Metsec has supplied approximately 40 tons of lightweight cold-roll formed steel purlins to help create the largest and most technologically advanced plastic bottle recycling facility in Europe.

The new £10m facility, at Hemswell Cliff in Lincolnshire, replaces AWS Eco Plastics’ bottle-sorting and storage facilities, which were destroyed by fire shortly after opening in August 2009.

At 9000m2, with an eaves height of over 16m, the new structure is around twice the size of the original, allowing for future capacity expansion.

Hemswell is the largest plastic bottle sorting plant in the UK.  The new recycling sort line and facility has the capacity to process upwards of 140,000 tonnes per annum.  The creation of this new facility is being seen as a further positive step towards driving UK recycling rates towards levels comparable with other European countries.

The majority of the plastic bottles processed by AWS Eco Plastics end up being granulated into a flake at the plant, prior to sale to plastic companies in the UK and overseas.  Over 70% of it is food-grade PET or HDPE.  The remainder can be used to create a wide variety of new plastic products, including fleece jackets, pipes, packaging and toys.

Fire is a persistent hazard as plastic bottles sent for recycling can retain residues of unknown highly flammable liquids previously stored in them.  The new building is therefore split into three distinct fire zones, each with their own fire protection.  Both the Environment Agency and Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service had an input into the planning for the new facility.

Robinson Steel Structures was appointed to construct the new building.  With their extensive experience in the fabrication and erection of steel framed buildings, and having erected the original facility which was destroyed by fire, it was only natural for the company to undertake the project.  Robinson Steel Structures Project Manager, Adrian Slack says:  “Metsec is one of our preferred suppliers.  It was an obvious choice for them to supply the cold-rolled elements of the structure.  We know that we can rely on the quality of their products, efficient service and design support through their MetSPEC design software.”

The UK’s largest supplier of cold-rolled steel, Metsec re-launched its purlin range in June 2008 with more efficient profiles, to save weight and cost on construction projects whilst maintaining maximum performance.  Made from cold-rolled galvanised steel, with a minimum yield strength of 450 N/mm², Metsec’s purlin range includes fully compatible Z- and C-section profiles in depths ranging from 142mm to 342mm.

The latest version of Metsec’s building shell design software, MetSPEC 12, has enhanced functionality over previous versions and includes design analysis to Structural Eurocode EC: Part 1.3.

Commenting on the Hemswell project, Kevin Jones, Sales Director for Metsec’s Purlin Division says: “We are pleased to be associated with the creation of this state-of-the-art facility, which will contribute towards the UK’s environmental targets.  As a company we are concerned for the environment and do our best to reduce not only our own impact, but that of the structures for which we supply steel.”

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Metsec’s SFS (Steel Framing System) has provided the framework for a state-of-the-art hospital, designed not only to create a positive environment for patient care, but also to offer a new kind of service based on same day treatment.

The New Victoria Hospital, which serves South Glasgow, is one of the largest in Scotland and is expected to treat around 400,000 patients a year. It offers integrated diagnostic and treatment services including outpatients clinics, day surgery, rehabilitation and specialised emergency services. Twelve 23-hour short stay surgical beds are enabling clinicians to extend the range of surgical procedures offered. Thousands of surgical patients, who would normally have needed an overnight stay, can have their operations as day procedures and go home the same day. A new dedicated Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) means that patients with minor or less serious injuries gain rapid access to highly skilled clinical teams, leaving A&E teams to concentrate on more seriously ill patients.

All of these services and more are offered in an environment which exudes style and a sense of calm. The hospital has set new standards, with light, airy public spaces, comfortable waiting areas and modern consulting rooms creating an atmosphere that is attractive and reassuring for patients and visitors. A team of artists has added subtle and thought-provoking artistic themes throughout the building, with nearby Queen’s Park providing a source of inspiration.

