What's New in Building articles from September 2007

What's New in Building archives from September 2007

COMMENT: September 2007.
September 17, 2007... Ever visited a construction exhibition and wondered why you'd bothered? In these times of limited budgets and tight timescales, the days of the mammoth `all things to all men' event are surely numbered. What counts - for exhibitors and...

NEWS: Survey indicates Part L confusion.
September 17, 2007... More than eight out of ten UK construction professionals (84%) believe that the construction industry does not understand the Government's Part L legislation and its implications, according to the Overbury Office Sustainability Survey 2007,...

SPEAKOUT: Home sweet home.
September 17, 2007... SIMON STORER EXTERNAL AFFAIRS DIRECTOR CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION It doesn't take a genius to work out that if households are growing at more than 200,000 a year and we are only building an additional 185,000 homes each year, then...

NEWS: Arts centre insulation.
September 17, 2007... CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION in Colchester, the new #16million visual arts centre, designed by Rafael Vinoly, is being insulated throughout with Foamglas cellular glass insulation from Pittsburgh Corning.The building will feature a KME copper...

SPEAKOUT: Grist to the mill.
September 17, 2007... Paul Everall chief executive of local authority building control At the end of July the Government published a Green Paper: Homes for the future: more affordable, more sustainable. Its main purpose is to set out how 2 million new homes are...

NEWS: Plans for social sector.
September 17, 2007... To facilitate the process of approval and funding for Housing Associations and housebuilders operating in the social sector, H+H has collaborated with construction and property consultancy calfordseaden to design a series of standard house...

NEWS: Lift for timber framed buildings.
September 17, 2007... A structure-supported lift for timber framed buildings has been developed by Stannah. Due to shrinkage and settlement inherent in this type of building design, current lift structures were found to be too rigid - which can mean movement around...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Billionth brick.
September 17, 2007... Baggeridge is celebrating after two of its popular brick types reached a product milestone at its Waresley Factory - the billionth Tuscan Red Multi and Harvest Buff wire cut bricks were taken off the production line by works manager Eric...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Testing time.
September 17, 2007... Following rigorous testing at BRE, the new casement window system, Comar 5P.i. ECO from Comar Architectural Aluminium Systems has been found to exceed requirements of the stringent Weather-tightness Test BS 6375. Copyright: CMP Information...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Thickest launch.
September 17, 2007... Claimed to be the thickest product currently available on the market, the new 165mm thick PIR insulation board, Extra-R XR3165 has been launched by insulation specialists Celotex. The 165mm thick product is suitable for use with floor,...

NEWS ANALYSIS: The wake-up call.
September 17, 2007... The chairman of M&E Sustainability, a pan-industry campaign, has warned specialist contractors that they will miss out on valuable business opportunities unless they revolutionise the way they do business. M&E Sustainability is developing...

Ask the architects: September 2007.(Interview)
September 17, 2007... FREDERIK RISSOM ASH SAKULA ARCHITECTS WNIB finds out how and why architects choose certain products. This month we spoke to Frederik Rissom from Ash Sakula Architects. What sector do you work in most? Arts, regeneration, mixed-use,...

NEWS: Stylish windows with high energy ratings.
September 17, 2007... Offering high performance and sustainability to the commercial market at an affordable price, an aluminium-clad timber window system has been introduced by new company Glas Facades. The Swiss-made aluminium clad timber windows are said to...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Think video.
September 17, 2007... The official Think 2007 video is now live on www.think08.co.uk. As well as revisiting the event and giving an overview of participants' feedback, it also highlights the role Think plays in helping the built environment meet the challenges of...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Space sells fast.
September 17, 2007... As most indicators point to renewed growth across the glass and glazing sector next year, nearly 5,000sq m of stand space has already been sold for the 2008 Glassex/GP&T exhibitions, set to take place at the NEC, Birmingham from 8-10 April. ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Stunning stone.
September 17, 2007... Burlington's Broughton Moor stone has been featured both internally and externally in the extensive refurbishment of The Pinnacle, one of Manchester's most prominent office buildings. Over 150sq m of honed Broughton Moor natural stone floor...

