Value Engineering – What is it all about?

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As the construction industry strives to provide the optimum building solution, just how can companies today differentiate themselves and ensure they are offering best value?

Steve Thompson, Managing Director of light steel frame manufacturer, EOS Facades explains how they are using value engineering and Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) to meet the demands of today’s construction industry.

Value Engineering – What is it?

Today’s customers are savvier, more commercially aware and they expect more for their money. As manufacturers and service providers, we need to react and meet this demand, or risk losing out.

But before we can do this, we need to understand what value really is.

Assessing best value depends on the objectives set – speed of construction, build costs or the development of a sustainable, energy efficient building – or perhaps a combination of all.

Adopting a ‘one system fits all approach’ will not necessarily deliver best value. It is not about economies of scale but it is about an optimised approach – working with the client to select the right solution, at the right price, to deliver the right performance.

Adding Value: Design for Manufacture and Assembly

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As a manufacturer of steel solutions, EOS Facades take full advantage of offsite manufacturing techniques by adhering to Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) protocols. DfMA is now recognised as the foundation for concurrent engineering processes to streamline and fully optimise the structure. The process aids the building design process and helps to identify, quantify and eliminate waste or inefficiency where possible.

At EOS Facades we pride ourselves on driving quality through precision manufacturing whilst delivering accurate results on time and on budget.

We have taken steps to ensure that DfMA is integrated throughout the design and manufacturing process. We have made considerable investment in developing technology to aide specification and design. We are totally committed to working with our clients on product and service innovations to help them gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace – delivering cost and time efficiencies.

The EOS manufacturing facility is a 40,000 sq ft operation that houses state-of-the-art machinery and technology providing offsite systems and solutions that meet the needs of our customers. Our manufacturing facility is well equipped to cater for the demands of offsite construction and precision engineering. Our sophisticated roll-forming machines have embedded framing technology that enables production of self-jigging framing components that are ready for assembly, eliminating the need to manually cut onsite.

All of our products are manufactured under strict quality management control which is fully compliant with BS EN ISO 9001:2008. Our accredited quality management systems and procedures eradicate onsite variability and ensure life time ‘in service’ performance and durability.

Adding Value: Software and Building Information Modelling

Precision built offsite products require the application of leading-edge technology and contemporary manufacturing processes. We have invested substantially in the latest software and hardware systems in steel frame production. Our systems combine the latest E-Frame technology platform with proven assembly processes, providing fully framed panels that do not require jigging.

Sophisticated software transfers building design information directly to our production plant where we are able to manufacture to accuracies that exceed construction industry norms. Once the panels have been designed using our 3D Tekla modelling software, they are directly uploaded to the roll-forming machines, using a bespoke CAD/CAM interface, where they are produced to exact dimensions using CNC technology. Each stud is identified with an inkjet printer to match the assembly drawing and every frame has an identification label attached. This identifies the project, frame number, order number and site location on the GA site drawings so they can be positioned quickly to their onsite location.

Adding Value: Product

Product quality is essential. EOS only use minimum S390Nmm2 G275gsm steel (higher grades and coatings on request). By only using steel with a protective coating and design detailing that eliminates prolonged exposure, EOS are confident in the durability of our systems. Research has shown in these conditions coated steel has a potential life of over 1,000 years.

The team at EOS support key industry standards and strive to exceed expectations on reliability and delivery. All of our products are manufactured to rigorous quality standards which are fully compliant with the Construction Products Regulations – EN 1090-1: 2009 + AL: 2011. Our quality management systems are BS EN ISO 9001: 2008 registered.

Adding Value: Cost

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We offer all-inclusive fixed price packages that are uniquely supplied with proprietary brackets and fixings required. All Double Studs/Opening Jambs/Lintels and Sills will be dispatched from our factory preassembled. This is a flexible service and should you require the product to arrive unassembled, EOS will pre-punch in the factory, ghost assemble and supply, together with all the necessary screws and special drill bits, for assembly and installation onsite.

Adding Value: People

EOS Facades are constantly striving to improve the way we work and the resulting benefits are passed onto our customers. Research & Development is a core focus of our business and it is not just down to one specific team, at EOS everybody is encouraged to put recommendations forward, whether this is a process or an alteration to a product – that way every part of our business can be enhanced.

EOS also offer a total partner solution including application consultancy, structural design support and value engineering, as well as quality manufacturing.

