Design & specificaiton
Building
Stories with this category.
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The daylight factor
24 Apr 13
Is it possible to increase daylight without raising costs and lowering energy efficiency?
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House of straw
17 Apr 13
An affordable co-ownership scheme made of straw is proving highly energy efficient
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Eight of the latest refurbishment products
2 Apr 13
This month we have products for a range of building projects including refurbishing a historic building, a high street shop and some much-needed homes
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Royal Marsden Hospital: The X-factor
2 Apr 13
MRI scanners weigh up to 7 tonnes each. So adding an X-ray and scanning suite to the top of a Victorian hospital in a west London conservation area required some creative thinking
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Eight of the latest education products
12 Feb 13
Get yourselves an education with this week’s products for schools, colleges and universities
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Lessons in sustainability
12 Feb 13
With schools responsible for 50% of local authority carbon emissions, Matt Fulford looks at how simple measures can produce big savings
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Eight of the latest cladding products
23 Jan 13
From a Glasgow velodrome and arena to a Norwegian hotel, via livestock buildings for Perthshire cattle, it’s what’s outside that counts
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Glass: Which is the fairest of them all?
23 Jan 13
Glass may have been about for thousands of years but in future its applications will extend well beyond glazing. Here are some innovative uses to look out for
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Rooftop agriculture
11 January 2013
Building looks at a relatively new movement using green roofs to plant our food
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Carbon monoxide: The silent killer
14 December 2012
Northern Ireland has taken decisive action to reduce carbon-monoxide related deaths by making alarms that detect the gas compulsory
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Milan's canal network: Hidden depths
23 November 2012
Milan has ambitious plans to deliver a zero carbon mixed-use scheme in which no home will need a domestic boiler - all by harnessing the geothermal potential of its underground network of canals
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Blackfriars: The world's largest solar-powered bridge
09 November 2012
The £550m revamp of Blackfriars station in London includes the world’s largest solar-powered bridge - a 6,000m2 installation
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Siemen's Abu Dhabi HQ
26 October 2012
Technology giant Siemens developed one LEED Platinum-rated office in London, and is now trying to replicate this success - in the Abu Dhabi desert
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Insulated wall systems
12 October 2012
H+H’s Thin Joint system has been used in the design and construction of a low-energy apartment block on a site in Brighton
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Passivhaus for dummies
12 October 2012
An off-site Passivhaus solution has been developed that can, its maker claims, be put up by anyone able to hold a hammer. Thomas Lane reports
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Education: Bent into shape
05 October 2012
BDP’s priority at Bents Green school in Sheffield was to create a safe and supportive environment for autistic pupils. But it has also managed to preserve the site’s 18th-century coach house. Ike Ijeh reports on a tricky balancing act
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Security regulations: The safety catch
21 September 2012
Should the communities department’s recent Building Regulations consultation have done more to tighten security?
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Ray of light
07 September 2012
The Velux skylight brand is normally associated with the residential sector. But a collaboration with Foster + Partners could soon enable the company to break into commercial and public buildings
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Experimental flooring: 62 Buckingham Gate
20 July 2012
Pell Frischmann’s experimental approach resulted in this unique post-tensioned floor slab system
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A veritable refurbishment 'slide show'
08 June 2012
When a retail and residential project in London was obliged to hold on to an existing 120-year-old facade, the bold solution was an innovative sliding and support system, as Ike Ijeh explains
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Movers & makers 8 June 2012: Refurbishment
08 June 2012
A round up of news from manufacturers and suppliers of construction and refurbishment products, including Hanson and JCP Construction Products
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Solar PV panels: Heavy loads
25 May 2012
Photovoltaic panels are becoming ever more numerous as prices drop, but they can be a heavy burden on your roof if not carefully installed, says Peter Caplehorn
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Building envelope solutions
11 May 2012
Tata Steel has provided building envelope solutions for two commercial units at Hawarden business park in Flintshire
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Commercial air-conditioning solutions
