Neaco supplies blend of styles for prestigious development
Neaco supplied a bespoke specification combining a railed Juliet balcony design with its contemporary glass balustrade to meet the aesthetic requirements of a prestigious development of luxury apartments in Sevenoaks, Kent.
Designed by BHD Architects, the project formed part of an extensive redevelopment of a site at the junction with London Road and Pembroke Road in Sevenoaks and included the construction of a new apartment complex comprising 22 properties with parking at basement level. The scheme was carefully designed to fit into the established pattern of development of the surrounding area, in terms of scale and appearance. The building incorporates a range of traditional elements, including Neaco’s railed balcony option, to reflect the character of the town centre whilst incorporating contemporary features promoting sustainable techniques such as solar panels, a green roof and living wall and rainwater harvesting. In addition to its railed balconies Neaco supplied balustrade with glass infill panels for top floor terraces.
Neaco’s National Sales Manager, Peter Melia, said: “Our glass balustrade and balcony solutions have attracted an exceptional level of demand in the residential market across a broad range of developments and The Pembroke is yet another example, but it’s also a reminder that we are able to offer a more traditional aesthetic with our railed balcony options also being utilised. We offer standard railed balcony designs but The Pembroke required a bespoke railed balcony solution which demonstrates the design versatility of our technical team.”
Neaco’s range of handrails, balustrade and balconies offers a host of design options encompassing a variety of stanchions, top rails and various infills including toughened glass, perforated panels, tension wire, vertical rails and horizontal rails. Design solutions can be supplied in aluminium powder coated in a wide range of finishes, satin polished stainless or a combination of both materials. The company’s diverse product range also includes structural glass, adaptive bathing facilities and metal grating systems for flooring, screening and shading applications. All products are backed by a class-leading Lifetime Guarantee.
The importance of decking in fire safety for balconies
Fire safety measures for balconies are increasingly being stipulated by building warranty providers and regulatory bodies. Architects and developers should be mindful of these issues at the design stage of their projects. Choosing fireproof aluminium decking is one step that can make a real difference.
[Please note: since this article was written in 2017, the government has introduced new Building Regulations relating to fire safety on balconies – read our full overview here]
Visit the centre of any major city and balconies will probably be visible in most directions. It’s estimated that there are over 45,000 high-rise apartments in London alone, with flats comprising just over 50% of the capital’s residential accommodation. Balconies are now widely considered to be an important amenity in modern apartment living as the outdoor space for this type of property and they have become a widespread feature of residential development.
Given this proliferation, it is no surprise to read reports that highlight the frequency of associated risks such as fires. BRE Global carries out fire investigations on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government. According to their 2016 Document ‘Fire safety issues with balconies’, BRE Global reported 24 fires which have started on balconies since 2005. The most common causes were arson, careless disposal of smoking material and misuse of barbeques. Notably, they reported six fire incidents in 2015 compared to just one in 2005. The document references case studies to highlight the potential of balconies as the fire’s starting point and the risk of it spreading up a building façade via combustible materials with mineral fibre or timber cladding, insulating panels, windows and other balconies above. Risks are compounded by the fact that wind speeds are stronger at a greater height and burning material can also fall to spread the fire to lower floors. BRE Global concludes that meeting Part B of the Building Regulations (covering fire safety matters) can be adversely affected by the requirements of Part L which states that ‘Reasonable provision shall be made for the conservation of fuel and power in buildings by limiting heat gains and losses through thermal elements in other parts of the building fabric.’
There are no fire safety requirements specifically relating to balconies in Part B (with the exception of balconies providing means of escape) but housebuilding warranty providers are increasingly aware of the potential risks and many are requesting balcony design modifications with reference to Part B4 which refers to the spread of fire on building exteriors. Architects, housebuilders and developers can pre-empt these concerns with careful choice of materials.
Timber decking is an obvious area of fire risk and BRE Global’s report includes case studies identifying discarded cigarettes on decking as the cause of fires. Neaco discusses detailed balcony specifications with architects across the UK and many are telling us that decking material is the primary safety concern for regulatory bodies (partitions between balconies are also a concern, but the issue is raised much less frequently). The design revision most commonly requested by warranty providers is the replacement of timber with fire-resistant balcony decking. Similarly, wood-polymer composite decking, comprising a combination of plastics and timber fibres, is not considered to be sufficiently fire-resistant balcony decking and is often rejected too.
Another alternative material, glass-reinforced plastic (GRP), has properties which are problematic for fire resistance: in essence, it is an oil-based product with a combination of materials and components which all react differently when exposed to fire. Polyester resins are made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms and, like all organic compounds, they will burn. By altering their structure and/or by using additives, it is possible to modify their burning behaviour so that laminates made from such resins present a lower hazard under fire conditions. However, in practice, this doesn’t represent a solution which is any safer than timber.
