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Latest News(20 June 2008)
The only insulating concrete form (ICF) system claimed to be designed exclusively for the UK market has achieved BBA approval.
The environmentally friendly construction system complies with Building Regulations and British Standards. Benefits include design flexibility, ease of use, speed of construction and cost effectiveness as well as thermal efficiency with a U value of 0.20W/m2K – well below the Building Regulations Part L requirement.
The BBA's Certificates have been providing authoritative and independent information on the performance of building products for over 40 years. Every Certificate contains important data on durability, installation and compliance with Building Regulations for the UK.
Assessment involves three distinct areas - laboratory testing (carried out wherever possible to UKAS requirements), site inspections (undertaken by the BBA's own inspection services team), and factory production control.
Graeme Howorth, who co-developed the ICF Tech system with his brother Malcolm and colleague Peter Dunford said: ‘The combination of two common building materials – expanded polystyrene and concrete – provides a quick and practical building system which can be constructed by relatively unskilled labour into a high performance insulated structure, which is both durable and strong’.
Once on site a typical family house can be ready for the roof to go on inside one week. An ICF building can look like any other by adding brick slip systems, timber cladding, render or commercial cladding systems.
LABC UPDATES MULTIFOIL GUIDANCE (20 June 2008)
The LABC has issued a revised Technical Guidance Note (Certificate No 06/001 Revision C) for building control personnel. This deals with multifoil insulation and has been issued following recent developments in the long-running multifoil story.
The LABC working group remains of the opinion ‘that the thermal performance of all insulation materials should be determined by testing to National, European of international standards by organisation which have been accredited to do so. The group is not aware of any multifoil product… that meets the normal roof U value of 0.2 when used as a single layer without the need for additional insulation’.
The group recognises the existing of several Agrément Certificates for multifoils and considers the use of any multifoil which has an Agrément Certificate to be acceptable, providing it is used as directed in the Certificate.
The LABC document can be downloaded via the web. Full information on BBA approved multifoils is available through the BBA website.
STOPPING COWBOY BUILDERS AND ROGUE TRADESMEN (20 June 2008)
As a TrustMark services provider, the BBA was invited to a recent event at the Palace of Westminster to Launch an anti-cowboy builder and rogue tradesman campaign by TrustMark.
The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Gareth Thomas MP, addressed MPs asking them to support and promote TrustMark locally in their constituencies in the fight against cowboy builders and rogue traders.
In his address the Minister stated that he was delighted to be able to continue to help raise awareness of TrustMark as it had made excellent progress over the last twelve months in informing the public about the risks of employing Cowboy Builders and Rogue Tradesmen, as well as providing them with the alternatives that are now open to them to secure good quality tradesmen.
The problem of cowboy builders and rogue tradesmen in the domestic repair, maintenance and improvement (RMI) sector is a very serious one. Year after year, Trading Standards officers receive an increasing number of complaints about building related work that is carried out around the UK.
Cowboy builders and rogue traders ruin the homes and lives of hundreds of thousands of people every year, and give a bad name to an industry which in reality is full of hard-working and trustworthy professionals.
The Minister concluded by pointing out that TrustMark offers an excellent scheme at no extra cost to the consumer.
Deep Sagar ‘Chair of TrustMark’ backed the Minister’s comments and went on to say: ‘TrustMark is also about education and about introducing choice for homeowners. People can now choose: they can hire a good quality reputable tradesman who is TrustMark approved, or they can go for the cash-in-hand rogue with only a mobile phone number for contact and no references or accreditations’.
The TrustMark standards include competence, financial standing and fair and independent redress mechanisms.
MPs were asked to help in getting this message out to all their constituents, so that they can now realise they have a choice and can be protected against cowboy builders and rogue traders that operate locally to them.
Tackling the increasing ‘Cowboy and Rogue’ problem won’t be easy and it won’t be instantaneous. But TrustMark is making a difference and with consumers help is confident that it will become more difficult for the rogues to take advantage of the general public. For further information, visit Trustmark’s website: http://www.trustmark.org.uk.
RECENT CERTIFICATE CHANGES.
New Certificates added between 29 April 2008 and 16 June 2008
07/4437 PRESEAL WEATHERGUARD - Preseal Boards Ltd
Amendments to Existing Certificates between 29 April 2008 and 16 June 2008
00/3678 RIDGIDRAIN ADVANCED DRAINAGE SYSTEM - Polypipe Civils Ltd
Detail Sheets added between 29 April 2008 and 16 June 2008
None.
Certificate Reinstatements between 29 April 2008 and 16 June 2008
None.
Certificates withdrawn between 29 April 2008 and 16 June 2008
01/3824 EUROSTRAND OSB/3 - Egger Holzwerkstoffe Wismar GmbH & Co KG (replaced by 08/4546)
Detail Sheet withdrawals between 29 April 2008 and 16 June 2008
None.
Lapsed Certificates between 29 April 2008 and 16 June 2008
01/3863 ULTRAFRAME CONSERVATORY ROOF SYSTEM - Betterview Windows & Conservatories Ltd, T/A Top Polyframe
Suspended Certificates between 29 April 2008 and 16 June 2008
None.
Detail Sheet Suspensions between 29 April 2008 and 16 June 2008
None.
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