Will Huaewi create a UK Silicon Valley

 

In the face of security fears swirling around the Chinese tech giant, will the company confirm its plans to develop a research facility near to the village of Sawson in Cambridgeshire.

If it goes ahead 45,000 sq m of floorspace will be built on an area bought by Huawei for £37.5m. The land was originally the site of a now derelict paper mill.

The new facility, which will include a small-scale manufacturing centre to build prototype chips, is expected to create up to 400 jobs.

But the firm will first have to win consent from local planning officials and councillors and consult residents at a time of heightened controversy over possible links to the Chinese government. Its own timetable shows it is due to formally apply for permission to build the site in “late May” 2019.

The company itself appears to be committed to the UK, where it has 1,400 staff, recently promised £3bn of investment and procurement by 2022 and has partnerships with 10 universities including Cambridge.

The proposed facility also shows its attraction to Cambridge, which has been dubbed “Silicon Fen” because of the boom in technology firms clustered around the city in the Fens region.

Huawei would be looking to benefit from proximity to more than 5,000 ‘knowledge-intensive’ firms based within 20 miles of Cambridge, including IT, telecoms, high-tech manufacturing, life sciences and healthcare companies.

The company expects construction to take up to 18 months. It can only begin when South Cambridgeshire’s district council makes its final decision, which the company expects by the summer.

But Huawei will only get the green light if its construction and design get through the many rules, checks and hurdles involved in the British planning system.

 

 

SOURCE: Yahoo Finance

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A Modern solution, after 600 years

St. Andrews University in Fife chose Creagh Concrete for the first stage of their £70million investment plans in student accommodation for the university. MMC Magazine Editor Joe Bradbury finds out more:

A building of historical significance

Founded in the 15th century, St Andrews is Scotland’s first university and the third oldest in the English speaking world. Teaching began in the community of St Andrews in 1410, and the University was formally constituted by the issue of a papal bull in 1413.

In 2009, St Andrews became the first Scottish ancient to appoint a woman as Principal, recruiting Professor Louise Richardson from the Radcliffe Institute, Harvard, to lead it into its seventh century. She was succeeded in 2016 by Professor Sally Mapstone.

St Andrews recently celebrated 600 years of continuous existence during which time it has made an enduring contribution to the intellectual and cultural life of both Scotland and the wider world.

Project overview

The first stage of the investment called for two new accommodation buildings for the campus. The new buildings called Powell Hall and Whitehorn Hall respectively have created 389 new bedrooms for the university.

Creagh provided architectural concrete cladding for the buildings including feature walls with etched lettering. In total, Creagh installed 695 GFRC concrete pieces for both projects. Glass Fibre Reinforced Concrete or GFRC (also known as GRC) is a type of fibre-reinforced concrete. GRC consists of high-strength glass fibres embedded in a concrete matrix. Both fibres and matrix offer a synergistic combination of properties that cannot be achieved with either of the components acting alone. The fibres provide reinforcement for the matrix, increasing its tensile strength, limiting the shrinkage and creep processes as well as eliminating curing cracking appearance.

For the St Andrews project, Creagh developed a project-specific GRC mix to match both the structural performance and aesthetics requirements. This allowed the installation of floor to floor panels with 25mm concrete skin and no steel rebar. Creagh’s manufacturing facility rose to the challenge of precise filigree moulding and different casting techniques required for the panels.  Among the benefits of GRC: it’s reduction in thickness provides an increased cavity and/or insulation allowance and a smaller loading to the façade. All of which significatively reduce the buildings carbon footprint but providing the same durability and resilience as traditional concrete.

Powell Hall opened its doors to postgraduate students for the first time in October 2018.  It is named after Renee Powell, American professional golfer who became one of the first female members of the R&A in 2015 and was the second African -American woman ever to play on the LPGA Tour.  The new building is five-storeys and adjacent to Agnes Blackadder Hall on the North Haugh, near the various science buildings.  It is also located near to the Sports Centre and is only a 15 minute walk to the town centre.

Aluminium copings were also installed on Whitehorn building, a four-storey building located adjacent to University Hall, near to the Sports Centre and the various science buildings on the North Haugh. It is named after Katharine Whitehorn – British journalist, writer and columnist, and first female Rector of the University of St Andrews from 1982 to 1985.

The decision to use precast concrete systems for the bulk of the building’s structural frame, cladding and balcony units was taken at an early stage on the project. The brief demanded a robust finish on the building, which would limit the amount of ongoing maintenance required.

Precast concrete is the ideal material of choice for frame construction and cladding.

 

Rising to the challenge

The job itself was not without its challenges. Speaking with MMC Magazine, Contracts Manager Ramon Escriva said “On the technical side, it was a very difficult installation with most of the panels with no access to fixings. We devised a range of different solutions to provide fixing points. There were also several cases with overhung panels that required special craneage arrangements.”

Creagh Director and Co-Founder Seamus McKeague added “We are seeing strong interest in our rapid build concrete systems because developers now understand the true value of slashing programme times.