To meet the demands, we need people to make the change happen.

Now the construction industry is starting to recognise the shift in needs of the client, manufacturers must ask themselves, are they well equipped to meet demands or will they risk losing out?

For more information on EOS Facades’ products and services visit: www.eos-facades.co.uk

Adding Value: Knowledge Sharing

In a bid to share their extensive knowledge, EOS Facades are offering a series of CPD sessions, designed to highlight the various light gauge steel solutions available, and explain how these can be applied in real life scenarios.

The hour long seminars will cover a wide range of steel solutions and services including:

  • Cold Formed Sections
  • SFS Infill Systems
  • SFS Onsite Stud and Track
  • SFS Offsite Pre-assembled
  • Other applications – including LBS, Lattices and Cassettes
  • Design
  • Partnering
  • Examples of Best Practice

These CPD sessions could not be more convenient – an EOS Facades technical representative will come directly to you and the seminars are completely free of charge. Get involved and start talking about light gauge steel!

To request your CPD session, simply contact Thomas Elliott, EOS Facades Technical Sales Manager on: Email: thomas@eosuk.org or Telephone: 07528 364 581.

For more information please visit www.eos-facades.co.uk.

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Fresh warning sign for construction industry

New construction activity has fallen back into contraction, according to figures released today by industry analysts Glenigan.

The value of new projects starting on site was 4% lower than a year earlier during the three months to November. Housing, non-residential and civil engineering starts were all scarcer during the period compared to this time last year.

The amount of new commercial and industrial work was flat on a year earlier during the latest period. Growth in the industrial and hotel and leisure sectors offset falling starts of both office and retail schemes.

Commenting on this month’s figures, Allan Wilén, Glenigan’s Economics Director, said: “The latest evidence on commercial construction starts is disappointing given the continued strength of the economic backdrop.”

“However the forward pipeline is much more positive. In the office sector, for example, the value of work achieving planning approval has risen by more than 50% during the last three months.”

Less surprisingly, the public sector is continuing to hold back growth. The value of the health sector is forecast to fall by a quarter during the course of 2015 alone: during the latest three months starts were almost 50% down on a year earlier. The education sector is also in decline. Despite schools funding overall being ring-fenced, government capital programmes do not seem to be making a huge impact on the ground.

Private housing activity grew modestly, up 2% on a year ago. This rise was more than offset by the drag from the social housing sector, where starts were 9% down on a year ago. The sector is bracing itself for three years of reductions in rents. Plans for increased support of housebuilding have been aimed squarely at increasing home ownership, bringing little relief for the rented accommodation model championed by Housing Associations.

According to Mr Wilén: “The Chancellor’s Autumn Statement pledges on housing appear to be a further boon to the private housing sector. In the short term, activity may undergo a pause as developers assess how best to reap the potential rewards.”

The civil engineering sector also saw an 8% annual decline in starts, as growth in utilities work was unable to offset contracting infrastructure starts.

Most parts of the UK have been dragged backwards by weakening commercial and public sector construction. Northern England and the Midlands have led growth through 2015. However only West Midlands and the North East have stayed in the black; the North West, Yorkshire and the Humber and the East Midlands have all moved into decline in the latest figures.

London and the South East, by contrast, have returned to growth after being hit especially hard by an election hiatus and the slowing in the housing market earlier this year.

No such change in fortunes for the UK’s other constituent nations: Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have all failed to record growth since March 2015.

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Shackerley’s engineered stone façades shape up beautifully at Kew Bridge West

Shackerley has demonstrated the extraordinary design potential and versatility of its Sureclad® ventilated cladding systems by supplying innovative engineered stone façades for a challenging installation at Kew Bridge West, an exclusive development of 336 luxury apartments in North London.

2400m² of fully prefabricated Sureclad® engineered stone cladding in a natural limestone colourway and honed finish has provided a premium quality aesthetic for the lower storeys of the nine apartment buildings in this stunning complex, designed by Stockwool and developed by St James, part of the Berkeley Group.

Two circular towers called for smooth rounded façades and Shackerley’s Sureclad® Hang On system had to be customised to cater for large format curved panels, cut to a radius from solid blocks of engineered stone. Additional challenges included the design of elegantly faceted façades to clad curved elevations of adjacent buildings, designed to reflect the development’s ‘horseshoe’ design.

