CONCRETE QUARTERLY

SPRING 2007
ISSUE NUMBER 219

Into the woods Domestic bliss Miami nice

Cass Sculpture Foundation’s Everything’s out in the open There are plently
new building by Studio at architect Jamie Fobert’s of eco-friendly features —
Downie Architects echoes Victorian conversion, which both inside and out — in this
its woodland setting features fair-faced concrete residential tower design
Welcome News round-up

Concrete sustainability Study confirms concrete’s

The evidence of the impact of climate
change and the consensus that it is the
competitive edge over steel
result of man’s activities is growing. With A forthcoming cost model study cost consultants Davis Langdon
the built environment being responsible has found that reinforced con- with programming carried out by
for over 50% of our CO2 emissions, the crete can be up to 5% cheaper Mace. The study was carried out
role that design and construction can play than steel frames for typical com- on an independent basis and
in reducing the environmental impact of mercial buildings. Furthermore, compared the cost of construct-
buildings is of increasing importance. when only frame costs are con- ing three- and six-storey office
As summers get hotter the probability sidered concrete flat slab was buildings using a variety of rein-
of buildings overheating will increase. The use of passive found to be an average of 36% forced concrete and steel framed
sustainability design and construction techniques, that have cheaper than its flat-slab equiva- short and long span options.
at their heart the thermal mass of concrete construction to lent steel Slimdek construction. The main conclusion of the
modulate the extremes of temperature, will enable buildings These significant cost advan- cost study was that, for commer-
to reduce their requirements for air conditioning and, there- tages were compounded by a cial buildings, concrete-framed
fore, their CO2 emissions. In a similar way, the thermal sink lead time of only four to six solutions are highly competitive
capacity of concrete allows it to trap solar heat gains in the weeks for reinforced concrete with steel-framed solutions and,
winter and so reduce heating requirements. Furthermore, the compared with up to 18 weeks when overall project programme
long-term robustness of concrete will mitigate the impacts of for steel. is considered, they can be pro-
winter storms and flooding that are predicted to increase in The study, Commercial Build- cured and constructed in a
severity. ings: Cost Model Study, was car- shorter overall time frame than
The full utilisation of a building’s thermal mass and its ried out for The Concrete Centre steel-framed buildings.
fabric energy storage will provide buildings that work with by architects Allies & Morrison, For further information visit:
and not against the environment. This is explained in a new structural engineers Arup and www.concretecentre.com
report from The Concrete Centre: Utilisation of Thermal Mass
in Non-residential Buildings.
Meanwhile, projects such as the proposed COR building
in Miami prove that being green does not mean being dull.
For in addition to its functional benefits, concrete offers an
Ecohouse student design
almost limitless range of aesthetic possibilities both in terms
of structural form and in terms of a building’s finish.
competition launched
This is further demonstrated by the structural form of the Architectural and design students
Goodwood gallery and by the cladding finish of the from around the world are invited
Masshouse project in Birmingham. to submit entries for the 2006/07
Guy Thompson Ecohouse Student Design
head of architecture & housing, The Concrete Centre Competition. Launched by The
Concrete Centre, in conjunction
with the Architectural Press and
Inside Teachers in Architecture, the
competition invites students to
4 Jamie Fobert Architects design an Ecohouse for their
Concrete is the main attraction inside this London home hometown, wherever it is, what-
6 Cass Sculpture Foundation ever the local environment.
Studio Downie Architects returns to Goodwood to create This year, the competition
an archive and display centre among the trees seeks to explore two new Eco- Procter Rihl’s Slice House in
10 Precast cladding house ideas: Slow Buildings and Porto Alegre, Brazil, demonstrates
The striking facade of Birmingham’s new Masshouse Low Carbon Buildings. In addi- the potential of concrete for
12 Sustainable design tion to examining these ideas, sustainable construction that
This Miami apartment building will be filled with students will need to ensure that is architecturally exciting.
green features and wrapped in a stylish concrete shell their house design is a 21st cen-
14 Fabric energy storage tury future proof home that is sustainability can be used to reduce
How thermal mass can reduce the need for air conditioning robust against extreme climate the CO2 impact of a home. Open
conditions and constructed using to university-registered students
locally sourced material and skills of architecture or other design
All advice or information from The Concrete Centre is intended for those
who will evaluate the significance and limitations of its contents and take where possible. disciplines, the closing date for
responsibility for its use and application. No liability (including that for negligence) The competition submissions entries is May 8. For further
for any losses resulting from such advice or information is accepted. will be expected to demonstrate a information and registration visit:
On the cover: Cass Sculpture Foundation. Photo by Peter Cook/VIEW full understanding of how passive www.concretecentre.com/ecohouse

