Latest innovations and products in the offsite sections of the construction industry.

Premier’s offsite solutions provide the best quality construction facilities in Europe, supporting the UK’s infrastructure growth

Studies show that people perform their work far more productively when employed in comfortable working environments. The team within Premier Modular have continually focussed on this during their product development phases and in their provision of temporary accommodation to support the UK’s construction teams. Premier’s buildings and services are supporting a large number of clients on a variety of significant infrastructure projects. A contribution to Premier’s success is a recognition of this productivity fact by many clients looking to maximise the performance of their staff and contractors throughout the life of their construction projects.

Premier have supplied around 40,000m2 of facilities in the last year that are currently supporting the construction of three significant UK infrastructure projects at Hinkley Point C, Sirius Minerals and HS2. On analysis there was a thread of common themes from these clients in their selection of office and welfare facility supplier. Firstly a business who had the capability and track record of construction of high quality and comfortable working environments. Secondly an innovative business with a can do attitude in terms of flexibility in product layouts and finishes. Finally and critically a company with a long history and proven track record of safe, reliable and focussed delivery in complex, difficult working environments.

All of Premier’s temporary accommodation is designed to be flexible in layout, combined with a minimum 2.7m ceiling height, 12m clear span and fully interchangeable configurations up to 5 storey height. These basic elements serve to create the basis of a great working environment, allowing for well ventilated and more comfortable office areas not hindered by structural columns.

Manufacturing through lean flow lines in Premier’s 5 factories in East Yorkshire, build quality levels are extremely high in this controlled environment and waste is dramatically reduced through smart design detailing, reuse and recycling.

Sirius Minerals’ project involves the construction of two deep mineshafts to access a polyhalite mineral deposit, connected to a 23 mile tunnel to transport the mineral via conveyor belt to Teesside, where it will be processed and shipped around the world to be used as fertilizer. Construction of the mine, one of the biggest construction projects in the North of England, began last year and is due to enter production in late 2021 creating up to 2500 jobs and £2.5bn of exports. Premier have supplied three office and welfare facilities for the mining staff and teams ensuring they work in an optimum environment. Premier’s client stated that “High safety standards and low environmental impact are the two major criteria that we have to fulfil for all our on-site construction, and Premier’s building design has allowed us to achieve that.”

Premier also achieved the aspirations of EDF energy for their temporary facilities; constructing 30,000 m2 of office, welfare and catering accommodation at Hinkley Point C to house over 5,000 construction workers, supporting the 10 year Nuclear power station construction build. Due to the complexity of the site restrictions, maintaining a motivated workforce is critical to the construction plan. The aspiration set was to have the best site office, welfare and catering facilities in Europe; something Premier is proud to have achieved as commented on by the site union representatives.

In an increasingly time pressured market, expectations of build quality and innovative design, need not be diminished. Creating the best working environment in your office and welfare accommodation for your employees and teams should not be underestimated. Partnering the correct accommodation supplier with the right product, attitude and demonstrable capability will pay dividends during any infrastructure project construction.

/0 Comments/by

Membrane innovation for the offsite sector

We caught up with Product Manager, John Mellor at Protect Membranes to find out about the company’s latest product development that offers a new solution for timber construction projects

Who is Protect Membranes?

We’re a UK producer of construction membranes for walls and floors as well as roofing underlays and accessories. Alongside our sister company Glidevale and its range of ventilation and building products, Protect has established a leading presence in the housebuilding sector, for both offsite and traditional construction. Our membranes are independently BM TRADA certified, meeting the required Building Regulations and NHBC guidance to prevent interstitial condensation and can deliver on technical performance attributes such as airtightness, vapour permeability and thermal resistance.

As members of the Modular and Portable Building Association (MPBA) and the Structural Timber Association (STA), our products are STA Assure Gold Accredited. They are finely tuned for offsite installation and can be integrated easily within the relevant construction method, such as timber frame, CLT and SIP. With factories based near Nottingham and in Merthyr Tydfil in the UK, we are well placed to service customer requirements in offsite manufacture. We understand the importance of delivering the right product at the right time to meet stringent factory lead times.

