Tackling the skills shortage with Vepps

As the current skills shortage continues to threaten the UK construction industry, it’s vital that manufacturers and suppliers make conscious changes to alleviate the pressures felt across the sector.

Venesta are renowned across the world for their continuous innovation in commercial washroom systems, including Vepps, their modular pre-plumbed panelling solution. Vepps, previously known as IPS, is the industry’s first precision engineered pre-plumbed panel system designed by Venesta, which brings together cutting-edge technology and the latest in sanitaryware designs.
Specifying Vepps panelling in commercial washrooms not only saves you money over the life span of a project, but will also speed up onsite installation times by a staggering 50%. Here we shine a spotlight on all the benefits of choosing Vepps over alternative plain panel washroom systems, and how the solution is helping tackle the skills shortage.

Fewer people, more work.
Last summer, the industry training body CITB estimated that the industry would need another 217,000 workers over the next five years to offset the loss of resource, together with projected productivity gains and changes in the workload mix.
They forecasted a bounce back from the pandemic, with an 11% rise in construction output in 2021, followed by a steady 3% growth each year until 2025.
So where does that leave you? It’s great news that the construction industry is strong, but getting materials and skills on site is proving to be an ongoing major headache.

Pre-plumbed units ease the pain.
More construction is being moved off site and pre-plumbed IPS panelling systems, such as Venesta’s Vepps, are a good example of that.
Vepps is the next generation in IPS systems. By fitting and testing the sanitaryware and sanitary assemblies in the Venesta factory, everything is delivered as a ready-made unit. It can result in big time and cost savings without having to source carpenters and timber to build the frames and plumbers to fit the sanitaryware.
It’s easier from a health and safety perspective too – less people, less manual handling and generally less dust and dirt too. Plus there’s also the environmental benefit of a single delivery and significantly reduced packaging, compared to plain panel alternatives.
Four simple steps for installation.
Precision engineering ensures the metal framed panels are supplied to the exact measurements for your project. Installed in 4 simple steps, each Vepps unit can be up and running in half the time compared to traditional plain panels and without the need for specialist trades.
Reduced installation time, the need for fewer workers onsite and a speedier completion – all by specifying Vepps.

Flexibility and choice.
From cutting-edge sanitaryware to simple budget options, our close partnerships with Armitage Shanks, Ideal Standard and SanCeram give you complete flexibility to choose industry-leading products to complement your washroom design.
So whether you’re working on a healthcare, education, retail or commercial washroom project, Venesta feel confident they’ll have suitable pre-plumbed panelling solutions for you.

Simple and efficient ongoing maintenance.
Vepps’ highly engineered, linear-bearing lift-up hinges allow easy access to concealed duct space for hassle-free ongoing maintenance. The 90˚ hinges ensure effortless, smooth movement time and time again while eliminating manual handling issues, preventing panels being damaged during maintenance.
Each pre-plumbed Vepps unit comes complete with a state-of-the-art dowel dock system which has been designed for perfect panel alignment, even when specifying a luxury continuous wood veneer effect finish. Dowel docks also incorporate panel protect buffers which prevent damage as panels are opened and closed time and time again for any maintenance works.

Guaranteed quality.
Each Vepps unit is manufactured, pre-plumbed and vigorously tested at Venesta’s UK manufacturing facility, meaning that no plumbing or testing has to be done onsite, helping to speed up installation time even more. Not stopping there, Vepps comes with a rock-solid 10 year guarantee for added peace of mind for the end user.

Venesta’s service defines them.
For every single project, Venesta’s experienced, friendly and enthusiastic team make it their mission to guide you through from inception to completion – on spec, on time and within budget. Speak with the team to get help with Venesta’s range of IPS products and the ordering process.

If you have drawings, our Specification Managers can also produce NBS specifications and estimates within 24 hours, at no cost to you.

 

 

 

To discuss your current or future washroom projects, please

call the team on 01474 353333

or email marketing@venesta.co.uk

or visit www.venesta.co.uk

 

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Constructive solutions from fosroc

The Project

A 17 storey block of apartments was to be constructed in the St Peters Square area of Manchester. The site, located close to the city centre and University area, had very limited access due to a large retail park on one side and a canal on the other. This meant that standard construction methods such as pouring a concrete frame would be impossible, so other methods needed to be looked at. A fast, reliable method of construction was required.