NEWS: New manufacturing facility.
September 17, 2007... Planned with sustainability high on the agenda, IKO's new multi million pound manufacturing facility at Clay Cross near Chesterfield has started production on schedule. The site will produce a range of polymer membrane waterproofing products...

LETTER: Outsourcing for architects.(Letter to the editor)
September 17, 2007... More and more of Britain's top architects are looking to outsource day to day design work, leaving them free to concentrate on the bigger picture, according to a major survey of the country's top practices we at Atlas have recently carried out....

LETTER: Selling the benefits of pvc.(Letter to the editor)
September 17, 2007... I agree with Calum Forsyth, the new president of the British Plastic Federation (BPF) that the industry needs to work together to answer the growing environmental backlash against pvc. The industry is keen to talk about reducing VAT and...

LETTER: An uncomfortable truth.(Letter to the editor)
September 17, 2007... The Times and Guardian have both covered this year's Stirling Prize nominees, identifying a lack of client ambition and aspiration as a major factor behind the fact just two of the six shortlisted buildings are actually located here in the UK....

COVER STORY: Sustainable casements.
September 17, 2007... Comar Architectural Aluminium Systems constantly looks for ways to exceed what the market demands Current trends are for window systems to provide aesthetics as well as achieve environmental, security, thermal efficiency and life cycle...

COMPANY PROFILE - BIOCOTE: Silver lining.(Company overview)
September 17, 2007... Biocote's antibacterial technology is helping strengthen our defences against bacteria in vulnerable environments Bugs are big news and not a day goes by without the media reporting on a superbug outbreak in a hospital, such as MRSA or C...

PROJECTS - SAVILL BUILDING, WINDSOR GREAT PARK: Stirling performance.
September 17, 2007... Glenn Howells Architects' sustainable design for the iconic visitor centre in Windsor Great Park is up for architecture's top prize Shortlisted for this year's RIBA Stirling Prize, the Savill Building is an iconic visitor centre at Windsor...

IT IN CONSTRUCTION: Building by numbers.
September 17, 2007... Bruce Meechan gets an update on how computing is contributing ever more to the construction of contemporary building projects I can vividly remember the look of horror on the face of my young assistant as I stood in the middle of a rain...

IT IN CONSTRUCTION: The start of a revolution.
September 17, 2007... How can building performance simulation software assist in the design of energy efficient buildings? David McEwan has the answers. Are specifiers generally aware of the demands of the conservation of energy building regulations? ...

TopStory: IT.
September 17, 2007... Planit's design and visualisation software now includes the full Bang & Olufsen catalogue, providing distributors with a powerful tool to present customers with photorealistic images of their own homes, equipped with the company's latest audio...

IT: Import digital images in CAD.
September 17, 2007... VX Corporation, the developer of advanced, integrated CAD/CAM solutions for engineers and industrial designers, has announced a powerful new function that lets product designers import and use digital images for defining 3D models. VX...

IT: Integrating CAD into DMS.
September 17, 2007... Union Square Software has launched a new version of its Workspace knowledge management software to integrate CAD drawings into an organisation's document management system. Workspace Drawing Manager can deliver significant consistency gains...

IT: Latest version CAD software.
September 17, 2007... TurboCAD Professional v14, a powerful CAD application for architects and engineers, has been launched by Avanquest Software, publisher of business and consumer software for the global PC market. This latest version, TurboCAD Professional...

PUBLIC SECTOR BUILDING: Considerations for school and college design.
September 17, 2007... David Strang, marketing director of LB Plastics, explains why architectural pvc curtain walling systems offer an excellent choice for today's schools, colleges and universities Energy efficiency, low running costs, security and safety are...

