- Kingspan Timber Solutions

routezerØ
to
A KINGSPAN PUBLICATION
AWARD WINNING,
ECO VILLAGE...
routezerØ
to
2
Comment: Route to Net Zerø
Kingspan Timber Solutions Launched
The year so far has proved to be a busy one, the company has been
renamed and the new Kingspan Timber Solutions has launched several
exciting new initiatives and projects. These include Custom Build by Potton
and a contract to build 625 luxury lodges for the new £250 million Center
Parcs Woburn Forest resort in Bedfordshire, both of which are featured on
our news pages.
The change of name underlines our long-standing commitment to technical
excellence and customer service and our focus is to continue to work
collaboratively with our clients to deliver the best technology, components
and design for their low carbon construction projects throughout the UK.
We have created a leading position on the route to zero carbon over the
years, and are committed to using our expertise for the benefit of our clients,
helping them and their professional teams as they strive to achieve net zero.
Our news pages explain our Fabric First strategy, a concept which aims to future
proof buildings to ensure their energy efficiency is as good as it can be.
Our feature on Hanham Hall, one of the UK’s first large scale developments
designed to meet the Code for Sustainable Homes’ Level 6, shows how
we partner with clients to deliver optimum levels of energy efficiency without
compromising the design of the building or being overly reliant on renewable
energy sources.
The journey starts with our design and technical team, who care about the
nature of the products, materials and services we supply. As a company, we
recognise our collective responsibility to protect the environment and aim to
foster excellent relationships with our suppliers and clients. Many of our staff
have been with us for more than 25 years, most are employed from the local
community and their experience in timber building systems and technical
expertise in delivering maximum energy efficiencies for clients is second to none.
As you will see from our Route to Zero infographic and feature on Delivering
Quality, we aim for the highest standards and processes that ensure the
health, safety and protection of our staff, the local environment and our
planet. Our Health and Safety at Work feature and interview with one of our
erector partners explains our approach to delivering optimum levels of safety
for both our staff and our clients’ staff.
Please feel free to contact our support team at any time.
Your Kingspan Team...
Mark Stevenson
Managing Director
Mark has 23 years' experience in the
construction industry and joined Kingspan
Timber Solutions as Managing Director in
February 2012. His focus is on providing a first
class customer service, working collaboratively
with clients in order to meet their changing
needs in these challenging economic times.
Email: Phone:
Mobile: [email protected]
01767 676 420
0758 4384 939
Tony Hutchison
Commercial Director
Tony has worked within the timber frame
industry for 35 years and has been a Director
of Kingspan Timber Solutions for the last
20 years. He is responsible for material
procurement, sales and the commercial
support of the business.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 01767 676 424
Mobile: 0771 3122 524
Paul Newman
Technical Director
Paul has worked within the timber-based,
construction and consulting industries for
almost 20 years. Joining the Kingspan Group
some five years ago, he now leads the
company’s engagement with some of the
most exciting low carbon developments in UK
housing history.
Email: Phone: Mobile: [email protected]
01767 676 432
0778 8468 196
Paul McLeish
Sales Director
Paul has worked in the construction industry
for 29 years specialising in the insulation
sector. He has worked extensively with clients
to deliver improvements to fabric performance
and renewable technologies on many different
types of construction projects.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 01767 676 490
Mobile: 07760 550 531
Steve Brown
Mark Stevenson
Managing Director
Head of Construction
Steve has been in the Industry for over
30 years. Serving a five year indentured
management training with Wimpey
Construction UK/Carillion, he has worked
on major projects throughout the UK, and
internationally.
Email: Phone: Mobile: routezerØ
to
[email protected]
01767 676 487
07747 563 401
routezerØ
3
to
Paul Duffin
Developer Sales Manager
CONTENTS
Paul has 30 years’ experience in the timber
frame sector in production, technical and sales
roles. His long list of satisfied customers is
testament to his solutions and service based
approach. He is currently growing project
sales with property developers.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 01767 676 434
Mobile: 07826 892 632
Justin Barker
Technical Services Manager
Justin has worked within the timber frame
industry for 21 years. He has extensive
knowledge of the design and production areas
of Kingspan Timber Solutions.
[email protected]
01767 676 414
0776 5403 541
RD
C02
-
M A N U FA C T U R E R S
TS
I M P O RT E R S
F CU
BASELINE
PART L COMPLIANCE
WOOD
BURNER
HEAT
Page 12:
Health & safety
FOR FACTORY
Steve O'Neill
Estimating Manager
-
T E C H N I C A L E X P E RT S
RENE WABL ES
AIM TO
ACHIEVE ZERO
WASTE TO
LANDFILL
VE L 5HOMES
BLE
CO DESULE
STA INA
COD E LEV EL 6
CO DE FOR
DO
FABR IC FIRS T
1
/
3
WE LCO ME TO
N ET ZE R O
CO DE LEV EL 4
CODE FOR SUST
AINA BLE HOM ES
T
[email protected]
0778 0492 674
/
3
DUS
Email: Mobile: 2
WOO
CO
2
CO 2
CO 2
S AW
Steve joined Kingspan Timber Solutions in
2009 working initially in a production role after
a career of almost 20 years in sales and sales
management. Through career progression
Stephen is now a key member of the Sales
RT
S TAlevel
Team responsible for maintaining a high
of customer contact while pushing to develop
new business opportunities.