The new hospital was commissioned by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde and designed by HLM Architects. Donald MacDonald, project architect, explains: “The design strategy for the building revolved around the concept of a ‘hospital within a park’. The aim was to group principal healthcare functions within a single purpose-made facility creating an environment which is calm, welcoming and avoids the institutional associations of the traditional hospital.

“By emphasising the presence of natural light in clinical, non clinical and circulation areas, a strong connection has been encouraged between the inside and outside space. The user never feels deep within an institutional building. All these factors enhance the resultant experience at every stage of the journey for those using the building.”

The building consists of a basement area, three upper floors and a roof level plant room. The basement area is predominantly brick and block, the plant room is cladding rails and composite cladding, while Metsec’s SFS has been used for all other floors and on all façades, including within courtyards.

SFS was specified because if offers a variety of benefits. It is lightweight and quick to install. It can also compensate (to a degree) for any construction discrepancies in the steel frame and concrete floors. Because of the hospital’s size and location, a lot of effort went into producing a building whose scale matched the adjacent (predominantly residential) buildings. This led to a design with varying levels, setbacks and materials. Given this variety Metsec’s SFS system was ideal in providing a standardised base (with a sheathing board and breather membrane to provide a high degree of weather protection) to which the different external treatments could be added. This led to an economy of scale. Also, with just one system covering the complete building, programming was easier and the contractor, Balfour Beatty Construction, could progress without clashes with other subcontractors. The different finishes were able to be installed without disruption to the progress of internal works.

Metsec’s design team worked closely with HLM Architects, Balfour Beatty and the approved SFS installer PFP to fully detail the design and offer the best cost value solution for the project. Structural calculations were supplied to support the design in terms of lateral wind pressure and deflection criteria in conjunction with the various cladding loads.

Adrian Bellingham, Sales Director of Metsec’s Framing Division, says: “Being lightweight, yet strong and flexible, SFS is particularly suited to creating iconic modern buildings, such as the New Victoria Hospital that are of an interesting or unusual shape. We are delighted to have been invited to collaborate on this project and help to create an impressive building ideally suited to delivering contemporary health care.”

Metsec’s SFS is structurally proven and independently tested to provide thermal, acoustic and fire resistance. Design and detailing is covered by Metsec’s professional indemnity insurance and a full warranty can be provided.

Alasdair Fernie, Project Director, Balfour Beatty Construction Scottish and Southern comments: “The Metsec option allowed Balfour Beatty the capability of encompassing each of the external wall finishes and their interface, be it block/brick, cladding, windows or curtain walling, whilst at the same time eliminating the requirement for additional secondary support steelwork. Working closely with the Metsec’s design engineers allowed timely installation of these interfaces in line with our on-site construction programme requirements.”

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The creation of a new campus of state-of-the-art buildings to house North Leamington School (NLS) was the realisation of a long-term plan to bring students together on to a single site and provide an inspirational setting for 21^st-Century learning.  Infill walling for the five faculty buildings was provided by Metsec, cold rolled steel specialist and market leader in light gauge, galvanised steel structural framing systems.

The brief to Architects, Robothams, was to design a complete secondary school including teaching spaces, sports facilities, community theatre and administration, to replace an existing school.  Their solution was to create an open campus with a group of buildings focused on a central courtyard.  Key to the overall design were sustainability, energy efficiency and low running costs, so the buildings incorporate framed structures, passive ventilation, recyclable materials, and sedum roofs.  The school also has a biomass boiler.

NLS is a Specialist Performing Arts College with places for up to 1,500 students aged 11 to 18.  Its five faculty buildings house: Maths and Science; Humanities and Languages; Design Technology and Engineering; Sports; the Performing Arts (Dance, Drama and Music); and a Sixth-Form Centre, known as ‘The Hub’.  The new facilities, from the sports centre and the floodlit all-weather surfaces to the 400-seat theatre, also provide a much-needed resource for the local community, enabling NLS to operate effectively as an ‘Extended School’.

