Rolled Lead Sheet – spanning the centuries

Richard Diment, Chief Executive, Lead Sheet Association, discusses how a traditional material successfully bridges the gap between old and new. It is always satisfying to see a tried and tested traditional material finding modern uses. Rolled Lead Sheet has been... View Article

Operational energy efficiency

Dr Justin Furness, CAB technical director, discusses why aluminium is an energy-efficient option and outlines the role of the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) in responsible sourcing. The need for investment in energy efficient buildings has featured in several of the... View Article

Why metal gutters are the popular choice

The Metal Gutter Manufacturers Association (MGMA) explains why metal gutter systems are growing in popularity. If you are looking for a rainwater system that really performs and stands the tests of time, metal systems should be the first choice. Although... View Article

Exciting the imagination

An unremarkable piece of canal-side industrial estate in a leafy Hertfordshire has been transformed into a showcase office complex for one of the UK’s most innovative companies, writes Ray Philpott When a world-leading technology business decides to build a new... View Article

A close-up view on polycarbonate glazing

Vicky Evans, director, Twinfix Limited, discusses the comparison of polycarbonate and glass in overhead glazing. Polycarbonate, a modern day engineering thermoplastic glazing sheet, offers many benefits over glass for use in overhead glazing. Polycarbonate sheet, with its high strength to... View Article

Skylights break new heights

With an increased preoccupation with creating more energy-efficient buildings, skylight manufacturers have seen a heightened demand for intelligent glazing solutions. But how do the flat roof skylights fair in comparison to their window counterparts? Justin Seldis, managing director of skylight... View Article

Daylight – the new building product

Architect Christopher Sykes looks at how the ‘rediscovery’ of daylighting is radically changing architecture and is having an increasing influence on our lives. He also examines the new design and engineering solutions delivered by leading glazing engineers and contractors, such... View Article

An altogether different glass

Increasingly used in modern railway station design, security glass is not only an aesthetically useful material, it helps to make these busy public spaces safer. Ray Philpott reports. The UK’s railway stations are visibly benefiting from significant overall investment in the... View Article

Design versus functionality

Jon Palethorpe, commercial director at Sapa Building Systems, examines the growing trend for using aluminium curtain walling systems and explains why they’ve become integral to contemporary architectural design . Creating beautiful and striking buildings that are also innovative and push... View Article

Mount Pleasant Mail Centre sorted

For Boyes Rees, architects working on the project to redevelop London’s historic Mount Pleasant Mail Centre, the differing styles in the external envelope were to present a challenge, particularly with regard to the windows and glazing. Steve Menary reports. The Mount... View Article

Gehry’s Parisian Dream

Featuring 12 giant glass and steel ‘sails’, the £80 million Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy Foundation for Creation in Paris is arguably Frank Gehry’s most structurally daring project to date, requiring a plethora of innovative construction products and technologies to realise.... View Article

The design options for internal glazing

The design options available for internal glazing are as wide as the design options available on the external face of a building, but there are two clear trends emerging at the moment and they sit at opposite ends of the... View Article

Single ply roofing systems – a sustainable alternative to metal

Hard-wearing and aesthetically pleasing, metal roof surfaces have long been a popular choice for refurbishments and new builds alike. However, these systems also include a number of potential drawbacks. Paul Martin, architectural sales manager at Langley Waterproofing Systems Ltd, looks... View Article

SIG Zinc & Copper detects metal renaissance

Growing numbers of architects are choosing metal for roofs and cladding not only because of its undoubted green credentials and lustrous good looks but also because the use of the material has evolved stylistically. By Simon Walker, category manager for... View Article