2 | CQ | Spring 2007

New guide
eases
calculation
of hospital
vibration
Vibration control is an important
consideration for the design and
construction of hospitals,
especially for operating theatres,
night wards and intensive care
units. Concrete’s mass means that
it offers the most cost effective
way to control vibration. A new
design guide, A Design Guide
for Footfall Induced Vibration
of Structures, from The Concrete
Centre explains how to predict
and design for footfall induced
vibration.
In contrast to other construc-
tion materials, concrete can be
designed to meet vibration criteria
with minimal or often no addi-
tional floor thickness. Research
by Arup examined the vibration
performance of floor structures
comprising different structural
materials. In particular, the
research investigated the addi-
tional mass and stiffness required
to upgrade a basic “office” struc-
ture to meet the higher vibration
criteria of hospitals. The research
found that concrete can meet the
strict vibration criteria of hospi-
tals with only small increases in
mass and depth and, therefore,
cost, compared with other frame
solutions.
The basis of the research was
a method of vibration prediction
developed by Arup and exten-
sively validated against measure-
ments on both concrete and com-
posite floors. The new guide from
The Concrete Centre explains the
method in detail and provides an
informative description of the
factors effecting footfall induced
vibration together with worked
examples.
A Design Guide for Footfall
Induced Vibration of Structures
is available from The Concrete
Bookshop. Tel: 0700 4607 777.
In brief
Crack control
CIRIA has published
Early Age Thermal
Crack Control in
Concrete.
The book is an
update of CIRIA’s
bestselling guide
R91, and includes
current European
codes. Visit
www.ciriabooks.com
for information
on this and other
publications.
New data sheets
Following the recent
changes to British
Standards and
Building Regulations
concerning
aggregate concrete
blocks, the Concrete
Block Association
has created a set
of technical data
sheets that can be
downloaded from
www.cba-
blocks.org.uk
A lot of bottle
Spiral Cellars has designed a concrete underground cellar as
a storage solution for wine lovers. The cylindrical underground
extension, which can be fitted to an existing building, has
a two-metre diameter and can be accessed via a discreet trap door.
The cellar, which maintains a constant temperature, has good
ventilation and remains slightly damp, is an optimum environment
for wine storage and can hold up to 1,600 bottles.
Jointing seal
Tremco Illbruck has
Devon holiday homes on the fast track produced a durable
Construction has started on Contractor Buildtec South West jointing seal for use
18 holiday apartments in Devon of Exeter is using a combination in floors and
using the H&H Celcon’s Rå of Celcon’s foundation blocks, concrete structures
House concept. The apartments flooring system and 215mm that is resistant to
at Dawlish Warren use H&H blocks with the thin joint system water pressure and
Celcon’s aircrete blocks, a light- for the solid walls. chemicals. The
weight material that provides H&H Celcon says interest in Compriband
thermal and acoustic insulation. the concept is growing after Hydrospan sealing
architects and housebuilders tape, made from
watched the apartments con- high strength foam
structed — with 781sq m of floor- and damp resistant
ing — in less than four days. epoxy adhesive, can
Rå House is a modern method resist a 10m head of
of construction that provides hydrostatic pressure
installers and the build materials and bonds easily to
for the construction of the concrete, masonry
The Devon site under construction. masonry shell of a house. and steel.
Spring 2007 | CQ | 3
 Jamie Fobert Architects

Casting
spells in
concrete
Smooth, fair-faced
concrete creates a warm
family environment
at the Kander House
in north London
By Beatrice Galilee

The ordered facade of a grand four-

storey Victorian terrace in Primrose
Hill, north London, conceals a striking
addition to a family home by architect
Jamie Fobert. Using in situ concrete to
cast a double-height living space open-
ing on to a terraced garden, the archi-
tect has created a model example to
demonstrate the subtlety and warmth
of concrete in a domestic setting.
The concrete plays important
structural, as well as aesthetic, roles in
this part extension, part conversion. Above
A large open-plan living space and din- Additional living
ing area, with a further living area space hangs
hanging above it in a mezzanine box, in a concrete
has been cast at the rear of the house mezzanine box
and serves to support the more domes- above the heart
tic top two floors of bedrooms and of the house.
bathrooms, finished in white plaster. Left
Ground floor plan.
Walking down the concrete stairway
to the vast open space on the lower-
ground floor, the sheer strength of the they soon agreed it was both the right Most architects find a way of making
concrete is immediately visible. This is aesthetic and structural solution. the texture of fair-faced concrete their
the key to its success in interior and “It just wouldn’t have been the same own, whether it’s a special mix or a
housing projects, says Fobert. in any other material,” says Fobert. secret trick when casting. Fobert’s
“It’s the solidity of the material that is “You can’t get that kind of fluidity of technique is to smooth the material by
so important,” he explains. “It doesn’t form with steel or wood, and you don’t lining the plywood shuttering with a
feel superficial, it’s not an applied need to do anything else to it. It’s just polythene, damp-proof membrane.
surface. You are looking at the core of there. That’s the beauty of it.” The effect of this process is to ensure
the house, and it’s very substantial. This is also, of course, the difficulty no grout seeps into the concrete, leav-
PHOTOS: SUE BARR AND JAMIE FOBERT

