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A Green Guide 'A' rating has been awarded to Liversedge, West Yorkshire-based Heckmondwicke for all its fibre bonded carpet and carpet tiles submitted for environmental profiling by the Building Research Establishment. 'The environment profiles are created by identifying and assessing the environmental effects of building materials over their entire life cycle,' said marketing manager Abby Chandler. 'This standardised method of collecting and analysing data ensures a level playing field for comparing the environmental profiles of different flooring ranges and and types.' The Green Guide A rating for products like Supacord and Broadrib, offer Heckmondwicke FB the opportunity to present architects and designers with credible environmental information cutting through the significant number of claims and counterclaim. In 2005 the company was awarded full accreditation to the Environment Management System ISO 14001.

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Europe's largest supplier of aluminium building systems has launched a design guide to aluminium facades. Hydro Building Systems, which offers the Technal and Wicona brands, has issued a handbook which looks at the latest technological developments in lightweight facades.

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Three varieties of Canadian roofing slate are now available from Cembrit Blunn. The range comprised of Trinity, Glacier and Glendyne, offers specifiers and roofers a choice of authentic product. 'With the well-documented re-organisation in the Welsh slate industry our comprehensive Canadian slate range is available ex-stock and supplies look good for the foreseeable future,' said Ged Ferris, marketing manager at Cembritt Blunn. 'Canadian slate has similar qualities to Welsh slate and is consistent and easy to work with.'

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Curtain walling from Kawneer has enabled a firm of architects to not only improve the external look of a high-spec office building in the City but to increase internal lettable area. The AA110 curtain walling was designed and fabricated by Kawneer-approved installer Siac who mounted it between pre-cast concrete columns.

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A superb finish and full marks for speed and neatness have put machine applied MP75 plaster from Knauf Drywall at the top of the class on a secondary school building site in Oldham, Lancashire. With a single machine, a team of three plasterers and a labourer is well on the way to completing the 22,000m² project involving 220 tons of plaster comfortably ahead of schedule. Knauf MP75 is described as a fast and tough alternative to traditional two coat plasters, and one of the most productive building materials on the market. It is a fast-drying projection plaster specially formulated for one-coat machine application on most interior walling surfaces. It is particularly suitable for surfaces such as brickwork, blockwork and concrete. Supplied in 25kg bags, Knauf MP75 is machine mixed with water to yield about 28 litres of wet plaster to cover around three square metres at an average thickness of 1cm. The plaster is machine-applied to wall in horizontal bands, then simply ruled and floated manually for a durable, smooth white finish. It is available abrasive proof and fire retarding and is ideal for decorating or tiling.

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Block Paving Fix, a ready-to-use grout that is claimed to provide an even quicker professional finish for all types of block paving, is the latest addition to Sika's product range. Said to be easy to apply the grout is simply sweeped into the joint and sealed by soaking with water. The mix dries to a hard cured, durable finish that resists weed growth and protects the surface from moisture. Packaged in 15kg bucket, each container provides coverage for around 35m² of paving. Unlike cement the product also enables block paving to be re-used if required. The recently launched product sits alongside the company's already successful Pave Fix, a ready-to-use, self setting jointing compound aimed specifically at paving and blocks with joints from 5mm width upwards.

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Two types of fibre cement rainscreen cladding panels from Marley Eternit met a host of performance criteria for the award-winning development of a derelict 1960s Government office building in a rundown area of Glasgow. The manufacturer's Multiclad and Glasal panels, both in grey were specified for their light weight because the design involved stripping the building back to its concrete frame and erecting two steel bracing towers to allow the backbone of concrete cores to be demolished.

Details for Eternit UK Ltd

Two types of fibre cement rainscreen cladding panels from Marley Eternit met a host of performance criteria for the award-winning development of a derelict 1960s Government office building in a rundown area of Glasgow. The manufacturer's Multiclad and Glasal panels, both in grey were specified for their light weight because the design involved stripping the building back to its concrete frame and erecting two steel bracing towers to allow the backbone of concrete cores to be demolished.

Details for Marley Eternit

Specialist bonding and sealing solution for a mirrored glass structure at London's Royal Observatory was supplied by Sika. Sikasil SG-500 structural silicone adhesive was used to bond the 12 large individual panes of glass after they were carefully craned into position. Fast-curing, it is said to have unrivalled resistance to UV and weathering, with stability through a wide temperature range.

Details for Sika Ltd

As poor lighting control can spoil the whole viewing experience, Hamilton Litestat has developed its Digital Mercury System lighting control system. The miniaturization of circuit boards has made it possible for the company to create custom installations. These integrated controllers, which are extremely compact can incorporate sound and lighting controls, heating and ventilation systems.

Details for Hamilton Litestat Group