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Good lighting is always essential but sometimes a well-lit interior also needs to be discreet when viewed from outside. This is the case with the very long Pier 1 which runs alongside the baggage system and gates at Gatwick Airport’s South Terminal Building. The two stringent requirements of privacy and security have been neatly solved using Kalwall®, with the added benefit of enhancing the long walkway by creating a pleasant interior ambience.

Kalwall offers complete line-of-sight protection, maintaining privacy for building occupants while bathing the interior with diffused daylighting regardless of the weather. It can also be manufactured for blast resistant applications such as in airports and other sensitive public environments, or to protect workers in areas at risk from explosions, such as in refineries or industrial complexes. Kalwall is also key to overcoming security concerns. Apart from providing visual protection, its inherent strength makes it ideal for secure locations. With heavy duty impact resistance properties, access through wall or rooflights can be denied while fire and most chemicals will not affect its surface.

Aesthetically, Kalwall will eliminate shadows and glare and the stark contrasts of light and shade. The system also enhances simplicity by doing away with the need for blinds, curtains or solar control. Even on cloudy days, the interior is flooded with natural daylight, which means less artificial lighting and, because Kalwall is highly insulating, energy costs are reduced. The standard Kalwall 70mm thick panel offers insulation up to 0.28W/m2K – equivalent to a cavity filled solid wall.

Apart from being specified for all types of new build project, 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.

‎Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has criticised ministers for delaying the final decision of where to build a new runway in the South-East for up to a year.

The Mayor accused the Government of ‘causing unnecessary uncertainty for British businesses already struggling with Brexit.’

His comments came after Downing Street postponed a final decision on expanding Heathrow or Gatwick until late 2017.

The decision means Article 50 – the formal move triggering Britain’s exit from the European Union – is set to be taken before any final decision on airport capacity in the South East.

Khan said “The Government’s decision to yet again delay deciding where to build a new runway will cause unnecessary uncertainty for British businesses already struggling with Brexit.

“Now more than ever, businesses need certainty and stability in order to make investment decisions and to keep jobs in Britain. Instead they are getting dither and delay.

“Now it’s time to get on with building a new runway at Gatwick, which can be built quicker, cheaper, and without the years of legal and political battles that Heathrow clearly faces.”