“Investors not only benefit from revenue gained by the early occupation of units but, also, from the mobility of their capital resource. Quite simply, shorter build times mean developers can complete more projects with the same pot of finance.”

The brand new building offers various facilities for students to use for studying and/or socialising including, main social space, games room, cinema room, private dining room, sound insulated music room, study spaces, kitchen/lounges & a laundry room.

The new additions to the halls of residences will increase residential space offered by the University from 4,000 to 4,900 occupants, in an effort to accommodate the increase of students attending the University.

Tackling the severe accommodation shortage

From a political point of view, this project couldn’t have come at a better time, with Scotland facing a “clear problem” with providing accommodation for university students on campus.

In a recent article in the Scotsman, Green MSP Mark Ruskell called on the Scottish Government to hold a summit of university accommodation providers and student representatives to tackle the issue. Speaking at Holyrood, he said “I think it is clear that we have got a problem across Scotland.

“At Stirling University 180 first year students didn’t have accommodation last year. Under-18s cannot rent in the private sector, care leavers and international students struggle to find guarantors for private contracts. Disabled students very rarely find the appropriate private accommodation to meet their needs and we see increasing rents on campus as well.”

About Creagh

Creagh Concrete has been a pioneer of precast for over 43 years.  They are one of the UK’s largest producers of concrete products for a diverse range of market sectors throughout the UK and Ireland.  Creagh is leading the market with innovation in concrete, providing new solutions across the construction industry, changing the way people think about concrete, bringing new levels of efficiency and performance to their products.

The company operates from its head office in Toomebridge, Northern Ireland with bases in Ardboe, Dunloy, Draperstown and Magheraglass and also at Nottingham, England and Edinburgh, Scotland.

We asked them what their ethos is and this is what they said:

“Creagh is all about quality products & relationships – strong relationships with our customers, sub-contractors, clients and suppliers.  These relationships are key to our business and our approach to working together to deliver successful projects. From initial design consultation, through project development, groundworks, installation and beyond, your scheme couldn’t be in more experienced hands.”

 

www.creaghconcrete.co.uk

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Construction Future – the E-HAUS?

Energy Crisis, Global Warming,  Carbon Reduction,  Sustainability, Zero Carbon, Environmental  Footprint – these are all terms familiar to the general public, yet seemingly remote to the construction industry which has such a significant role to play in the protection of our future environment.

As a major influence on the condition of the environment, both actively in the building process and passively in the results of our efforts (ie. the buildings), there is a curious reluctance to adopt measures which would benefit future generations.

The Committee on Climate Change Report just published, for example, is pretty damning of the construction industry’s efforts to counter our impact on the environment.    Far from leading in measures to counter global warming, England (particularly) aspires to some of the poorest energy standards in Europe.   The Report identifies that energy use in our homes actually increased from 2016 – 2017!

Over the years, however, a variety of organisations and groups have actively campaigned to stimulate more sustainable construction, with varying measures of success.   The Passivhaus Institut was established in Germany to promote building homes which are sufficiently insulated and weathertight to eliminate the need for an active or central heating system, the principle being that the energy generated and recycled within the home is sufficient for a comfortable lifestyle in all but extreme weather conditions.

Back in 1995-96, as energy efficiency was starting to be taken more seriously, isorast GmbH (aka BecoWallform in the UK) launched a national competition to design a Passivhaus (Yes, the Passivhaus really has been around since then!).   The competition was a huge success attracting worldwide entries and helping to establish the Passivhaus as a practical proposition.

Now Passivhaus is becoming a popular specification, the next stage of development is the E-Haus, the Energy House, generating and storing all its own energy independent of the grid and delivering surplus energy back into the local network to reduce the requirement for centralised energy production.   Advancing technology in design and detailing of building fabric, equipment and energy storage is creating the opportunity to build homes and communities with a negative carbon footprint in a more balanced environment.

Following the success of the original Passivhaus competition, isorast (BecoWallform) have launched a new competition to design the E-Haus, again leading the way in promoting a sustainable environment.

The E-Haus competition is open to architects and designers in the EU, UK and Switzerland, to design a family home up to 200 sq.m. which is energy self-sufficient.   Total prize money is €55,000 and entries are to be submitted by 16 August 2019.   The winning projects will be exhibited at the ReWoBau Trade fair in Wiesbaden, 7 – 9 February 2020.   Further details and competition documents are available via the isorast website: www.isorast.de/downloads.

 

www.becowallform.co.uk

 

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high-performance membranes

The benefits of modular construction have been widely discussed with advocates including the government now recognising its potential to address the UK’s challenges in terms of both housing capacity and skills shortages. However, the growth and benefits of modular off-site construction are equally at home in student housing and commercial developments such as hotels and high-rise buildings.

The opportunities and benefits delivered by modular construction projects may range from significant reductions in programme length, waste and cost, whilst another major factor is the ability to achieve higher levels of quality control in the process.

From design through to construction and completion what is absolutely essential is that the selection of materials and products used within off-site projects is not compromised, ensuring performance is assured during the build process and throughout the lifetime of the building.