Realistically, this leaves steel and aluminium as the only viable alternatives. Quite apart from the practical advantages of being 1/3 of the weight of steel and the environmental benefits of being 100% recyclable, aluminium is a superior material for fire safety. Its thermal conductivity is four times faster: heat is conducted away faster and therefore a greater heat input is necessary to bring aluminium up to a given temperature than required for steel. Fire performance data for aluminium extrusion can be obtained from the results of BS 476 Fire Test Series. Aluminium achieves the highest possible rating for Part 4 (Non-Combustibility test), Part 5 (Ignitibility Test), Part 6 (Fire Propagation Test) and Part 7 (Surface Spread of Flame Test). These performance levels make aluminium the stand-out choice to satisfy fire safety requirements for balconies. It is important to note that painting its surface could reduce these performance levels.
In addition to its fire-resistant qualities, the working qualities of aluminium make for ease of fabrication, engineering and forming. Most alloy grades can be easily and economically machined (e.g. milling, turning) which means that bespoke sizes, profiles and features can be precision-engineered to serve the needs of balcony decking. For example, Neaco’s technical team has incorporated special performance requirements such as anti-slip surfaces into our Neatdek aluminium grating, which is now widely specified for balcony flooring. This ability to provide slip resistance is another aspect which makes aluminium safer than timber, which over time becomes increasingly slippery underfoot.
Neaco have also developed designs which maximise drainage capability with a combination of open and closed construction – for example, our Neatdek metal grating system has a T-bar grille profile which has a 74% contact area yet disperses water quickly and efficiently. In balcony applications, this avoids the need for drainpipes and soffits, saving on cost whilst enabling a more minimalist aesthetic (we also provide a version of Neatdek with inserts within the gaps between bars – it doesn’t drain through the grille but still doesn’t require a soffit). Neatdek’s original design has also been adapted to form Neatdek 188, an innovative system with concealed drainage gaps below the surface. The profile provides total privacy by completely restricting the view from above and below whilst the absence of gaps on the foot contact area also makes it safe to walk in any type of footwear, including stiletto heels.
As a company which specialises in manufacturing architectural systems from aluminium, Neaco is a passionate advocate of its many benefits and especially its advantages in safeguarding against fire risk. The continuing increase in the number of apartments being built will in all probability lead to an increase in cases of balcony fires. By specifying aluminium for fire-resistant balcony decking, architects can streamline the regulatory approval of their design schemes and, more importantly, improve the safety of their buildings.
Neaco appoints Imogen as Internal Sales
Neaco has made a key appointment to its customer services team with the arrival of Imogen Armstrong as Internal Sales.
Imogen has extensive experience in customer support, including her previous position at Hovingham-based agricultural suppliers, Ian Mosey Ltd, where she was point of contact for all external and internal orders, overseeing communication and administration from order to delivery to ensure that all customer requirements were met. She has also performed customer service and consultancy roles at Ipswich-based recruitment consultant, Polkadotfrog, and Bury St Edmunds-based facilities management specialist, Servest Group.
Neaco’s National Sales Manager, Peter Melia, said: “We are delighted to welcome Imogen as a dedicated customer contact throughout the development timeline – she will be on hand to assist clients at every stage, from order and design consultation through to site visits and final installation. Her track record demonstrates an excellent ability to manage the ordering process through to delivery, coordinate communications at every step and build customer relationships. This ability will be invaluable in supporting Neaco’s specification services on behalf of architects, designers, contractors, facilities managers and end users across the UK.”
Five gems on the Emerald Isle
The arrival of St. Patrick’s Day has given Neaco pause to celebrate and reflect on the many fantastic Irish projects which feature our products. With that in mind, we’ve listed five of our most high profile specifications on the Emerald Isle…
St. James’s Gate Brewery
Founded in 1759, St. James’s Gate Brewery is one of Dublin’s most iconic visitor attractions and its main produce – the world-famous Guinness stout – is sure to enjoy a surge in consumption across the globe for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Neaco’s Techdek open mesh flooring has been specified for maintenance access walkways on the brewery’s towering silos.
Peace Bridge, Londonderry
At 312 metres, this stunning bridge design is approximately the same length as two and a half football pitches and stretches from Guildhall Square on the west bank to Ebrington on the east bank. With two structural arms heading in opposite directions, symbolising the unification of Catholic and Protestant communities on the opposite sides of the Foyle River, the bridge forms a symbolic handshake across the water. The bridge has been embraced by citizens and has significantly changed people’s perceptions of the city. It has become a focal point of major events, including the New Year celebrations. Neaco supplied our Techdek metal grate flooring for the bridge’s cycle way.
T2, Dublin Airport
Dublin Airport’s 75,000 square metre T2 is an iconic gateway to Ireland which has been awarded the Corus Structural Steel Design Award 2010 and the CMG Building Design Awards Public Building of the Year 2010 as voted by the general public. This visually striking building has curvaceous, fluid forms achieved via the clever use of standard elements and components. Neaco provided a major contribution with a roof access walkway specification for over 50,000 square metres of roofing.
