Building News is an information portal for all professional building specifiers. Here you can find all of the latest construction news from around the UK and the rest of the world.

LAUNCH OF WORLD’S FIRST SOLUTION FOR POST TENSIONED BALCONY CONNECTORS

Leading global lifting, connecting and anchoring company Leviat has launched the world’s first insulated balcony connector element for post tensioning applications, which can be used alongside its industry renowned range of Halfen HIT Structural Thermal Breaks.

 

Hervé Poveda, Leviat’s Head of Product Excellence, Reinforcement & Building Physics – Europe & APAC, said: “The development of this innovative solution was as a result of our customers looking to include balconies in the post tensioning process. Our new Halfen HIT Insulated Balcony Connector System allows balconies to be cast together with the main slab and then simultaneously stressed – something which has never been possible before with conventionally reinforced concrete balconies. Furthermore, formwork installation and removal on balconies and the main slab can take place all at the same time, driving significant efficiencies on construction sites, enabling users to build better and faster which reduces costs.”

 

Post tensioning performed on-site in cast-in-place applications gives designers flexibility, allowing them to create original concrete components that are thinner, longer and stronger. Architects can take full advantage of the plasticity of concrete in their designs to create truly amazing spaces.

 

Our range of balcony connectors provide continuity to both the concrete reinforcement and the thermal insulation of the building envelope, protecting against the effects of cold bridging, eliminating the risk of condensation and mould growth, and guaranteeing the comfort of the building’s occupants.

 

Specifiers can be confident that the new Halfen HIT Insulated Balcony Connector system complies with the UK’s latest guidance and building regulations, with particular reference to fire resistance. The innovative Halfen HIT Transition Piece is filled with mineral wool insulation for optimum thermal efficiency and fire resistance. The mineral wool specification is identical to that used for standard HIT insulated connection elements, which have an REI 120 fire resistance rating.

 

The Halfen HIT Insulated Connection system has recently been granted a UKTA by the British Board of Agrément, covering compressive design resistance as required for post tensioning applications. Halfen HIT Transition Pieces are designed for use with all types and configurations of post tensioning cables currently available on the market, using either bonded or unbonded strands.

 

When using Halfen HIT Transition Pieces, HIT-HP and HIT-SP, post tensioning cables can run directly through the structural thermal break at the interface between the balcony and supporting slab, enabling stressing to take place at the edge of the balcony rather than at the thermal break location; this considerably relieves reinforcement congestion and speeds up the installation process.

 

Leviat have developed a robust, Eurocode-compliant design methodology for the use of Halfen HIT Insulated Balcony Connector elements, and can provide suitable guidance to specifiers on the most efficient connector layouts, taking into consideration the position of post tensioning cables.

 

Post tensioning strengthens concrete by exploiting its strength when in compression and helping to overcome its inherent weakness in resisting tension. As a critical structural component, our balcony connectors transfer tension and compression forces in addition to bending moments and shear forces, maintaining structural integrity and minimising heat loss at balcony locations.

 

Nicolas De Vrieze, Leviat’s Product Manager for Structural Thermal Breaks & Acoustics – Europe & APAC, said: “We are delighted to be able to bring this engineered solution to the market. Its development in response to customer requirements demonstrates that we listen and we respond, manufacturing innovative connecting technology fit for the future.”

Patents for this solution have been applied for in Europe and the United States.

Leviat, a CRH company, is a global leader in connecting, fixing, lifting and anchoring technology for the construction industry. Leviat’s engineered products and innovative construction solutions are used in a variety of market segments, from residential to infrastructure, enabling users to build better, stronger, safer and faster. The company employs 3,000 people at 60 locations in North America, Europe, Asia and Australasia. Leviat’s suite of trusted product brands include Ancon, HALFEN, Plaka and Meadow Burke.

For more information CLICK HERE

 

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£6.3m Building Projects in Limbo

Over £6.3 million worth of building projects in Powys are on hold due to the cost of living crisis.

At a Powys County Council Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, November 8, Cllr David Thomas, the cabinet member for finance said that this move would save £500,000 in borrowing costs.

But Cllr Thomas’ report did not detail which schemes are in limbo – only that they are “pipeline schemes”

At the end of September, the council had spent £24.37 million of the total revised capital budget of £96.46 million set aside for the 2022/23 financial year.