That’s not something you see a great
deal of in architecture at the moment.”
Fobert is keen to emphasise that the
decision for concrete was not his, but
that of the clients. He showed them the
Anderson House, his previous one-off
house project, inspired by a gritty inte-
rior fit out of a bar in east London, and
of it, and persuading contractors to
treat what they usually consider to be a
simple frame, to be covered up in the
finished product, is something of a trial
for architects. The team had to contend
with their contractors spray-painting
marks on to the concrete, and admit it
could have been easier.
ing an almost polished finish, but
because the process isn’t perfect, the
concrete harbours the remnants —
ghost-like memories of the plastic —
with subtle folds and lines left imbed-
ded in the wall. These give the effect of
a weathered, familiar face and make for
personality traits — the things that

4 | CQ | Spring 2007
Left The double-height living and dining
space opens on to the terraced garden.
Above Cleverly placed lightwells
flood the house with warmth.

make a place a home — rather than

stark white walls.
Throughout the house, every detail
has been considered and reconsidered,
from the order of casting for the floors
and stairs, to the location of the heating
and cabling. Planning ahead for serv-
ices is a crucial lesson for domestic uses
of concrete, because once it’s cast, it’s
cast, and there can be no second
thoughts about the location of sockets,
cabling or electricity conduits.
The concrete floors in the main
living space are power-floated for a
mechanically smooth finish, and are
divided into 3m bays to minimise the
cracking as it dries, although some
cracking is inevitable, as Fobert has
learned from his previous project, the
Anderson House.
Again, as with his last successful
project, this extremely warm and
domesticated house is filled with secret
surprises — lightwells over benches,
and skylights. In each case, the frame is
set back, meaning that glimpses of sky
are framed only by the sharp lines of
concrete, not by unsightly details.
The architect has dealt with the space
formed by the material with ease, as
well as with subtle touches and the
careful, clever manipulation of space,
to create a warm, light and eminently
liveable home.

PROJECT TEAM
Architect: Jamie Fobert Architects
Structural engineer:
Elliott Wood Partnership
Services engineer: Mendick Waring
Quantity surveyor: Measur

Spring 2007 | CQ | 5
Studio Downie Architects

Goodwood’s hidden art

The woods surround-
ing Cass Sculpture
Foundation were the
inspiration for a new
archive and display
centre dedicated to
preserving the best
of British sculpture
On the South Downs of the Goodwood
Estate, Studio Downie Architects has
completed a new archive and display
centre for 21st century British sculp-
ture. A designated area of outstanding
natural beauty, it is the home of the
Cass Sculpture Foundation founded by
Wilfred and Jeanette Cass and is
currently displaying the work of the
eminent sculptor Tony Cragg.
Inspiration for the 500sq m building
came from the beautiful sylvan setting
of the copse. To respond to the ran-
domness and verticality of the screens
of trees, the flat, simple planes reflect
the surrounding landscape and chang-
ing light and shadows. A series of basic
wood fins are hung from the facades as
a continuum of the tree trunks
opposite. When viewed through the
shadowy copse, these dark vertical
elements become at one, blending
between the trees. The spacing of the
fins also responds to the spirit of the
place as an interpretation of rhythms
from Debussy’s score for Prélude a
l’après-midi d’un faune, also set in a beau-
tiful woodland setting of secret glades.
Following the lines of the landscape
within a triangular piece of land, a
trapezoidal form is set down low into a
small valley with a sedum-planted roof.
This forms a visual extension of the
surrounding grass and with concrete
fingers stretching into the chalk slopes,
interlocks existing and new. Colour
changes to the textured facades reflect
the landscape: dark-grey with the fins
facing the trees, light grey facing the
PHOTOS: PETER COOK/VIEW

newly cut and planted chalk slopes.

This lower element is also designed
to conceal, enveloping the largest
volume within the building, a 7m-high
display space which partly protrudes

6 | CQ | Spring 2007
 through the sedum, reflecting the scale
and material of Studio Downie’s 1994
visitor gallery. Greys and whites refer to
the indigenous flint and provide a stark-
ness between inside and out, hard and
soft. The calm, robust interior of
exposed white concrete and blockwork
walls contrast with the softness and
changing spectrum of the outside land-
scape. Unlike their earlier visitor gallery
where boundaries were blurred with a
flow between inside and out, here there
is clear separation with the wood fins
a link to the copse.
Along a woodland track the
approach is down into the valley and
the eastern entrance facade. This is a
long simple elevation punctuated with
only two large windows. The first at the
corner serves the entrance space with
Opposite page an oblique view through the full depth
Wood fins of the building to a chalk slope. The
on the south
second much larger one is to the display
elevation blend
space with a cross defining four large
with the trees.
Top panels. It opens up dramatic views both
West elevation inside and out: from the outside, the
showing the space’s ribbed concrete ceiling and yel-
sedum-planted low spine wall, and from inside a wall
roof. of trees and ivy slopes, with the lower
Middle panels sliding apart. (See Detail, page 8.)
The exposed The ancillary spaces, wrapped
concrete and around the central display are linked
blockwork walls by the yellow spine wall. The display
of the lecture hall. space is defined by a tall concrete-
Below ribbed table set separately within a
The large blockwork enclosure. Its restraint
windows open up heightens the presence of the feature
dramatic views window and the impact of the view
both inside to the colourful landscape. Changing
and out. light patterns are provided by three
north-facing rooflights, set over the
deep ceiling ribs, to both control day-
light and create a series of glowing light
sources within the ceiling patterns.
The new foundation centre houses
the charity’s sculpture archive and
library. The archive houses an extensive
and continually growing collection of
artists’ drawings, maquettes, videos
and other source material. The library
stretches the length of the administra-
tion office and is an important resource
of the works of today’s sculptors.
The main space will also be used for
lectures, symposiums and conferences.
PROJECT TEAM
Architect: Studio Downie Architects
Structural engineer:
Jane Wernick Associates
Service engineer:
Peter Deer & Associates
Landscape designer: Russell Hanslip
Main contractor: Ceecom Construction

