What's New in Building articles from October 2007

What's New in Building archives from October 2007

COMMENT: October 2007.
October 30, 2007... Welcome to a bumper edition of What's new in Building: with this issue, you will find a special supplement, Towers, looking at the boom in tall buildings around the world, and in London in particular. Researching this project has proved an...

NEWS: Cliffs conceal ground breaking design.
October 30, 2007... NOTED FOR ITS creative solutions for the construction industry, Cordek was instrumental in turning the design of the Atlantic Edge Interpretive Visitor Centre at the Cliffs of Moher, County Clare, into reality. The centre features a...

SPEAKOUT: Darling's turn.
October 30, 2007... SIMON STORER EXTERNAL AFFAIRS DIRECTOR CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION Despite the numerous false starts along the way it now seems virtually certain that the government's Comprehensive Spending Review is to be announced sometime during...

NEWS: Name change for Glaverbel.
October 30, 2007... Glaverbel has changed its name to AGC Flat Glass Europe and has adopted a new corporate logo, aligning branding of Glaverbel's operations with that of the AGC group globally. The rebranding of Glaverbel is part of a global brand unification...

SPEAKOUT: Better way forward.
October 30, 2007... PAUL EVERALL CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF LOCAL AUTHORITY BUILDING CONTROL In the middle of September the Conservative Party published its "Blueprint for a Green Economy", a report prepared by its Quality of Life Commission chaired by John Gummer and...

NEWS: Just 60 days later.
October 30, 2007... New TV series `Tommy Walsh's Eco House', which is being aired on Discovery Real Time from 3 October, sees the celebrity builder and his team set about building a new home in 60 days for just #60K in March, Cambridgeshire. Building a home...

NEWS: Going for gold in Woking.
October 30, 2007... The first project in England to be clad in gold coloured anodised aluminium shingles, the disnctive facade of The Lightbox, Woking's new gallery and museum, was installed by national building envelope specialists Lakesmere. Influenced by...

NEWS IN BRIEF: The heat is on.
October 30, 2007... CMP, WNIB's parent company, is launching HPE (Heating and Plumbing Event), scheduled to take place from 2 to 5 March 2008 at Birmingham's NEC, alongside the KBB show. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

NEWS IN BRIEF: Green action.
October 30, 2007... Sandtoft Roof Tiles is urging the construction sector to make bigger improvements towards creating a greener industry. The statement comes as Sandtoft passes the halfway mark in its twelve-month environmental action plan, which has seen the...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Flaky Tennant.
October 30, 2007... Lafarge Cement UK's Aberthaw works were briefly covered in snow drifts recently. The fake flakes were created by the BBC who had chosen the Works to film some key scenes for the next series of Doctor Who. Other parts of the site offered...

NEWS ANALYSIS: Break with tradition.
October 30, 2007... Everywoman is supporting the Government's pledge to support women in non-traditional roles through a range of recognised qualifications for women aspiring to leadership and management positions, particularly in construction. Ken...

Ask the architects: October 2007.
October 30, 2007... WNIB finds out how and why architects choose certain products. This month we spoke to Louise Mcdonnell from MCD. What sector do you work in most? Residential. What qualities do you look for in a product? It does what it says...

NEWS: Wind of change.
October 30, 2007... British Gypsum is assessing the viability of using wind power to supplement and replace traditional energy sources at its manufacturing plants in the UK. A trial mast, erected at the company's plaster plant at Barrow-on-Soar, in...

LETTER: Tall story set to strike?(Letter to the editor)
October 30, 2007... Every year the summer months seem to raise their usual crop of rumour and scare mongering stories that are designed to fill the editorial pages of the trade and technical media. The latest "tall story" that appears to be just about to...

LETTER: The importance of planning.(Letter to the editor)
October 30, 2007... With reference to the report published by the CPRE which claims that increased land supply will have little effect on house prices, CPRE's research compares apples with oranges. It wrongly assumes that because land is identified in Local Plans...

LETTER: Unpredictable outlook.(Letter to the editor)
October 30, 2007... With email now the de facto standard for communication in just about every business sector, the management and retention of contractually important email is a growing problem to the whole of UK business. However, the construction industry has...

COVER STORY: Let it snow.
October 30, 2007... Ash & Lacy Building Systems' Ashwall has been incorporated into the iconic construction of Manchester's Chill Factor-e Alpine Village, which has the UK's longest and the world's widest real snow indoor ski slope, is set to open its doors...

