PRODUCT SHOWCASE
NATRATEX RESTORES ESSEX PARK’S NATURAL BEAUTY
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avering Borough Council has used Bituchem’s Natratex hard landscaping material as part of regeneration works on Raphael Park in Romford. As
part of a Heritage Lottery Funded project, £1.87 million has been assigned for the restoration of the public parks to provide a cleaner and safer environment for the users to enjoy.
Natratex is Bituchem’s leading product and was specified by architects, Chris Blandford Associates, to resurface the footpaths in the park. Chosen for its aesthetics and previous success on a similar project, Natratex allows the hard landscaping to blend in with the natural surroundings to create a less urbanised look. Raphael Park is one of the leisure areas that spreads northwards from the railway line in Romford and was in need of rejuvenating to provide a pleasant area for local residents to enjoy. After having been used on Spinney Hill Park, a previous Heritage Lottery Funded scheme in Leicester, Natratex was specified for its aesthetic and durable qualities.
Applied by surface contractors Spade Oak, Natratex in Buff was used on the footpaths to increase the safety through better visibility in fading light and improving the surface quality through the elimination of cracks and potholes. The vibrant yet natural
colour provides an element of creativity while harmonising with the green surroundings, proving a refreshing option to the typical grey surfaces used in public areas. Don Stewart of Havering Borough Council and Parks Project Manager, explains why Natratex was chosen. “During the design stage of the Raphael Park restoration project the Council looked at a range of options for the finished footpath surface including traditional asphalt, resin bound gravel and a breedon gravel type treatment. The Council’s design criteria for the footpath surface treatment were the need to provide value for money, a minimal future maintenance requirement and the provision of a tough surface that would withstand relatively heavy use and that would remain attractive in the setting of an historic park. Following research and many site visits the Council chose Natratex. The footpaths contribute significantly to a transformed historic urban park which is loved by thousands of local people”.
The mechanics and functionality of Natratex is similar to traditional asphalt as it is laid and compacted at the same nominal thickness, using conventional equipment. The combination of the specially formulated clear binder and decorative aggregate produces a hardwearing surfacing material while offering an attractive natural stone finish.
Havering Borough Council has used Bituchem’s Natratex hard landscaping material as part of regeneration works on Raphael Park in Romford. As part of a Heritage Lottery Funded project, £1.87 million has been assigned for the restoration of the public parks to provide a cleaner and safer environment for the users to enjoy.
The versatility of Natratex is
demonstrated in its numerous applications from residential roads and driveways, pavements and cycle paths to playgrounds, car parks and area demarcation. It can be applied all year round and the Bituchem design team is available to suggest solutions to individual requirements, tailoring the aggregate type to suit the contract specification.
For more information call 01594 826768 email:
mark@bituchem.com, or visit
www.bituchem.com
HARVARD LAUNCHES SENSORNODE
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arvard Engineering, world leader in the design, development and manufacture of control products and LED drivers for
the lighting industry, has launched a new device called a SensorNode that enables presence detection for the company’s multi award-winning LeafNut monitoring and control system for outdoor and street lighting. The SensorNode automatically
overrides any scheduled dimming profiles on the system, returning the lights to full power for a specified period of time. The device operates via connection with an external presence detection unit, making it an ideal solution for installing on footpaths and cycle paths. Following recent concerns about turning lights off at night, the SensorNode allows local authorities to save energy
through scheduled dimming, and maintain the safety of residents with increased light levels when required. Russell Fletcher, sales and marketing
director at Harvard Engineering, commented, “Our SensorNode provides the ability to override dimming profiles when more light is needed for a set period. This means that councils can still save energy from their lighting, but without the worry of compromised public safety because lights are brought back to full brightness when someone enters the area.” LeafNut has been installed by over 100 local authorities across the world and is helping to save up to £46 per street light per year in energy costs, and up to 100kg of carbon per street light per year.
Harvard’s SensorNode
PUBLIC SECTOR ESTATES MANAGEMENT • MAY 2014
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