New Materials for House Building in Horsham and Sussex

Like many industries, house builders in Horsham and Sussex are ever on the lookout for ways to improve.  This is in response to customer demand for greener housing as well as the need to be as efficient as possible.    

A number of innovative new materials are now being developed that could have a significant impact on all areas of the building industry, from architectural design and services in Reigate, through to final build solutions across the county.  The building materials can be used in smaller projects such as loft conversions and home extensions, or major housing projects in larger urban developments in places such as Horsham or Crawley.

https://abmbuild.co.uk/about-abm-build/

While the new developments are exciting in themselves there is an issue in how to bring them to market in a “joined up” way.  The building materials are being researched and manufactured in various locations around the world, and a co-ordinated effort by the UK government and building industries would do much to make them available to local companies in the near future.

Here are a few of the more intriguing materials that may find their way on to Sussex construction sites.

Bamboo-Reinforced Concrete

While bamboo is not a traditional construction material for places like Reigate and Crawley, it has long been proven in Asia.  Bamboo’s properties of being strong, lightweight and fast growing are now making is a very attractive option for a number of applications and many in the architectural services sector are keen to incorporate it where possible.

One very promising use of bamboo currently being researched in Switzerland is as replacement for steel bars to re-enforce concrete.  The material produced is a made up of a mix of bamboo fibres and an organic resin.  This makes sure the bamboo will not degrade or rot over time, and because bamboo also absorbs large amounts of CO2 it is proving to be a viable green option rather than the heavy carbon footprint of steel.

Aluminium Foam

Aluminium foam panels are created by injecting air into the metal while it is still in a molten state. When the aerated metal cools and hardens, it forms its shape around the pockets of air, and this gives it a high strength-to-weight ratio.  So as well as being attractive it is also very lightweight, and has the added benefit of being completely recyclable. This is demonstrated with all the initial material being made from 50% recycled materials in the first place.

The foam has already been used as cladding on a number of building and construction projects.

Ultimate Upcycling for Reigate

Biochar is the name of the waste product produced when trees are burned in kilns for energy.  When wood is burnt this way, only while 50 per cent of the material is converted to heat energy, the remainder becomes biochar.

There is now a process for turning this biochar in attractive black façade panels to be used in buildings.  It’s an ecologically efficient way to create building products that can be used in home extensions and building designs throughout Sussex.

Anti-Fire/Anti-Mobile Phone Plywood

A UK company has found a way create a multi-purpose building material that has huge potential for use in public building projects.

By immersing the layers of wood used to create plywood in a specialised fire retardant that works by blocking oxygen, when the plywood layers are compressed together the panels will not burn, even when saw for construction.  By then coating the plywood with an acrylic emulsion paint that contains graphene, the finished panels have very strong radiation-shielding properties, allow them to block mobile phone and television signals.

This makes this type of treated plywood ideal for hospitals and schools.

https://www.newhomesource.com/guide/articles/future-of-home-tech

Bio-receptive Concrete – Working with Nature in Reigate and Crawley

Sussex towns such as Crawley and Horsham, and particularly coastal urban areas such as Reigate are susceptible to moss and lichen.  These natural growths can be unsightly as they grow in patches, but there is new school of thought that proposes rather than spending significant amounts of money and using harmful chemicals to get rid of the problem, why not make them an architectural feature.

That is the idea behind biologically receptive concrete, which has been geometrically designed to promote the growth of mosses in specific selected areas of the material.  The notion could even be a practical, low maintenance, alternative to large-scale green walls, which are often expensive to maintain.

Transparent Wood

Building designers and companies involved in architectural services have long looked for practical alternatives to glass.  Plastics go some way to offering an economic replacement, but becomes too opaque when manufactured in any thickness that provides sufficient strength or insulation.

So there is more than a little interest in recent research that has found a way to remove a component of wood known as lignin, and replace it with a synthetic polymer.  Doing this means that a strip of the modified wood 1 mm thick becomes 85 per cent transparent while still retaining its original strength.  At the same time, the thermal properties of the wood are much better than glass.

The research is still in the early stages, but the potential for a new alternative to glass is very much there.

