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A house built using polyurethane materials consumes 85% less energy than a home built from conventional materials.  They can provide very high levels of insulation with minimal thickness which in turn allows architects and designers to maximise the use of interior spaces. It is perhaps no surprise then that when it came to the construction of a passive house in Belgium, polyurethane insulation materials were used to create a highly insulating building fabric. Three years on, has the Polyurethanes Passive House in Brussels and its very well insulated and sealed envelope provided a comfortable and healthy environment throughout the year? The end-of-terrace four-storey family house developed by ISOPA, the European trade body for diisocyanate and polyol producers, was completed in Evere near Brussels in 2013. It is now occupied and working as a low energy test bed, its running costs and energy use closely measured to show the savings possible for homeowners. While there are over 12,000 new build Passive House certified buildings across Europe,  the ISOPA house is unusual in using a high proportion of PU to achieve its highly insulating fabric first design which reduces the need for heating and saves around 80% of the energy used by a normal house.  PU insulation has been used wherever possible from wall cavities to the floor, and windows to the roof. The house has been designed so that all of the construction elements work together in an integrated way, from the solar panels on the roof to the geothermal heat pump and MVHR system which ensures that warm fresh air circulates internally despite the high air tightness levels. The University of Leuven has been evaluating the home’s overall performance, energy use and indoor comfort levels which would verify whether the PU products as installed were really achieving the calculated performance levels. The analysis of the data yielded an estimated heat loss coefficient of 60.0 W/K, with a standard deviation of 3.0 W/K. This indicates that the thermal performance of the building fabric meets the very high standards expected, which was instrumental to the project reaching the performance levels required for Passive House certification. Known for the comfort they provide, polyurethanes are ideal for Passive House construction because they provide very high levels of insulation thanks to low thermal conductivity, meaning they provide reduced thickness increasing their affordability and reducing the impact on building footprints. As well as requiring fewer adjustments to be made to the design of buildings and less aesthetic compromises such as with deep window reveals, further cost savings on depth of eaves, joists, rafters or studs, lengths of fixings can be achieved. In short, the extremely low U-values required for Passive House projects can be much more easily achieved with PU than with other materials as far fewer changes to design detailing are required. Rigid PIR insulation boards are also light but strong, moisture-resistant and easy to install, and they, as well as spray foam PUR insulation, retain their insulating properties for the life of the building.  Last but not least, PU materials contribute to preservation of natural resources by reducing the need for energy which assists their sustainability credentials in Passive House projects. With a daunting 80% reduction in carbon emissions on 1990 levels called for globally by 2050, such efforts to create practical ‘near zero energy’ houses are essential. With houses accounting for 40% of energy consumed across Europe, achieving the means of constructing new Passive Houses affordably using PU which can deliver the results while saving homeowners money is the realistic way forward, as demonstrated at the Polyurethanes Passive House. Marleen Baes, European Product and Certification Manager, IKO For more information about BRUFMA visit www.brufma.co.uk.

Keeping on top of the paperwork generated by even the most straightforward project-based contract with a given subcontractor can prove an arduous task, with various documents coming in and going out throughout the works requiring actioning. Managing this process in a timely and efficient manner becomes increasingly difficult as the number of ongoing projects and subcontractor contracts increase, something we have first-hand experience of at Osborne. We utilised the services of more than 1,200 different subcontractors last year – from major businesses working on our behalf on a number of projects right down to small, niche companies working on one-off projects.  As you can imagine, processing payment-related paperwork for each of these subcontractors without error or issue is no easy task. That’s why we’re working with Open ECX to build and implement a bespoke system called WebContractor to increase efficiencies. At this stage, we’re looking to launch a pilot phase on a small number of projects in the very near future. Following successful completion, we plan on implementing WebContractor across the business on all our projects. For now, all we can say is what we’re expecting to achieve. There are three main reasons WebContractor stood out for us; compliance, fairness, and forward planning. Compliance Firstly, we want to make sure we comply with the requirements laid out in the Construction Act. We are looking for a way to ensure we don’t miss any timelines for issuing any paperwork for the various types of contracts we enter into, such as payment and payless notices, for example. Our current processes are insufficient for our future needs and direction of the business. Through the WebContractor system we will significantly improve our Construction Act compliance, with the system