The Solution

The main contractor employed RLH Construction to use Architectural Precast Sandwich Panels. This method of construction involved the precast panels being cast offsite then brought to site on lorries and craned into place. The external panels were already cast architecturally to the required external design. The internal floors were then placed and grouted, and finally the internal walls were erected. Once this process had been completed, the next floor was placed following the same sequence. As each floor was constructed, pre-fitted bathroom pods were lowered into the rooms before the next floor was placed, removing the need for bathroom fit out. The floors were grouted using Fosroc Conbextra GP, and the precast external and internal walls were placed onto Fosroc Conbextra BM (Bedding Mortar). Once in place, the vertical joints in the walls were grouted using Fosroc Conbextra PM, a thixotropic grout that can be pumped directly into a vertical joint without it falling out, ready for it to be trowelled flush with the walls.

 

The Benefits

RLH Construction were able to achieve a rapid turnaround on each floor, progressing onto the next floor much more quickly than with conventional construction. This was due in part to RLH being highly skilled in placing Fosroc grouting products and to the fact that Conbextra grouts will achieve strengths in excess of 60N much faster than normal concrete. With the precast units arriving to site already formed, there was far less remediation to contend with and it was just a case of fixing and grouting them in place, with the Fosroc grouts providing a very strong, solid bond.

www.fosroc.com

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Modular Group Investments: A year in review

This time last year, when Modular Group Investments (MGI) acquired uPVC fabricator Euramax Solutions, the company had struck a pivotal deal that would see it become one of the fastest-growing players in the modular construction market.

 

A year on, MGI now owns three fenestration businesses with a combined annual turnover of nearly £40 million, a total of 227,000 square feet of manufacturing capacity, and nearly 120 years of combined expertise.

 

Former Euramax Solutions Managing Director Nick Cowley is now the CEO of MGI, where he oversees the investment in businesses that actively support the growth of MMC and off-site construction. “MGI’s goal has been to bring together suppliers who serve the modular sector under one umbrella, offering everything a builder needs, exactly when they need it,” Nick comments.   “With the three businesses acquired last year, we’re well on the path to achieving just that.”

 

How did it all begin?
The first port of call was to conquer PVC, and so in March last year, MGI set its sights on Barnsley-based Euramax Solutions, now a well-established, 71-year-old window and door manufacturer.

“I was Managing Director at Euramax Solutions at the time, and with a long history of serving the holiday home market, the company was already perfectly set up to serve the modular sector,” Nick explains.
“Today, Euramax is headed up by new Business Unit Director Emma Chapman, and boasts a 220-strong team working from a 205,000 square foot manufacturing facility. The company makes around 3,000 frames a week, having bought over half a million metres of PVC profile from trusted suppliers Eurocell, Rehau, and Profine.
“In 2021 alone, Euramax Solutions manufactured over 36,000 uPVC doors, nearly 3,500 patio doors, and over 150,000 high-quality windows, firmly establishing the company as a leader in the MMC market.”

With Euramax Solutions firmly under its belt, MGI soon looked to expand its PVC offering, and the following month, acquired Rapid PVCu Systems, a 12-year-old fabricator based in Doncaster.
Manufacturing windows and doors for the new-build market, the company was already set up to provide a complete package for new-build customers, including expert technical advice, and input on minimising costs. “Acquiring Rapid not only boosted MGI’s productive capacity, but also diversified our customer base within the modular market,” says Nick.
Now headed up by industry veteran Simon Bingham, Rapid now has a 60-strong team working from a 15,000 square foot factory, and last year manufactured over 36,000 PVC windows, and nearly 5,000 doors, after buying over 1.1 million metres of extruded profile.

 

 

 

Expanding market
With a PVC division firmly established, MGI’s next ambition was to reach out into aluminium – a fast-growing sector within modular construction.
By October last year, the company had acquired Barton Windows Limited, a 35-year-old aluminium fabricator.
Working from a 7,000 square foot factory, the company now manufactures Euralite, a high-quality range of aluminium decking and cladding that combines all the benefits of aluminium with the sought-after aesthetics of timber.
Nick comments: “There’s huge demand for aluminium decking and cladding across the UK construction market, especially within modular construction, and for architects, developers and others looking for a reliable, long-lasting and sustainable alternative to timber, Euralite is set to be a market-leading aluminium range.”

Record numbers
It’s been an incredibly successful past 12 months for MGI, with the company having acquired three businesses that together, have the potential to serve the entire modular sector under one umbrella.
Whether it’s PVC or aluminium, MMC builders can source everything they need from Euramax Solutions, Rapid PVCu Systems, and Barton Windows Limited.