What makes Protect Membranes different?

We are well known in the industry for pioneering innovation. A good illustration is our latest product – Protect TF InterFoil. This wall construction membrane is a first for the timber frame industry, utilising low emissivity membrane technology with airspaces to achieve cost savings on the build-up whilst maintaining a low U-value that does not impact on the wall’s footprint.

Can you tell us more about Protect TF InterFoil?

It’s is a highly reflective insulation breather membrane, UV and heat stabilised for long term durability. It is designed for use internally within a timber frame wall panel to enhance thermal performance when used facing two still airspace cavities either side of the insulation. When used as part of the membrane system with Protect TF200 Thermo, our reflective, vapour permeable breather membrane fitted on the outer face of the sheathing board on the cold side of the construction, and Protect VC Foil Ultra, a reflective air and vapour control layer (AVCL) on the warm side, a 0.18W/m2K U-value and lower can be achieved, meeting the Notional Dwelling Specifications set down in Building Regulations Part L1A. Combining these Protect membranes ensures that the still airspace cavities offer low emissivity and significantly reduce heat loss, thanks to the high purity, solid aluminium foil used on the membrane surface. The correct use of internal and external reflective membranes will form a radiant barrier and effectively block infra-red radiation to increase the thermal performance of the airspace.

So what benefits can Protect TF InterFoil deliver within a timber frame panel?

As well as the enhancing the thermal performance of the wall, the use of Protect TF InterFoil as described above can provide cost savings based on a typical 140mm deep timber stud. The system can reduce the thickness of rigid, high density PIR insulation boards required or facilitate a switch to a reduced thickness of fibrous (0.032/0.035 λ) or EPS insulation (0.03/0.032 λ), without impacting on the wall’s footprint. This can help maximise land space and overall affordability by not increasing the overall wall depth.

This new innovation of designing a timber frame wall panel with membranes and unventilated airspaces enables developers and manufacturers to meet stringent targets without impacting on the timber frame construction process or significantly increasing the cost of production.

How can you help?

At Protect Membranes we have an experienced Technical team who can advise on the use of our membranes to meet target U-values. If the proposed build-up details are provided, we can demonstrate whether Protect TF InterFoil can be used within the structure to achieve low U-values and generate cost savings. We also offer a free U-value calculation and condensation risk analysis service using membranes as part of the build-up to help specifiers and offsite manufacturers deliver added value within their overall design.

For more information please visit www.protectmembranes.com or email johnm@protectmembranes.com.
/0 Comments/by

Opening doors to a shoppers’ paradise

GEZE UK is opening doors to more shoppers at Glasgow Fort which has opened a third phase of shops and leisure facilities at its out-of-town shopping and leisure complex.

With more than 100 outlets parking for 2,500, Glasgow Fort is noted for being one of the few purpose-built ‘uncovered’ shopping villages with a ‘two-sided mall design’ intended to recreate a traditional high street.

GGF-0418-0370(Wagamama)

That’s why installing the right doors were crucial in the design and specification of the new phase – not only to protect the new stores from the elements – but to maintain the fluidity of the stainless steel and glass aesthetic within its horseshoe layout.

The latest 175,000 sq ft extension – designed by Glasgow architects Cooper Cromar for owner British Land – includes an 80,000 sq ft Marks & Spencer department store housed within an iconic three-storey stainless steel-clad pavilion.

GGF-0418-0487

The store entrance has four sets of automatic sliding doors, powered by GEZE’s Slimdrive SL NT operators, to form a draught lobby and display area. The Slimdrive SL NT blends seamlessly into the uncluttered glazed frontage. With an operator height of just 7cm – it is almost invisible, virtually silent in operation and can move leaf weights of up to 125kg – ideal for buildings with high levels of footfall and a continuous flow of people moving in various directions.

