A collaboration undertaken by Hadley Group and A.Proctor Group - The Limes is a new development set to bring a new level of affordable housing to the communities of St Helier, comprising over 130 apartments across six floors with private balconies and communal landscaped gardens.
HadleyFRAME products were deployed including board, grills, with the steel frame panels featuring
Wraptite membranes; Hadley also adapted their engineering practices to accommodate bolt-on balconies loading over lintels.
The development featured a complex delivery schedule to an island with restricted infrastructure, so a solutions-first approach was adopted, navigating site locality restrictions, and adapting engineering practice to resolve design needs.
This project used the fully load-bearing, pre-panelised, light steel HadleyFRAME offsite system, which is ideal for developments of low to medium-rise structures. The load-bearing steel panels were built offsite, delivered on a timed programme, installed with composite decking, concrete and joisted cassettes. The HadleyFRAME system is ideally suited to tight sites and inner-city locations due to the small amount of laydown space required. A.Proctor’s specialist airtight membrane, Wraptite was used on panels to protect structure throughout transport and construction, and support high performance airtightness standards, therefore improving project sustainability. The self-adhered nature of Wraptite - certified by the BBA, allows for a simple and fast installation process, minimising the use of additional sealants and tapes, and requiring no specialist contractors to achieve a robust result. This one-step solution provides both a damage resistant air barrier layer and effective secondary weather protection in one installation process, achieving a wind and watertight envelope more quickly than using traditional methods.
In order to navigate the challenge of restricted infrastructure on the island, HadleyFRAME panels were assembled in partnership with Normans of Jersey. The local partner had previously been upskilled and assisted on other projects. For The Limes development, Hadley shipped materials to Normans for the non-loadbearing panels and Normans panelised and delivered these to site. The entire project involved over 2250 panels, 750 of which were built by Normans, significantly reducing the carbon footprint of shipping and increasing local capabilities with steel framing.
In the current climate regarding the cost of living, a key consideration for this development was that these innovative apartments provide an energy efficient home with reduced ongoing utility and maintenance costs. Through the use of high-quality materials and meticulous research and planning, the Hadley technical team achieved an independently assessed airtightness of 1.24m3/hr/m" (Part L residential target of less than 5m3/hr/m2) on their inhouse testing facility, meaning HadleyFRAME buildings like The Limes will be cost effective to maintain for the occupant. The apartments will also provide peaceful and private accommodation, having passed the acoustic performance of the walls by 12-17 dB. HadleyFRAME is the only light gauge steel frame manufacturer to have all four stage 1 certifications from the SCI, NHBC, LABC and Premier Guarantee demonstrating that their MMC solution is the premium choice for developers in all markets. The efficiency of the HadleyFRAME system is significantly enhanced by the use of the Wraptite membrane from the A. Proctor Group; a demonstrable improvement was shown in the airtightness and building performance. This superior airtightness performance of the Wraptite membrane delivers significant benefits to projects combining in-factory manufacture and on-site construction.
This development highlights how the implementation of MMC gives peace of mind that the structure will be erected on time, adhering to the project budget.
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