What's New in Building articles from December 2007

What's New in Building archives from December 2007

COMMENT: December 2007.
December 17, 2007... Welcome to the final edition of What's new in Building for 2007. Looking back over this year's issues, the one subject that really seems to stand out is - no prizes here! - Sustainability, and it will no doubt be very much in evidence in next...

NEWS: Zonal fixing to be formally recognised.
December 17, 2007... The zonal fixing method launched last year by the NFRC (National Federation of Roofing Contractors) and manufacturers such as Lafarge Roofing as a failsafe BS 5534-compliant fixing specification across a whole roof - and in many cases even a...

SPEAKOUT: Cautious optimism.
December 17, 2007... Simon Storer external affairs director construction products association It was a long time coming, but the waiting is finally over; the election is off (for now, at least) whilst the Comprehensive Spending Review has been announced....

NEWS: Crestron UK has moved.
December 17, 2007... Crestron UK has moved to new corporate headquarters in Cobham, Surrey. This impressive new 12,500 sq ft facility provides designers and integrators with a unique opportunity to get hands-on experience of Crestron's award-winning products and...

NEWS IN BRIEF: London calling.
December 17, 2007... As part of a major expansion programme driven by sharply increased UK sales of its window, door and facade systems and solar products, Schuco has set up a new London-based technical office. Known as `Project Office London', it effectively...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Instant award.
December 17, 2007... The Ecoplay micro greywater recycling system from Polypipe Sanitary Systems has scooped its first major award by being voted as Green Product of the Year, just three weeks after having been officially launched onto the UK market. This unique...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Block party.
December 17, 2007... CEMEX UK has opened its new, state-of-the-art concrete block and paving factory at West Calder near Livingston in Scotland. The new, purpose- built plant is strategically placed for supplying the growing number of customers, including builders...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Under control.
December 17, 2007... Sontay, manufacturer of control peripheral products, has announced that its 2008 catalogue is now available in hard copy, CD-ROM format or as a downloadable pdf and details product features, service improvements and competitive pricing...

NEWS: Retail therapy in Ireland.
December 17, 2007... Architects Ostick & Williams have used two types of rainscreen cladding panels from Stoneflex to change the face of retailing in Ireland. They specified lightweight Stoneflex panels with a natural stone surface along with Smoothflex...

NEWS: Natural choice for gallery.
December 17, 2007... The Pier Arts Centre in Orkney, Scotland boasts an impressive collection of British Modernist Art, and also Osmo treated flooring. The eye-catching harbour-side Gallery recently re-opened following a major regeneration project. The contemporary...

ASK THE ARCHITECTS: DECEMBER 2007.(Interview)
December 17, 2007... WNIB finds out how and why architects choose certain products. This month we spoke to Lindsay Buchan from AAA Architects. What sector do you work in most? Mid to high end private residential. What qualities do you look for in a...

NEWS: Plant investment.
December 17, 2007... JELD-WEN has come up with a completely sustainable solution to minimise the amount of waste that goes to landfill and at the same time reduce Carbon Dioxide emissions. By the end of this year, JELD-WEN will have its own recycling plant,...

NEWS: Green oasis for crowded city.
December 17, 2007... Leading roofing membrane manufacturer FDT is helping to reshape the urban landscape of Turkey's most crowded city. The vast 70,000 sq m MI Meydan Umraniye shopping and leisure complex, in the heart of Istanbul, is the country's first shopping...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Switched on.
December 17, 2007... Luxo has provided the lighting for the new London showroom of fellow Scandinavians, namely office furniture solutions company Kinnarps (UK). Located in Covent Garden, the showroom has been designed to reflect a real business solution. ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Helpful handrails.
December 17, 2007... Temporary handrailing structures assembled using fittings from Kee Klamp are helping to ensure the smooth-running of Shepherds Bush Underground Station as major renovations are undertaken. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

NEWS IN BRIEF: NE acquisition.
December 17, 2007... Galliford Try, the construction and housebuilding group, has announced the acquisition of Kendall Cross Holdings, a long established specialist affordable housing contractor based in the north east of England The business has a considerable...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Glazing seminars.
December 17, 2007... With the focus of next year's Glassex-GP&T 2008 seminar programme being sustainability for profit, themes are being developed within this broad topic that will be relevant for everyone involved in the glass and glazing industry. The seminars...

NEWS IN BRIEF: The meter's running.
December 17, 2007... Labcell has introduced the KD2Pro thermal properties meter. Similar to the existing KD2, the new model benefits from an SH-1 dual probe that enables thermal diffusivity and specific heat to be measured simultaneously in soil, as well as other...

NEWS: Rolling out the blue carpet.
December 17, 2007... When plans were made for a refurbishment at the Cedric Ford Pavilion flagship venue at Newark Showground, Desso supplied 840m2 of Elegance broadloom carpet for the function room, providing a luxurious, yet practical floorcovering. ...

COVER STORY: Cold comfort.
December 17, 2007... The challenge of the very cold Finnish climate led Ruukki to develop a wide range of factory-made total cladding; the company's success story continues with an impressive portfolio of UK projects The trend towards offsite construction...

OUNDLE SCHOOL SCITEC FACILITY: In a class of its own.
December 17, 2007... Designed to make science more alluring to students, the new SciTec facility at Oundle also sets new standards for architecture in British schools OUNDLE School, in Northamptonshire, has opened an #11m state-of-the-art Science teaching...

ROOFING: Lofty ambitions.
December 17, 2007... Bruce Meechan considers the relative benefits of employing different pitched roofing structures We hear a lot these days about the urgent need to reduce our environmental footprint, and how much of the waste as well as the carbon emissions...