Nick concludes: “The company has grown significantly in the past year, thanks to the acquisition of these three fantastic businesses.
“The numbers speak for themselves – we’re achieving record levels of output and sales, and with plans to expand product ranges across the board in the coming months, we’re planning on growing even further.
“It’s a very exciting time for MGI, and I very much look forward to seeing what the future holds.”

 

 www.modulargroupinvestments.co.uk

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Modular is the future – here are some key principles to make it work for you

 

 

Mark Worrall,

CEO of BBI Services, talks modular –

and what the future of construction might look like.

 

 

 

Offsite construction – or as we prefer to call it at BBI, onsite, near-site and off-site – has been quietly revolutionising the way the world’s construction projects operate for years now.

In the years ahead, that’s only going to increase – because modular provides a solution to three of the biggest problems currently facing Britain.
The first is the housing crisis. The government’s commitment to building 300,000 new quality homes every year has been around for a while now, but at no stage has it come close to hitting it.
The second is skills. More than 30% of the workforce is aged over 50, and more than 10% is aged over 60 – meaning in the coming decade, thousands of the sectors’ most experienced employees are likely to retire.
And the third – arguably the biggest of all – is climate change. Construction is under huge pressure to become drastically more sustainable, and play its part in helping Britain hit its net zero targets.

Avoiding lift and shift

Modular offers a way around these obstacles. This is because the construction of the future will be delivered through a mixture of different techniques – some of which take place in a factory, some near-site in ‘pop up’ factories and some late configuration happens onsite.
You can employ modularisation on a building site. Increasingly, companies are also embracing near-site – by installing temporary pop-up factories close by a project location, building what needs to be built, then disassembling them and moving on again.
It’s a similar principle to the automotive parks that do late configuration or difficult manufacture, like bumpers, close to the end assembly facility.
These are important distinctions, because one of the risks of an over-simplistic understanding of modular is what we call ‘lift and shift’.
We’ve come across companies who are extremely excited by the potential of modular – in fact, they’re so excited by it, they’ve taken every aspect of what they do and moved it into a factory.
But that is not extracting the maximum opportunities presented by modular. Taking some builders out of a muddy field and putting them in a warehouse isn’t going to revolutionise the way you operate – it could actually be more dysfunctional than what you were doing before.

Onsite, near-site and offsite

You can’t have the mindset of ‘everything has to go into the factory’. That won’t work. Instead, your starting point has to be clear. Understand the processes and then assess ‘what will have the biggest impact if we move it into the factory?’
In construction, we often talk about runners, repeaters, strangers and aliens – both in terms of projects, packages and systems.
Runners are really your bread and butter – the things you do very frequently, are extremely predictable, and easy to complete. These are perfect candidates for modularisation.
Repeaters are less frequent and efficient – and strangers are highly customised and labour and material-intensive. These tasks are much harder to modularise.
It’s predicted that we’ll see construction continue to follow the example of sectors like automotive, aerospace and manufacturing in classifying the key ingredients that go into a particular project as asset types and platform components.
This model is already taking grip in construction – core modularised ‘units’ that can be quickly and efficiently manufactured in factory conditions, they are then further customised depending on the type of development, the price-point they’re intended to sit at, and the preferences of the customer.

The benefits case

When it comes to modular, you have to look at calculating the costs and real value implications and benefits differently – is it truly more expensive?
Taking a more end to end view of the impacts of offsite and modular on programme, quality, safety and productivity is key, rather than the specific cost of an individual product at the factory gates.

Get fit for the future

At BBI, we can equip you with the tools, the skills and mindset required to thrive in the modular future.
To help, we have developed a specialist Construction to Production masterclass which is hosted at the Toyota Engine Plant and brings together senior leaders from across the built environment.
The programme is a world class example of modular working and showcases productive mix model manufacturing.

Interested in learning more? CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE WEBSITE

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Timber Enthusiast? Be part of the development

If your eyes are settling on these words, you’re at least fascinated by timber constructions. Whether you are an established professional or an ambitious neophyte, the subjects of Rothoschool seminars will captivate your curiosity – and trigger your thirst for knowledge. 

Rothoschool is the educational branch of Rothoblaas, modern supplier of timber building materials, who skilfully engineers, professionally tests and carefully markets its own products since 1991. Timber passion brought the Italian company to launch a successful series of training events several years ago, becoming prime ambassador of timber promotion. Following the company’s mission to grow closer to the operational markets, the events are now being organized and held directly in the designated countries.

 

We love timber, but why?