GEZE UK

GEZE UK worked with Gray & Dick Ltd and Greenfield Contracting to create the entrances for M&S and seven other shops and restaurants on the north of the site where the new development is located. They include:

  • Fat Face
  • Footasylum
  • JD Sports
  • Mamas & Papas
  • River Island
  • Wagamama
  • Waterstones

In total 12 of GEZE products were supplied. In most cases the Slimdrive SL NTs were used to create the entrances for the units. Fat Face, Footasylum and Mamas & Papas, River Island, Wagamama and Waterstones chose seamless entrances, each with a pair of automatic sliding doors which provided flow and continuity with their glazed façades.

 

For JD Sports, a much larger unit, two Slimdrive SLT telescopic automatic sliding door operators were used to create two entrances across the span of its frontage – each fixed to glass. Like the Slimdrive SL NT, they operate quietly and boast an elegant drive design with a 7 cm operator height.

Said Martin Revie, general manager for GEZE UK in Scotland: “This was a fascinating project on which to work. Glasgow Fort has become a ‘go-to’ destination for shopping and leisure in the region as it combines great facilities, with an open and airy environment and contemporary design.

“The third phase of the development needed to combine the requirements of the businesses going into the new premises and incorporate functionality, safety and security while retaining the aesthetic values of the development as a whole.”

For more information about GEZE UK’s comprehensive range of automatic and manual door closers call 01543 443000 or visit www.geze.co.uk.
/0 Comments/by

How to choose a structural warranty provider

The latent defects market has increased significantly in recent years, with there now being more companies in the market than ever before. As such, it can be difficult to know where to look and what to look for.

In the following article we explore the varying aspects of a quality provider and some questions you can ask during your decision process.

The Cover

Different structural warranty policies do not necessarily carry the same level of cover. Whilst may be quite drastic, possibly leaving your buyers unprotected should something go wrong. There is also no consistency on the level of excess or financial limits. Although the best way to thoroughly understand any insurance policy is to read it in full, that can often be very time consuming. Therefore, we’ve thought of a few questions that could be useful to ask:

  • What is the policy excess?
  • Does the policy include a defects period?
  • What is the financial limit for each property?
  • Is there an overall policy limit?
  • Is water ingress excluded from cover?

The insurer

More often than not, structural warranty companies will provide insurances policies that have been underwritten by insurance companies, rather than underwriting the policy themselves.This means that any claims on the policy will be paid by the insurer. Compared to most common insurance policies, structural warranties last for 10 or 12 years, meaning that it’s even more important to check the quality of the insurer and to ensure that they will be around for the entire duration of the policy. One way of doing this is to check who is insuring the policy and then to check their financial rating. (Click here to check this)

Risk management and Technical Support

Although you are purchasing insurance cover, it is worth bearing in mind that it is the warranty provider that you will be working with for the duration of the build. As such, it is good practice to understand how they operate in order to determine whether they’re the best fit for how you work on site. Some question you could ask are:

  • Do they have clear technical standards?
  • Do they employ their own surveyors?
  • What technical support can they provide?

Customer Service

Another important aspect of your warranty provider is the quality of customer service they provide; after all, you will be dealing with the customer service department of your chosen provider a lot over the duration of your build, as well as them issuing all your relevant certificates. So, what do you need to know?

  • Will you have a dedicated account manager?
  • How will you track and measure site performance?
  • How quickly can you expect to get a response to your queries?
  • Will you be provided with any homeowner feedback?

Experience

The level of a company’s experience is an important factor across all sectors and all industries, so why would the structural warranty industry be any different? To get a measure of how experienced a company is, you could consider asking the following questions:

  • How long have they been providing structural warranties?
  • Are they a member of the Consumer Code for Home Builders?
  • Are they accepted by all major mortgage lenders?

Value

Rather than focusing just on monetary values, it is worth looking at value of your provider on the whole. Of course it’s vital to look after those all-important purse strings, but it’s also a must to consider the overall value from your chosen provider. By asking the above questions, and making sure you are satisfied with the answers, you should be able to better understand the value that your chosen structural warranty provider will be able to contribute to your build.

