Every % counts with recycled building materials
With architects and developers increasingly mindful to do everything within their powers to credit the BREEAM rating of a project, it’s fair to say that every per cent counts. Building suppliers can make a difference to those figures (and their own bottom line) simply by increasing the percentage of recycled and recyclable content in their products. Growing demand for recycled building materials has increased the value of recovered materials.
The construction sector has the potential to use much more recovered material – if all products could be supplied with a “good practice” level of recycled content instead of base level/common practice the resulting increase in demand would mean huge gains for materials such as aggregates, cement, concrete, bricks, blocks and plasterboard. The key for the supplier market is to increase recycled content and maintain the technical performance of their products. For decades neaco have been setting higher targets each year for the recycled content of our manufacturing output and in 2012 we set a minimum figure of 85 per cent for all of our aluminium balustrade and open grille products. In many cases we are now supplying complete design solutions from as much as 95 per cent recycled material. In years to come we hope to achieve close to that figure across the vast majority of our production.
In seeking sustainable procurement, designers and specifiers need to select designs and products suited to their particular application and calculate their use of recycled content accordingly. They should also consult with their suppliers to verify that product options meet necessary performance requirements. Ideally the supplier should provide some form of certification which confirms of the recycled content of its products.
Dismantling and recycling or reuse of building components is one of the building performance criteria outlined in BREEAM. Every material has its own degree of recyclability. At neaco, much of our product portfolio is manufactured from aluminium alloy which offers a natural advantage as it is up to 100 per cent recyclable. We’ve maximised the benefits of this characteristic within our Genesis industrial handrail and balustrade system (pictured below) which is fully recyclable and corrosion-free.
There is certainly an advantage to using suppliers who provide pre-engineered modular systems, as opposed to building products partly or fully fabricated on-site, where processes are less controlled and many perfectly recyclable remnants can end up as landfill. By contrast, suppliers which complete all manufacturing at the factory stage can recover off-cuts and convert what could have become waste into future raw material. At neaco, our balustrade, balcony and aluminium open grille systems are pre-engineered in-house and delivered on-site as modular components which provide easy connection and assembly on-site without messy processes such as welding. It means zero waste and low-energy construction – two benefits that serve the need for responsible construction practices and site impacts promoted by BREEAM.
Architects and developers across the globe are buying into the value of BREEAM. If more manufacturers do the same, the results are sure to benefit everyone.
Bespoke brise soleil is a perfect match
There are plenty of brise soleil products on the market, but very few can be supplied in a colour which is tailor-made to match the design scheme of a building. A rare exception can now be found at Fulford School in York, where neaco provided a bespoke solution for a new classroom block as part of a £4 million upgrade designed by City of York Council and built by William Birch and Son.
neaco’s advanced powder coating facilities enable the company to apply precisely formulated colours to meet the specific aesthetic needs of its clients. They are often utilised in the manufacture of neaco’s balustrade products, but in this case they were put to good use for a specially developed sunshade louvre system specified at the school, which has just been named as one of Tatler magazine’s top 10 state secondary schools in the UK. neaco also supplied internal balustrade in the building’s two stairwells.
Alan Thomas, Senior Architect at York City Council, said: “It was important to provide a design for the brise soleil that complimented the external appearance of the new building and this has been achieved. We supplied the specific RAL colour reference of the window frames and neaco were able to match the grey finish that has been used throughout the school. Initially Neaco provided a prototype and we held discussions with the main contractor, Wm Birch & Sons Ltd. to agree on the appropriate size and spacing for the louvre blades. The end result is excellent, being attractive, functional and robust.’
Fulford School’s development also includes a new sports hall, new science labs and spaces for drama, food technology and design and technology. Consistently over-subscribed, the school currently has 1,350 pupils aged 11-18.
Jonny be good!
neaco are pleased to report that our latest apprentice, Jonny Pickard, has been promoted to Chargehand performing a vital role within our manufacturing facilities.
Jonny joined neaco to gain industry experience in our factory whilst studying for his formal trade qualifications one day per week with Derwent Trading Association, a specialist company which provides Engineering Apprenticeships in the Ryedale, York and coastal areas. Now in the last year of his apprenticeship, Jonny has proved to be a very fast learner and his swift promotion is a reflection of his impressive capabilities. He is now reporting to our Foreman, Carlos Noble, and managing a team of engineers in our fabrications department.
neaco’s Factory Manager, Dan Verity, said: “It’s great see Jonny develop so quickly and I’m sure that he will be a tremendous asset to the company for many years to come. Jonny’s commitment to high standards of quality and service are in keeping with neaco’s and he has a bright future in manufacturing and engineering.”
Stylish new colour options for grab rails and bathroom support
Neaco’s Freedom range of grab rails and support fittings for adaptive bathrooms now includes an exciting new choice of contemporary and classic colours providing superior style and performance.
The new powder coated options are available for a wide variety of support products, including grab rails, hinged support rails, back rests, hinged shower seats, portable bath seats and matching accessories such as towel rails, coat hooks, toilet roll holders, shelves and tilt-adjustable mirrors. The contemporary selection offers some vibrant options which can add a burst of colour to bathroom schemes. Alternatively, the new classic selection complements the country-style look with some rich and rustic colours to furnish bathrooms with a more traditional aesthetic.
Freedom support fittings are corrosion-free with smooth lines that are warm and comfortable to the touch. Grab rails and support arms are fully insulated with a sure and positive grip and all items provide heavy-duty performance with exceptional strength-to-weight ratio.
Now available alongside some attractive metallic finishes, including chrome-effect, the new Freedom colours superbly complement Neaco’s Aluseal half-height shower enclosures and our Neatdek 3 shower grille, which is unique in the market as the only system which provides true-level-access onto a gradient-free showering area, making it the ideal option for wheelchair users in particular. Neatdek 3 is also available in bespoke colours on request.
The Aluseal range sets new standards in performance, durability and adaptability for shower doors. Their compact and unobtrusive design suits even the smallest and most awkward bathroom layouts, and can complement almost any type of showering facility, including true level access grilles, easy access trays and wet floor applications. With a bi-fold action and 180° wall hinges, Aluseal shower doors can be folded back over true level access shower grilles, or against the supporting wall, to leave valuable floor space clear when not in use. All Neaco products are backed by a class-leading Lifetime Guarantee.
