Developers are under increased pressure to construct safer buildings on fast-track schedules whilst still achieving outstanding building performance. Here Steve Thompson, Managing Director of EOS Framing, stresses the importance of delivering complete and compliant systems.
We take our responsibilities as a manufacturer extremely seriously. Our light steel frame systems are rigorously tested, manufactured under ISO 9001:2015 quality management standards and are now backed by Buildoffsite Property Assurance Scheme (BOPAS) Accreditation. Our aim is to deliver confidence and certainty in the construction process and empower specifiers to be technical forerunners in the offsite sector.
Against a backdrop of government targets to build 300,000 homes a year combined with increasing construction costs and poor quality conventionally constructed houses as well as a huge shortfall in traditional skills – the demand for innovative offsite construction methods has never been greater.
BOPAS Accreditation is recognised by principal lenders as providing the necessary assurance underpinned by a warranty provision that residential properties will be readily mortgageable for at least 60 years.
Pioneering a Certified Systems Approach
For funders and lenders BOPAS provides assurances that our light steel systems are fit for purpose and eliminates the uncertainty surrounding the construction for valuation purposes. It also removes the risk for developers of mortgages being declined on construction grounds. BOPAS demonstrates to funders, lenders, valuers and purchasers that homes built from non-traditional methods will be durable, delivered to high quality standards and stand the test of time.
Specialising in advanced light steel framing technologies, the team at EOS are taking the construction industry forward by pioneering a new certified systems approach, helping specifiers to comply and compete in challenging markets. We are committed to technical competence and as part of Etex, have some of the best building performance experts in the UK on our team. They work closely with certification bodies to jointly design and develop advanced technical solutions.
We are continually looking at ways to make the building process not only inherently safer but also to offer performance assurances to residential developers to ensure they can provide sufficient levels of protection to residents. Improving levels of occupants' safety, and increasing the quality of the build, is our primary objective. Our research and perspective interviews with sector experts have equipped us with a deep understanding of the challenges faced by housing specifiers. Lack of performance testing is a major concern.
Fire protection for light steel framing is typically provided by the use of non-combustible boards for internal linings and fire protection systems such as those manufactured by our Etex group partners – passive fire protection specialists, Promat and FSi who develop and manufacture a full range of built-in fire protection systems to protect infrastructure and assets.
Backed by Robust Testing and BOPAS Accreditation
We have invested in research and testing to bring a new safety-first systems approach to the offsite sector. EOS can now help specifiers reduce risk and operate with more certainty by verifying and certifying our systems performance.
Through the collaborative expertise of Etex brands EOS Framing, Siniat, Promat and FSi, our light steel non-combustible systems are helping construction clients comply and compete in challenging markets. Our full-scale testing regimes study the performance of products working together to establish how they interact in 'real' circumstances, such as fire conditions or when exposed to wind and rain.
Our range of Thrubuild®, Thruwall® and Pre-Assembled Frames (PAF) have been developed to eliminate uncertainty surrounding the design and specification of the external envelope. All components and products in the systems have been rigorously tested together for fire, acoustic, weathering, airtightness, durability and mechanical performance. Fire resistance periods of 60, 90 and 120 minutes are achievable.
Our Thrubuild® loadbearing and Thruwall® non-loadbearing range is supplied as a tried and tested custom designed kit of parts integrating steel framing, external Siniat Weather Defence sheathing, Siniat internal drylining, ancillary parts, fixtures and fittings. Providing crucial safety, time and cost benefits, Thrubuild® has multiple loadbearing applications and can be used for external or internal walls together with internal and separating floors. Thruwall® is a fully engineered custom-designed nonloadbearing infill system manufactured offsite and supplied as a complete certified kit of parts that can be used with concrete and steel main frames.
Following the success of Thruwall® – EOS has taken factory manufacturing to another level. Our Pre-Assembled Frames (PAF) are prefabricated and preassembled offsite, these nonloadbearing infill systems are delivered to site as an assembled panelised unit. Backed by rigorous testing and now BOPAS Accreditation, our Thrubuild®, Thruwall® and PAF systems get the safety and building performance balance right through the combination of light steel framing, external sheathing, internal wall linings and glass mineral wool insulation – only tested configurations are available.
By working closely with specifiers EOS is now able to deliver precision engineered solutions with assured performance which can be produced at scale better than, faster than and more cost-efficiently than other market offerings. When Thrubuild®, Thruwall® and PAF systems are built with Etex Group components and materials, following a validation process — Etex award a 30-year warranty.
For more information visit: www.eosframing.co.uk
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