To find out more about our range of structural warranties call 0800 107 8446 or visit www.premierguarantee.com.
/0 Comments/by

EN12101 – Safety in numbers

,

Life safety provision within buildings has rightfully been under severe scrutiny in recent months, as it is vital to ensure a building provides a safe environment for its residents. Smoke control systems are a vital and integral part of a building’s life safety system and regulations already exist that place a legal responsibility upon a building’s owners to ensure the systems are regularly maintained to a specified standard.

Every smoke control system contains products that are subject to mandated quality standards to ensure that in the case of an emergency, they operate correctly and enable common escape routes to be kept free of smoke, aiding safe escape. In addition they also allow safe entry for fire services to tackle the fire.

In July 2013, the Construction Products Regulations (CPR) mandated the CE marking of all products used within the construction industry that are covered by a harmonised European standard (hEN). For smoke ventilation systems, the suite of product standards used in the UK and Europe is the EN12101 family.

There are a number of applicable standards within this family including EN12101-2, which covers ‘smoke and heat exhaust ventilators (SHEVs), prEN12101-9 for ’control systems’ and EN12101-10 that covers ’power supplies’. This simply means that for these products to be CE marked, they must comply with the relevant EN12101 standard.

Looking specifically at EN12101-2 2003, SHEV’s, both vertical and inclined vents, utilised for life safety smoke ventilation systems, automatically fall within scope of the CPR. This adds stricter testing criteria to ensure product performance meets the required standards and are compliant.

A key element of this standard dictates that the vent and actuator must be tested together, as a system, to all specifications within the annexes of the standard. Additionally, the tests must be conducted at an accredited facility.

The results of all tests are then declared via the certification process proving compliance to the CPR. The certification process also covers the fabrication quality of the vent, as a SHEV carries a higher level of manufacture classification, ‘System 1’, compared to a ‘standard’ window, which is ‘System 3’. If the actuator is fitted on site it must also be delivered under an audited process to ensure the solution is identical to how it was tested.

Products from most leading façade system providers are now tested with SE Controls actuators to this standard, utilising the company’s extensive range of uniquely UK manufactured products.

Merely fitting an actuator to a vent or window, unless they have been tested together, does not provide a compliant solution and compromises the effectiveness of the life safety system.

Non-compliance is policed in the main by Approved Inspectors and Building Control Officers who now look for proof of certification under the directions of BS7346-8 – 2013 ‘Components for smoke control systems Code of Practice for planning, design, installation, commissioning and maintenance’ throughout the construction process.

Complacency and lack of understanding is the issue at hand

It is a common misunderstanding that the Approved Inspector takes responsibility for certification via inspection, however this is not the case, as the responsibility lies with the person placing the product onto the market. Yes, inspectors and clients should and will pick up non-compliance, but they are not fully accountable.

Unfortunately, if proof of compliance cannot be provided, it is too late to sign-off the building, resulting in delays and compensation claims under damage clauses. However, should a non-compliant smoke vent fail during a fire incident, the consequences are far more severe not only to the occupants, but also to the company whose products failed to meet the standard.

Alongside a range of actuators, SE Controls also offers the OSLoop, OS2 and PSU Smoke Control Systems, all of which are compliant to EN12101-10.

From a building design perspective, many SE Controls actuators and control systems are now available as BIM objects, which include extensive product information and COBie data. Whilst this is a complex set of regulations, compliance and a certified solution is verified by a Declaration of Performance (DoP), combined with their delivery qualifications, both on and off-site.

The DoP contains reference to the Notified Approved Body that underwrites the process and the test references. It also contains the performance criteria against the test annexes in the form of declared essential characteristics and is signed by a Director of the company placing the SHEV onto the market.

Whether installation is carried out by SE Controls or an approved SE Controls Installation Partner, a Notified Approved Body will have already underwritten the process.