This means that the capital budget has shrunk by £18.85 million since June.

At that time, the capital budget stood at £115.31 million.

Cllr Thomas said that 42 per cent which equates to £40.66 million of the capital budget comes from borrowing and that the interest costs is charged to the revenue budget which funds frontline council services.

 

Cllr Thomas said: “Continued increasing inflation is having a significant impact on the cost of schemes as material and construction costs rise.“Some schemes may be reduced or paused until there greater certainty about cost and funding.“Any additional funding required is likely to increase borrowing, this will increase costs on the revenue budget.”“The previous report showed that the financial position on the revenue budget is forecasting a £7million deficit.“In order to reduce expenditure some pipeline capital schemes that have not progressed to approval stage have been delayed.“This will reduce the immediate need to borrow delivering an underspend on borrowing costs of £0.5 million.”

 

Cllr Thomas said that the council had made £810,000 in capital receipts and that more sales would take the figure up to £870,000 and he hoped that the figure would rise to £2million by the end of the financial year.

He added that a virement to shift £100,000 that had been earmarked to deal with cyber-security issues would need the cabinet’s agreement so that it can be moved to a budget for new IT equipment.

Cabinet members voted unanimously to note the report and approve the virement.

Source: Brecon & Radnor Express

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The UK’s first cement free masonry mortar – ready to cut CO2e emissions

The UK’s first 100% Portland cement free sustainable alternative to standard masonry mortars, developed and manufactured to deliver savings in CO2e emissions of up to 70%, has been launched in the UK by Cemfree, the country’s leading producer and pioneer of ultra-low carbon cementitious technologies and products.

This is the second major launch for Cemfree, who 10 years ago unveiled the country’s first cement free binder, a real alternative to Portland cement (PC), responsible for 8% of the world’s CO2e emissions.

With industry estimates showing that construction professionals use in excess of some 2.5 million tonnes of cement-based mortar every year, Cemfree believes this new product will give builders, architects and other construction professionals, another major opportunity to help the environment and reduce the risk of Global warming.

 

 

Cemfree Masonry Mortar is a factory produced designed mortar available directly from Cemfree. It holds appropriate UKCA marking, showing conformity with UK legislation and is fully compliant to BS EN 998-2.

Available in premixed bulk or 25KG bags, Cemfree Masonry Mortar performs in a similar way to standard cement-based mortars with the added benefit of significant carbon savings, delivering comparable consistency and curing times and offering excellent workability. “Cemfree Masonry Mortar is a major step forward in terms of reducing the amount of carbon emissions produced by conventional Portland cement-based products,” said Katie Wills, Cemfree Major Accounts Manager.

“When used in conjunction with Cemfree concrete blocks, which are now widely available across the UK, the CO2e savings can be even more substantial. This is another major step forward in helping to protect our planet”.

Cemfree Masonry Mortar has been launched following extensive development by the Cemfree Technology Team, and independent expert support.  It has been widely accepted and received by the industry during pilot tests to demonstrate the user-friendly nature of the product.

The mortar is the latest stage of an ongoing product development programme for Cemfree as it continues to evolve with new technologies and products.

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Meeting Cambridge’s largest Passivhaus student residential building requirements

TRILUX low-energy LED luminaires meet Cambridge’s largest Passivhaus student residential building requirements

Setting a new benchmark in sustainability for student accommodation

The Cambridge University Lucy Cavendish College’s mission is to attract, support and unlock the potential of students from non-traditional and underrepresented backgrounds who are driven by a desire to make a difference. The University is also dedicated to building in a radical way to reduce its carbon emissions.

The new student accommodation near Lady Margaret Road reflects this. The latest eco-friendly and accessible facility comprises 72 student rooms and social spaces.

The scheme, designed by RH Partnership Architects, is developed to the Passivhaus standard to significantly reduce energy use, and ensure comfort for students and carers, using modern methods of construction and sustainable, robust materials to reduce embodied carbon.

The scheme is centred around large quantiles of natural daylight, so the role of artificial lighting is to supplement, and substitute come nightfall. To meet the Passivhaus requirements, LEDs’ low energy and low heat qualities were a natural choice. For a high-quality LED solution, electrical contractors Munro Building Services turned to its trusted lighting partner, TRILUX.

