March 2019 | Broadsword Group

FIS And SCI To Launch Steel Framing System Guide With Consortium Of Industry Partners

March 28, 2019/0 Comments/in Home Page news feed, News /by joannevickers

FIS, representative body for the £10 billion finishes and interiors sector in the UK and the Steel Construction Institute (SCI), will launch the much-awaited Technical Report ED017 – Design and Installation of Light Steel External Wall Systems guide with a consortium of industry partners.

FIS and the Steel Construction Institute have been working with the FIS Steel Framing Systems (SFS) working group and industry to update guidance for the sector.

“SFS is the lightweight steel frame used to create the inner leaf of an external wall, it’s been around for over 20 years but its benefits are just being realised, which is why so many projects are using it, but there are problems being created because of a lack of planning and knowledge. It’s the first thing you see, but often the last thing that’s designed in a building, and that’s the issue. This development of this guide is a great example of how the supply chain can work together to share knowledge, support training and deliver quality, we are grateful to all involved.” Joe Cilia, Technical Director at FIS.

SFS is seen as non-load bearing, not holding the structure up but it is supporting cladding, internal linings insulation and perhaps even services. There are significant implications should it fail, which could lead to the external cladding falling off.

The report on the collapse of the brick cladding at Oxgangs Primary School Edinburgh on 29th January 2016 highlighted that there was a failure in the correct installation of a simple element -wall ties- and although there are no direct examples of this happening where SFS has been installed, it highlights the danger of ignoring the correct installation process. , this guide will help to ensure that everybody from designers to installers are clear about what is required.

Olton Bridge, 245 Warwick Road
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Telephone 0121 707 0077
Email info@thefis.org
Website www.thefis.org

The guide will spread best practice, help raise standards and educate clients and installers, and because the sector is new there are still a lot of client’s, designers and installers who will benefit from an education process driven by the document.

The guide will help avoid the issues caused by last minute changes.

The guide is for anyone who designs and installs SFS infill walls, and anyone checking that the products are being correctly installed, such as a ‘Clerk of Works.’ It will help to raise standards, show clients what SFS is and how it works. It will get people thinking about what is expected of them, the design and the final installation. It will give installers the confidence to question designs and provide guidance to ensure the installation is as good as it can be. The document includes check lists as well as guidance that makes people stop and check that all the information that should be provided, is provided.

As the landscape post-Grenfell develops, we envisage that it will be very different from the way in which buildings are being designed and constructed now, this guide will become the go to reference for all involved.

The SFS working group meeting will be held at Plaisterers’ Hall Offices, London on 16 May from 14:00–16:30. This will be followed by the launch of the much-awaited Technical Report ED017 – Design and Installation of Light Steel External Wall Systems guide. The launch event will run from 16:30-18:00. Spaces are limited and will be offered on a first come, first served basis.

To register please follow this link: https://www.thefis.org/events/sfs-working-group-meeting/

Source: UK Construction Week

Low-carbon heating to replace gas in new UK homes after 2025

March 20, 2019/0 Comments/in Home Page news feed, News /by joannevickers

Gas boilers will be replaced by low-carbon heating systems in all new homes built after 2025 in an attempt to tackle the escalating climate crisis, Philip Hammond has said.

In his spring statement, the chancellor said new properties would use alternative systems, such as heat pumps, to help the UK reduce its carbon emissions.

However, Hammond appeared to row back on implementing the full recommendations from the government’s advisory committee on climate change last month, which called for new homes to have no gas for cooking or heating from 2025.

The move away from gas heating in new homes was given a cautious welcome by environmental groups, although they said the chancellor had to be more ambitious, systemic and radical if the government was to get to grips with the climate emergency.

Housebuilders said they supported moves to more environmentally sustainable systems, but alternative heating was often more expensive and less effective.

A spokesperson for the Home Builders Federation said the ongoing “costs and comfort of homeowners was an absolute priority” for its members, pointing out that heat pumps required bigger radiators and did not work as well in cold snaps.

“New technologies are increasingly being incorporated that drive down emissions and we are committed to continuing to work with government on this … [however] it must be ensured that alternative heat sources are suitably attractive, available and efficient before withdrawing existing options,” he said.