ELEVATOR TECHNOLOGY: Prepare to elevate.
October 30, 2007... It was Elisha Graves Otis who invented the first safe elevator and demonstrated it at the Institute Fair in New York, in 1854. This invention, along with modern building techniques using steel, ushered in a new generation of high rise...

FIXINGS: Futureproof fastenings.
October 30, 2007... Bruce Meechan takes a look at some of the modern solutions and products designed to help hold buildings together Although architects routinely revisit the appearance of bygone ages, such as the Georgian and Victorian styles of building, it...

TopStory: Fixings & fastenings.
October 30, 2007... The Tamar Bridge to the West of Plymouth on the A38 has 50,000 vehicles a day passing over it. The toll booths at the Cornish end have been upgraded, with a canopy structure over the toll plaza comprising a series of scallop sectioned arches in...

FIXINGS: Sleeve anchor takes the load.
October 30, 2007... The FH II is a new high performance sleeve anchor from fischer which offers the highest performance, with excellent load-bearing in both cracked and non-cracked concrete. It has a European Technical Approval at Option 1 for use in cracked...

FIXINGS: Sales team is all tooled up.
October 30, 2007... BeA Fastenings Systems, one of the UK's largest suppliers and manufacturers of fasteners and hand held powered tools, can boast an increase to their existing sales team. The Dynamik `Fab Four' - consisting of Simon Hazeldine-Peace (40),...

FIXINGS: Connections on the balcony.
October 30, 2007... Halfen's market leading insulated reinforced concrete balcony connection system (HIT) allows structural connections to be made between external concrete balconies and internal floor slabs without interrupting the continuous thermal insulation...

ROOFING: Grand Slam.
October 30, 2007... Jonathan Clemens, md of Corus Kalzip UK, outlines the importance of Modern Methods of Construction in realising the MOD's refurbishment ambitions Despite making a valued commitment to serve the country as part of the Armed Forces, many UK...

ROOFING: Green grow the rooftops.
October 30, 2007... Green roofs may have come a long way since the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, but specification of the right system is essential to its success. Steve Greaves of Flag UK outlines the differences. The use of plants on roofs appeared as early as...

ROOFING: Total quality Street.
October 30, 2007... Alliance Warranty Management head Mike Fox, explains guarantees for both the design and workmanship of roofing While there must be an industry standard for the manufacture of almost everything including the site cabin's kitchen sink, the...

ROOFING: Roll out the barrel vault.
October 30, 2007... Richard Lowe, technical services manager of Xtralite, introduces the latest technology to improve energy efficiency The Part L Approved Documents and other, similar national regulatory guidelines consider rooflights purely from the...

ROOFING: Index helps the birds of Brum.
October 30, 2007... The first of a number of Index brown bio-diversible roofs in Birmingham has been completed on the BVSC building (The Centre for Voluntary Action) where black redstarts previously thrived. This is part of a project to recreate the habitat...

ROOFING: Compound saves need to re-roof.
October 30, 2007... Anglo Roof Repair Compound, an improved mixture of bitumen and tough fibre reinforcement providing a flexible and durable weatherproofing seal to all roofs, is available from Anglo Building Products. It avoids the need for re-roofing, and...

ROOFING: Roman holiday for Decra.
October 30, 2007... Lightweight roof systems specialist Decra has brought some Italian styling to its steel tiles range with the launch of a Roman version. Weighing in at just 5.38kg/sq m, the Roman tile is less than one-eighth the weight of a traditional clay...

ROOFING: Brett Martin wins at Wembley.
October 30, 2007... Brett Martin Daylight Systems has added a hat trick of international projects to its portfolio of major sporting venues - Wembley Stadium, Galway Racecourse and Kensington Oval in Barbados. Over 5,000sq m of Safelight translucent GRP...

ROOFING: Roofing supplier minds the store.
October 30, 2007... Steel roofing and cladding supplier Arcelor sprang into action when a customer urgently needed to replace a roof on a storm-damaged supermarket. Arcelor supplied Blackwell Stanistreet with its Arclad R34 profiled steel sheeting to replace...

ROOFING: Shetland museum slated.
October 30, 2007... Natural slate roofing from Cumbria-based Burlington features as the roof finish on the new Shetland Museum and Archives building, recently opened on the islands and constructed at a cost of #11.6 million. The building has a traditional pitched...