Spring 2007 | CQ | 7
 Studio Downie Architects Detail

Cass Sculpture Cut-away section

Foundation, Goodwood through display space
Roof covering
A new concrete building provides a 2
home for the Cass Sculpture Founda-
tion set amongst the trees in its own
estate on the South Downs. A single- Roof light
storey archive, library and administra-
tion office wrap around three sides of 1
a 6.5m-high display and lecture space.
In the display space eight 300 x
300mm concrete columns support a
roof-level ring beam. The roof slabs
span 10m aided by tapered profile
down-stand ribs at 900mm centres.
The ribbed slab supports three profiled
rooflights which have 150mm-thick
concrete upstand walls. The depth of plasterboard to conceal two siphon
the rooflights and the beam beneath ducts and fan units which extract warm
obviate the need for solar shading. air at the top of the room and re-circu- 16
The columns are braced by late to the bottom. Lighting bars
reinforced concrete shear walls in two Four-hour fire protection was
corners and a 975mm-high ring beam required for the structure, so concrete
at mid-height which has been cast out- was able to achieve this with no addi-
side the columns. Blockwork infill is set tional finishes. The greys of the interior
in the plane of the beam so the columns reflect the exposed chalk excavated to 15
Roof structure
appear to be free-standing in the room. accommodate the building while the
The blockwork has bed-joint reinforce- rhythms of timber on the outside asso-
ment to resist lateral wind loads. ciate it visually with the nearby trees.
The west wall of the display space is
infilled with timber studwork and Detail drawing and text by Graham Bizley
Top
The concrete
beams of the 14
Structural frame
lecture hall under
construction.
Right
Aluminium-
framed doors
Air circulation
slide between
ductwork
external render
and timber screen 12
on either side
of the opening
to the lecture hall.

