What's New in Building articles from April 2007

What's New in Building archives from April 2007

COMMENT: Welcome to the first issue of the new look.
April 24, 2007... What's new in Building. We hope you'll enjoy the revamped content, with its focus on innovative products and solutions, now combined with new features and comment on issues such as building regulations and sustainability. And it's not just...

NEWS: Fabric roof centrepiece for Aintree grandstand.
April 24, 2007... The tensile membrane roof to the six-storey link building that joins two new stands at Aintree Racecourse, is by Fabric Architecture (FA). The design was developed between FA, the Building Design Partnership and the client over the last...

NEWS: A good year for popping your cork.
April 24, 2007... SIMON STORER external affairs director construction products association I don't know how you feel about 2006. Was it good for your company, a year to remember, or just not very inspiring? Did you struggle, bogged down in regulations and...

NEWS: Buxton re-branding goes live.
April 24, 2007... Tarmac Buxton Lime and Cement is the new name for Buxton Lime Industries, under a joint-branding initiative with parent, Tarmac. Buxton's line-up of bulk and packed products remains the same. But the re-launch strengthens its position in...

NEWS: A model of eco-friendly design.
April 24, 2007... Sustainable design is a key feature of Softroom's design for the Leeds- Liverpool canal footbridge, winner of a recent RIBA competition. Elements such as the footbridge's structure, its deck and inner cladding are to be formed from...

NEWS: Challenges for year ahead as regs used as a political tool.
April 24, 2007... Paul Everall chief executive of local authority building control I am delighted to have this opportunity to write a short monthly column for this revamped journal. It is very important that those involved in building and product...

NEWS: Sustainable rainwater guide.
April 24, 2007... Global warming is changing the way we think about our environment and one issue is how we dispose of rainwater. Simply allowing it to run straight off roofs and sealed-up paving into drains increases the chance of sewers flooding downstream...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Wheels online.
April 24, 2007... All that's new in the UK light commercial vehicle market is featured on a free weekly news e-letter. Delivered every Thursday, the e-letter is linked to a dedicated website comprising van news in detail, road tests and manufacturers' links. Go...

NEWS IN BRIEF: CAB back award.
April 24, 2007... The Council for Aluminium in Building (CAB) has become the first major supporter of The Power of Aluminium Awards Building & Construction category. The Awards will be hosted by designer and fan of aluminium Wayne Hemingway. Copyright: CMP...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Proctor launch.
April 24, 2007... Blairgowrie-based A. Proctor Group has announced the launch of its Exterior Building Products Division. It will supply the UK building market with a range of Timber Cladding Systems and Dura-Loc Metal Roofing Tiles. Copyright: CMP...

NEWS: Regulations `fueling frustration' for architects.
April 24, 2007... Architects are increasingly frustrated by the red tape strangling the profession, according to recent research at Kings College London. The research, by Rob Imrie, Professor of Geography, reveals two thirds of architects believe planning...

NEWS: Specialist timber division launched.
April 24, 2007... Simpson Strong-Tie has launched a specialist engineered timber division. This is intended to give customers access to specialists who will be readily available to answer queries, solve technical issues and develop specially tailored solutions...

NEWS: White cement guide.
April 24, 2007... Cement producer Lafarge has introduced a white cement guide, Creating White Concrete for a Lighter World . According to Mike Lomax, marketing communications manager, Lafarge Cement UK, 'Concrete is often wrongly viewed as a commodity...

NEWS: Recycling at British Gypsum brings award.
April 24, 2007... In February British Gypsum won a sustainability award in Taylor Woodrow's prestigious 2007 Supplier Awards. It starts working with clients at the design stage to engineer-out unnecessary plasterboard waste and encourages proficient waste...

NEWS: Branded production site.
April 24, 2007... A new production facility in Modena symbolises the close partnership between Alcoa and Ferrari. For the architects Marianelli Design & C. Torno Architecture the building had to reproduce the brand's image using clear, linear shapes and...

Ask the architects.
April 24, 2007... WNIB finds out how and why architects choose certain products. This month WNIB spoke to architect Matthew Bradshaw from The Building Design Partnership. What's the most innovative product you've used and where? I haven't used many...

LETTER: Cast away any preconceptions.(Letter to the editor)
April 24, 2007... Contrary to popular belief concrete is one of the most sustainable low- carbon construction materials known. Its inert nature makes it perfect for industrial ecology and the concrete industry consumes more tonnes of waste as by-products than it...

