Spec Finish

Innovations Ours is a fast-paced industry, matched only by the lightning speed of innovation in its products and ways of designing and installing them. In this article, we bring you some fascinating, innovative projects and some predictions for this year. We also explain how technical knowledge made available to all on site helps to bring about more collaborative working relationships. INNOVATIONS 26 www.thefis.org I n the UK Government’s Build Back Better plan, emphasis is placed on supporting companies and suppliers to collaborate and innovate in order to find solutions which are more sustainable, effective and create greater long-term value. For many companies, deciphering the point at which normal day-to-day problem-solving becomes innovation can be tricky as it’s often the case that only a small part of a large project can be termed ‘innovation’. 1. Indeglås project: Advanced Research Centre for University of Glasgow Indeglås has been working on the £113m new build Advanced Research Centre for University of Glasgow project in partnership with principal contractor, Multiplex. This project provides a perfect example of Indeglås’ collaborative and innovative ethos and demonstrates the direct and indirect benefits gained from the way they approach each and every brief they develop with their clients. Jeanette MacIntyre, Indeglås, Managing Director, explains more: Using carefully researched design methodology, we identified three key areas within the design and installation of the internal atrium glazing work package, which required an innovative approach. With an exceptionally tight timeframe we created a team of qualified advisors including specialist engineers, suppliers and lifting equipment technicians, and embarked on a journey of ‘what if’ scenarios in order to provide a solution which was not only thought through in terms of structural integrity, fall from height safety and acoustic performance, but also because the glazing needed to be fitted to its own dedicated support frame system off the edge of the concrete slab with a floor to floor height of 4,400mm. Three separate innovation journeys resulted in bespoke solutions for the modular steel supports, the specification and manufacture and delivery process for the glass panels and the installation process of the glass. The modular steel support frame was manufactured off-site to ensure accuracy and installed on the slab edge using advanced laser technology to achieve a tolerance of +/- 1 mm on all four levels. This level of accuracy enabled the glass panels to be lifted to the floors individually using two specially adapted cranes and manoeuvred horizontally into place. In order to achieve the high level of performance criteria required of the glass, including taking account the risk of explosion from both sides and internal wind pressure, it was necessary to adopt an SentryGlas Plus (SGP) interlayer to provide the required integrity and strength. As with many innovative journeys there can be beneficial outcomes which are often hard to determine at the outset and the project at the Advance Research Centre was no exception. Here are some of the ‘wins’ which came as a result of thinking outside the box: • we incorporated a complete change in methodology of install without affecting the programme; • an impressive training certification portfolio upgraded skills for management, operatives and logistics staff; • the circular economy benefited – all staff and glass supply (the major supply component) came from a supply chain within a five mile radius of the project; • two labourers employed from within a 10 miles radius are both now fully qualified logistics wardens; The Indeglås project at the Advanced Research Centre for University of Glasgow