Page 8:
Net zero projects/
solutions
S
DRIVING
te re d
Se qu es ph er ic
at om os 2
CO
D OF
CO2
D R I V I N G S TA N
DA
Contractor Sales Manager
CO 2
CO 2
Steve Hooley
Page 7:
Woburn Forest
Page 4:
Latest
news
UP
WN
Email: Phone: Mobile: ANIMAL
BEDDING
Page 14:
Route to net zero
Page 16:
Delivering quality
Page 22:
Premier Inn
Page 24:
Havering Garages
Steve has worked within the timber
frame industry for 44 years. He has been
responsible for the Estimating & Tendering
team responding to enquiries for schemes
using a wide variety of types of timber frame
construction. He works closely with Sales and
Technical personnel to help establish strong
partnerships and advises on cost plans and
project feasibilities especially for schemes with
a significant sustainability requirement.
Email: Phone: Mobile: steve.o’[email protected]
01767 676 423
07795 396 379
Martin Waker
Operations Manager
Page 18:
Six storeys above
the sea
Martin has worked within the timber frame
industry and has been a valued Kingspan
team member for over 30 years. Martin brings
a wealth of experience from Estimating,
Technical, Production and Construction to
his Operations role. Martin is responsible
for ensuring efficiency within the factory and
ensuring projects are completed to agreed
timescales.
Email: Phone: [email protected]
01767 676 451
routezerØ
to
4
Proven performance
promises
from
the
®
Kingspan TEK Building System
The results of co-heating
tests on houses constructed
by Kingspan Timber
Solutions show that the
Kingspan TEK® Building
System is one of the
most reliable construction
systems on the market.
Researchers investigating projects
constructed using the system have
demonstrated that the actual energy
consumption of the completed
building is less than that predicted
by the design stage calculations.
The studies, carried out by staff from
the universities of Leeds and Oxford
as well as a group from the Building
Research Establishment contrasts
with previous work undertaken by
Leeds Metropolitan University on 30
new houses in the UK that showed a
negative gap between the predicted
and actual performance rating of
homes.
“These recent tests prove the reliability of the
Kingspan TEK® Building System and help address
the concerns generated by previous research in this
area,” said Dr Paul Newman, Technical Director at
Kingspan Timber Solutions.
The Structural Insulated Panels used in this system
are made up of two OSB/3 (Oriented Strand Board)
boards with a zero Ozone Depletion Potential (zero
ODP) insulation core cast on a continuously moving
production line in between. The superior autohesive
bonding between the core and the OSB/3 boards
gives this product its extreme resilience and premium
structural and insulative properties.
Thanks to its unique jointing system, the Kingspan
TEK® Building System offers airtightness between
walls, roofs and timber I-beams or posi-joists
for intermediate floors delivering outstanding
performance standards and offering an unrivaled
solution in low carbon construction.
routezerØ
to
Managing Director Mark Stevenson said: “The testing
work carried out shows that now, Kingspan Timber
Solutions can not only design, construct and take
responsibility for high performance building envelopes
but, using the Kingspan TEK® Building System, we
can demonstrate that the building really will perform.”
5
The new name behind
Low Carbon Construction Solutions
Leading timber frame
manufacturers Kingspan
Potton became Kingspan
Timber Solutions early
in 2013. The change
underlines almost 50 years’
experience, technical expertise and dedication to
working in partnership with clients to select the best
technology, components and design for various low
carbon construction projects delivered throughout the
UK.
Managing Director Mark Stevenson said: “At a
time when the construction industry faces new
challenges and opportunities, our long-standing
commitment to technical excellence and client
service has never been stronger.
“The new company name encapsulates our
approach to service provision. We aim to find the
best solution possible to deliver high quality, low
carbon projects for and on behalf of a wide range
of clients in housing, education and the leisure
industries both in the UK and abroad. And, under
the new name we look forward to continuing to provide
excellent customer service and develop new client
relationships for the future.”
Martin Sandall, managing director at Kent-based Jenner
(Contractors) Ltd said: “We’ve enjoyed a close working
relationship with Kingspan Timber Solutions over many
years and look forward to this continuing for many more.
As a company and as individuals, they have always been
a pleasure to deal with, offering creative and innovative
solutions for our building projects. The new company
branding demonstrates the commitment they’ve always
shown to technical excellence and working in partnership
with their clients and we wish them all the very best for
the future.”
As part of industry giants Kingspan Group Plc, Kingspan
Timber Solutions is a pioneer in sustainable timber
construction. Our expert teams assemble their systems
using the highest performing and most sustainable
materials and components to offer real customer
benefits and provide great value low energy, low carbon
construction solutions.
Custom Build by Potton – A New Housing Solution in the UK
A new vision for
homeownership has
been launched by
Potton, a division
of Kingspan Timber
Solutions.
