KENYA: LARGEST 3D PRINTING PROJECT SITE TO DATE

HOLCIM’S 14TREES BEATS OTHER

3D PRINTING COMPANIES IN

THE RACE TO CREATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING

  • From Oct. 2022 to Jan. 2023, 14Trees 3D printed 10 houses in Kilifi, Kenya, averaging one house per week
  • 6 three-bedrooms (76 m2 / 836 SF) and 4 two-bedrooms (56 m2 / 616 SF) houses have been 3D printed so far, making Mvule Gardens in Kilifi the largest 3D printed project to date
  • No other completed 3D construction printing project is currently larger than that, in the US or elsewhere
  • The fastest time to print one house in the Mvule Gardens project was 18 hours. See the video here: link
  • No other 3D construction printing project has matched 14Trees productivity, in the US or elsewhere

For a long time, 3D construction printing has been seen as a possible solution to the escalating affordable housing crisis. Proponents of the technology claim, that when 3D printing projects in construction are carried out at scale, the advantages of the technology become clear. Evidence of that claim has been lacking, but recent developments actually provide credibility to the statement.

14Trees is a joint venture company between the cement and concrete giant Holcim and British International Investment dedicated to accelerating the provision of affordable housing in Africa. The joint venture is behind the first 3D printed houses in Africa and the first 3D printed schools in the world. This week 14Trees announced some of the initial results of their efforts to 3D print up to 52 houses in Kilifi, Kenya, using a single BOD2 printer from COBOD. The BOD2 is the world’s best-selling construction 3D printer. Following the start in October 2022, 14Trees completed the 3D printing of the walls of 10 houses in January 2023 after just 10 weeks using only one printer.

In addition, the project’s sustainability profile also attained an EDGE Advanced sustainable design certification by IFC, the World Bank’s development finance institution, which recognizes resource-efficient buildings with the potential to be zero-carbon. It is the first time a 3D printed housing project has attained this certification.

Commenting on the achievements, Francois Perrot, Managing Director of 14Trees said:

 

“With 3D printing, you can solve two problems at once. You can build faster like we have shown here with our 10 houses in 10 weeks. At the same time, we can achieve better cost efficiency, which will help make affordable housing a reality for the majority. In addition, you can build with less materials, which preserves the resources of the planet for future generations.”

 

14Trees intends to get the full benefit of the large-scale project by experimenting and innovating as the project progresses. During the next phases which consist of 10-15 houses each, several innovations will be included that will allow future tenants to design their homes and move away from the standardized 3D printed approach to one which fully leverages the technology’s customization possibilities.

The cost of construction is also an area of focus. With each phase, 14Trees is aiming at lowering construction costs further such that the build cost is 20% lower than standard houses. Using Holcim’s proprietary 3D printing materials, TectorPrint, made at a local plant, has already meant a significant reduction in costs.

14Trees is not the only company busy with construction 3D printing projects of multiple housing units. Especially in the US several large-scale have been announced, including a venture-backed US-based construction 3D printing company’s 100 houses project, which attracted global media coverage when they began printing in early November 2022 (announced 2021) at a site where 5 or more identical printers were used simultaneously. As of early February, three months after the printing began, reports show that less than 9 houses had been printed so far. Commenting on the performance of 14Trees in relation to the developments in the US, Philip Lund-Nielsen, Head of COBOD Americas stated:

 

“Considering how difficult the conditions are in Africa, it is impressive, that 14Trees has printed more houses on a single site, than any other construction 3D printing company in the US or elsewhere. In addition, they have done it faster, using just a single COBOD 3D printer not by using 5 printers or more”.

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‘SHAP’ Will not fix the wider issue of Homelessness

Architects have warned that a government-funded drive to create new homes for rough sleepers, while welcome, will not solve homelessness

Around 2,400 homeless people are due to be rehoused through the government’s Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme (SHAP), which launched last September.

The homes, which must be completed within three years, will be provided through a bidding process at the local level. The total funding available is £270 million.

London mayor Sadiq Khan said he would find housing for 800 homeless people in the capital by 2025 thanks to a £70 million slice of the funding announced last month (24 January).