13 Internal wall lining

on west elevation
PHOTOS: PETER COOK/ VIEW; STUDIO DOWNIE ARCHITECTS

11 Heating
Ground floor slab trench
10

8 | CQ | Spring 2007
 1. Roof light
Roof edge 150mm-thick reinforced
3 concrete upstand.
Polyester powder coated
proprietary aluminium rooflight
frame with glazing bars at
Timber 1200mm centres.
rainscreen Hermetically sealed double
cladding glazed units consisting of
6mm clear toughened outer
pane, 12mm argon filled cavity,
6.4mm laminated super low ‘E’
inner pane.
2. Roof covering
3mm bitumen felt vapour
High-level
4 control layer.
glazing
5 Rigid polyurethane insulation
cut to fall from 265mm thick at
east edge to 80mm thick at
west gutter edge.
Single-ply membrane.
Fall restraint system anchors
fixed through insulation into
concrete slab.
3. Roof edge
Primed steel Z-section to
support coping.
350 x 140 x 8 by 100mm wide
steel support angles at
nominal 1220mm centres
bolted to concrete slab.
Proprietary coated aluminium
edge flashing hot-air welded
to single ply membrane.
Rigid phenolic board insulation.
Breather membrane.
4. Timber rainscreen cladding
140mm fair-faced concrete
blockwork left exposed.
rame 50mm-deep vertical treated
softwood battens with
8 50mm thick rigid phenolic
insulation boards cut to size to
Sliding Low fitted between battens.
doors level 63mm-deep horizontal treated
external softwood battens with 60mm
6 wall thick rigid phenolic insulation
boards cut to size to fitted
between battens.
Breather membrane.
7 38 x 25mm vertical treated
Timber softwood battens.
fins 68 x 19mm western red cedar
V-joint horizontal cladding
fixed with stainless-steel lost
head nails.
5. High-level glazing
254 x 146mm x 43kg painted
steel universal beam spanning
between outer faces of
concrete ring beams.
100 x 50mm PPC aluminium
curtain wall section frame
ating bearing on UB.
ench 70 x 50mm PPC aluminium
opening lights for ventilation.
10 6. Sliding doors
9 External drain 100 x 50mm steel box section
welded to 250 x 50 x 12mm
rolled steel angle and 120 x
75mm painted steel RSA
bolted to concrete to support
bottom rail for sliding doors
with 75 x 50mm stainless-steel
angle threshold.
120 x 120mm painted steel
angle bolted to UB to support
top guide for sliding doors.
2630mm-wide x 3200mm-high
PPC aluminium framed doors
sliding between external
render and timber screen on
either side of opening.
PPC aluminium flashing to
cover tops of doors fixed to
continuous 70 x 50 x 7mm
painted steel angle bolted to
120 x 120mm RSA welded to
vertical flange of UB.
7. Timber fins
205 x 90 x 7mm painted steel
T-section fascia extending
along full length of elevation
fixed back to concrete on
75 x 75mm painted steel
T-section brackets.
50 x 50mm galvanised steel
T-sections hung off continuous
T-section steel fascia at
varying centres and buried in
gravel at base.
3600 x 150 x 50mm
Thermowood fins routed with
groove to slot over steel
T-sections and fixed with
countersunk stainless-steel
screws at 600mm centres.
8. Low level external wall
140mm fair-faced concrete
blockwork left exposed.
120mm rigid phenolic board
insulation.
10mm coloured acrylic render
external finish with mesh
reinforcement.
9. External drain
110mm-thick extruded poly-
styrene perimeter insulation.
Minimum 500mm-wide x
700mm-deep gravel zone
around perimeter of building
with perforated plastic pipe
routed to soakaway.
10. Heating trench
600mm-wide x 750mm-deep
trench formed from 200mm
thick reinforced concrete walls
and base.
2200 x 500mm standard high-
temperature hot water
radiators fixed to wall of trench.
Heavy duty removable
galvanised steel grating to
withstand loads from
articulated forklift truck and
carriage over trench, set into
concrete recesses.
Folded stainless-steel
threshold plate between
grating and sliding doors.
11. Ground floor slab
75mm power-floated mesh
reinforced concrete topping
with electrical conduits and
power outlets within.
250mm-thick reinforced
concrete slab spanning
between edge beams.
Bituminous waterproof
tanking membrane.
50mm sand-cement blinding
over compacted chalk bedrock.
12. Air circulation ductwork
600 x 50mm galvanised steel
duct and fan unit concealed in
depth of wall lining.
600 x 50mm aluminium slots
painted black for extract at
ceiling and supply at floor level.
13. Internal wall lining
on west elevation
15mm external WBP plywood
sheathing with vapour barrier
with external timber rain-
screen as per blockwork walls.
Softwood internal battening.
12.5mm plasterboard internal
lining.
14. Structural frame
Eight 300 x 300mm reinforced
concrete columns cast in-situ.
975mm-deep x 200mm-wide
reinforced concrete ring beam
at mid-height cast in-situ with
75mm shadow gap at
junctions with columns.
2650mm-wide full-height
shear walls in both planes in
south-west and north-west
corners.
15. Roof structure
400 x 475mm deep reinforced
concrete perimeter ring beam
cast in-situ on top of columns.
450mm-deep reinforced
concrete beams cast in-situ
spanning between perimeter
edge beams at 900mm centres.
Beams taper from 285mm wide
at top to 150mm at bottom.
100mm-thick reinforced
concrete roof slab.
16. Lighting bars
100 x 50 x 9000mm-long
high-strength aluminium
lighting tracks suspended
from concrete soffit on pulley
and winch with steel cables.
Support cables looped over
pulleys bolted to concrete
soffit and attached to winch at
one end and electrical cable
reel system at other end.
600mm-wide x 300mm-deep
holes cast in perimeter roof
beams to house winches.
425mm-wide x 330mm-deep
holes cast in perimeter roof
beams to house electrical
cable reels.
Spring 2007 | CQ | 9
Precast cladding

A study in black and white

The first phase of David McLean’s development at Masshouse rises from
the heart of Birmingham with a bold, two-toned Techrete facade
By David Kennell

