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Neaco balconies are ready-made for modern standards

A new community of luxury retirement properties in Ilkley is the latest project to demonstrate how Neaco’s range of modular balconies are ready-made for modern standards in every respect, from aesthetic style to Building Regulation compliance.

Designed by architects, Stephen George & Partners (SGP), Scholars Place is home to two ‘Platinum Range’ developments of spacious one and two bedroom apartments from the UK’s leading retirement housebuilder, McCarthy & Stone. Neaco’s Clearview range of walk-on balconies have been installed across three floors alongside our Clearview Juliet balconies. A roof terrace also features our balustrade system and our A1 Fire Rated aluminium decking system.

New Building Regulations

The new Building Regulations arrived in December 2018, banning the use of combustible materials in balconies, but McCarthy & Stone and SGP have been ahead of the curve for several years, having specified Neaco’s fireproof products for various past projects. All new residential developments with a floor above 18 metres must now use balcony materials that are A2-s1, d0 rated or Class A1 under the European classification (Euroclass) system. Neaco’s systems are fully compliant and meet all other relevant Building Regulations and performance requirements, including balustrade designed in accordance with BS 6180:2011.  

As well as the addressing the immediate concern of fire safety, our balconies provide long-term value and performance with outstanding durability and lasting visual quality. All components are manufactured for maintenance-free use with aluminium handrails and stanchions in a smooth, non-chip powder coated finish and decking in rust-free aluminium. Toughened glass panels complete their contemporary look and maximise the benefits of natural light by allowing ample solar penetration.

What Did SGP Think?

Kiran Parmar, Principal Architectural Technician at SGP, was impressed by our contribution:

“Neaco offer really good, cost-effective products. They are also very helpful with technical support – they responded quickly in providing key information and design detailing, which was a definite plus point.”

Mick Pilling, Site Manager for The Scholars, also expressed his appreciation:

“Neaco provided a quality service and their products worked well on the development. One of the main benefits of Neaco’s systems is quick installation and the completed balconies look very neat.”

Sustainability

Supplied as all-in-one modular solutions manufactured off-site, Neaco’s Clearview balconies are ideal for sustainable building. They are pre-assembled for fast installation which minimises time, manpower, energy and transport involved in construction. Also, their exceptional durability can lengthen development life cycles and reduce future maintenance costs.

Scholars Place

Scholars Place has been designed and specified to provide luxury, security and low-maintenance contemporary space for retirement lifestyles. Furthermore, each apartment has a TV linked to a camera entry system, spacious living area, fully fitted kitchen, bathroom and walk-in wardrobe. Situated within one of Yorkshire’s most desirable towns, the development enjoys beautifully maintained gardens and views of the famous Cow and Calf Rocks from the roof terraces.

Neaco also design and manufacture a range of other architectural products, including stainless steel balustrade, industrial balustrade, structural glass balustrade, adaptive bathing facilities and aluminium open grilles for screening, cladding and solar shading. All of our products come with a Lifetime Guarantee.

We’re Feline Excited to Welcome Kat!

We’re very pleased to announce the arrival of Katrina Chalupka as our new Business Development Executive.

Kat has over 8 years of sales experience and has worked in a multitude of different industries ranging from telecoms in Africa to healthcare. Alan Green, Managing Director, says “it’s fantastic to be able to welcome someone with Kat’s abilities and experience to the team”.

Kat will mainly be focusing on care home and residential developments with a view to increase our balcony and balustrade specifications. Kat says, “it’s great to become part of a growth orientated, ambitious company who are at the forefront of health and safety requirements for new building structures”.

After only recently joining the Sales Office, she is already very much part of the team – welcome to Neaco, Kat!

If you’d like to get in touch with Kat you can either call her direct line 01653 602161, email katrina.chalupka@neaco.co.uk, fill out our Contact Page or connect with her on LinkedIn

Welcome to Neaco, Kat!

HOW DO NEW FIRE REGULATIONS AFFECT BALCONY DESIGN?

Balcony fire regulations which came into effect in December 2018.