The homes will be delivered by registered providers working in partnership with local authorities and are expected to target 18-to-24-year-olds. It remains unclear what form they will take, and whether they will be modular or retrofitted existing buildings.

HTA Design partner Mike De’Ath said that although this initiative would help ‘transform’ the lives of London’s rough sleepers, it would not fix the wider issues of homelessness.

‘The industry needs to take a holistic approach to ensure these homes are delivered to transform people’s lives both in the short and long term,’ he said.

‘Ultimately though, tackling homelessness goes beyond housing delivery, and the provision of shelter isn’t a silver bullet. Government funding also needs to address the socioeconomic conditions that lead to homelessness.’

De’Ath highlighted youth homelessness charity Centrepoint’s work providing 35 modular homes in Peckham, which will house people previously sleeping on the street, as an example of how the industry could collaborate using off site construction methods to solve homelessness.

Levitt Bernstein director Jo McCafferty echoed De’Ath’s call for a solution to the housing crisis that was in turn leading to people becoming homeless. She called the latest housing programme ‘only a sticking plaster’.

McCafferty told the AJ: ‘We are all elbow deep in housing and regeneration projects, where viability is worsening on a daily basis, where planning processes are delayed, where stretched programmes are jeopardising the funding that does exist, despite the admirable efforts of City Hall.

‘All of these factors are rapidly slowing the delivery of social housing when people need it the most, when the cost of living is making access to good housing even less attainable for so many, and daily life is such a struggle.’

Heather Macey, of the Architects Aware! think tank, told the AJ that any new housing needed to be provided alongside new support services – particularly for young rough sleepers, whose numbers rose during the pandemic.

She told the AJ: ‘Youth homelessness is a complex problem which has been further exasperated during the pandemic.

‘Our research has shown that the emergency accommodation currently on offer to young people is substandard, often in poorly converted buildings, and frequently with no privacy, security or space for social support.’

Macey, whose think tank has called for unused buildings in London to be turned into homeless shelters, added: ‘Purpose-built emergency shelters for young people at risk of or suffering from homelessness are barely in existence at all.

‘A lack of design guidance around this area of housing provision – as well as almost no discernible clear policy to implement these types of projects – makes their delivery an uphill struggle.’

Following the announcement, the mayor of London said: ‘We can’t do this alone, and to end rough sleeping in our capital, particularly amid the cost of living crisis, the government must intervene to prevent the circumstances that lead to people sleeping rough before thousands more are forced to face a winter on the streets.’

Under the mayor’s announcement, capital funding will be made available for homes starting construction from April 2023 and completing before March 2025.

COMMENT:

Jo McCafferty, director, Levitt Bernstein:

Whilst entirely endorsing the mayor’s much-needed increased funding for housing for rough sleepers, and the vital work of Crisis and St Mungo’s, the SHAP is only a sticking plaster to solve a broader housing problem across the capital. This is emergency funding for the most vulnerable, not a long-term solution. Ultimately, the basis of any broader and deeper answer to our housing problems must come down to the total quantum of state funding available for social housing and easy access to these funds.

This is only a sticking plaster

We are all elbow-deep in housing and regeneration projects, where viability is worsening on a daily basis, where planning processes are delayed, where stretched programmes are jeopardising the funding that does exist, despite the admirable efforts of City Hall. All of these factors are rapidly slowing the delivery of social housing when people need it the most, when the cost of living is making access to good housing even less attainable for so many, and daily life is such a struggle.

If I sound angry, it is because I am. Very. Invest in high-quality housing for all, as crucial, vital infrastructure, and the burden on our health, social care and education systems will dramatically reduce. It is a fact. We need a government that understands this and has the moral conscience to commit to a radical, nationwide social housing programme. It is that simple.

 

Source: Architects Journal

 

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Modified Wood Traps Carbon Dioxide

Wood pieces at different stages of modification,

from natural (far right) to MOF-infused functional wood (far left)

(Credit: Gustavo Raskosky/ Rice University)

 

An engineered wood material that could be used in construction has been modified to capture carbon dioxide.

The reportedly energy-efficient process, which also makes the material stronger, was developed by researchers at Rice University in Texas.

