Back page Have you thought of… …doing a prehistoric refurb?

Aggregates company Lafarge recently became an unlikely participant in the restoration of an ancient Ice Age cave at Creswell Crags limestone gorge on the Derbyshire/Nottinghamshire border, when it was asked by scientists to supply around 10 tonnes of crushed limestone backfill for the project. The previously unexcavated cave is considered highly significant as

it is located beneath Church Hole, where Europe’s most northerly Ice Age cave art was discovered in 2003. The crushed limestone was taken from nearby Whitwell Quarry, and used to backfill excavations as part of efforts to restore the cave as closely as possible to its original state. It certainly takes restoring the fabric of the past to a whole new level.

…giving your keyboard a wash?

Workwear manufacturer Blåkläder has used real Swedish construction workers in a new TV advert and press campaign called “Everyday Heroes”, featuring Sweden’s finest toiling on construction and roadworks projects. Blåkläder says its garments are designed to provide “the ultimate protection to customers, the heroes who defy the weather and wind every day to make our lives safer and better”. Nice, but wait a minute, where are their hard hats? These guys wouldn’t pass muster on a UK site. But we’re pleased to note that their counterparts on the TV ad do appear to have mastered the basics of health and safety. www.blaklader.com

...BRUSHING UP ON CONSTRUCTION DETAILS BY STUDYING ANIMATIONS?

That’s the idea behind a range of animated videos by Sustainable Building Solutions, part of the Travis Perkins Group, which offer instruction on building sustainable junction details using traditional building methods. The four computer-modelled

animations, available to view on the SBS website, feature technical

Editor Elaine Knutt +44 20 7490 5636

Associate editor Denise Chevin +44 20 7490 5636

Contributing editor Stephen Cousins

Production editor Lucien Howlett

Art editor Mark Bergin

70 | SEPTEMBER 2012 | CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

Tel: +44 20 7490 5595 Fax: +44 20 7490 4957 firstname@atompublishing.co.uk

Advertising manager James Magnani +44 20 7490 5661

Publisher Emma Tilley

Managing director Stephen Quirke

solutions for installing windows, ground floor beam and block construction, intermediate floor

installation and creating a non- habitable roof.

Each junction has been

thermally modelled by BRE and accredited by LABC.

We found the action a little slow, so it’s probably not one to watch with the kids.

www.sustainablebuildingsolutions. co.uk

Construction Manager Published for the Chartered Institute of Building by Atom Publishing Clerkenwell House 45/47 Clerkenwell Green London EC1R 0EB

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30 June 2011

Construction Manager is published monthly by Atom Publishing. The contents of this magazine are copyright. Reproduction in part or in full is forbidden without permission of the editor. The opinions expressed by writers of signed articles (even with pseudonyms) and letters appearing in the magazine are those of their respective authors, and neither the CIOB, Atom Publishing nor Construction Manager is responsible for these opinions or statements. The editor will give careful consideration to material submitted – articles, photographs, drawings and so on – but does not undertake responsibility for damage or their safe return. Printed by Headley Brothers Ltd. All rights in the magazine, including copyright, content and design, are owned by CIOB and/or Atom Publishing. ISSN 1360 3566

When CM heard about the washable Logitech K310 computer keyboard, the collective reaction was “I could do with one of those” — and we’re not anywhere near a dirt-prone construction site. The keyboard is designed to be hand washed in water without damaging its life or effectiveness. Manufactured by Logitech for

Business, the keyboard features drainage holes at the back to speed drying and key characters are laser printed and UV coated to ensure that letters don’t fade in the wash. Apart from the USB cable, it can be submerged in up to 11 inches of water, which we think would be a very useful feature if you ever decide to take a bath with it.