The entire industry is responsible for ensuring the highest possible standards are met and maintained for life safety systems, however for building owners and product manufacturers, when it comes to smoke ventilations systems, if a DoP cannot be produced, the system is not compliant.

For more information please visit www.secontrols.com.
/0 Comments/by

Hybrid modular construction grows in both residential and commercial sectors

VRC Homes have experienced growth in supply of their BOPAS accredited modular construction system in both the residential and commercial sectors.

With development finance providers setting tougher repayment requirements, an increasing number of developers are finding the use of the VRC modular system gives them an added advantage in knowing they can meet those requirements.

As the system allows internal building work to commence within days of being on site, the developer has a head start over traditional methods of construction. Based on a simple system of galvanised steel cassettes and pillars, the system has proven that using a mix of off-site and on-site construction methods, a controlled build environment is maintained.

Assembly is local to site or on site, so reducing road miles. The modules are bolted together, with the roof trusses fitted as soon as the scaffolding is erected. External fabric build can start straight away, complementing the quick start of the internal build. First fix is very easy as there are 300mm voids to run services between each floor.

Adapting for market conditions, VRC have found solid growth in the apartment, house and self- build sectors. Commenting on the increasing interest in the system, managing director Michael Philpot said “We are attempting to make the construction simpler and more transparent for both the smaller developer as well as the self-builder. Evidence has shown that with high plot prices, more people are looking at alternatives to turnkey builds, either through self-manage or in the case of councils, developing apprenticeship schemes. Therefore, it has to be at a level of construction understanding they feel comfortable with.”

Adding to the range of alternative solutions to traditional methods of working, VRC Homes have launched ‘Pop Up’ modular accommodation units. Based on foldable modules, the great advantage is the increased utilisation of transport by a factor of 5. Two people can erect a module in 4 minutes. The modules have been designed in compliance with international transportation standards.

Telephone: 01223 459931, Email: sales@vrchomes.co.uk, Web: www.vrchomes.co.uk
/0 Comments/by

Don’t play with fire

,

The tragic events of the Grenfell disaster last year cast a long shadow and one that will remain with the industry for decades to come. Of course lessons will be learnt and perhaps at long last due attention will be paid to safety above other considerations when deciding upon risk critical building products such as fire doors and fire door assemblies. More immediately however we all await the inevitable changes to legislation and good practice, following Dame Judith Hackitt’s independent review and how it will shape future product specification, installation and ongoing use throughout the life cycle of the building.

Understandably this has resulted in concern amongst specifiers and stake holders as they try to evaluate current practices and plan for potential future changes, especially in respect to high-rise and complex buildings. After all the specification of fire doors is not a game, and as we all know can have far reaching consequences. It is little wonder therefore, that for specifiers in the modular and off-site construction sector using Vicaima products, that feeling of anxiety and apprehension regarding past, current and future use of fire doors is not an issue; providing of course that they have been correctly installed.

Of course the fire door in itself does not provide the complete solution, this can only be achieved with compatible and rigorously tested components, including the correct frame and ironmongery. This is why alongside fire doors, Vicaima also manufacture an extensive range of door kit solutions to create a complete, fully tested assembly via our Easi-Fit and Portaro brands. These products include a full scope of performance characteristics for current and future industry specifications, namely:

  • Fire Tested to BS 476 Part 22 and BS EN 1634-1:2014
  • Secure by Design approved products
  • Acoustic performance, both inherent and additional as required
  • FD30 to FD90 rated, with fire and smoke solutions
  • Durability with DD171 and EN 1192 severe duty rating
  • Mobility provision via glazing and dimensional flexibility
  • Environmentally sound (all products are FSC Certified)
  • Long life with a 10 Year Guarantee

As specialist fire performance door manufacturers Vicaima have long understood the need to go above and beyond industry norms and simple compliance to provide ultimate peace of mind. Vicaima has always prided itself on the construction of its fire doors, never cutting corners or compromising, regardless of whether it’s a humble painted door or a cutting edge designer product. After all sometimes it is what you cannot see that makes the difference in a safe fire door. This is perhaps best illustrated with the Vicaima standard FD30 fire door. Manufactured using fully solid cores and a traditional stile and rail perimeter to enable reliable fixing of ironmongery i.e. hinges, door closures etc.

