Tag: Install Speed

Why are Prefab Balconies the New Choice for High-Rise Developments?

Posted on by Nimrita Bassi

Traditionally, balcony construction has often been an afterthought in the building design, and concrete balconies don’t make the process any easier.

With the more efficient and sustainable modern methods of construction, off-site manufacturing and prefabricated balconies are transforming projects.

Here are 7 reasons why prefabricated balconies are the new choice for high-rise residential buildings:

  1. Increased Perceived Value: Prefab balconies are manufactured off-site, focusing on functionality, sustainability, and aesthetics. Improved visual appeal contributes to a building’s market value as high-quality finishes, sustainable materials, and functional designs appeal to buyers. Additionally, because prefab balconies are produced efficiently, developers benefit from cost savings through reduced waste and faster installation.
  2. Enhanced Thermal Efficiency: Step codes are driving the push for increased thermal performance in new Canadian constructions. Heat can easily escape through balcony structures without proper thermal breaks, undermining the building’s energy efficiency. Prefab balconies allow manufacturers to place thermal breaks in tactical locations within the balcony system to reduce heat loss in the building, leading to improved thermal performance.                                                          
  3. Higher Project Efficiency: Prefinishing balconies off site reduces the need for on-site trades as there is no manufacturing of balconies in situ. Delivering fully assembled units also means faster balcony installation.
  4. Unmatched Quality Assurance: Balconies that are produced in controlled factory conditions undergo several quality checks, ensuring that each balcony has a trackable history. For example, at Sapphire we use the Passport App to record and track each balcony’s progress through the different production and quality check stages.
  1. Ideal for Passive House Developments: Thermally broken balconies increase energy efficiency and reduce heat loss, aligning with passive house principles. Prefabricated aluminium balconies also lower structural load as they are lightweight and complement sustainable building frames like cross-laminated timber frames.

Learn in our case study how we streamlined the balcony project at Vienna House, a passive house residential development in Vancouver, Canada.

  1. Higher Design Flexibility: Off-site manufacturing allows for more opportunities to create a functional balcony design that offers comfort to residents and simplifies installation and on-site handling of balconies by installers. Prefinished balconies can be thoughtfully assembled in the factory while keeping the risk of error as low as possible.
  2. Compliance with Standards: Features like thermal breaks in prefab balconies improve energy efficiency by lowering heat transfer, supporting compliance with standards like the Toronto Green Standard. Sustainable balcony design can also contribute to lower TEDI ratings. 

Discover in our case studies how our prefabricated balconies have benefited projects across the UK and Canada.

 

 

 

 

Sapphire sets the scene with innovative balconies for Greenwich Peninsula

Posted on by Sajjad B

Sapphire is setting the scene for an ambitious new masterplan for London’s Greenwich Peninsula with a stylish collection of bespoke balustrades for residential balconies, roof terraces and walkways. Delivery of this unique district of homes, shops, restaurants and entertainment ‘wrapped’ by the River Thames is well underway and properties are now starting to be occupied in what has been the largest planning application ever processed by a London borough.

Sapphire’s versatile balcony and balustrade systems along with the company’s manufacturing expertise provided the perfect solution for the project’s diverse design requirements and balcony structures. Around 400 properties have been completed so far arranged in 10 multi-occupancy buildings. A variety of Sapphire’s balcony and balustrade solutions were specified to suit the style and size of individual dwellings, from the Crystal® system, which uses structural glass to create a seamless feel, to vertical bar infills in smart, durable aluminium. Sapphire’s comprehensive package included offsite manufactured balcony solutions, which also incorporated powder-coated fascias and soffits pre-installed to the balconies, together with complementary balustrades to roof terraces and divider screens on larger balconies. With its glide-on balcony Cassette® system enabling balconies to be installed beneath others, Sapphire was able to give the customer the flexibility to deliver balconies at higher levels, leaving surrounding areas for installation at later dates once other trades have finished.

Sapphire was also able to apply its ‘intelligent engineering’ to design and install complete balconies for a number of non-standard balcony structures which enhance the development’s striking architectural façade. These included parallelogram-shaped balconies with unequal sides, as well as corner balconies. In addition to balconies and terraces, Sapphire supplied a continuous terrace balcony with glazed balustrades for a fourth floor walkway, extending 20 metres between two of the residential buildings.

All the balustrades and balconies for Greenwich Peninsula were designed by Sapphire to comply with relevant regulations, industry standards and British Standards for thermal, rainwater, structural performance and design loads, as well as specific safety regulations relating to residential applications. This included suitability for children, where BS6180 requires balustrades not to be easily climbable and to have no gaps of more than 100mm, to prevent a small child falling through.

Sapphire Balustrades has extensive experience and expertise in supplying high quality balustrades and balconies to multi-occupancy residential projects like Greenwich Peninsula. The company offers architects and developers a market-leading combination of versatile systems and personal service, from concept, design and procurement through to production and on-site and post-project support.

According to Nick Haughton, Sapphire’s Marketing Manager, balconies for Greenwich Peninsula have created a fundamental ‘wow’ factor to what is otherwise a simplistic building design, adding sales appeal and definition to the entire development. He comments: “The striking engineered feel of the balconies takes the aesthetic finishes to far more than the average balcony. This effect is further enhanced by the use of complementing colours cleverly integrated into the building design.” Balconies for Greenwich Peninsula apartments developed by Knight Dragon have needed this flexibility to create a mix of styles from one plot to another across the peninsula.

