The Natural And Technological Unite At The NQCC

The new £33m National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) in Harwell, Oxfordshire, is a landmark laboratory created to drive quantum technologies for the future. Not only is the facility state-of-the-art in terms of technology but also in design. Rated BREEAM Excellent, architects Hawkins\Brown has conceived a dynamic and versatile work environment designed to deliver transformative results.

At the building’s heart are non-laboratory spaces full of open-plan areas for collaborative working, interaction and innovation. These are centred around a high linear atrium and link off to adjacent laboratories and the 12 quantum computers. At every stage of the design and specification, careful thought and diligence was given to the choice of materials, ensuring that the building uses products which minimise its carbon footprint, harness natural energy and provide a calm and inviting space for its users. To control sound reverberation from the open areas and hard surfaces,

Troldtekt’s wood wool acoustic panels were specified as floating clouds above the open break-out spaces and within the meeting rooms. These effectively maintain acoustic levels, leading to a more productive environment and promoting a healthy indoor climate. Troldtekt’s wood wool acoustic panels are Cradle to Cradle Certified® at Gold level and manufactured using wood from certified forests (PEFC/09-31-030 and FSC®C115450), positively contributing to a building’s BREEAM, WELL or LEED points. Panels can also be manufactured with FUTURECEM® which achieves an approx. 30 per cent lower carbon footprint than that of Troldtekt based on white cement.

Depending on the panel specified, reaction to fire is classed in accordance with EN 13501 as B-s1,d0 or A2-s1,d0 respectively. Available in a wide variety of different structures and colours, they combine optimal sound absorption with an award-winning design. The Troldtekt range has a minimum expected life cycle of 50 years coupled with excellent resistance to humidity and tested to meet ball impact standards. Panels can be supplied as natural wood, unpainted based on FUTURECEM™ offering a reduced carbon footprint or finished in almost any RAL or NCS colour. Samples, case studies and technical guidance are available from www.troldtekt.co.uk or see Troldtekt's product listings on NBS (https://bit.ly/3vxoTfq) or Material Bank (www.materialbank.eu).

Aluprof Excel In Passivhaus Projects

By Wojciech Brożyna - MD Aluprof UK. Passivhaus design is a set of standards and design principles to achieve exceptional energy efficiency, significantly reducing heating and cooling demands in buildings. By employing rigorous insulation standards, airtight construction and high-performance windows, Passivhaus buildings minimise energy loss and maintain stable indoor temperatures.

Wojciech Brożyna

The use of heat recovery ventilation systems ensures that fresh air is continuously supplied, whilst retaining warmth in winter and coolness in summer. This leads to dramatically lower energy bills and a reduced carbon footprint. Additionally, the controlled indoor environment enhances occupant comfort, liminating drafts, temperature fluctuations, and cold bridging.

Specifying Passivhaus windows, doors and facades from Aluprof contributes to sustainability by reducing reliance on fossil fuels and supporting the transition to net-zero carbon emissions. The methodology prioritises efficient use of materials, often incorporating sustainable and recycled options. Beyond environmental benefits, Passivhaus buildings promote superior indoor air quality through continuous ventilation and effective pollutant filtration. This is particularly beneficial for occupants with respiratory issues or allergies. The focus on thermal comfort and noise reduction further enhances the well-being of occupants, making Passivhaus a holistic approach to healthy and sustainable living spaces.

Aluprof was the first systems company in the UK to design and supply Passivhaus certified aluminium framed glazing systems and currently has the widest range of Passivhaus Trust certified aluminium windows, doors and curtain wall systems. Utilising low-carbon aluminium helps reduce embodied carbon emissions during the production phase, while the thermally efficient products further lower operational carbon emissions throughout the building's life by reducing energy demand. Sustainability is further enhanced as quality methods of construction with high quality finishes, well specified and designed products supplied by Aluprof, can offer many decades of extended service life.

Some of the projects supplied by Aluprof in recent years include the following high profile buildings: The RAD Building (GERA Building) is a 2,500 sqm Passivhaus certified research facility for the University of Nottingham, providing laboratory, office and support accommodation for the UK Government Energy Research Acceleration Initiative, known as the ‘RAD’ Building (Research Acceleration & Demonstration) on the Jubilee campus. The building achieves a BREEAM Excellent rating and includes extensive Passivhaus measures to reduce energy requirements. Aluprof’s high performance TT50 curtain wall & MB104 window and door systems have been used throughout the building offering very high levels of insulation. On completion the building has been extensively tested and has gained the coveted Passivhaus certification.

Purdown View at University of Western England (UWE) Bristol, is a remarkable milestone in sustainable living, featuring more than 900 bedrooms distributed across three striking six-story buildings. With a total floor area of 21,000 sqm, Purdown View is distinguished as the largest certified Passivhaus development in the United Kingdom to date. It was designed by Stride Treglown and uses Aluprof’s high performance TT50 curtain wall & MB104 window and door systems, the project was fabricated and installed by DenvalCo. The Greenhaus project stands as the largest Passivhaus affordable housing initiative in the North West. The development was completed for the English Cities Fund (ECF), a collaborative effort involving Muse, Legal & General, and Homes England, in partnership with Salix Homes, a Housing Association in Salford, and with the support of Salford City Council. Greenhaus features 96 highly sustainable and affordable residences within a nine-storey structure located on Chapel Street in Salford.