Among the many important recommendations outlined within the Independent Review, is the need for third party accreditation when it comes to fire doors. Here Vicaima adhere to not one but two nationally recognised and highly reputable bodies to verify the performance of our fire performance products, namely BWF-Certifire and BM TRADA Q-Mark. In each case traceability is assured with the use of tamper evident labels and plastic plugs to provide clear understanding of fire rating and of course origin of manufacture. You or indeed future custodians of fitted fire doors will be left in no doubt simply by looking at the top edge of any Vicaima fire door. Here crystal clear identification marking alongside a detailed inkjet stamp system to identify exact batch and date of manufacture, enables Vicaima to establish complete control of our products throughout their lifecycle.

Of course fire safety does not need to equate to mundane or style less performance solutions. Occupier and environment user satisfaction should never be compromised and with Vicaima innovative design options the scope is almost limitless; encompassing as it does finish foil, veneer, laminates and paint lacquered surfaces; with cost effective products for this developing sector.

For more information regarding Vicaima Fire and other performance solutions visit www.vicaima.com.
/0 Comments/by

Scotframe Val-U-Therm PLUS® for PassivHaus – Probably the best U-Value wall in the World

From the UK’s first PassivHaus for rent – which won a Green Apple Award – to examples that exceed the PassivHaus standard, Scotframe Timber Engineering has been leading the way in energy-efficient building for many years.

A UK market leader in full timber frame packages for new housing and commercial projects, Scotframe exclusively offers the Val-U-Therm PLUS® closed panel building system, which can be used for walls, roofs and floors. The U-values achieved by Val-U-Therm PLUS® wall panels (0.08 W/m2K) are probably the best in the world.

A key factor in achieving this extraordinary performance is that the insulation is injected in off-site, quality-controlled factory conditions. The foam expands into every nook and cranny, providing a best-in-class BR443 U-value correction factor of zero.

PassivHaus requires the whole building envelope to work in unison – and this is where an integrated building system like Val-U-Therm PLUS® comes into its own, as it offers wall, floor and roof panels that have been thermally engineered to perform as an optimum combination. As well as excellent thermal insulation performance, details are available to minimise thermal bridging and give excellent airtight fabric levels.

The Maryville PassivHaus in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park delivered a total primary energy demand of 69 kWh/m2a (significantly exceeding the PassivHaus requirement of 120 kWh/m2a) using the ‘Fabric First’ thermal detailing offered by Scotframe. This is transported to site in flat-pack configuration and provides a “fit and forget” low maintenance thermal solution.

The ‘Fabric First’ approach, which is also suitable for commercial buildings, achieved an air tightness of 0.475 ACH at the Rocking Horse Nursery at the University of Aberdeen, which caters for 78 pre-school children.

Scotframe’s expertise really shines when it comes to offering buildings which are beautifully designed as well as technically excellent. The sky really is the limit when it comes to design – so not just boring rectangular boxes, but buildings that tick all the boxes in your clients’ wish lists.

Scotframe homes and buildings are warm and draught-proof in winter, cool and well ventilated in summer, healthy for all the family and enjoy remarkably low energy bills. Scotframe Val-U-Therm PLUS® allows the construction of typical family homes that can cost less than £95 a year to heat.

As well as design and quality, clients are also becoming increasingly interested in the environmental and sustainability credentials of building materials. Scotframe’s timber is sourced from sustainably managed forests governed by PEFC and FSC, and the insulation in Val-U-Therm PLUS® panels is fully recyclable and has zero ozone depletion potential. It is CFC, HFC and HCFC-free and has a Global Warming Potential of less than 5. This means it has a BRE Green Guide A/A+ Rating – the same as straw bales or sheep’s wool. All this makes a Scotframe kit an excellent choice for the environmentally conscious client or builder.