Shackerley and specialist façade installation contractor Stanmore worked very closely together, developing bespoke solutions at every stage, from the design of the Sureclad® façades to the palletisation of the prefabricated system. Stanmore’s installers also visited Shackerley to receive expert training in the use of the Sureclad® system.

As this was the first time that curved engineered stone panels had been used in conjunction with Sureclad®, the companies arranged for the bespoke facade system to be tested to NHBC criteria at VINCI Technology Centre UK.

Stanmore Commercial Director Peter Baker said: “We were responsible for delivering all the external façades, curtain walling, doors, windows and other external finishes on this project but the engineered stone cladding was by far the most highly valued element of the job. Close collaboration with our supplier was absolutely crucial. By planning and modelling the installation in detail and working hand in hand with Shackerley’s technical team, we achieved superb results for our client. The overall experience was very positive and we’re looking forward to working on other Sureclad® projects in the future.”

Construction Director at St James, Brian Paterson, commented: “It was only when we came to value engineer the Kew Bridge West project that Shackerley’s system was brought to our attention. As a result of switching the engineered stone specification to Sureclad®, we’ve undoubtedly benefitted from a more flexible and lighter façade solution than originally planned and from very substantial cost savings, whilst still achieving our architects’ original design intention. We’re delighted with the results”

For further details on the Sureclad® system please contact Shackerley on 0800 783 0391 or visit www.shackerley.com.

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Industry first for Sapa with A++ window

The tilt before turn (TBT) window from fenestration systems specialists Sapa Building Systems’ Dualframe 75 Si range is the first aluminium window to be given the new A++ Window Energy Rating (WER), the highest available rating in the UK.

Awarded by the British Fenestration Rating Council (BFRC), the rating was originally launched at the start of June, giving manufacturers four months to develop products. However, such is the future proofing strength of Sapa’s Dualframe 75 Si range, the TBT window was already compliant.

The entire suite of windows included in the class leading range all achieve the A+ WER, the only aluminium range to do so. It has continued to push boundaries since its launch in 2010 and Sapa’s commitment to exceeding energy and security targets set out in the Building Regulations and national standards is underlined in the awarding of the A++ rating to the TBT design.

“We are again leading the way with energy ratings for aluminium windows,” said Mark Robinson, Technical Director at Sapa Building System. “This latest award follows on from similar accolades in 2006 when a solution from the Dualframe 75 range was the first aluminium window to be awarded an A rating, which was then followed in 2013 with the Si A+ WER.

“This new addition to the rating system will not only offer fabricators more choice, it will also create significant energy savings, helping to reduce bills. The TBT window will reduce solar gain in the summer while helping to keep buildings warm in the winter. With the next expected revision of Part L of the Building Regulations expected in 2019, we are ideally placed to be able to meet any projected tightening.”

“BFRC is delighted at the take up for the new A++ rating for windows,” comments BFRC Managing Director Chris Mayne. “Since the announcement that BFRC was accepting applications for the new A++ band we received simulation reports from far more companies than we expected. This has resulted in the launch of the first batch of A++ window products and we look forward to seeing how they perform in the market.”

The Dualframe 75 Si TBT window is an ideal solution for high rise or commercial applications, and combines ventilation with easy cleaning and large span openings. The safety locking handle is key operated and the key must be inserted in order to access the turn mode. Once the window is closed, it automatically defaults to the tilt only mode.

For more information please visit www.sapabuildingsystems.co.uk, call 01684 853500 or email info@sapabuildingsystems.co.uk

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Rinnai – The infinite hot water & space heater solution

Rinnai’s Infinity range of continuous flow gas fired water heaters includes heavy duty and condensing units that are engineered to guarantee high efficiencies and low running costs – and exceed future and current regulations and standards like those proposed by Part L Building Regulations and ERP.

Rinnai is also the manufacturer and supplier of the Energysaver range of space heaters designed for fast and efficient heating. The range comprises of fanned convection-powered flue models that exceed seasonal thermal heating guidance under Building Regs Part L.

And now, new technologically advanced additions enhance the ranges still further.

Rinnai’s heavy duty condensing (HDC) Infinity models

NEW: The latest addition to the range is the Infinity HDC1600i renewables-ready low NOx series, the first heater of its kind to utilise Rinnai’s own patented pre-mix burner technology. The newly developed down-firing burner allows increased efficiency and reduces NOx gases. The Infinity 1600i series is available with an output of 58.4kw producing 16.2 litres of temperature controlled hot water per minute (or 972 per hour) raised at 60°C.

