www.newsteelconstruction.com Cellular solution for Leeds Vol 23 No 4 April 2015 23 No 4 April Vol Belfast gets university campus Steel stays cost competitive High rise in Hammersmith Paddington’s iconic fan bridge In this issue Cover Image Ulster University Belfast City Campus Main client: Ulster University Structural engineer: Mott Macdonald Steelwork contractor: Walter Watson Steel tonnage: 750t April 2015 Vol 23 No 4 Editor’s comment With construction costs rising despite reports of general inflation falling, amid 5 forecasts of further price rises to come, Editor Nick Barrett reports on a new analysis that says steel will remain the most cost-effective framing solution. 6 News Tata Steel has relaunched its responsibly sourced Asymmetric Slimflor Beams (ASBs). 10 Cost According to the latest industry analysis, structural steelwork remains competitively priced. Commercial The second phase of an office-led regeneration scheme in west London is nearing 14 completion. Commercial A cellular design has helped a project in Leeds city centre achieve all of its design 16 requirements. 18 Education Ulster University is in the midst of constructing a new campus in Belfast city centre. 20 Distribution A portal frame was the solution for a distribution centre extension in Stoke. 24 Bridge A spectacular footbridge has been installed as a feature element at Paddington Basin. Technical The SCI offers advice on the issues to be considered when designing portal frames 26 constructed from cold-formed steel. 50 Years Ago Our look back through the pages of Building with Steel features Lanchester College of 28 Technology in Coventry. 30 BCSA Members 32 Register of Qualified Steelwork Contractors for Bridgeworks Codes and Standards These and other steelwork articles 34 can be downloaded from the New Steel Construction Website at www.newsteelconstruction.com NSC April 2015 3 DEVELOPED with YOU in mind Cellbeam software VERS10N You’ve spoken. We’ve listened V2.0 CELLULAR PLATE VIBRATION BIM USFB® ASD Westok Cellbeam V.10 Design of composite ASD Westok Beams with Precast Hollowcore Units to the Eurocodes with detailed construction stage bending and torsion checks. Software developed in conjunction with SCI publication P401 BIM Integration with Revit® 2015 & Improved graphics Visit www.asdwestok.co.uk to register and download our free cellular beam, plate beam, USFB®, vibration & BIM software. ENTRUSTED TO DESIGN AND DELIVER MULTI-METAL SOLUTIONS ASD Westok Ltd. | Valley Farm Way | Stourton | Leeds | LS10 1SE | t: 0113 205 5270 | f: 0113 205 5271 e: [email protected] | w: www.asdwestok.co.uk MARWE-A2002 Comment Steel’s performance stays high in low inflation age News that inflation fell to zero in February for the first time since records began will have come as a pleasant surprise to many, especially those who grew up against a background of runaway inflation driven economic crisis. Construction estimators however will quickly move to warn their marketing departments and their company’s clients that these headline figures bear no resemblance to what is happening to prices in our industry. Those headlines relate to the Consumer Prices Index, which means prices at the supermarket tills are, on average, only at the level of a year ago. Prices for all major construction materials are not behaving anything like that. Nick Barrett - Editor Clear warnings about this can be seen in the Gardiner & Theobald cost analysis that we carry a report on in this month’s issue, and which has also been reported on widely in the construction press. The G&T analysis shows that steel retains the competitive cost advantage over alternative framing solutions that it has enjoyed for over 30 years. This advantage was maintained when prices were rising in the pre credit crisis boom years, was enjoyed by clients during the recession and persists into the current recovery. Steel has proven to be the cost-competitive solution whatever the economic background and whatever is happening to general prices or the prices of other construction materials. Proof of the cost benefits achievable can be seen in the selection of steel for all of the case studies in this issue of NSC, along with a host of other advantages that come for no extra charge. We have a story about a rare 10-storey block in Hammersmith; as a speculatively built office-led regeneration scheme, cost along with speed of construction, flexibility and quality is key to the whole development. With the economic recovery new commercial development is spreading to the regions, with projects like the one we report on in Leeds where re-engineering led to selection of cost-effective cellular beams, also delivering lighter foundations and programme advantages. Ulster University is achieving its sustainability and carbon footprint targets alongside