As specialists in the
self build, sector,
Potton has created
a new solution for
homeownership,
Custom Build by
Potton which supports the government’s drive to build
more homes for Britain.
Traditionally, self builders have been challenged by the
need to individually source land and finance, but Custom
Build by Potton offers them access to building plots,
either within bespoke niche developments or as a part
of larger housing initiatives, together with the expertise
needed to manage the self build process.
Custom Build by Potton differs from other ‘custom build’
models currently offered. By partnering with local experts
and utilising almost 50 years of experience in the self
build sector, the ‘Potton’ model provides land to build on
and a high quality, affordable housing solution that would
not otherwise have been available.
The government is keen to see more land released for
self build; local authorities are being encouraged to work
with custom build partners and ministers have now
abolished CIL – the Community Infrastructure Levy - that
was deterring many would be self builders from getting
started.
The new Custom Build by Potton marries the thousands
of people on Potton’s vast database, with land owners
including house builders and local authorities as well as
private land owners. The quality and the timing of the
build is then managed via a network of approved local
specialists including architects, builders and suppliers of
materials, fixtures and fittings.
routezerØ
to
6
Lower life-cycle costs
the fabric first way
Dr Paul Newman, Technical Director
of Kingspan Timber Solutions said:
“Being involved in pioneering projects
like AIMC4 helps us remain ahead of
the field. The payback comes when
we are able to transfer the knowledge
gained from projects like this into our
mainstream operations so we and
our customers benefit from improved
products and processes.”
Adding more Logic
Kingspan Timber Solutions has added
two new products to their ‘Logic’ family of
timber frame systems. Logic+ and LogicFR
add enhanced thermal performance and
improved fire spread characteristics to the
company’s portfolio of products.
Kingspan Logic+ is manufactured using Kingspan
Therma, a high performing rigid insulation board
with low emissivity membranes that maximise the
performance of a conventional timber frame panel.
Research carried out as part of a
project undertaken with developer Crest
Nicholson will be used to further enhance
Kingspan Timber Solutions' products
and processes.
The study took place on a development of four
houses for Crest Nicholson using Kingspan TEK®
Building System as part of the company’s involvement
with the AIMC4 project, a unique partnership
pioneering the volume construction of low carbon
homes for the future.
The project aims to construct houses that meet the
government's Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4
energy standard through innovative fabric solutions
alone, thus embedding reduced carbon emissions
within the performance of the dwelling.
routezerØ
to
The new Kingspan LogicFR has been launched
following a programme of research and development
by the company and offers customers systems that
will enable them to meet the latest guidance on fire
during construction published by the Health and Safety
Executive as well as the performance characteristics
described in the United Kingdom Timber Frame
Association Site Safe Strategy guidance
Says Managing Director Mark
Stevenson: “It is the right time to
extend the range given the increasing
emphasis on site safety and thermal
performance."
"These two new products help keep us at the forefront of
timber frame construction in the UK and provide tangible
performance benefits for our customers.”
7
Kingspan Timber Solutions
Awarded Center Parcs Contract
Paul Newman explains: “The heavily wooded site makes
it difficult for lorries and cranes, so we’ve designed the
panels so they are small and light enough to be moved
by four men. It’s a complex job but we’ve planned
everything in detail. Our workforce are local, living
not
more 25 miles of the site; an important factor to ISG in
the selection of a timber frame provider.”
Innovation On-Site Managing Director Tony Wren added:
“This is an unusual job which required out of the box
thinking and it hasn’t been easy at times but we’re on
target, despite this winter’s terrible weather.”
Gerard Lockey, Joint Managing Director of Regal Carpentry
said: “This is the largest contract we’ve ever undertaken.
It represents challenges but has been interesting and
rewarding and we’re delighted to be involved.”
Kingspan Timber Solutions is building
625 luxury lodges for the new £250
million Center Parcs Woburn Forest
resort in Bedfordshire.
The company won the deal from contractors ISG
after demonstrating that not only could the lodges be
designed and manufactured to a high specification
but could be expertly constructed on an unusually
challenging site. Partnering with timber frame
construction experts Regal Carpentry and Innovation
On-Site, Kingspan Timber Solutions were awarded
the contract after a rigorous selection process.
ISG’s Project Director Paul Gransby said: “The
Kingspan Timber Solutions team have put a lot of
careful thinking into the design and delivery of the
lodges and we are delighted to be working with them
on this project.”
Center Parcs’ Woburn Construction Director Don
Camilleri added: “We are pleased to be working with
Kingspan Timber Solutions. They care as much as we
do about the quality and design of their product and
we are excited to have them involved in the project.
Lodge construction has already started and we look
forward to seeing the lodges completed ready for
customers to enjoy their holidays during 2014.”
Mark Stevenson, Managing Director for Kingspan
Timber Solutions explained: “We partner with our
clients to deliver excellent technical and logistical
support from the beginning to end of the project.”