The report from the committee on climate change said it would cost £4,800 to install low-carbon heating in a new home, but £26,300 in an existing house.

Around 14% of UK greenhouse gas emissions come from homes and last year emissions from housing increased – mainly from gas boilers.

The committee said that to meet the UK’s existing climate targets, considered too weak by many, all homes would have to virtually eliminate emissions in the future.

However, a spokesman for the Treasury said no funding had been allocated to support the move to sustainable heating systems, adding that the plan would go out to consultation later this year.

Hammond’s announcement on gas boilers was one of a series of environmental measures unveiled in his statement, alongside the protection of the waters around Ascension Island in the Atlantic, a new carbon offset scheme for aviation and a comprehensive global review of the link between biodiversity and economic growth, led by Prof Partha Dasgupta.

But environmental groups said the measures did not go far enough.

Mel Evans, a senior campaigner at Greenpeace UK, said although the plan to end fossil fuels in new homes was vital – and she welcomed the measures to protect wildlife – tackling the climate crisis required bigger thinking.

“Issues like the shoddy state of our existing housing stock and rapid adoption of electric vehicles require serious money behind serious policies,” such as banning new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, she said.

Dave Timms, from Friends of the Earth, said: “The chancellor should have announced a massive programme of investment in home insulation and public transport, instead of pushing the false solution of carbon offsetting for aviation.”

Prof Sam Fankhauser, from the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change at the London School of Economics, said the move was a “welcome step towards reducing carbon emissions” that had the potential to “significantly reduce emissions, especially if these are accompanied by measures to make homes more energy efficient.

“To be fully effective, stringent standards for new homes need to be complemented by more funding for energy efficiency upgrades in existing homes, such as for insulation and better boilers.”

Source: The Guardian

New energy efficient Domus Ventilation MVHR wall units launched

March 13, 2019/0 Comments/in Home Page news feed, News /by joannevickers

Domus Ventilation, part of the Polypipe group, has launched the HRXE range of high performance Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) units for small to medium size residential properties.

MVHR systems combine supply and extract ventilation in one system. They efficiently recover the heat typically lost in waste, stale air and use it to temper the fresh air drawn into the building via a heat exchanger. The filtered, pre-warmed air is distributed to areas of the home such as living rooms and bedrooms, effectively meeting part of the heating load in energy efficient dwellings.

Building on its success in MVHR, Domus has developed the HRXE units to provide even greater efficiency through advanced heat exchange proficiency and low Specific Fan Power (SFP). When used with a kitchen and one wet room, at typical installation, the HRXE provides a 90% heat exchange performance and boasts a very low SFP down to 0.57W/(l/s).

The new HRXE range is not only efficient, but also exceptionally quiet, with background (normal) ventilation at 24dB(A) (typically whisper quiet). Noise reduction can be further reduced through the use of an Anti-Vibration tray, which isolates the unit from the wall to reduce any low levels of vibration induced noise which can be distracting to residents.

There are four models in the HRXE range, all with a two year warranty and all featuring 100% thermal (summer) bypass which automatically activates when the air temperature reaches a pre-set level, allowing in cooler, fresh, filtered air without warming it through the heat exchanger.The smart design of the HRXE means there is no reduction in airflow when operating in bypass mode.

Within the range, models are available with integral humidity sensors, which is much in demand.By accurately measuring air humidity, the HRXE’s extract speed automatically changes from background to boost as the level of humidity increases, thereby providing optimal ventilation performance.

When it comes to installation, Domus Ventilation has designed the HRXE units to be even smaller than their predecessors making them ideal for wall-mounted cupboard installation, with opposite handed models available to meet different on-site requirements. Spigots on the top of the HRXE are 125mm, but with Domus Ventilation’s extensive duct portfolio, adaptors are available to enable direct connection to the most common ducting size – 204x600mm flat channel duct –for quicker and more cost-effective installation. Furthermore, integrated controls are accessed via a front panel for easy commissioning.

