Refurbishment
Roof Systems
Over-roofing is often the best option for refurbishing existing roofs which have come to the end of their functional life or become uneconomic to repair.
Advantages include:
-
Avoiding the cost of stripping and disposing of the redundant material.
Minimising the disruption to occupancy and restricting exposure of the building fabric, thus allowing uninterrupted production. -
Not all roofs are suitable and consideration must be given to:
-
The structural stability of the original framing and secondary purlins and its capability of withstanding the increased loading.
Interstitial condensation within the construction and its effect on hidden components.
The safety of operatives working on the roof.
When over-roofing it is wise to presume that the existing construction is porous and the designed thermal performance has decreased to such an extent it may be ignored.
Euroclads’ spacer systems fitted over the Euroclad vapour barrier are eminently suitable for over-roofing purposes with Eurobar having an extensive range of single leg brackets which will fit into the trough of almost any profiled sheet, whether asbestos cement or metal, ever made.
Eurobar extra with its twin legged bracket or mast is better suited to over-sheeting old metal or flat roofing situations where its increased strength provides better span characteristics and the increased heights allow the implementation of better falls. The range enables us to provide specifications for a variety of ‘U’ values all modelled using our state of the art Trisco 3-D thermal modelling system.
Elite systems providing a guaranteed performance are available for over-roofing and NBS specifications and basic construction sections are available on line or on request.
Wall Systems
Renovating and transforming old dated, unattractive buildings into things of striking beauty can be a lot quicker and easier than many people think, thanks to modern construction materials.
The 1960s and 1970s may have been halcyon days for popular culture in the UK, but the same cannot always be said for the architecture of the time. The legacy of back-to-basics aesthetics and an infatuation with cheap and easy construction methods is a nation littered with buildings which at best are tolerable and at worst just plain ugly.
Of course, many of these buildings function perfectly well and the interiors may be ideal for use, but there is something fundamentally disheartening about arriving at work and feeling uninspired or even embarrassed. Fortunately, today's commercial architecture is at the other end of rhe scale. It is exciting and dramatic and towns and cities look and feel a lot better as a result ofthe ncw buildings and offices being erected using modern materials and methods of construction.
In the 21st Century, where you work is as much of a statement about you as the car you drive and we all want to be able to point and proudly say; "That's where I work." However, it is simply not feasible to let an ugly but useable building in a prime site waste away. Short of ripping it down and starting again, the only realistic option for giving a building a new lease of life and - increasing its appeal and value is major refurbishment. Thankfully, using modern materials, stunning transformations are possible and an unattractive building can be given a real facelift.
The Boston Building on Swan Street in Glasgow - Before [ shown below]
The Boston Building in Glasgow's 
Swan Street is an example of what can be done to transform a 1960s eyesore into an attractive modern building. The three storey ofice building, halfa mile from Glasgow's city centre, has enjoyed internal and external rehrbishment which includes striking black exterior panelling and a new glass and steel rooftop extension to create a 'penthouse' floor and feature balcony.
Formerly the Glasgow headquarters of the British Red Cross, the building sits just off the M8 and in a highly visible location in a rapidly improving area. As it stood, the building would have rcmained an eyesore and attracting good quality tenants would have proved difficult. The exterior rainscreen overcladding from Euroclad which predominantly givcs the building its modern character, comprises Eurodad's LINEAR fagade system in black ALPOLIClfr ACM (aluminium composite material) attached to a carrier system which is fixed to thc original brickwork. This carrier system creates a cavity into which additional insulation has been fitted to improve the building's thermal and acoustic performance.
Metal composite materials (MCM), incorporating ACM, are proving to be an increasingly popular material for use in modern buildings and referbishments as it is light, strong and durable, and provides less of a strain on the building structure than heavier options. But crucially it is very flat, a key consideration for ensuring a striking finish. When designing a building, architects will often want to achieve a mirror-like smoothness. A building which looks like it has a cellulite problem is not usually the desired aim. MCM can be smoother and flatter than glass and, as it can be delivered in a range of colours, can offer the architect design freedom which other materials cannot deliver. MCM is often the material of choice in modern buildings because of the colour consistency of the coatings. However, there are important choices to bc made when considering ACM. Aluminium Composite Material is made up of two skins of 0.5mm aluminium bonded to a core of either polyethylene or non-combustible mineral material.
An ACM using a non-combustible mineral core, eg. ALPOLICIfr, is a low risk option that passes mandatory requirements and will not aid the spread of fire, which is a clear added advantage in safety. Black panels are proving increasingly popular and the colour is dearly in vogue. The way a building looks can have a noticeable effect on the people who use it. This has been long accepted within the education sector and is being increasingly recognised in commerce. The finished effect in Glasgow is remarkable and there can be few people who wouldn't feel impressed visiting or working in the Boston Building.