ROOFING: Car park refurb' proves a trial.
October 30, 2007... Refurbishment of a car park in West London has provided an early trial for Tremco illbruck's fully fleece reinforced decking system. Not only overcoming challenging technical problems, but also offering savings for client and contractor,...

ROOFING: Contemporary design for school.
October 30, 2007... Dussindale Primary School in Norfolk, designed by the architects department of Norfolk Property Consultants, has made extensive use of the latest materials and systems in construction, to make the school as contemporary and as sustainable as...

ROOFING: Membrane comes to UK.
October 30, 2007... Marley Waterproofing has added to its range of waterproofing products by introducing Uniply PVC into the UK, one of the most established and proven roofing membranes in Europe. Manufactured in the Netherlands, Uniply PVC was the first...

ROOFING: Topdek for Staffs care centre.
October 30, 2007... Ward Topdek has been used to give a private care centre in Staffordshire a new lease of life. More than 380sq m of Topdek insulated single-ply roof panels 80mm and 100mm thick were used to roof The Guardian Care Centre, Stoke-on-Trent, as...

ROOFING: Take-off for Robseal.
October 30, 2007... Robseal Roofing Limited of Reading is no stranger to working on major projects at Heathrow Airport. The list of projects includes Technical Building K, Technical Building C, World Cargo Centre (one of the UK's largest roofing project to be...

TopStory: Roofing.
October 30, 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 UK,...

ROOFING: Carbon neutral cladding.
October 30, 2007... Corus Colors is applying carbon neutral methodology to its two premium pre-finished steel products - Colorcoat HPS200 and Colorcoat Prisma - when used as part of a Colorcoat assessed cladding system, via the company's new offering, Confidex...

ROOFING: Hot stuff in social housing.
October 30, 2007... Bramall Construction, the public sector regeneration specialist, has chosen Heatsave Plus - the latest development in thermally efficient flooring from Tarmac Topfloor - to be installed at four new residential developments in Halifax,...

ROOFING: Support for sports arena.
October 30, 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. Work on the 32,000 seater football stadium, home to Coventry City Football Club,...

INSULATION: Exceeding expectations.
October 30, 2007... What happen when a development fails to pass on site Part E testing? Paul Absolon, technical director, CMS Acoustic Solutions explains how to bring a failed site up to standard With a continued rise in the number of new apartment dwellings,...

INSULATION: Artful secrets.
October 30, 2007... Described as one of the most exciting projects in the country, the visual arts centre under construction on Colchester is making use of the properties of Foamglas cellular glass insulation The new #16million visual arts centre, designed by...

TopStory: Insulation.
October 30, 2007... Hot on the heels of the introduction of the successful Kingspan XL200 colour coated system, Kingspan Insulated Panels is now proud to offer Kingspan Spectrum, a remarkable colour coated system that reflects the natural brilliance and durability...

INSULATION: External wall is a stunner.
October 30, 2007... Natural Building Technologies (NBT) is launching Pavaclad, a new external wall system, with stunningly impressive U-values down to 0.16 W/sq mK. The two versions of the Pavaclad frame system are ecologically sound, easy to build, and allow...

INSULATION: Sound solution at school.
October 30, 2007... The conversion of a former caretaker's bungalow into a state-of-the-art music block has reaffirmed the Art College status that Grange School, Shrewsbury was granted last year. The school has made use of Hodgson & Hodgson's SoundFloor,...

INSULATION: Guide makes life easier.
October 30, 2007... To make life easier for customers across the spectrum of drylining installers and plasterers, Knauf Drywall has produced a handy guide to its products and systems. The free 40-page booklet details the full range of Knauf Drywall plasterboards,...

DAMP & WATERPROOFING: Let's get physical.
October 30, 2007... Mark Brickell, managing director of Dampcoursing, puts forward a controversial view on chemical dampcoursing Everyone knows the saying `you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs'. This aptly describes my philosophy when it comes to...

TopStory: Damp & waterproofing.
October 30, 2007... As part of the Belgrade Plaza development in Coventry, Leigh Mills multi-storey car park is being extended and improved. Sika car park decking systems are being used throughout. Specialist contractors, Prestec UK, are applying Sikafloor 156...

DAMP & WATERPROOFING: Membrane beats radon.
October 30, 2007... Radon has become an increasingly important issue for the construction industry since the 2004 edition of Approved Document C was extended to include building types, bringing in workplaces and developments that involve a change of use to...