Work on the site started in January 2013, and
because the site is heavily wooded and also features
other obstacles such as overhead cables and power
substations, normal construction methods have
been modified to ensure the lodges’ timber panels
can be easily delivered directly to each of their
building slabs.
routezerØ
to
8
Award Winning
eco village
Hanham Hall is an award winning housing
scheme; an eco village, designed by HTA
and built for Barratts, it's one of the most
important energy efficient new home
developments in the UK.
routezerØ
to
9
It’s early summer and the meadows are full of wild flowers. People
are making the most of a sunny evening – jogging, chatting or simply
relaxing on the verandah with a drink and a good book...
...A small boy cycles by, enjoying the independence
conferred by his first set of wheels. His mother has
stopped to say hello to some neighbours, who are
working in their garden.
Parents collecting their children from the creche are in no
hurry to get home. The play spaces are so good here, it’s
nice to spend some time sitting in the sun, watching the
world go by.
On the other hand, this is a perfect evening to put in
some time at the allotment before supper. The spinach
and lettuces are coming on well, and the kids love eating
vegetables they have picked themselves. It’s cheaper,
too, growing your own produce.
What with the allotments, cycling to work most days and
lower energy costs, most people have managed to save
quite a bit since they moved here.
routezerØ
to
10
Hanham Hall is an exemplar project, designed by HTA,
which demonstrates how new housing developments
can be built to the exacting and highest standards
of the Code for Sustainable Homes whilst remaining
attractive places to live and cost-effective for the
developer to build.
This 21st century village offers 185 new homes built in
beautifully landscaped grounds and uses the original
Hanham Hall, a Grade II listed building which was
transformed as the centre piece of the development.
The ambition was to create a
place that would be attractive to all
kinds of people: sustainable housing
that would fly off the shelf.
As such, each home has built-in features that reduce
water usage and energy consumption so that
homeowners can easily keep waste to a minimum.
These stunning new properties therefore offer lower
running costs as well as an open and friendly space to live.
Ranging from one-bedroom starter flats to five-bedroom
family houses, two thirds of the units will be sold
privately, while the rest will be offered for affordable rent.
Not suprisingly, Hanham Hall represents Barratts’ largest
database of interested buyers.
Zero-energy design
Constructed using Kingspan’s patented TEK® prefabricated structural insulated panels, every property has
high performance timber windows and insulated doors,
designed to allow residents to reduce their carbon
footprint by 60 percent without any lifestyle changes.
A combination of excellent building fabric, gas
boilers and photovoltaic panels enables the scheme
to meet the latest definition of Zero Carbon.
The thermal mass of the ground floor slabs and
wall linings, together with night-time mechanical
ventilation, keeps the buildings cool in summer.
Rainwater harvesting provides enough water to
supply the washing machines and WCs, helping to
reduce potable water use to 80 litres per person per
day, while bike and recycling storage in each unit
encourages residents to adopt a greener way of
life. The site links directly to the busy Bristol-Avon
Sustrans cycling route.
routezerØ
to
11
Route to
Net Zero...
Expert Comment:
Rory Bergin, Head of
Sustainability, HTA
These new homes are ground
breaking; they are only the
second to meet the new
definition of zero carbon for
energy but also meet all other
requirements for Code 6.
To deliver this, the focus was on getting the
building fabric highly insulated and airtight. The fact
that Kingspan Timber Solutions take responsibility
for delivering the technical performance of the
building made it possible for us to ensure that the
client got the performance they required.
Open-plan living
There is a tight relationship between performance
levels and the design. Each housing type has a
flexible plan, allowing the design team to rotate the
living spaces to achieve maximum daylight whether
the building is orientated predominantly east–west or
north–south.
The living rooms open onto generous balconies and
verandas, shaded by moveable screens. These spaces
are an important link between both the inside and
outside of individual dwellings and the private and
public realms. Overlooking the shared gardens and
amenity spaces, they create a sense of community,
sociability and safety.
Location
Located 7km from the centre of Bristol, this nine-hectare
site is bordered by suburban housing to the north, south
and west. To the east, it adjoins the green belt, enjoying
open views of rolling countryside.
The Hall itself is a Grade II* listed building dating from the
mid-17th century. Originally a farm and substantial family
home surrounded by extensive gardens and open land, it
became a psychiatric hospital in around 1900. Since the
hospital closed in 2000, the Hall was left unoccupied and
fell into disrepair until its recent transformation.
We chose Kingspan Timber Solutions because
of their experience with the Lighthouse and since
the project began in 2007 there has been a great
working relationship between HTA, Barratts
and Kingspan.
Our sustainability team worked with Kingspan’s
technical experts to assess the SAP calculations from
an early stage. It was essential to ensure that the
scheme neither under delivered nor over delivered as
over performance wastes the client’s money.
Code 6 requires high levels of building fabric
and environmental performance. The Kingspan
TEK® Building System is the best known high
performance SIPs product in the market place and
one of the key benefits about this system is that it
facilitates freedom of design. As such, we could
design in large openings creating a sense of space
without compromising on performance.
Building a sustainable community means creating a
place where people want to build their lives, where
they feel safe and comfortable, and where they are
inspired to live harmoniously with their environment.
