Senior Architectural Systems is well placed to help its customers achieve the new lower U-value targets required by Approved Document Part L of the Building Regulations and the new Future Homes Standard thanks to its established thermally-efficient PURe® aluminium window system.

With slim sightlines and enhanced thermal performance, Senior Architectural Systems’ SF52 aluminium curtain wall system has been put centre stage to create the modern new facade of the historic Octagon Theatre in Bolton, Greater Manchester.

The building envelope makes a significant contribution to overall energy usage – therefore, tighter U-values in walls, floors and roofs is absolutely key. It’s why getting the design right from the outset is far less costly than retrofitting later. Here, Ben Cheetham, Specification Manager at Keystone Lintels, looks at the benefits of a one-piece thermally-efficient lintel including low thermal conductivity performance, buildability, improved SAP calculations and why they are up to five times more thermally efficient than standard lintels.

In these dramatically changing times, it is remarkable what there is to find by simply using the word ‘innovation’ as a digging tool.

By offering some of the lowest U-values available, the patented PURe® aluminium window system from Senior Architectural Systems has become a firm favourite in the residential sector.

For the housing industry today, the problems of the ‘Third World War’ (i.e. COVID-19) mirror somewhat those of the Second World War when the aim was to come up with a quick, efficient and modern answer to a problem. In 1942, it was the bombed-out housing crisis. This was when the UK took inspiration from the USA and their very advanced and modern prefabricated houses for workers and families working on huge dam construction projects. UK prefabs were temporary homes built in the factory – they were the MMC (modern methods of construction) of their day.

The tail end of 2017 was not without its fair share of announcements relating to the UK house-building industry. With a raft of budget commitments to increasing new starts and aiding first-time buyers through to an industrial strategy white paper containing a sector-specific deal for construction, there’s plenty to be optimistic about as we enter 2018, says Andrew Minson of the Modern Masonry Alliance.