When it came to construction Metsec’s design team worked closely with approved installer Measom DryLine, supplying fully detailed drawings to facilitate the accurate installation of the Metsec steel framing system (SFS).  Metsec’s design and detailing is covered by its professional indemnity insurance and a full warranty can be provided.

Adrian Bellingham, Sales Director of Metsec’s Framing Division, explains: “Involving Metsec in the design process at an early stage helps to reduce overall project costs, especially in unusually shaped buildings.  SFS panels can be designed to deal with a variety of structural openings via the use of compound cold rolled sections.  This can often save on the amount of hot rolled steel typically designed around these openings which can lead to a significant cost saving.

Metsec SFS is a fast track cold rolled steel stud and track external wall framing system which is fixed between the main structural frame members – in this case concrete columns – providing a carrier for insulation, exterior cladding and interior wallboard.  It is manufactured at Metsec’s factory in Oldbury in the West Midlands.

The SFS system is structurally proven and independently tested to provide thermal, acoustic and fire resistance.  It offers a fast track alternative to block work and can be insulated and dry lined with the flexibility of supporting a number of external finishes, ranging from traditional brick work to modern rain screen cladding façade finishes.  Recent research carried out by Faithful & Gould has demonstrated a cost saving of up to 39% when using SFS compared with block work.  The research report may be downloaded from Metsec’s website.

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Metsec’s SFS (Steel Framing System) has created the framework for a visually stunning new home for The Bridge Academy in the London Borough of Hackney.

The Bridge Academy, which specialises in music and mathematics for 11 – 19 year olds, wanted a flexible space that could be easily modified to adapt to changing needs in the short and the long term, as well as suit community use outside of school hours.

The inspirational new building is situated next to the Regents Canal.  It was conceived by architects BDP (Building Design Partnership), based on their successful ‘schools without corridors’ concept, and comprises a central social and learning hub surrounded by horseshoe-shaped galleried learning space on six levels.  Teaching terraces form outdoor classrooms overlooking the canal.

A sweeping structural arch supports the centre of the building to allow the learning space to be column free and totally flexible.  A central library is suspended from an exposed hooped tubular truss over the open plan hub.  The classrooms vary in shape and size and a number of them can be adapted quickly for small or large groups.  They can also be altered over time to accommodate increasing student numbers as the Academy grows to full capacity.  The building is designed to minimise energy use by maximising daylight in the teaching spaces.  It is also predominantly naturally ventilated.

The innovative design and sense of light and space in the building make The Bridge Academy a friendly and welcoming place for students, staff, and the local community alike.

Metsec’s design team helped to realise the architect’s vision, providing full detailed drawings to enable the accurate installation of Metsec’s Steel Framing System (SFS).  “This was a complex project, which stretched the boundaries in terms of product application,” says Lee Winton Norman, a designer for Metsec.  “The building has lots of sloping walls and changes of direction, so the basic framing design was challenging in achieving an acceptable method of restraint back to the primary frame.  This was further complicated by the incorporation of numerous structural openings and the necessity to maximise space between the faming members to allow the integration of the natural ventilation system.  The high strength-to-weight ratio associated with the SFS sections and overall lightweight nature of the system made SFS the only real solution for this complex building envelope.”

Metsec’s design team worked closely with approved SFS installer R & S Driwall, who were contracted to create the structural envelope.  The SFS framing formed the majority of the external walls, parapet wall framing and ‘pod’ type classrooms at roof level.  “This was such an interesting and challenging project that we decided to enter it for the FPDC (Federation of Plastering and Drywall Contractors) Plaisterers’ Awards,” says Matt Voss, Business Development Manager at R & S Driwall, “and we were delighted to win the Technical Steel Framed Systems category.  The awards are among industry’s oldest and most prestigious, recognised for rewarding the highest standards of skill and excellence.  Traditionally they related to plastering and associated trades, but have recently been extended to include steel frame systems, in recognition of the significance these have in contemporary construction.”