Designing such a community is a complex process;
the underlying design approach needs to be holistic
and based on a dynamic collaboration between the
developer, the design team, the technical experts,
local government and local people.
routezerØ
to
12
Health & Safety at Work
Steve Brown, Head of Construction
In 2011, the UK Health and
Safety Executive reported
that despite employing just
five per cent of the UK’s
population, the construction
industry accounted for 27
percent of work-related fatal
injuries and nine percent of
accidents to employees.
In contrast, Kinsgpan Timber Solutions' site operations
had zero reportable accidents in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Partly due to the fundamental safety benefits of timber
frame and the MMC ethos the company adheres to, and
partly due to Kingspan Timber Solutions' focus on the
importance of Health and Safety in everything
it does, it’s an achievement the company is striving
to continue.
According to trade body, the Structural Timber
Association, timber frame requires 20 per cent fewer onsite construction days. The opportunities this offers in
terms of economy is obvious, but there
are also significant gains in terms of
reduced risks to site workers.
Not only is less time spent on-site,
but because timber frame systems
are manufactured off-site, there is
less need for workers to manually
handle materials and a much reduced
obligation to work at height.
This latter advantage is extremely
significant in terms of construction
site safety. The traditional process
for cladding and insulating a roof
involves a number of components –
metal sheets, mineral fibre insulation,
vapour barrier, space bars etc being
manually assembled by workers at
height. Similarly, building a facade
on the side of a building involves
working on scaffolding and workers
can be placed at increased risk in wet
weather conditions.
In terms of timber frame roof
construction, Kingspan Timber
Solutions will develop a roof structure in
response to the client’s specific design.
Whether a simple flat roof, or one that’s
routezerØ
to
pitched and constructed from Kingspan TEK® panels or
trussed rafters, to reduce the risk of site incidents, they
can be delivered, constructed on the ground and then
craned into place.
Similarly, for walls, factory insulated panel systems are
craned into position, eliminating the need for scaffolding.
To reduce risk even further, even the lorries delivering the
timber frame systems use specific procedures that mean
delivery teams can remove straps and make crane loads
ready to move without their feet leaving the ground.
The timber frame systems are erected
by teams of specialist contractors
specifically selected by Kingspan
Timber Solutions after a rigorous
approval process.
PQQs are carried out on an annual basis, and following
successful assessment, the companies are included into
the approved contractor register.
13
The Contractor
Karl Duncan is Managing
Director of Ipswich-based
specialist timber frame erectors
Duncan Contracts Ltd.
The company works across
the UK in a range of sectors
including housing and flats,
self build, nursing homes, travel lodges and specialist
constructions and has been one of Kingspan Timber
Solutions' approved contactors for the last six years.
Kingspan Timber Solutions' Head of Construction Steve
Brown, who is also charged with heading the company’s
extensive Health and Safety policy, says: “We work
with a small group of around six or so contractors who
not only have to have their own Health and Safety
policies that we’re happy with, but have to demonstrate
standards of training, skill levels and insurance. We
prefer to work closely with a small number of firms and
also run a series of annual seminars for them where
we’ll refresh Health and Safety procedures, keep them
up to date on the latest legislation, and require them to
reconfirm their commitment to Health and Safety.”
Kingspan Timber Solutions takes Health and Safety
extremely seriously. And its 52-page Health and
Safety Policy document, reviewed and signed by
Divisional Managing Director Peter Wilson every year, is
testament to this commitment.
Steve Brown explains: “The document covers every
aspect of Health and Safety in the company – from
specific responsibilities of individual employees to
general procedures for working with everything from
lifting equipment to laptops. Health and Safety is top of
the agenda at every Board meeting.” He adds: “It’s a
fundamental aspect of the way we work here.”
Brown, who joined the company six years ago from
a major national contractor, points to the fact that
Kingspan Timber Solutions has its own dedicated
IOSH-qualified Health and Safety manager, who
defines policies and method statements and carries
out random site audits, as yet another demonstration
of the company’s dedication to best practice in Health
and Safety.
The company holds CHAS accreditation and are also
an SMAS accredited Worksafe Contractor. On top of
that, Kingspan Timber Solutions also holds the BS
OHSAS 18001, the internationally recognised standard
for occupational health and safety systems. Says
Brown: "We implement our procedures in line with
major construction companies and although we may be
smaller, we are as professional as the main contractor.”
Duncan Contracts has worked with Kingspan Timber
Solutions on the new Premier Inn in Ipswich. This
project, Karl Duncan explains, illustrates some of the
benefits of working with timber building systems.
“I had nine men working on site – there would be
between 20 and 25 bricklayers if it was brick and
block construction. In my experience, timber building
systems are three times faster with a third of the men
– which means a lot less risk.
“From a Health and Safety perspective, we find
the biggest risks in construction to be debris on
site left by other contractors. With timber building
systems, not only does it take less time and use less
people, but there’s less noise than brick and block
construction, less debris and less litter. The system’s
craned in, there’s no-one working beneath you, and
once it's erected and signed off, the remaining trades
can come in and do their work.”
As an approved contractor, Duncan Contracts has
to meet Kingspan Timber Solutions' Health and
Safety requirements on an annual basis. “We have
ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 as well as CHAS and, if a
main contractor asks for someone with the SMSTS
qualification, we can arrange that as well,” says Karl
Duncan.
