Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
Aggregate Industries’ innovative Lytag solution was the product of choice when it came to helping to lighten the load of a new upmarket commercial build in Edinburgh city centre.
Located in the heart of the city’s Exchange District, the £24m 2 Semple Street development has been designed to help alleviate the Scottish Capital’s chronic shortage of Grade A office accommodation. With an onus on energy efficiency and superb design, the newly-opened building boasts 45,000 sq ft of cutting-edge office and retail space, over five storeys.
In terms of the flooring specification the challenge for awarded concrete and screed specialists, Advance Flooring Solutions was to procure a concrete solution which would enable minimal size slabs and help reduce the overall dead load of the building.
The obvious choice then was Lytag from Aggregate industries; a highly innovative lightweight concrete which can effectively reduce the dead load of approximately 25% over normal weight control, while offering the same level of structural performance.
In total, 744m3 of Lytag was supplied for the completion of the five floors over the course of eight months. This was supported with a robust delivery framework ensuring that all batches arrived on time and to the exact specification – thus negating the risk of cold joints.
Stephen McKenna, Commercial Manager at Advance Flooring Solutions said: “Lytag is a fantastic product which was well-matched to this high calibre project for the Scottish capital. Supported with a meticulous delivery plan, the concrete supply was first-class from Aggregate Industries – we’d like to pass on our thanks to all involved.”
Barry Mellor Commercial & Technical Manager for Lytag comments: “From working with Advance Flooring Solutions at the early stages, we were able to put a stringent plan in place to ensure a continuity and consistency of product supply, ensuring the team had the exact specific technical and quality specification of Lytag as and when they needed it.”
In production for more than 50 years, Lytag secondary aggregate is made using innovative technology which transforms fly ash into small pellets which are then heated to 1,100°C. The pellets formed are rounded in shape and range in size from 14 mm down to fines and can be used as a superior, consistent, lightweight aggregate.