As one of the first materials used by humankind, timber has influenced the development and evolution of our built environment. Over the centuries, carpenters and master craftsmen have developed ever more innovative, complex, and refined working techniques to construct with wood.
In the last two centuries, industrial, scientific, and technological developments have led to the rise and widespread use of structural materials like steel and reinforced concrete. These materials almost supplanted timber being used in construction, as they solved problems that timber technology was not ready to answer.
In the last few decades, the development of new timber technologies has given renewed momentum to the timber industry. Innovations include.

  •  Developments within the field of chemicals; this has created cost-effective, reliable, and environmentally friendly adhesives. This technology has led  to the creation of new innovative timber-based materials such as glulam, OSB, LVL, and CLT with previously unimaginable performance characteristics.
  • Innovations in the fields of automated mechanical, electronic and industrial production; this has allowed for the introduction of new processes for the automatic cutting of timber-based elements with unprecedented precision, accuracy, and complexity.
  • Scientific and technological research; has made it possible to fully understand the mechanical behaviour of timber as a material, enabling engineers and designers to take full advantage of its incredible potential.
  • Responsible and planned forestry methods; have proven how the raw material for timber construction can be provided sustainably. This can all be achieved by following strict environmental, social, and economic standards.

That’s why we strongly believe and support the development of the timber construction sector and that’s also why we are enthusiastic about the opportunity to share our know-how with Rothoschool’ seminars.

‘Rothoschool on tour’

The event for timber designers and builders comes to London on the 25th of May.

 

“Drawing nearer to the local consumers creates an open and favorable channel permitting a more concerned listen to their needs” says Eng. Stefano Muscoloni, Area Manager of Rothoblaas. “We have shaped the program of the Rothoschool on tour, keeping an eye onto the peculiarities of the beneficiary market itself”.

 

The one-day seminar in each city (London, Dublin in Ireland, and Reykjavik in Iceland) has a rich program of themes with different well-known speakers, with a lot of experience in timber constructions, local and international know-how. It aims to present the completeness of the latest trends for timber buildings. Eminent speakers of the industry, researchers, professors, and designers will cover the most fundamental aspects of the timber construction.
Innovative connectors and solutions for wooden buildings, not only guarantee structural resistance, speed of construction, but they are also studied for the acoustics, fire resistance and durability. Through acute theory and clever case studies, attendees to the seminar will get an exhaustive insight that can be further deepened during the round table and networking times.

Rothoblaas in the UK

Proud member of the leading timber authorities TRADA, TDCA and STA, Rothoblaas is trusted by UK customers since 2010.

 

“We have several agents across the British Isles, and we firmly believe in English economy” – states Muscoloni.   “We have created an opportunity for the UK to become an important player in the industry – continues Muscoloni. “Blending international know-how with the English potential, we hope to forge an ally in the timber development.”

Don’t miss the chance to get a boost to your career

CLICK HERE to register for the Seminar

 


Speakers
Peter Lang – Rothoblaas
Stefano Muscoloni – Rothoblaas
Matteo Andreottola – Rothoblaas
Marc Fuzellier – Acoustic Specialist
Ermanno Acler – HOLZPAK
Roland Maderebner – Innsbruck University
Joachim Schmid – ETH ZURICH
Alan Dowdall – Ramboll
Alastair Ogle – Waugh Thistleton Architects
Dr. Yutaka Goto – Chalmers University
Robert Hairstans – Napier University
Kelly Harrison – Whitby Wood

 

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Cop a load of the new Building Regulations to stop buildings overheating

By Andrew Cooper – Managing Director – Smartlouvre

 

It may be hard to believe that the ‘sustainability’ concept as it’s known today is less than 30 years old: it appeared for the first time in 1987.

Climate change (or global warming) conversely was first recognised as an issue more than 100 years ago. We can berate ourselves for the irresponsible damage we caused in the first 70 years, or we can focus on what we can do now.

The impact human activity has on the environment is now a big part of our children’s’ education, our day-to-day lives and is a global concern. In an overpopulated world where resources are exploited, the planet has no time to regenerate so we are finally changing our ways.

The construction industry was identified as one of the worst culprits many years ago, and the spotlight has been upon it ever since; house builders seem to be getting squeezed the most. Despite more than 2.2 million new residential buildings being built in England since 2010, we’re not yet achieving the 300,000 per year target, and some argue that we would actually need to build 340,000 each year to catch up with the current level of demand. Our overpopulation needs addressing fast with more new homes. The problem is that we’re constantly being bombarded with new building regulations, new rules and new guidance that we very quickly need to adopt in order to keep moving forward towards the (moving) targets.

