Archetech Issue 49 2020 | Page 40

EDUCATION & HEALTHCARE HOWE GREEN SUPPLIES FLOOR ACCESS COVERS FOR INSPIRATIONAL UNIVERSITY BUILDING Over fifty Howe Green 5000 Series Light Duty Aluminium and 7500 Series Medium Duty Aluminium Floor Access Covers were supplied for the award winning Collaborative Teaching Laboratory (CTL) at the University of Birmingham’s Edgbaston Campus. The building design was meticulously detailed and the materials used were chosen to minimise maintenance and enhance the life expectancy of the building. The Howe Green aluminium floor access covers were supplied to main contractor Morgan Sindall Construction and were specified by Sheppard Robson. The covers were installed by the team from Morgan Sindall Construction and infilled with ceramic floor tiles. In addition to ceramic tiles the 5000 Series and 7500 Series can be used with marble, terrazzo, concrete, resin, wood or parquet flooring. The 5000 Series is suitable for use in areas with pedestrian traffic and the load performance of the 7500 Series is for cars and light delivery vehicles up to 5 tonnes pneumatic tyre load. The access covers can be removed, safely and easily, for maintenance purposes with the use of lifting keys or Howe Green Access Cover Skates. The access covers fit perfectly flush with their surround to avoid the risk of hazard from slips or trips. Available as a single cover, a duct run or as a multipart unit the 5000 and 7500 Series can be supplied in standard sizes from stock. If a custom size is required it can be manufactured to order at the Howe Green manufacturing facility in Hertfordshire. Please call 01920 463230 or visit www.howegreen.com for more information. QUALITY ENGINEERED SECONDARY GLAZING FOR A NEW ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT In 2016 Imperial College London acquired the neighbouring disused Royal Mail Post Sorting Office from the Science Museum, sitting on the corner of Exhibition Road and Imperial College Road. Planning was submitted and passed, to convert the building into the ‘Dyson School of Engineering’. Architects Pascall+Watson were employed to devise a sensitive yet practical design for the change of use of this four storey building. Part of the planning agreement was to retain all the original architectural details, so the single pane windows had to be kept. The college also wanted to minimise carbon consumption and reduce energy wastage in line with their Environmental Policy, so thought had to be given as to how to achieve this. A significant amount of heat and energy can be lost through poor performing windows so secondary glazing was specified to improve their performance. 180 window across the building were treated, with over seven different styles of secondary glazing installed to match existing sightlines and shapes; large sweeping curved headed casements were treated with matching sightline Series 41 side hung casements, tall traditional box sash windows were treated with Series 20 and 25 vertical sliding units, along with circular high-level stairwell port hole windows at the top of the building. To increase energy performance further, the units were glazed with 6.8 low-E laminate glass. Obscurity glass was used in windows overlooking the service area of the Science Museum to prevent distractions. On facades overlooking busy thoroughfares, a cavity was created to provide much needed acoustic insulation and in labs with costly new equipment, units accredited to Secured by Design were installed. Founded in 1966 and granted a Royal Warrant in 2004, Selectaglaze secondary glazing arrives full fabricated to site enabling a rapid and clean installation. The units can be fitted out of hours or programmed to coincide with the holiday periods to minimise disruption. For further information, please contact Selectaglaze on 01727 837271/e mail: [email protected] or visit: www.selectaglaze.co.uk ARCHETECH - PAGE 40