Aerospace research facility is latest award winner to feature Neaco products
Neaco’s products are featured at yet another award-winning development following two prestigious awards for Cranfield University’s Aerospace Integration Research Building (AIRC) in Bedfordshire.
CPMG Architects was recognised for its work to deliver the £35m facility in the Best Large Commercial Building award category at the LABC East Awards and the company also won a Design Through Innovation Award at the regional RICS Awards for delivering an exceptional building design which has had a positive impact on communities. Neaco’s aluminium grille flooring has been specified for the project, which opened in October 2017.
The AIRC has been developed to increase aerospace research capabilities in the UK, reinforcing Cranfield University’s reputation as Europe’s leading aerospace research institution. The facility houses the latest aerospace research technology including air traffic management (ATM) and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) laboratories; flight simulators; a virtual wind tunnel; a FANUC robot in the intelligent automation centre; and a 1500 sq m open space work area.
Nick Gregory, director for CPMG said: “Cranfield University’s Aerospace Integration Research Centre is a flagship scheme that we were very proud to be involved in. The centre is already helping to change the future design of aircraft. Our three-storey interpretation of a modern hanger offers state-of-the-art facilities for researchers, engineers and partner companies. Congratulations to everyone involved in helping to make this scheme such a success.”
The AIRC is the latest of four award-winning developments to specify Neaco products in the past year alone. Our aluminium open grille systems were installed on the latest phase of Seaham North Dock in Durham, where an extensive regeneration project has won 11 awards for Napper Architects, including a RIBA building of the year Award, Client of the Year Award and a Civic Trust National Commendation. Our structural glass balustrade is featured at Reflections, a development of luxury homes in Chesterton by HC Moss (Builders) Ltd, which won Best Small Development in the 2017 Cambridge News Property Awards. In addition, our aluminium access walkways form part of the University of Liverpool’s Materials Innovation Factory (MIF), a new science research facility which won Development of the Year at the NW Business Insider’s Liverpool City Region Property Awards.
Neaco’s product portfolio is exceptionally diverse, but all of our systems share a range of qualities including precision engineering, aesthetic versatility, maintenance-free durability, fast installation and full compliance with all required standards, regulations and technical guidance. Our products include balustrade and balconies in powder coated aluminium or stainless steel, adaptive bathing facilities and aluminium open grille systems for decking, screening and shading applications.
Neaco balustrade specified for major new development in Salford
Neaco have secured another major balustrade specification with the supply of terrace and balcony balustrade at Bridgewater Point, a 220-unit apartment and townhouse development in Salford.
Developer and contractor, Beaumont Morgan, appointed Bowman Riley Architects to design the project which represents an outstanding new addition to Manchester’s skyline. Beaumont Morgan are working with Fortis Developments on the scheme, which is being constructed over a 78-week build period and is due for completion in Q3 2018. A five-storey building and a seven-storey building are connected at level one with a podium deck incorporating shared open space and gardens to the town houses. The upper floors are set back from the main elevation and have a perimeter balcony. Neaco’s aluminium powder coated balustrade with glass infill panels surrounds the perimeter balcony and roof terrace. The system has also been used on a range of lower floor balconies. The buildings are taking shape and the latest stunning drone footage can be seen here.
Bridgewater Point has been designed to meet the needs of private investors and tenants in Salford’s booming rental market. The development offers a mixture of studios and one, two and three bedroom apartments alongside large, beautiful townhouses. Residents will also enjoy the use of a fully equipped on-site gym, bike storage facilities, allocated parking and a communal garden.
Bridgewater Point is the latest in a series of high-profile apartment developments to choose Neaco’s contemporary balustrade and balcony systems. Also ongoing is Castle View in Windsor, a £25 million scheme from Castle Retirement Living Ltd which features 130 independent lifestyle apartments for the over 55s. Set within three acres of landscaped grounds, the development enjoys stunning views of the Queen’s royal residence at Windsor Castle.
Neaco’s balustrade and balconies are renowned for a combination of aesthetic versatility, low-maintenance durability and fast installation based on a modular construction that requires no welding. All components are connected internally for a smooth finish with no unsightly external screws. Neaco’s aluminium balustrade is supplied powder coated in a range of solid and metallic colours. Infill options include glass panels, tension wire, rails, mesh and perforated panels. We also offer a stainless steel system with a similar range of infill options. Our product range also includes aluminium open grilles and adaptive bathing facilities.
Neatdek chosen for another outstanding bridge project
An urban regeneration initiative in Longford has become the latest of a series of outstanding bridge projects to use Neaco’s footbridge decking systems.
Longford County Council commissioned the creation of the Camlin River Bridge to improve the recreational amenity of the town centre and connect it to the parkland area. Measuring almost 20m in length and 4.7m at its widest point, the new footbridge spans the River Camlin and features a unique curved ‘bow’ design by Kenny Lyons architects.
Spanning a wide stretch of water and subject to a climate with a high percentage of annual rainfall, the bridge required durable and corrosion resistant materials. With its rust-free and maintenance-free qualities, Neaco’s Neatdek aluminium grilles represented the ideal solution with footbridge decking panels providing lasting quality and aesthetic appeal.