10 | CQ | Spring 2007
When approaching the heart of
Birmingham, care of Richard Branson’s
Virgin Pendolino, it is difficult not to
notice a stunning black-and-white
building that now graces the city
skyline. David McLean’s prestigious
development at Masshouse covers a
large area close to the new Bullring
retail development and similarly
benefits from being near Birmingham’s
central railway and bus stations.
A number of somewhat tired 1950s
and 1960s buildings of various types
and usages previously occupied the site.
It is proposed that the McLean site will
include a number of predominantly
residential medium- and high-rise
buildings with varying facade
treatments, the common denominator
being quality of finishes.
This approach is echoed in the first
phase — a 15-storey apartment building
sitting on the prow of this triangular
site. The whole project was originally
conceived as steel-framed, but with the
exception of phase, 1 which is being
built in steel, the remainder of the proj-
ect looks as if it will be concrete-framed.
Thanks to its position and imaginative
cladding, the new building competes
very favourably with the other promi-
nent new city developments such as the
Bullring, the Beetham Tower and, of
course, the Rotunda, the 1960s icon
currently being extensively refurbished.
Following a series of meetings and
“proving” exercises, Techrete was
appointed to supply the precast
concrete cladding that, apart from
fenestration, forms the entire facade.
The treatment to the elevations
includes stepped balconies with a bold
double-sweeping curve — concave and
convex — gracing the front facade.
Fortunately, Techrete was instructed
at an early stage and so was able to
assist Kevin Slack, McLean’s chief
architect in charge of the design for the
development, in deciding on the most
suitable finishes for the cladding and
“panelisation”. Finishes with high
colour contrast and mild changes in
texture were the order of the day and
Techrete set about producing a series
of samples and mock-ups to arrive at
what is now a very striking building.
A bright white reconstructed stone was
produced for the basic panel finish,
the standard finish being acid-etched.
Within many of the panels, the
change of texture has been achieved
with horizontal bands of lightly
exposed aggregate, using the same base
material. As the panels for the areas
of heavy colour contrast had
to be as black as possible and highly
polished, Techrete developed a black
basalt mix to satisfy these require-
ments, the polishing being carried out
by computer-controlled equipment.
The mid-grey colour areas of cladding
at roof level, originally scheduled to be
metal-clad, were eventually faced with
a silver grey precast cladding, again
Above polished. The final panel configuration
The 15-storey necessitated the use of two-colour
apartment casting, not the easiest of operations
building is near but the result certainly justifies the
Birmingham’s efforts that went into devising a casting
Bullring.
system to produce a precise demarca-
Opposite
tion between the black and the
Masshouse’s
white areas.
precast,
polished facade. Altogether almost 400 cladding
panels were supplied, the total area
being 6,000sq m. Many of the panels
were delivered complete with windows,
previously fixed at Techrete’s Brigg
factory, by the window trade contractor.
David Kennell, Techrete UK Ltd

Factory-made precast cladding allows flexibility and speeds construction

The choice of cladding finishes
and facings is almost limitless.
Reconstructed stone finishes that
mimic the appearance of natural
limestones and sandstones are
often specified. Panels may also
be faced with natural stone,
granites, bricks and tiles.
The inherent advantages of
precast cladding construction are
valuable and merit full considera-
tion. As each precast cladding
panel is cast off site in a purpose-
built factory, it is inspected, held
in store and available for delivery
on a just-in-time basis for off-
loading and hoisting directly
to its final fixing position, thereby
ensuring quality with efficient
performance. This method of
construction also eliminates the
need for wasteful double
handling of materials and tempo-
rary storage on site. The ability to
provide a factory-finished prod-
uct with preassembled stone,
brick or tile facings avoids the
common concern about the local
availability of sufficient suitably
qualified masons or bricklayers
to fit in with the programme.
In addition, weather becomes far
less critical to progress being
achieved.
Large cladding panels, in
particular, facilitate the rapid
enclosure of all forms of struc-
tural frame and, where spanning
between floor slabs or structural
columns, avoid the need for sec-
ondary backing structure for their
support and restraint. It may also
be possible to design them to
reduce mid-span loads in slab
Many of the Masshouse panels
were delivered complete with
windows inserted.
edge conditions. Moreover, con-
crete panels are fire resistant and
provide effective sound control.
Typically, a four- or five-person
team of erectors can safely and
efficiently install six to eight large
precast cladding panels per day,
generally without the need for an
external scaffold. Access for the
subsequent external pointing of
the joints between them is then
often provided by platform or
cradle or even by abseiling.
Further options include the
opportunity for any window
apertures within a precast
cladding panel to be framed and
glazed before despatch to site.
A panel may also be supplied with
insulation, either as a lining to its
internal face or as a core between
two concrete wythes, to enhance
its thermal performance.
For more information go to:
www.architectural-cladding-
association.org.uk

