Talk. Build 's Entries
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In March, leading manufacturer Ibstock reported that it was delivering more bricks to end users and merchants than at any time in the previous nine years, which is good news for an industry which has had more than its fair share of ups and downs in recent years. It also completely makes nonsense of recent rumours of a brick shortages and there is even better news with reports from America that studies have shown that brick remains an incredibly cost effective building material. According to the report from the Brick Industry Association in North America, bricks used with (CMU) concrete masonry units cost less than precast concrete, metal panel curtain wall and glass panel curtain wall systems. The report adds that a three-storey office building using manufactured stone with steel studs costs 2.7% more than brick with steel studs. Precast concrete costs 2.7% more than brick with CMU, and metal panel curtain wall costs 13.1% more than brick with CMU. So far so good with further statements that brick would save some £1.6 million when used on a four- to eight-storey hospital project in comparison to metal panel curtain walling and/or glass panel curtain walling. There are many other price comparisons which suggest that architects and building owners should really be taking a closer look at brick costs compared to other building materials. Full tables can be seen by clicking this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/sqhu9efchk8x9kw/RS%20Means%20Feb%202017%20BIA%20Commercial%20Buildings.pptx?dl=0 "National averages show brick costs less than perceived," said Ray Leonhard, Brick Industry Association's president and CEO. "Since it's a non-flammable and non-combustible material, clay brick also offers superior fire resistance with a minimum one-hour fire rating." Back in the UK and the recent report from Ibstock suggest that all is well here too with one of our oldest building materials:“In the six months to the end of June 2017, overall brick industry despatches were 15% ahead of the same period last year,” said Ibstock sales director Tony France, quoted in the Builders Merchant Building Index statistical report. With the Government committed to building more social housing than ever before and with private builders getting ready to meet the challenge of a rising population then we can only hope that all those recent ups and downs will be a thing of the past – at least for the next few years. By John Ridgeway Follow me on Twitter @JohnRidgeway990 Posted by Talk. Build
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By Talk. Build In March, leading manufacturer Ibstock reported that it was delivering more bricks to end users and merchants than at any time in the previous nine years, which is good news for an industry which has had more than its fair share of ups and downs in recent years. It also completely makes nonsense of recent rumours of a brick shortages and there is even better news with reports from America that studies have shown that brick remains an incredibly cost effective building material. According to the report from the Brick Industry Association in North America, bricks used with (CMU) concrete masonry units cost less than precast concrete, metal panel curtain wall and glass panel curtain wall systems. The report adds that a three-storey office building using manufactured stone with steel studs costs 2.7% more than brick with steel studs. Precast concrete costs 2.7% more than brick with CMU, and metal panel curtain wall costs 13.1% more than brick with CMU. So far so good with further statements that brick would save some £1.6 million when used on a four- to eight-storey hospital project in comparison to metal panel curtain walling and/or glass panel curtain walling. There are many other price comparisons which suggest that architects and building owners should really be taking a closer look at brick costs compared to other building materials. Full tables can be seen by clicking this link - https://www.dropbox.com/s/sqhu9efchk8x9kw/RS%20Means%20Feb%202017%20BIA%20Commercial%20Buildings.pptx?dl=0 "National averages show brick costs less than perceived," said Ray Leonhard, Brick Industry Association's president and CEO. "Since it's a non-flammable and non-combustible material, clay brick also offers superior fire resistance with a minimum one-hour fire rating." Back in the UK and the recent report from Ibstock suggest that all is well here too with one of our oldest building materials:“In the six months to the end of June 2017, overall brick industry despatches were 15% ahead of the same period last year,” said Ibstock sales director Tony France, quoted in the Builders Merchant Building Index statistical report. With the Government committed to building more social housing than ever before and with private builders getting ready to meet the challenge of a rising population then we can only hope that all those recent ups and downs will be a thing of the past – at least for the next few years. By John Ridgeway Follow me on Twitter @JohnRidgeway99Sep 12, 2017 0 -