Helping to achieve this are some of the most technically advanced construction membranes available. The A. Proctor Group Ltd has been developing vapour permeable membranes and vapour control layers for over 25 years, and provides an extensive range of superior high-performance products suitable for modular and off-site construction.

The move to tighten building regulations

With the increased spotlight and focus on building regulations and the suitability of materials specified for use within external cladding, the correct selection and application of materials are at their most critical.

Following the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety and subsequent Interim Report by Dame Judith Hackitt, the Government has introduced an amendment to the Approved Document B: Fire safety, which has a significant impact on the design and construction of buildings above 18 metres. Published in November 2018, the new regulations came into force on 21 December 2018. Guidance on how external walls can meet the Building Regulations requirement for resisting fire spread is set out in Approved Document B.

Changes to materials and workmanship

Regulation 7 of the Building Regulations relates to materials and workmanship and reads as follows:

  1. (1) Building work shall be carried out-

(a) with adequate and proper materials which-

(i) are appropriate for the circumstances in which they are used,

(ii) are adequately mixed or prepared, and

(iii) are applied, used or fixed so as adequately to perform the functions for which they are

designed; and

(b) in a workmanlike manner.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3), building work shall be carried out so that materials which become part of an external wall, or specified attachment, of a relevant building, are of European Classification A2-s1, d0 or Class A1, classified in accordance with BS EN 13501-1:2007+A1:2009 entitled “Fire classification of construction products and building elements. Classification using test data from reaction to fire tests” (ISBN 978 0 580 59861 6) published by the British Standards Institution on 30th March 2007 and amended in November 2009.

Changes on the use of membranes within external wall construction

It is important to note that with specific reference to membranes the Regulation provides a critical exemption and further clarification is found within Regulation 7, as stated below:

12.14 Particular attention is drawn to the following points.

  1. Membranes used as part of the external wall construction should achieve a minimum classification of European Class B-s3, d0.

In summary, the amendment stipulates significant changes to which membranes can now be used and limits these to a rating of Class B,s3,d0.

It is crucial that all those involved in the construction of highrise modular construction fully understand the implications of this amendment in the wider context of building safety and protection. Critically designers should note that some European membrane products whilst quoting A2 ratings do not breathe sufficiently to comply with BS5250, meaning the use of these membranes in the UK climate could make the building unhealthy and result in a much greater risk of condensation issues and mould growth.

The complexity of manufacturing a non-combustible membrane which is still breathable to BS5250 standard is extremely difficult to achieve. In selecting a membrane it is important that performance is not compromised and that compliance meets the requirements of both Approved Document B: Fire Safety and BS5250 the Code of Practice for Condensation Control.

High-performance membranes – air tightness: Wraptite

An example of a high-performance membrane in practice is the Wraptite air barrier system. Wraptite offers a safer and simplified membrane system, conforms with the required Class B rating, and it provides a fully self-adhered vapour permeable air barrier certified by the BBA and combines the important properties of vapour permeability and airtightness in one self-adhering membrane. The membrane bonds back to the substrate, ensuring a simplified design to airtightness and simple installation method.

System benefits

  • Complies with use on buildings of high rise and over 18m under Part B amendments made in November 2018, Membranes need to be Class B,s3,d0 or better, with Wraptite classified as Class B,s1,d0 when used over a Class A1 or A2 substrate.
  • Included within BS8414 testing with cladding manufacturers.
  • EPDM not needed to the frame of the building as the self-adhesive membrane continues across the whole envelope of the building against the sheathing board and the frame of the building.
  • Less EPDM around window details due to the membrane lapping into the building at junctions.
  • Corner detailing for opening and movement joint interfaces are easily treated.
  • Improved airtightness and may negate the use of a VCL totally from the design internally, meaning easier a quicker install of dry lining package.
  • Hygrothermal Modelling will identify whether the construction requires a VCL or not. In some instances, the use of this self-adhesive without a VCL may be the most efficient option.
  • Improving airtightness may allow you to change thickness or type of insulation used when modelled through SAP or SBEM.
  • No need to tape sheathing boards as the membrane is positioned across the whole board.
  • By using this membrane on the external may show improvement on making the building watertight, allowing the cladding package to come off the critical path and internal works to start earlier, and also internal works may not be installing a VCL so the site program is potentially quicker.

High-performance membranes – fire protection: Fireshield

The culmination of years of research into membranes has led to the development of a vapour permeable membrane with a fireproof surface, which has a unique intumescent composition that actively reacts to prevent fire taking hold and that also significantly reduces the formation of droplets and smoke.

Crucially the new membrane fully complies with BS5250, BS4016 and NHBC requirements for vapour permeable walling underlays. Having succeeded in overcoming the complexity of creating a non-combustible, yet vapour permeable membrane, Fireshield has also been able to meet long term 5000hr UV ageing. This allows the membrane to be used in open jointed rainscreen and cladding applications.