The great news is that if an integrated building system like Scotframe Val-U-Therm PLUS® is used, building to PassivHaus standards is not necessarily more expensive or time consuming. One study by Edinburgh Napier University compared the cost per square metre of superstructure using 10 different building systems. Scotframe Val-U-Therm cost £1092 when built to PassivHaus standards, whilst the other nine systems ranged from £711 to £ 1138 when built only to existing Building Regulations. It took 65 days to build a Scotframe home to PassivHaus standards; the other 26 homes ranged from 49 to 126 days to build – but only to existing Building Regulations.

The Scotframe Val-U-Therm® building system was originally launched in 2011 and has been used in over 8,000 homes with an excellent track record. It has been independently accredited by the British Board of Agrément, including verification of structural, fire and thermal performance, condensation risk, sound insulation and durability. It also has its own BBA Certificate 17/5421.
It is accepted by financial institutions, NHBC and Premier Guarantee, and the panels have a 60-year minimum service life – twice the mortgage cycle.

So for a high quality, energy efficient, green and beautifully designed PassivHaus home – think Scotframe Val-U-Therm PLUS®.

Scotframe Timber Engineering and Val-U-Therm are proud to be part of the Saint Gobain Group of Companies.

For more information please visit www.scotframe.co.uk
/0 Comments/by

Freefoam highlights the benefits of using PVC Roofline in offsite construction

With the well documented housing shortage said to be a ticking time-bomb and the government’s ambitious undertaking to build 200,000 homes by 2020 to address the shortfall, it’s clear that the traditional construction sector, in its current state, is unlikely to be able to meet the demand for new housing on its own.

The advance of off-site construction technologies in recent times would suggest that off-site manufacturing has the potential to play a major role in resolving this issue and increasing house construction capacity enough to meet demand.

Off-site construction aims to replicate the controlled environment that would usually be associated with manufacturing and apply it to the construction process by moving construction into a factory environment.

Constructing buildings in a controlled factory environment has shown numerous benefits:

  • Studies have shown that less labour is required for off-site construction and the assembly processes involved means workers require less training
  • Improved planning and standardisation can significantly reduce waste while improving the standard of workmanship. The increased predictability in the process also increases safety
  • The increased standardisation reduces construction time and protection from poor weather conditions also reduces delays

Freefoam Building Products manufacture pvc product ranges that are the perfect fit for off-site construction, whether fitted in the factory or prepared for final fitting later.

The External wall and roof are the two main elements of a buildings superstructure and the junction is critical for the long-term function of the building fabric. Freefoam roof trim system makes protecting the junction and the roof structure easy.

Freefoam roofline product range is lightweight and easy to handle as well as having the required durability, both for transportation and when fitted, which is why Freefoam can confidently offer market leading guarantees of up to 50 years on roofline products.

The Freefoam roofline system is designed to slot together with ease and includes a range of matching finishing trims for virtually any design scenario. This systemised nature means they can be fitted by a relatively low skilled workforce with minimal tooling and minimal waste, which aligns them perfectly with the benefits of off-site manufacturing.

Freefoam’s Fortex and X-Wood cladding ranges are specially designed for rainscreen systems, which are a modern approach to external wall construction, perfect for achieving the breathability and high insulation levels required in modern, sustainable timber wall constructions. When fitted with insulation materials the Building Research Establishment (BRE) Green Guide to Specification has given PVC cladding an A+ rating.

When fitted correctly, Freefoam cladding systems can be expected to protect the external fabric of the building for at least 20 years.

The cladding systems are extremely lightweight compared to similar alternatives which makes them ideal for transportation and, like the roof trim systems, are designed to be installed quickly, by general tradespeople.

Colin St John, Commercial Director explained “The controlled environment of off-site construction successfully replicates the benefits that we as construction product manufacturers have been accustomed to in our own factories for decades. High tolerance standards, product consistency, low waste and ease of assembly are already a minimum standard for all Freefoam products.