Neatdek’s T-Bar profile features a contact area of 74% on the surface yet drains water efficiently and its swage-locked construction between the bars enables high structural efficiency. Those qualities – combined with a specially ribbed anti-slip surface for increased safety – make Neatdek an ideal specification for the external conditions and high traffic demands of a bridge.
Neatdek has been used at some of the UK’s most iconic and celebrated bridge developments over the past 20 years. An impressive portfolio of specifications encompasses various landmark projects including the Media City Footbridge in Salford Quays, the Twin Sails Bridge in Poole, the Peace Bridge in Londonderry, the Living Bridge in Limerick, Paserelle Becon-les-Bruyeres in Paris and the Gateshead Millennium Bridge which won the 2002 Stirling prize.
Neatdek is one of various grille profiles which Neaco offer for a wide range of architectural applications, including staging, modesty screens, solar shading, maintenance galleries and roof access walkways. All systems are precision-manufactured from aluminium which is A1 Fire Rated, non-toxic and 100 per cent recyclable with no downgrading of its properties and very little energy required for re-melting.
Neaco also supplies a range of balconies and balustrade offering a huge range of design options. Balustrade is available with stanchions and handrails in powder coated aluminium or stainless steel. Balustrade is supplied with a wide variety of infills, from toughened glass panels to tension wire. Neaco also supplied adaptive bathing products including level access showers, half-height shower doors, grab rails, shower seats and drop-down rails.
The fall of timber: 5 reasons why aluminium decking is on the rise
Decking design is undergoing something of quiet revolution. For years two materials – timber and wood-polymer composites – have been the overwhelming choice for flooring applications in gardens, terraces, balconies and external walkways. That duopoly has been broken in recent years by a rapidly emerging alternative: aluminium open grille decking.
Demand for aluminium decking has surged in new build and refurbishment projects – due in no small measure to the demands of housebuilding warranty providers seeking to improve safety and durability. So what does aluminium have to offer that its traditional wood-based rivals don’t? We’ve listed five reasons why aluminium is the superior choice for decking…
1. It has a far higher fire safety rating
In a post-Grenfell construction sector, fire safety is under the spotlight and rightly so. In truth, even before Grenfell housebuilding warranty providers were already showing increasing concern about fire safety on decking and balconies (balconies can be a life-saving means of escape from a burning building) and this is one of various reasons why timber has dramatically declined as a specification. Wood-polymer composite is slightly more fire resistant but with timber elements it will never be fireproof. This is where aluminium scores highly – in the BS 476 Fire Test Series it is rated 0 (the highest possible) in the categories of Non-Combustibility, Ignitibility, Fire Propagation and Surface Spread of Flame. In the EU’s harmonised Euroclass system, aluminium has an A1 Fire Rating – the highest achievable score for non-combustibility. Neaco’s Neatdek decking (pictured below right) is manufactured from aluminium and has been fully tested to comply with the requirements for Class 0, as defined in Approved Document B, ‘Fire Safety’, to the Building Regulations 2000.
2. It’s extremely durable
Material lifespan is a vital consideration for decking. In the NHBC’s technical guidance, Clause 7.1.4a states that structural elements of balconies should have a desired service life of at least 60 years. The guidance states that timber can be used to form raised decks if it follows one of two routes to compliance: it must be designed and constructed in full accordance with relevant guidance documents published by TDCA or designed by an engineer in accordance with Technical Requirement R5 with a desired service life of 60 years. You can avoid jumping through all of those hoops by avoiding wood-based materials altogether and opting instead for aluminium, which is corrosive-free and has a recognised design life of at least 60-100 years. One report has suggested that it has an infinite lifespan in internal installations and a minimum lifespan of 120 years in external installations.
Timber is vulnerable to woodworm, damp, mould and rot. In contrast, aluminium is a maintenance-free solution that avoids all of the cost and labour of ongoing treatment that are necessary to prolong the lifespan of its more traditional rivals.
3. It’s high in slip resistance
Even with a grooved surface, Timber decking becomes increasingly slippery underfoot with the build-up of dirt, with moss and grime. It can become especially hazardous in wet conditions, which is another reason why wood has fallen out of favour.
In contrast, slip resistance another area of safety in which aluminium can excel. It’s a versatile metal that can be easily machined to provide bespoke dimensions. This is invaluable in the hands of a company with technical expertise and advanced manufacturing facilities – Neaco have designed decking systems which are engineered to provide a very finely-grooved surface, specifically developed to provide anti-slip performance in the direction of travel.
The British Pendulum CoF Test measures slip resistance in terms of pendulum test values (PTV). For a timber decking manufacturer to use the term “anti” or “non-slip decking”, the PTV must be 36 or above.
Neaco’s aluminium systems have been pendulum tested and the results speak volumes. Leading wood-polymer composite boards score an average PTV of 58 when dry and 37 when wet. In comparison, our Neatdek decking scores 94 when dry and, crucially, shows a minimal reduction when wet – it stills scores an exceptional 81 in the direction of travel. That means our systems are almost 40% more slip-resistant in wet conditions than wood-polymer composite is in dry conditions!