11 May 2012
Daikin has launched its new Sky Air Seasonal Smart and Seasonal Classic commercial air-conditioning solutions
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Curtain walling
11 May 2012
Kawneer’s curtain walling was used on an office block in Manchester to revitalise the site
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Curved automatic doors
11 May 2012
GEZE UK’s doors maximise footfall and minimise heat loss or gain
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Fully glazed partitioning system
11 May 2012
SAS International has launched a new fully glazed partitioning system
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Micro-perforated tiles
11 May 2012
Micro-perforated metal tiles from Armstrong Ceilings have been specified for the offices of Birmingham council’s new workplace at 10 Woodcock Street
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Movers & makers 11 May 2012: Offsite construction
11 May 2012
A round-up of news from off-site manufacturers
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Thermally efficient envelope
11 May 2012
Celotex GA4000 PIR insulation was specified for a new office building at Watermead business park in Leicestershire
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Wakefield council offices: A model of modesty
11 May 2012
Cartwright Pickard’s considered, pragmatic design has allowed Wakefield’s council offices to come in at under half the price of some other recent civic buildings. Could this be a template for more hubristic architects to follow, asks Ike Ijeh
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Wiring accessories
11 May 2012
The Wandsworth Group has extended its Series Two range of data and media outlets
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Bespoke ventilator
27 April 2012
Award-winning design from Nordan
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Clip-on cills
27 April 2012
Halo has introduced a range of PVC-U clip-on cills to simplify the installation of external insulation to existing buildings. The cills are compatible with the company’s four doors and windows systems and are available in depths of 122mm, 192mm and 242mm. The firm says cill damage is a common defect, so fitting them at the end of the building process helps minimise snagging before handover.Halo: www.whshalo.com
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Halls of residence fit out
27 April 2012
Assa Abloy Security Solutions has supplied its products for use in a halls of residence in the University of the West of Scotland, in Paisley.
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Hygienic pre-hung door sets
27 April 2012
Boomer Industries supplied the Ministry of Defence’s medical rehabilitation centre at Headley Court, Epsom, with pre-hung door sets. The centre caters for combat casualties, and houses 360 military and civilian staff. Boomer was chosen as it offered the door set with Formica coating and PVC frames, to help maintain a hygienic environment. The firm says the anti-microbial PVC in its products helps control the spread of harmful organisms.
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Large casement window
27 April 2012
Kanweer makes big claims for new frames
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Modified wood for outdoor use
27 April 2012
Accsys Technologies has launched a modified wood product called Alder for door and window frames, which it says has gone through a process to improve its durability, hardness and water absorption, while retaining its strength, making it suitable for outdoor use. The Accoya product line carries a 50-year above-ground and 25-year below-ground warranty against rot and decay. The wood comes from Forest Stewardship Council and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification-certified ...
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Security shutters
27 April 2012
Charter says shutters ‘completely invisible’ when raised
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Shutting the door on danger
27 April 2012
Only 5% of electric gates meet safety guidelines - a shocking fact that goes some way towards explaining why they have caused two deaths and four accidents since 2010. With increasing numbers of these security devices being installed every day, it is time the industry woke up to the risks they can pose, argues Richard Jackson
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Single-glazed doors
27 April 2012
Architectural metalwork company Drawn Metal Group has launched a range of doors designed for single-glazed applications using glass up to 13.5mm thick. Called Premier 2000 Metal Framed Door, the series is designed to be used for entrances to shops, offices, precincts or any place that has high levels of pedestrian traffic. The range is available in standard configurations of up to 3,000m high and 1,400mm wide.
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Timber door sets
27 April 2012
Door manufacturer Jeld-Wen has released the Farndale range of engineered timber door sets. It says the range is available in single or double-leaf options and a choice of sidelights or a top-fixed fan light. There is also the option for the door to be fully glazed. Jeld-Wen says all Farndale door sets comply with Part L Building Regulations. The door set is 54mm thick and 2,094mm high, with a range of standard widths and bespoke systems available.Jeld-Wen:
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Housing ventilation: Bit of an air con
