We were delighted to attend the annual Galvanizing Association Galvanizing Awards in Royal Aeronautical Society in London. Dozens of fantastic projects and a great presentation from Reddy Architecture + Urbanism about their urban centres projects and their latest challenge – Embassy Gardens in London.
The Galvanizing Awards competition has been recognising the innovative use of galvanized steel by architects, engineers, constructors, and artists for over 20 years.
This year apart from a wide range of very interesting projects we were also honored by great attendance. It was great opportunity to exchange opinions about challenges and opportunities that are facing the whole construction industry.
Moving towards a sustainable future
– For many years, we have been talking about sustainability principles in conjunction with construction – cradle to grave concepts are now rightly morphing into circular design – says Ed Byrne, Chairman of Galvanizers Association. – We are all involved in construction in some shape or form which provides many benefits for us all.
However, some general facts for us to ponder which you may already be aware of.
At present construction accounts for:
- 40% of material use
- 50% CO2 emissions
- 20% water use
- 25% of all transport
In a lifetime, an average European citizen generates at least 160 tonnes of construction and demolition waste.
Circularity should be a concept that we embrace. According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, “A circular economy is one that is restorative and regenerative by design, and which aims to keep products, components and materials at their highest utility and value at all times, distinguishing between technical and biological cycles.”
Hot Dip Galvanizing industry has for over 150 years been protecting the precious, commodity which is steel. It has so many benefits – its strength/weight ratio, ease of use in construction and its recyclability can be further enhanced by its reuse.
– We should ideally be paying much more attention to corrosion protection at the outset of project planning – says Ed Byrne. – It would be even better if we could be thinking of designing with demountability and reuse in mind from day one. Galvanizing would be an ideal partner within this design strategy.
Ready for reuse
Imagine a portal frame or bridge structure that has bolted connections with flooring elements not structurally connected to the steelwork. The steelwork is all galvanized.
50 years later the structure is no longer required at its present site, it is unbolted, transported to a new site and re-erected.
The fact that it is galvanized means the steelwork is continually protected, its inbuilt abrasion resistant characteristics enable it to withstand the dismantling and re-erection processes. The continual reuse of the structure could have a lifetime of 170 years or more.
This is not wishful thinking. It is partly being implemented today – a galvanized steel demountable carpark in Leiden; the Netherlands has been erected on a vacant site which has been earmarked for housing- when the developers move in the carpark will be moved to a different home.
Reddy for challenges?
As presented by Tim Pettigrew and Michael Connolly from Reddy Architecture + Urbanism, today’s construction is facing multiple challenges. That includes the transport of the pre-fabricated elements to site. Some of the elements necessary to finish Embassy Gardens are traveling from United States. Therefore the quality of the product and the whole process must be proven.
Hot Dip Galvanizing is the perfect example of the process efficiency. Protected steel structures can be delivered on-site straight after galvanizing and installed without risk of losing corrosion protection during the transport.
Most galvanizing companies offers transport services to ensure that the project is finished on a tight schedule.
About Embassy Gardens project
Following completion of 326 apartments in Phase 1 of the Embassy Gardens development, Reddy A+U has developed a further 872 apartments in Phase 2. The apartments are arranged in three blocks, linked together by a raised podium garden over a ground-level parking structure. Heights range up to 21 storeys. The development includes 163 units for the Viridian Housing Association, designed and built to LHDG standards. The development includes a transparent ‘pool in the sky’, spanning between two blocks at 10th-floor level, the first of its kind in the UK.
Having all those benefits in mind, we encourage you to check out the winning projects of the Galvanizing Association Galvanizing Awards 2018
The winners are as follows:
- Highly Commended Architecture Award: won by 6a Architects for the Blue Mountain School
- Galvanizing in Architecture Award: won by Tonkin Liu for Old Shed New House
- Construction Industry Choice Award: Pezo von Ellrichshausen for Hull Pavilion
- Galvanizing in Engineering Award: won by Shand Building Design Ltd for Middleton of Rora
- Detail Award: won by Michael Trentham Architects for The New Portland Arms
- Sustainability Award: won by Millar + Howard Workshop for Dursley Treehouse
- Duplex Award: won by Newground Architects for Rehearsal Rooms
- Special mention for Emma Stothard Sculpture for Boiled Lobster
- Special mention for Studio Andrew Todd for Hardelot Theatre