The HDC1200 internal and external models give an energy performance of 107% net efficiency while the larger Rinnai HDC1500 internal and external models turn in 105% net efficiency.

These Rinnai condensing continuous flow water heaters are extremely low NoX, less than 20ppm, with net efficiencies of 105-107% and flow rates up to an excess of 972 litres per hour @ a 60° temperature rise.

Rinnai Infinity bespoke solutions – compliance packages

NEW: Rinnai has devised a bespoke turn-key solution that has now been adopted as the preferred water heating choice for a global fast food chain. The Pack has been designed to provide better on-site efficiency and is supplied to site in bundles, including best in class Rinnai Infinity continuous flow gas fired water heaters and all relevant parts, including scale protection technology where necessary. The pack comes with bespoke installation instructions and schematics inclusive of commissioning sheets for sign off, ensuring a one hit install.

The ERP ready system offers proven 105% efficiency, supports G3 compliance and Legionella (ACOP L8) compliance as well as being best in class under Part L building regulations.

Rinnai Infinity Plus

The Infinity Plus solution for large commercial operations has been developed to provide never-ending hot water without costly storage and brings together multiple units of the company’s award-winning condensing continuous flow water heaters into single, easily manoeuvrable modules.
The comprehensive Rinnai Infinity PLUS range offers specifiers and end users a system that guarantees a constant flow of safe hot water at precisely the chosen temperature. Operated via an easy to use built-in digital controller, the water heater provides near mains pressure flow for as long as is necessary. Rinnai can design these systems to supply in excess of 24,000 litres per hour at 50°temperature rise.

Rinnai Infinity Plus storage

Using a modular system of either internal or external Rinnai HD or HDC condensing water heaters and a stainless steel storage vessel, demands in excess of 20,000 litres per hour can be satisfied. Rinnai Infinity Plus Storage packs represent the best value-for-money hot water storage solutions on the market today with everything delivered direct to site in one complete package.

Rinnai renewables heating solutions

Rinnai units used as a gas booster to solar thermal or heat pump installations. This maximises renewable gains. Rinnai infinity water heaters are the only booster that can modulate from 58kw to 2.4kw ensuring renewable hot water is only complimented by gas. A comprehensive range of renewables products including solar arrays is available.

Rinnai Digital, BMS Gateway and controllers

For commercial buildings, Rinnai’s development and investment in integral smart controls for its appliances makes them compatible with sophisticated BMS system. Rinnai BMS Gateway’s enable the interaction between the water heater and building management systems, allowing easy monitoring which in turn identifies areas where energy is being wasted, error messaging supporting first time repair, trend logging and much more.

Rinnai Solo

NEW: The Infinity Solo condensing low NOX is the first Rinnai product for the UK to combine the advanced technology of its wall mounted continuous flow water heaters with a stainless steel storage cylinder all in one compact footprint.

Because the cylinder is stainless steel it greatly reduces the weight compared to glass lined models, which makes transportation and installation easier. As well as the difference in weight, the cylinders available also have extremely low heat loss figures (as low as 1.5kW/h day), which means the customer pays less to maintain the heat within the tank. The Infinity Solo also has the fastest recovery times on the market these can be as short as 19 minutes.

Common flue header system

Rinnai has also pioneered a common header flue system to streamline manifolded installations of its award-winning Infinity condensing continuous flow gas water heaters. Previously multiple installations in an interior plant room would have meant each unit had to have its own flue and that meant punching a hole through the building fabric for each individual unit, a time consuming and expensive necessity.

Lime scale checker

Another simple but effective idea safeguards against lime scale build up occurring in Rinnai continuous flow water heaters a scale control system continually monitors the appliances for lime scale deposits around the heat exchanger and alerts the end user that it is time to perform a lime scale flush.

Energysaver space heaters

Rinnai Energysaver 559T, 309T and 1004T deliver energy-efficient and consistent warm air powered by Natural Gas and LPG options and are built with fully modulating burners so heat output and energy input is reduced as the space warms up. The units may also be controlled via a central timer for added economy and occupant comfort and are encased in a low surface temperature (LST) casing. The heaters are suitable for central timer control. This feature allows the building manager to run any number of Rinnai space heaters off a central time clock providing heat to the large of spaces.

