Architects have always played a very critical role in the building materials market. Their preferences, specifications, and recommendations can influence the entire supply chain and directly impact the success of manufacturers.

At Vebro Polymers, Robert (or Rab as he is known to his friends), takes the lead in meeting the demands and preferences of architects, working with project teams to develop tailored material specifications with the overarching goal of increasing Vebro’s brand recognition and reputation.

Based in Edinburgh, Robert has extensive experience in building material specification, having worked for a roster of high-profile construction brands specialising in resin flooring, waterproofing and cementitious levelling screeds in a career spanning over three decades.

Here Robert addresses several questions on his role in the material specification process.

How would you summarise your role as a Specification Director for a building materials brand and how do you interact with specifiers and project teams?

My role, first and foremost, is to bring to the forefront of specifiers’ minds the Vebro Polymers brand and offering.

At Vebro, we have years and years of industry experience, not only in construction, but within the specialist subsectors of the UFH, screeding, industrial & commercial resin flooring sectors, but also in car park waterproofing & management.

My job is to interact and develop strong relationships with design practices, architects, design consultants, engineers, facilities managers, main contractors, or end clients, informing them of our products, systems and providing solutions – whether this be a new build or a refurbishment project, within the commercial or industrial sector, or within the UK or wider global market.

All of these demographics share one thing in common, they are generally looking for assistance – whether this be technical support, CPD presentations, samples, specifications, environmental performance or sustainability information and costings, which will lead to an effective solution process, allowing them to specify a system that is fit for purpose and one that will provide the longevity required, to give peace of mind to their client not only in the short term but the long term also.

It is important for a building materials supplier or manufacturer to have clear communication lines with such professionals. This is extremely important to an architects / specifier as they look for trustworthiness not only in the individual’s product knowledge, industry experience, project experience, but also the supplier or manufacturers whom they look to trust to help specify the correct products or systems for their projects.

Therefore, early communication within the design stage is key – as is avoiding making any assumptions about the project or assuming your product is right for every project.

Being involved at an early stage is important as it allows you to gain a better understanding of the project / concept design and the clients expectations, allowing you to ask questions to assist in providing a technical solution.

It’s also important to stand up and be able to walk away when the design is not right or when you are being asked to provide a solution that is beyond your products capabilities.

I help to specify a system that is fit for purpose and one that will provide the longevity required, to give peace of mind to their client not only in the short term but the long term also.

How do you identify any special concerns and challenge project teams to ensure that materials specified within a flooring package are appropriate for use?

The key to any successful project is early involvement and clear communication, whether it is a refurbishment or a new build at design stage.

It’s not my role to challenge specifiers or project teams, it is to assist them technically in finding the correct solution or system that is fit for purpose.

This would generally start from a phone call or a visit to their offices, from which you can ask the questions on design, structure, floor sections, point loadings or potential imposed loads, impact, weight restrictions, floor to ceiling heights restrictions, compressive strengths required, chemical or abrasion resistance, slip resistance requirements to avoid slips trips and fall, heat out puts, air temperatures to expansion and contraction of any potential heated screeds, to the correct placement of joints to prevent failure etc.

Or, if already on site and a problem has arisen, it’s about being able to visit site and provide a solution to that problem that is technically correct and fit for purpose.

The key to any successful project is early involvement and clear communication, whether it is a refurbishment or a new build at design stage.

What is the number one piece of advice you would give to architects, specifiers and project teams when considering the flooring package within a commercial scheme?

NEVER design from the bottom up, ALWAYS design from the top down when looking at floor sections, particularly when the floor incorporates (UFH) underfloor heating, if you want to ensure that you mitigate risk and prevent failure later in the life of the building.

What is more important, performance or aesthetics?

This can depend on who you ask, whether it’s an architect, engineer, or interior designer. However, the answer I would expect to hear every time is performance over aesthetics, as the building should be designed to satisfy the clients’ requirements regarding safety, serviceability, and durability, but most importantly assuring structural performance throughout its design life.

How do you feel the specification of building materials has changed during your time within the industry?

Having spent 35 years within the construction industry, the specification of building materials has changed, and I would say it has changed for the better.

As we have seen advances in construction materials, whether this be less VOC’s (volatile organic compounds), AgBB certification (low emissions flooring), along with tighter and better regulations and more emphasis on environmental impact, sustainability, and embodied carbon.

However, I do recall promoting and architects specifying an environmentally friendly screed earlier in my career only for it to be changed on site as projects were cost driven.

Having spent 35 years within the construction industry, the specification of building materials has changed, and I would say it has changed for the better.

Which project that you have worked on in your career are you most proud of?

I find this question difficult to answer, as I have been fortunate enough to work with numerous architectural practices, multi-discipline design houses, engineers, interior designers, and end clients on numerous major projects.

I have worked on £820m mega projects through to Mrs Smith’s garage floor. project at schools, universities, stadia, hospital, airports, train stations, retail, office, hotels, animal centres, pharma, food & beverage, prisons, distilleries to warehousing dilapidations etc.

What makes me proud is seeing the practices, project teams and the projects being recognised, by being short listed for National Awards or winning the RIBA Stirling Prize for their designs, to which I have had the honour to be involved in many of these projects over the years.

To know that I have played a small part in the chain and that our products or systems have once again been chosen and are performing as one would expect is music to my ears.

And like my father before me, I can drive around the whole of the UK and be able to point out to my grandchildren that, “Your Pops was involved in building that!”

like my father before me, I can drive around the whole of the UK and be able to point out to my grandchildren that, “Your Pops was involved in building that!”