Natural light from Double Glazing Doors in Worthing, Brighton and Chichester.

With winter now on the horizon in Brighton and Worthing and around Sussex,  in you may well be considering the benefits of UPVC double glazing doors and windows.  This could be new windows throughout the property, a conservatory, or roofline features such as a skylight – you’re not limited to just doors and window

https://tridentwindowsanddoors.co.uk/doors/

The main factor will, of course, be budget, the size of your property, planning restrictions your personal taste, but what about your need for the kind of natural light so abundant in Worthing and Brighton.

And if the health and wellbeing of your home’s occupants – that’s you and your family! – is paramount, you’d be surprised at the direct impact your choice of UPVC windows and doors can have, which is because of their inherent ability to bring that bright light in to your living areas.

That’s not their only benefit though.  They also protect you from sound pollution, reduce glare, increase warmth and comfort.  They’re all affected by your windows and doors, especially when they’re more than a decade old.

Double Glazed Doors and Windows Offer Excellent Natural light.

63% of homeowners rate natural light as the most important aspect of a home.  This is supported by the fact that during the summer months increased exposure to natural light can reduce the symptoms associated with Seasonal Affective Disorder.

In fact, just 30 minutes per day is plenty of time for the body to release serotonin in to the bloodstream, which is also known as the ‘happy hormone’. In addition to this, vitamin D, most is easily obtained via natural light acting on the skin, which is recognised for having a positive impact on chronic pain and depression.  Well-designed UPVC double glazing and doors really help provide this light.

https://tridentwindowsanddoors.co.uk/windows/

So it’s really important to take full advantage of all natural light sources when thinking of ways to improve your home’s interior design.  You should always look for ways to incorporate large windows that face the sun during daylight hours or skylight windows that allow natural light to pour in to living spaces.

Helping You Start Your Day

As we all know, getting up early is never easy, but letting the sun wake you up is one of the least disruptive ways of starting a brand new day. Having UPVC double glazed windows that face the direction that the sun rises can really help to regulate the body’s internal clock and go a long way to helping you wake up in a better mood.

While this isn’t always easy when the darker winter months draw in, making the effort to spend just one hour in natural sunlight can dramatically improve your sleep quality and make the morning routine that little bit easier.

Double Glazing Savings for Worthing & Chichester

Research has shown that for many households the biggest energy expenditure is artificially creating what are considered ideal living conditions, which includes heat and lighting levels.  While continuing advances in technology, including lightbulbs that go a long way to replicating natural light, are helping, you will still save energy by simply installing windows and doors that allow in natural light.   

In addition to this, you should remember that up to 24 per cent of a home’s heat can be lost through old and inefficient windows.  Replacing old windows with modern, energy efficient UPVC double  glazing will reduce heating bills by significantly reducing this heat loss.  

Tail Docking - Dog Pain Sussex – Part 1

Canine osteopaths Sussex have shown great interest in joint study published by the University of Bristol and the Royal Veterinary College on the subject of risk factors for tail injuries in dogs, dog pain in Sussex, and the clarification it provides about these important issues for overall dog welfare.

The study refers to and builds on evidence already cited by organisations such as Advocates for Animals and the Scottish Executive during the progress of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Bill.  This legislation was introduced in support of a ban on the tail-docking of all dogs.  These results of the study also confirm the non-scientific survey commissioned by the BBC Scotland “Landward” programme in 2009.  The BBC survey polled Scottish vets and four out of five of the 595 respondants said that there had not been any increase in tail injuries since the original tail-docking ban was introduced.

http://www.canineosteopath.co.uk/

Dog Pain in Sussex

There is other background to this story.  Claims have been made that the research has established the case that dogs that have had their tails docked are less likely to suffer from tail injuries, but others don’t agree with this assertion.  While no one disagrees that Sussex dogs without tails may in fact be less likely to suffer accidental tail injury later in life, but every puppy that is docked by definition suffers a major tail injury which causes dog pain.  Add to this the fact that the surgery can also lead to physical and behavioural consequences, and you see that tail docking is not necessarily a better option for the dog.  

