We are delighted to announce that B & K Structures has been shortlisted in three categories of the prestigious Offsite Awards for Best Hybrid Construction Project, Best Use of Timber and Product Innovation.
Best Hybrid Construction Project - University of Essex
The ambition was to create the first zero carbon business school in the UK – a building aimed to reflect the university’s vision for growth, excellence and sustainability. The three storey educational building and a single storey MBA lecture theatre, were designed to provide students, staff and business partners with innovative spaces in a collaborative environment – focused around a winter garden in an Eden Project style dome. The optimised hybrid structure encompassed glulam beams, cross laminated timber cassettes, steel and prefabricated wall cassettes. The use of timber on this innovative education building has significantly contributed to it becoming the UK’s first zero-carbon business school and achieving its aim of a BREEAM Excellent rating.
Best Use of Timber: GlaxoSmithKline Carbon Neutral Laboratory
The GlaxoSmithKline Carbon Neutral Laboratory of Sustainable Chemistry for The University of Nottingham is the first carbon neutral laboratory in the UK and one of the first laboratories to be designed to BREEAM Outstanding standards. The two-storey, 22m tall engineered timber structure is located on the Nottingham University’s Jubilee Campus and incorporates cross laminated timber as the main structural component for the building being used for structural walls, floors and roofing elements working with the main structural glulam frame. The centre aims to create a research culture for the 21st century in which the optimisation of sustainability is a key competence for all chemists and the understanding of new ways of working for minimum carbon impact are transferred back into pharmaceutical research laboratories.
Product Innovation: Engineered Timber Cassettes
In partnership with Rubner Holzbau, one of the leading European companies operating in the field of timber construction, B & K Structures has developed large format, engineered timber roof and wall cassettes. These timber cassettes have been designed and rigorously tested to deliver sustainable buildings at a rapid rate - without compromising on quality or efficiency. Offering high levels of prefabrication and integration - based on extensive research and testing, the products within the cassettes are specifically selected and tested to naturally blend to precisely meet individual design specifications. Engineered timber cassettes are designed and manufactured to ensure that the required performance specification for fire, thermal, acoustic transfer and acoustic absorption are met through the build-up of the cassette.
The Winners will be announced on 18 October during UK Construction Week at the NEC, Birmingham.
For more information about B & K Structures visit: www.bkstructures.co.uk