Metsec’s Steel Framing System (SFS) offers a fast track alternative to block work when providing an inner leaf to an external wall.  SFS can be insulated and dry lined with the flexibility of supporting a number of external finishes, ranging from traditional brick work to modern rain screen cladding façade finishes.  In the case of The Bridge Academy, the cladding is Western Red Cedar with small areas of coloured insulated render and an inclined ETFE façade to the central atrium.

A cost saving of up to 39% when using SFS compared with block work has been demonstrated in research carried out by Faithful & Gould.  The research report may be downloaded from Metsec’s website: www.metsec.com.

Metsec’s design and detailing is covered by its professional indemnity insurance and a full warranty can be provided for the system.

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Bucks New University (BNU), formerly Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College, was awarded full University status in 2007.  Soon afterwards internationally-renowned architects RMJM were commissioned to design a new learning resources centre, which could house a wide range of activities.  Metsec’s SFS (Steel Framing System) was chosen to provide the structural envelope.

The University offers diverse, vocationally-targeted, degrees – from commercial pilot training to music management, textiles and furniture – and has over 9,000 students, many of whom are mature students.  The architect’s vision for the new building was a sustainable and contemporary structure providing facilities for the whole student body and contrasting with the existing campus architecture to establish a new and distinctive identity for the University.

The structural strength and flexibility of Metsec’s SFS make it ideal for unusually shaped buildings.  The main use of the SFS at BNU was as external wall infilling to the concrete structure.  Further framing was also incorporated into areas of the project known as ‘cut outs’.  These are large projections from the main structure – the largest spanning some four storeys high and featuring large areas of glazing.  Each ‘cut out’, which is unique in size and shape, forms a 3-D-type entity finished with sloping or shaped walls, cills and heads to create elaborate architectural detailing and optimise natural daylight.  The challenge was to integrate the SFS wall framing into the minimal structural steel projections and then form the required shapes to each ‘cut out’.

Metsec Project Engineer Lee Winton Norman provided fully detailed drawings to ensure accurate installation of the SFS.  “It’s interesting to work on a project such as this which pushes the boundaries of product application,” he says.  “The development of a suitable, economical, framing design and its associated construction sequence was time consuming, but the end result is a remarkable building, with which we are proud to be associated.”

The new landmark building offers space for social functions, teaching, learning, specialist multi-media and sports science facilities.  The exciting mix of uses reinforces the public nature of the campus and, combined with the 24/7 access, creates a memorable ‘gateway’ building for the University and High Wycombe, dramatically improving the experience of staff, students and visitors.

The ground floor elevations of BNU’s new building incorporate Trespa cladding panels and the upper levels are finished in ‘Rheinzinc’, a pre-weathered zinc panel system with an optical blue-grey surface.  SFS can be insulated and dry lined with the flexibility of supporting a number of external finishes, ranging from traditional brick work to modern rain screen cladding façade finishes.  Metsec’s Steel Framing System (SFS) offers a fast track construction solution when providing an inner leaf to an external wall, whether the design is complex or a standard rectangular shape.

Research recently carried out by Faithful & Gould has demonstrated a cost saving of up to 39% when using SFS compared with traditional block work.  The research report may be downloaded from Metsec’s website.

Metsec’s design and detailing is covered by its professional indemnity insurance and a full warranty can be provided for the system.

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When Weston-super-Mare’s Edwardian Grand Pier burnt down in July 2008, there were many who mourned its passing. Happily, less than a year later work started on the construction of a new pier, which its owners describe as ‘for the 21^st Century’. A new Pavilion is set to rise from the ashes of the old one, with purlins and side rails from cold rolled steel specialists Metsec providing the framework to hold the structure’s cladding.

Angus Meek Architects won the competition to design the new pier, which was chosen by the pier’s owners – Kerry and Michelle Michael – with the help of a public vote.  The new colourful and illuminated 18m high design reflects the original Pavilion – built in 1904, but offers contemporary style and functionality. The Pavilion will have four tall cylinders, which echo the four towers of the old building, but will house a host of exciting new attractions designed to thrill 21^st Century visitors. For traditionalists, an Edwardian-style tea room will also be included.