Many of Lucy Cavendish College’s undergraduates will be living away from home for the first time. So, the lighting for the new building also had to help create a welcoming, inclusive environment to offer a sense of community where students can achieve the best academic outcomes in their home away from home.

 

Bedroom Lighting

The bedrooms are designed to be comfortable, welcoming, and structured, enabling students to get to know each other in manageable groups. Here the wall mounted TRILUX LC60 aids the main aim. Its 3000K warm, welcoming light is easily dimmable and creates a cosy, inviting atmosphere for students to retire to after a long day.

 

Common meeting places

A study café space on the ground floor includes a range of facilities, including study booths and intelligent screens, encouraging students to collaborate in the way that suits them best. TRILUX Limba pendants, in a gold and black finish, add striking appeal and help form the café setting. Its 3-D faceted reflector and opal acrylic ring offer exceptional glare control, ideal for hi-tech working aids.

From the corridors and stairwells to the plant rooms and external stores, the TRILUX range has been utilised to provide optimum efficiency. The lighting design comprises SNC Point, LC60, 74RS, Amatris, Limba (White + Special Finish), Osram LED Tape, Skeo Q B1, LTX Z, Skeo Curv and Skeo Q.

 

Grant Rigg, Electrical Project Manager, Munro comments, “Trilux have been incredibly proactive from the early design stage, liaising directly with the client’s team through to project delivery. Working with them on the scheme has been a pleasure, and they are always happy to help/ find a solution.”

 

CLICK HERE

For more information on TRILUX’s education lighting solutions

 

 

 

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EJOT secures UKTA for LIEBIG Superplus BLS heavy duty anchors

EJOT UK has received UKTA (UK Technical Assessment) certification for its LEIBIG Superplus BLS range of self-undercutting heavy duty anchors, providing assurance to engineers, designers and architects that these market-leading products fully comply with the post-Brexit standards protocol.

Providing an independently assessed performance approval to complement the product’s long-held ETA (European Technical Assessment), the UKTA will become increasingly important in specification decisions in projects throughout England, Scotland and Wales as the UK adopts stand-alone standards.

The UKTA future-proofs the Superplus BLS anchor, which is widely used in nuclear power plants due to its extended seismic approvals, including those beyond the ETA, by demonstrating its suitability for continued specification and use in light of the transition from CE marking to the UKCA mark.

EJOT UK has worked with the BBA (British Board of Agrément) to complete the independent assessment of the Superplus BLS anchor, checking its performance data against British and European standards.

 

Brian Mack, Technical Business Development Manager at EJOT UK said: “With the widespread specification of LIEBIG Superplus BLS anchors in safety critical applications throughout the UK, we wanted to take early action to achieve UKTA certification and give specifiers complete confidence when designing concrete applications.

“But the work doesn’t stop here – we continually assess Superplus BLS and all other LIEBIG anchoring technology against evolving global standards, including the European Technical Assessment which is due for review in the near future. This ensures we maintain the LIEBIG range’s position at the forefront technical excellence and compliance.”

 

The LIEBIG Superplus BLS is one the world’s most used heavy duty anchors of its kind, providing an alternative to concrete anchors that need pre-preparation of the hole using an undercut tool. It is approved for use in cracked and non-cracked concrete offering assured high capacity anchoring in a wide variety of applications and conditions ranging from nuclear power plants and industrial sites to facades, structural steelwork and base plates.

The product has a range of benefits for designers, engineers and installers, particularly due to its modular design which allows for bespoke anchor lengths without significant cost or long lead times. Installers can work more efficiently and achieve consistent quality with Superplus BLS because it does not require an exact hole depth to achieve a secure fixing – teeth on the anchor’s innovative sleeve will always engage to deliver a durable mechanical interlock.

Superplus BLS is part of a wide range of LIEBIG and EJOT anchoring solutions which also includes advanced chemical based systems, concrete screws and through-bolts to cater for every type of concrete and solid base application.

For technical, specification and installation support for anchoring systems

contact EJOT UK on 01977 687040

or email info@ejot.co.uk.

Find out more at www.ejot.co.uk.