The installation procedure is the same as for standard breather membranes, with the membrane fixed to the substrate using mechanical fixings. Applications include both commercial and residential buildings including apartments and student accommodation, as well as Rainscreen cladding and applications over 18m high.

System benefits

  • Fireproof surface – unique intumescent composition actively reacts to prevent fire taking hold
  • Vapour permeable walling underlay for use either directly onto sheathing or insulation
  • Class B, s1-d0 but performs differently to other similar class products
  • Complies with BS5250, BS4016 & NHBC requirements for vapour permeable walling underlays
  • Ideal for use in rainscreen/façade construction
  • Suitable for applications over 18m high
  • Long term UV exposure suitable for open joint facades
  • Airtight

Spacetherm A2

Spacetherm A2 is a flexible, high-performance, silica aerogel-based insulation material of limited combustibility suitable for use in exterior and interior applications. Supplied in a variety of finishes, the substantial layers of Spacetherm A2 meet the requirements for A2 classification (insulation, MgO and plasterboard).

The product optimises both the thermal performance and fire properties of façade systems, enhancing the thermal performance of the ventilated façade and addressing thermal bridging in the façade. It is also useful in minimising thermal bridges around windows in areas such as window reveals.

With a thermal conductivity of 0.019 W/mK, Spacetherm A2’s performance credentials qualify it as one of the best Class A2 insulations materials available worldwide. Engineered for space-critical applications, the product offers low thermal conductivity, superior compression strength, plus breathability allied to hydrophobic characteristics.

System benefits

  • Class leading fire performance from an Aerogel insulation
  • Superior thermal performance
  • Limited combustibility
  • Water vapour diffusion open
  • Permeable
  • Flexible
  • Thinnest Aerogel insulation available

www.proctorgroup.com

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a totally concrete service

FLI Carlow are the premier total service provider of engineered structural solutions to the Water, Energy, Storm Attenuation and Bespoke markets.  Our capacity to design not just the precast units, but the structure into which they integrate and the manufacturing tools used to make them has kept us at the forefront of innovation in our industry.

Semi-precast is the core of our business, a hybrid between traditional in-situ concrete and traditional precast.  Although sometimes seen as an under-developed off-site manufactured solution, the semi-precast design philosophy brings enormous improvement to cost and construction efficiency.

The semi-precast approach aims to deliver solutions fully compliant with the operational design requirement.  The ideal configuration is not adapted to prefabrication.  Whereas we will identify cost and time saving opportunities during the design development phase, we can adapt to the most precise configurations for operational accuracy.  In principle, any structure imagined in in-situ concrete can be delivered in semi-precast.  Approving Authority confidence is engendered by implementing designs which cannot be disproved by failure to comply in any respect with the specified codes and standards, whether national, international or customer specific.  We place wet concrete against hard concrete, the way it’s always been done.  The difference is that some of the concrete was manufactured elsewhere and the location of joints and interfaces are unconventional.  Regardless, the integrity of joints and interfaces remains uncompromised and verified by design.

The Benefit of Prefabrication

We complete the difficult parts of construction in our factory, under ideal conditions and under quality supervision.  Features including pipe-fittings, nibs, corbels, launder-channels, formwork attachments and stability-footings (among others) are eliminated from the site works.  Products are delivered to site on a just-in-time basis then taken from the delivery vehicle to their service position in one simple operation without fuss or temporary propping.  Small crews achieve amazing productivity by following simple steps and using well designed components and delivery systems.

Tolerance

Precast concrete units can weight in excess of 20 tonnes.  Under normal manufacturing tolerances, it could be very difficult to ensure the precision required to maintain accurate alignment and watertight fit.  The in-situ joint provides a transition between elements which ensures a complete and perfect fit (in it’s liquid phase) and a completely ‘relaxed’ structure at introduction to service.  We don’t stress pieces into alignment or position.  The design assumptions are fully realised.

Waterproofing Integrity

At every interface a scabbled surface is prepared.  In addition, a smooth dense slot is preserved for the application of hydrophilic strip.  This provides ongoing self-healing capability in service.   We use only one hydrophilic product; Denso Hydrotite.  Hydrotite is resilient to inflation prior to encasement in concrete.  It can compress against the surrounding concrete with a pressure of up to 3MPa on contact with water and has been approved by Tokyo Underground for design life up to 100 years. It is also DWI and Materials in Contact approved for potable water applications in the UK. That’s 100 years to first significant maintenance of the structure – no compromise.  Sealants used at the mechanical interfaces of traditional precast concrete tanking structures rarely have a service life in excess of 20 years.  These features are particularly relevant to storm attenuation, storage, treatment and basement applications,

Structural Continuity

Although relatively short, the in-situ joint is used to enable two-way bending of the structure.  This capacity is not available using any other precast approach.  Reinforcement lap lengths are designed on a bond-stress basis to ensure full capacity in smaller spaces.  Even the interface between the in-situ concrete stitch and the precast unit is designed for the same crack-width control as the body of the structure.  This ensures that all elements of the structure provide the minimum standard of waterproofing integrity and full compliance with concrete structures design standards.

