Knights Agriculture unveils new solutions for longstanding problems
This article first appeared in the Buildings supplement to Poultry Business, published in September 2024
Earlier this year, Knights Construction Group dedicated a division to focus exclusively on agricultural construction projects. Led by managing director Matt Jones and newly appointed agricultural director Richard Jones, Knights Agriculture aims to empower poultry farmers with cutting-edge, reliable, and sustainable solutions that drive success and long-term prosperity.
With a commitment to raising the standard of poultry buildings across the UK, Knights Agriculture finding innovative solutions to traditional challenges.
After extensive research and site visits to Europe, exploring the benefits and applications of structural composite panels, Knights have introduced this commercial option to their clients across the UK. Structural composite panels offer an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio. Despite their lightness, they provide high strength, allowing them to bear substantial loads without compromising structural integrity. Already widely used in heavy industrial environments, this makes them an ideal building material for poultry housing.
Growers have long struggled with house cold spots and insulation issues in an industry where efficiency is paramount. Recognising this challenge and committed to raising standards, Knights carried out thermal imaging surveys across numerous sites and found the concrete perimeter wall to be the main contributor in creating the cold spots avoided by birds. Their team of engineers then designed a warm wall by using high-density PIR insulation cast directly into the concrete to create a thermal bridge. Eliminating the cold areas at the edge of the building allows the birds to spread out and the usable area of the house to increase.
In addition to contributing to lower energy consumption and reduced heating and cooling costs, a composite panel design can also reduce build times by up to 30%, providing the customer with significant cost savings. This approach is currently being implemented by Knights across multiple rearing, broiler and free-range sites nationwide, from Scotland down to the South of England.
Understanding the complexities of managing multi-phase construction projects, Matt and Richard have developed a comprehensive, one-stop solution that offers clients a seamless package. This approach encompasses every stage of the process, including pre-commencement design, programme and cashflow forecasts, earthworks and civils and house build, all coupled with full project management including the overseeing of equipment fit out and install. This strategy ensures clients benefit from a single point of contact throughout the entire process, facilitating clear communication and minimising the risk of miscommunication and delays.
By delivering every element of the project in-house, Knights are able to co-ordinate an overlap of programme and utilisation of plant that results in significant time and costs savings for the client compared to the conventional build approach. House build teams are landing on sites and working alongside concrete works and civils teams all co-ordinated under one project manager.
Knights Agriculture is committed to tackling problems head on and rejects the notion of compensating for or working around traditional challenges. “By merging traditional agricultural expertise with innovative engineering techniques, we offer long-lasting, stress-free conditions for livestock,” said Richard Jones.