 

 

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INVESTIGATING ‘CREAKY’ TALL BUILDINGS

The Tall Building Working Group (TBWG) was formed in 2018 to address a global phenomenon where creaking can be heard in tall residential towers in high wind conditions. The group was established under the umbrella of trade body Finishes and Interiors Sector (FIS) and set about bringing together the entire supply chain, namely developers, tier 1 contractors, manufacturers, architects, specialist drylining contractors and engineers who are involved in the specification and construction of buildings where noise issues have been reported.

The starting point was to investigate the root cause of this phenomenon and then look at how occurrence can be reduced or better managed in new towers by providing better guidance for architects, engineers, designers and developers.

The group engaged with individuals and organisations from across the globe and absorbed the findings of all available secondary research before embarking on a structured research programme of their own, funded by members of the TBWG.

Further research was carried out by structural engineers WSP to present, in a graphical format, the inter-storey differential movement in vertical and horizontal directions affecting partitions and other elements of fit out. This document explains to the project fit out designer how a high-rise tower reacts to external loads.

•    External loads make building move: non-structural elements should be installed in such a way to allow for the movements freely.
•    Any locked in movement will cause distress in the non-structural elements.
•    Any frictional resistance to movements will cause noise.

The key to reducing the phenomenon occurring in future tall towers is sharing the information contained in the structural engineer’s movement and tolerance reports early with the system owners of the drylining, and providing movement joints to allow the elements of the internal fit out to move independently.

Manufacturers have been exploring different solutions and methods of mitigation. At this stage none have been able to completely eliminate the sound.

Commenting on the work, FIS CEO Iain McIlwee said: “I think this is a first. I cannot think of a single time when the construction supply chain has attacked a problem in this way. Rather than battening down the risk hatches, reaching for the contract and starting the blame game, this was a genuine attempt to work together to understand and collaborate to solve it. This is a body of work all involved can be proud of, not just because it will help unravel some potentially complex issues or maybe help people sleep more soundly, but because it is an example of how we can collaborate and be better as an industry.”

The TBWG is planning to hold another conference to share the report outcomes with the delivery teams, meanwhile a summary report is available here.

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£27 million factory investment underway

Leading building products manufacturer Forterra has reached the first milestone of its £27 million investment in Staffordshire as demolition begins at its Wilnecote factory.

 Demolition of the 30 year old factory makes way for a modernised facility, bringing it up to current standards of efficiency and sustainability.

UnSug-Forterra-Wilnecote-07102022-3- The interior of Forterra’s Wilnecote factory before demolition

The redevelopment project will include a new kiln, dryers and handling equipment installed and will allow the factory to create a wider array of high-quality brick products, including increased production of the famous Staffordshire Blue Brick. These changes should enable production of 35 million bricks a year, increasing productivity by about 40%.

It will also provide Forterra with further opportunity for new contracts within the commercial and specifications markets including supplying materials for larger construction projects such as schools and hospitals.

 

Stephen Harrison, Chief Executive of Forterra said: “As one of Britain’s biggest manufacturers of building products, we endeavour to set the benchmark in terms of manufacturing efficiency, output and sustainability.

“In keeping with our strategic focus on manufacturing excellence, our new facility in Wilnecote will allow us to respond to the increasing demand for bricks as the rate of housebuilding continues to accelerate nationwide and crucially balance this with a greater reach into the commercial and specifications markets.”

 

Demolition will take place in sections, with the final area of the factory expected to be demolished in December. It is anticipated that the factory will close for around nine months to allow for construction, with staff being redeployed to other locations for the duration until the upgraded factory re-opens at the end of 2023.

This is the second Forterra site to undergo substantial changes this year as work is ongoing at its Desford site in Leicestershire, where a £95 million project will transform it into the largest and most energy efficient brick factory in Europe, doubling its capacity to 180 million bricks annually.

 

For more information visit www.forterra.co.uk

 

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RINNAI INTRODUCES NEW & FREE HEATING & HOT WATER SYSTEM DESIGN SERVICE

Rinnai is now offering a NEW and FREE customer service that designs the ideal heating and hot water system suited specifically to the customer’s property requirements. Obtaining a hot water and heating system designed to the specific needs of any site or property ensures that savings can be made in purchase and running costs as well as carbon emissions.

 

Some properties are better suited towards a specific heating and hot water delivery system. For example, hybrid heat pump or solar thermal with BioLPG options could be considered the better solution for heating and hot water delivery when thinking of off-grid rural locations especially those with high demand for heating and hot water.