By bending in both orthogonal directions, structures are thinner, lighter, economical, require less transport, less craneage and have a lower carbon cost.

Carbon

Our particular concrete mix design delivers very high early strength for efficient production, typically, 25 Newtons at 16 hours.  This ensures maximum safety and maximum value by extracting products daily.  We use very high concentrations of GGBS (66%) which in conjunction with other energy and carbon saving measures has reduced our carbon cost from 278kg/tonne of concrete manufactured to 182kg/tonne.  To ensure the high early strengths despite the use of GGBS we use thermal activation.  By adding mixing water at up to 80°C the disadvantage of slow strength development of GGBS is eliminated.

Sulphate Resistance

High levels of GGBS when used in conjunction with limestone cement and limestone powders (for self-compacting behaviour) produce a design chemical resistance class DC4.  That’s sulphate resistant concrete at no additional cost.

Value

The precast unit is delivered to site with projecting reinforcement often from five of it’s six faces.  All components are 3D modelled prior to manufacture and assembled in model-space prior to fabrication.  This eliminates the risk of clashing reinforcement and disruption to programme.  Projecting reinforcement leaves very few bars to be placed on site.

Typically the vertical in-situ stitches represent 30% of the volume of the perimeter and internal walls.  While precast concrete products are relatively expensive (although value-adding), the concrete used in the joints is locally sourced readymix at approximately £40 per tonne.

The formwork required is very light.  Shuttering ply facing with vertical stiffeners is locked against the structure using steel braces and MKK cone anchors.  The advantage in this low cost approach is that the formwork is torsionally flexible adapting easily to the surfaces on which they bear.  Smooth transitions and tight interfaces are achieved. Through-ties are completely eliminated.  These are often a problematic feature of conventional in-situ works.

Length of Joints

The number and length of joints in our solutions are often questioned.  Our industry sees joints as the most problematic elements of waterproof concrete construction – more joints, more risk.  The rebuttal is that it’s not the number of joints you fear, but the distance between them.  Traditional construction methods utilise joints at 6m – 10m centres.  Thermal and drying shrinkage accumulate over these lengths and are concentrated at a single interface.  The precast unit has long completed its shrinkage when placed on site therefore the shrinkage to be addressed is that occurring over only 500mm.  In addition, each interface has the benefit of a factory prepared scabble, reinforcement continuity designed to the higher standards for crack-width control and a self-healing strip at each end.  The semi-precast interface is subject to only between 5% and 10% of the movement occurring at conventional joint.  As a result, it is significantly better preforming than conventional concrete in this respect.

Rate of Construction

Semi-precast structures are typically completed in 60% to 40% of the time taken to deliver conventional structures.  This is where the value lies, both in terms of reduced preliminaries and hugely increased productivity. During the conventionally difficult construction of vertical and suspended works, equivalent productivity per person on site is ten times greater.

For more information, call us on +44 (0) 1279 423303 or email us at enquiries@flicarlow.com. You can find us on the web at the below address.

www.flicarlow.com

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Combining The Best of Both Worlds

Kerkstoel 2000+ manufacture so called twin walls and lattice slabs, these products combine the advantages of precast with insitu placed concrete.

Kerkstoel 2000+ is one of the most innovative concrete companies in Europe. It is part of the Kerkstoel Group and is based in Grobbendonk (Belgium).It specializes in the production of precast concrete walls and floors. Every precast element is made to measure in a highly automated factory. Based on the architect’s design (general arrangements and cross-sections), structural calculations, formwork and installation plans, Kerkstoel 2000+ develops an installation plan, with all the necessary details, so that everything runs smoothly and according to plan on site.

The floors, or lattice slabs, are used as a structural and aesthetic underside of a concrete floor. Basically permanent formwork they are the ideal substrate for concrete floors and can be made in all shapes, up to 7 cm thick. Wide plates are equipped with bottom reinforcement and on the underside they have a very smooth surface. After placing the lattice slabs and propping the top reinforcement is installed. Finally, the slabs are poured with concrete to the desired floor thickness. The result: a solid concrete floor where the load is perfectly distributed.

The reinforced twin walls of Kerkstoel consist of two shells of reinforced concrete that are connected to each other by lattice girders. All necessary built-in parts are provided in the walls during production (such as electrical boxes, power conduits, openings for windows and doors, wooden boxes, etc.).The wall elements are then assembled on site according to plan and then filled with concrete. The result is a solid construction as strong as a monolithic cast insitu concrete wall. These systems ensure high quality on site in a shorter construction time. The heavy skilled labour, such as steel-fixing and formwork, is limited to an absolute minimum. Thanks to the hybrid character, namely the combination between prefab concrete and in situ concrete, with the necessary water-bars  the walls can also be used for underground structures.