The company also attends Kingspan Timber
Solutions' annual seminars, which refresh and update
contractors on Health and Safety topics and provide
a forum for discussion on site issues.
At Duncan Contracts, before work starts on site, risk
assessments are carried out, method statements
drawn up, and every site worker is given a toolbox
talk to remind them of correct procedures which is
then signed to show they’ve understood the briefing.
“Kingspan Timber Solutions put a lot of emphasis on
Health and Safety. says Karl Duncan. “They’re just an
overall, professional company.”
routezerØ
to
14
Route to Net Zero
CO2
CO2
D R I V I N G S TA N
DA
RD
CO2
stered
Seque spheric
atomo O2
C
CO
2
CO2
CO2
S
UP
S TA RT
2
/
3
1
/
3
I M P O RT E R S
-
M A N U FA C T U
TS
Construction and the in-life use of buildings have a
huge impact on the environment. The manufacture and
transportation of building materials consumes 10%
of the UK’s total energy consumption, whilst in-life
energy consumption accounts for over 50%. Buildings
and building materials also contribute to many other
environmental impacts through their lives, from the use
of chemicals, land, water, and subsequent emissions.
It is therefore extremely important that designers and
manufacturers aim to minimise environmental impact
wherever they can.
D OF
PART L COMPLIANCE
WOO
FA B R IC FI R S T
F CU
BASELINE
WOOD
BURNER
HEAT
FOR FACTORY
routezerØ
to
AIM
ACHIEV
WAST
LAND
15
DRIVING
C
0
2
T E C H N I C A L E X P E RT S
S
RE N EWAB LE S
CODE F
CODE LEVEL 6
OR SUS
CODE LEVEL 4
C O D E FO R S U S TA
IN A B LE H O M ES
DUS
T
M TO
VE ZERO
TE TO
DFILL
S AW
T
WN
-
EVEL 5 S
C O D E LTAINABLE HOME
NET ZERO
DO
URERS
WELCOME TO
ANIMAL
BEDDING
routezerØ
to
16
Delivering Quality
Kingspan Timber
Solutions uses
15,000 to 20,000
cubic metres of
timber a year and
when dealing with
such large volumes
of one of the planet’s
most precious
resources, the
company recognises
it’s not only important
to obtain wood from
properly managed
sources, but to carry
that concern for the
environment from
forest to factory.
Around two thirds of Kingspan Timber Solutions'
timber supplies come from Sweden; the rest from
Canada and Central Europe.
All this timber comes from PEFC or FSC accredited
forests, which have conformed to internationally
recognised standards of environmentally appropriate
and socially beneficial forest management.
Explains Commercial Director, Tony Hutchison:
“Unlike other timber frame manufacturers, we act as
importers and buy directly from the sawmill. One of
our largest providers is the privately owned sawmill
company, VIDA, who has supplied us for the last 30
years. We have a trusted working partnership with
VIDA, who currently own seven sawmills, all of which
are sited close to the PEFC and FSC certified forests
where, for every tree harvested, four new trees are
planted in its place.”
At VIDA there are other environmental issues which
are important too.“There’s no waste,” says VIDA
Wood's Managing Director, Måns Johansson.
routezerØ
to
“We use everything. The bark is burnt and the energy
recovered used to heat the kilns that dry the timber,
sawdust and shavings which are made into wood
pellets. In fact, these by-products are very important
to our business today.”
Tony Hutchison and his buying team visit the
mill twice a year and insist on the highest quality
standards: The wood is graded for its straightness
and moisture content, then checked using both a
visual as well as mechanical assessment to confirm
its structural performance and ensure absolute quality
before it is prepared.
Timber destined for Kingspan
Timber Solutions is shipped from
the west coast of Sweden into
either Chatham or Rochester,
then transported to the Kingspan
Timber Solutions' factory.
17
“The logistics are very much focused on delivering both
time and environmental efficiencies,” says Johansson.
“We load the maximum amount we can on lorries and
will combine deliveries to minimise delays and reduce
fuel consumption.”
Once at the factory, the wood is precisely engineered
into Kingspan Timber Solutions’ range of products using
the latest computerised cutting machinery that provides
accuracy and minimal waste. We manufacture under
a strict set of quality systems which integrate quality,
environmental and health and safety management (ISO
9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001) alongside both
FSC and PEFC chain of custody certification.
Following consultation with the Carbon Trust in 2007,
the company invested in a series of wood burners to
recycle timber offcuts from production. These wood
burners provide much of the heating for the factory –
cutting fuel bills by around £50,000 annually.
Assessed to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 & OHSAS 18001
LPCB Cert No. 388
“To guarantee our customers excellent quality when
it comes to our product and service involves attention
to detail and a working relationship built on trust and
reliability. The fact that we have worked with all of our
suppliers for over 30 years is what enables us to
deliver on time and in a safe and responsible way,”
says Hutchison.
routezerØ
to
18
SIX
STOREYS
Above
the Sea
routezerØ
to
19
Kingspan Timber Solutions
bring 140 apartments to
Margate’s famous seascape
routezerØ
to
20
Despite the size of the project and
its cliff top position, which meant the
project was occasionally exposed
to squally sea weather, it ran extremely
smoothly.