Living Bridge, Limerick
Designed by WilkinsonEyre, the Living Bridge formed part of the University of Limerick’s ambitious plans for expansion to the north of the River Shannon. The river is a signature feature of the University’s campus and the bridge design works in harmony with its natural environment. Crossing the river and its embankments in five spans, the structure invites pedestrians to linger to admire the scenery with wider platforms for use as resting places or spaces for public art. Neaco supplied our Techdek metal grating system for the bridge’s pedestrian and cycle paths.
Grand Canal Dock
As part of the Dublin’s Docklands regeneration, the Grand Canal Dock area has experienced some of the city’s most extensive redevelopment in recent years. Circa 370,000 square metres of commercial space and 2,600 residential units will eventually be built. Following the arrival of tech giants such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and Airbnb, the area has acquired the unofficial title of ‘Silicon Docks.’ Neaco supplied a bespoke modification to our Techdek metal decking (pictured below) for one of the development’s pedestrian bridges, incorporating tactile strips to alert the visually impaired when they are nearing a step.
Glass safety regulations for balustrade and balconies
It’s not exactly breaking news – if you’ll pardon the pun – but glass safety regulations were subject to significant changes some years ago and Neaco have encountered a shortfall in awareness amongst decision makers in the construction industry during specification consultations for our glass balustrade and balcony products.
BS EN 12600 superseded BS 6206 as the new European-wide performance standard for impact safety film for glass. The concept of safety glass has been around for decades but the application of standards became more complicated with BS EN 12600. It incorporates a more modern test – often informally known as the pendulum test – which defines the level at which glass will ‘break safe.’ Two ‘safe’ broken states are defined as follows: when there is no hole large enough to push a fist through (and only a limited amount of glass fragments come loose) or when the glass leaves no large, dangerous fragments after shattering.
The BS EN 12600 test involves the swinging of a weight from three drop heights into a standard-sized pane of glass and the point at which the glass breaks forms part of its classification. Class 3 (a 190mm drop height) equates to an adult pushing hard against the glass or a child running into it. Class 2 (a 450mm drop height) equates to a significantly higher impact than an adult walking into glass, but less than an adult trying to force through by running into it. Class 1 (a 1200mm drop height) is the most demanding classification, applied in testing glass for critical applications.
The standard also defines three breakage modes: Type A breakage characterised by large sharp edged fragments, Type B breakage characterised by the fragments being held together and Type C breakage characterised by the disintegration of the glass into small, less dangerous pieces. Type A is typical of annealed glass; Type B is typical of laminated glass and mirrors with a safety film backing; Type C is typical of toughened glass.
BS EN 12600 uses a three-part classification system forming a three digit code representing (in order):
Strength as measured by the aforementioned drop height Class 1, 2 or 3
the breakage type A, B or C
The containment aspects of the glass when broken [or the highest drop height class at which the glass does not break or does not allow penetration – again classed as 1, 2 or 3]
For example, the toughened glass which Neaco use for our balconies is 1C1. For the first and third digits of a classification, 1 is better than 2 and 2 is better than 3.
Glass must pass Class 1 to comply for residential use and in areas where there is 1.5m of open space to one or both sides of a glass pane. The impact test requires ball weighing a minimum of 50 kg to be dropped into the glass from the aforementioned release height.
Glass which is classified as safety material meeting the performance criteria of BSEN 12 600 should carry an identifiable mark showing the level of safety achieved during test. If you’d like to discuss BS EN 12600 in relation to the specific requirements for your project, please feel free to contact Neaco’s technical team for some expert advice on 01653 695 721.
Mark joins Neaco as new Credit & Contracts Manager
Neaco have welcomed the experienced Mark Phythian to our financial department following his appointment as Credit & Contracts Manager.
Mark has worked in contract administration, accounts and credit control for a number of construction organisations, including local authorities and modular building companies. He is now assisting our Financial Manager, Rachel Chittu, in credit control and overseeing contract reviews encompassing orders throughout Neaco’s product range, including structural glass, glass balcony designs, Juliet balcony designs, handrails and balustrades, metal grate floors and decking, ventilation grilles, cladding, sunshade louvres, roof access walkways and bathroom mobility aids such as true level access showers, half height shower cubicles, designer grab rails, shower seats and drop-down support rails.
Neaco’s Managing Director, Alan Green, said: “Mark’s strong background in the construction industry has given him outstanding expertise in the project administration and contractual requirements which are particular to this sector. His experience will be invaluable in maintaining the efficiency of our specification process and this will benefit customers throughout the UK.”
Imogen is now Neaco’s main point of contact for all orders with responsibility for liaison with various key development stakeholders, including architects, contractors, project managers and quantity surveyors. Her role will encompass Neaco’s full product range, including 
Neaco have welcomed the experienced Mark Phythian to our financial department following his appointment as Credit & Contracts Manager.