20 April 2012
In the race to build ever more airtight homes, it appears that housebuilders are sacrificing air quality, with some 95% of new dwellings failing Part F ventilation standards
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Design Council boss steps down
10 Apr 12
Design Council chief executive David Kester to stand down after nine years - move comes a year after merger with Cabe
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Kingspan insulation collection scheme: Waste away
05 April 2012
Kingspan has piloted an insulation collection scheme in Dudley that aims to help contractors edge closer to their zero-waste-to-landfill targets
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Special report: Building envelopes
30 March 2012
Upgrading a facade not only brings aesthetic benefits, it can help extend the building’s life and improve environmental performance. Here we look at facade systems that can be installed with minimal disturbance and, crucially, do not require a building to be vacated. Andy Pearson reports
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Designing a dancefloor: Ramboll's new moves
23 March 2012
When Ramboll was faced with the problem of designing a lightweight, long-span floor capable of withstanding the combined weight of a school dance class, it needed to come up with some exciting new moves … Building reports
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Movers and makers 23 March 2012: Flooring
23 March 2012
A round up of the latest news from flooring manufacturers
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London Design Review panel launched
7 Mar 12
Design Council Cabe unveils new offer to private sector and London boroughs as part of shift to self-funding consultancy
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Movers & makers: Education
17 February 2012
A round-up of news from manufacturers including Portakabin and Kingspan Insulation
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The University of Bradford: The stuff of BREEAM
15 Feb 12
For a university to have one building with an unprecedented 95% BREEAM score is impressive, but to have two suggests it really knows what it is doing. Building examined Bradford’s Sustainability and Enterprise Centre to find out its secret
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Kitchen design for the over 65s: Older and wiser
10 February 2012
The number of over 65-year-olds is growing fast and kitchen designers are having to adapt fittings to meet their particular needs. Building looks at the ingredients of ‘inclusive design’
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Cladding the Dorchester extension: The rich kid next door
27 January 2012
When you’re building a hotel for the young and fabulously wealthy, bronze cladding may not sound excessive, but it was still proving beyond the means of the team behind the Dorchester’s new extension project - until they discovered a spray-applied alternative … Building reports
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Raindrops keep falling: The Oxford Natural History Museum's leaking roof
13 January 2012
The Oxford Natural History Museum has been plagued by water dripping through its roof since its completion but after years of buckets and botched jobs one architect has finally solved the problem. Building finds out how you fix a 154-year-old leak
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A lot to live up to: Building houses that meet predicted energy use
09 December 2011
The gap between a house’s predicted energy use and actual performance has been comprehensively panned. Building meets three developers who reckon their projects will show that low carbon on paper can mean low carbon in practice
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Quadruple glazing: Fancy a fourth layer?
25 November 2011
It’s winter and our thoughts turn to keeping warm by any means necessary. Is quadruple glazing the solution? Thomas Lane peeks out from behind his curtains to ask the experts
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Cladding: Facing the future
28 October 2011
The cladding market is being tested by the influx of new regulations and cost pressures. The good news is that facades can now be designed on a more human scale, says Stephen Ledbetter, director of the Centre for Window and Cladding Technology
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Zero carbon housing using underfloor thermal heat stores
14 October 2011
When you’ve got houses and flats on a tiny plot, no room to store fuel and little roof space, finding a zero-carbon heating solution is tricky. One team went underground to find the answer
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Anti-bacterial doorsets
30 September 2011
Leaderflush Shapland supplied doors to the Francis Coombe Academy in Watford
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Cam action door closers
30 September 2011
DORMA, TS 92 and TS 93 cam action door closers were specified for Rochdale’s new £19m sixth-form college
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Deptford: Mixed to the max
30 September 2011
On a single 7,000m2 site in Deptford, architect Pollard Thomas Edwards has managed to fit a community centre, artists’ studios, flats, a school and two playgrounds. Building finds out how
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Fibre cement cladding
30 September 2011
Marley Eternit’s Pictura fibre cement cladding has been used on a learning resource centre at Bournside School in Cheltenham.