Most people in the construction industry are aware of the enormous skills shortage in all of the building trades. Bricklaying is no exception and there are many anecdotal reports of brick layers earning the equivalent of a “Kings Ransom” as main contractors compete for their skills. So it comes as no surprise to learn that engineers have now developed robots to replace bricklayers and word is that they can do the job six times as fast and could eventually do away with the need to employ humans. Australian company Fastbrick Robotics - https://www.fbr.com.au/ has developed a proof of concept for a commercial bricklaying machine called Hadrian X. Using computer aided design, the Hadrian X robotic bricklayer is able to handle the automatic loading, cutting, routing and placement of all bricks to build a complete structure. The company claims it can build a four bedroomed house in just two days without any human assistance. In America, a company called Construction Robotics - http://www.construction-robotics.com/ - has developed the SAM100, a bricklaying robot designed to work with a human bricklayer by assisting with the repetitive and strenuous tasks of lifting and placing each brick. It’s said that the bricklayer will continue to be responsible for the site setup and final wall quality, but will be able to improve his or her efficiency through the operation of SAM. However, robots like this can lay six times as many bricks a day as human builders and some commentators are seriously suggesting that humans will soon be few and far between on building sites. There are reports that SAM100 is already beginning to replace humans on a handful of sites in America, and Construction Robotics has said that it is hoping to introduce these robots into Britain very soon. While many may now be thinking that “Terminator” is about to become science fact it is reassuring to emphasise that SAM, for the moment, only has the ability to pick up bricks, apply mortar and lay them. The robot needs to be heavily supervised by humans who have to set up the machines, supervise health and safety and assist with laying bricks at difficult angles, as well as clearing up. But with advances in technology the commentators could be proved right in the long term with robots replacing all human craft skills - it’s a bleak thought. By John Ridgeway Follow me on Twitter @JohnRidgeway990 Posted by Talk. Build
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By Talk. Build Most people in the construction industry are aware of the enormous skills shortage in all of the building trades. Bricklaying is no exception and there are many anecdotal reports of brick layers earning the equivalent of a “Kings Ransom” as main contractors compete for their skills. So it comes as no surprise to learn that engineers have now developed robots to replace bricklayers and word is that they can do the job six times as fast and could eventually do away with the need to employ humans. Australian company Fastbrick Robotics - https://www.fbr.com.au/ has developed a proof of concept for a commercial bricklaying machine called Hadrian X. Using computer aided design, the Hadrian X robotic bricklayer is able to handle the automatic loading, cutting, routing and placement of all bricks to build a complete structure. The company claims it can build a four bedroomed house in just two days without any human assistance. In America, a company called Construction Robotics - http://www.construction-robotics.com/ - has developed the SAM100, a bricklaying robot designed to work with a human bricklayer by assisting with the repetitive and strenuous tasks of lifting and placing each brick. It’s said that the bricklayer will continue to be responsible for the site setup and final wall quality, but will be able to improve his or her efficiency through the operation of SAM. However, robots like this can lay six times as many bricks a day as human builders and some commentators are seriously suggesting that humans will soon be few and far between on building sites. There are reports that SAM100 is already beginning to replace humans on a handful of sites in America, and Construction Robotics has said that it is hoping to introduce these robots into Britain very soon. While many may now be thinking that “Terminator” is about to become science fact it is reassuring to emphasise that SAM, for the moment, only has the ability to pick up bricks, apply mortar and lay them. The robot needs to be heavily supervised by humans who have to set up the machines, supervise health and safety and assist with laying bricks at difficult angles, as well as clearing up. But with advances in technology the commentators could be proved right in the long term with robots replacing all human craft skills - it’s a bleak thought. By John Ridgeway Follow me on Twitter @JohnRidgeway99Sep 02, 2017 0
