In a move reflecting its commitment to the delivery of sustainable construction, leading international construction materials company Saint-Gobain has added two additional activities to its Fabric First area (N562) at Ecobuild 2012: the Weber Applistation virtual reality training system and an Ask the Experts drop-in ‘clinic’ which gives visitors a unique opportunity to get their architectural plans checked by a team of Zero Carbon Hub and Saint-Gobain experts.
The Weber Applistation – a pump applied render simulator – uses the very latest virtual reality technology to train users in render application and enable existing tradesmen to hone their skills.
The Applistation records the user’s movements with four 3D cameras and assesses performance against a list of criteria which include percentage of overall coverage, percentage of correctly applied thickness and percentage of under or over applied thickness. Weber Applistation then gives the user a performance score.
Ecobuild visitors are invited to use the Applistation to test and develop their skills throughout the show. A preview of the system can be viewed on YouTube on the ‘Saint-Gobain UK and IRE’ channel.
Visitors are also invited to drop into the Ask The Experts area to get best practice and compliance advice from Zero Carbon Hub and Saint-Gobain experts from Saint-Gobain Isover, Weber, British Gypsum and Pasquill. This is a unique opportunity to get free advice from leading industry experts regarding key legislative requirements including the Fabric Energy Efficiency Standard (FEES) and Part L.
Billed as one of Ecobuild’s must-see attractions, the Fabric First area will also be hosting a series of live demonstrations using existing construction materials, highlighting some of the technical challenges that must be overcome in order to meet current and future legislative requirements.
Run every 30 minutes, demonstrations will feature a variety of construction types, including masonry and timber frame walls and roofing constructions. They will address important issues such as thermal bridging, air tightness and moisture management, providing visitors with practical guidance and expert knowledge to help them meet current and future building regulations. A full schedule of demonstrations is available on the Ecobuild show website.
The company is also using Ecobuild as a platform to launch its new Zero Carbon Homes Fabric Solution and Education Sector Guides, which provide an invaluable reference for customers and highlight Saint-Gobain’s capabilities when it comes to meeting requirements in these key areas. It will also be unveiling a new Best Practice Guide to Timber Frame, developed in association with the Zero Carbon Hub and the UK Timber Frame Association.
For more information about Saint-Gobain’s presence at Ecobuild, please visit www.ecobuild.saint-gobain.co.uk or follow Saint-Gobain on twitter @SaintGobainUK.