PUBLIC SECTOR BUILDING: Clear vision for social housing.
September 17, 2007... Contemporary social housing can be given a facelift with modern systems such as those applied at Glastonbury House by Solarlux Designed to bring outdoor space to high-rise living, the balconies of London's tower blocks were conceived as the...

TopStory: Public sector building.
September 17, 2007... Business start-ups and fledgling companies in York will benefit from the city's first eco-friendly business centre, being built by property developers The Helmsley Group. The #3 million purpose built eco- friendly small business centre is a...

PUBLIC SECTOR BUILDING: New model oil burners.
September 17, 2007... Riello Burners continues to demonstrate its commitment to the medium power sector with the addition of new models to its R-Series (RS - Gas, RL - Oil) product range. The first of the new burners to be launched in the UK are the RS and RL,...

PUBLIC SECTOR BUILDING: Pump up the lime mortar.
September 17, 2007... The use of a pumpable natural hydraulic lime mortar from EasiPoint provided the authentic finish required for the restoration of walls surrounding one of the UK's most prominent Norman castles. Around one tonne of EasiPoint Restoration...

PUBLIC SECTOR BUILDING: One coat for mosque.
September 17, 2007... Machine-applied MP75 projection plaster from Knauf Drywall has made a lasting impression at the new Sheffield Islamic Centre - and it has won high praise from the centre's design consultant, one of the UK's top mosque designers. MP75 is a...

PUBLIC SECTOR BUILDING: Play surface is easy to install.
September 17, 2007... Marshalls has launched a new hybrid safety paving - PlayPave. Blending the robustness and durability of a Marshalls' concrete paving slab with a 25mm top layer of rubber, the company has created the perfect solution for a safe protective...

PUBLIC SECTOR BUILDING: Bold and bright design.
September 17, 2007... Bold, bright colours from the Polyflor 2000 PUR range of polish-free, low maintenance sheet vinyl floorcoverings - from commercial flooring specialist Polyflor - have been used to inset a hopscotch motif and random letters of the alphabet in a...

PUBLIC SECTOR BUILDING: HA project is on the casement.
September 17, 2007... Highseal Windows is fabricating thousands of Spectus' casement windows for a five year refurbishment contract with Bowlee Park Housing Association near Rochdale. Over #35million will be spent improving 1,200 properties as part of the...

DOORS & WINDOWS: Centuries old steel solution.
September 17, 2007... Having graced our heritage buildings for centuries, steel windows still offer many major benefits to help new build specifiers meet performance and environmental requirements New homes are being built at a rate never before experienced in...

DOORS & WINDOWS: Scandinavia is back in style.
September 17, 2007... Mark Roberts, product manager for JELD-WEN, looks at how internal veneered flush door styles are now coming back into fashion There are many different influences on internal door design. Trends in furniture, environmental considerations and...

DOORS & WINDOWS: Light fantastic.
September 17, 2007... By extending its product range, the Rooflight Company aims to please architects, planners and end users alike As their many environmental and health advantages continue to enjoy growing recognition, rooflights are an increasingly popular...

DOORS & WINDOWS: Accessing our heritage.
September 17, 2007... Simon Roberts, Joint MD for Tormax automatic door systems, resolves the often conflicting legal requirement to provide adequate access to public buildings of noteworthy heritage Across the UK, there are a great number of public buildings in...

TopStory: Doors & windows.
September 17, 2007... With the launch of Vision 3000 windows from Glas Facades, specifiers no longer have to compromise between natural light and thermal performance in a building. The Vision 3000 range combines an aluminium outer profile with a solid timber...

DOORS & WINDOWS: Prestigious performance.
September 17, 2007... Glass UK has secured a contract valued at over #500,000 to supply its Sheerglaze door technology to the prestigious extension and renovation of London's St Pancras station. Working for the design team of main contractor Corber, Glass UK is...