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The demand for Aircrete blocks has been steadily growing over the past few years. This can be thanked by a combination of the change in building regulations (Part L 2013) and a housing crisis that has led to strong growth in the residential sector. With Part L 2013 putting more emphasis on the requirement of an even more thermally efficient fabric, through compliance with the Fabric Energy Efficiency Target (FEE) Aircrete blocks have become the preferred choice to achieve lower U-Values and better PSI Values (Thermal Bridging/heat loss at junctions) and an overall easier route to compliance. The pace of the industry growth and a lack of raw materials have started to cause a shortage of Aircrete blocks, unwelcome bad news which is slowly rippling through the construction industry. Pulverised Fuel Ash (PFA) is the main waste product from coal fired power stations and this raw material is integral in the production of most Aircrete blocks in the UK. This lack of material could similarly impact on other concrete blocks, cement and ready mix concrete as these products also use PFA. A handful of factors have combined to see levels of PFA production drop. A mild winter has reduced the overall level of electricity generation in the UK, lower gas prices has seen electricity generators burn less coal and more gas and as we drive ourselves forward to a greener energy infrastructure reliance on coal power has diminished and will continue to do so. There is potential to import PFA from coal fired power stations across Europe, but this has never been needed before so the transportation network and infrastructure just isn’t there yet. For now, the most important thing to do is be aware and plan ahead. A change from Aircrete blocks to a denser block will ultimately see a rise in emissions through high heat losses through the walls and the junctions. This will cause some buildings to fail to meet the Emission and FEE targets, where previously the design assessment was compliant. Compliance with Part L can still be achieved with a change in blockwork as long as the assessor is informed early enough to propose ways to offset the additional CO2 and heat losses. So the advice is to anticipate the shortage and to begin to design denser blocks into your SAP and SBEM calculations as early as possible. By Marcus Eves, Sustainability Consultant, Darren Evans Assessments Visit: http://www.darren-evans.co.uk/0 Posted by Talk. Build
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By Talk. Build The demand for Aircrete blocks has been steadily growing over the past few years. This can be thanked by a combination of the change in building regulations (Part L 2013) and a housing crisis that has led to strong growth in the residential sector. With Part L 2013 putting more emphasis on the requirement of an even more thermally efficient fabric, through compliance with the Fabric Energy Efficiency Target (FEE) Aircrete blocks have become the preferred choice to achieve lower U-Values and better PSI Values (Thermal Bridging/heat loss at junctions) and an overall easier route to compliance. The pace of the industry growth and a lack of raw materials have started to cause a shortage of Aircrete blocks, unwelcome bad news which is slowly rippling through the construction industry. Pulverised Fuel Ash (PFA) is the main waste product from coal fired power stations and this raw material is integral in the production of most Aircrete blocks in the UK. This lack of material could similarly impact on other concrete blocks, cement and ready mix concrete as these products also use PFA. A handful of factors have combined to see levels of PFA production drop. A mild winter has reduced the overall level of electricity generation in the UK, lower gas prices has seen electricity generators burn less coal and more gas and as we drive ourselves forward to a greener energy infrastructure reliance on coal power has diminished and will continue to do so. There is potential to import PFA from coal fired power stations across Europe, but this has never been needed before so the transportation network and infrastructure just isn’t there yet. For now, the most important thing to do is be aware and plan ahead. A change from Aircrete blocks to a denser block will ultimately see a rise in emissions through high heat losses through the walls and the junctions. This will cause some buildings to fail to meet the Emission and FEE targets, where previously the design assessment was compliant. Compliance with Part L can still be achieved with a change in blockwork as long as the assessor is informed early enough to propose ways to offset the additional CO2 and heat losses. So the advice is to anticipate the shortage and to begin to design denser blocks into your SAP and SBEM calculations as early as possible. By Marcus Eves, Sustainability Consultant, Darren Evans Assessments Visit: http://www.darren-evans.co.uk/Aug 01, 2017 0
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It’s a crime that causes no physical suffering, yet graffiti is damaging in so many other ways. It’s estimated the so-called ‘tagging’ of public buildings such as schools, hospitals and businesses results in a monumental cost to the taxpayer. In London alone, it’s reported the public purse shells-out £7 million per year to help local authorities remove unwanted scrawls from walls, signage and council-owned properties. The national figure is even more distressing. It’s estimated the cost of graffiti removal throughout the country is over £1 billion a year. Public transport suffers particularly badly at the hands of paint or spray-totting vandals, with London Underground alone earmarking an annual £1 million to replace glass defaced by ugly etchings. Public