providing early warnings and a fixed process to work through for both our and the subcontractors’ teams. Fairness We’ve signed up to the Fair Payment Charter as we believe very strongly in providing payment on time for our subcontractors to help them with their cash flows. WebContractor will help us achieve this and also provide all of our valued subcontractors with much-needed transparency, letting them know where their application for payment is in the process. Forward planning We expect WebContractor will also provide us with additional administrative capabilities as we will have greater visibility of the payment process throughout the project cycle. From a finance point of view, it will allow us to have a better and real-time understanding of our cash flow forecasting, something that is vital in this industry. Moving forward, we would like to expand this solution further to link in with construction industry services and databases such as Builders’ Profile and Construction Line, helping us to be more streamlined and joined up in our approach and significantly reduce the need for manual intervention. We will also benefit from having a single and uniform way of storing all paperwork and supporting documentation and information. WebContractor has been developed to provide businesses with time and labour savings, helping them to improve efficiencies and compliance with legislation as well as give them the platform to plan their finances more easily and accurately. As a company with construction and infrastructure contracts creating an annual turnover in excess of £350 million, we’re very excited about the size and scale these benefits can bring us not only on our pilot projects but long into the future.  By Mark Mitchell, Operations Finance Director at Osborne

The sun may be shining but it’s a fair assumption that there is a flood coming. Over the past few years flooding has become one of the UK’s hottest environmental topics. For many years, winter brings the misery of damage to homes and businesses, lengthy clean ups and the uncertainty of when, or if, it will all happen again. The question is: why does this keep happening and what can be done?   Only recently, whilst much of the UK was basking in sunshine, many city centres were hit with flash floods. During November last year, high rainfalls associated with the passage of storm Abigail and the remains of hurricane Kate, brought increasingly high river flows. Many parts of north-west Britain saw almost double the average monthly rainfall for November, with the month becoming the second wettest to affect north-west England and north Wales since records began in 1910. Storm Desmond then broke the UK's 24-hour rainfall record, with 341mm of rain falling in Cumbria, on December 5th. Furthermore, the previous year, 2013/2014, saw the wettest winter on record; and the major floods of 2007 caused misery for homeowners with clean-up costs totalling £1bn. With an estimated one in six UK properties at risk of flooding, this is an issue that affects millions and is thought to cost the nation a daunting £2bn per year, including £1.2bn in damage to property. Harder to measure is the cost of lost revenue from flooded businesses and the time required to bring homes back to a liveable state –  not to mention the emotional trauma which flooding can cause. The construction and water industries have been collaborating closely with the Government and the Environment Agency over the past few years to provide a clear strategy for understanding flood risk and formulating prevention strategies. However, the issue is the fact that there is no single body responsible for managing flood risk in the UK because of the role of devolved administrations in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is the lead for flood and coastal erosion risk management in England and Wales. They create the policies that then form the basis of the Environment Agency's (EA) and lead local flood authorities' work. With its national role, the Environment Agency has a strategic overview of all sources of flooding and coastal erosion. The Environment Agency’s role is to understand the risk and to do something about it. But what exactly does the EA do? Well, this is where is gets complicated. The EA claims to set strategy by allocating funding for flood defence, warn people and inform. So where does the issue lie? Delivering flood defence schemes and informing communities of impending risk is all well and good. However, all too often flood defence schemes are city centre projects that simply have the effect of pushing water further down the river to where there are poor defences, therefore resulting in the flooding of out of town or rural areas. It really is a case of the small Dutch boy putting his finger in the **** – solve one problem area and another will spring up. The EA has its work cut out. In addition, housebuilders, due to land costs, scarcity and the drive for more homes, are now building on brown belt sites; sites that 10 years ago we wouldn’t even have considered developing due to the risk of flood. Whilst the EA can provide advice and guidance, it is down to the house builder to make decisions to safeguard these new homes from flood risk. Floods will continue to happen and with climate change we are seeing that more extreme events will occur more frequently. Because we all like to live and work near rivers and near to the sea, that puts pressure on us. However, as the city centre floods of yesterday showed, it’s not just the properties near water courses that need to be wary. The misery that flooding causes should not be under-estimated.  