Structural materials like steel or cement come at a high cost, both in money and CO2 emissions – building construction and use accounts for an estimated 40% of emissions. Developing sustainable alternatives to existing materials could help mitigate climate change and reduce emissions.

Working to address both issues at once, materials scientist Muhammad Rahman and colleagues found a way to incorporate molecules of a CO2-trapping crystalline porous material into wood.

“Wood is a sustainable, renewable structural material that we already use extensively,” Rahman said. “Our engineered wood did exhibit greater strength than normal, untreated wood.”

In the conversion process, the network of cellulose fibres that gives wood its strength is first cleared out through a process known as delignification.

“Wood is made up of three essential components: cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin,” Rahman said. “Removing the lignin is a fairly simple process that involves a two-step chemical treatment using environmentally benign substances. After removing the lignin, we use bleach or hydrogen peroxide to remove the hemicellulose.”

Next, the delignified wood is soaked in a solution containing microparticles of a metal-organic framework (MOF), known as Calgary framework 20 (CALF-20). MOFs are high-surface area sorbent materials used for their ability to adsorb CO2 molecules into their pores.

“The MOF particles easily fit into the cellulose channels and get attached to them through favourable surface interactions,” said Soumyabrata Roy, lead author on the study.

MOFs are among several nascent carbon capture technologies developed to address climate change. “Right now, there is no biodegradable, sustainable substrate for deploying carbon dioxide-sorbent materials,” Rahman said. “Our MOF-enhanced wood is an adaptable support platform for deploying sorbent in different carbon dioxide applications.”

“Many of the existing MOFs are not very stable in varying environmental conditions,” Roy added. “Some are very susceptible to moisture, and you don’t want that in a structural material.”

CALF-20, developed by University of Calgary Professor George Shimizu and colleagues, stands out in both performance and versatility under a variety of environmental conditions, Roy said.

“The manufacturing of structural materials such as metals or cement represents a significant source of industrial carbon emissions,” Rahman said. “Our process is simpler and ‘greener’, in terms of both substances used and processing byproducts.

“The next step would be to determine sequestration processes as well as a detailed economic analysis to understand the scalability and commercial viability of this material.”

 

Source: Institute of Mechanical Engineers

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Wind Farm Versus Carbon Capture

UK delays planning decision on Orsted’s Hornsea 4 windfarm

Britain has delayed until mid July a decision on whether to grant permission for Orsted’s giant Hornsea Four offshore windfarm, whose footprint on the sea floor partially overlaps that of a BP-led carbon capture project.

The planned 2.6 gigawatt windfarm and the Endurance carbon capture and storage projects are caught in a standoff over this overlap zone due to the risk of boats used to monitor carbon leaks colliding with wind turbines fixed to the sea floor.

The companies and British authorities have said they are committed to finding a solution to allow both projects to go ahead, but no breakthrough has been reached yet.

The British government has deemed both offshore windfarms and carbon capture projects crucial technologies to reach to its net zero goals.

BP and its partners have said they plan to make a final investment decision on Endurance in mid-2023. A decision on the Hornsea wind farm had been scheduled for Feb. 22.

“A decision has been made to set a new deadline of no later than 12 July 2023 for deciding this application,” parliamentary undersecretary of state at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Andrew Bowie, said in a statement dated Feb. 8.

“This is to enable my department to seek further information from the applicant and to ensure there is sufficient time to allow for consideration of this information by other interested parties.”

A spokesperson for Orsted said the group was “obviously disappointed”, and would give the British authorities all information requested in the hope of a positive decision without further delays.

Source: Routers

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Solar technology is a game-changer

World-first solar technology is a game-changer in providing affordable clean energy to flats

  • SolShare is the world’s only technology for connecting multiple residential units within a single building to a single rooftop solar PV system
  • Wales is the first nation to implement new solar technology for housing blocks in Europe
  • Each household could benefit from savings of around 50% off their electricity bills
  • Social landlords leading the way in transition to cleaner, more affordable electricity

 

 

Allume Energy, Wales & West Housing and the Welsh Government have today announced the first installation of Allume’s SolShare technology for the UK’s housing sector, to provide clean, affordable electricity to residential flats in Cardiff.