nuisance Nuisance graffiti should not be confused with the sort of street art which involves the painstaking decoration of pavements and the like and adds a dash of carefully-sculptured colour to otherwise drab, urbanised environments. The graffiti the majority of the world would like to see wiped-out is the purposeless, random scarring of everyday sites and objects which instills a perverse sense of achievement within the ‘artist’, and a sense of despair within everyone else. UK law is doing its bit to deter the vandals. Britain is one of the few countries in Western Europe where graffiti-ists face a substantial fine or jail-term depending on the severity of the offence. The maximum penalty for 12 - to17-year-olds is 24 months’ detention, whilst adults face serving up to 10 years behind bars for deliberately defacing property. Paying the penalty The threat of incarceration did nothing to dissuade a gang of teenagers from engaging in 125 spray paint attacks on trains and trams across Manchester. The two-year campaign between 2012 and 2014 resulted in damage totalling £123,000 and a court appearance for the five youths which attracted nationwide media attention. The gang, who filmed themselves carrying out the attacks, some of which took place during daylight whilst passengers were actually on the train, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit criminal damage, claiming in court they hadn’t realised their ‘graffiti-bombing’ of public transport was a crime. Each of the five defendants received a suspended custodial sentence. Soluble solution If the courts are to get tough on graffiti, where is the substance that is tough on the damage itself, ensuring its quick and easy removal? Sika has developed a product which not only removes recurrent graffiti with a simple jet wash; it acts as an effective deterrent to illegal fly-posting. Brush or roller applied, Sikagard®-850 AG Anti-Graffiti and Anti-Poster requires nothing more than a cold water hose and clean cloth to make good a defaced structure or vehicle. This simple process eliminates the need for chemically-bound detergents or aggressive cleansers, making it a cost-effective, environmentally-friendly graffiti deterrent. Once applied, Sikagard®-850 AG leaves a glossy film on surfaces to ensure illegally-pasted posters fall-off in days. Benefits of Sikagard®-850: Graffiti can be removed permanently without damaging the surface It ensures flyposters will not adhere to a treated surface No chemical agents are used in the cleaning process – only cold water pressure Water vapour permeable, it offers superb resistance against ageing and weathering Its use enhances a surface’s colour, giving it a ‘wet-look’ Unfortunately, public infrastructure is viewed by graffiti vandals as a blank canvas on which to express their baffling sense of the artistic, and all the while the ingredients remain at their disposal – paint; a spray can; a bare wall – the defacement will continue. For every instance of creative vandalism, however, there is now a soluble solution – Sikagard®-850 – the simplicity of which is an art-form in itself. By Bob Orishaguna, Buildings Manager – TM Refurbishment at Sika0 Posted by Talk. Build
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By Talk. Build It’s a crime that causes no physical suffering, yet graffiti is damaging in so many other ways. It’s estimated the so-called ‘tagging’ of public buildings such as schools, hospitals and businesses results in a monumental cost to the taxpayer. In London alone, it’s reported the public purse shells-out £7 million per year to help local authorities remove unwanted scrawls from walls, signage and council-owned properties. The national figure is even more distressing. It’s estimated the cost of graffiti removal throughout the country is over £1 billion a year. Public transport suffers particularly badly at the hands of paint or spray-totting vandals, with London Underground alone earmarking an annual £1 million to replace glass defaced by ugly etchings. Public nuisance Nuisance graffiti should not be confused with the sort of street art which involves the painstaking decoration of pavements and the like and adds a dash of carefully-sculptured colour to otherwise drab, urbanised environments. The graffiti the majority of the world would like to see wiped-out is the purposeless, random scarring of everyday sites and objects which instills a perverse sense of achievement within the ‘artist’, and a sense of despair within everyone else. UK law is doing its bit to deter the vandals. Britain is one of the few countries in Western Europe where graffiti-ists face a substantial fine or jail-term depending on the severity of the offence. The maximum penalty for 12 - to17-year-olds is 24 months’ detention, whilst adults face serving up to 10 years behind bars for deliberately defacing property. Paying the penalty The threat of incarceration did nothing to dissuade a gang of teenagers from engaging in 125 spray paint attacks on trains and trams across Manchester. The two-year campaign between 2012 and 2014 resulted in damage totalling £123,000 and a court appearance for the five youths which attracted nationwide media attention. The gang, who filmed themselves carrying out the attacks, some