The latest update to building regs, specifically focused on the residential sector is Approved Document O: Overheating. The goals of this new regulation are to stop us from cooking in our homes, to stop us simply cranking up the air-con as the planet heats up, and to stop us burning up energy with fans and air conditioning which draw us further away from net zero.

So, what does AD O say? Fundamentally, it restricts the areas of glass you’re allowed to have unless important criteria are met. Do we really have to live in the dark to be cool and kinder to the planet? Will we be facing the prospect of living in the dark like they did when the window tax was introduced in 1696? No, it’s not all doom and gloom (literally).

Shutters, external blinds, overhangs, awnings and of course, solar control glass are the suggested solutions, but they are in the most, designed to block natural, unfiltered daylight and in some cases, our vision out.

Under Document O shading also has to be ‘Fixed’ and ‘Passive’, so no moving or so-called dynamic systems are allowed. This is a no-brainer in terms of sustainability since dynamic systems need energy to or human intervention to operate and are therefore under a limited life cycle before maintenance or replacement is required. Furthermore, when they’re down they block your vision out and if it’s even vaguely windy they have to retract.

So, these fixed, passive shading options won’t damage the environment once in place, but we should still, as responsible constructors, consider the ‘cost’ of manufacturing them? What is the number one solution when it comes to keeping buildings cool, whilst limiting the impact on the environment? What we are comparing in terms of Approved Document O compliant shading products simply comes down to the materials they’re constructed from: metal, plastic, acrylic, vinyl or glass.

Metal is the stand-out winner, and of the metals, copper is the most sustainable and environmentally friendly. It’s also handily thermally conductive, so if we’re using it to protect us from the sun’s heat, it’s doing half the job for us.

 

CLICK HERE NOW to find out more

 

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How sustainable is your supply chain?

Inflation and disruption is putting massive pressure on the construction supply chain. That can’t be at the expense of supply chain integrity. We report.

A study published by the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) found that 48% of supply chain managers did not believe their organisations were transparent enough with clients and regulators about sustainability.

A further 19% admitted not even knowing how sustainable their products were themselves, despite marketing claims about commitments made to sustainability.

The CIPS suggested a lack of procurement involvement in setting corporate sustainability strategy in the UK is at least partly to blame.
Much of the UK’s carbon footprint is generated abroad, several tiers down the supply chain in the extraction of raw materials, manufacturing of products and transportation. It argues the procurement function has a crucial role in understanding, measuring, and addressing the sustainability of this supply chain.

“If you don’t know where something is coming from then you run the risk of making claims which aren’t true”, says John Duckworth, Head of Commercial Sales, Deceuninck.
“Whether that’s intentionally or unintentionally greenwash is something contractors need to be very careful to avoid – that includes throughout their supply chain”, he continues.

He argues the launch of the Green Claims Code by the Competitions and Market Authority at COP26 last year is a precursor to more aggressive prosecutions for false or unfounded claims on sustainability.  This is based on existing law but makes it clear that firms making green claims “must not omit or hide important information” and “must consider the full life cycle of the product”.

 

 

“This is one of the points that is always a bone of contention for us as a PVC-U window and door systems company”, continues John.
“There’s no point us pretending to be something we’re not. PVC-U windows are essentially manufactured from a polymer made from hydrocarbons – oil – and chlorine derived from salt. There’s a lot of the latter about, less of the former.  “If we’re going to use oil as a finite resource, surely it makes more sense to put it into a high value and infinitely recyclable product, than to burn it in heating and our cars, especially when those products deliver significant through life energy savings.  “That’s a sustainable way forward – recycling something, over and over. It’s not only about renewables.”

 

 

Deceuninck has invested more the €15million in one of the world’s most advanced PVC-U recycling and compounding facilities.
This gives it the capability to reprocess up to 45,000 tonnes of post-consumer and post-manufacturing PVC-U per year – the equivalent of preventing 3million windows from going to landfill annually.

Use of recycled material also delivering a reduction in CO2 emissions of 90,000 tonnes compared to virgin feedstocks as well as a 90% energy saving.
The focus the PVC-U building products industry has applied to sustainability, supporting its BRE Green Guide A+ rating.
“The PVC-U supply chain is comparatively short and most importantly, it’s transparent”, John continues. “Critically, it is recyclable. Each window can be recycled up to 10 times without degradation of performance.

