What's New in Building articles from August 2007

What's New in Building archives from August 2007

COMMENT: August 2007.
August 14, 2007... Health and safety is an issue that concerns everyone, not just the construction sector. We in the building industry are as prone to accidents and mishaps as any other profession, though in our case, thanks to the nature of the work, the results...

NEWS: German steel giant eyes Olympic prize.
August 14, 2007... THE PROSPECT OF rich pickings in the commercial building sector in the lead-up to the 2012 London Olympics is one factor that has prompted German steel producer ThyssenKrupp Stee to create a new UK and Ireland subsidiary. Trading as...

SPEAKOUT: Winners or whingers.
August 14, 2007... SIMON STORER external affairs director construction products association Plenty of people would have preferred if we had not won the bid to build the 2012 Olympics, and probably would like to see the whole shebang fall flat on its face....

NEWS: Scratching the Surface.
August 14, 2007... Scratching the Surface, the latest exhibition at London's Building Centre, features 24 innovative projects from emerging architectural practices working in the capital today. The exhibition and related talks examines current issues in facade...

SPEAKOUT: Coherent response.
August 14, 2007... PAUL EVERALL chief executive of local authority building control In recent issues I have written about the Government's review of the future of building control, and the role which this regulatory environment needs to play in a coherent...

NEWS: Exclusive offer in glass.
August 14, 2007... An exclusive range of Italian glass doors is now available in the UK from John Planck. Henry Glass doors offer architects and designers full design versatility. Every Henry Glass door is made to order and features a bespoke...

NEWS: A success that's no pipe dream.
August 14, 2007... When Leigh Simpson and his team set up Contour Casings four years ago, they knew there was a niche for what they were offering. `The pre-formed pipework market could be said to have peaked,' Leigh told WNIB on a recent visit to the...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Timber success.
August 14, 2007... Prestoplan has developed a fully tested timber frame system to achieve 90 minutes fire rating. Tests by Chiltern International Fire were carried out under 100% load bearing capacity, and maintained structural stability, integrity, and thermal...

NEWS IN BRIEF: HVAC catalogue.
August 14, 2007... Mitsubishi Electric has released its new product catalogue. The company has redesigned the catalogue to make navigation easy, colour-coding and referencing the various sections so that products can be quickly placed. Also new for this year is...

NEWS ANALYSIS: A day in the life of a Carbon consultant.
August 14, 2007... The Register of Low Carbon Consultants has been developed by CIBSE Certification and the Carbon Trust to provide a supply of professionals whose competence in low carbon design and operation has been tested and is registered. This welcome...

NEWS: House that heats itself.
August 14, 2007... At the zero-heating cost house in the Pfingstweide district of Ludwigshafen, apartments don't have conventional radiators. Instead, a sophisticated system of insulation and ventilation ensures that residents always enjoy comfortable...

NEWS: Charcon behind Ozzy tribute.
August 14, 2007... Rocker Ozzy Osbourne is the first celebrity to be inducted into Birmingham's Walk of Stars pavement trail, his name gracing a bespoke paving stone manufactured by pre-cast concrete firm, Charcon Specialist. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Ask the architects - Stuart Barlow.
August 14, 2007... This month WNIB spoke to Stuart Barlow, director of sustainability & technology at 3D Reid. What type of sector do you work in most? I work across a spread of commercial sectors including airports, retail, offices, mixed use schemes...

LETTER: The need for proper planning.(Letter to the editor)
August 14, 2007... Contrary to some claims, planning is not an obstacle to building the homes we need. There is already an adequate supply of land in the system and enough brownfield land to provide over a million new homes. Effective planning is critical if...

LETTER: Government figures.(Letter to the editor)
August 14, 2007... Government figures show that annual housing land supply for development has been falling steadily for more than a decade and actually fell by 7% between 1997 and 2003. The choice is stark - either we release more land for development, or a...

LETTER: Sustainability adds value too.(Letter to the editor)
August 14, 2007... Jeremy Percy's comments (July 07) `the time for knee jerk green tokenism and eco-bling are almost behind us as we begin to see clients taking a more mature approach to sustainability in the Built Environment' certainly struck a chord with us....

LETTER: Don't try this at home.(Letter to the editor)
August 14, 2007... Some interesting items in the July 2007 issue of WNIB. I thought the photo on page 16 (reproduced right - Ed) was very amusing. At least the worker was wearing a hard hat and hi-vis top - so he was obviously safe whilst standing with one foot...

COVER STORY: Rigidal regenerates.
August 14, 2007... Rigidal's Ziplok standing seam profile has brought a stylish approach to a major housing project Almost 40,000 sq m of Rigidal's Ziplok standing seam profile are being used to bring a stylish look to one of the UK's largest city...