 

As we have noted in a previous blog, in the past few years there has been an undercurrent of action within the construction industry to address a need for improved fire safety on balconies. When the Grenfell disaster threw an unforgiving spotlight on the use of flammable building materials, the issue instantly became part of the national conversation. Just over a year later, the West Hampstead balcony fires brought it to the fore once again. It was only a matter of time before safety concerns gave rise to statutory measures and those changes arrived on 21 December with The Building (Amendment) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/ 1230) and amended Approved Document B and Approved Document 7 Guidance.

The new regulations ban the use of combustible materials in external wall systems and balconies. From now on, developments must use materials that are A2-s1, d0 rated or Class A1 under the European classification system (Euroclass) set out in the standard BS EN 13501-1 subject to exemptions. With requirements and definitions which depart from Approved Document B2, Schedule 1 B4, the new regulations prohibit other routes to compliance that were previously acceptable, including a desk top study or a test to BS 8414 to achieve BR135 certification. An overview of the Euroclass system is provided at the end of this article.

The ban applies to buildings which have a floor above 18 metres from the ground and are used for residential purposes, including student accommodation, registered care premises, hospitals and dormitories in boarding schools. The new regulations are not retrospective – they only apply to new build construction, replacement materials within a refurbishment and projects in which an existing building’s use is being changed to one of the relevant building types e.g. an office block converted into apartments.

The government has published an impact assessment outlining the implications of the ban, including projected costs involved. From a specification perspective, the new regulations provide greater clarity and a more straightforward route to compliance. In terms of balcony specification, one of the most obvious implications is a narrowing of options for decking and flooring materials. A number of materials with elements of wood, including composite decking products, were previously compliant but are no longer permissible as they are not A2-s1, d0 rated or class A1 under the Euroclass system.

Certain materials containing only a very small amount of organic compounds (e.g. concrete, steel, stone and ceramics) are deemed to satisfy the requirements of class A1 without testing. The highest possible European class for fire retardant wood products is class B. With its A1 rating, aluminium is an obvious choice for balcony flooring. It combines fireproof performance with a wide range of other benefits, including a recognised design life of at least 60-100 years. It’s maintenance-free, corrosive-free and 100% recyclable.

Aluminium is also lightweight (1/3 of the weight of steel) yet high in load-bearing capacity. This means it requires less supporting steelwork than other materials, thereby significantly reducing costs.  It can also be easily machined to provide a slip-resistant surface.

Even before the new regulations, aluminium was an increasingly popular choice due to these multiple advantages. Now that the new law has come into effect, this versatile metal is likely to experience a huge surge in demand and it could become established as the number one choice of material for balcony decking and flooring. Neaco offers a wide range of aluminium decking profiles with specially engineered anti-slip surfaces, efficient drainage and the highest levels of fire safety. To find out more, contact our technical support team.

 

 

THE EUROPEAN CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (EUROCLASS)

 

Many of the member countries of the European Union (EU) have adopted the harmonised Euroclass system which provides a common classification framework for building products based on their reaction-to-fire performance. Reaction properties include ease of ignition, spread of flame, evolution of smoke and toxic gases, and heat release rate of the burning material.

1) Fire classification of building products/materials

In the Euroclass system, materials are divided to seven classes on the basis of their reaction-to-fire properties: A1, A2, B, C, D, E and F.

The main properties to assign classification are non-combustibility, ignitability, flame spread, calorific value as well as the development of smoke and burning droplets. Depending on the outcome of the various properties, the product is assigned a fire classification as shown below.

 

balcony fire regulations

 

The diagram includes additional classes for smoke development:

s1 the structural element may emit a very limited amount of combustion gases

s2 the structural element may emit a limited amount of combustion gases

s3 no requirement for restricted production of combustion gases

 

 

The above diagram also includes additional classes for burning droplets

d0 burning droplets or particles must not be emitted from the structural element

d1 burning droplets or particles may be released in limited quantities

d2 no requirement for restriction of burning droplets and particles

 

 

2) Performance descriptions and scenarios

The performance description and the fire scenario for each class are outlined in the below table.

Indicative performance descriptions and fire scenarios for Euroclasses.