The project has connected 24 flats to lower cost solar energy at Odet Court, with the potential to meet 55%-75% of each flat’s electricity demand. Based on the average usage of 1800kWH – 2,400 kWh for a 1-bed flat this could equate to an electricity bill saving of around 50% (between £390 to £530) a year, based on current average electricity costs in the UK of 34p/kWh. The project has been funded by the Welsh Government in association with Wales & West Housing as part of the Optimised Retrofit Programme.

SolShare is the world’s only technology for connecting multiple residential units within a single building to a single rooftop solar PV system. Until now, previous options involved installing individual solar systems into each unit – a largely unworkable solution for developers due to cost, footprint and inefficient energy utilisation. In the case of Odet Court, this would have meant installing 24 sets of panels, 24 inverters and 24 batteries.

Not only has SolShare significantly reduced the amount of hardware and footprint required, it has also reduced installation costs as compared to a typical solar system. Its ‘dynamic sharing’ capacity also delivers an improved solar utilisation of over 25%. Importantly, SolShare is suitable for retrofit projects as well as new builds, as it does not require any changes to the existing supply and metering infrastructure.

“Wales is leading the way with the installation of this new technology,” commented Jack Taylor, General Manager Europe, Allume Energy. “We hope it will serve as a template for governments and social housing providers in the UK to provide cost-effective energy efficiency upgrades to multi-unit residences. Simple and affordable solutions are available, so it’s great to see governments and housing associations embracing innovative technologies which help tackle fuel poverty and climate change.”
Climate Change Minister Julie James said: “This is an exciting first of its kind project for Wales and exactly the type of thinking we need to see within the housing sector. The decarbonisation of homes plays a big part in our journey towards a Net Zero Wales by 2050 and I look forward to following this innovative project as works progress. At a time when costs are rising, improving the energy efficiency of homes will not only help us to deal with the climate emergency but also help families through the cost of living crisis. It’s another important step in our journey towards a stronger, greener, fairer Wales.”
Joanna Davoile, Executive Director (Assets) at Wales & West Housing said: “At a time when many people are facing difficult choices of whether to heat their homes or feed themselves and their families, it is only right that we explore ways to make our homes more energy efficient for our residents where possible. In recent years we have been trialling different methods of retrofitting older homes with energy-saving technologies but one of the main challenges has been how to fit PV panels and battery systems to our apartment homes so that everyone living in the schemes could equally benefit. The SolShare system seems to be a much fairer solution as the energy generated by the building can be shared equally to help our residents to keep their electricity costs down rather than going back to the grid. We are excited to see how the technology used in the SolShare system will work for our residents.”
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Nuclear Offers Rewarding Careers

Actemium’s growth within the nuclear industry has meant additional responsibility, bringing new challenges and opportunities

The possibilities of rewarding careers within an exciting nuclear industry have never been greater, says Brian Berry, Actemium Design UK Business Unit General Manager.

Actemium is perpetually conscious of the necessity to adapt. Adaption to not only contribute to a safer, cleaner, energy-rich society but to make us the standard-bearers for such incentives and continue to promote ourselves as a rewarding organisation to join.

The developments within the nuclear industry and Actemium’s role in it are exciting. As such, we have long made conscientious efforts to attract graduates and apprentices into our industry and taken a closer look at how to progress the talent within our organisation to tap into potential — and now we’re seeing the results.

Everyone who has been welcomed into the business, whatever their role, should understand how vital a contribution they’re providing to Actemium as an important brand of VINCI Energies UK & RoI.

Exciting times for new technology and research

The recent disruption in the energy market hasn’t significantly impeded our sector of the nuclear industry. Actemium has predominantly focused on the area of decommissioning our nuclear legacy sites around the UK and assisting with the new-builds and power stations moving online. It has been, and remains, an exciting time for new technology and research in nuclear power.

There are the small and medium nuclear reactors that are being sited on former decommissioned lots and there have been ground-breaking breakthroughs on fusion technology in the UK which could make a significant contribution to energy in the future and consequently reflect very well upon the country and its standing in the energy industry. With the possibilities of developing nuclear power, hydrogen technologies and EV charging within the overall energy transition, Actemium is in the right place to capitalise on these opportunities.

