Steel maintains its dominance in key markets
Working on behalf of main contractor
Winvic Construction, Caunton
Engineering has been awarded the
steelwork contract for a major new
student accommodation scheme in
Coventry.
Said to include the tallest habitable
building in the city, the scheme will
comprise four steel-framed interlinked
towers, ranging from six-storeys high to
22-storeys high.
The 22-storey block will be 76.2m-tall,
just shy of the city’s famous cathedral
spire which is 90m high.
The towers will be able to house
students in 1,192 self-contained
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March 18
bedrooms, which will feature secure CCTV
and a fob entrance system, fully equipped
kitchens including fridge/freezer,
microwave and integrated oven and hob
and deluxe designer shower rooms.
In addition to the student
accommodation, there will be retail space
on the ground and first floors.
Caunton is both designing and
supplying 1,800t of steelwork for this
major development.
Winvic Construction has been
appointed by Jamie Lewis (Code) to
build the scheme which is located on the
corner of Fairfax Street and Cox Street in
Coventry city centre.
News
Structural steelwork maintained its
leading position in key sectors of the
UK’s structural frames market according
to the 2017 Market Share survey by
independent researchers Construction
Markets.
The survey is the latest in a series that
has been carried out annually since 1980.
Based on interviews with 750 construction
specifiers, the survey is the biggest of its
kind in the UK.
The total market for structural frames
in the UK last year was estimated to be
just over 43 million square metres of floor
area, up 4% on 2016. Once again, steel
took the largest share with 43%, ahead of
load bearing masonry at 37.6%, timber at
12.6% and concrete at 6.7%.
Overall, the single storey industrial
buildings market contracted by 2.6%
against 2016, but continued to be
dominated by steel with the material
accounting for 92.3% of the total market.
In the key ‘sheds’ sector steel increased its
market share by 0.1% to 97.9%.
Steel also dominated the multi-storey
non-domestic buildings sector, which
accounts for 21% of the total market, with
a share of 66.2%, up slightly from 66.1%
in 2016. Within this sector steel recorded
market share increases for health,
education, and leisure buildings.
The total market for multi-storey
leisure buildings grew significantly, up
21.7% over 2016, and steel increased its
market share by 2.1% to 62.6%.
Steel also grew its market share in
conventional single storey non-domestic
buildings from 63.3% in 2016 to 63.5%
overall, with increases in the offices, retail,
leisure and health sectors.
BCSA Director General Sarah McCann
Bartlett said: “The survey demonstrates
that steel is the preferred framing choice
across a broad range of both building
types and sectors.
“The cost-effectiveness of steel,
its flexibility, speed of construction
and contribution to sustainability are
all attributes valued by developers,
contractors, designers and building users
alike, so we are confident that future
market share surveys will continue to
show the dominance of steel frames.”
Steel to frame Coventry’s tallest building
Dorset-based REIDsteel has designed and
fabricated the soon-to-open Belize Civic
Center Sports Complex, said to be one of the
largest public construction projects in the
Central American country’s history.
REIDsteel carried out the structural
design, drawing and fabrication in
Christchurch, Dorset, before containerising
the finished steelwork for shipping to its
destination.
The structural steel frame included hot
rolled sections that were hot-dip galvanized
for protection from the elements and
for ease of maintenance, all designed for
hurricane wind speeds of 160 miles per
hour.
A total of 750t of steelwork was required
for the 3,600m2 complex, including a
roofing system spanning 60m, together with
terracing for approximately 4,500 seats.
The package also included all the
suspended floors consisting of a galvanized
composite metal decking system suitable
for cast-in-situ concrete.
The glazing package, including curtain
walling and aluminium-framed windows,
was also packed for export and shipped to
Belize.
The air-conditioned arena is suitable for
both sports and entertainment events and
includes international standard basketball
and volleyball courts, practice courts,
offices, media boxes and changing rooms.
Outside there is parking and a deck area for
boats to dock.
REIDsteel Project Engineer Pepe Oliva
said: “There has been tremendous interest
in Belize about the new national civic
centre.
“Although we have designed, made and
supplied many buildings in this part of
the world, it is still incredibly rewarding to
deliver a project of this magnitude on time
and on budget to the client’s satisfaction.”
He added: “Like most of our buildings
in Central America and the Caribbean, the
Belize Civic Center has been designed to
withstand hurricanes and other natural
disasters.
“We hope it will serve the people of
Belize, and be a source of civic pride, for
many years to come.”
UK steelwork contractor delivers
Belize sports complex
The total 2017 market for structural frames
/Residential_and_mixed-use_buildings#Student_residences
/Braced_frames
/Design
/Construction
/Single_storey_industrial_buildings
/Single_storey_industrial_buildings
/Portal_frames
/Education_buildings
/Leisure_buildings
/Retail_buildings
/Healthcare_buildings
/The_case_for_steel
/Sustainability
/Design
/Fabrication
/Steel_construction_products#Standard_open_sections
/Metallic_coatings#Hot-dip_galvanizing
/Leisure_buildings#Sightlines_and_seating
/Floor_systems#Composite_slabs
/Facades_and_interfaces#Curtain_walling
/Facades_and_interfaces#Curtain_walling
/Leisure_buildings#Indoor_arenas