Construction is being undertaken by contractor John Sisk & Son (Sisk), with structural steelwork supplied by local firm Haley Engineering. Sisk reports that more than 100 tonnes of steel a week will be used as work on the new Pavilion gets underway. This will include a total of around 50 tons of cold rolled steel from Metsec.

As the tides at Weston rise and fall sharply, a barge with a large crane has had to be anchored alongside the pier to deliver the structural steel from beach to site.

The first task was to sink some 70 new piles 30m into the sea bed to take the weight of the larger Pavilion and state-of-the-art attractions. A new metal deck was then attached before work on the Pavilion commenced.

As the new Pavilion goes up its progress can be tracked via web cams placed on site by the local newspaper – www.thewestonmercury.co.uk/webcam.aspx. From November 2009, Metsec steelwork started to be put in place.

Metsec was specified by project consultant W A Fairhurst, by utilising Metsec’s sophisticated Metspec design software. Steel fabricator, Haley Engineering, was happy to work with Metsec. General Manager, Will Haley, comments: “Metsec designed and manufactured purlins and side rails for us to deliver a successful project to a happy customer “

Kevin Jones, Sales Director for Metsec’s Purlin Division says: “This must be the first Pier to be built in the UK in around 100 years so it’s attracting a lot of interest. We are delighted to be a part of the project and hope that the new Pavilion will still be giving pleasure to visitors 100 years from now.”

Metsec’s purlin range was re-launched in June 2008 with more efficient profiles, made from cold rolled galvanised steel with a minimum yield strength increased to 450 N/mm² to give maximum performance for minimum weight. The range includes fully compatible Z- and C-section profiles in depths ranging from 142mm to 342mm.

The new pier at Weston is due to be open in time for the Summer 2010 tourist season and will have cost its private owners around £34m. New attractions will include a ‘surf board’ ride around the perimeter of the pier on the roof canopy, a roof-height twin-chute helter skelter and an 85m panoramic tower that will rise up and revolve 360 degrees. A £1m lighting scheme will provide energy-efficiency green and blue LED illumination underneath the pier.

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In Great Shape

The Kentish Town Health Centre in London has been heralded as setting a new standard for the NHS in terms of building design related to use.  Shortlisted for the 2009 RIBA (Royal Institute for British Architects) Stirling Prize, the building offers open, flexible, space and features bold murals to provide an environment that is uplifting for both staff and patients.  1350m2 of Metsec’s Steel Framing System (SFS) was used to provide external walling, including parapet walls, for the building, which comprises three storeys plus a basement for storage.

The new health centre replaces one opened in 1974 which, whilst pioneering because it brought together a range of services, proved to be inadequate when it came to building design.  The original L-shaped, two-storey, concrete structure was too inflexible with regard to room size and flow of services.  It was unsympathetic to the surrounding Victorian Villas and, worse still, became structurally unsound as the neighbouring trees desiccated the underlying clay over time, destabilising the shallow strip foundations.

The brief for the new building was to contain the old centre’s myriad of facilities – which included two large medical practices, chiropody, physiotherapy, dentistry, clinics for child health, ante-natal and family planning, a student teaching centre and a library – alongside newer functions, such as exercise spaces and x-ray facilities.

The design chosen, from architects Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, is striking and flexible.  The consulting rooms are set out around a triple-height central street and waiting area, allowing reception staff to easily point patients in the direction of the rooms they need to visit.  Two sets of stairs run to the upper levels in glazed stairwells from either side of the reception desk.  Intersecting bridges and terraces on the upper floors connect the two halves of the building.

The consulting and meeting rooms are assigned to health staff via an electronic booking system, allowing interchangeability from day to day.  Studio Myerscough’s colourful hand painted murals help to unify the building and direct people around it.  The building is also sympathetic to the houses in the surrounding streets, being roughly the same height and featuring white render on its upper portion to reflect their white stucco.

