NE02 (Former Yellow Car Park), Wembley

“The Next Generation suite is revolutionary for the residential construction market.”

Ger Hayes, Managing Director, John Sisk & Son Limited

History

Wembley Park is no stranger to Sapphire Balconies, and the NE02 is the latest development in the area, spanning several high-rise residential units in northeast Wembley, overlooking the famous Wembley Stadium.

At Vision Construct 2023, Sapphire Balconies unveiled The Next Generation suite, a significant advancement in construction. These balconies feature an ultra-low carbon framework, reducing CO2 emissions by 19% in stages A1-A5, marking a notable sustainability achievement for Sapphire.

John Voyce (Sisk) has highlighted the uniqueness of the system, stating, “It’s all about optimising thermal efficiency—trying to reduce any thermal breaks through the facade—but also safety by making sure we’re reducing any risk of fire.”

Streamlined by Innovation: Clip-On Low Carbon balconies

The challenge at the NE02 development was in designing a truly innovative Clip-On Low Carbon balcony connection to pre-cast façade panels, in collaboration with both Sisk and Techrete. Another part of the challenge of the project was to make the lives of the panel manufacturers easier, removing risky, time-consuming and costly processes when compared to working in and around stubs.

The Clip-On low carbon balconies, developed in collaboration with leading construction company Sisk, serves multiple purposes: optimising thermal efficiency, enhancing safety by minimising the risk of fire and connecting directly to a pre-cast façade. The focus was on optimising thermal efficiency and safety by reducing thermal breaks through the facade. The lightweight (350kg) aluminium clip-on balcony system for NE02 is a testament to this commitment.

Connection to pre-cast façade panels (rather than having to take moment connections back into the structure) was crucial for this project. By fixing just to the outer panel, coordination was made much simpler and elements such as air and water sealing are better as a result. Thanks to the pre-cast façade panel connection, thermal bridging was eliminated entirely, making the building more efficient as a whole.

Given the excitement in the industry, the Clip-On Low Carbon balconies have been shortlisted and become finalists in several industry awards. These balconies show how the Vision 2030 is driving innovation and product development which reduces carbon.