February 2008
Specialist Awards 2008
T.I. Dynamic Facades
T.I. Dynamic Facades is the dedicated facades division of T.I. Tiles International, established in response to rising demand in the construction industry for natural rainscreen cladding.
A focused approach
T.I. Dynamic Facades is the only company in the exterior cladding sector to focus exclusively on the provision of natural rainscreen systems. Specialising in this area has enabled T.I. Dynamic Facades to push the boundaries of what can be achieved using materials such as terracotta and stone – from a design as well as installation perspective.
The complete solution
T.I. Dynamic Facades is able to offer the complete solution – from supply through to installation. This makes it unique in the marketplace as the company can adopt a flexible approach to project requirements. This starts with advice at specification level through to on-site technical support.
Making the premium affordable
Committed to continual innovation, T.I. Dynamic Facades has pioneered the development of natural rainscreen systems that are as stylish as they are practical. Importantly, these technological advances have helped to bring the cost of natural rainscreen systems down. Historically the preserve of premium developments, T.I. Dynamic Facades has made them accessible to all types of project – from private residential through to commercial and public buildings.
Terracotta has emerged as the most popular of the natural rainscreen systems. T.I. Dynamic Facades has responded to this growth in demand by engineering terracotta systems to be easier to manage on-site as well as quicker and easier to install. This has been achieved through a special manufacturing process that makes the tiles thinner, lighter weight and more durable than earlier products.
Setting the standard
Alongside system developments, T.I. Dynamic Facades has set the standard for rainscreen cladding performance. Its single skin Terracotta Rainscreen was the first, and remains the only, complete system of its kind to be fully BBA (British Board of Agrement) approved. The twin skin Terracotta Rainscreen is also one of the few systems on the market to have achieved full BRE (British Research Establishment) approval.
All systems in the T.I. Dynamic Facades range are certified by the CWCT (Centre for Window and Cladding Technology).
Project showcase
Project Grand Arcade, Wigan
Developer Shepherd Construction
Date completed February 2007
Overview
Single Skin Terracotta Rainscreen with vertical adaptive rail was used at the Grand Arcade, a new commercial development in Wigan.
Used on all elevations of the shopping development, the main challenge with this project was the installation of the Terracotta Rainscreen on the exterior of a spiral ramp for the car park.
This multi-storey facetted structure was designed with brickwork at the base and then an open structure covered with Terracotta Rainscreen through to the top floor. Steel frame sections were exposed in certain areas to naturally light and ventilate the area.
The obstacle with this design was the installation of the Terracotta Rainscreen on the curved structure. Horizontal carrier systems do not lend themselves well to curves, as they demand that the tiles must be curved as well. Aside from being challenging to design and manufacture, curved tiles are extremely expensive to manufacture.
T.I. Dynamic Facades delivered a cost effective solution in the shape of a special vertical carrier profile that accommodates the use of standard tiles.
Using the adaptive carrier rail, T.I. Dynamic Facades calculated that a bespoke profile, 20mm deeper than standard was required to accommodate the curved design. This was fixed to a cold rolled steel sub frame and installed at 1,500mm centres. Such a span dimension is extreme as most sub frame fixing centres range from 500mm to 1,000mm maximum for wind and system loadings in the UK.
Single skin tiles at a size of 400mm x 200mm were fixed on to the carrier system, achieving the curved effect using straight tiles. The design of the system ensured that it complied with the 1-2mm tolerance specified at project outset.
The complete single skin Terracotta Rainscreen system had to interface with a number of exterior finishes, including brickwork and steel frame. The flexibility of the system made this extremely straightforward to achieve.
By providing support at specification stage, T.I. Dynamic Facades enabled the curved rainscreen design to become a reality, delivering the wind resistance, load bearing and strength – on time and within budget.
Health and safety / training
T.I. Tiles International is committed to the health and safety of its employees and clients. This is demonstrated by the following:
- Comprehensive installation guides are supplied with all systems, accompanied by telephone and on-site support
- All site personnel are CSCS qualified
- Lightweight systems make it easy to comply with health and safety requirements – all standard sized terracotta tiles weigh less than 25kg
- A pre-start and installation induction is offered on all projects free of charge
- Company policy demands that contractors must demonstrate that site personnel are able to install the system correctly before it is delivered to site
- Special vertical carrier systems have been developed which make it impossible to install individual tiles incorrectly. This reduces the risk of accidents through incorrectly fitted tiles
- To monitor the safety of installation and to ensure clients are satisfied, site reports are conducted during the project and post completion
References
“T.I. Dynamic Facades are on hand exactly when you need them to be. Their proactive approach, coupled with an innovative product set, helps to push the boundaries of what can be achieved with façade design – and at the same time ensures a simple installation procedure.
Stan Thomas, Roofdec
“When you’re working with T.I. Dynamic Facades, you can be safe in the knowledge that the materials will be on-site when you need them. They will go above and beyond to make a specification practically achievable, providing free technical assistance whenever you might need it.”
Michael Pater, Broadbase Construction and Maintenance Limited,