However, looking at the wider picture, it raises issues that we need to confront. Actemium realises that the nuclear industry has not necessarily presented itself as the most attractive sector to be a part of, particularly with the lack of investment in promoting a more positive image and bolstering its legacy. The environment is, and should be, on everyone’s mind alongside the necessity towards mediating change.

A way to reach net zero

The UK’s commitment to go carbon zero by 2050 is an excellent motive but ambitious, meaning we collectively have just under three decades to reach that goal. It is a high target, but it is needed, and it is important to remember that with this progressive push arrives opportunity with emerging technologies and solutions in the nuclear sector.

Today, there is a major initiative within the energy industry towards nuclear power generation. Nuclear generation increased by 100 TWh to reach 2653 TWh in 2021, meeting 10% of the world’s electricity demand. According to the Nuclear Industry Association, the average capacity factor of the world’s operating nuclear reactor rose to 82.4% from 80.3%. There is an immediate power demand which is inevitably going to draw on existing stations reaching end-of-life.

There are new nuclear power generation sites being built at such locations as Hinkley Point C in Somerset and Sizewell Point C in Suffolk, but these types of projects typically take twenty years to come into fruition, so Actemium is also looking at alternative development methods – pre-built, pre-tested and pre-commissioned construction – to increase efficiency.

This is but just one example of us confronting the challenges within our industry. We have recruited, and will continue to recruit, by identifying unique talent and the individual contribution our prospective employees can each provide.

We sincerely want all our employees to look back on their Actemium trajectory with pride and look forward to their Actemium future with enthusiasm.

Find out more about Actemium or careers at VINCI Energies UK & RoI

 

 

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OFF-SITE COMPONENTS HELP DELIVER ZERO-CARBON CONCEPT HOME

A concept house built with a new off-site system and additional materials supplied by Saint-Gobain Off-Site Solutions will soon enter a testing period, as part of a project designed to accelerate progress towards low carbon and net zero housing.

 The pioneering eHome2 is a three-bedroom family home built inside the world-leading Energy House 2.0 climatic chamber facility at Salford University. Over a period of nine months, the house will undergo rigorous whole-building testing – including thermal performance, energy efficiency, running costs and residential comfort, as well as its ability to cope with extreme temperatures and climatic conditions.

The house was built using a combination of off-site modern methods of construction, with Saint-Gobain Off-site Solutions brands Scotframe and Pasquill supplying advanced timber frame products and factory-installed pre-insulated walls.

eHome2, a collaborative partnership between housebuilder Barratt Developments, Saint-Gobain Off-Site Solutions, and additional brands within the Saint-Gobain UK & Ireland group, seeks to change the way we build high-quality, sustainable and future-ready new homes in the UK.

As such, the data gathered from eHome2, which in itself is operationally net zero, will help inform how the housebuilding sector will design and build zero-carbon housing at scale using sustainable building materials and off-site solutions.

 

Futureproofing with Posi-Joists

Manufactured and assembled at Pasquill’s flagship Chorley site, the floor cassettes supplied to eHome2 are a timber frame construction which add to the sustainability credentials of the build.

As the project is being built to exceed Future Home Standards requirements, it has been designed to accommodate many more heating, ventilation and renewable energy services than the houses commonly built today. Pasquill’s Posi-Joist™️ cassettes’ metal webbed design creates a larger service void, allowing for easy and free routeing of utilities such as Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery systems (MVHR) throughout the home.

These top-hung Posi-Joist floor cassettes also help speed up the process of installation and reduce the thermal bridging at wall-floor interfaces.

Pasquill has also supplied the Roof Trusses for eHome2 in order to help create a thermally efficient attic space. Combining traditional Trusses with Attic Trusses has created a space that can also house additional services and pipework required to run future smart homes. Both the Posi-Joist cassettes and the Roof Truss systems add to the pre-manufactured value of the eHome2 build.

 

Thermally efficient panellised solution

eHome2 features a new proposed MMC category 2 closed panel solution from Scotframe. The wall panel system, which is assembled with BRE A+ rated Isover mineral wool between the i-stud based timber frame, provides maintenance-free and long-lasting insulation. This cuts energy bills, while innovative connections reduce thermal bridging design and enhance airtightness.