LETTER: Sporting chance.(Letter to the editor)
April 24, 2007... Since it was announced that London will host the 2012 Olympics, it seems every architect and building contractor has been desperate to get involved. Following the fiasco of the Wembley Stadium redevelopment, fears have been raised that the...

LETTER: Don't neglect climate change.(Letter to the editor)
April 24, 2007... Architects, engineers and other construction professionals who ignore the potential effects of climate change risk the threat of negligence claims. Climate change consensus forecasts significant increases in property damage through extreme...

REGULATIONS: Part L compliance made easier.
April 24, 2007... Frustrated by unreliable results from SBEM software? Help is at hand in the form of a free calculation service that ensures compliance with updated part L of the building regulations When Approved Document L received its latest makeover in...

SUSTAINABILITY: Neutral territory.
April 24, 2007... The Government has set the challenging objective for all new homes to be built carbon-neutral by 2016, with grant incentives through the DTi's Low Carbon Buildings Programme and some pressure from switched-on local authorities when it comes to...

PRODUCTS SUSTAINABILITY: Bricks have small carbon footprint.
April 24, 2007... CLAY BRICKS already have excellent eco credentials, but Ibstock's new Ecoterre Earth Bricks take sustainability a giant step further, being ideal for eco-buildings needing a reduced carbon footprint and a healthy indoor environment. Using...

PRODUCTS SUSTAINABILITY: Solar solution for nursing home.
April 24, 2007... THE SOLAR DOMESTIC hot water system from Vaillant has proved an ideal solution for the heating needs of The Old Rectory Nursing Home, Armthorpe, in Doncaster, which was, built in the 1760s, An installation of three complete solar domestic...

PRODUCTS SUSTAINABILITY: Acting on its findings.
April 24, 2007... HAVING COLLABORATED on a University of Bristol-led LINK research project investigating heat transfer through door openings in coldstore temperature controlled environments, Thermoscreens now has a better understanding of the mechanism of heat...

PRODUCTS SUSTAINABILITY: Insulation's added benefits.
April 24, 2007... As well as offering excellent insulation properties Warmcel insulation, from Excel Building Solutions, requires very little energy to manufacture. Once in place, Warmcel reduces heat loss and therefore reduces the amount of heating needed....

Channelnews: Products-Bathrooms.
April 24, 2007... DIVERSE DESIGNS PROPEL LATEST JADO RANGE INTO NEW BATHROOM GENERATION Jado Jado, a provider of designer bath and kitchen products, has unveiled its new range of bathroom fittings and accessories further reinforcing its position among...

BATHROOMS: Coram expands.
April 24, 2007... Shower pod designer and manufacturer, Coram Shower Pods has expanded its sales team with the appointment of three new sales agents, Graham Bolding, Sheila Everett and Gordon Swan. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

BATHROOMS: Waterfree urinals arrive in UK.
April 24, 2007... Already widely used in other European countries, the Urimat Waterless Urinals are now available in the UK. This unique Swiss-made product uses no water, electricity or chemicals and has no water-plumbing costs. The distributors Ecoprod...

BATHROOMS: Rimless revolution.
April 24, 2007... The fight against hospital super bugs has driven a transformation in toilet design. Developed for the healthcare sector, Twyford Bathroom's redesigned Sola collection is heralded as a `truly rimless pan'. It uses a unique water...

OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION: Flexibility in the frame.
April 24, 2007... When flexible, high performing structures must be delivered at maximum speed and reduced cost, one solution is to take as much work as possible off site In today's industry, housebuilders and developers are faced with conflicting...

OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION: Cabin fever catches on.
April 24, 2007... This month sees the launch of Yotel, a chain of budget hotels which, along the lines of Japan's capsule hotels, will cram business travellers into 10sq m cabins. Two Yotels are expected to open in the summer at London's main airports. A...

OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION: The latest in timber frame systems.
April 24, 2007... Kingspan Off-Site, formed following Kingspan Century's acquisition of Pace Timber Systems, offers the latest in modern methods of construction in the form of its timber frame systems, the TEK Building System and the Optima closed panel building...

OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION: Students take fast track.
April 24, 2007... When it became necessary to relocate the Students' Union (SU)at London South Bank University for two years, at short notice, the hunt was on for a rapid accommodation solution. With 10 construction companies pitching for the business, it...

OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION: Website for Wicona Projects.
April 24, 2007... Hydro Building Systems, Europe's largest supplier of aluminium building systems, has launched a website for Wicona Projects and its unitised facade system which is now available in the UK. Wicona's unitised system can now be supplied for...

OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION: Nursery built of recycled modules.
April 24, 2007... Built by Foremans Relocatable Building Systems and designed by architects Arts Lettres Techniques, the Children's Garden Early Years Centre in east London is constructed from recycled and refurbished building modules. The use of pre-owned...

HOUSEBUILDING: Singles market levels out.
April 24, 2007... The increase in the number of single occupancy homes has thrown up new problems for those responsible for ensuring buildings meet energy efficiency requirements. According to a study by University College London (UCL), the number of...

HOUSEBUILDING: Creating communities.
April 24, 2007... John Lewis, regional director, English Partnerships, Eastern England and Milton Keynes argues for imaginative planning to cope with the challenges of a thriving market The East of England area where I work is one that's seeing considerable...

HOUSEBUILDING: Designed to be different.
April 24, 2007... Digital Home offers a design-led approach that overcomes the stifling standardisation of traditional prefabs Provision of well-designed, affordable housing is one of the key social issues facing government and housing authorities. Yet...

HOUSEBUILDING: Formwork saves time and cost.
April 24, 2007... Well Established in the US, insulating concrete formwork (ICF) can cut the time and cost of house-building, as well as offering energy saving, fire safety and recycling benefits, says PolySteel. Forms of dense, rigid, expanded polystyrene...

HOUSEBUILDING: Victorian values.
April 24, 2007... Because of strict building regulations, new homes at Stockwell Park Crescent, south London, had to be identical in appearance to adjacent Victorian properties. Marvin Architectural supplied and installed the windows and doors for this...

HOUSEBUILDING: Flair for fresh air.
April 24, 2007... At its Grosvenor House development in Cheltenham, Contract House Builders has included the Passivent Flair ventilation system to provide ventilation that compliments the contemporary interior. Jason Perkins, of Contract House Builders,...

HOUSEBUILDING: Village of vibrant brick.
April 24, 2007... Sympathetic urban design has made Dickens Heath Village Centre in Solihull one of the most imaginative developments in the West Midlands in recent years. As a major part of the design, a variety of bricks from Hanson Building Products have...

HOUSEBUILDING: Mixed blessings.
April 24, 2007... To complement the listed buildings at the Pepys Estate on the Thames in Deptford, architects btpw partnership have delivered a design of mixed tenure housing, built using modern methods of construction, with context-sympathetic materials...

HOUSEBUILDING: Day on the tiles.
April 24, 2007... Tile backer Knauf Aquapanel will be in the spotlight when some of the UK's top tilers put their skills to the test in London this year. Aquapanel fibre-reinforced cement board for tiling in wet areas will provide a solid working surface...

FLOORING: Fruits of the forest.
April 24, 2007... Rubber trees are reclaiming the flooring market. Dalsouple explains the benefits of going au naturel as part of a bigger eco-picture Rubber is a natural material. Isn't it? Specifiers choosing modern rubber flooring for its sustainability...

FLOORING: Zaha's rubber floor ensures traffic safety.
April 24, 2007... Rubber floorcovering installed in the traffic areas of the BMW plant in Leipzig meets all the automobile manufacturer's requirements Rubber floorcovering installed in the traffic areas of the `nerve centre' of the BMW plant in Leipzig not...

FLOORING: First off the tufting machine.
April 24, 2007... Bonar Floors has launched Alignment, an exciting addition to its range of Tessera carpet tiles. The first product to be manufactured on Bonar Floors' new CMC tufting machine, Alignment is a luxurious, sophisticated and cleverly textured...

FLOORING: Natural world comes indoors.
April 24, 2007... The Artoleum Collection from Forbo, which is said to bring the harmony of the natural world into interior spaces, offers three distinct design ranges: Artoleum prisma is inspired by the prism's captivating ability to separate light and is...

FLOORING: Sounds like team spirit.
April 24, 2007... ARDEX UK HAS teamed up with Hull Flooring to deliver a high performance flooring solution for a prestigious new BHS store in Llandudno. The 2600 m2 store required a flat, durable and smooth floor which would receive final floorcoverings at...

FLOORING: Redecoration is on curriculum.
April 24, 2007... Crown Trade's Timonox range of flame retardant paints has been specified for the redecoration of five schools across Edinburgh. Paints from the range were selected, as part of a wider portfolio of Crown Trade products. Copyright: CMP...

FLOORING: Design realism is quickly installed.
April 24, 2007... IDS has added the premium Faus brand to its flooring portfolio and offers 16 stone, ceramic and woodgrain products, selected specifically to offer the top-end purchaser a greater level of design innovation. The laminate flooring range is ideal...