The project, designed by Buttress architects and constructed by Eric Wright Construction, has received official certification from the Passivhaus-Institut, the organisation dedicated to promoting and certifying this internationally recognised building standard. Voreda House in Penrith has undergone a significant transformation from its previous role as an NHS office to become the council's energy-efficient northern anchor building. This facility is notable for being the first retrofit office in the UK to achieve the Passivhaus EnerPHit standard, with projected energy savings of 85%.

This initiative aligns with the council's dedication to minimising its carbon footprint and taking a leading role in the pursuit of carbon neutrality. The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) undertakes groundbreaking research and maintains a Research Station located 67º south on Adelaide Island which was established in 1975. Known as Rothera, the busy station is used as a hub for other countries working in the area, offering a landing strip and wharf. The site has continued to develop over the years and in 2018 work began on the new Discovery Building, named to commemorate the discovery of Antarctica 200 years ago by the British naval officer Edward Bransfield in 1820.

High thermal performance windows specified on the project have been provided by Aluprof. The MB-86 ST window and door system has been designed to offer outstanding insulation properties. Offered in three varieties, ST, SI and AERO the MB-86 was the first ever aluminium system to employ silica aerogel, a nano-porous material that has a very high proportion of free void volume compared to conventional solid materials. Aerogel’s high pore volume, low solid content, and its ‘torturous path amorphous structure’ offer very low values of thermal conductivity.

Aluprof UK have been supporting specifiers in the UK and Ireland for over fifteen years with advanced systems that include, high performance windows doors and facade systems. Many UK and Ireland based fabricators and installers supply these systems and are on hand to offer surveys and cost analysis as to what improvements can be made with likely paybacks. Further information about systems and specification support is available through the company website at aluprof.co.uk or direct from their UK head office in Altrincham by phoning +44 (0) 161 941 4005.

City Council Specifies ISO Chemie For Energy Improvement Pilot Project

ISO Chemie’s thermal insulating and load bearing bracket support system has been specified for a new energy saving pilot project being carried out by Cambridge City Council. The move sees WINFRAMER units retrofitted around new windows currently being installed at council owned properties in the Ross Street and Coldham’s Grove area to bring them up to a net zero carbon standard. An insulation layer is also being installed in front of each unit and clad over to significantly reduce heat loss and improve energy efficiency.

The improvement works are part of a wider initiative by the council to reduce a third of residential-based carbon dioxide emissions in the city, providing improved housing and wellbeing for homeowners along with long-term cost savings.

As well as reduced energy consumption and emissions, the project aims to deliver a consistent and comfortable indoor temperature throughout the year for tenants, better ventilation and indoor air quality with no damp or draughts, together with attractive homes in a state of good repair.

Passivhaus certified and fire rated to up to 30 minutes, WINFRAMER is a prefabricated installation frame, manufactured to accommodate cavities up to 250mm that allows windows to be supported independently from the face of the wall regardless of any external cladding being in place. Quick and easy to install, the product can be integrated alongside other systems to achieve Passivhaus certified window perimeter sealing performance.

The Cambridge project comes as the Government’s strategy continues to push to reduce carbon levels in housing that has single skin, cavity or non-cavity walls - these properties have a reputation for losing considerable amounts of energy, heat and sound. The ISO Chemie products are expected to deliver improved levels of air tightness and thermal performance across the properties when the work is completed in July 2025.

The WINFRAMER together with the windows are being installed by Lincolnshire-based manufacturers and suppliers of windows, doors and conservatories, Synerjy Ltd. The company’s managing director said Cambridge City Council’s sustainability strategy outlines a roadmap that leads to its housing stock achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2030.

He added: “With the sustainability programme in mind, we are retrofitting these properties to help the council achieve zero carbon ready standards. This work is scheduled to complete this summer and ISO Chemie’s products will undoubtedly prove their value in delivering long-term beneficial energy efficiency improvements.”

Nick Thompson, ISO Chemie’s technical adviser, said: “As new building regulations continue to take effect, property owners and landlords are increasingly requiring smarter ways to deliver their refurb projects through sustainable technologies. Our products can support this activity, providing high performance airtight, acoustic and thermal sealing solutions.”

The composite WINFRAMER brackets can bear heavy window loads, including bi-fold doors, to provide a reliable, strong and high-performance support frame. Installation is quick with windows attached directly and secured mechanically using either standard fixing screws or fixing lugs in the usual manner. A hinged insulation core combines with the composite structural bracket to become an integral part of the overall wall structure, providing compliance with window energy saving regulations (EnEV) and the RAL quality assurance association.  https://www.iso-chemie.eu/en-GB/home/