With the inclusion of critical vapour control membranes, service zones and externally fitted battens, the system speeds up on-site build time and ensures a high-performing fabric – achieving 0.13 W/m2k.

The result is a solution with a performance point that exceeds Future Home Standard requirements without the need for additional site-installed installation. It also means that the house can be erected from the slab to the finished roof in only two weeks, including cladding and windows.

Similarly, Scotframe’s system also delivers high levels of premanufactured value, with a reduced reliance on on-site labour and a reduction of on-site waste.

 

 

Next generation housing

Ross Baxter, Managing Director, Saint-Gobain Off-Site Solutions, said: “eHome2 is an investment in the future of UK housing, and has the potential to completely revolutionise how we design and build homes. The fact so many organisations are working together towards a common goal shows that collaboration undoubtedly is the best way for us to tackle the challenges facing the industry.

 

“It’s our aim to help national housebuilders and other volume housing providers find a way of delivering zero-carbon homes of the future at scale and speed. The project is a brilliant showcase of how off-site manufacturing can help achieve this, with innovative solutions driven by sustainability and performance that can help make the world a better home.”

Tom Cox, Technical and Development Director, Saint-Gobain Off-Site Solutions, said: “This project is a fantastic demonstration of how off-site can deliver a high premanufactured value to housing developers. In particular, our brands Pasquill and Scotframe have made a significant contribution, with innovative timber-engineered panels and cassettes which have sped up the build and increased its sustainability credentials.

“When working with the Barratt design team on the project, designers chose to use the Posi-Joist™️ cassette system to allow for easy rooting of utilities, which are required for future homes design. Meanwhile, the new panel system itself has also had a number of tests carried out on it so it’s looking like it’s going to be quite an exciting solution for developers moving forward.”

 

Energy House 2.0 is a £16 million testing facility that is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund and harnesses the University of Salford’s expertise in climate and the built environment.

Completed in February this year, the facility is the largest of its kind in the world, with two chambers which can accommodate two detached homes. These chambers can replicate weather conditions including rain, wind, snow and solar radiation, with temperatures ranging from -20 degrees to +40 degrees centigrade.

 

eHome2 features a range of sustainable building products and materials from Saint-Gobain brands including British Gypsum, Isover, Saint-Gobain Glass and Weber.

CLICK HERE For more information on the project

 

 

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Tackling Greenwash

New course qualifies construction marketers in tackling greenwash

1st February 2023, Manchester, UK – A new ‘Net Zero Masterclass’ has been launched by content marketing agency, Hattrick, to help sales and marketing professionals in the built environment become more confident climate communicators. It is the first of its kind to be accredited by the Carbon Literacy Trust.

The training offering is part of the agency’s own commitment to tackle the climate challenge and reflects the rising demand – and scrutiny of – environmental claims across the industry.

The interactive and action-oriented course is designed to help businesses make sense of the science, jargon, acronyms and disinformation that are clouding sustainability claims. It is delivered as two half day sessions in small groups, with everyone leaving certified as Carbon Literate with a personal plan for how they are going to make a difference.

“The built environment is responsible for 39% of global energy related carbon emissions made up of operational emissions, energy needed to heat, cool and power buildings and from materials and construction. As the race to ‘net zero’ intensifies and customers are expecting ever more transparency, many sales and marketing professionals are worried about inadvertently greenwashing.” says Hattrick’s course facilitator and managing director, Malin Cunningham.

“There are so many acronyms and specialist terminology so it’s easy to get lost; what does ‘net zero’ really mean – and how is it different from ‘carbon neutral’? Why is it so important to stay as close to +1.5C degrees global warming – and how can such a small increase make such a big difference?

“According to the Chartered Institute of Marketing 40% of marketers do not have any qualifications in sustainability. I suspect that the figure is significantly higher – at a time when it’s more important than ever,” continued Malin.

Hattrick has delivered six cohorts since its launch in September 2022, training 41 individuals from 28 businesses including EarthShot Prize Finalists Low Carbon Materials, Amey, Tarkett and Cleveland Steel. Courses are running every month with the next session scheduled for Wednesday 22nd and Friday 24th February.

The Hattrick team – who are all certified Carbon Literate – also delivers the training inhouse and supports businesses with developing their own bespoke programme to deliver themselves.