In 2018 Kerkstoel 2000+ invested in a brand new automated production hall. With this production hall, Kerkstoel wants to further specialize in the concrete wall sector. Concrete walls with integrated insulation, sandwich panels, walls with prints, etc. will now also be be possible. Kerkstoel 2000+ has been active on the British market for more than 10 years, and has delivered walls and floor slabs to numerous contractors. Contact us and see what we can do for you!

www.kerkstoel.be/en

 

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A Standard for Climate Change

In February, schoolchildren from around the globe went on strike to demand urgent action on climate change. It followed stark warnings within a report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stating that unprecedented measures are required within the next 12 years to limit temperature rises to 1.5°C above pre-industrial times – avoiding potentially catastrophic global impacts.

 

With the built environment estimated to account for around 40% of total UK carbon emissions1, improving the energy efficiency of our buildings must be viewed as a priority.

The Passivhaus Standard offers a proven model for minimising the energy usage of buildings via a fabric-first approach. By applying its principals with the precise design, improved predictability and outstanding thermal performance of structural insulated panels (SIPs), developers are now achieving Passivhaus Certification on projects of increasing scale and complexity.

Getting Certified

At its core, the Passivhaus Standard aims to allow the creation of buildings which require very little energy to heat or cool, whilst also providing a high level of comfort for occupants. To achieve this, it sets clear energy performance targets which a building must meet:

Primary energy demand ≤ 120 kWh/m2/yr

Space heating/cooling demand ≤ 15 kWh/m2/yr

Specific cooling load ≤ 10 W/m2

Passivhaus performance targets for cooler climate buildings

To put these figures in context, the maximum space heating demand for a Passivhaus building is around 10% of that of an average home (estimated to be 140 kWh/m2/yr 2). As such, whilst these criteria do not specifically address a building’s carbon emissions, in practice they should significantly limit emissions when compared with a property built to current Building Regulations/Standards.

To meet these criteria, all areas of the external fabric of the property typically need to be insulated to a U-value of 0.15 W/m2.K, or lower. It is also a requirement of Passivhaus that the building be fundamentally ‘thermal bridge free’. To achieve this, close attention to detailing is crucial when designing the building and installing the insulation to ensure that potential thermal bridges around openings and at junctions (especially the wall / floor) are properly addressed. In addition, air leakage rates must be no higher than 0.6 ach@50 Pa. This is typically achieved by installing an airtight layer, such as oriented strand board (OSB), and airtight tape, which is applied to seal all junctions.

High levels of airtightness within Passivhaus buildings necessitates good ventilation via means of a mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) system. MVHR systems extract the heat from outgoing stale air and transfer it to warm incoming fresh air, further reducing the heating demand and ensuring a fresh, comfortable environment within the home.

Whilst it is possible to attain Passivhaus certification with traditional construction methods, in many cases offsite construction approaches such as SIPs can provide a simpler, faster and more adaptable solution to meeting the demanding fabric requirements.

SIPs

A typical SIP comprises an insulated core sandwiched between two layers of oriented strand board (OSB), with a jointing system that ensures excellent insulation continuity throughout the envelope, limiting repeating thermal bridging. The panels are precision cut to each project’s particular specifications in a production facility, including spaces for openings, such as windows and doors. This ensures an accurate fit, significantly reducing the need for onsite adjustments and waste. It also gives architects considerable freedom in determining the design for the property.

The panels offer excellent ‘out-of-the-box’ fabric performance with whole wall and roof U-values of 0.20 – 0.17 W/m2.K, or better. By assessing all junctions and openings within the building envelope, and carefully installing additional insulation, thermal bridges can be eliminated, and the U-values of all elements reduced to the required level.

The jointing arrangements inherent in SIPs can also support extremely airtight structures. Once an airtight membrane is fitted internally and tape is applied to junctions, the air leakage rate can be reduced to the 0.6 ach @ 50 Pa required by the Passivhaus Standard.

SIPs also provide a number of practical benefits. Their offsite production process supports greater predictability in scheduling, allowing project teams to accurately plan for panel deliveries, avoiding trade overlaps and maximising site efficiency.

The panels can be quickly installed by a small team of trained operatives with a dry construction process that is less dependent on weather conditions than other traditional approaches. When SIPs are used for both the walls and roof, the outer shell of domestic properties can often be erected in just two to three weeks. With the addition of a breather membrane to the panel exteriors, the construction is made weathertight — allowing internal fit-out to begin. The outer timber facing also provides a suitable substrate for a variety of cladding options including brick slips, render and timber cladding.

In Practice

One project to take advantage of the benefits SIPs provide is the Norwich Regeneration Company’s Rayne Park estate. The development includes a mix of private and affordable housing, with 112 of the 172 properties, earmarked for full Passivhaus Certification.

The Kingspan TEK Building System was chosen to form the envelope of many of the dwellings based on its technical specification and value offered through its offsite production process. The first phase of the development completed this March, with the Passivhaus units expected to have a heating demand of just 11 kWh/m2/yr and a primary energy requirement of 77 kWh/m2/yr.

