In a £1.1million deal, Perth based Broxwood, importers and suppliers of Scandinavian timber windows and doors, are supplying a total of nearly two and a half thousand windows to separate phases of a £150m development in the New East Manchester Regeneration Zone, undertaken by Artisan and Artisan Ship Canal Developments.

The development is a residential–led mixed use development, involving refurbishment and new build. To date Broxwood have supplied nearly 1000 windows for two blocks of 177 apartments in the Upper Eastside Valley; and 606 windows for a block of 104 apartments in the Lower Eastside Valley. They are now in the process of supplying a further 829 windows to the next two phases of the development being built in Lower Eastside Valley.

The windows supplied by Broxwood are all high-quality, high performance top swing fully reversible Scandinavian timber windows, double glazed, argon-filled and paint- finished. Broxwood also supplied sliding patio doors and French balcony doors where required. All the windows and doors fully meet all UK regulations on sound and thermal performance- despite some very special challenges presented by the project!

Co-director of Broxwood, Mr Rognvald MacKelvie explains:

'In order to maximize use of all available land in this development, some of the blocks of apartments are built close to main roads. This presented us with particular challenges when it came to supplying bedroom windows which would meet sound regulations - and ensure future residents in these prestigious apartments get a good night’s sleep!'

In order to meet this challenge, Broxwood teamed up with Bradford-based acoustics specialists Rod Lane Associates. Rod Lane takes up the story:

'In some cases, the apartments have been built within 5m of a main road, where the traffic generates a sound level of 70dba. Normally we would expect a level of 60dB(A), so that extra 10dB(A) created quite a problem, especially when exposed bedroom windows would have to meet a performance standard of 30dB(A). We solved the problem-and met the regulations- by developing a timber window with Broxwood, incorporating, among other elements, acoustic glazing, a special acoustic coating and a wider-than average gap between glazing sheets. This kind of heavy construction is normally something we would specify for an industrial situation, which gives some idea of the challenges we faced!'

The use of this window will provide a model for other acoustically difficult locations throughout the site and it is planned to use it in other peripheral blocks, thus ensuring the best use of available land.