While no one would disagree with the fact it is unrealistic to avoid all accidental injuries throughout the life of a dog, it is realistic to end the intentional injury from unnecessary tail-docking.  Given that such docking involves injury to every single dog operated on, the real question has to be whether the early injury rate of 100% can be justified.  This question is particularly relevant when the central argument of the pro docking advocates is it that it reduces the potential number of potential injuries and sources of dog pain later in life.

The overall risk of dogs being injured each year in the UK is only 0.23% per year, which is very low.  In fact, the authors of the study observed that “tail injuries requiring treatment in the general dog population of GB could be even rarer than originally thought”.

The upshot of the figures in the study is that around 500 dogs would need to be docked in order to prevent one tail injury.   The underlying data is did include cases injuries suffered covered a variety of situations, and not just the working dog population:

·         36.1% (35 cases) of the injuries were caused by the dog knocking its tail against the wall, kennel wall or other household objects;
·         17.5% (17 cases) were from undergrowth or fences during exercise or work;
·         14.4% (14 cases) were due to their tail being caught in a door;
·         15.5% (15 cases) were due to various other causes; and
·         16.5% of cases (16 cases) were due to an unknown cause.

Continued ………

Dog Friendly Pubs in Sussex – Time Well Spent

Everyone has a different notion of what makes for a perfect day, but there aren’t many who would disagree that if it includes a couple of hours at one of the many pubs for walkers in Sussex, it just can’t get much better.  If you happen to be in the mood to day dream about the ideal day to tick all your boxes in style, how do you think it might begin? Perhaps a slow, relaxing breakfast at a street side café in the heart of Brighton as a good starting point, or maybe a relaxing swim in the pool at the local sports centre.

From there on, some people might choose to indulge in some little retail therapy in the many Sussex shops of Brighton, Worthing or Horsham. There are plenty of good stores to explore in the seaside towns of Sussex, ranging from familiar high street names that can be found in most places to the more niche independent boutiques which are able to offer something just a little different. No matter what you might be looking for, you can undoubtedly find it on the familiar coastal region of Sussex.

On the other hand, many people would prefer to take part in a sporting activity rather than wander through shopping centres.  Fortunately, the area is blessed with variety in the region, so if you fancy a round of golf, a knock-about with friends or perhaps even a little tennis, you’ll have no problem finding what you’re looking for. Golfers in particular have benefitted in the area thanks to a proliferation of both parkland and links-style golf courses.  The latter can be especially challenging on a blustery day, even in the heart of a British summer.

One of the better ways to appreciate the great outdoors is to wander off into the countryside for a long walk with your faithful four-legged friend.  Whether you own a border collie, a Labrador, a cocker spaniel or a sheltie, you can enjoy every step of the way with the rural Sussex landscapes being so achingly beautiful.  Losing yourself among the woods can actually be something of a pleasure, and with so many pubs for walkers in Sussex crossing your path, you can be sure of a relaxing pit-stop along the way.  

Making Time for Food at Dog Friendly Pubs in Sussex

We may tend to just think in terms of the drinks available at the various pubs for walkers in Sussex, but it’s also worth pointing out that the range of food can be just as good, and as invigorating and reviving as the craft beers, chilled wines and the fizzy soft drinks.  There is a very welcoming atmosphere in these establishments, especially when you’re hungry after a hike, so it is good to stop for a while, peruse the menu and select something that suites your tastes at that particular moment in time. Just to warn you, though, this isn’t always going to be an easy decision as the choices can all be quite tempting.

Once you’re suitably refreshed, you can then decide what to do with the remainder of your perfect day. One of the most pleasant things to do is to pass a few hours by the seaside, and it’s also one of the most relaxing – an ideal follow up after a heavy lunch in the dog friendly pubs in Sussex.  Just head to the seafront, treat yourself to an ice cream, then find a comfortable bench or a nice spot on the beach and watch the waves and the passing boats. It really is relaxation at its best.

http://shepherdanddogpub.co.uk/

Even though such a relaxing day might leave you exhausted, especially the hefty lunch at the one of the walkers pubs in Sussex, you may not want the feel-good factor come to an end quite yet.   This being the case, you can always take a gentle stroll along the sea front in the sunshine.  Seaside resorts in the UK have been making something of a comeback lately, and it’s easy to see why.  These iconic locations often boast dramatic seascapes that change from day to day so what more could you possibly want?