Metsec became involved in the project in July 2007 after producing a design for the installer, Braddon Contracts.  Its Steel Framing System (SFS) was chosen over block work to eliminate the need for any wet trades and speed up the construction process.  SFS creates a rapid weatherproof envelope, facilitating a quicker fit out of internal works, thus providing an overall saving in time and money.

The building has a reinforced concrete frame up to second floor level with a steel framed roof construction.  The first floor cantilevers beyond the ground floor by up to 4 metres in places.  An arrangement of deep beams around the perimeter of the building, supported by orthogonal deep beams located strategically within the building, is used to deal with the large and extensive cantilevers.  The second floor slab is also designed as a transfer structure to support the roof columns which do not align in many instances with the structure below.  Stability is achieved through the concrete cores and shear walls.  The building is piled to deal with the high column loads and to avoid the problem with tree roots which damaged the original health centre.

Due to the varying floor to ceiling heights, two different sizes of Metsec’s SFS were required.  100mm C section studs with a 1.2mm gauge were used for ceiling heights of 2330mm, whilst 150mm C section studs with a 1.2mm gauge were used for the 3550mm heights.

Matt Gorry, Director of Braddon Contracts, said: “We chose to work with Metsec on the Kentish Town Health Centre as we have developed a good working relationship with the company.  Metsec always delivers our materials on time and reacts quickly and efficiently to design queries, preventing possible delays on site.”

Metsec’s Steel Framing System (SFS) offers a fast track alternative to block work when providing an inner leaf to an external wall.  SFS can be insulated and dry lined with the flexibility of supporting a number of external finishes, ranging from traditional brick work to modern rain screen cladding façade finishes.  Metsec’s design office provides structural calculations to support the design in terms of lateral wind pressure and deflection criteria in conjunction with any cladding loads that may be applied to the system.  Full detailed drawings can be provided to enable the accurate installation of SFS, taking into account any cladding or dry lining interfaces.  Metsec’s design and detailing is covered by its professional indemnity insurance and a full warranty can be provided for the system.  Research by Faithful & Gould has identified a cost saving of up to 39% when using SFS compared with block work.  The research report may be downloaded from Metsec’s website: www.metsec.com.

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Purlins from specialist cold rolled steel supplier Metsec have been used to support the roof and canopied walkway of the new ‘super’ hospital, which is being constructed on the 50 acre site of the old Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Edgbaston, Birmingham.  Metsec’s SFS (Steel Framing System) has also been used to create the external walling for the three distinctive truncated pods of the building and for some high internal walls in the hospital’s main foyer.

B R Hodgson installed the Metsec SFS, whilst Metsec Purlins were chosen by Severfield-Reeve Structures Ltd, who were responsible for the fabrication and erection of the building, which comprises more than 10,000 tonnes of structural steelwork and covers an area of 312sqm.

This is the first new hospital to be built in Birmingham for over 70 years and will become part of the largest healthcare facility in the UK outside of London.  Its extraordinary shape, functionality and flexibility are expected to provide an architectural example for other hospitals around the country.

The design includes three truncated pods, connected by walkways, set on a two-storey base, which contains the main patient features of the hospital.  44% of in-patient beds are single rooms and the remainder are in four bed bays.  Dedicated visitor routes to wards have been included for added security.

Metsec has provided a total of 38.6 tonnes of SFS for the external and internal walling.  The majority of the framing was formed using 200mm deep stud of 1.2mm gauge.

Metsec also designed the roof purlins for the three truncated pod towers and the low level curved canopy which provides a covered walkway between the main entrance to the hospital and the car park.

Due to the shape of the structures, the purlins used are predominately butted, 302mm deep Z sections, with a maximum span of 8.25m.  The canopy, which is located approximately 38m below the main roof, is 12m wide x 160m long.

Fred Searle, Contracts Manager at Severfield-Reeve, comments: “We have worked with Metsec on many projects and know that we can rely on their quality and expertise.  The unusual architectural design of the buildings in this project presented a number of structural design challenges and Metsec was particularly helpful in working with us to overcome these.”

