Archive for category: Building News

MARSHALLS BRICKS & MASONRY DELIVERS SUSTAINABLE

ALTERNATIVE FOR THE MERLIN RISE DEVELOPMENT

 

Marshalls Bricks & Masonry’s Mayfair Vintage facing bricks have been used by housebuilder Backhouse on its Merlin Rise development to achieve a high-quality, reclaimed brick aesthetic that also aligns with the sustainability goals of the business.

Designed by award-winning local architects Clifton Emery Design, Merlin Rise is a development of 21 homes on the outskirts of Calne in Wiltshire. The properties have been designed as distinctive, stylish and comfortable homes that meet the needs of modern families.

In line with the company’s sustainability aims, Backhouse chose to use concrete facing bricks rather than a conventional clay alternative. Unlike clay bricks, concrete products do not require firing and as a result, only a small amount of additional energy is used in the manufacturing process. Concrete bricks are net absorbers of CO₂ due to their continuous carbonation over their lifetime. Therefore, across the total lifetime of the product, concrete’s carbon footprint is as little as 49% that of traditional bricks.

By selecting the Mayfair Vintage brick as an alternative to a traditional clay brick, Backhouse has saved 93 tonnes of carbon.

Charles Phillpott, Senior Buyer at Backhouse said: “We are focused on creating places that are sympathetic to their location, respect the existing environment and we are serious about how we work with existing communities. Placemaking is at the very core of our developments and we constantly strive to use sensitive methods of construction and materials. Marshalls’ range of facing bricks not only allows us to choose from a range of colours and finishes, it also means we are incorporating an element of sustainability into the homes we build by the very materials we select. This makes our sustainability goals easier to achieve and is at the heart of what we want to do as a business”.

 

Kevin Cafferty, Commercial Director at Marshalls Bricks & Masonry said: “There is nothing more rewarding than seeing the products we are so passionate about actually in-situ and forming part of someone’s home. The Merlin Rise development is testament to Clifton Emery Design and Backhouse; they have designed stunning and sustainable homes. We hope to see more of this sympathetic approach to design from other house builders and architects”.

 

The Merlin Rise development was Highly Commended in the Development of the Year category (20-100 units) at the British Homes Awards 2021 and was shortlisted for the 2021 AJ Architecture Awards, Housebuilder Awards and Building Awards.

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To find out more about the Marshalls Bricks & Masonry

 

by Andrew Cooper – Managing Director – Smartlouvre

 

It may be hard to believe that the ‘sustainability’ concept as it’s known today is less than 30 years old: it appeared for the first time in 1987.

 

Climate change (or global warming) conversely was first recognised as an issue more than 100 years ago. We can berate ourselves for the irresponsible damage we caused in the first 70 years, or we can focus on what we can do now.

The impact human activity has on the environment is now a big part of our children’s’ education, our day-to-day lives and is a global concern. In an overpopulated world where resources are exploited, the planet has no time to regenerate so we are finally changing our ways.

The construction industry was identified as one of the worst culprits many years ago, and the spotlight has been upon it ever since; house builders seem to be getting squeezed the most. Despite more than 2.2 million new residential buildings being built in England since 2010, we’re not yet achieving the 300,000 per year target, and some argue that we would actually need to build 340,000 each year to catch up with the current level of demand. Our overpopulation needs addressing fast with more new homes. The problem is that we’re constantly being bombarded with new building regulations, new rules and new guidance that we very quickly need to adopt in order to keep moving forward towards the (moving) targets.

The latest update to building regs, specifically focused on the residential sector is Approved Document O: Overheating. The goals of this new regulation are to stop us from cooking in our homes, to stop us simply cranking up the air-con as the planet heats up, and to stop us burning up energy with fans and air conditioning which draw us further away from net zero.