The Rinnai Energysaver 559T unit turns in efficiencies of almost 92% when you are considering the effective heat generator seasonal efficiency required for UK building regulations. It has an input of 6.4kW and output of 5.2kW. The unit measures 554mm x 750mm x 250mm.

The Energysaver 1004T has an input of 11.6kW and outputs 10.23kW. Its measurements are 670mm x 930mm x 315mm and it has energy efficiencies of 96% under the guidance of Part L 2014.

The Energysaver 309T has an input of 3.4hw supported by 85.9% efficiency making it ideal for smaller light commercial and domestic installs.

HD range

Rinnai has a range of cost effective HD solutions ideal for light commercial and replacement products. The HD range consists of the HD50, HD70E, HD55i and HD55E. The units range from 54kw to 69kw and produce as little as 20ppm NOx whilst having the capability to produce up to 979 ltr/hr at a 50°C rise.

For more information on the RINNAI product range visit www.rinnaiuk.com.

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EN 16005 compliance is a click away thanks to logbooqr from GEZE UK

There’s no need to worry about lost or damaged log books again thanks to a new innovation from automatic door and window control systems manufacturer GEZE UK.

The company has developed logbooqr, a new online logbook for automatic doors which can be accessed via a QR code using a smartphone or tablet.

Since the introduction of EN 16005 in April 2013, all automatic doors must have a logbook to keep a detailed record of any servicing and maintenance work that has been undertaken. Currently, an asset tag, detailing a unique reference code, is fitted to the door itself and a physical logbook is issued. This is then completed by service and maintenance engineers as soon as any work is carried out. The problem is that logbooks, that need to be kept with the automatic door, are frequently lost or misplaced.

logbooqr allows this information to be recorded on a secure website which is accessed via a QR code printed on the asset tag. This allows an engineer to record the work that has been done, while the end user can check the log and see when the next service is due. In the event of an accident or random spot check, Health and Safety Inspectors can easily access this information to confirm that servicing and maintenance schedules are up to date.

Speaking about the launch of logbooqr , Steve Marshall, service director of GEZE UK said: “Compliance with EN 16005 means that a log book must be kept for every automatic door, but we frequently find these are lost or mislaid or may not even have been passed on to the end-user who is responsible for the door.

“While losing a log book may seem like a small oversight, in the case of an accident, the health and safety investigator may assume that essential maintenance and servicing has not been carried out. As a formal maintenance record a log book may be called upon in a court of law to prove or disprove liability.

“logbooqr has been designed to provide an easy to access and maintain record of an automatic door’s history. An engineer simply scans the QR code and updates the log, creating an accurate record that can be accessed at any time. And because it’s all recorded online, it can never get lost again!”

For more information about GEZE UK’s comprehensive range of automatic and manual door closers or for servicing enquiries call 01543 443000 or visit www.geze.co.uk.

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BM TRADA Scaffold Board Scheme promotes construction site safety

Scaffold boards are used in their thousands on construction sites across the UK, enabling workers to operate safely at height. However, BM TRADA, part of the Exova Group, warns recent incidents have highlighted that the failure of a timber scaffold board can result in serious injury or even death and leave contractors facing prosecution and significant fines.

With failures often the result of used scaffold boards being inadequately checked after having been stored or used inappropriately, BM TRADA has launched its Q Mark Used Timber Scaffold Board Inspection Scheme, to enable certified companies to demonstrate that their inspectors are competent to determine if boards should remain in use.

While there is no legislative requirement for used timber scaffold boards to be regularly inspected, to ensure safety on site, scaffold boards should be checked and assessed on a regular basis when in use and each time they are re-issued or supplied to site. It is also important that boards which have been checked are stored separately to those that have not.

With major contractors recognising the dangers, they are starting to ask how scaffold board issuing companies can demonstrate the competency of those inspecting boards. The BM TRADA Q-Mark Used Timber Scaffold Board Inspection Scheme provides a means of verifying that inspectors are suitably qualified.

While most scaffolding companies will ensure their employees complete a scaffolders’ training course, the BM TRADA Scheme provides added confidence to contractors, since the competence of board inspectors is regularly checked by an independent third party body. This enables contractors to specify their hire with confidence and demonstrate due diligence if required.