It is not only the physical damage to properties and possessions, it is loss of earnings for businesses and the distress to owners. Efficient clean-up is essential to get people back in their homes and businesses up and running. This is where the quick thinking of tankering and waste water management companies, such as ATAC Solutions, comes in to their own, offering fast mobilisation and the ability to quickly remove water from properties.   There is no quick fix for flood prevention. Long term strategies to improve our rivers and coastlines will take time. The development of flood-resistant properties will also take time and will need to be driven by housebuilders. So the reliance on tankering businesses is now more important than ever. When the flood comes – and it will – it might be wise to have the number of a waste water management business that can help you get back on your feet. Another emergency service that many of us will come to rely upon over the coming years. Visit: https://www.atacsolutions.com/

The seaside is known to do wonders for a person’s health, but it does nothing for the long-term wellbeing of buildings. The main cause of deterioration of reinforced concrete structures is the corrosion of embedded steel, particularly when exposed to chlorides found in sea water and airborne salts. This impacts on buildings within marine environments such as jetties, ports and bridges. Reinforced concrete structures are built to last and can generally expect to have a lifespan of about 50 years. However, in areas of chloride ingress the rate of corrosion increases, as does the need for repairs to maintain the buildings. Without professional treatment, a concrete’s surface can crack and spall. This is caused by passivating iron oxides, which protect the steel reinforcement, being destroyed by chlorides in air and water. The resulting surface debilitation could potentially weaken the structure and leave it vulnerable to serious deterioration – even collapse. This is particularly pertinent to public infrastructure such as bridges, which could be subject to lengthy and costly repairs funded by already cash-strapped local authorities. In such instances, people’s daily lives might also be severely disrupted.  The same applies to jetties, which serve vital aesthetic and operational purpose for marinas and nearly 100 sea ports across the UK. They also offer frontline sea defence, but bear the brunt of chloride’s invasive effects on account of being situated in tidal zones or splash areas. Sacrificial efficiency Sika was recently selected to supply a concrete repair and total corrosion management system (TCM) to the underside of a dockside quay that had displayed signs of corrosion due to chloride contamination. Sika® Galvashield®galvanic, sacrificial anodes, which are proven to provide long-term protection to high chloride environments, were installed as part of the refurbishment. The sacrificial anodes, comprising a zinc core encased in a small, cementitious shell, are installed within repair sites to prevent incipient anodes developing, or outside repaired sites to protect the reinforcement in chloride-infused concrete. Easily fastened to exposed steel reinforcement – or into cored and grouted holes in the concrete outside the repair site – the anode’s zinc core corrodes sacrificially to protect the surrounding rebar and prevent formation of new corrosion sites adjacent to repairs. This sacrificial zinc approach is similar to protecting oil rigs & hulls of ships. All-in-one solution As there is no need for an external power source, Sika’s galvanic systems are a popular choice for effective, low maintenance corrosion mitigation. Unlike other manufacturers, Sika provides repair materials and coatings as part of a total corrosion management package, because as well as supplying the anode, we provide repair materials and coatings. Once repairs have been carried out to all parties’ satisfaction, we will guarantee the repair system for up to 20 years – an offer unique to Sika. Galvanic anodes have revolutionised the treatment of chloride-contaminated concrete. It’s a system that is ingenious in its simplicity and effectiveness; eradicating the need for costly, time-inefficient and energy-consuming shot-blast methods of corrosion removal. The anode system is a smart 21st century solution to an age-old problem. It means our weathered, waterfront buildings can stand protected – ‘the seas shall not have them’. By Ronnie Turner, Infrastructure Manager - Refurbishment at Sika UK    

Finding themselves priced out of rural areas where they grew up, younger residents are leaving to find housing they can afford. Thanks to new Permitted Development planning laws however disused farm buildings can be transformed into good quality homes for rent or sale, meaning families can stay in the area and an asset is brought back into use for farmers. A mismatch between housing supply and demand in rural areas is forcing many residents to move to cities to find good affordable housing for themselves and their families. A solution which could defuse this demographic time bomb, while also giving disused farm buildings a new lease of life, is being trialled by one company across several farms in Cambridgeshire. In April 2014 the Government confirmed that permitted development rights within the 2012 National Policy Framework would enable change of use of agricultural buildings to residential, flexible (i.e. commercial) or educational use. With many farmers having disused and dilapidated barns or other buildings on their land which are no longer fit for purpose and present a maintenance headache, the potential to turn them into desirable and practical rural family homes and generate income in the process is tempting. In reusing existing building assets the idea is environmentally sustainable as well as being economically sustainable as a new long-term revenue stream for farmers. As one example in Cambridgeshire, contractor Richardson & Peat has been commissioned by AgReserves Ltd which owns farmland across the county to put together a design team to convert under permitted development their semi-derelict barns into high quality homes for rent to local people. Permitted development rules The following rules form a basic guide to developing an agricultural building under permitted development rights:• Developments cannot be larger than 450m² and must fall within existing footprint.