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Gypsum-based board
30 September 2011
British Gypsum has launched a water-resistant plasterboard called Glasroc H Tilebacker
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Insulated wall panels
30 September 2011
Kingspan Curvewall architectural exterior insulated wall panels have been used in a student hall of residence in Dundee
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Movers & makers: Education
30 September 2011
This week’s news from education products manufacturers
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Smoke detection system
30 September 2011
Gent by Honeywell has launched a range of Air Sampling Detection (ASD) systems which detect smoke
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Thin joint lintels
30 September 2011
Catnic has introduced a selection of lintels suitable for use with thin joint masonry called CTJ90
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Timed flow washroom control
30 September 2011
Rada has launched a range of timed flow washroom controls for taps and shower units
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Triple glazing: Clear technology
02 September 2011
Triple glazing is no longer the preserve of environmental zealots, it has become a practical and accessible way to reduce energy loss in buildings and hit environmental targets. Building guides you through the market and latest developments
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Brettstapel envelope: The natural choice
12 August 2011
Getting planning permission to build a house in the stunning Scottish Borders requires a sensitive design, which is why architect Gaia specified a wooden Brettstapel envelope for this project
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The first Olympic velodrome: Tour de force
29 July 2011
The 2012 Olympics are fast approaching but in all the hype we musn’t forget sports venues of the past. Building visits the first Olympic velodrome as it undergoes a restoration to its former glory
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10 ways to make your office outstanding (in BREEAM’s eyes, at least)
15 July 2011
These days the corporate world is falling over itself to improve its environmental credentials. Thomas Lane takes a look at the newest, greenest, office building on the block and finds out how your office can be ’outstanding’ too
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Toulouse School of Economics: An education
01 July 2011
How do you get lots of natural light into a university building without it getting too hot? Thomas Lane finds out how to shut out the sultry Toulouse sun using medieval building materials and fresh air
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Five interior trends: Sci-fi design
17 June 2011
Silent kitchen appliances, hobs operated from an iPad and intuitive showers - all on display at kbb London, last month’s kitchen, bedroom and bathroom event. Grahame Morrison, editor of kbb News, highlights five interior trends
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Engineering Britain's biggest retained facade: Going to great lengths
10 June 2011
?This was once a dilapidated hotel that just so happened to be on prime land overlooking Hyde Park. To convert it into luxury flats the whole thing had to be demolished and rebuilt – apart from the facade. Building talks to the team responsible for the largest ever retained Victorian elevation in the country
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The shape of Scunthorpe
27 May 2011
Scunthorpe leisure centre rises from the landscape as a series of interlinked domes, more in number than the Eden Project. We find out how you specify roofing for such a complex project, where nearly every element is unique
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Q & A with AKII – Structurally sound
13 May 2011
The downturn, increasing materials prices and regulatory changes are all having an impact on structural engineers. Building asks Paul Scott, a director at structural engineering practice, AKT II, how the sector is holding up
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Feeling the heat: Fire door specification
21 April 2011
Incorrectly specified fire doors could, at worst, cost lives. Now a landmark legal case could mean that it’s the contractor and specifier who will end up in court.
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Which domestic renewables incentive is best?
15 April 2011
Adam Mactavish of Cyril Sweett provides a brief review of the incentive schemes for domestic renewables
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Kohn Pederson Fox unveils Indian project
01 April 2011
Residential neighbourhood in Gurgaon will include duplex apartments and 40-storey towers
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Rebuilding Iraq: Mott MacDonald's Marsh Arab school
01 April 2011
How do you start to rebuild a country devasted by war? When Mott MacDonald was asked to make a school for the Marsh Arabs, it went back to using traditional woven reed – reconnecting the community to its roots.
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Passivhaus diaries: Keeping it all in
04 March 2011
It’s taken longer than expected to turn a leaky Edwardian house into an exemplar of energy efficiency. Now it’s finished project architect reports on the exterior insulation, finishing off and how the house is performing
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Ecobuild: Five top trends
25 February 2011
In this week’s Ecobuild special, we take a look at five top trends to find out about at the show on 1-3 March. And there are some surprising suggestions to help you get more green
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Standardised schools: Here’s one we made earlier
04 February 2011
Thanks to a streamlined procurement and design process, councils can now choose a school from a brochure and get it delivered in just 13 months. Is this a revolution in the classroom
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Changing the rules: Make's straw bale cladding at University of Nottingham
28 January 2011
Architect Make decided a new university biosciences building deserved the UK’s first straw curtain walling system. So how did they do it?
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Three of a kind: Dublin airport's Terminal 2
14 January 2011
?Dublin airport’s new Terminal 2 consists of three different elements, straddling a road. What unites the building is the curving roof form - made up of more than 300 flat panel shapes. Stephen Kennett meets the designers
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Domestic heat pumps: So you think this will do the job, then?
Specifier 17 September 2010
Given that the government seems bent on promoting heat pump technology to help it meet its carbon reduction targets, it’s odd that evidence for its effectiveness has been so thin on the ground. Now at last a study reveals the truth…
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Heathrow T2 uses cool concrete
1 Jul 10
Low-temperature Cemex mix intended to reduce cracking risk
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Bpod: Prefab just got fabber
Specifier 14 May 2010
A concrete volumetric system for multistorey buildings with a unique loadbearing structure
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Ashley Primary School: Any colour as long as it’s green
26 March 2010
Ashley Primary School is run with such zeal for the environment that when an expansion became necessary, it grabbed the chance to increase its sustainability credentials
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District heating: The heart of the community
15 January 2010
District heating could hold the key for greening the UK’s existing homes. So why, when the technology exists and is used throughout Europe, do we still rely on individual systems?