“Given an average reference service life of around 35 years for each window, it means that the raw materials used in each product could still be making homes warmer and more energy efficient 350 years from now – as long as they are recovered and recycled.”

This is something the PVC-U industry has committed to drive forward. Deceuninck is one of a number of leading PVC-U window and door systems companies to have signed up to Vinyplus, a voluntary 10-year commitment to drive a circular economy in PVC-U manufacture.

 

 

“We know through figures from Vinylplus that collectively the industry has recycled more than 6.5million tonnes of PVC-U since 2000. That’s roughly 27.5% of the PVC-U ‘waste’ material that we could recycle, so we have more to do, but it is nonetheless a very significant figure.
“We expect the inflationary pressure that we’re now seeing on oil prices, to drive higher rates of recycling across Europe”, John said.

Deceuninck offers an extensive commercial window and door range, working with commercial window and door manufacturers specialising in modular builds as well as other specialisms including steel-frame construction.

Its’ flagship commercial system is the 5000 series, which extends the design potential of PVC-U using patented glass fibre technology, removing the requirement for steel reinforcement, increasing thermal efficiency and reducing weight.

Available in Standard, Slim and the ultra-energy efficient Neo option, as a leading edge, tilt-and-turn window it achieves U-values of as low as 0.84W/m2K, air permeability is 600Pa, watertightness of up to 600Pa and wind resistance is 2000 Pa.

“It’s about the circular economy. Creating next generation products from old ones which deliver a better level of performance through-life and which are being and can be recycled more easily at end-of life”, John argues.

Its own research also evidences just how important sustainability is to end-users with more than two-thirds of end-users (68%) stating that they would choose windows and doors with a higher recycled content over and above products that don’t contain recycled content, or which did so at lower levels.
The independent survey conducted by YouGov during COP26, also found that 63% of homeowners said that they would be more likely to purchase home improvements which they saw as being more ‘sustainable’. Of these, 38% would be prepared to pay more for home improvement products that had higher recycled content and reduced impact on the environment.

“PVC-U is energy efficient, it’s low maintenance, recyclable and far easier to be recycled than many other products which are seen to be sustainable – for example timber.

“What we have to do is get better at capturing that material and that requires a change in the way that we see it and in the way that specifications are drawn up to increase focus on not only whole-life costs but also end of product life and a circular value chain.”

For more information about Deceuninck’s product and service offer

please call 01249 816 969 or email deceuninck.ltd@deceuninck.com

 

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE WEBSITE

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Eurocell’s sustainability vision

The construction industry is under pressure to use more sustainable building methods and product choices. When it comes to also addressing the additional challenges of offsite and modular construction, PVC-U can be part of the solution as the sector starts to prepare for the impact of the Future Homes Standard (FHS) in three years’ time, says Martin Benn, Head of New Build at Eurocell.

Eurocell is working hard to extend sustainable product options for the construction industry   through market-leading PVC-U recycling and manufacturing processes. This commitment is helping to reduce the volumes of plastic waste heading for landfill and tackle the problem of carbon reduction. The company offers an extensive range of high performing PVC-U window and door solutions that not only look good, but also help organisations underpin their sustainability objectives.

The nation’s housing stock is viewed by national policy makers as a key component of the long-term ambition to deliver a low carbon future.
COP26 outlined the perils of the impending climate crisis and government moves such as the changes to Part L of the Building Regulations are designed to ensure that we start building more energy efficient, low carbon, sustainable homes. As an interim measure before the full force of the Future Homes Standard becomes a reality in three years’ time, the immediate objective is to direct the construction of new homes so that they produce 31% lower carbon emissions.
According to the Climate Change Committee, the built environment accounts for around 40% of UK greenhouse gas emissions, with approximately 14% of this coming from the 28 million homes in the UK. This puts the future construction of sustainable new homes front and centre in the challenge to ensure we collectively achieve on our future low carbon aspirations.

PVC-U is already playing its part in helping to meet important environmental and regulatory obligations. Set against other potential product choices such as aluminium or timber composite for windows and doors, PVC-U offers long-term durability and high performance, attractive aesthetics to support design visions, cost effective value and, through Eurocell’s vision and industry leading recycling processes, a truly sustainable product solution.
The sustainable choice

To further substantiate the sustainability credentials of PVC-U, the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Manchester Metropolitan University has reviewed an array of data sets and modelling emanating from peer-reviewed publications. This has established a life cycle assessment of the use of recycled PVC-U window frames within Eurocell’s manufacturing operations.