For further information on Hattrick’s Carbon Literacy Course and to book your place visit https://www.wearehattrick.com/carbon-literacy-course.

 

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Waterproofing Ingenuity

BRIGGSAMASCO DISPLAYS WATERPROOFING INGENUITY IN MULTI-APPLICATION AT BATTERSEA POWER STATION
BriggsAmasco delivered a huge, multiple-application waterproofing programme as part of a stunning regeneration of London’s landmark Battersea Power Station. Phase Two of the multimillion-pound project – one of the largest urban regenerations of its type in Europe – includes more than 250 residential apartments, approximately 100 new retail, food and drink outlets, a 2,000-capacity events venue and 500,000ft2 of new office space.

Appointed by Battersea Power Station Development Company (BPSDC) and MACE, BriggsAmasco’s ingenuity and skills were crucial to ensuring three key elements of the project’s second phase were supplied with a watertight solution that excelled in terms of workmanship and sustainability.

Main Energy Centre 
The power station’s main energy centre is pivotal to the Battersea Power Station development’s heating and cooling provision; hence a high-grade waterproofing system was essential to safeguarding its below ground service equipment. For BriggsAmasco, this meant designing and installing a solution with sufficient durability to withstand heavy motorised traffic. Rather than use traditional tarmac or concrete – which at approximately 150mm-thick was deemed too dense for the task – BriggsAmasco specified an IKO Permatec system. To protect this initial waterproofing layer, a 40mm-thick IKO Permapark mastic asphalt system was installed. To ensure the mastic asphalt – a 100% CO2 neutral solution – was laid to the correct tolerance and at rapid speed, it was installed using BriggsAmasco’s state-of-the-art asphalt finishing machine. The combination of asphalt over the primary waterproofing was an industry-first. It meant the below ground waterproofing’s protection layer could remain in-situ, thus saving removal and recycling costs, and the environmental impact.

Grade II-listed chimneys
BriggsAmasco developed a system to re-waterproof the station’s landmark white chimneys, which were taken down and rebuilt in identical fashion. Environmental concerns meant the company specified IKO Permaphalt, rather than lead, for the task. This certified carbon-neutral product is the same waterproofing solution originally applied to the four chimneys, with the addition of advanced polymers to increase its performance. The material was applied to the chimneys’ base at a 20mm thickness across a 750m2 area in an application involving new and traditional installation techniques. BriggsAmasco exceeded its project remit by designing a mastic asphalt solution to waterproof and line a Peregrine Falcon’s nest, providing the resident birds with a 1m x 1m2 permanent home within the chimneys. The product was used as it is rot and vermin-resistant, as well as being waterproof and non-toxic.

Terrace waterproofing 
In collaboration with the insulation manufacturers, BriggsAmasco devised a super-slim PIR/VIP panel to ensure a series of apartment terraces within the revamped power station achieved the required thermal requirements. In each case the waterproofing required minimal build-up to optimise floor-to-ceiling heights, hence the insulation needed to compensate its slim composition by demonstrating superb thermal performance. The resulting system achieved a lambda value of 0.006 W/mK, eliminating the risk of cold-bridging for the long-term protection of the apartments. The panels were installed by BriggsAmasco as part of a waterproofing build-up finished with IKO’s GoldSeal Built-up Felt Roofing.

These large, complex elements of the programme saw up to 70 full-time BriggsAmasco operatives – which ranged from a specialist mastic asphalt installation team to a host of designers and project planners – install 45,000m2 of waterproofing and insulation.

Additional sustainable features innovated by BriggsAmasco as part of Battersea Power Station’s redevelopment included the company’s design, commissioning and installation of a series of sun tubes. The 8m x 1.2m stainless steel units will introduce natural daylight to significantly boost the low-carbon credentials of the receiving retail outlets. Overall, a further 8000m2 of IKO Permatec waterproofing was installed using our own fleet of zero-emission plant. IKO Enertherm inverted insulation and sedum green roofs, were installed by BriggsAmasco across the project.

BriggsAmasco completed further detailing in the form of lead flashings and cappings, which were installed to the main power station building and apartment terraces. The waterproofing programme’s carbon-friendly aspect was bolstered by the use of locally-sourced products, 99.9% of which were manufactured in the UK.