of which took place during daylight whilst passengers were actually on the train, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit criminal damage, claiming in court they hadn’t realised their ‘graffiti-bombing’ of public transport was a crime. Each of the five defendants received a suspended custodial sentence. Soluble solution If the courts are to get tough on graffiti, where is the substance that is tough on the damage itself, ensuring its quick and easy removal? Sika has developed a product which not only removes recurrent graffiti with a simple jet wash; it acts as an effective deterrent to illegal fly-posting. Brush or roller applied, Sikagard®-850 AG Anti-Graffiti and Anti-Poster requires nothing more than a cold water hose and clean cloth to make good a defaced structure or vehicle. This simple process eliminates the need for chemically-bound detergents or aggressive cleansers, making it a cost-effective, environmentally-friendly graffiti deterrent. Once applied, Sikagard®-850 AG leaves a glossy film on surfaces to ensure illegally-pasted posters fall-off in days. Benefits of Sikagard®-850: Graffiti can be removed permanently without damaging the surface It ensures flyposters will not adhere to a treated surface No chemical agents are used in the cleaning process – only cold water pressure Water vapour permeable, it offers superb resistance against ageing and weathering Its use enhances a surface’s colour, giving it a ‘wet-look’ Unfortunately, public infrastructure is viewed by graffiti vandals as a blank canvas on which to express their baffling sense of the artistic, and all the while the ingredients remain at their disposal – paint; a spray can; a bare wall – the defacement will continue. For every instance of creative vandalism, however, there is now a soluble solution – Sikagard®-850 – the simplicity of which is an art-form in itself. By Bob Orishaguna, Buildings Manager – TM Refurbishment at SikaJul 05, 2017 0
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By Mark Shaw, Technical Manager at Sika There is no defeating the ravages of time. Even at our most robust, our inevitable decline is merely being held at bay. Durable as it may seem, reinforced concrete is also susceptible to the passing years. Chloride and carbonation of its reinforcing steel can result in significant spalling in structures, particularly ones exposed long-term to sea salts or traffic pollution. Patch repair, as the system suggests, is patchy at best. The long-term success of this course of action is severely hampered by the prevalence of chlorides in other areas of the concrete. Whilst removing and making-good the most-visibly spalled section of the structure might initially seem like a job well-done, the repair of only those sites which are actively corroding in a chloride-contaminated structure is likely to stimulate corrosion at sites adjacent to the repair. This phenomenon is known as the incipient anode, ring anode or halo effect. Cause and effect Consequently, patch repair proves far less cost-effective than addressing the source of the corrosion and carrying out a full concrete replacement. Now, here’s where the science kicks-in: whilst a concrete structure may be completely chloride-contaminated, leaving its reinforcing steel in a potentially corrosive environment, corrosion will only take place at specific locations due to steel corrosion being an electrochemical reaction in which there’s: An anode – the ‘actively’ rusting site where rust forms, eventually cracking and spalling the concrete A cathode – where the steel is protected cathodically and hydroxide ions are produced, further improving corrosion protection A flow of electrons along the rebar from the anode to the cathode, and a flow of hydroxide ions through the concrete from the cathode to the anode Management benefits Corrosion management systems provide a cost-effective solution to reinforcement corrosion, helping reduce future maintenance costs and extend a structure’s lifespan. Used as part of a patch repair, targeted at specific high corrosion risk areas of structures, or installed over large areas for widespread corrosion protection and control. Instigating a total corrosion management programme, rather than implementing a simple patch repair, leads to a number of benefits. These include: Long-term corrosion protection – minimising ongoing maintenance costs and extending the life of the structure No requirement for long-term connection of power supplies and control equipment – ensuring low running costs – may be an attractive option for remote structures May be targeted at specific areas or over an entire structure – ensuring cost effective protection Avoiding the need to break out large areas of contaminated concrete – reducing environmental disruption and avoiding the need for structural propping Sika is the only construction manufacturer able to supply a comprehensive range of products for total corrosion management in the UK. Its Sika® Galvashield® range offers an example of how corrosion sites can be dealt with simply and effectively. Its embedded galvanic anodes are used in concrete rehabilitation to prevent the formation of new corrosion sites adjacent to completed patch repairs and control corrosion in structurally