For example, a typical semi-detached house comprising seven windows and a pair of French doors will see an average weight of post-consumer PVC-U within the eight products plus cavity closure of 122kg. Therefore, a development constructing on average 2500 units of semi-detached houses will save around 627 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year by specifying recycled Eurocell windows and cavity closures over a competitor who is using full virgin PVC-U windows.

Eurocell-Recycle – leading the way

Eurocell has, for the past two decades, been a strong and industry-leading advocate of the wider benefits that recycling can deliver. Its recycling service allows the company to meet two primary objectives: it prevents the requirement for clients to send discarded plastic window and door frame waste to landfill and, secondly, it enables Eurocell to recycle the old plastic window and door frame waste into new PVC-U extrusions used to create the range of products demanded by the trade and consumers.

Two busy waste plastic recycling plants drive the Eurocell-Recycle service, and their combined efforts is delivering tangible benefit.
Based on a ‘closed loop’ recycling system that deals with both post-consumer and post-industrial plastic window waste, the plants are responsible for processing over 40,000 tonnes of plastic window and door frame waste per year – a figure that has been steadily rising as demand for recycled product solutions has grown in recent years.

The closed loop system is a six-stage recycling process. Old and discarded plastic windows, door frames and other plastic offcuts are collected by Eurocell’s fleet from company sites and waste management centres across the UK. On arrival, the material is sorted and separated to divide metals, white polymer, and coloured materials, as well as capturing material which is non-recyclable.
After a transformative process which creates a powder or pellet form, the recycled plastic is used together with virgin PVC-U material by Eurocell to manufacture its extensive range of extruded plastic products.

Recycled PVC-U product choices can support future sustainability ambitions for the construction industry. The challenging targets set by Part L and FHS as we enter a transformative period for the sector, means that the spotlight will remain firmly on those charged with making the sustainability product calls needed if net zero by 2050 is to be achieved.

For more information about Eurocell’s range of PVC-U solutions

and its commitment to a sustainable future, CLICK HERE

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If I achieve good Airtightness levels, will I need MVHR?

By Iain Fairnington – Technical Director, A.Proctor Group Ltd

This is an increasing question as to whether you require MVHR if your building is airtight. In a word, No, but it can be advantageous and to use a Technical phrase ‘it depends’!!

The levels of airtightness in UK construction regulations is constantly being lowered, arguably too slowly. Many people are now understanding that good levels of airtightness is a thermal improvement method, but are there knock on effects?
Iain Fairnington, Technical Director at the A. Proctor Group sits on BS 5250 committee which deals with Moisture Management and explained that the committee generally agree that the easiest way to avoid moisture build up is to put the heating up and open the windows. This allows any moisture to escape and avoids cold spots – Simple but not environmentally friendly. So, we need to look at how we manage the balance of Heat, Air and Moisture Movement.
When you have high levels of airtightness installation (low level airtightness) then this could lead to stale moist air being trapped inside a building, almost to “sweat” levels if the heating is not controlled. By introducing ventilation this moves the air out and replaces it with fresh air. Is this throwing out the baby with the bathwater when you have paid to heat that air and you are letting that warm air to escape while bringing in cooler air that needs heated up?

There are various ways to look at this including-

No ventilation system – here the airtightness is above 3 generally and only reliance is on trickle passive ventilation and mechanical ventilation in kitchens and bathrooms

MEV– Mechanical extract Ventilation- Here the ventilation system extracts moisture from areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, shower rooms etc., to the outside

MVHR– Mechanical Ventilation with Heat recovery- Here the air is extracted and any heat from this air is recovered

All have pros and cons and the ultimate decision will depend on a number of issues such as the need to filter air/reduce energy consumption or budget.
There is an old saying of “Build tight/ventilate right” which explains a lot in terms of the balance of getting this right. A self-build project may prefer to have an MVHR system and the owners be happy to change the filters every 6 moths or so, however a developer may not want to put this on the owner so may choose MEV. The MEV can be quieter and runs at a low pressure. The MEV can also be cheaper to install as not as much pipework is required.

 

Which ever system is chosen by the architect/developer or home owner, there is no need to be scared of airtightness levels being to low. There are solutions to ensure the building is healthy and efficient.

At the A Proctor Group we support the fabric first philosophy. We provide many solutions to build in energy efficiency and the moisture management. This can be seen in our Reflective membranes both external (Reflectashield TF) and internal (Reflectatherm) as well as our Wraptite which is an airtight vapour permeable externally applied self-adhered membrane for both walls and roofs. The Group supply high performance thin insulation systems for walls , floors and roofs which can also be used to reduce cold bridging in critical areas.