For a gentle end to your ideal day, how about a visit to a cinema or the theatre? Sussex is known for several excellent venues and there is always something worth going to.  For the movies, there always seems to have a plenty of choice these days, with the latest Hollywood blockbusters, tear-jerkers and thrillers all starring major international names as well as Indie productions showcasing up and coming talent. 

Choosing a Wood Burning Stove for Sussex Homes

Many people are choosing wood burning stoves as an alternative to traditional methods of heating their homes in and around Sussex.  Stoves do indeed make a good focal point and can provide greener, cleaner sources of heat. If you are considering purchasing a log burning stove, here are the answers to some commonly asked questions:

http://sussexecosolutions.co.uk/

What Types of Wood Burning Stoves Are there?

There are two types of wood burners to choose from, namely wood burning stoves which can only be used for burning wood, and multi fuel stoves which can burn coal or wood. Multi fuel stoves have a grate fitted which collects the extra ash generated when burning coal.

 Will I save money by choosing a wood burner?

Although installation costs are high, using wood as your main fuel should save you hundreds of pounds when compared to gas or electricity costs. In addition, certain wood burners can be connected to a boiler in order to heat the water required for your house. This could save you even more money.

 What fuel is required for a log burner?

Wood fuel is available either as seasoned or unseasoned logs. Seasoned logs are easier to use, as they burn well, but they are more expensive. A 5kW wood burning stove will use approximately £80-£110 of fuel for two winter months. Unseasoned logs are cheaper but they need to be kept somewhere dry. Specially designed stoves or multi-fuel stoves will use wood pellets. It is a sensible idea to check with the manufacturer as to what type of fuel your stove requires.

 Where can I find the Burner I want?

 http://www.contura.eu/English/Facts-Tips/properties-your-fireplace-needs/

Wood burning stoves can be found either at local fireplace specialists in places like Brighton, Chichester or Worthing , from stove manufacturers, or online. Stove prices start from as little as £600, with installation costing more at around £1,500. Do bear in mind however that this initial outlay will pay off in the long term. Remember to check before purchasing your stove that you do not live in a smoke control area. If you do live in a smoke control area, you will have to purchase a stove exempt from certain restrictions.

Is a wood burning stove better for the environment?

 A wood burning stove is more eco-friendly than using coal or gas to heat your home. This is because the carbon released by the wood has been offset by the carbon the tree absorbed during its lifetime. Hence wood has a net zero carbon footprint. By buying fuel from a sustainable wood source in places like Sussex and Horsham, or even planting trees to replace those used as fuel, a homeowner can take another step towards helping the planet.

Hopefully, this information will help you to decide whether a wood burning stove is right for your Sussex home. As they are ecologically and economically sound, it may well be a good decision to purchase one for the coming winter months, as you should see a reduced heating bill and you will also be doing your bit for the environment.

An Online Adventure With Sofa Upholstery Sussex Companies

When people find they have a need for sofa upholstery Sussex residents know they can rely on the skills of local craftsmen, which is why they’re happy to leave their treasured furniture in the hands of professionals.  And its just the same with other types of furniture as well; the very best chair upholstery Sussex has to offer will deal with all types of issues that may have happened to the item over the years.

There are any number of ways to source good antique furniture, but it is the way of the modern world that more and more people are looking to the internet to get their ideas.  So it is reassuring to know that top quality pieces can actually be searched for online, and if they are found on auctioneer websites then it’s straightforward to place your bid.  And with auctions, the process becomes an extremely exciting as you get towards the close of the bidding, particularly if you manage to place the winning bid.

http://theupholsterermidhurst.co.uk/upholstery/

So, if you have newly acquired items that may be in need of a little attention, its good to know where to find the best sofa upholstery Surrey can supply.  Knowing where a specialist is to be found means you can easily take your purchase to their workshop so you can see what can be done. Whether repair is minor or more significant, there are always things a master craftsman can do to rectify the problem, and the good news is that thank sot the internet it’s much easier to find the chair upholstery Sussex home owners need these days.