Inner-city occupants could be advised to look at utilising either hybrid designs, including hydrogen-ready units for gas blends of up to 20% along with products and systems of technical and practical feasibility.

If say, a customer owns an urban retirement community consisting of three Edwardian houses with a mixture of heating and hot water delivery applications, Rinnai can design and install ONE WHOLE system that guarantees maximum output and minimises fuel and operational costs whilst considering the feasibility of the solution from the perspective of the building and budget.

Not only will Rinnai advise the customer on what system should be installed, Rinnai will design a heating and hot water system that complements the customer’s site, uniquely. Whichever location or dwelling, Rinnai can offer and design a heating and hot water system that will help reduce costs and carbon emissions.

Adds operations director of Rinnai Mr Goggin: “We have positioned the Rinnai name as a company that offers the highest quality product and best available value with service excellence. It is a position of responsibility and we have maintained a stance of doing the absolute best we can for customers. We believe implicitly in this basic premise – we do the best we can, and we achieve what our customers want and expect. And that includes anticipating the future. We are manufacturers of proven excellence and are using our core competencies of design engineering solutions to suit all possible future needs and fuels.”

Rinnai offers a range of decarbonising and cost reducing energy options applicable to all types of properties. Heat pump, BioLPG, solar and hydrogen can fulfil all domestic and commercial energy demands.

Rinnai’s new heating and hot water delivery design service is an integral part of Rinnai’s H3 range of products. This service will provide the customer with detail that reduces all related costs as well as information that ensures the correct decisions are made regarding system design and installation.

To acquire this FREE service simply email

engineering@rinnai-uk.com

or phone 0300 373 0660

RINNAI H3 PRODUCT ROADMAP TO LOWER CARBON AND NET ZERO DE-CARBONISATION

Rinnai’s product and service offering is based on H3- Hydrogen, Heating and Heat Pumps – which allows any site in either residential or commercial sites to maximise the energy efficiency and performance in striving for NetZero and Decarbonisation. Additionally, Rinnai is developing and introducing electrical formats to all existing product ranges within the next few months. Rinnai’s new “H3” range of products includes a wide selection of commercial heat pumps as well as hydrogen blends-ready and hybrid hot water heating systems.

Rinnai is a world leading manufacturer of hot water heaters and produces over two million units a year. The company operates on each of the five continents and the brand has gained an established reputation for high performance, robust cost efficiency and extended working lives.

Rinnai’s commercial and domestic hot water products offer a limitless supply of instantaneous temperature controlled hot water and all units are designed to align with present and future energy sources and accept either natural gas or hydrogen gas blends. Rinnai units are also suited for off-grid customers who require LPG and BioLPG or rDME.

Rinnai units are UKCA certified, A-rated water efficiency, accessed through multiple fuel options and are available for purchase 24/7, 365 days a year. Any unit can be delivered to any UK site within 24 hours. System design services are available if needed and cost comparison services are accessible to all customers who require further cost detail.

Rinnai’s Innovation Manifesto clearly outlines the path to carbon neutrality and maintains a pledge to fully decarbonize company operations by 2050. Rinnai will further support the global clean energy transition by introducing a wide variety of domestic heating options across multiple energy vectors.

Rinnai is committed to decarbonisation. Rinnai’s water heating products are all hydrogen-blends ready NOW including the world’s first 100% hydrogen powered water heater. Rinnai products also accept BioLPG capable of delivering NetZero carbon emissions. Rinnai offer comprehensive training courses and technical support in all aspects of the water heating industry. More information can be found on Rinnai’s website and its “Help Me Choose” webpage.

For more information on the RINNAI product range visit

www.rinnai-uk.com

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RINNAI – CREATING A HEALTHIER WAY OF LIVING – AND MINIMISE FUEL COSTS

RINNAI ADDS SOLAR PRODUCTS TO CREATE LEADING EDGE CONTINUOUS FLOW HYBRID SYSTEMS

Rinnai moves into the next phase of H3 product development with the addition of Solar Products

Now available from Rinnai is the Naked Energy award-winning range of VirtuHOT evacuated tube and pv tech, each with specific benefits to suit any site or application and provide years of high energy performance, low maintenance and reduced fuel consumption.

