Briary Court

In a perfect demonstration of the true power and purpose of the product, Sash UK Ltd has fitted Pilkington Activ™ in a conservatory installed as part of a refurbished sheltered housing project. Whilst providing a comfortable, light and attractive communal area for residents, the conservatory presented serious problems in the cleaning and maintenance of its top-level windows and roof glazing. The world’s first self-cleaning glass is proving to be an ideal solution to the problem, banishing health and safety concerns about cleaning by simply doing the job itself.

The conservatory is installed at Briary Court in Clayton Brook, Preston, a group of flats owned and maintained by the Places for People Group (PfP), one of the UK’s largest housing associations. Briary Court, which is managed by New Leaf Supporting Independence Ltd, is a supported occupancy building, many of whose tenants are elderly and have care needs that are fulfilled by on-site care staff who provide the extra support that allows them to remain in their own homes.

An aluminium conservatory was built onto the inside corner of the building some years ago as a communal lounge area for its residents, but was proving to be a maintenance issue for New Leaf. Adrian Smith, Technical Services Manager for the Places for People Group, comments:
“We recently received a major repair budget allocation for Briary Court to replace windows that were at the end of their natural life, but we knew that the conservatory was also a priority. Ongoing repair costs for the conservatory were very high due to the fact that persistent rain had eroded the strength of the aluminium frame, resulting in a series of leaks during the last 5 years.”

Sash UK, a national partnering contractor of PfP, was appointed to replace the aluminium conservatory with custom-built PVC-u frames, and was consulted as to the best cost-effective solution for the glazing problem. Brian Oxley, Commercial Director of Sash UK, believed he had found the answer in Pilkington Activ™:
“The design of the conservatory makes it an ideal hub for the residents, letting in the maximum daylight for a pleasant communal environment. However, unfortunately its location also makes its nearly impossible for the roof and the windows in the flats above it to be cleaned safely from the outside. Pilkington Activ™ is a proven product in the market – it was really made for applications such as this, and we knew it would be perfect for Briary Court.”

Adrian Smith of PfP agrees:
“We are really pleased with the work that has been done by Sash UK and the use of Pilkington Activ™. Our own trials of the product proved that it works and we no longer have to worry about ongoing maintenance and health and safety concerns. Feedback from our tenants is also very good, with many comments received about how pleasant it is to sit in the lounge now and how much better the building looks and feels after its ‘facelift’.”

Developed in the UK by Pilkington and launched following extensive field and laboratory testing, Pilkington Activ™ literally keeps itself clean by harnessing the two natural elements of ultra violet light and rain. The technology uses UV light to break down organic dirt deposits on the glass, and then uses the rain to wash the dirt away.