The evolution of construction into a manufacturing process dovetails perfectly with the systemised roofline, rainwater and cladding systems that we produce.

All Freefoam products are manufactured in a controlled manufacturing environment and have been designed to provide the precise standard of finish that is required in an off-site construction environment.”

/0 Comments/by

The next generation of commercial windows

Advances in window systems and exciting new composite materials are turning perceptions on their heads and extending the limits of commercial windows and doors.

First generation PVC-U windows and doors were bulky and unattractive and came in a very limited range of colours. And if you wanted very big windows and tall, or very tall doors standard PVC-U isn’t the answer. So, specifiers have traditionally favoured aluminium for commercial projects for aluminium’s strong, slim profiles and wide colour selection. But the rate and scale of development in commercial windows has been phenomenal, and it’s now possible to have the best of aluminium with the best of PVC-U in one window. Specifiers can now have the warmth and energy efficiency of PVC-U and the sustainability, strength, looks, and the colour choice of aluminium in high performance composite commercial windows.

Linktrusion™ – the latest exciting commercial innovation by Deceuninck

This new solution is based on Deceuninck’s Linktrusion™ technology, and it comes with many exciting new benefits.

Linktrusion™ composite technology is a true innovation that breaks new ground in the commercial sector. This patented technology is used in our composite 5000 window system which incorporates immensely-strong pultruded glass-fibre in the profiles, plus optional patented thermal reinforcement with embedded steel wires in a low density insulating foam core encased in recycled PVC-U for excellent U values.

Windows manufactured with Linktrusion™ are as strong as steel reinforced windows, but 30% more thermally efficient, with up to 40% savings on materials and weight. Linktrusion™ technology is the first to remove the need for traditional steel reinforcement, and its inherent great strength allows specifiers to consider using very tall windows and very large doors (1100 x 2500 or 1150 x 2400 for a single door). The windows have slim sightlines, are available in countless Decoroc and foiled colours and are 100% recyclable. Feedback from specifiers has been extremely positive. London and Quadrant (L & Q) for example specified this ground-breaking technology for their recent flagship complex in Abbey Road, Barking. L&Q is one of the UK’s leading housing associations and one of the largest residential developers in London. The organisation wanted windows with top performance and aesthetics. Using Deceuninck’s unique LinktrusionTM technology the project was completed in Decoroc Anthracite grey RAL 7016 – a very popular choice of colour in the commercial sector.

Forging strong ties with commercial fabricators and contractors

Deceuninck has an exciting portfolio of commercial projects including Imperial College London (1,100 apartments), Hinkley Point staff accommodation (1,400 apartments), Ocean Village in Southampton (700 frames), and Trafford House in Basildon (4,500 apartments). We develop strong, close relationships with commercial partners to help them meet project specifications, and our technical support team is available to help with complex issues such as weather performance, energy efficiency and increasingly, acoustics.

Acoustics is fast becoming a critical factor in commercial specification, with developers keen to reduce the impact of noise pollution. That’s why Deceuninck is currently investing in systematic acoustic testing of its full range. As far as we’re aware, we’re the first PVC-U window systems company to make this commitment. Working in partnership with one of the country’s leading acoustic testing centres at the University of Salford, we’ve completed testing of our 2500 and 5000, and Fully Reversible Window, with further testing in progress.

Deceuninck’s acoustic expertise was crucial in the Hinkley Point C staff accommodation development. Developers and planners needed to reduce the impact of noise on workers so tasked Dempsey Dyer and Deceuninck to cut the decibel rating down by RW35db to produce windows of RW40db and RW43db.

Call 01249 816 969 or visit www.deceuninck.co.uk for more about our commercial range and commercial work. You can also download Deceuninck’s full product portfolio from the NBS National BIM Library at www.nationalbimlibrary.com/deceuninck-ltd.
/0 Comments/by