Specification focus: Precast concrete: industry innovations
30 Jan 2008
The precast industry in the UK is in a strong and positive position and continues to improve its performance in the construction market place. British Precast members produce around £2.5bn of products each year and employ more than 22,000 people, producing materials for new and refurbished housing, commercial and industrial development, transport and utilities infrastructure, hospitals, schools and urban renewal.
The move towards offsite manufacturing has given structural precast a substantial boost, with extensions to existing production facilities and new plants already being commissioned. Design of concrete structures is now under the auspices of Eurocode 2 (BS EN 1992-1, the design of concrete structures), with BS 8110 being withdrawn in 2008. A design manual has been produced to simplify the transfer to the new code and a series of introductory courses have been held recently. Innovation-led moves by precast producers are set to re-enter the low-rise shed market, where security and fire issues require improved construction techniques. We also expect to see an increase in high-rise precast buildings of over 20 storeys, and are already seeing an increase in the application of precast architectural cladding.
In the paving market, new and innovative product design and systems such as permeable paving for sustainable drainage look to improve producers’ performance. Market ground lost to Indian sandstone is also set to be clawed back as the BRE has examined the carbon footprint of such products, revealing the true environmental cost of importing materials across the world, and shining a new and positive light on locally produced precast concrete products.
With the government’s commitment to developing the UK’s transport infrastructure, increased track and station investment on the UK’s rail network will boost demand for sleepers, utility ducts and station platform extensions.
Sustainability push
British Precast has continued to press forward with programmes to improve the sustainability of the industry sector, and the service-life performance of its products, including many events and initiatives in the past year. The Concrete Targets 2010 scheme aims to reduce member companies’ RIDDOR [reporting of injuries, diseases and dangerous occurances regulations] accident rates by a minimum of 50% from 2005 to 2010, and is on target to do so. In conjunction with its predecessor scheme, the membership of the CT2010 scheme have already reduced accidents by a total of more than 60%, with an overriding sector target of zero accidents. The scheme is endorsed by the Health & Safety Executive, from whom it receives regular input and support.
Work is underway on a variety of environmental topics, including climate change, emissions control, energy-use reductions, as well as work with BRE in developing a framework for a certified chain-of-custody scheme. British Precast also recently launched its challenging Sustainability Charter, members of which have signed a series of commitments to improve their sustainability performance and profile, as part of our ongoing sector sustainability strategy, ‘More from Less’.
The move to ‘zero carbon’ building and the need for the whole-life impact of a structure to be accurately assessed, including the energy use during occupation, has highlighted the performance benefits of concrete and masonry structures, as well as the long-term cost savings associated with the thermal mass of these building materials.
The joint British Precast/Proskills training committee meets regularly. Proskills is the sector skills council for precast concrete. It undertakes research into the training needs of the industry and is developing programmes to match those needs.
As the Code for Sustainable Homes takes real effect, there will be an increased demand for improved lifelong structures that benefit from low sound transmission and thermal comfort in both hot and cold weather, all of which are on offer in precast concrete and masonry homes. Added to these factors, resistance to extreme weather and infestation, fire resistance and long-term costs savings make precast concrete a practical and desirable building solution. concrete costs
The annual January price increase will see the cost of concrete increase by approx £7/m³ to £10/m³ to give a basic C40 concrete an average price of £80/m³.
Typical 'all-in' estimating rates inclusive of trade preliminaries and overheads and profit for C40 concrete for a typical concrete framed building are as follows. The rates have been expressed as a range to reflect ease of placement, quantities involved and complexity of design.
30 Jan 2008
The precast industry in the UK is in a strong and positive position and continues to improve its performance in the construction market place. British Precast members produce around £2.5bn of products each year and employ more than 22,000 people, producing materials for new and refurbished housing, commercial and industrial development, transport and utilities infrastructure, hospitals, schools and urban renewal.
The move towards offsite manufacturing has given structural precast a substantial boost, with extensions to existing production facilities and new plants already being commissioned. Design of concrete structures is now under the auspices of Eurocode 2 (BS EN 1992-1, the design of concrete structures), with BS 8110 being withdrawn in 2008. A design manual has been produced to simplify the transfer to the new code and a series of introductory courses have been held recently. Innovation-led moves by precast producers are set to re-enter the low-rise shed market, where security and fire issues require improved construction techniques. We also expect to see an increase in high-rise precast buildings of over 20 storeys, and are already seeing an increase in the application of precast architectural cladding.
In the paving market, new and innovative product design and systems such as permeable paving for sustainable drainage look to improve producers’ performance. Market ground lost to Indian sandstone is also set to be clawed back as the BRE has examined the carbon footprint of such products, revealing the true environmental cost of importing materials across the world, and shining a new and positive light on locally produced precast concrete products.
With the government’s commitment to developing the UK’s transport infrastructure, increased track and station investment on the UK’s rail network will boost demand for sleepers, utility ducts and station platform extensions.
Sustainability push
British Precast has continued to press forward with programmes to improve the sustainability of the industry sector, and the service-life performance of its products, including many events and initiatives in the past year. The Concrete Targets 2010 scheme aims to reduce member companies’ RIDDOR [reporting of injuries, diseases and dangerous occurances regulations] accident rates by a minimum of 50% from 2005 to 2010, and is on target to do so. In conjunction with its predecessor scheme, the membership of the CT2010 scheme have already reduced accidents by a total of more than 60%, with an overriding sector target of zero accidents. The scheme is endorsed by the Health & Safety Executive, from whom it receives regular input and support.
Work is underway on a variety of environmental topics, including climate change, emissions control, energy-use reductions, as well as work with BRE in developing a framework for a certified chain-of-custody scheme. British Precast also recently launched its challenging Sustainability Charter, members of which have signed a series of commitments to improve their sustainability performance and profile, as part of our ongoing sector sustainability strategy, ‘More from Less’.
The move to ‘zero carbon’ building and the need for the whole-life impact of a structure to be accurately assessed, including the energy use during occupation, has highlighted the performance benefits of concrete and masonry structures, as well as the long-term cost savings associated with the thermal mass of these building materials.
The joint British Precast/Proskills training committee meets regularly. Proskills is the sector skills council for precast concrete. It undertakes research into the training needs of the industry and is developing programmes to match those needs.
As the Code for Sustainable Homes takes real effect, there will be an increased demand for improved lifelong structures that benefit from low sound transmission and thermal comfort in both hot and cold weather, all of which are on offer in precast concrete and masonry homes. Added to these factors, resistance to extreme weather and infestation, fire resistance and long-term costs savings make precast concrete a practical and desirable building solution. concrete costs
The annual January price increase will see the cost of concrete increase by approx £7/m³ to £10/m³ to give a basic C40 concrete an average price of £80/m³.
Typical 'all-in' estimating rates inclusive of trade preliminaries and overheads and profit for C40 concrete for a typical concrete framed building are as follows. The rates have been expressed as a range to reflect ease of placement, quantities involved and complexity of design.
source:
No comments:
Post a Comment