sound chloride contaminated concrete How does it work? The anodes compromise a sacrificial zinc core that is activated by the surrounding specially-formulated cementitious mortar. The anode is quickly and easily fastened to the exposed reinforcing steel, and once installed, corrodes preferentially to the surrounding rebar. This protection technique is similarly used to protect steel on oil rigs and ship hulls. The result of this ingeniously simple process is that the embedded anode provides galvanic corrosion prevention to the adjacent reinforcing steel and mitigating ‘Incipient Anode’ formation. As there is no need for an external power source, Sika’s galvanic systems are a popular choice for effective low maintenance corrosion mitigation. With its superb Galvashield range, Sika has discovered a solution to the age-old issue of chloride-induced spalled concrete repair. It proves time need not be a barrier to a structure’s long-term health.0 Posted by Talk. Build
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By Talk. Build By Mark Shaw, Technical Manager at Sika There is no defeating the ravages of time. Even at our most robust, our inevitable decline is merely being held at bay. Durable as it may seem, reinforced concrete is also susceptible to the passing years. Chloride and carbonation of its reinforcing steel can result in significant spalling in structures, particularly ones exposed long-term to sea salts or traffic pollution. Patch repair, as the system suggests, is patchy at best. The long-term success of this course of action is severely hampered by the prevalence of chlorides in other areas of the concrete. Whilst removing and making-good the most-visibly spalled section of the structure might initially seem like a job well-done, the repair of only those sites which are actively corroding in a chloride-contaminated structure is likely to stimulate corrosion at sites adjacent to the repair. This phenomenon is known as the incipient anode, ring anode or halo effect. Cause and effect Consequently, patch repair proves far less cost-effective than addressing the source of the corrosion and carrying out a full concrete replacement. Now, here’s where the science kicks-in: whilst a concrete structure may be completely chloride-contaminated, leaving its reinforcing steel in a potentially corrosive environment, corrosion will only take place at specific locations due to steel corrosion being an electrochemical reaction in which there’s: An anode – the ‘actively’ rusting site where rust forms, eventually cracking and spalling the concrete A cathode – where the steel is protected cathodically and hydroxide ions are produced, further improving corrosion protection A flow of electrons along the rebar from the anode to the cathode, and a flow of hydroxide ions through the concrete from the cathode to the anode Management benefits Corrosion management systems provide a cost-effective solution to reinforcement corrosion, helping reduce future maintenance costs and extend a structure’s lifespan. Used as part of a patch repair, targeted at specific high corrosion risk areas of structures, or installed over large areas for widespread corrosion protection and control. Instigating a total corrosion management programme, rather than implementing a simple patch repair, leads to a number of benefits. These include: Long-term corrosion protection – minimising ongoing maintenance costs and extending the life of the structure No requirement for long-term connection of power supplies and control equipment – ensuring low running costs – may be an attractive option for remote structures May be targeted at specific areas or over an entire structure – ensuring cost effective protection Avoiding the need to break out large areas of contaminated concrete – reducing environmental disruption and avoiding the need for structural propping Sika is the only construction manufacturer able to supply a comprehensive range of products for total corrosion management in the UK. Its Sika® Galvashield® range offers an example of how corrosion sites can be dealt with simply and effectively. Its embedded galvanic anodes are used in concrete rehabilitation to prevent the formation of new corrosion sites adjacent to completed patch repairs and control corrosion in structurally sound chloride contaminated concrete How does it work? The anodes compromise a sacrificial zinc core that is activated by the surrounding specially-formulated cementitious mortar. The anode is quickly and easily fastened to the exposed reinforcing steel, and once installed, corrodes preferentially to the surrounding rebar. This protection technique is similarly used to protect steel on oil rigs and ship hulls. The result of this ingeniously simple process is that the embedded anode provides galvanic corrosion prevention to the adjacent reinforcing steel and mitigating ‘Incipient Anode’ formation. As there is no need for an external power source, Sika’s galvanic systems are a popular choice for effective low maintenance corrosion mitigation. With its superb Galvashield range, Sika has discovered a solution to the age-old issue of chloride-induced spalled concrete repair. It proves time need not be a barrier to a structure’s long-term health.Jul 01, 2017 0