Roy Burns, Divisional MD of Metsec’s Lightweight Structural Systems, says: “We were delighted to have been chosen to work on this project, helping to create a hospital complex of cutting edge architectural design and a new landmark on Birmingham’s skyline.  Our latest MetSPEC design software enabled us to economically optimise the size and weight of the purlins needed to create the shapes required, and saved us time in calculating the wind loads for the curved pods and canopy.”

Metsec has been designing and manufacturing cold roll formed steel products at its premises in Oldbury in the Midlands for over 75 years.

Metsec’s SFS is a fast track infill panel frame system for exterior walls on steel or concrete-frame buildings.  It consists of lightweight, cold rolled galvanised steel sections which are manufactured, cut to length and bar-coded offsite ready to be simply screwed together on site.  SFS is ideal for projects where speed of construction and/or a lightweight frame is required, or where masonry blockwork is too slow or too heavy.  Metsec’s technical teams assist-design stud size, spacing and anchorage as well as assisting with detailing.  All of these elements are determined by floor-to-floor heights, deflection criteria and lateral wind pressures.  Any Metsec framing design and detailing work is covered by its Professional Indemnity insurance and warranty documents.

Metsec’s purlin range includes fully compatible Z- and C-section profiles in depths ranging from 142mm to 342mm.  The range was re-launched in 2008 with more efficient profiles.  Made from cold rolled galvanised steel, it now has a minimum yield strength of 450 N/mm² to give maximum performance for minimum weight.

Metsec has considerable experience in the healthcare sector, having provided its Steel Framing System (SFS) infill walling as well as its Lattice roof beams for a number of other hospitals and clinics in recent years.

Birmingham’s ‘super’ hospital development is a £690m Private Finance Initiative being undertaken jointly by University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Trust, with their appointed partner Consort Healthcare (Birmingham) Ltd.  The new facilities are expected to transform acute and mental health services in South Birmingham.

In addition to the new 1,213 bed hospital, the construction includes a new Psychiatry facility (three locations) with a total of 137 beds and further facilities based in the local community.  The hospital will be able to treat 21% more patients in its operational area of South Birmingham, significantly lowering waiting times.
The project will also involve the construction of a new Royal Centre for Defence Medicine for the MoD (all military medical training will be relocated there), clinical science and education facilities for the University of Birmingham, the involvement of a Foundation Trust, an innovation sharing arrangement for car parking revenues and the inclusion of an IT service.

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An old police and magistrate’s building in East London is being given a facelift and extensions to turn it into a desirable residential block, with the help of cold rolled steel specialists Metsec.

Metsec’s Steel Frame System (SFS) Infill attached to a concrete extension to the original building has more than doubled its footprint, mirroring the original L shape and adding a new wing.  On the roof, two Metsec stand alone penthouse constructions are lending the building a sought-after contemporary appeal.

Metsec’s Lattice Drawing Office Manager Kirk Allen explains: “We worked closely with the architect, Eric Fowles, and engineer, Philip Glowinski, discussing the details of the construction design.  It’s an interesting project that will provide over 70 new homes for people in the area.  The new wing is for a Housing Association, while the main block will be private apartments.”

The existing timber roof construction of the private block has been replaced with Metsec mezzanine floor beams, which in turn support a load-bearing SFS wall.  This then provides support for Metsec lightweight lattice trusses, which form the new roof structure for the private block penthouse.  Metsec purlins are fixed to the lattice trusses, which in turn support the roof membrane.  The lower level floors incorporate Metsec SFS Infill to form the exterior wall construction.

The Housing Association block is a completely new concrete structure, comprising three lower level floors with Metsec SFS Infill exterior walling system plus three separate stand alone structures – one comprising SFS cold rolled roof joists and SFS loading bearing walls, the other two comprising Metsec lattice trusses and SFS walls. 

Metsec-approved installer, Chartway, is installing the SFS and lattice trusses.