Spring 2007 | CQ | 11
Sustainable design
Lean, green eco-machine
Architecture, structural engineering and ecology have combined to produce Miami’s
ground-breaking COR tower, packing green technologies beneath its concrete shell
The latest addition to Miami’s skyline,
the 25-storey COR project, offers a
prototype for high-rise environmental
living. Designed by Miami-based
architect Oppenheim Architecture
& Design, and located in Miami’s
fast-regenerating design district,
COR will integrate a wide range of
green technologies.
The 116m-tall tower represents a
dynamic synergy between architecture,
structural engineering and ecology.
An integral part of the design is a
hyper-efficient, exoskeleton concrete
shell that features dozens of circular
cut-outs, which the project team
believes is a major design and engi-
neering breakthrough. This multipur-
pose shell will provide both the build-
ing structure and thermal mass for
insulation, as well as solar shading and
armatures for wind turbines. Here,
energy efficient elements will play an
integral part of the structural design.
The provision of built-in wind turbines
together with photovoltaic panels and
solar hot water generation means that
COR will produce its own energy to
meet the needs of the common areas.
The integration of concrete’s ther-
mal mass with shading and ventilation
is a passive sustainability strategy that
can significantly reduce a building’s
carbon footprint. Buildings with a
high level of thermal mass reduce the
risk of overheating by absorbing
daytime heat and so stabilise internal
temperatures. Cooler, night-time air
can then be used to ventilate the
building and purge the accumulated
heat from the building’s fabric.
As well as passive sustainability,
COR will actively aim to reduce its
carbon footprint further through the
energy produced from the wind tur-
bines located in armatures in the top
storeys of the structure and with the
installation of photovoltaic panels.
The project is a collaboration
between Oppenheim Architecture &
Design, structural engineer Ysrael
Seinuk and energy consultant Buro
Above Happold. It is being developed by
The 25-storey 4 Projects Miami and is scheduled for
COR tower will completion in 2009.
be a prototype
COR will contain 113 apartments
for high rise
ranging from studios to two-storey
environmental
penthouses. The apartments will
living.
Left include energy efficient appliances,
A multipurpose recycled glass tile flooring and
shell provides the environmentally friendly bamboo-lined
building structure hallways.
and elements to The industrially inspired interior
reduce its energy spaces of the apartments are designed
footprint. to combine functionality with flexibility
and aim to reflect the building’s urban
location. Office space, restaurants and
retailers on the ground floor will add to
the structure’s urbanist character and
allow the building to fully engage with
its location.
The design approach of COR offers
a prototype for high-rise construction
that could produce more energy effi-
cient cities. This is a project designed to
set an example of how energy efficiency
can be fully integrated within a build-
ing’s structure and operation.
Spring 2007 | CQ | 13
Fabric energy storage

Utilisation of thermal mass

in non-residential buildings
Air conditioning can be
a major contributor to
the CO2 emissions of a
building, but utilisation
of a building’s thermal
mass can significantly
reduce or even remove
the need for air condi-
tioning and therefore
its CO2 emissions. New
technical design guid-
ance from The Concrete
Centre explains how
By Tom De Saulles

As summers get hotter due to climate

change, the use of air conditioning is
increasing. In the UK the uptake of air
conditioning is rising by 8% per year.
This could result in an extra six million
tonnes of CO2 per year by 2020. To
counter this, the 2006 edition of Part
L2A of the Building Regulations sets
tough targets for CO2 emissions,
making the installation of full air- Above Exposed
conditioning system harder to justify concrete soffits
help to regulate
especially in the face of rising energy
the internal
costs. Furthermore, Building Regula-
temperature
tions now include clear overheating at Brighton’s
limits for non air-conditioned build- Jubilee Library.
ings to future-proof against the impact Left Precast
of climate change. Against this elements provide
background, passive cooling tech-
PHOTOS: TERMODECK AND FOGGO ASSOCIATES

fabric thermal
niques are being increasingly applied storage. The
in non-residential buildings. multi-service
At the heart of low-energy design is blades include
the thermal mass provided by the lighting and
building fabric and the way in which it chilled beams.
interacts with the internal and external
environment. Here, the unrivalled,
inherent thermal mass of concrete
plays an important role in ensuring