The HRXE range has been designed to work most efficiently when used with Domus duct systems, including its Flow Control Plenum and High Efficiency Green Line Bends, which reduce duct bend resistance by up to 60%. Domus duct systems offer improved system performance through the exacting tolerances and engineered fit of the system, whereby pressure drops are minimised and air leakage virtually eliminated.

Domus Ventilation has a well-deserved reputation for quality, supported by excellent technical support, from a market leading manufacturer and designer. It is well placed to offer immediate, practical solutions to Building Regulations Parts F & L.

Source: UK construction week

168,500 new jobs to be created

March 6, 2019/0 Comments/in Home Page news feed, News /by joannevickers

CITB experts are predicting an extra 168,500 new construction jobs will be created over the next five years despite the uncertainty of Brexit.

The training body’s annual Construction Skills Network (CSN) report anticipates average annual industry growth of 1.3% until 2023.

That is down a third of a percent on last year’s forecast and is based on the scenario that the UK agrees an exit deal with the EU, rather than a ‘No Deal’ Brexit.

Despite the wider economic uncertainty approximately 168,500 construction jobs are to be created in Great Britain over the next five years – 10,000 more than in last year’s forecast.

Construction employment is expected to reach 2.79m in 2023 – just 2% lower than its peak in 2008.

Steve Radley, Policy Director at CITB, said: “Assuming that a deal is agreed, we expect low but positive growth for construction.

“Even as infrastructure slows, sectors like public housing and R&M are strengthening.

“This will see the number of construction jobs increase over the next five years, creating growing opportunities for careers in construction and increasing the importance of tackling the skills pressures we face.”

The CITB and industry trade bodies have published a plan to help brace the sector for tighter migration controls after Brexit.

Building After Brexit: An Action Plan for Industry identifies the need for construction to adopt a twin-track strategy: growing investment in the domestic workforce and driving up productivity, while working with Government to agree how to maintain access to migrant workers to give it the breathing space to adapt.

Recommendations include:

Attract talent by raising apprenticeship starts and completions, creating pathways into construction for under-represented groups and providing better work experience opportunities.
Retain the workforce by supporting older workers to stay in the industry, upskilling the existing workforce and offering improved mental health support.
Be productive by developing a Future Skills Strategy to identify the skills required to modernise the industry, drive digitalisation forward and boost investment in modern methods of construction.

Steve Radley, Policy Director at CITB, sayid: ‘Construction needs a twin-track strategy, increasing investment in the domestic workforce and working with Government to agree how we can maintain access to migrant workers to give it the breathing space to adapt to changing rules.

‘The latest forecast has revealed over 168,000 new jobs will be created over the next five years and with a likely post-Brexit reduction to the availability of foreign workers, the industry must act now to avoid widening the skills gaps.

‘We must do more to attract new talent to the sector and get better at retaining and upskilling the current workforce. Finally, the sector must fully embrace digital skills in order to become more productive and mitigate the widening skills gap.’

Alasdair Reisner, Chief Executive at CECA, said: “The date for leaving the European Union is rapidly approaching and employers are finding it harder and harder to recruit the right people for their business.

“Recruitment is already very difficult for some key roles and this will be exacerbated once migration from the EU is reduced post-Brexit.

“We must work together, as an industry and with Government to target these gaps; boosting UK-based recruitment and training while looking to sensible migration from the rest of the world to meet demand.”

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders, said: “The single biggest issue keeping construction employers awake at night is the skills shortage.

“If we’re going to address this skills gap post-Brexit, the whole industry needs to step up and expand their training initiatives. Even Sole Traders can offer short term work experience placements and large companies should be aiming to ensure at least 5 per cent of their workforce are trainees or apprentices.

“But realistically speaking, the UK construction sector can’t satisfy its thirst for skilled labour via domestic workers alone.

“With record low levels of unemployment, we’ll always need a significant number of migrant workers too – particularly in London and the south east.

“The Government needs to work with construction to amend its Immigration White Paper and rethink the current definition of low-skilled workers.

“Level 2 tradespeople play a vital role in the sector and would currently be excluded, which is wrong. We urge Ministers to engage with the construction industry to help improve these proposals.”

Source: Construction Enquirer.com