4. It’s structurally efficient
Another clear advantage of aluminium decking is structural efficiency – in other words, it’s lightweight (1/3 of the weight of steel) yet high in load-bearing strength. Neaco’s Neatdek aluminium decking panels are 15.8kg per sqm, compared to 25.2 kg per sqm for leading wood-polymer composite products. This difference is increasingly important for cost reasons: due to fire safety concerns, steel joists are now widely used instead of timber joists, but steelwork is expensive so substantial savings can be made by using decking that needs less structural support. With Neaco’s decking systems, joists are only required at centres of between 1200mm and 1800mm (depending on the profile depth) compared to around 450mm for most composite decking.
5. It provides fast, efficient drainage
Aluminium’s aforementioned suitability for precision engineering can serve complex design concepts. It can facilitate innovations that improve performance and our Neatdek system is a prime example of this. Neatdek’s unique range of ‘T-bar’ grille profiles provide a foot contact area of between 74 and 100% whilst allowing rainwater to drain quickly and efficiently below – a combination that is especially useful for balconies.
Any balcony with a floor area of over 6m2 conventionally uses ‘positive drainage’ – a catchment tray which is installed directly below the flooring, encased within a soffit and fitted with a hopper and drainpipe. Positive drainage has a number of drawbacks – it’s cumbersome, costly and laborious to construct and vulnerable to blockages caused by the accumulation of dirt, sediment and waste substances.
Neaco’s Neatdek decking facilitates an alternative ‘eaves drop’ drainage method which is increasingly favoured by housebuilding warranty providers. With Neatdek, rainwater can drop directly into a ‘French drain,’ a ground-level trench comprising a perforated pipe which is installed below the ground and topped by a layer of pea gravel. Surface water seeps between the gravel and passes freely through the pipe. It’s an efficient way to divert water away from the building and avoid pooling. Compared to positive drainage, Neatdek decking with a French drain is a lighter, more economical combination which is faster and easier to install.
For further information please call our customer support team on 01653 695 721 or visit our Contact page
Neaco secures major specification at iconic retirement village
Neaco have secured one of our largest-ever specifications with a range of balustrade, balcony and solar shading solutions at Castle View, a prestigious new retirement village in Windsor.
Due for completion in autumn 2018, the £25 million development from Castle Retirement Living Ltd features 130 independent lifestyle apartments providing luxurious one, two and three bedroom living for the over 55s. Castle View is set within three acres of landscaped grounds and enjoys fabulous views of the Queen’s royal residence at Windsor Castle. Neaco’s Clearview balconies are extensively featured across three floors and our Spectrum balustrade has been installed on the spacious rooftop terraces which provide an elevated outlook taking in one of the world’s most famous castles. We have also supplied balustrade for internal stairwells and our Brise Soleil solar shading louvres on the building exteriors.
Featuring contemporary design throughout, Castle View’s apartments will provide premium quality homes. An exceptionally high standard of facilities will create a real sense of community and allow a wide range of activities. The development includes a rooftop lounge and bar with outside seating areas as well as secure underground parking, a coffee shop and restaurant. The village is owned and will be run by Castle Retirement Living Ltd. The latest stunning drone footage shows how well the building is taking shape and we are looking forward to seeing the completed development later this year.
Neaco’s Managing Director, Alan Green, said: “Castle View is set to become one of the UK’s most sought-after retirement communities and we are delighted to be playing our part with this major specification. Our balcony range is one of the fastest-growing elements of Neaco’s business with huge demand from apartment developments and retirement villages in particular.”
Featuring toughened glass panels which can be supplied clear or tinted, Neaco’s Clearview range of balconies is renowned for a combination of contemporary style, maintenance-free durability, fast installation and eco-friendly performance. Balustrade and handrails are manufactured from aluminium powder coated in a wide choice of colours and flooring is supplied in the form of Neaco’s Neatdek aluminium decking, which has a generous foot contact area of between 74% and 100% yet provides a fast and efficient drainage capability. Aluminium also has an A1 Fire Rating – the highest achievable score for non-combustibility.
Neaco takes it to the bridge on The Voice
The highly anticipated final of The Voice is live on ITV this Saturday and the occasion gives Neaco an opportunity to make a timely song and dance about a little-known fact: our products have appeared in every single episode of this series.
The opening sequences feature the show’s home, Media City in Salford Quays, where our Neatdek aluminium grille system has been used as decking for the dramatic footbridge designed by WilkinsonEyre architects. Contestants are often filmed striding across the bridge, so our flooring has been stepped on by plenty of celebrity feet over the past few months.
Linking Media City and The Imperial War Museum of the North, the footbridge is one of many high profile bridge projects which feature Neaco’s Neatdek decking. Others include the Living Bridge in Limerick, the Grand Canal Dock in Dublin, the Peace Bridge in Londonderry, the Millennium Bridge in Gateshead and the Twin Sails Bridge in Poole. The product has many qualities in tune with the needs of bridges and public spaces, including efficient drainage, maintenance-free durability and high slip resistance.
You don’t have to be Tom Jones to appreciate that Neaco know very little about songcraft, but we do know how to take it to the bridge, architecturally speaking!