OFFSITE: Not just a desk job.
August 14, 2007... Alan Thomas of the British Board of Agrement unveils a new BBA/Lloyds Register Scheme for Offsite Approvals The BBA's AgrEment Certificates are widely read and respected by industry decision-makers wishing to select innovative products and...

PROJECTS - HABERDASHERS' ASKE'S KNIGHTS ACADEMY: Learning curves.
August 14, 2007... Challenging curtain wall design marks out the latest Academy to offer a modern, accessible learning environment Designed by architect Jestico + Whiles, the flagship Haberdashers' Aske's Knights Academy in Bromley forms part of a federation...

STRUCTURAL MATERIALS: No call for thermal mass hysteria.
August 14, 2007... Bruce Meechan considers the contribution that concrete and masonry can make to regulating the temperature of buildings. The building industry has spent the last couple of years trying to come to terms with the conflicting physics involved...

STRUCTURAL MATERIALS: Steelwork fixing comes of age.
August 14, 2007... The advent of steelwork fixing clamps is helping to simplify structural design and specification, says Ian Page, general manager of Access Technologies Advances in secondary steelwork fixing technology are helping to make structural design...

TopStory: Structural materials.
August 14, 2007... FireWall panel system is easy to install, with no specialist skills required, states Performance Panel Solutions. An interlocking joint detail on each panel means there is no need to seal any joints, so no wet trades are required on site....

STRUCTURAL MATERIALS: Building the dream home.
August 14, 2007... Platz Haus UK has announced the first UK sales of its wood panel 'dream homes', which are precision engineered in Germany. In December 2006, contracts were formally signed for individual homes in Leeds and Scotland, with two more orders for...

STRUCTURAL MATERIALS: Structural chestnut.
August 14, 2007... Shorne Wood country park, near Gravesend in Kent, attracts around 180,000 visitors a year. Last summer saw the opening of a striking new #900,000 visitor centre and for the first time in the UK sweet chestnut has been used throughout the...

STRUCTURAL MATERIALS: Bubbles at the double.
August 14, 2007... BubbleDeck is exhibiting its radical concrete floor system at 100% Detail in London from 21-24 September. BubbleDeck is a deceptively simple concept to reduce the non-structural dead load in concrete flat slabs. It takes the concept of the...

ROOFING: The rise of zinc.
August 14, 2007... Zinc is receiving attention for its sustainability credentials, highlighted by its installation on award-winning projects Growth in specification of zinc as a building product in the UK owes much to its lasting appearance, malleability and...

ROOFING: The tile that eats pollutants.
August 14, 2007... The latest product of research and development at Marley Eternit not only protects the environment - it actually improves it Roofing manufacturer Marley Eternit has launched a roof tile coating that will absorb asthma-causing pollutants...

ROOFING: Knowledge is the key.
August 14, 2007... Training is the essential key to much-needed change and improvement in the single ply market, says Flag MD Tony Mellon The Single Ply market is suffering from manufacturers that promote cheaper products with limited or no training,...

TopStory: Roofing.
August 14, 2007... The range of Keylite Roof Windows from the Keystone Group offers architects, housebuilders, developers and self-builders the opportunity to create additional, cost-effective living space, with the `room in the roof' concept for both residential...

ROOFING: Self-build solutions.
August 14, 2007... Tarmac recognises that the needs of self-builders and renovators are different to those of national house builders and developers. Whether building for profit or constructing the dream home, every self builder and renovator has to develop...

ROOFING: Support your local arena.
August 14, 2007... Ashgrid, the spacer support system from Ash & Lacy Building Systems, is the choice roofing system for the #113m development on the Ricoh Arena in Coventry. The trapezoidal sheet roofing, which is 25m high, covers not only the seating...

ROOFING: Steel goes fully neutral.
August 14, 2007... Corus Colors is applying carbon neutral methodology to its two premium pre-finished steel products - Colorcoat HPS200 and Colorcoat Prisma, via the company's new offering, Confidex Sustain. As part of the commitment by Corus to go beyond...

ROOFING: Protection has the edge.
August 14, 2007... Maintenance crews accessing the rooftop of Cheltenham's Primark building can work in complete safety when accessing rooftop plant thanks to the recent installation of a KeeGuard roof edge protection system from Kee Klamp. Copyright: CMP...

ROOFING: Natural choice for town houses.
August 14, 2007... Cross Construction has completed the development of a row of unusual town houses in Lewes, East Sussex. Built on one of Lewes' many hills, the houses have interesting rooflines utilising CUPA natural slate, which is extracted from its own...