DOORS & WINDOWS: Traditional replacement.
September 17, 2007... Adair House required replacement of traditional sliding sash windows with high performance timber windows. Marvin Architectural supplied bespoke made to order units to meet particular designs and specifications. Based on yesterday's photos...

DOORS & WINDOWS: Steel rules in the suburbs.
September 17, 2007... A member of the Steel Window Association has been involved in the phased refurbishment of an architecturally important property that forms part of the Hampstead Garden Suburb conservation area. Work involving both restoration of steel...

DOORS & WINDOWS: Energy efficient doors for tower.
September 17, 2007... When it came to specifying energy efficient windows for the prestigious Beetham Tower, George Barnsdale was selected. The company manufactured over 100 lift and slide doors with laminated hardwood for the residential quarter of the tower. ...

DOORS & WINDOWS: Price is right for service centre.
September 17, 2007... Asda's service centre 7 in Falkirk features Hormann's first UK installation of its specially designed precast shelter wall. The design is also lower in cost compared to using a traditional steel or clad method and quicker to install. The...

DOORS & WINDOWS: Garden grows for Dorma.
September 17, 2007... Scotsdales Nursery and Garden Centre, just south of Cambridge, has 18 Dorma ES90 automatic sliding doors installed throughout the centre. As well as the everyday reliability of the doors themselves, Scotsdales finds the level of service and...

DOORS & WINDOWS: Composite is a first.
September 17, 2007... Rehau has launched its first ever composite door, the 60mm Tritec system. It has been developed in conjunction with composite door specialists Rocal and combines the best of both companies' expertise. The door features a fully...

DOORS & WINDOWS: Unbroken vision.
September 17, 2007... Hillaldam Coburn`s Glassmaster Omega Type GG system provides unbroken vision in a sliding partition, where space needs to be divided into viewable rooms such as shop fronts, showrooms and waiting areas. The all-glass, top hung panels can be...

DOORS & WINDOWS: Made to measure.
September 17, 2007... Andersen's range of Flexiframe made to measure windows is proving popular with builders wanting to take glazing right up to the eaves to create a striking feature. With Flexiframe, any straight-edged window design can be custom made to...

DOORS & WINDOWS: Strong and stylish sliders.
September 17, 2007... Flexibility is an overused word in the lexicon of architectural ironmongery but the latest Trojan 120 sliding door system from D R Services achieves a level of distinction by combining strength and style with the ability to carry very high leaf...

ARCHITECTURAL IRONMONGERY: Limitations of imitation.
September 17, 2007... Andy Howland of architectural hardware manufacturer Royde & Tucker discusses the threat of counterfeiting There is an increasingly fraught battle that companies are facing in order to protect their names, manufacturing processes and designs...

ARCHITECTURAL IRONMONGERY: Flash in the pan.
September 17, 2007... There's no cause for confusion with Assa Abloy's illuminated door handles LAUNCHED BY Assa Abloy Door Solutions, Brighthandle offers designers a stylish new way of showing whether any room, toilet or changing cubicle is occupied - by using...

TopStory: Architectural ironmongery.
September 17, 2007... High performance door hinges from architectural ironmongery manufacturer Cooke Brothers, have been fitted on Jeld-Wen doorsets throughout the new Freemens Meadow development at Leicester. This landmark riverside Barratt project comprises one to...

ARCHITECTURAL IRONMONGERY: Double action for residents.
September 17, 2007... Royde & Tucker has launched a residential version of its emergency release double action pivot set. This new set of components allows fast outward opening of the door in emergency situations and is designed to be user friendly and...

ARCHITECTURAL IRONMONGERY: New range is back in black.
September 17, 2007... Ironmongery Direct has extended its range of antique black ironwork. This style of ironmongery dates back to Tudor times and is authentically reproduced today using much the same blacksmith methods of 500 years ago, which guarantee the range...