Scalable Solution

With over 65,000 buildings now certified Passivhaus around the globe, the Standard provides a clear route to dramatically reducing the energy performance, and consequently carbon emissions, from our buildings. Offsite approaches such as SIPs provide the ideal delivery method for this standard, allowing the cost-effective construction of entire estates.

www.kingspaninsulation.co.uk

 

1 UK Green Building Council – Climate Change www.ukgbc.org/climate-change

2 Why Choose Passivhaus? Passivhaus Trust www.passivhaustrust.org.uk

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Cementing Compliance – Part L

Over the past 100 years, through-wall construction has probably never seen such a period of significant change as what it has experienced in recent years. Traditional products that have become ingrained in building practices now require adapting because of changes to standards and performance requirements – most notably in relation to fire and thermal.

 

John Taylor, Technical Director at Euroform, discusses the importance of continued product innovation to ensure that popular methods of modern construction – particularly facades in high rise buildings – can still be used.

Following changes to Part L of Building Regulations (England and Wales) surrounding the conservation of fuel and power and Approved Document B in relation to fire safety, there has been a renewed focus on the combustibility and thermal performance of building fabrics. Insurance companies have also tightened their approach and introduced new stipulations which dictate fire strategy. These changes have been welcomed by the industry in the best interest of safety and sustainability, but a new standard has been established for manufacturers and specifiers to comply with.

Building board specialist, Euroform, has responded to these market changes with the launch of A2 Versapanel®… a market-leading cement particle board which has been independently tested in accordance with BS EN 13501-1 and certified as a Euroclass A2 product.

A class of its own

Versapanel® is a widely specified product in building envelope applications and is long established in the market, proven to perform acoustically and deliver exceptional performance in the presence of moisture – cut edges do not require sealing to prevent degradation. In response to market demand for a simplified route to limited combustibility, Euroform has invested in the development of A2 Versapanel® to deliver enhanced fire performance.

The Euroclass A2 certification confirms the high mass and robust exterior lining of the boards is of limited combustibility when exposed to fire conditions.

As compared with standard Versapanel®, the new A2 Versapanel® delivers superior pull out resistance, with comparative tests demonstrating a marked improvement on an already very good performance. Offering superior mechanical performance as compared with exterior gypsum boards, A2 Versapanel® also helps to improve the air tightness of facades when sealed at joints. A wide range of finishes can be applied over A2 Versapanel®, including insulated render systems, terracotta cladding systems, high performance cladding systems and traditional brick coursework.

The launch of A2 Versapanel® is also timely for the construction industry. The simplified route to revised Approved Document B compliance is seeing many developments specify insulation materials which offer limited or non-combustibility – which place additional demands on the performance of the building boards in through-wall build-ups.

In the thick of it

The move to use materials of limited-combustibility in construction, particularly in high-rise buildings has resulted in the specification of heavier and thicker mineral-based external wall insulation. The industry has become accustomed to using light-weight building boards but building boards with a higher mass and robust exterior lining are often required to secure increased volumes of insulation.

A2 Versapanel® is an ideal solution as it offers enhanced mechanical performance and pull out resistance for help attaching insulation. In addition to mechanical strength, A2 Versapanel® also has excellent acoustic properties, which assists developers in constructing buildings which promote occupant comfort by minimising sound transfer from external noise sources.

From a handling perspective, A2 Versapanel® is supplied as standard in 2400mm x 1200mm boards in 10mm and 12mm thicknesses. The product can be cut to size on-site or provided in a pre-fabricated kit to simplify installation processes. CE marked according to BS EN 13986:2004+A1:2015, A2 Versapanel® has been independently tested as A2-s1,d0 reaction to fire according to BS EN 13501-1: 2007+A1:2009.

For further information on A2 Versapanel® or to learn more about specifying the product on buildings above 18m high, please visit the below website or email info@euroform.co.uk

www.euroform.co.uk

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UK CONSTRUCTION – number 1 in Europe

A CEA and HMG commissioned Sector Report reveals UK Construction Sector ranked number one in Europe with a 24% market share. The full 3rd UK Construction Equipment Sector Report will be launched at PLANTWORX 2019

 

These positive findings were revealed in the Construction Equipment Association’s (CEA) latest Sector Report, on the UK construction equipment industry. Researched by consultants, Knibb Gormezano & Partners (KGP), and co-sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, extracts from the interim report showed record revenue for the industry in 2018, with sales of £13bn, up by 18% on the benchmark set for 2013.

The UK was the largest producer of construction equipment in Europe in 2018, and the 5th largest in the world – producing in excess of 60,000 units – earning manufacturers around £13bn in revenue. The confidence of the sector is due in part to massive infrastructure projects like High Speed 2 (HS2), Hinkley Point C and Highways England’s current £15bn five-year roads programme (RP1).

The Government has committed to further significant infrastructure investment and aims to expand the current housebuilding programme by another 30 per cent to 300,000 new homes a year. 2017 was a record year for new infrastructure and housing projects, with a value of around £106.5 billion. Investment in R&D increased a further 10% in 2018 to £220m.