More information is instantly available CLICK HERE TO EMAIL

Naked Energy is a British design and engineering business, leading the global innovation in solar thermal and solar PVT. Naked Energy’s mission is to change energy for good, by supporting the decarbonising of heat. Naked Energy’s high energy density solutions are capable of decarbonising heat cost-effectively and with limited space; its solar PVT technology delivers up to 3.5 times the carbon savings per m2 in comparison to conventional solar PV.

Chris Goggin, Rinnai Operations Director says, ‘This is a genuine and unique innovation in marrying the technology of solar thermal products with continuous flow hot water heating to minimise fuel and operating costs. The solar gains created by Naked Energy are supported by Rinnai innovations. This Rinnai technology, unlike other types of systems, can read the incoming water temperature and modulate to maximise the solar gains.”

All Rinnai & Naked Energy solar thermal products are precisely aligned with the hot water heating systems & units which are Hydrogen blends-ready 20% and renewable liquid fuel (BioLPG) ready combustion technologies. The VirtuHOT solar thermal design will gain more solar energy from less space whilst the Rinnai continuous flow water heaters will modulate to use less energy whilst creating more plant room space.

Solar, water heater and hybrid technology is designed with efficiency and effectiveness in mind. The core design of VirtuHOT has benefited from multiple workshops with experienced installers, whose valuable insights have been integrated into design and innovation for transportation, installation, and maintenance. From Virtu’s low-profile design to the modular assembly, the innovation keeps life simple for installers and maintenance teams. The same holistic thinking applies to the Rinnai water heaters, as these lightweight high output water heaters have been designed with ease of installation in mind.

VirtuHOT saves up to 3.5x more carbon per m2 compared to conventional solar technology. This, combined with the Rinnai continuous flow hot water heating system, will save carbon created through any of the traditional storage-based systems, whilst also creating a market leading low carbon solution that combines simplicity of installation with cost effectiveness.

Rinnai water heaters will modulate from 58kw to 4.4kW, therefore the smart systems only use fuel to boost the temperature by the precise solar deficit – harnessing renewable gains and not compromising on performance. Greater returns from VirtuHOT delivers up to 50% greater financial returns per m2 in comparison to conventional solar technology. Rinnai intelligent hot water systems can save more than 30% in operational running costs when compared to storage systems. This all helps reduce fuel costs and the exposure to ever-increasing energy and climate change legislation.

A design-led architecture and turnkey solution makes VirtuHOT easy to install and keeps maintenance to a minimum and is backed by a warranty of up to 10 years. Rinnai water heaters come with a warranty of up to 10 years, are lightweight (one-man lift), can be cited internally or externally, and have a compact design (670x470x276mm).

Rinnai and VirtuHOT solar products offer-
  • Unrivalled performance in any environment •
  • Reduce scope one emissions using 100% renewable solar heat •
  • Higher energy-density compared to market-leading solar thermal panels
  • Versatile and easy to install •
  • Simple modular assembly •
  • Integrated mounting with self-ballasting:
  • No need for roof penetration •
  • Compatible with any roof type •
  • Low profile: 26.5 cm installed height
  • Designed for Commercial Scale Ideal for all applications – Multi-dwelling, residential, Manufacturing, Foodservice • Hospitality & Leisure

 

Adds Chris Goggin, “Rinnai is publicly committed to “creating a healthier way of living” and solar thermal power is an important support to decarbonisation. Rinnai UK can supply and design solar thermal and Hybrid systems to support both new and retrofit projects, lowering carbon and connection technologies, and energies, for a low carbon future at any site”

Rinnai has developed commercial products that accept clean energies, in the form of Hydrogen and BioLPG, along with a growing range of electrical equipment. Rinnai employs over 465 design engineers and reinvests 6% of its total annual revenue in R & D.

Rinnai’s H3 range consists of hydrogen / BioLPG, heat pump and hybrid technologies. All are supported by system design along with carbon, capital and operational costings feasibility studies, to ensure that the correct solution is selected for any building type.

RINNAI H3 PRODUCT ROADMAP TO LOWER CARBON AND NET ZERO DE-CARBONISATION

Rinnai’s product and service offering is based on H3- Hydrogen, Heating and Heat Pumps – which allows any site in either residential or commercial sites to maximise the energy efficiency and performance in striving for NetZero and Decarbonisation. Additionally, Rinnai is developing and introducing electrical formats to all existing product ranges within the coming months. Rinnai’s H3 range of products includes a wide selection of commercial heat pumps as well as hydrogen blends-ready and hybrid hot water heating systems.