The Chair Upholstery Sussex Provides So Well

It is interesting to note that so many people shop for antiques on the web these days, especially when you consider the nature of the market.  Prior to the arrival of internet,  people had to head to a specialist store or perhaps even an antique fair in order to browse for interesting items, but now you can pretty much do just that without having to leave the comforts of home.  Reviewing the various offerings on an auction website is just so easy, and it can be done at any time of the day.

It does have to be said that there are still a number of people who are interested in antiques who are not overly confident using a computer, with some not particularly trusting the internet at all.  These people are often happier spending an afternoon searching for items in shops and antique fairs, preferring the sensual experience of touching, smelling the pieces in the showroom setting.  For this reason, antique shops and fairs will always have an important role to play in the industry.

This also accounts for another aspect, which is human nature when it comes to selling.  It’s natural for people to not even consider purchasing an item if they haven’t yet see it, held it or touched it.  Looking at a small photograph on a website to tell you what the item is like is all very well for many web browsers, but there some people simply prefer physical contact. If you see the actual item you can also getter a better feel for its true value. And if you need the best chair upholstery Sussex has to offer to get it back to its former condition, then a phone call or an email is all you really need.

Google Analytics – Useful Brighton Web Designer Tool or Website Development Distraction

Any good Brighton web designer will tell you that the website development is just the first stage if any business is to get the best out of its website.  Once the website is up and running, including the app design Brighton businesses need nowadays, it’s essential to keep abreast of how the website is supporting the business.   This brings us on to the subject of Google Analytics.

As Mark Twain once said “There are Lies, damn lies and statistics”.   A while ago I was at a recent meeting with a number of Brighton web designers where we were discussing  web design and dev Brighton based companies have been working on.  At the meeting I had a good chat with a colleague at an SEO company about Analytics and Metrics.  I challenged him as to how useful they really are in overall scheme of website development projects.  This guy is a great advocate of using Google analytics, and was enthusiastic about how he could show clients the progress being made with an SEO project by compiling a detailed analytics report each month.  I couldn’t argue with what he said as we do the same on all our own projects, and the statistics and charts can normally be used to show progress to some degree, which then justifies the work being continued.  But how often do the clients, who are usually the website owners, question the figures with a meaningful questions such as “So what”? Maybe if they did, and they asked for an in-depth run-down of what the data was actually telling them, would they still be so keen?

http://www.focus-dm.co.uk/services/web_design_and_development/

Brighton Web Designer Expertise

In the end, what most website owners actually want to know from their web development and SEO specialists is: 

·      What is their ranking is on Google for their major keywords, and, 

·      Are they seeing an actual meaningful increase in website traffic which in turn leads to selling more products and services.

Whilst this may seem an over simplified approach to many, just think about it for a moment.  You can show a client that a web development and design company in Brighton has generated well over a hundred new links by publishing twenty or so blog posts or social media entries and had them included in five new directories.  The result of all this link building work meant one of the keywords moved from position 8 to 6 on the top page of the Google results.  This in turn generated a 15% increase in traffic. But so what?  If all that effort does not result in visitors who bought stuff –visiting the website, then what was the point?  Is it just a case that using Google Analytics is great for padding a timesheet to show how busy the SEO team have been, or are they actually helping the client achieve their business goals?

App Design Brighton

The answer is in fact the same as with all statistics.  Analytics are simply just data, i.e. information that has been collected about how many people go to certain web pages, how they navigate around those pages, how long they take, where they come and what type of devices they’re using.  The point is how that data is then presented.  If we focus too much on the vast array of details that analytics can provide, it’s possible to simply use them to swamp clients with information.  On the other hand, if we focus on just two or three really meaningful key points that actually measure the progress in a way that really reflects the needs of that particular client, then the analytics become a powerful tool for not only measuring progress, but also indicating where things might not be working so well.  In that way, analytics do become a real guide to keeping the website going in the right direction.

Web Design and Dev Brighton

So, as with all statistics, analytics are a tremendously useful tool if used in an intelligent way.   But if they’re just used to justify the work being done by Brighton website development and SEO companies, then I refer you to Mr Twain’s remark above.