To achieve certification under the scheme, the scaffolding company must nominate individual employees who will be covered. Each is required to demonstrate their competence to identify damage which is likely to reduce the strength of used timber scaffold boards. Every nominated inspector is required to complete scheme-specific training, pass an examination and complete a competence assessment at the company’s premises.

BM TRADA will also undertake an initial audit of the company to ensure that a documented inspection process is in place. This process must demonstrate that only approved inspectors carry out inspections, only approved boards are released for use and all rejected boards are segregated.

Companies who meet the scheme’s requirements will be issued with a certificate and certification marks to enable them to demonstrate and promote their certification. Certification is valid for two years and following this is maintained through a programme of annual surveillance audits, with a recertification audit required in the second year before the certification expires.

In addition to offering confidence to contractors, the scheme enables certified companies to demonstrate their competence and highlight their commitment to quality. This offers them a competitive advantage when tendering and can increase repeat business as contractors increasingly recognise the benefit of specifying used timber scaffold boards which are regularly inspected by third party certified competent inspectors.

For further information on the BM TRADA Q-Mark Used Timber Scaffold Board Inspection Scheme, visit www.bmtrada.com, email: sbeer@bmtrada.com; or call: 01494 569821.

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Advanced Panels Protect Flagship Crossrail Station

Travellers passing through the flagship Tottenham Court Road Station on London’s Northern Line and the new £14.8 billion Crossrail network, set to open in 2018, will be protected by intelligent fire systems from Advanced.

The combined Crossrail and London Underground station, which originally opened in 1900 as part of the Central London Railway, also serves the Central Line and the Charing Cross branch of the Northern Line. The entire station has undergone a major reconstruction to integrate with the Crossrail service and it is expected to cater for up to 200,000 passengers every day once the new line opens.

Transport for London (TFL), specified Advanced’s industry-leading MxPro fire panel range for the station due to its quality, reliability and ease of use. Installed by NG Bailey there are currently two MxPro 4 networked panels installed in the station, which will increase to four when two MxPro 5 panels are added to the Crossrail sections which is due to be completed in 2018. The flexibility of MxPro means that these can be integrated seamlessly into the existing system, along with additional components.

Peter Patrick, Senior Project Manager and spokesperson for NG Bailey said: “The MxPro 4 panels are one of the best open protocol panels currently on the market and Advanced is the one of the preferred panel suppliers for London Underground control and indicating equipment. We find installing and configuring Advanced systems easy.”

MxPro offers customers a choice of two panel ranges, four detector protocols and a completely open installer network, backed up by free training and support. MxPro panels can be used in single loop, single panel format or easily configured into high speed, multi-loop panels in 200 node networks covering huge areas. Advanced’s legendary ease of installation and configuration and wide peripheral range make it customisable to almost any application.

Amanda Hope, Advanced’s UK Business and Development Manager, said: “The new Crossrail system has been in the planning for many years and is scheduled to open in 2018. It’s a key part of the London transport infrastructure and will be used by millions of passengers, so a high quality and reliable fire system is absolutely essential. We believe that the MxPro panels tick all the boxes for the combined station at Tottenham Court Road, delivering a future proof solution with the option to expand and enhance the system in future.”

The MxPro 4 system is fully compliant with relevant EN54 Parts 2 and 4, and backed up with Advanced’s renowned customer care and technical support. MxPro 5 its more advanced successor is approved to EN54 parts 2, 4 and 13 and is backwards compatible with MxPro 4.

Advanced is a world leader in the development and manufacture of intelligent fire systems. Its legendary performance, quality and ease-of-use sees its products used in prestigious and challenging locations all over the world, from single panel installations to large multi-site networks. Advanced products include complete fire detection systems, multi-protocol fire panels, extinguishant controls and fire paging systems.

More details can be found on the website at www.advancedco.com.

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Cool solutions for residential corridor overheating

Dr Chris Iddon, Design Manager with SE Controls, explores the growing issue of corridor overheating and studies into real buildings are enabling effective solutions to be applied to the problem.

In some ways it is ironic that the issue of building overheating can be partly accredited to the increased drive towards improving energy efficiency. This fact has been recognised by the Zero Carbon Hub in its recent report into overheating in homes, as well as CIBSE’s latest revision to its ‘Guide A: Environmental Design’ (8th edition 2015), which specifically identifies the potential causes and consequences of corridor overheating.