[table id=3 /]

 

 

3) Fire classification of structures

 

Construction materials and products are classified according to how they react to fire, but structures such as roofs and walls – as well as systems such as ventilation ducts and pipes – are classified based on their fire resistance. The following properties are tested and classified.

The test results are measure in terms of how many minutes the structural element resists the fire before the threshold for each criterion is exceeded.

 

balcony fire regulations

We’ve BIM Busy!

Building Information Modelling, otherwise known as BIM, has now been adopted by 74% of industry professionals, according to the 2018 NBS National BIM Report. If this tells us anything, it’s that BIM is an important tool for our industry and we should be embracing it too!

With this in mind, our technical team have been working tirelessly to update our BIM account. A great deal of work has already been carried out, from uploading new models, such as our classic Juliet Balcony, to rendering new 3D images of each of our products.

One of our technical specialists, Will, has been leading this project and says “after revising and updating our RIBA Product Selector and NBS account, Neaco products are now more accessible to architects and potential customers, making it easier to find and specify our flooring, balcony and balustrade ranges from an early stage in the design process.

By working closely with the NBS, we have now added our entire Techdek flooring range, more balcony products, clearly rendered thumbnail images and improved keywords and descriptions, allowing Neaco to utilise this platform to its full potential, to the benefit of all”.

There are many benefits that are associated with using BIM and here are just a few of our favourites:

Speedy Results: The counting of components becomes a much quicker process with the use of BIM because all of the hard work is carried out by the software. There’s also a drawing tool that can be found within the software, which is much faster than 2D drawing tools. As the platform is shared between all of its subscribers, this means that there is less need to duplicate drawings.

Collaboration: BIM lets users share models and information, which ensures a smoother process and allows for synergy; all of a project’s design stakeholders can have the same insights into the build at the same time.

Visualisation: An entire project can be visualised before any ground has even been broken on site, which is great for clients as well as industry professionals. BIM also has exciting features such as the ability to see how sunlight impacts the build during different times of the year. Being able to visualise the project early on means that issues can be spotted and changed so there’s less chance of having to make costly changes further into the build.

Accessibility: All of the models that feature on the platform are tied to a database that has a cloud facility; this means that the user can gain access from anywhere, at any time and on any device.

Our Prediction

With the adoption of technology increasing in everyday life, it’s our prediction that, before long, BIM will be a permanent fixture in all of our offices. In fact, we think that it’s just going to become more widely used within the construction industry. As a result, we will be continuing to invest time in the development and upkeep of our BIM models, especially as we hope to see our product specifications grow.

If you’re thinking of incorporating BIM in your day-to-day work but aren’t too sure where to start, there’s a lot of help out there. The NBS website is a good jumping-off point.

Who Said Retirement Villages Can’t Be Contemporary?

Our substantial balustrade and solar shading specifications give a modern twist to one of Castle Retirement Living’s retirement villages.

Designed by PRC Architecture and Planning Ltd and managed by Castleoak Care Partnership, the £35M Castle View Retirement Village in Windsor comprises of 136 new homes, a ground floor bistro, a skylounge and bar and even an on-site library. The development was designed with quality and comfort at the forefront and residents can choose from 1, 2 and 2 Bedroom Plus apartments. Assisted living packages are also available to those who may need a bit of extra help to maintain their independent lifestyle.

Robin Hughes, Castle Retirement Living’s CEO, says about Neaco’s contribution “good quality products, great people to deal with and thank you to Roger in your team who I got to know – he was very professional and a pleasure to deal with. We’ll work together again”.

The 13,000 square foot development incorporates our Stainless-Steel Balustrade system and Brise Soleil Solar Shades extensively throughout, which provides a contemporary look to a conventional build.

Our Managing Director, Alan Green says “Castle Retirement Living were a pleasure to deal with. Very responsive, with an eye for quality and keen to get things right”.

The independent lifestyle apartments at the Castle View development provide premium homes for people aged 55 and over and have an exceptionally high standard of facilities, which provide a genuine sense of community for its residents.

