Archetech Issue 45 2019 | Page 102

UL AND WINTECH TESTING AND CERTIFICATION COMBINE
TO PROVIDE BEST IN CLASS TESTING AND CERTIFICATION
SERVICES TO THE BUILDING ENVELOPE COMMUNITY
UL, a global safety science leader, announced the acquisition
of Wintech Testing and Certification, a Telford, U.K.-based firm
that provides testing and certification services to architects,
building owners, manufacturers and others across the built
environment community.
Wintech Testing and Certification is a privately-owned firm
that offers testing and certification services to the building
envelope market, including Secured by Design for Windows
& Doors and NHBC-compliant certification for Curtain
Walling & Rainscreen Cladding products. Wintech Testing
and Certification’s unique laboratory facilities are among
the largest in the U.K. and are accredited by UKAS. Wintech
Testing and Certification also holds accreditation from UKAS
as a certification body operating several schemes involving
certification of windows, doors, curtain walls, and rainscreen
cladding. Over the last twenty-five years, Wintech Testing and
Certification has contributed to many high-caliber projects
throughout the United Kingdom and Europe.
“UL and Wintech Testing and Certification have a shared
mission and complementary businesses. We are relied upon
by the building materials community for the services and
knowledge that they need to enhance public safety, meet
regulatory demands, protect brand value and successfully
access the global market,” said Kevin Faltin, vice president of
UL Building and Life Safety Technologies division.
“Working as one, UL and Wintech Testing and Certification will
continue to grow the vision that has brought us together, that
of becoming a global leader in the field of building envelope
evaluation, testing and certification.’’
www.ul.com
LINDAPTER HOLLO-BOLTS PROVIDED A SOLUTION FOR
SECURING AN ARCHITECTURAL GLASS PRISM FAÇADE
TO THE CASTILLIA BUILDING IN MILAN, ITALY
The Isola district of Milan has recently undergone a major
transformation. Due to the prime location of De Castillia 23,
Gruppo Unipol decided to renovate the building and occupy it as
their headquarters.
Image: © Progetto CMR
Unipol wanted to create an innovative and contemporary building
in keeping with the area. The large-scale restoration work aimed
to completely change the building’s aesthetic features, but also to
improve its functionality and overall efficiency.
The architects proposed an unusual glass prism façade design. This
required a method of connecting the glass support brackets to the
hollow tubular sections forming the façade.
The structural engineer specified the Flush Fit Hollo-Bolt by
Lindapter, an expansion bolt that requires access to only one side
of a Structural Hollow Section (SHS).
Hollo-Bolt was chosen as it offered fast installation, high
strength capacity, clean visual finish, and a range of independent
technical accreditations to achieve a design compliant with
Eurocode 3.
clamping force. The brackets then securely held each glass panel
in the required position to create the elegant façade.
6,800 Hollo-Bolts were used to connect the glass support brackets
to the façade framework of two buildings. The specification of Hollo-Bolts provided a clean architectural
appearance, due to the flush fit head type, and excellent corrosion
protection thanks to the zinc plated finish.
Installation was quick and easy as each bolt is simply inserted
into pre-drilled holes and tightened to provide the necessary Download our Façades & Cladding brochure at:
www.lindapter.com/Downloads/Market_Brochures