It wasn’t that long ago that, if a building’s occupants got too hot, they opened a window or turned up the air conditioning to return the internal temperature to within more comfortable parameters, although there are clearly some significant issues with this simplistic approach to temperature management. However, during the past 25 years or so, concerns over climate change, dwindling fuel resources and increasing energy costs, has resulted a much stricter legislative and regulatory environment governing building design and energy management.

Within this framework, retaining heat within a building is usually a key design goal, as it reduces energy demand for heating and the cost of maintaining a comfortable internal environment, the application of these various energy reduction techniques can have some surprising and unintended consequences.

Multi storey residential blocks, for example, are subject to the specifications for ‘leakage’, ‘infiltration’ and energy performance, yet as Building Regulations deals only with the dwellings themselves a building’s circulation spaces are excluded.

As innovative building designs seek to legitimately maximise rentable space, this often creates ‘landlocked’ spaces that have no ventilation. Given that corridors are often sealed by fire doors and the practice of routing heating pipework through ceiling voids is a common solution, it’s unsurprising that communal corridor temperatures can readily exceed 35 degrees Celsius.

Understanding the dynamics of overheating

For a number of years, SE Controls has been directly involved with various consultants; developers and contractors to not only address the issue by providing specific solutions to improve ventilation and cooling, but also to obtain a more detailed understanding of the dynamics involved in the overheating of corridors and circulation spaces.

By undertaking detailed studies of real buildings and combining them with theoretical computer thermal modelling, it has not only been possible to refine the modelling algorithms and make them even more accurate, but also design effective solutions that can address the problem using a building’s existing smoke control system.

As smoke control ventilation systems are a legal requirements in buildings over three storeys high, it makes financial and practical sense to adapt the existing system, enabling it to undertake the additional role of day to day environmental ventilation and cooling of circulation spaces.

Among the various corridor-overheating projects undertaken, one of the most interesting was a study we undertook that evaluated a London building with circulation space ventilation incorporated within the design from the outset and compared it to one in Kent where no similar ventilation solution had been installed. As overheating issues typically become more intense during summer months, the study was conducted between 19th June and 29th December 2014, which also provided data during autumn and early winter for comparative purposes.

Temperature measurement and adaptive comfort

Hourly temperatures in the first floor lobby of both buildings were monitored to obtain a clearer picture of the internal thermal profile, while corresponding hourly external weather information from RAF Northolt provided relevant ‘ambient’ temperature data for the same period. During the study, a MET Office Level 2 heatwave warning (max temperature of 30 degrees Celsius) was issued for 18th to 20th July.

Results analysis – the heat is on

Over the duration of the study, the external temperature ranged from a minimum of – 6°C during December to a maximum of 30°C in July, giving and average of 12°C throughout the period.

In comparison, the London building, which utilised its smoke ventilation system to provide supplementary environmental ventilation, the average temperature was 18.6°C with corresponding minimum and maximum figures of 10.3°C and 27.3°C respectively.

However, in stark contrast, the Kent building with unventilated corridors recorded some disturbing results with temperatures ranging from 22.3°C up to an extremely uncomfortable high of 33.8°C with an average 28.5°C.

Even more concerning is the fact that for 64% of the total monitoring period, the Kent property’s temperature exceeded 28°C, which is significantly above current CIBSE guidance on overheating thresholds where 28°C should be exceeded for less than 1% of the time.

The comparative temperature distribution analysis for both buildings also showed a significant difference with the most frequent internal temperature for Kent being 28-29°C, while in London, the figures were 8 degrees cooler at 20-21°C.

Although this study was focused specifically on temperature parameters within the two buildings, it must be remembered that where no ventilation is present in sealed or ‘landlocked’ spaces, the air will usually be stagnant and of poor quality, often containing pathogens along with other contaminants, which cannot be readily ‘flushed’ or vented from the building.

By utilising existing smoke ventilation systems and adapting their operation, without compromising their life critical primary operation characteristics, a simple and cost effective solution is already available that mitigates overheating, improves air quality and helps buildings comply with relevant adaptive comfort guidelines.

The only question that remains, is how many other buildings suffer from the same extreme overheating and air quality issues as those measured in Kent, which are likely to be caused unintentionally, purely by complying with Building Regulations? From the results of SE Controls’ own numerous research studies, the answer is …“probably more than we think.”

For more information please visit www.secontrols.com.

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