14 | CQ | Spring 2007
comfortable internal conditions.
The use of exposed concrete to provide
passive cooling can achieve significant
savings in terms of capital and operat-
ing costs through avoiding or minimis-
ing the need for air conditioning.
The basic approach is to expose the
soffit of the floor slabs, which can then
absorb heat gains during warm weather
and stabilise the internal temperature.
Typically, night air is then used to
ventilate and cool the building in
readiness for the following day. This
cycle of heating and cooling using the
thermal mass of a building is often
referred to as fabric energy storage.
For a typical office, FES can help
delay the onset of peak internal temper-
ature by some six hours, usually after
the occupants have left the building.
At this point the FES cycle is reversed.
As evening progresses, the external
temperature drops making night venti-
lation an effective means of removing
the accumulated heat from the building
fabric in preparation for the next day.
The UK variation in diurnal tempera-
ture rarely drops below 5°C making
night cooling relatively effective.
As an alternative or addition to night
ventilation, water cooling may be used.
This can offer improved flexibility
and control of slab cooling.
There are a number of generic
FES systems. These include:
■ Natural ventilation
with exposed soffits
Flat or profiled floor slabs used in
conjunction with natural ventilation.
This may be wind-driven, or a combi-
nation of wind and stack ventilation.
■ Underfloor ventilation
with exposed soffits
The void created by a raise floor is used
as a plenum for mechanical ventilation
maximising exposure of the thermal
mass by allowing heat transfer with top
of the slab in addition to the soffit on
the underside. Air enters the occupied
space through floor diffusers. This sys-
tem is often used in conjunction with
an exposed, profiled slab and with
openable windows to provide a mixed-
mode solution.
■ Exposed hollowcore slabs
with mechanical ventilation
Precast hollowcore concrete slabs with
mechanical ventilation via the cores,
providing good convective heat transfer
between the air and concrete. Further
Stabilising effect of thermal mass on internal temperature
30°C
15°C
DAY
■ Internal temperatures with high thermal mass
■ Internal temperatures with low thermal mass
■ External temperatures
heat transfer is provided by the
exposed slab soffit. The system is
typically referred to by the trade name
Termodeck.
■ Water-cooled slabs
Precast or cast in-situ slabs with water
cooling via embodied polybutylene
pipework, which can be used in con-
junction with a night ventilation strat-
egy. The precast option is trademarked
as Thermocast.
■ Chilled beams with exposed
or partially exposed soffits
Concrete soffits (flat or coffered) with
chilled beams suspended directly
below. A permeable ceiling may be
used, or the soffit left exposed.
FES is provided in the usual way,
using natural and/or mechanical
ventilation, with additional cooling
from the chilled beams.
For many developments, FES design
will be combined with mixed-mode
ventilation, and/or air conditioning.
This is due to the need for enhanced
cooling performance for demanding
office environments and in order to
Peak Up to 6-8°C
temperature difference between
delayed by up peak external and
to six hours internal temperatures
NIGHT DAY
address issues of security and occupant
control of windows.
A high thermal mass building will
provide a high quality, well-ventilated
space in which occupants are empow-
ered to take control of their environ-
ment. The building operator will
benefit from lower operating costs and
everyone will benefit from reduced
CO2 emissions. There is already a
significant number of FES designed
bespoke buildings and increasing
evidence that FES is being used for
speculative office developments. This is
being driven not only by awareness of
the need for greater sustainability, but
also by developers and building
occupants recognising the long-term
cost benefits of high thermal mass
buildings. This may well result in FES
becoming the norm for 21st century
commercial design and construction.
Authored by Tom De Saulles,
Utilisation of Thermal Mass in
Non-residential buildings: Guidance on
System Design, Floor Finish & Integration
of Services is available from
www.concretebookshop.com
or Tel: 0 700 4 607 777.
Spring 2007 | CQ | 15
The Concrete Centre Events
For further details and registration visit: www.concretecentre.com/events
Tel: 0700 4 500 500 or 0700 4 CONCRETE
Introduction to
Eurocode 2: Design
of Concrete Structures
March 20, Manchester
In partnership with IStructE
European codes and
standards will soon replace
the current British
Standards. Designers will
have to become familiar
with a new set of docu-
ments and terminology,
and understand the
interaction between them.
This seminar introduces
Eurocode 2 and aims to
assist construction
practitioners in making the
transition to the new code.
Concrete Design for
a Sustainable Future
May 3, London
June 21, Scotland
The presentation will
examine how concrete is
one of the most effective
sustainable building
materials when both
energy consumed during
the manufacture and the
building’s use are taken
into account. Concrete
construction offers the
solution to combat the
effects of climate change
by lowering energy
consumption and by
minimising the need
for air conditioning.
Design & Construction
of Concrete Flat Slabs
April 26, London
Flat slabs are highly
versatile elements that
provide minimum depth,
fast construction and
flexible column grids.
Case studies, the latest
design and construction
information, and tips
for using finite element
analysis will be presented.
Contact details: The Concrete Centre, Riverside House, 4 Meadows Business Park, Station Approach, Camberley, Surrey GU17 9AB
Tel: 0700 4 822 822 web: www.concretecentre.com
Concrete The lecture will examine
sustainable concrete
Elegance — architecture and how it
Developments can both reduce
embodied CO2 and lower
in Sustainable CO2 emissions during a
Concrete building’s working life. It
will also look at carbon-
Architecture neutral concrete and the
April 25, London design of single-skin, self-
In partnership with the finished external concrete
Building Centre Trust walls without insulation.
Case studies will include
the National Trust’s Heelis
headquarters in Swindon,
Feilden Clegg Bradley’s
Persistence Works arts
complex in Sheffield
(pictured above), the use
of hemcrete in brewer
Adnams’ Suffolk
warehouse, and Peter
Zumthor’s work at Chur
in Switzerland.
Concrete Solutions for
Sustainable Housing
May 15, London
June 19, Birmingham
Heavyweight forms of
construction continue
to evolve. The course
will discuss passive
design strategies
and architecture in an
ecoculture, including both
low- and multi-storey
solutions, and will also
give an update on Part L.
Concrete Surfaces
June 14, London
Achieving quality in visual
concrete is key. The
course covers the
essentials of the concrete
mix to ensure consistent
colour, selection of form
face materials, good
formwork practice, site
workmanship in handling
and compaction of
concrete, plus guidance
on achieving fine concrete
finishes with a minimum
of blemishes or surface
discolourations.
Design Tools
and Techniques
June 26, London
PHOTO: FEILDEN CLEGG BRADLEY. CONCRETE QUARTERLY IS ISSUED AS A SUPPLEMENT TO BUILDING DESIGN
This course will provide
recently graduated
engineers with the
practical tools and
techniques with which
to design reinforced
concrete structures,
ranging from quick design
methods for initial sizing
of members to best
practice advice for using
finite element analysis.
Delegates will have the
opportunity to use
concrete design software
for both element design
and the conceptual
design of frames.