The construction industry faces a myriad of challenges not least on the safety, speed, cost and environmental impact to build and operate an asset. Creating buildings that truly embrace a circular philosophy requires a consideration of the ‘in-use’ and ‘end of life phases’ of a building in design and material selection
Todays design and materials selection also, importantly, needs to consider solutions that allow buildings to be adapted to changing needs and technologies in cost effective ways that minimise waste and maximise reuse of materials.
To help tackle these challenges Building Systems UK, a Tata Steel enterprise, has worked in partnership with Reform Systems Ltd to develop Trisofix® - a simple to use, patented, universal mounting system. Based on Reform Systems’ design, Trisofix® comprises a small set of standardised high grade coated steel components which fixes back to any structural wall type and can be used throughout a building, for internal fit out or external facades.
When combined with a pre-finished panel like Building Systems UK’s Trimawall® solution, Trisofix® speeds up onsite construction by reducing sequencing conflicts between trades. It also enables internal fit out solutions to be ‘mounted’ with a simple ‘push fit’ with an accessible service cavity within.
Adaptation & resilience
The key to enabling circularity is allowing wall panels to be demounted and refitted, or relocated, and reused without damage or degradation.
Utilising the Trisofix® demounting tool, it’s a simple 2 person task to demount the Trimawall® panels, providing access to the service cavity and enabling adaptation of the fit out to suit the changing building needs. The Trisofix® solution enables the Trimawall® internal fit out panels to be reused or relocated to suit new configurations. By reducing waste, both during the construction and in-use phase of a buildings life, Trisofix® will reduce the whole life carbon of buildings.
The inherent strength and durability of the high grade steel components means that this functionality can be maintained over a 50 year + design life, minimising the need for replacement materials.
The circularity of design extends to the end of life. With Tata Steel’s investment in a £1.25bn Electric Arc Furnace in Port Talbot all the Trisofix® components can be recycled in the UK and used to produce new steel products with the same high strength & quality of the original ones.
To Learn more about how easy it was to remove, adapt & refit Trimawall panels thank to the Trisofix demountable universal fixing system please check out the following case study.