FLOORING: Glittering statement.
April 24, 2007... Aiming to create a high-impact reception area that accurately reflects the agency's somewhat inventive approach to experiential marketing, Jack Morton's London office now features a smooth, grey resin floor, installed and laid by Ryebrook...

COMMERCIAL INTERIORS: Followers of fashion.
April 24, 2007... `Meeting the needs of the present without compromising those of the future'. This is a predominant concept in the interiors market, but how does it influence design? The Association of Interior Specialists explains Trends will always...

COMMERCIAL INTERIORS: A natural glow.
April 24, 2007... Viking Saunas and Steamrooms has seen a resurgence in the traditionally tiled steam room as more health clubs, gyms and hotels want individuality within their spa. Crystal style lighting is one of many features available. Copyright:...

COMMERCIAL INTERIORS: Bespoke taupe matches scheme.
April 24, 2007... When the ultra modern `The Johnson Building' in Hatton Gardens was refurbished, Tessera's Merino carpet tiles in bespoke taupe were requested. `The Johnson Building' provides high quality office space. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

COMMERCIAL INTERIORS: Brightly coloured expansion.
April 24, 2007... Expanding law firm, Wilsons, are enjoying a stylish, airy, new environment following a fit-out of their new offices in Chipper Lane, Salisbury. The Spaceway Group refurbished the offices with additional space as well as a colourful cafe bar,...

COMMERCIAL INTERIORS: High gloss finish for London Union.
April 24, 2007... Hamburger Union on Tottenham Court Road in London has a new sleek interior. Glossy red Parapan lines the walls and the black, white and grey inlay creates a retro look. Parapan is more durable than lacquers so it is ideal for restaurants,...

COMMERCIAL INTERIORS: Hidden away above your head.
April 24, 2007... Skyfold partitions are the new concept for space utilisation. The product offers an alternative storage solution with the performance benefits of a traditional operable wall, but without the need for storage areas within the rooms and thus...

COMMERCIAL INTERIORS: Spanish design flair with LEDs.
April 24, 2007... Barcelona has always been at the vanguard of design and so it is no wonder that Rabat jewellery store in the Gaudi and Puig building is the first store in Europe to be lit with LED. This is an innovative project by Lumileds, part of the Odeco...

COMMERCIAL INTERIORS: Eastend splashes out.
April 24, 2007... Strata Tiles, supplier of architectural tiles, has added the finishing touch to Mile End Leisure Centre. The facility includes a wet health suite which, required hygiene promoting tiles to reduce the spread of water related disease and...

COMMERCIAL INTERIORS: Warm welcome for frosty addition.
April 24, 2007... Geaves Surface Solutions has added to its extensive range of commercial and retail interior surfaces with Frost, a new metal-based laminate sheet material. Frost is suitable for vertical and horizontal surfaces. This new material has the...

COMMERCIAL INTERIORS: Jamie's posh beach hut.
April 24, 2007... Hoppe stainless steel lever handles have helped complete the design of Jamie Oliver's new restaurant, Fifteen Cornwall, in Newquay. Local agency Absolute Design specified handles from the door and window hardware supplier as part of its...

EDITOR'S CHOICE: With condensing boilers in mind.
April 24, 2007... LAUNCHED BY GLEDHILL, the Condecyl HE is a high performance cylinder from Gledhill designed especially for use with condensing boilers and features a very high performance heat exchanger and double thickness insulation. Copyright: CMP...

EDITOR'S CHOICE: Light relief for gallery.
April 24, 2007... THE DIGITAL MERCURY lighting control system from Hamilton Litestat has been featured in the new premises of Philip Mould Gallery in Dover Street, West London, to provide effective scene setting capabilities that maximise the visual impact of...

BRICKS & BLOCKS: Green packaging update for cement.
April 24, 2007... Lafarge Cement UK's Mastercrete in Plastic offers a practical solution to age-old problems of product wastage, and saves users time and money. The popular, enhanced cement, which first launched in the Midlands, rolled-out to south and west...

BRICKS & BLOCKS: Drywall savings.
April 24, 2007... Significant time savings have been made on a Farnborough development thanks to the use of drywall construction. The development is on the site of a former Royal Aircraft establishment and uses products and systems from Knauf Drywall. ...

BRICKS & BLOCKS: Bright and blue.
April 24, 2007... For a new primary care centre in Bathgate, West Lothian, the client's requirements for a bright, airy, modern appearance were met by the use of Ibstock Blue Glazed bricks. For a new primary care centre in Bathgate, West Lothian, the...

