.
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SIKA system wipes graffiti menace clean away

Sika has the solution to eliminate an ever-present public nuisance and prevent expensive and regular clean-up bills – currently in excess of £1 billion in the UK each year – in the process. The global building product manufacturer has developed a product which not only removes recurrent graffiti with a simple jet wash; it acts as an effective deterrent to illegal fly-posting.

The removal process couldn’t be simpler. Sikagard®-850 AG Anti-Graffiti and Anti-Poster provides a permanent, transparent coating to mineral and coated substrates, as well as wood and metal. Brush, roller or spray-applied, all that’s required to ensure this superb system repairs a defaced structure is water jetting or a cold water hose and rubbing the graffiti with a clean cloth.

This negates the need for detergents, aggressive cleansers, hot water or high-pressure cleaning. Unlike alternative sacrificial systems, the substrate does not require recoating following graffiti removal using Sikagard®-850.

Following application, Sikagard®-850 leaves a glossy film. This enhances the colour of the substance it’s applied to and means posters, which have been pasted illegally, will fall off in a matter of days. As well as its excellent gloss retention, the system supports dirt pick-up resistance and displays high levels of resilience to UV and heat. It is also water vapor breathable.

Bob Orishaguna, Buildings Manager – TM Refurbishment at Sika, said: “Graffiti has become an extensive problem, spreading from the largest cities to highway bridges and trains. The availability of Sikagard®-850 could significantly reduce the clean-up bill for private and public bodies nationwide, significantly reducing the £1 billion sum spent in the UK each year on graffiti removal costs.”

For more information please call 01707 394444, or visit www.sika.co.uk.

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