DAMP & WATERPROOFING: BBA certs for membranes.
October 30, 2007... Bauder has achieved BBA certificates for two roofing systems, Bakor 790- 11EV Hot Melt Monolithic Membrane and the Thermofol PVC single ply waterproofing system. The Bauder Bakor 790-11 EV Hot Melt Monolithic Membrane is the first...

DAMP & WATERPROOFING: Roof is a work of art.
October 30, 2007... Liquid Plastics has recently completed the 23,000sq m roof on the multi million dollar Museum of Islamic Art in Doha. Architect IM Pei was lured out of retirement to design the museum along with Jean Michel-Wilmotte. The building is a blend...

TopStory: Interbuild.
October 30, 2007... New stainless steel products include the Ancon AMR range, which is a high strength masonry reinforcement with flattened longitudinal wires, `Non-Drill' masonry-to-steel wall ties, which eliminate shot-firing and exposure to hand-arm vibration,...

INTERBUILD: Wherefore art thou Juliet.
October 30, 2007... Neaco's Juliet balconies have been attracting a high level of demand following their official launch at Interbuild 2006 and visitors to this year's event can appreciate why as the latest styles go on show. Architects, contractors and...

INTERBUILD: Panels meet carbon targets.
October 30, 2007... Timber frame design and build specialists Frame Wise are debuting at Interbuild with insulated wall, floor and roof panels that help meet 2016 zero-carbon targets. The panels have been designed in-house by Frame Wise, which provides a...

INTERBUILD: BG back after ten year gap.
October 30, 2007... After more than 10 years away, British Gypsum is returning to Interbuild in 2007 with a stand dedicated to off-site solutions. A growing element of the new build housing market, off-site manufacture offers a solution to the quality issues...

INTERBUILD: Flooring with one point of contact.
October 30, 2007... SHOWCASING ITS EXTENSIVE portfolio of flooring solutions and unrivalled contract service, Floors-2-Go will be making its debut at this year's Interbuild. Operating a central system which provides its clients with one point of contact, the...

INTERBUILD: No more major slip-ups.
October 30, 2007... ON DISPLAY IN Hall 3, Packexe is a self-adhesive protection film which is low slip, waterproof, recyclable, easy to clean and conforms to Fire Standard EN13501-1. Offering affordable and safe protection on floors and surfaces, Packexe is...

INTERBUILD: These hardwood floors are always green.
October 30, 2007... KEEN TO PROMOTE its longstanding strong environmental policy, British Hardwoods will be exhibiting at this year's Interbuild. The company has always stuck rigorously to buying temperate hardwoods from managed, sustainable sources in Europe,...

INTERBUILD: More lightweight roofing solutions.
October 30, 2007... NEW FROM BonaKemi, the Naturale finish is a unique waterborne formulation which, for the first time, combines the best properties of oil, hard wax and lacquer to give a look which is as close to real wood as possible. Copyright: CMP...

INTERBUILD: Extensive display of safety flooring.
October 30, 2007... On show from from Plastic Extruders is the Frontrunner Entrance Flooring System; Fleximats floorcoverings for cost effective covering of large areas; Crossgrip for roof safety walkways and Heronrib for slip-resistance in wet areas plus the...

INTERBUILD: Energy range to be switched on.
October 30, 2007... Elkay Electrical will unveil a new concept in energy management and lighting controls, with its energy range, encompassing energysense, energystyle and energyoutdoor products, designed not only to control lighting, heating and ventilation...

INTERBUILD: CPD seminars look to future.
October 30, 2007... SEMINARS HOSTED BY CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association) will show visitors how to properly plan and install home electronic systems to transform the home environment. Starting with the CEDIA RIBA CPD course for the...

INTERBUILD: New lighting company is full of low energy.
October 30, 2007... NEW HOME LIGHTING specialist tp24 is showcasing the latest developments in dedicated low energy. The company's range of over 200 new fittings utilises the dedicated L1 lamp and lamp holder system. Two new energy saving lamps are being...

INTERBUILD: Showering the eco market.
October 30, 2007... Showering innovation is key to this years' Triton stand. The new Satellites Rosina remote control shower takes remote showering to the next level whilst, with green issues topping the agenda, Triton's latest trio of eco showers - the Dart Eco...

INTERBUILD: Underground hero will give warm welcome.
October 30, 2007... Electric underfloor heating manufacturer DEVI will show a wide range of popular products including deviflex, devimat and devireg. In addition, the brand new deviflex ROBUST and devidry will be launched. deviflex is an underfloor heating...