As with all decisions in life, it is all a balance of what’s important to you and others.

www.proctorgroup.com

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BP: Backing Britain with £18b Investment in Energy

BP intends to invest up to £18 billion in the UK’s energy system by the end of 2030, demonstrating its firm commitment to the UK, and helping the country to deliver on its bold ambitions to boost energy security and reach net zero. As one of the largest oil and gas producers in the UK, BP intends to continue investing in North Sea oil and gas, while driving down operational emissions. It is also in action on a range of lower-carbon energy investments in the UK, which are expected to bring jobs and develop new skills and capabilities.

Bernard Looney, CEO, BP, said: “We’re backing Britain. It’s been our home for over 110 years, and we’ve been investing in North Sea oil and gas for more than 50 years. We’re fully committed to the UK’s energy transition – providing reliable home-grown energy and, at the same time, focusing on the drive to net zero. And we have ambitious plans to do more and to go faster. Our plans go beyond just infrastructure – they see us supporting the economy, skills development and job opportunities in the communities where we operate. We are all in.”

These projected investment figures are in addition to the company’s significant operating spend in the UK. In 2019, prior to the pandemic, an estimated 0.5% of UK GDP was supported by its activities. BP also anticipates paying up to £1 billion in taxes for its 2022 North Sea profits, on top of around £0.25 billion that it has paid annually in other taxes in the UK in recent years.

The UK projects in which BP is looking to invest – and the wider activities supporting them – include:

North sea

Developing lower emission oil and gas projects to support near-term security of supply, for example, at the Murlach, Kate and Mungo fields around the BP-operated ETAP hub in the central North Sea and the Clair and Schiehallion fields West of Shetland; investing in exploration around its existing North Sea hubs; progressing asset electrification projects in the Central North Sea and West of Shetland to further reduce operational emissions and supporting the North Sea Transition Deal.

Offshore wind

In partnership with EnBW: developer of two 60-year offshore wind leases in the Irish Sea (combined potential generating capacity of 3GW); developer of a lease option (potential generating capacity of 2.9 GW) off the east coast of Scotland in the ScotWind round. Together, these three areas could generate enough energy to power over six million UK homes every year.

Additionally: investing in infrastructure, ports, harbours, and shipyards, including the construction of four ships to support the offshore wind projects across the UK, subject to technical and commercial due diligence. These new-builds are anticipated to involve an investment of more than £100 million and would be expected to support 500 associated jobs; committing more than £1 million, as part of the successful ScotWind bid with EnBW, to X-Academy in Scotland in a five-year deal, supporting both reskilling experienced workers and the creation of entry-level energy transition roles; making Aberdeen bp’s global operations and maintenance centre of excellence for offshore wind and creating up to 120 new direct jobs.

EV charging

Planning to invest £1 billion in electric vehicle charging in the UK over the next 10 years – BP’s largest-ever EV charging expansion – approximately tripling the number of bp’s UK charging points by 2030 and deploying more rapid and ultra-fast chargers in key locations. The investment is expected to support hundreds of new jobs in the UK.

Hydrogen

Planning to create two large-scale hydrogen production facilities: H2 Teesside (blue), and HyGreen Teesside (green). Together, these facilities are aiming to produce 1.5 GW of hydrogen by 2030 – 15% of the UK government’s 10 GW target by 2030. H2 Teesside could create more than 600 operational jobs and another 1200 construction jobs by 2027. BP has also signed an agreement with Redcar & Cleveland College in Redcar, Teesside, to support green skills and education initiatives on Teesside.

CCS

Leading the Northern Endurance Partnership, to serve the East Coast Cluster (ECC). The ECC has recently been named as one of the UK’s first CCS projects and aims to remove nearly 50% of all UK industrial cluster CO2 emissions. Leading Net Zero Teesside Power (NZT Power) which could be the world’s first commercial-scale, gas-fired power station with carbon capture – with the ‎potential to deliver enough low-carbon, flexible electricity to power around 1.3 million homes. NZT Power could support more than 3000 jobs during construction and over 1000 jobs once operations begin.

Aberdeen

Working with Aberdeen City Council in a joint venture (JV) to deliver a scalable green hydrogen production, storage and distribution facility powered by renewable energy; partnering with the local authority to support their ambition for Aberdeen to become a climate positive city; working with the Port of Aberdeen on decarbonisation projects.

Source: Hydrocarbon Engineering

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