Onsite training/development 
As a company revered for its nurture of industry trainees, BriggsAmasco sponsored 20 operatives whilst they studied for NVQ qualification during the Battersea Power Station regeneration, all of whom successfully achieved NVQ 2 / 3. Their knowledge was bolstered, particularly in relation to safety, building standards, emergency response and management, by working full-time on site during the three-year, Phase Two project.

The success of this frontline learning process was typified by the experience of one BriggsAmasco trainee, who joined as a graduate then via spells as an administrator and planner, progressed to Battersea Power Station development project manager whilst she earned an amazing NVQ7. A further four, full-time staff also achieved this level during the project.

Doug McWhinney BSc FRICS, Senior Commercial Director at Battersea Power Station, said: “BriggsAmasco displayed ingenuity, workmanship and professionalism throughout this incredibly large, complex project. Their operatives went above and beyond to ensure each roofing application was completed on time and to the highest specification despite having to overcome a number of challenges including Covid-19 restrictions and mid-project design changes. They were a pleasure to work alongside and we thank them very much for their performance on the Battersea Power Station programme.”

The Battersea Power Station development brought all of BriggsAmasco’s well-renowned roofing skills to the fore. Logistically and technically, this huge project was the very definition of a specialist roof waterproofing application.

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Chameleon-like Smart Material

A new chameleon-like building material can change its colour – and how much heat it absorbs or emits – based on the outside temperature, its creators have said.

Designed to provide a low-energy way of maintaining building temperature, the material was developed by researchers at the University of Chicago in the US.  On hot days, the material can emit up to 92% of the infrared heat it contains, helping cool the inside of a building. On colder days it emits just 7%, helping keep a building warm.

 

“We’ve essentially figured out a low-energy way to treat a building like a person – you add a layer when you’re cold and take off a layer when you’re hot,” said assistant professor Po-Chun Hsu, who led the research. “This kind of smart material lets us maintain the temperature in a building without huge amounts of energy.”

 

According to some estimates, buildings account for 30% of global energy consumption and emit 10% of all global greenhouse gas, the researchers said. About half of that energy footprint is attributed to the heating and cooling of interior spaces.

 

“For a long time, most of us have taken our indoor temperature control for granted, without thinking about how much energy it requires,” said Hsu. “If we want a carbon-negative future, I think we have to consider diverse ways to control building temperature in a more energy-efficient way.”

 

Researchers have previously developed radiative cooling materials that help keep buildings cool by boosting their ability to emit infrared, which radiates heat from people and objects. Materials also exist to prevent the emission of infrared in cold climates.

As global warming causes increasingly frequent extreme weather events and variable weather, buildings need to be able to adapt – few climates require year-round heating or year-round air conditioning.

Hsu and colleagues designed a non-flammable electrochromic building material that contains a layer that can switch between two ‘conformations’: solid copper, which retains most infrared heat, and a watery solution, which emits infrared. At any chosen trigger temperature, the device can use a tiny amount of electricity to induce the chemical shift between the states by either depositing copper into a thin film, or stripping that copper off.

In a new research paper, the team detailed how the device can switch rapidly and reversibly between the metal and liquid states. The ability to switch between the two conformations reportedly remained efficient after 1,800 cycles.

The researchers also created models of how the material could cut energy costs in typical buildings in 15 different US cities. In an average commercial building, they found that the electricity used to induce electrochromic changes in the material would be less than 0.2% of the total electricity usage of the building, but could save 8.4% of the building’s annual HVAC energy consumption.

 

“Once you switch between states, you don’t need to apply any more energy to stay in either state,” said Hsu. “So for buildings where you don’t need to switch between these states very frequently, it’s really using a very negligible amount of electricity.”

 

So far, Hsu’s group has only created 6cm-wide pieces of the material. “Many such patches of the material could be assembled like shingles into larger sheets,” the research announcement said. “The material could also be tweaked to use different, custom colours – the watery phase is transparent, and nearly any colour can be put behind it without impacting its ability to absorb infrared.”

The team is now investigating different ways of fabricating the material, and studying if intermediate states could be useful.

Source: Institute of Mechanical Engineers

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