ROOFING: Roll out the foil.
December 17, 2007... Offering an alternative approach to insulation, multi-foils products are easy to use and help to meet Part L requirements for better thermal insulation and increased air tightness Multi-foil insulation has created considerable controversy...

ROOFING: It's cooler up on deck.
December 17, 2007... Easy to install and considerably lighter than concrete slabs, timber decking at roof level allows attractive landscaped areas to be created out of often unused and redundant spaces Twenty years ago, timber decking was a niche market with...

ROOFING: The true cost of roofing.
December 17, 2007... To estimate indicative pitched roof costs for a housing project against the typical life expectancies, check out the recommendations from the RICS, says Redland range spokesman Stuart Pocock. It is immediately apparent from the Building...

ROOFING: Game, set and match to insulated panels.
December 17, 2007... Ward Insulated Panels has supplied a complete insulated wall and roof solution to Draycott Sports Centre, a facility which could play a major part in the development of the UK's future tennis stars. The roof and walls of the building, which...

ROOFING: Clay tiles offer design freedom and good looks.
December 17, 2007... Another leading homebuilder has used two of Sandtoft's clay tiles to roof an entire development. Ben Bailey Homes (now part of The Gladedale Group) specified Sandtoft's 20/20 and Humber tiles for The Park in Mansfield, citing both tiles' strong...

ROOFING: Steel savings are passed on.
December 17, 2007... NEW FROM SPEEDDECK, the SpeedRoof system is a steel secret-fix roofing system that provides an aesthetic that looks like a standing seam system, for roofs of lengths up to 40m. The difference is the cost saving which is achieved through the...

ROOFING: Floor joists hit the roof.
December 17, 2007... The structural properties of Gang-Nail Systems' Ecojoist beams are being used as roofing elements rather than floor joists at the Blue Sky Way prestigious office development in Monkton, South Tyneside. Truss Systems was responsible for the...

ROOFING: More detail by request.
December 17, 2007... Kalzip's new systems brochure is updated with even more technical information in response to architects' and specifiers' requirements. It details the product and production options available, system configurations, sustainable solutions...

ROOFING: On course for conservation areas.
December 17, 2007... Virtually impervious to the elements, CUPA natural slate has been used extensively at the prestigious new Lough Erne golf resort in Northern Ireland OPENED IN SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR, Lough Erne is a prestigious new golf resort development in...

HEALTHCARE: A picture of health.
December 17, 2007... Tracy Edwards keeps you in the frame with some of the latest healthcare initiatives NEAT is the chief method available for assessing the effect healthcare facilities have on their surroundings. Building Regulations and best practice...

HEALTHCARE: Healthy developments.
December 17, 2007... With the unveiling of the acclaimed Green Wrythe Lane health centre, Building Better Health is opening everyone's eyes to the amazing possibilities the NHS LIFT initiative affords local Primary Care Trusts (PCTs). The Building Better...

HEALTHCARE: The perfect prescription.
December 17, 2007... James & Taylor has helped to create a cool contemporary facade for a new multimillion pound centre for medical education and research in the heart of the Scottish Highlands. The UK cladding expert has provided a duo of cutting-edge facade...

HV TECHNOLOGY: Micro-CHP progress report.
December 17, 2007... Baxi demonstrates its commitment to the production of micro-CHP units Representatives from national housebuilders and utility organisations were among the delegates who attended an open day held by Baxi to demonstrate its progress in the...

BOILERS: A breath of fresh air.
December 17, 2007... Mitsubishi Electric continues its Green Gateway Initiative with the launch of the Ecodan system which gathers heat energy from the surrounding air Environmental technology manufacturer Mitsubishi Electric has launched a highly efficient...

BOILERS: The short cut to sustainability.
December 17, 2007... Steve Rickards, Potterton's Specification Director, explores how housebuilders can minimise the impact of dwelling emissions and meet the requirements of the Code for Sustainable Homes The public sector currently accounts for a quarter of...

BOILERS: Exceptional reliability is key feature of combi.
December 17, 2007... Now available from Saunier Duval is the Semia CONDENS, SEDBUK B rated range of condensing combis. Saunier Duval's Semia combines familiar technology with exceptional product reliability together with ease of installation and a range of...

BOILERS: Boiler for limited spaces.
December 17, 2007... Redring is launching the unique and compact Hotbox electric boiler for economical heating in any site where space is limited or gas is unavailable. The unique Redring Hotbox drives a sealed wet system in any domestic or light commercial...

HEATING & VENTILATING: Air conditioning for big project.
December 17, 2007... Vaillant has provided 5kW and 6kW high efficiency climaVAIR air conditioning units for an enormous 150,000 sq ft office and warehousing conversion project in Bridlington, East Yorkshire, owned and managed by Bossdean Properties. The units were...

HEATING & VENTILATING: Renewable heating.
December 17, 2007... As part of its range of renewable heating products, Droitwich based combustion specialist Nu-way has announced the arrival of the EcoMass 750 biomass boiler for commercial and industrial use. The highly efficient boiler is designed for use with...

HEATING & VENTILATING: Keeping the steam alive.
December 17, 2007... The latest Stokvis steam-to-water packaged plate heat exchangers use steam to provide almost instantaneous hot water. They now incorporate a second fast acting electro mechanical safety valve which provides a "belt and braces" capacity to the...

HEATING & VENTILATING: Permission to land.
December 17, 2007... The energy efficient and sustainable MSCB system from TROX will provide the best possible levels of comfort for both passengers and staff in the main arrivals corridors at Heathrow's Terminal 5 Multi Service Chilled Beams (MSCB) from...

STAIRS & LIFTS: Small and upwardly mobile.
December 17, 2007... Neil Davies of Invalifts, one of the UK's leading powered access companies, explains how small footprint lifts can have minimum impact on existing buildings and a higher return on investment This is the age of the small footprint lift, a...