BRICKS & BLOCKS: Original cream.
April 24, 2007... Sir Robert McAlpine specified over 36,500sq m of Lignacite Original Facing masonry for phase one of Colchester Garrison redevelopment. Close working relationships between the contractors and suppliers meant that the project, which had...

EDITOR'S CHOICE: Finishing touch for the Chiefs.
April 24, 2007... CA Building Products has supplied its innovative fabricated fascia flashings to the Exeter Chiefs brand new stadium. Offering design flexibility and durability, the aluminium fascia flashings provide the finishing touches to the development....

EDITOR'S CHOICE: Match for medievals.
April 24, 2007... As part of a major restoration project, the Boston Guildhall in Lincolnshire has been re-roofed with hand-made tiles from Sandtoft. It was important to replicate, as closely as possible, the authentic style of the medieval tiles with varied...

EDITOR'S CHOICE: And now for kitchens too.
April 24, 2007... German brassware manufacturer Kludi, renowned for its bathroom collections, also offers a range of kitchen brassware solutions. The Kludi-Steel tap is manufactured from stainless steel and available in a brushed or polished finish in four...

EDITOR'S CHOICE: Light put into practice.
April 24, 2007... It is essential that the interior of an architect's practice reflects the creativity and innovation that the practice will bring to their clients' projects. DGP International in Manchester has created a stunning `working showroom' to...

EDITOR'S CHOICE: From waste to quality windows.
April 24, 2007... The Woodwright made to measure sliding sash window from Andersen, incorporating Fibrex composite material made from 50 per cent recycled waste, provides an ideal choice for builders wanting to combine high performance with a commitment to the...

EDITOR'S CHOICE: Silver secret of new coatings.
April 24, 2007... A range of anti-bacterial coatings which have been tested against a comprehensive list of commonly found bacterium has been launched by Johnstone's Paints. The Microbarr Anti Bacterial Coatings have been formulated to help in the fight...

EDITOR'S CHOICE: Basins can stand and deliver.
April 24, 2007... Two new freestanding metal basin stands, Eos and Jet, have been introduced to Imperial Bathrooms' best-selling Westminster sanitaryware range. Designed to provide a distinctive and imaginative alternative to the traditional pedestal, these...

EDITOR'S CHOICE: Great result for school.
April 24, 2007... The Ashzip standing seam roofing system from Ash & Lacy Building Systems has been installed on three schools in Edinburgh, as part of the Smart Schools programme to raise educational standards by creating a better learning environment. ...

NEWS: Online enhanced.
April 24, 2007... Jointing Technologies has launched its interactive website to provide contractors with easier access to the information, products and services. The Company offers a full range of Raychem electric heating systems. A long established Tyco...

NEWS: Protection guide.
April 24, 2007... Written by Robin Koffler and Jason Yates of Riello UPS Ltd the Power Protection Guide explains how to design and implement secure power continuity plans and protect critical organisational processes and systems. Readership includes facilities...

NEWS: Industry revs up.
April 24, 2007... Aldermaston-based Applied Measurements has been appointed as UK distributor for Monitran's range of Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT) products. LVDT is a well-established technology employed to detect linear displacements in...

PREVIEW THINK 07: Think.
April 24, 2007... Think has been launched to help prepare the built environment to meet the economic, social and environmental challenges of the future. Taking place from 1-3 May 2007 at ExCeL, London, it will comprise a high profile conference programme, as...

PREVIEW THINK 07: Innovation in aluminium.
April 24, 2007... Class-leading Uf values and unrivalled design flexibility are just two of the benefits of the innovative Schuco Window AWS system. Described as a comprehensive, one-system solution, the AWS window has much greater scope for automation....

PREVIEW THINK 07: Offsite construction consultancy on offer.
April 24, 2007... In the field of offsite techniques and modern methods of construction, Mtech Group has unrivalled experience in the practical issues to help architects, contractors and manufacturers alike. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

PREVIEW THINK 07: Positive approach pays off.
April 24, 2007... It seems to have taken us a long time to come to the realisation that global warming is a reality and that the only way to combat it is to cut CO2 emissions and offset the effects of our energy hungry lifestyle. Much has been said about...

IT IN CONSTRUCTION: Zero carbon realm.
April 24, 2007... Throwing money at a problem is not always the best answer. However, in Gordon Brown's pre-budget report, he announced new tax breaks designed to ensure, "that within 10 years, every new home will be a zero carbon home". At the time the...