PLANTWORX visitors will see first-hand the fruits of the manufacturers’ labour, with more entrants into the electric powered arena and a significant rise in manufacturers’ use of digitalisation and automation.

The use of Drones in construction has also grown dramatically in a short space of time – PLANTWORX has embraced this aerial revolution and will for the first time will host a dedicated Drone Fly Area – where suppliers will demonstrate the very latest in UAV technology.

There are 1,500 companies in the construction equipment supply chain, with a total direct workforce of 42,000. Yet the final Sector Report will reveal that one of the biggest challenges facing the industry remains that of skills.  The skills gap for UK construction equipment operators and manufacturers is widening. The technological advancements expected in the CE sector in the next 10 – 15 years are going to broaden this gap even further – particularly with emerging technologies. Automation and autonomy can fill that gap, but it is still a big challenge for the industry.

Rob Oliver, Chief Executive, Construction Equipment Association, said “The Sector Report comes five years since the last one in 2014. At that time our industry and the world economy were still recovering from the financial crisis triggered in 2008.

We can proudly report that the latest figures show record revenue for the sector and that the UK remains a good place to both manufacture and supply construction equipment.

 

PLANTWORX, 11-13 June 2019, East of England Arena & Events Centre, Peterborough. For more details on the event, a full exhibitor list and details of the new zones and initiatives visit www.plantworx.co.uk Registration for free fast track entry badges to the show is now open.

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PROJECT 2020 – The Infinite House

In 2016 Taylor Wimpey launched the Project 2020 Design competition in partnership with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

 

Making a mark

 

In a constantly evolving world that is becoming more and more technology and innovation driven, we, as a sustainable company, have a responsibility to look at the future trends and advances in our industry so that we can future-proof our Company. That’s exactly what ‘Project 2020’ is all about.

 

‘Project 2020 and its competition is a very visible sign of how we continue to move towards a customer centred business. It’s about building homes to match how our customers want to live, with construction methods and materials that will deliver the quality they expect.’

Nick Rogers, UK Head of Design andTechnical (Taylor Wimpey)

 

Bringing big ideas to life

 

In 2016 Taylor Wimpey launched the Project 2020 Design competition in partnership with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). The two-stage competition invited architects from across the globe to design new house type typologies with the brief of being innovative, pragmatic, cost effective, capable of high-quality mass production and would appeal to future customers and their changing needs.

With over 100 entries from 14 countries, it was the ‘Infinite House’ designed by Open Studio Architects, based in London, that impressed the judging panel the most.

 

‘The Project 2020 Infinite Houses offer significantly enhanced daylight levels, flexibility of internal planning, and diverse construction techniques, enabling Taylor Wimpey to offer high quality, responsive and adaptable homes, which we believe can fundamentally change both what houses can be, and how they are delivered.’

 

Jennifer Beningfield, Founding Principal Director (Opendstudio Architects)

 

So, what exactly is the Infinite House?

 

There are four types of the Infinite House design, each of which aims to promote adaptability and customisation that helps improve flexible living. These unique house types have the potential to accommodate multiple configurations to suit different demographics, and their spaces can be adapted to offer separate living areas or open plan living, enabling its inhabitants to customise their homes to their specific living requirements.

All four house types have been designed to offer easy expansion in the roof, with windows strategically positioned to increase the levels of daylight and sunlight, whilst the exterior of the buildings offer the flexibility to be adjusted depending on the changing densities or cladding materials required. And what’s more, the homes designed based on the Infinite House concept are expected to naturally fit in anywhere, from rural locations to urban areas, thanks to the careful selection of materials, giving extra flexibility during the planning process. Another proposed benefit of the Infinite House type is its ability to adopt the all-important fabric-first approach, off-site and traditional construction methodologies.

 

Building homes for the future

 

In total, there will be nine prototype units built across TW businesses in West Scotland, Manchester and Oxford, where the regional teams will be reviewing different build methodologies and new technologies, as well as suitable materials, to meet the innovative design, functional and technical requirements of the Infinite House concept.

Each region will be trialling a different method of construction to explore flexibility in build methodology and evaluate if the prototypes are equally buildable in varying construction methods.

 

The most unfamiliar method of construction which has not previously been used at Taylor Wimpey, will be Cross Laminated Timber (CLT). This will be implemented by our Oxford region, across the 5 prototypes they are building at Great Western Park, Didcot.

Scotland will be implementing two different versions of Timber Frame on each of the two prototypes being built at Dargavel, Bishopton; One will be in traditional open panel timber frame and, the other will be a more complex advanced closed panel timber frame which will also seek to achieve Gold Standard accreditation and promote innovation. Manchester will be using familiar traditional masonry build for the two prototypes being built at Arnfield Woods.

 

Today and beyond

 

Although only one element of the more widely scoped Project 2020, the findings and lessons learnt from building the prototypes will be invaluable in informing Taylor Wimpey’s strategy for the future, ensuring the homes that are built for the next generation of customers meet and exceed their expectations and suit their changing lifestyles.

SOURCE: Taylor Wimpey

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