INTERBUILD: Set to make a big splash.
October 30, 2007... TC Bathrooms will be unveiling three new stunning bathroom suites including the contemporary Dakota, the cutting edge design of Magna and the compact Mini suite. These stunning designs are contained in the company's new 2007/8 catalogue. ...

INTERBUILD: Heating is soul of discretion.
October 30, 2007... ON SHOW THIS year, ThermaSkirt is an innovative way of heating a room. Designed and manufactured in the UK by DiscreteHeat, the system replaces skirting boards and radiators in one. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

INTERBUILD: Voltium Village.
October 30, 2007... OFFERING ADVICE ON incorporating low carbon, all electric heating solutions into projects, Dimplex will be exhibiting within the Voltimum Village at this year's show. (For details of seminars, visit www.voltimum.co.uk). In addition to...

INTERBUILD: How to enjoy the great indoors.
October 30, 2007... VENTILATION AND SUN CONTROL will be addressed on the Duco stand. DucoSlide is an external Sun Control system with aluminium sliding panels which reduces the Solar Heat Gain and Solar Glare whilst optimising daylight entry. Combined with...

INTERBUILD: Frameless star of the stand.
October 30, 2007... SAS WILL showcase its brand new frameless window and high performance curtain wall system alongside its comprehensive range of aluminium products including windows, doors and curtain walling. www.wnibi.com Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

INTERBUILD: Making a stand for aluminium in building.
October 30, 2007... BEAUFORT SECURE DESIGN is planning an eye-catching stand in the Council for Aluminium in Building zone of the show. The Beaufort stand will highlight a number of its aluminium window profiles that have boosted interest in, and acceptance...

INTERBUILD: Old world craftsmanship meets modern millwork.
October 30, 2007... old world craftsmanship and modern millwork manufacturing are promised by Marvin Entry Doors; the company's doors are intricately handcrafted and the grain and colour of the wood is carefully matched for a furniture-grade look. A...

INTERBUILD: Benefits clear to see.
October 30, 2007... canopies and walkways specialist, Plastics in Construction, is launching an all-new glazing system at Interbuild 2007, to further enhance its expanding portfolio of design and build products and services. The new system features a unique...

INTERBUILD: Chance to meet the Kitemark.
October 30, 2007... BSI Product Services will be demonstrating how its world-renowned test facilities can benefit manufacturers, installers and consumers alike by providing internationally recognised standards testing and certification. BSI's Kitemark is one...

INTERBUILD: Free daylight is on offer.
October 30, 2007... Clement Steel Windows will show its new CAST Lightpipe, which has been designed specifically for use in historic, listed buildings and those in conservation areas where roofs are required to retain their original lines. Copyright: CMP...

INTERBUILD: Beaufort backs the show.
October 30, 2007... Beaufort Secure Design is putting its full support behind Interbuild's concept of an annual autumn exhibition with the announcement that it has already signed-up for the show, taking stand 04-E115. The window and door systems supplier has...

INTERBUILD: Call in at the corner shop.
October 30, 2007... The latest innovation from Homelux Building Products sees the launch of the 15mm Corner Moulding. It creates a perfect corner with smooth joints and as there is no need to mitre, a rendering project is made much simpler and faster. The...

INTERBUILD: Software to get you in a fix.
October 30, 2007... Visitors to the Access Technologies stand can see how BeamClamp fixings eliminate the need for on-site drilling or welding in a huge diversity of applications across H&V, construction and engineering arenas. To help configure and design...

INTERBUILD: Wizards add a little project planning magic.
October 30, 2007... Asta Development will launch version 3 of Asta Easyplan, its project planning software. This enhanced version is packed with new features that make Asta Easyplan even easier to use, including `wizards' to guide users through different aspects...

INTERBUILD: Sending in reinforcements.
October 30, 2007... Ancon will show new stainless steel products including the Ancon AMR range, which is a high strength masonry reinforcement with flattened longitudinal wires, and products for concrete-framed structures including Starter Bars to simplify the...

INTERBUILD: DOYMA to participate.
October 30, 2007... For the first time DOYMA will participate this year at Interbuild, displaying a wide choice of sealing systems. For over 30 years, the company has been manufacturing and distributing sealing systems for pipes and cables. Wherever service ducts...

INTERBUILD: Installation skills are an asset.
October 30, 2007... With the increasing importance of renewable energy and the immediate results to be gained from solar photovoltaics (pv), having the skills to install solar roof tiles is a valuable asset for any roofer, says Solarcentury. Copyright: CMP...