So, what does AD O say? Fundamentally, it restricts the areas of glass you’re allowed to have unless important criteria are met. Do we really have to live in the dark to be cool and kinder to the planet? Will we be facing the prospect of living in the dark like they did when the window tax was introduced in 1696? No, it’s not all doom and gloom (literally).

Shutters, external blinds, overhangs, awnings and of course, solar control glass are the suggested solutions, but they are in the most, designed to block natural, unfiltered daylight and in some cases, our vision out.

Under Document O shading also has to be ‘Fixed’ and ‘Passive’, so no moving or so-called dynamic systems are allowed. This is a no-brainer in terms of sustainability since dynamic systems need energy to or human intervention to operate and are therefore under a limited life cycle before maintenance or replacement is required. Furthermore, when they’re down they block your vision out and if it’s even vaguely windy they have to retract.

So, these fixed, passive shading options won’t damage the environment once in place, but we should still, as responsible constructors, consider the ‘cost’ of manufacturing them? What is the number one solution when it comes to keeping buildings cool, whilst limiting the impact on the environment? What we are comparing in terms of Approved Document O compliant shading products simply comes down to the materials they’re constructed from: metal, plastic, acrylic, vinyl or glass.

Metal is the stand-out winner, and of the metals, copper is the most sustainable and environmentally friendly. It’s also handily thermally conductive, so if we’re using it to protect us from the sun’s heat, it’s doing half the job for us.

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for more information on  ‘copper solar shading’

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info@smartlouvre.com

 

 

 

 

Chris Goggin reviews the measures undertaken by Norway, despite the military actions in Ukraine, to decarbonize national fuel supplies as well as the potential effect on future UK energy options.  

 

 

 

 

Despite major western economies facing immediate energy problems due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Norway cannot be considered to be amongst them. Norway has its own supply of gas and oil and attracts large annual revenues through exportation as a result.

Norway could potentially play an increased role in European energy distribution now Russian military aggression spreads throughout Ukrainian cities. Russian oil and gas use will be reduced by European countries as efforts will be hastened to transition towards cleaner fuels accessed through a secure supply.

Not only can Norwegian oil and gas exports increase throughout Europe due to the Ukraine crises but Norway can gain a leading position in a future hydrogen economy as multiple economies separate themselves from Russia.

Work has already begun on limiting Russian influence in the European energy market. A 215 million euro EU funded “Baltic Pipe” is being laid between Norway and Poland which is soon to be in operational use.

This cross-country gas pipe will facilitate Danish gas supplies from Warsaw as well provide the Polish government with a secure source of energy that has not travelled from Russia. This arrangement ensures elevated levels of Norwegian gas exports that will benefit the national purse. Europe will now seek to advance methods of cultivating alternative carbon neutral energy sources to limit Russia’s impact on regional fuel supplies. Hydrogen can potentially accelerate this process.

Nordic countries carry a reputation for methodical problem solving and clear logic. It is worth paying attention to how this part of the world approaches decarbonisation. UK end users should be aware that a move by a block population such as Scandinavia towards hydrogen could be yet another sign of an inevitable future shift towards UK hydrogen dispersal.

Amongst the featured countries Norway is the richest due to discovering huge oil fields off its coast during the 60s. All national oil revenues are deposited in a Government Pension Fund, the largest sovereign wealth fund in the world. The state controlled scheme currently invests in over 9,000 global companies.

The total value of this fund is around 11 trillion kroner – or $1 trillion. The Norwegian government can afford to fund its national obligations in health, education and welfare through gained interest alone. Norway retains its wealth through consistently astute financial decision making.

Careful financial management is a discipline that the Norwegian government take seriously. Norway does not gamble on potential, or if Norway does gamble, they gamble well.

Norwegian state controlled oil and gas company Equinor ASA have announced plans to invest considerably into blue hydrogen manufacturing. The company is expected to deliver 100 billion kroner ($11.7 billion) hoping to encourage an international hydrogen economy by 2035.