Rinnai is a world leading manufacturer of hot water heaters and produces over two million units a year. The company operates on each of the five continents and the brand has gained an established reputation for high performance, robust cost efficiency and extended working lives.

Rinnai’s commercial and domestic hot water products offer a limitless supply of instantaneous temperature controlled hot water and all units are designed to align with present and future energy sources and accept either natural gas or hydrogen gas blends. Rinnai units are also suited for off-grid customers who require LPG and BioLPG or rDME.

Rinnai units are UKCA certified, A-rated water efficiency, accessed through multiple fuel options and are available for purchase 24/7, 365 days a year. Any unit can be delivered to any UK site within 24 hours. System design services are available if needed and cost comparison services are accessible to all customers who require further cost detail.

Rinnai’s Innovation Manifesto clearly outlines the path to carbon neutrality and maintains a pledge to fully decarbonize company operations by 2050. Rinnai will further support the global clean energy transition by introducing a wide variety of domestic heating options across multiple energy vectors.

Rinnai is committed to decarbonisation. Rinnai’s water heating products are all hydrogen-blends ready NOW including the world’s first 100% hydrogen powered water heater. Rinnai products also accept BioLPG capable of delivering NetZero carbon emissions. Rinnai offer comprehensive training courses and technical support in all aspects of the water heating industry. More information can be found on Rinnai’s website and its “Help Me Choose” webpage.

 

For more information on the RINNAI product range visit

www.rinnaiuk.com

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The Arrival of the ‘J’ Strut

A team of designers and engineers have created a new ‘construction’ innovation that will change the way temporary steel supports are adjusted.

Having experienced the pain of using ‘acrows’ first hand on a renovation project, Grove Design’s Austin Owens challenged his colleagues to come up with a solution that would transform the time-consuming process to make it safe, quick and easy to adjust the supports using a standard impact driver.

After months of consultation and numerous prototypes, the answer involved replacing the threaded collar with the patented J-strut gear collar, which can be wound up and down to adjust the support height using the J-strut pinion gear.

The new product was exhibited at The Executive Hire and Professional Builder Live shows recently and the response was outstanding, justifying the new firm’s prediction of a £1 million opportunity for sales between now and the end of 2022.

“Despite their global success, setting up temporary steel supports is still time consuming, labour intensive and fraught with the risk of injury,” said Will Helme, one of the main designers on the project at the Leominster-based firm.

“Spinning the collar to the right height requires physical effort and when threads are caked in dirt, rust and cement it takes significantly longer and can feel a hundred times harder. We found that out for ourselves and often innovation comes from trying to solve a problem in everyday life.”

“J-strut removes the need for manual adjustment of the collar, avoiding the frustrations that come with repeatedly winding and adjusting. All the effort to overcome friction is done by the impact driver, reducing operator fatigue, and minimising the chance of injury from human error.

“Temporary support often needs to be deployed and removed quickly to facilitate a smooth build process. Our system enables rapid deployment by greatly reducing the time taken to spin the collar to the correct height. If a support is up against a wall and the operator can only turn the collar half a turn at a time, an adjustment that would usually take minutes to complete manually can be achieved with J-strut in a matter of seconds.”

The challenge for Austin, Will and the rest of the team is to create an efficient route to market, with the construction equipment rental and leasing industry estimated to be worth £6.2 billion and comprising 5,000 potential customers.

Licensing the design through patents to a large-scale UK-based manufacturer is one option, another is retailing direct to the end user through a website or via a distributor, or it could mean wholesaling to rental and leasing companies.

Austin added: “At Grove Design, we’ve been helping automotive companies, recycling plants, leisure products and health and beauty specialists come up with new innovations under their name.

“There was always a passion to develop an innovation that could be our own and this has come with the arrival of J-strut. We believe we have a game-changing system, and the industry seems to agree…now is the time to take that potential and turn it into a commercial product that will create sales and local jobs.

“Importantly, we want our product to benefit the UK manufacturing supply chain and we have plans to source two thirds of the components from other members in the Manufacturing Assembly Network, a nine-strong group of domestic engineering specialists we are proud to be part of.”

Source: Shropshire Star

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