Published: 9th March 2012
The refurbishment of Barnsley District Police HQ, part of South Yorkshire Police, is the latest in a series of work which will deliver long-term cost savings for the Force’s building estate across the region. With clear guidelines to develop a cost-effective programme of work to reduce future maintenance cycle budgets and cut energy bills – whilst improving the environment for the station’s 400+ staff – the project has been a resounding success.
Architects at Yorkshire-based Clayton Rodgers were briefed to deliver a strategy to benefit financially while improving the overall look and performance of the district HQ building too. Reflecting the importance that windows play when it comes to future savings, the retrofit project saw half of the budget allocated to high performance, double glazed PVC-U window profiles from Cheshire’s Spectus Window Systems.
The work involved the refurbishment of several elements of the three story building, with re-roofing and the installation of upgraded heating and energy systems carried out in addition to the installation of approximately 250 new windows which used Spectus’ Elite 70 PVC-U window profile.
Delivering the project in accordance with the strict criteria set out in the Home Office’s Police Buildings Design Guide, as well as with consideration to Part L of the 2010 Building Regulations with its more stringent requirements around U-values, Bob Clayton from Clayton Rodgers said: “Much thought was put into the fenestration strategy, which was not only produced to comply with the requirements of Part L and meet Home Office requirements, but also to improve energy efficiency at the station in order to reduce future heat loss and fuel costs.
“We put the contract out to tender and, having taken all of this into account, fabricator and installer Jade Windows came up with the ideal solution – the Spectus’ Elite 70 range – due to its durability, ease of maintenance and replacement, thermal efficiency and exceptional value.”
Dewsbury’s Jade Windows replaced the original 1960s single glazed, aluminium profiles at the police station with white PVC-U opening casement frames. Following the original specification, floor to ceiling windows were fitted with a fixed, insulated PVC-U bottom panel and double glazed top unit.
In addition, Jade Windows carried out further installations which used the Elite 70 range at Hackenthorpe police station in Sheffield, and Dodworth and Hoyland police stations in Barnsley.
Jade Windows’ David Fozard explained: “As a Spectus fabricator, we’ve worked with its products for years now and know the systems are cost-effective. They can deliver a band A Window Energy Rating (WER) and excellent U-Values as low as 0.8W/(m²K), all of which will help South Yorkshire Police realise its objectives and even help boost its sustainability credentials too. The Elite 70 has a multi-chambered profile that provides increased thermal efficiency – the windows are therefore key to driving down energy load requirements at the station.”
Although Nick Cutts, Building Survey at South Yorkshire Police was relatively flexible about which window system was installed, he did insist on PVC-U and is happy with the choice of Spectus Elite 70: “I was very keen to have PVC-U windows having been unhappy with the previous aluminium windows, which had various expensive maintenance issues including drafts and mechanical faults,” he says.
“Air tightness was crucial and PVC-U gives an improved fit, and therefore less draft and greater levels of comfort for the staff using the building. With the improved mechanics I anticipate less need for repairs and, as the cost of the PVC-U profile was lower than rival building materials, it meant we were able to carry out the full planned refurbishment to budget.
“Spectus’ Elite 70 system suits our criteria exactly; not least because it helps us meet acoustic and weather performance requirements too, and helps cut our carbon emissions.”
The South Yorkshire Police force works across Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield. In Barnsley alone there are over 350 police officers and 100 members of support staff working together to keep crime at a minimum across the borough
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