Metsec’s SFS is a fast track infill panel frame system for exterior walls on steel or concrete-frame buildings.  It consists of lightweight, cold rolled galvanised steel sections which are manufactured, cut to length and bar-coded offsite ready to be simply screwed together on site.  SFS is ideal for projects where speed of construction and/or a lightweight frame is required, or where masonry blockwork is too slow or too heavy.  Metsec’s technical teams assist-design stud size, spacing and anchorage as well as assisting with detailing.  All of these elements are determined by floor-to-floor heights, deflection criteria and lateral wind pressures.  Any Metsec framing design and detailing work is covered by its Professional Indemnity insurance and warranty documents.

“We believe there is huge potential for these stand alone constructions,” says Roy Burns, Divisional MD for Metsec Lightweight Structural Systems. “They are particularly popular as penthouse additions to existing buildings, which can help to reach the Government’s targets for increased density and numbers of homes in an area, but they can also be used at ground level.”

Metsec lattice beams, joists and trusses are lightweight, easy to handle and can span up to 40m.  They also use up to 50% less steel than traditional hot rolled beams, which means that increases in raw material prices have less impact on the total build cost, whilst the open lattice design means that routing of services is straightforward.

Metsec’s purlin range was re-launched in June 2008 with more efficient profiles, made from cold rolled galvanised steel with a minimum yield strength increased to 450 N/mm² to give maximum performance for minimum weight.  The range includes fully compatible Z- and C-section profiles in depths ranging from 142mm to 342mm.

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“It’s now official – Metsec Steel Framing System (SFS) reduces construction costs by up to 39%.  That’s the conclusion of a newly published report from Faithful & Gould, which analyses the main construction cost differences between traditional block work and Metsec SFS to the inner skin of an external wall.”

The Report was based on a four-storey residential building and compared Metsec SFS against block work both in conjunction with facing brickwork on the ground floor and lightweight render or timber cladding on the upper floors. The average cost saving on the building was 32% summarised in Appendix A of the Report.

In the first scenario – facing brickwork, the relatively cheap block was counter-balanced by the requirement for wind posts, head restraints, site attendance and site preliminary costs.  In the second and third scenarios – insulated render or timber cladding, the cost of the cement particle board required with the SFS was significantly lower than that of the additional wind posts and head restraints necessary for the block work.  For block work, the timber cladding proved to be the most complex and labour intensive and required a secondary timber frame as well as relatively expensive plywood backing resulting in a 39% cost saving in favour of SFS.

The research also highlights a number of other advantages to using Metsec SFS over block work. These advantages relate particularly to time saving and environmental issues.  The Report recommends that building users and clients seriously consider the consequence of building delivery being earlier and the resultant earlier rental and return income, when deciding whether to use block work or SFS.

Main Contractor, Shepherd Construction Limited, was particularly pleased with the way that Metsec SFS  assisted in the construction of Greenquarter Block 6 in Manchester.  They calculated that Metsec SFS could be erected over three times faster than block work.  This quicker installation allowed the envelope substrate works (cement particle board and EPDM weathering operations) to start much earlier.  Once two floors of the substrate had been completed, work started on window installation to a given floor.  Using this system meant that floors were weather tight and internal fit-out could commence dramatically quicker than using block work would have allowed.  The installation of Metsec SFS was programmed in tight behind the removal of the back propping for the RC concrete floors.

Adrian Bellingham, Sales Director of Metsec Framing Division, says:

“We commissioned this research to provide independent evidence of the benefits of using Metsec SFS.  Specifiers no longer need to simply take our word for it that significant savings can be achieved.  Obviously each job is different and there will be a variety of factors to take into account, but SFS offers such a range of advantages, that it has to be a serious option, whatever the project.”

Contact: Adrian Bellingham on 0121 601 6182.

To request and download Faithful and Gould’s full report click on the link below:

http://www.metsec.com/asp/forms/formFramingCostReport.aspx