“It was a big job but it was pretty
straightforward,” says Kingspan Timber
Solutions' Contracts Manager Steve
Brown. “We’ve worked with Jenner
for many years and have an excellent
relationship with them, which is what we
strive for with all our clients.”
The building, with its distinctive neoGeorgian facade opened in 2010
and since then Kingspan Timber
Solutions has worked with Jenner on
several other projects in and around
the South East.
Less than a mile from Margate’s new Turner
Contemporary art gallery, another, even bigger,
recent building project looks out across the town’s
famous seascape.
Six storeys high and consisting of 140 two and three
bedroom apartments, the timber framed Eastern
Espalande, built by the Folkestone-based Jenner Group
for Accent Peerless, posed a number of challenges
for Kingspan Timber Solutions.
“With winds of over 75km/h coming in off the sea, the
wind load was a major factor in the building design,”
says Kingspan Timber Solutions' Technical Director Paul
Newman. “We worked with Jenner at the design stage
on the challenges this presented, to hold the building
down onto the foundations and brace the structure.
“We also worked at design stage to address the issue
of disproportionate collapse – ensuring the engineering
approach to this issue was appropriate and ultimately
that the response of the building to an accidental event
was proportionate to the event.”
routezerØ
to
Jenner’s Managing Director Martin Sandall said: “We’ve
a strong, long standing relationship with Kingspan
Timber Solutions and know that we can rely on them to
deliver a quality, professional and reliable service.”
21
Timber Frame Construction
Behind the Scenes
Erecting the timber frame for the Eastern Esplanade
was a major task – and for timber frame construction
experts Regal Carpentry, it was the largest project they
had undertaken at that time.
Director Gerard Lockey recalls: “It was a 26 week job
and we had sixteen men working on it. The site
presented a few challenges – mostly because it was
so close to the sea and was prone to strong winds.
“The timber frame was reinforced with strut steel for
extra strength and we had to erect both steel and
timber together – but we saw at first hand how blowy it
got up there on a couple of days when the wind was too
strong to operate the crane. On those days we dropped
inside and finished anything that needed to be done.”
With such a huge job, it was vital Kingspan Timber
Solutions worked with a company they trust. In this
case, the relationship between the companies spans
three decades.
Gerard Lockey says: “As a young lad of 21, after I’d
finished my apprenticeship, I went to work for Potton,
now a part of KTS, where I was one of a team of three
erecting their self build timber frames. One of the other
team members was Russell Lee, and after five years,
in 1990, we left and set up Regal but have always
maintained a close relationship with Potton.
“Over the years it’s grown even stronger and I’d say
it was something more than a business relationship,
it’s personal as well. There are guys there I’ve known
for years and when we go over there, we feel as if we’re
part of the same team.”
Gerard Lockey and Russell Lee now employ over 100
people, providing a range of carpentry, timber frame
and project management services.
Like all Kingspan Potton contractors, staff training
and health and safety are paramount. Gerard Lockey,
who doubled as Director of Health and Safety at the
Structural Timber Association says:
“We have very high staff retention.
Some of the men I work with have
been with us since we started Regal.
We have a comprehensive training
programme which makes people feel
valued, brings them to the next level
and helps the business grow. We’ve
set ourselves up to work at the top
level and that means our Health and
Safety is top level too.”
22
Premier Inn
Most major projects come with several
challenges but few are as complex as building
a six storey hotel on a busy traffic island.
The new 82 bedroom Premier Inn in central Ipswich,
built by ISG using a timber frame supplied and erected
by Kingspan Timber Solutions, is surrounded by a
one-way system.
Kingspan Timber Solutions' Contract Manager Steve
Tozer said: “Getting vehicles on and off the site
presented a whole set of issues but we worked very
closely on the logistics with ISG.”
“Everything had to be timed with absolute precision
in terms of traffic management, sequence of deliveries
and use of the crane.”
“It was a pretty exhaustive exercise but as a result, the
job ran like clockwork – as soon as you put a panel up,
there was someone coming in behind you putting the in
first fix electric and plumbing fixtures.”
Kingspan Timber Solutions' involvement with the
scheme stretches back even earlier than this critical
planning process. The firm’s technical team played a
crucial role at the design stage as well.
Lead Engineer Robert Morawski worked alongside
designers Dariusz Sasin and Zbigniew Hodowany to
complete the project in under 12 weeks, working with
architects Lyall, Bills and Young and structural engineers
MLM to ensure demands for both thermal and acoustic
properties were met.
