Construction Technology

A Pile cap with a concrete precast beam sitting on top of the pile. The beam will receive a precast concrete slab to form the lower floor structure. The steel mini-piles are a by-product from the oil industry and have been altered to suit the construction.

Ground Floor prefabricated POD, which arrived on site complete as the picture here. Tiled walls, plumbed toilet, wash-hand basin, heating rail etc, wall units and light fittings. The decision was made to have a recessed floor for the shower rather than an upstand shower tray, to facilitate disabled showering.

The Sedum roof with pebble eaves gutter. At the apex can be seen the automatic vents that open to release any excessive heat gain from the south-facing solar space. A pebble band around the perimeter of the roof helps prevent vegetation growing up under flashings and damaging the building fabric as well as acting as a drainage channel for surplus water, which drains down a vertical chain rather than a plastic pipe. An outline of the roof can be found at the Greenroof.com web site here.

Intelligent Systems

The vertical riser duct terminated at the roof and, here under construction, can be seen some of the ventilation ducts, CAT5 cabling for the house entertainment, data and IT systems. The house has been designed to allow easy access and upgrading as future technologies become available, proven and desirable. Indeed, 2 years after the house was completed it underwent an upgrade to increase the facilities available.

A Electro-Magnetic Water Conditioner used electromagnetic pulses to polarise particles in the water, giving them an electric charge that keeps them in suspension, thereby inhibiting lime-scale. By preventing the minerals depositing on heating elements the life span of boilers, washing-machines, shower heads, kettles etc are not only increased, but their efficiency is maintained.

A single key containing a microchip, programmed to suit the owner, accesses all locks in the home. No longer do you need a separate key for each lock, as the system controls who can have access to which areas and at what time. For example, a plumber taking a week to complete some work could be issued with a key that will let them in without you being at home, would never be usable before 8 am or after 6:00 pm and would deactivate at the end of the week, in case he forgets to return the key. This saves expensive lock replacement.

A sensor with these water efficient taps allows the wash-hand basins to be filled just by passing your hand under the tap. As well as being hygienic it also means no more messy hand marks on the taps before you've had the chance to wash them.
The taps have an aerated nozzle which delivers a strong flow whilst using less water. The tactile buttons to the right provide either a short or full flush to the adjacent toilet.

An adjustable flat LCD screen adjacent to the kitchen worktop allows flexibility in where and how you work. It can allow you to retrieve your e-mails and messages whilst you return to the kitchen with the shopping, let you watch TV whilst cooking or lets your children do their homework on the computer under your immediate supervision.

Digital Satellite, Digital FM Radio and terrestrial aerial receivers, which can be played on most rooms through the house entertainment system. A choice of radio stations or up to 100 CD's can be accessed from any room, controlled via a recessed wall mounted selector in the each room. This allows the owner to choose the radio / CD to be played in that room, without disturbing those listening to something else in another room.

Integer Architects

Client

Contractor

St. Engineer

Quantity Surveyor

IT Consultant

M&E Consultants