Product News


Invisible door automation opens historic Oxford College entrance


T


he Grade II listed dining hall at Pembroke College, Oxford University has undergone a significant upgrade. Architects Walters & Cohen, in collaboration with Glasstec, has addressed the issue of draughts from the hall’s heavy timber doors by installing an elegant yet highly functional, self-opening glazed entrance door.


This creative solution incorporates a TORMAX iMotion 1401 concealed door drive, providing invisible automation for the swing door. The result is a warm, draught-free environment that enhances thermal comfort and energy efficiency without compromising the hall’s historic charm.


The new entrance door is a testament to the seamless integration of modern technology within a historic setting. The TORMAX iMotion 1401, located discreetly in a steel casing beneath the door, ensures that the aesthetic integrity of the Victorian stonework remains intact.


“We are delighted with the successful installation of the new entrance door, which cleverly balances functionality and heritage conservation,” said Vanessa Gouws, Operations Bursar of Pembroke College. “This intervention has helped improve the energy efficiency of the dining hall, the second biggest fuel consumer in Pembroke’s estate, not to mention helping keep diners and dinners warm.”


TORMAX is a global leader in door automation systems, renowned for their innovative designs and commitment to quality.


Designed in-house at the TORMAX headquarters in Switzerland, the iMotion range of automatic door operators incorporate a motor with none of the elements that generally


wear out, such as gears and brushes. This ensures exceptional longevity and demands only minimal ongoing maintenance, making it entirely feasible to situate the drive in a concealed location.


“In addition to the iMotion 1401 underfloor door drive, we offer the iMotion 1302.KI which is concealed within the door lintel,” comments Simon Roberts, MD for TORMAX UK. “Together, these options can deliver practical access solutions for almost any location where the traditional appearance of an entrance must be preserved.”


www.tormax.co.uk


Manor Drive Academy choose Fermacell® for new school development


As part of the Manor Drive Academy development in Peterborough, architects Jestico + Whiles and contractor Raimondas Petrulis have specified the unique building board fermacell®


for the


ceilings and walls in its new sports hall.


Part of a range of products by James


Hardie, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of building materials, fermacell®


was used to


is a fibre gypsum board which provides superior fire resistance, acoustic performance and impact strength. For the sports hall wall construction, a double layer lining of 12.5 mm fermacell®


ensure higher levels of protection against ball impact, and provide long- term durability. The high-density board comes with a 20-year impact warranty and can be installed before the building is water tight, which not only helped with the speed of the build but also had a positive impact on carbon reduction as fermacell®


is verified to store C02*.


The new four-court sports hall is a major part of the Manor Drive School development. Manor Drive Secondary Academy adjoins the primary building and at full capacity the schools will cater for up to 1346 students.


www.fermacell.co.uk/en 20 Autumn 2024 issue 4177


Achieving Passivhaus accrediation with Forbo Flooring


Based in Perth, Scotland, Riverside Primary School is the first Passivhaus designed primary school in Scotland. Passivhaus


certification and performance was a key priority for Perth and Kinross Council, with this brief informing many of the


specifications made for the construction and internal finishes of the new school.


Sam Boyle, Associate at Architype spoke on the project, saying: “With the Passivhaus standard set as a key target by Perth and Kinross council, our team had to overcome a range of design challenges to meet the stringent technical performance requirements for the accreditation. Thanks to clever specification and design choices, we were able to achieve this, with the new school estimated to reduce energy costs by 70% compared with a CIBSE typical benchmark school.


“To meet the Passivhaus standard, it was important that the materials we put into the building were carefully chosen. This was one of the main reasons behind our use of Forbo’s flooring solutions, with its industry- leading sustainability credentials and wide range of designs ideal for satisfying the project expectations.”


www.forbo.com/flooring/en-uk/segments/education/pcgtu9


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