cost benefits with its new BREEAM ‘Excellent’ designed steel-framed campus. Costs are always crucial for the logistics industry and a new distribution centre at Stoke shows why steel commands a share of over 90% of this market. The unique Japanese fan inspired moving bridge at Paddington Basin wasn’t only delivered within budget, but probably couldn’t even have been conceived in anything other than steel. Lower consumer prices aren’t irrelevant for construction activity. Allied to upward pressure on wage rates they mean that the spending power of most people is rising, which will raise the level of economic activity, which in turn feeds through to demand for more projects like shops, cinemas and distribution centres. Whatever the level of demand, steel will remain the cost-effective solution. EDITOR PUBLISHED BY BCSA AND TATA STEEL, EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Nick Barrett Tel: 01323 422483 IN ASSOCIATION WITH SCI Ms S McCann-Bartlett (Chair); Mr N Barrett; [email protected] Mr D G Brown, SCI; Mr M Crosby; Mr C Dolling, BCSA; DEPUTY EDITOR The British Constructional Steelwork Association Ltd Mr R Gordon; Mr A Palmer, Buro Happold; Martin Cooper Tel: 01892 538191 4 Whitehall Court, Westminster, London SW1A 2ES Mr G H Taylor, Caunton Engineering; [email protected] Telephone 020 7839 8566 Fax 020 7976 1634 Mr M Thompson, Mott MacDonald; CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Website www.steelconstruction.org Mr O Tyler, Wilkinson Eyre Architects Ty Byrd Tel: 01892 553143 Email [email protected] [email protected] The role of the Editorial Advisory Board is to advise PRODUCTION EDITOR Tata Steel on the overall style and content of the magazine. Andrew Pilcher Tel: 01892 553147 PO Box 1, Brigg Road, Scunthorpe, [email protected] North Lincolnshire DN16 1BP New Steel Construction welcomes contributions on PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Telephone 01724 405060 any suitable topics relating to steel construction. Alastair Lloyd Tel: 01892 553145 Website www.tatasteelconstruction.com Publication is at the discretion of the Editor. Views [email protected] Email [email protected] expressed in this publication are not necessarily NEWS REPORTER those of the BCSA, SCI, Tata Steel or the Contract Mike Walter The Steel Construction Institute Publisher. Although care has been taken to ensure COMMERCIAL MANAGER Silwood Park, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7QN that all information contained herein is accurate with Fawad Minhas Tel: 01892 553149 Telephone 01344 636525 Fax 01344 636570 relation to either matters of fact or accepted practice [email protected] Website www.steel-sci.com at the time of publication, the BCSA, SCI, Tata Steel Email [email protected] and the Editor assume no responsibility for any errors or misinterpretations of such information or any loss CONTRACT PUBLISHER & ADVERTISING SALES or damage arising from or related to its use. No part Barrett, Byrd Associates of this publication may be reproduced in any form 7 Linden Close, without the permission of the publishers. Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 8HH Telephone 01892 524455 All rights reserved ©2015. ISSN 0968-0098 Website www.barrett-byrd.com NSC April 2015 5 News Tata Steel Asymmetric Slimflor® Beams now more accessible assured project planning. An integral part of the Advance® sections range, ASBs have been specifically designed for use with ComFlor® 225 deep decking to create the Slimdek® system, an engineered solution that offers a service-integrated, minimal depth, cost-effective shallow floor construction ideal for car parks, residential developments, hospitals and commercial buildings where minimising floor depth, and achieving onerous acoustic and vibration criteria are key considerations. Tata Steel Product Marketer, Construction Structures, Mike Hoare said: “We are keen to demonstrate the flexibility that ASBs can offer to construction programmes, with assured availability and shorter lead times.” “ASBs are an essential part of a cost- effective shallow floor solution. The Tata Steel has relaunched its responsibly the ASBs are to be produced to order, project basis from rolling campaigns for composite action, which is assisted by sourced Asymmetric Slimflor® enabling accurate programming for smaller minimum order quantities per the embossed surface on the upper flange Beams (ASBs) making them more construction projects. serial size (>120 tonnes). of the ASB, significantly increases the accessible than ever before, with a Manufactured in the UK to the The combined shorter lead-time, structural strength of the floor.” shorter production time and improved exacting standards required for CE typically 6-8 weeks, along with rollings For support and advice on the use of availability.