BUILDINGS, MAINTENANCE & REFURBISHMENT


Designing for disassembly B


uilding designers and clients are showing increasing interest in an idea which I believe


will benefit UK education sector building programmes. I am referring to “Design for Disassembly”, where the building is designed so it can be easily taken apart at the end of its life and the materials re-used in some way. The idea also includes limiting the variety of


building materials to make handling and processing easier, and fixing them together in a way that is reversible e.g. by using bolts and mechanical fixings rather than adhesives and welding. This concept has obvious environmental benefits and matches the idea of the circular economy. Better still, it can make buildings cheaper and reduce construction times. For part of my career, I worked as a building


Comment by Richard Aylen Technical Manager, Junckers


surveyor, predominantly in school buildings. I have seen at first-hand many buildings that require adaptation to suit modern teaching. Problems such as the size and layout of classrooms, human comfort issues such as daylighting, overheating, installation of air handling, new services and technology can all present challenges in buildings that were designed in the mid to late 20th century. We can also be sure that educations’ needs will continue to evolve and what we are building today will in turn become obsolete. The design for disassembly philosophy makes it


more viable to design a building with a defined life span that may be shorter than the usual 60 years “industry standard”. If it is anticipated that a school


building will be obsolete in say 25 years, demolition may be acceptable if we have used recyclable, low embodied carbon materials which can be re-used in a new building. The opportunities and benefit to the environment are optimised if the chosen materials also have a long service life and are easy to dismantle. If this method gains popularity building material


manufacturers will innovate and adapt products to make them more suitable for re-use, however there are materials we see every day that “tick all the boxes” for design for dismantling, and a fine example will probably be there already in your own school. I am referring to timber floors - you may well have


one in your sports hall, dance studio or main hall. A solid hardwood floor is carbon neutral so does not contribute to global warming. The best floors will have sustainable forestry certification (FSC and/or PEFC) so they do not harm biodiversity or otherwise reduce the areas of forest. Usually, a solid hardwood floor can easily be lifted and taken apart and will be in good condition so it can be re-used. It can be sanded and resealed to make it look nearly new when it is installed in its new home, and the fact that a solid 22mm thick hardwood floor will have a life span in excess of 60 years means there may be many years of useful life left in the floor if it should be repurposed…so we already have proof that designing for disassembly is a real and achievable opportunity.


New Odyssey carpet tiles launched H


eckmondwike FB has launched its celebrated


design-led commercial carpet tile range, Odyssey. Pairing a bold design with


durable features, Odyssey is completely unique to the fibre bonded carpet sector. One of a kind, eye-catching


PREMIER AWARDED PLACE ON £1.6BN PUBLIC SECTOR FRAMEWORK FOR MODULAR CONSTRUCTION


P


remier Modular, one of the UK’s leading offsite construction specialists, has been awarded a place on the £1.6bn NHS Shared


Business Services modular construction framework. Premier was successful in all seven lots applied for and scored highly in


the top quartile of modular specialists. The NHS Shared Business Services framework will run for up to four years and can be used by a range of public sector clients in the education, healthcare and residential sectors. To qualify, Premier had to demonstrate their expertise and experience


in offering a full turnkey construction solution, including feasibility studies, planning applications, architectural design, enabling works, site works, landscaping and commissioning.


uwww.premiermodular.co.uk 36 www.education-today.co.uk


interiors have never before been so easy to create. Contrasting colours are ideal for walkways, social distancing, or contemporary breakout spaces. The 50cm x 50cm tiles are interchangeable and can be easily moved, allowing for continuing customisation for years to come. Encouraging further creativity,


Heckmondwike also suggests mixing and matching with their leading Supacord range for particularly striking designs. Choosing contrasting, strong colours will really pop against the cool tones of Odyssey for an original look. The diverse nature of the carpet tiles presents endless design benefits.


Chevrons, checks, and geometric patterns add character to any commercial area. Placing two alternating colours to create directional walkways and contrasting blocks can help to distinguish between specific areas, creating zones within open-plan spaces. Easy to lift and move, the tiles can be swapped to adapt to your changing needs.


u01924 406 161 usales@heckmondwike-fb.co.uk September 2021


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