ROOFING: How low can tiles go?
August 14, 2007... Following an increase in demand for low pitch clay roof tiles, Koramic has conducted rigorous testing to confirm that its Actua clay tile can go down to just 15 degrees. This is the lowest pitch to be offered by a clay roof tile in the...

FLAT ROOFING: The way ahead for flat roofs.
August 14, 2007... Frank Atkinson of Ward Insulated Panels looks at the development of modern flat roofing technology and how composite solutions point the way to the future Flat roofs have evolved greatly since they became popular in the fifties and sixties...

CLADDING: Dressed to impress.
August 14, 2007... Advances in external envelope materials open up new possibilities for facade designers, says Comar Architectural Aluminium Systems Buildability, efficiency, functionality, aesthetics and durability are the key issues outlined in the...

TopStory: Cladding & curtain walling.
August 14, 2007... Using a single sub-contractor - Kawneer-approved curtain walling installer Charles Henshaw - to build the facade of a highly individual #13million office building has led to efficiencies and fast-track construction for all involved. The...

CLADDING: More pane, more gain.
August 14, 2007... A new aluminium-clad timber window system from Glas Facades brings high performance and sustainability to the commercial market at an affordable price. The Glas Vision 3000 range combines an aluminium outer profile with solid timber...

CLADDING: Specialist datasheet.
August 14, 2007... Cladding specialist Cembrit Blunn has launched a new technical datasheet on its range of Minerit Incolor decorative cladding boards. Pigmented throughout the board and available in six colours, the Minerit Incolor is one of the company's...

CLADDING: Take care with Comar.
August 14, 2007... Comar Architectural Aluminium Systems supplied aluminium profiles for the new extension to Enfield Primary Care Centre. Approved fabricator Magnum Aluminium Products installed the futuristic glazed screens, entrances and windows. The...

CLADDING: Cool reception for shutters.
August 14, 2007... NOW AVAILABLE FROM Hafele's Swiss supplier HAWA is Frontslide 60/matic- Telescopic, designed for shading of large window areas using timber or metal shutters. The sliding shutters stack in front of one another when open and are...

CLADDING: Light relief for sports players.
August 14, 2007... The Jock Stein Sports Centre in Hamilton is one of the latest Kalwall projects in Scotland completed by SD Systems. The major refurbishment includes a new 23m wide Kalwall roof, supported by the existing structure, together with clerestory...

CLADDING: Facades in more detail.
August 14, 2007... Hydro Building Systems has launched a comprehensive design guide to aluminium facades. The 120-page illustrated handbook looks in detail at the latest technological developments in lightweight facades to help inform architects and specifiers...

INSULATION: Airtight case for SIPs.
August 14, 2007... Neil Conway of Vencel Resil discusses how to achieve maximum thermal performance For developers the Code for Sustainable Homes means building properties which are 10% more energy efficient than homes built to 2006 Building Regulations...

INSULATION: Insulation that thinks it's a brick.
August 14, 2007... Foamglas Perinsul SL from Pittsburgh Corning is the perimeter insulation block that does two jobs at the same time. Laid in mortar in exactly the same way as brick or block courses, Perinsul SL has exceptionally high compressive strength,...

TopStory: Insulation.
August 14, 2007... A new hotel in Bristol's prestigious Harbourside, Europe's largest mixed-use regeneration project, is benefiting from the excellent fire and thermal performance of Kooltherm K10 Soffit Board from Kingspan Insulation. Copyright: CMP...

INSULATION: Low u value wall system.
August 14, 2007... Natural Building Technologies (NBT) is launching Pavaclad, an external wall system, with U-values down to 0.16 W/sq m K. Two versions of the system are ecologically sound, and allow builders to meet or surpass part L Building Regulations. ...

INSULATION: The answer for eco home.
August 14, 2007... When Linden Homes decided to create a complete development of `Eco Excellent' homes, the thermal insulation not only had to provide the highest possible performance, it also had to be a green product in its own right. Rigid polyurethane...

INSULATION: Go Interiors go to school.
August 14, 2007... Go Interiors, independent distributor of specialist interior building products, is nearing the completion of its latest project for the London Borough of Islington. The company has been involved in the development of a new build North...

PAINTS & FINISHES: Concrete solutions.
August 14, 2007... Concrete can be specified in confidence, with a range of solutions now available to overcome long associated problems. David Pratt, MD of Keim Mineral Paints, provides an update. Concrete is the most widely used structural construction...

PAINTS & FINISHES: Beating the bugs.
August 14, 2007... Bugs are big news. Harmful nasties like MRSA and Clostridium can have a devastating impact, not only in healthcare environments, but in offices and public sector buildings too. Confined, heavy traffic environments such as schools,...