ARCHITECTURAL IRONMONGERY: Ironmongery commended.
September 17, 2007... Hafele UK has won a commendation in the Public Buildings section of the 2006/07 Architectural Ironmongery Specification Awards for a project at the Trevor Gibbens Rehabilitation Unit at Maidstone Hospital. The awards are sponsored by the...

ARCHITECTURAL IRONMONGERY: Online advice on Document B.
September 17, 2007... Recent amendments to Approved Document B (fire safety) of the Building Regulations have seen a number of changes introduced to this critical part of the guidelines. Door closer manufacturer Samuel Heath holds that the situation is not as...

ARCHITECTURAL IRONMONGERY: Hinges that won't wear out.
September 17, 2007... The Phoenix 7000 Series is a coordinated range of architectural door hinges from Cooke Brothers. The hinges will be on show at 100% Detail and also the Big 5 Show in Dubai. Phoenix hinges will not wear, require no maintenance and have up...

ARCHITECTURAL ALUMINIUM: Metal gurus.
September 17, 2007... Greater use of aluminium is being promoted by recently formed organisation The Power of Aluminium The building and construction sector is being urged to realise the full potential of aluminium by thinking beyond its usual applications and...

ARCHITECTURAL ALUMINIUM: Fabricators point to growth.
September 17, 2007... The Council for Aluminium in Building (CAB) reports a resurgence in the use of aluminium in building over the last few years. From windows and fenestration products to cladding and roofing systems, there is a great deal of interest from the...

TopStory: Aluminium in construction.
September 17, 2007... Nicknamed the Bling Bling building, this scheme on Hanover Street in Liverpool has been designed by architects CZWG using curtain walling from Technal. Technal's grid and curved curtain walling was used for the building envelope, finished in...

ARCHITECTURAL ALUMINIUM: Versatility in ceilings.
September 17, 2007... Hunter Douglas Luxalon ceiling systems have demonstrated their versatility at a new Business and Enterprise school in Swindon. Interior and exterior linear ceilings in aluminium and solid wood have helped to realise the unique design of St...

ARCHITECTURAL ALUMINIUM: Plasterers can walk tall.
September 17, 2007... The UK's sole distributor of Marshalltown's tools, Rollins & Sons, offers Skywalker Stilts 2.0. These sturdy, lightweight aluminium stilts have been especially designed to make plastering and ceiling work simple. Skywalker 2.0 stilts give...

ARCHITECTURAL ALUMINIUM: Aluminium for Gunners.
September 17, 2007... Emirates Stadium, the multi-million-pound north-London home of Arsenal Football Club, features an elegant aluminium facade system from Schuco International. In a contract worth #3 million, fabricators Parry Bowen installed Schuco's FW60+...

SECURITY: Automatic for the people.
September 17, 2007... Perimeter security has become more of a top priority over recent years, says Will Walker, UK general manager for FAAC Physical security and gate automation is no longer limited to commercial premises and very extensive private estates....

TopStory: Security.
September 17, 2007... The introduction of the new GET keycard switch will help customers conserve energy and do their bit for the environment. One simple operation of removing the keycard, allows an individual to switch off the power source when existing a room thus...

SECURITY: Compact gate design.
September 17, 2007... Compact design makes the 391 operator ideal for residential gates. Combining powerful articulation with compact elegant design, the new 391 articulated operator from FAAC (UK), the market leader in automation of residential and commercial gates...

SECURITY: Are your tools secure?
September 17, 2007... The latest addition to Armorgard's range of security boxes, the Tuff- Bank Vanbox is guaranteed to protect its contents night and day. The Vanbox offers what is described as the ultimate in security and simply defies the most determined...

SECURITY: Forticrete plays it safe.
September 17, 2007... Industrial safety specialist Troax UK has installed a comprehensive machine safety solution for construction products manufacturer Forticrete. Troax used its Rapid Fix machine guarding system to safely protect three new automated...