Our Stainless-Steel Balustrades offer a luxurious aesthetic as a result of the natural metallic sheen and precision-engineered detailing. Another benefit of incorporating our Stainless-Steel Balustrades is that they are completely resistant to fire and even retain their strength at high temperatures. Our Brise Soleil Solar Shading grilles provide a modern, durable and maintenance-free alternative to curtains and blinds and are also A1 fire rated.

Image courtesy of Castle Retirement Living.

Everything You Need To Know About Stainless Steel Balustrades

Stainless steel is an excellent choice of material in the specification of a handrail and balustrades, but it’s important to consider a number of factors to make sure you maximise its performance and aesthetic appeal. We explain the ins and outs of stainless steel balustrades…

What is Stainless Steel?

Stainless steel is a group of corrosion-resistant steel alloys which by definition comprise a minimum of 10.5% chromium. The chromium reacts with oxygen to produce an oxide film on the surface which provides corrosion resistance. Unlike coatings such as paint or galvanising, this passive film re-forms if it is damaged by abrasion, thereby continuing to protect the metal.

What advantages does stainless steel offer?

Corrosion resistance is not the only advantage gained by using stainless steel for a handrail and balustrades. They also offer the following attributes:

stainless steel handrails on a wooden finish staircase

Surface finishing

Stainless steel is known for the quality of its finish, making it a popular specification for high-end projects. However, the roughness of the finish can vary and determines the long-term performance of stainless steel.  Most ‘dull’ polished finishes result in surface roughness, depending on the type of belt/pad and polishing grit applied. Coarse polished finishes are prone to grooves which accumulate chloride ions that damage the passive film, reducing resistance to corrosion. A number of manufacturers offer ‘brushed’ or ‘satin polished’ finishes – the latter is better for corrosion resistance and infuses the stainless steel with an elegant shine. Unidirectional polishing can further improve the visual appeal of the finish.

A stainless steel handrail and balustrades with a satin polished finish

A stainless steel handrail and balustrades with a satin polished finish

Suitable grades for stainless steel balustrades

Certain grades of stainless steel are used in the built environment. Grade 304 is used when you need a handrail and balustrades in dry internal environments. Grade 316 (regarded as the standard ‘marine grade stainless steel’) is used when you need a handrail and balustrades for external environments, which require greater corrosion resistance.

 

Grade 304 stainless steel balustrades

Grade 304 stainless steel balustrades

Grade 316 stainless steel balustrades

Grade 316 stainless steel balustrades

Construction and installation

The construction of a handrail and balustrade in stainless steel is carried out by one of two methods: on-site fabrication or modular components which are manufactured off-site and assembled on-site. Fabrication often involves hot works such as welding which consume more energy and create more mess. It also leaves weld seams which are generally removed by grinding, a process which can affect the quality of the finish and lead to the associated problems outlined above. By contrast, modular systems – with off-site manufacture in factory conditions – offer a range of advantages which we outline here.

When using modular systems, it is important to consider the material and type of fixings which are used to connect and assemble the components. If a bolt, screw or other fastener is a different type of metallic material to the handrail and balustrades, this can cause galvanised corrosion accelerating the deterioration of the less noble material. This often results in unsightly rust-coloured leakage around the fixing/fastener.

Some modular systems are connected internally – for example, using ferrules – which obviates the issues caused by galvanised corrosion, as well as providing a smoother finish to the touch on handrails.

railing

Material costs

Stainless steel is more expensive than most of the other materials and metals commonly used for handrails and balustrades. However, savings can be achieved by combining it with less expensive components – for example, rather than use stainless steel rail infills, you could opt for glass panels or tension wire instead. Alternatively, you could combine stainless steel with powder coated aluminium – the coating prevents galvanised corrosion and provides a warm-to-the-touch finish with low thermal conductivity.

Stainless steel handrail with powder coated aluminium stanchions and infills

Stainless steel handrail with powder coated aluminium stanchions and infills

Stainless steel handrail and stanchions with tension wire infills

Stainless steel handrail and stanchions with tension wire infills

Stainless steel handrail and stanchions with glass infills

Stainless steel handrail and stanchions with glass infills

For further information about the design and specification of stainless steel handrails and balustrade please contact our team of technical experts on 01653 695 721 or enquire here.