Kingspan Timber Solutions Technical Services Manager
Manager Justin Barker explains some of the other
challenges: “The six storey block consisted of five
stories of timber frame sitting on top of a concrete
podium. The frame had to be designed to meet the
criteria of disproportionate collapse in multi storey
buildings. This meant a series of glulam portals,
structural hangers and floor cassettes were designed
into the structure to ensure compliance.” Another factor
which had to be taken into account was the proximity of
other buildings. A row of shops forms a strip along one
side of the site.
routezerØ
to
Kingspan Timber Solutions' Technical Director, Paul
Newman explains: “Like all projects, any form of
construction where there are buildings immediately
adjacent to the site must address the issue of fire during
construction and ensure that heat produced in the event
of such a fire will not affect neighbouring buildings.
“We’ve developed several types
of timber frame system to reduce
heat output. These different types
can be used to facilitate the use of
timber frame on any construction
site irrespective of location and the
proximity of adjacent buildings.”
Another challenge was the quick build programme ISG
set on the site. Kingspan Timber Solutions enhanced
the inherent speed of timber frame construction by
designing large elevational panels and floor cassettes,
which were fabricated at the factory in Great Gransden
and delivered to site as part of the detailed, just-in-time
delivery programme.
The designs also had to incorporate pre-finished
bathroom pods and ensure they could be dropped into
position during the construction process. Steve Tozer
recalls: “We’d take delivery of the pods and literally lift
them off the lorry straight into place.”
Steve Tozer says: “We’ve been on site twelve weeks and
are very nearly done. If traditional methods had been
used, there would have been 15 or 16 weeks left to go.”
ISG Project Manager Stan Smith added: “Kingspan
Timber Solutions were very good. They did what they
said they would and never failed. And for someone in a
position like mine, that’s a great help.”
23
routezerØ
to
24
routezerØ
to
25
HAVERING
GARAGES
A project involving multiple sites with
difficult access has successfully delivered
dozens of affordable homes for the London
Borough of Havering – with more to follow
later this year.
routezerØ
to
26
Kingspan Timber Solutions teamed up
with award-winning housebuilders and
contractors, Waltham Abbey based
Hill Group, to transform a cluster of
redundant garage sites into modern,
affordable homes for the East Thames
Housing Group and Estuary Housing
Association.
Phase One of the project has
delivered 44 homes on 16 sites,
Phase Two, currently under
construction, will deliver 31 houses on
11 sites and a third phase is currently
being finalised.
Paul Jordan, Operations Director
for Hill Group said: “Overall, we’re
developing 40 sites. The local authority
originally identified over a hundred
sites, but a number of these were ruled
out at an early stage because they
weren’t viable.”
The sites eventually earmarked for development
still presented a number of challenges. Paul Jordan
explained: “Due to their nature, the majority of them are
predominantly backland sites with very narrow access,
either an alleyway or single track access, with issues
such as existing services, contamination and adjoining
owners to take into consideration.
“We had to be confident we could
get a time-conscious form of
construction into these restricted
areas, not just in terms of deliveries
but also craneage, which is why
we considered pre-insulated open
panel timber frame as well as SIPS."
With these tight limits in mind, Kingspan Timber
Solutions worked with Hill Group to design timber frame
homes that would not only be practical, but affordable
to the client, using Kingspan Timber Solutions' Vantage
range of thermally and structurally pre-configured
affordable house designs as a starting point.
The Vantage range was developed by Kingspan
Timber Solutions following extensive work with housing
associations throughout the UK. It is the first range
of flexible housing platforms specifically aimed at the
affordable housing sector that not only has Secured by
Design and Lifetime Homes designed in, but has also
been engineered to meet Levels 3 & 4 of the Code for
Sustainable Homes.
Covering all common configurations, there are designs
ranging from one bedroom flats to four bedroom
houses and thanks to the use of Kingspan’s Modern
Methods of Construction, Vantage offers cost savings
and high quality standards too.
routezerØ
to
27
Paul Jordan explained: “We used Kingspan Timber
Solutions' Vantage layouts for the scheme because it
was a multiphase project on a number of infill sites and
the client didn’t want to pay a premium for bespoke
solutions. With Vantage, we were working with patterns
that gave us a degree of flexibility and had already been
proven workable and economical.”
Paul Jordan added: “Kingspan Timber Solutions have
been our top timber frame supplier for a number of
years. They were very open in terms of the use of the
layouts, and that flexibility is an important part of the
relationship we’ve had with them for many years. We
know they are capable in both design and engineering
and flexible in delivering what we want from them.”
Once the designs had been finalised, the challenge of
building the homes began. Kingspan Timber Solutions'
Head of Construction, Steve Brown said: “In order to
deliver the frames, we used smaller lorries and cranes
than we would normally use. And from a health and
safety perspective, we’ve also been very aware of the
fact we’re working in residential areas, where children
might be running around, so we’ve timed deliveries
during school hours to minimise the risk.”
The project has already been hailed a success by
Havering Borough Council. Councillor Lesley Kelly,
Cabinet Member for Housing said: “We have a large
waiting list for houses and it’s great that we’ve been
able to offer these new homes. The houses are great
for families and the area itself is being improved to
provide better facilities for residents. The land has been
put to good use to provide more housing when we really
need it.”
routezerØ
to
28
When you can't see the wood for the trees...
Kingspan Timber Solutions
not just any timber frame manufacturer.
For more information please call:
+44 (0) 1767 676400
routezerØ
to