Cassette® and Crystal® are registered trade marks of Sapphire Balustrades Ltd

Sapphire’s Offsite Solution Sets New Record For Balcony Installation

Posted on by sapphireadmin

Sapphire Balconies’ new offsite balcony solution has enabled an entire residential project’s pre-assembled balconies to be installed in a single day. Sapphire used its pioneering development to manufacture 22 complete balcony units, including glass balustrades and sub-deck, delivered to the new apartments in Bedfont, West London fully ready for the rapid balcony installation.

The offsite balcony manufacture was done in Sapphire’s Reading production facility while post fixed connections and arms were being completed. With the building prepared, the balconies were transported to site ready for fast track fixing to the façade using the system’s innovative Glide-On connectors. Aimed specifically at the high-rise housebuilding sector, Sapphire says its patent-protected new system makes it simpler, faster and more cost-effective to provide high quality balconies for residential projects.

Sapphire’s design and manufacturing team worked closely with London-based living-architects and Bugler Developments to build an exacting specification for the new apartments, which were built by Bugler Developments on behalf of Stoll, a UK charity providing housing and support for ex-Service personnel. Funding for the £7.5 million project includes generous support from The Royal British Legion’s External Grants programme and the Greater London Authority, among other donations.

Manufacturing and assembling apartment balconies in its factory enabled Sapphire to maintain a high degree of quality control. In addition, Sapphire’s offsite balcony solution helped minimise site time and associated costs, such as scaffolding hire, and product quality was kept consistently high compared with completing more of the work on site. The modular units were transported to site with pre-positioned lifting eye locations already incorporated in the balcony Cassette (the deck structure). Whilst balconies usually have to be craned into lower positions, working from the bottom of a stack upwards, balconies on this project were craned into position, starting at the top of the three-storey building and working down in a number of locations. This process was made possible by a unique balcony lifter connected to the crane; a robust, innovative tool specially developed by Sapphire which has been independently tested and certified. When balcony units are being lifted into place, the system offsets the crane hook to the outside of the balcony balustrades, enabling balconies to be installed beneath the balconies above them in a stack rather than being limited to having to start with the bottom floor balconies in the stack and working up the building.

The apartment balconies incorporate glazed balustrades from Sapphire’s Crystal frameless, structural glass system. With no vertical support posts to impede views, Crystal balustrades are a particularly popular choice for residential balconies. The balconies’ clear toughened laminated glass infill panels are combined with satin polished marine grade stainless steel capping, designed to give a minimalist appearance whilst offering high corrosion resistance.

Summing up, Nick Haughton, Head of Marketing at Sapphire Balconies, says:

“We believe the success of the balcony installation on this project proves the time and cost saving benefits of our new offsite balcony system. Sapphire’s innovative solution offers housebuilders, developers and contractors the first real alternative to traditional balcony design and construction.”

Sapphire’s Offsite Solution Sets New Record For Balcony Installation

Posted on by Sajjad B

Sapphire Balconies’ new offsite balcony solution has enabled an entire residential project’s pre-assembled balconies to be installed in a single day. Sapphire used its pioneering development to manufacture 22 complete balcony units, including glass balustrades and sub-deck, delivered to the new apartments in Bedfont, West London fully ready for the rapid balcony installation.

The offsite balcony manufacture was done in Sapphire’s Reading production facility while post fixed connections and arms were being completed. With the building prepared, the balconies were transported to site ready for fast track fixing to the façade using the system’s innovative Glide-On connectors. Aimed specifically at the high-rise housebuilding sector, Sapphire says its patent-protected new system makes it simpler, faster and more cost-effective to provide high quality balconies for residential projects.

Sapphire’s design and manufacturing team worked closely with London-based living-architects and Bugler Developments to build an exacting specification for the new apartments, which were built by Bugler Developments on behalf of Stoll, a UK charity providing housing and support for ex-Service personnel. Funding for the £7.5 million project includes generous support from The Royal British Legion’s External Grants programme and the Greater London Authority, among other donations.

Manufacturing and assembling apartment balconies in its factory enabled Sapphire to maintain a high degree of quality control. In addition, Sapphire’s offsite balcony solution helped minimise site time and associated costs, such as scaffolding hire, and product quality was kept consistently high compared with completing more of the work on site. The modular units were transported to site with pre-positioned lifting eye locations already incorporated in the balcony Cassette (the deck structure). Whilst balconies usually have to be craned into lower positions, working from the bottom of a stack upwards, balconies on this project were craned into position, starting at the top of the three-storey building and working down in a number of locations. This process was made possible by a unique balcony lifter connected to the crane; a robust, innovative tool specially developed by Sapphire which has been independently tested and certified. When balcony units are being lifted into place, the system offsets the crane hook to the outside of the balcony balustrades, enabling balconies to be installed beneath the balconies above them in a stack rather than being limited to having to start with the bottom floor balconies in the stack and working up the building.

The apartment balconies incorporate glazed balustrades from Sapphire’s Crystal frameless, structural glass system. With no vertical support posts to impede views, Crystal balustrades are a particularly popular choice for residential balconies. The balconies’ clear toughened laminated glass infill panels are combined with satin polished marine grade stainless steel capping, designed to give a minimalist appearance whilst offering high corrosion resistance.

Summing up, Nick Haughton, Head of Marketing at Sapphire Balconies, says:

“We believe the success of the balcony installation on this project proves the time and cost saving benefits of our new offsite balcony system. Sapphire’s innovative solution offers housebuilders, developers and contractors the first real alternative to traditional balcony design and construction.”