• The previous use must be solely agricultural. • The maximum number of separate dwellings on one site is three.• The building cannot be Listed. • No previous permitted developments can have been accepted or built on the same farm.• The site is not in a safety hazard area or site of scientific interest or of military use.• The site complies with any requirements if it falls within a flood zone. • The building will comply with current Building Regulations when constructed. To proceed with taking on this challenge a good architect is essential in understanding not only rural design and planning but also the needs of future occupants. It’s unlikely that an existing barn will be in a condition in order to meet new housing standards in Building Regulations so the adaption of the existing barn must provide a new thermal envelope as a key component to the construction alongside good natural light levels from windows and doors. Structural engineers can also be critical particularly if you are looking at older barns where substantial work is going to be needed to strengthen existing foundations and new and existing floors and walls. Above all the final design should provide a good practical living environment for a family. With this planning option available farm living gives local people wishing to stay in the area an opportunity that would otherwise not be available and it also opens up the possibility for people looking to move back to a rural surrounding from an urban environment. From a farmers prospective it’s crucial that the building is laid out thoughtfully to maximise its asset value as this is a once only application under permitted development rules. The Cambridgeshire project will widen the housing choices for local residents, but could provide a template for other farmers looking to take up the idea which would create a major impact across the UK. From a financial position farmers looking to develop are likely to be given a fair hearing from lenders given that the land is already a free asset and would bring an impressive return on any borrowing, meaning there is a realistic opportunity to turn thousands of obsolete rural buildings into badly-needed homes for future generations.

Assurances given in terms to the longevity of single ply products are not always as black and white as they first appear. This is because while the majority of manufacturers can produce statements of their products’ life expectancies or design lives via accelerated testing, it is sometimes the case that these timescales are longer than the time a manufacturer has actually been operating in the UK. For some this situation may be acceptable. Others require ‘real’ evidence of performance when choosing the right roofing product as they recognise that a roof is the most important element in securing a building’s long-term endurance. We’re fortunate that we can show a client, architect or surveyor that what has been tested in theory has also been proven and confirmed in reality. Trocal entered the UK market in 1972 but the company’s history prior to this point and its connection to one of the most infamous inventors of the 19th Century still remains relatively unknown by many of our UK customers. Trocal can be traced back to Alfred Nobel, who founded Alfred Nobel & Co (later known as Dynamit Nobel AG), a chemical company involved in the production of weaponry in Troisdorf, Germany, 1865. Nobel’s place in history was secured through the invention of Dynamite in 1867 and the establishment of the Nobel Peace Prize some 30 years later – which occurred despite the apparent contradiction in terms! After the First World War, the company turned its attention to chemical-based products involving ‘plastics', with the first fully synthetic plastic launched in 1934. In 1962 the first Trocal single ply roofing membrane was launched and this would be the springboard to the UK in the early 70s and achieving its first BBA certificate in 1975. In 1979 Trocal went onto be the founding member of the Flat Roofing Association (FRA) which would later become todays governing body for the single ply industry, the Single Ply Roofing Association (SPRA). In late 2015, in Trocal’s 43rd year in business in the UK, we decided to improve our British Board of Agrément certification statement on the life expectancy of our membranes, which at the time stood at 30 years. We set ourselves the goal of increasing this to “in excess of 35 years” but to do so we needed to provide a sample of an existing Trocal membrane that could perform to this requirement. Thankfully, Sika-Trocal has been a leading supplier of Single Ply and have had millions of m2 installed over the years and one client, Fossil (UK) Ltd, had a Trocal membrane installed on their headquarters in Milton Keynes in 1981, which had enjoyed 35 reliable, trouble free years. The sample provided of the existing membrane demonstrated very similar flexibility and constitution performance to a brand new membrane and this helped Sika-Trocal have its membrane life span extended to “in excess of 35 years” by the BBA. And the rest they say is history. By Andy Lockwood, Area Technical Manager at Sika-Trocal