Equinor have also signed a deal with UK gas distributer Cadent to plan out a hydrogen transition in Lincolnshire, UK. Equinor hope to hold a 10% share of the global hydrogen market, equating to around 8 gigawatts. 1 gigawatt of power produces the same amount of energy as 3.125 million solar panels.

Aside from state owned enterprises the Norwegian government also plan to double state funding for hydrogen projects. Originally NOK 100 million was designated towards these endeavours, a later revision of national funding has increased this figure to NOK 185 million (18.4 million euros.)

Additionally, a hydrogen research centre costing NOK 1.5 million will be constructed and funded with up to NOK 30 million (3 million euros) a year, for the next 8 years starting from 2022.

Norwegian infrastructure and market development of hydrogen will also receive an annual funding of NOK 100 million ($11.7 million). Financial backing will be made available to the Research Council of Norway who will oversee demonstration and pilot projects that encourage the early phase advancement of hydrogen.

Green hydrogen also features amongst current projects undertaken by Norwegian companies. A consortium led by an American – French energy company TechnipFMC is working on the construction of an offshore green hydrogen energy production system. This pilot project costs EUR 9 million and concentrates on converting offshore wind into green hydrogen.

As of writing the Norwegian government have granted 1 billion Norwegian kroner, ($111 million – $1 = 8.9916 Norwegian krone) to three projects that focus on producing clean hydrogen and ammonia. Of the three projects two include hydrogen.

Yara – an agricultural and environmental company will receive 283 million krone to produce emission-free hydrogen and ammonia at their fertilizer factory in Heroeya, Norway. Steel manufacturer TTI, (TiZir Titanium & Iron) has accepted 261million Krone to replace coal with hydrogen at their smelter in Tyssedal.

It should also be mentioned that since the Russian invasion of Ukraine Equinor has pulled out from all current investments in Russia and also begun withdrawing from all previous projects. It has been reported that the Norwegian government ordered its sovereign wealth fund to discard $3 billion in Russian investments.

Norway harbours an exemplary recent track record of financial investment success and openly approves hydrogen. As Norway is publically embracing hydrogen, UK end users should understand that if a country, such as Norway, who holds experience at every level of oil, gas and adroit financial decision are transitioning to hydrogen, UK energy options may also be influenced towards hydrogen usage.

Rinnai is a world leading manufacturer of water heaters who design and produce over 2 million units a year. Our systems operate in each of the 5 continents and have gained an established reputation for high performance, robust cost efficiency and extended working lives.

Rinnai hot water products offer a limitless supply of instantaneous temperature controlled hot water that simultaneously performs as a disinfectant on all known bacteria.

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.

Rinnai are climate conscious and committed to decarbonisation. To demonstrate Rinnai’s attitude towards global environmental issues the “Rinnai N series” is hydrogen ready NOW and can use 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

Creating a healthier way of living

RINNAI ADDS HEAT PUMPS TO EXPANDING H3 (Hydrogen, Hybrid, Heat PUMP) PRODUCT LIST

 

 

Heat pumps are now included in the H3 product list of solutions that further expand on Rinnai’s array of present and future low carbon products. Rinnai are also introducing a unique carbon calculation service which enables customers to identify a low carbon, high efficiency system suitable for their needs.

Rinnai’s carbon calculation service considers design from a holistic perspective of capital expenditure, operational expenditure, and carbon savings. Rinnai’s carbon calculation service will compare a customer’s current heating system to Rinnai’s product list of low carbon, high performance, heating systems that are all proven to reduce cost. This feature will enable customers to view proven benefits when investing in a Rinnai system.

Rinnai’s H3 line of products further build upon its high efficiency hydrogen blend ready and BioLPG ready molecule powered systems. Rinnai’s range of Monobloc air source heat pumps is available in an assortment of variants, from 4 to 110kW.

Rinnai’s heat pump technology means that up to and including seven units can be cascaded together. A cascaded system means that multiple heat pumps can work in conjunction allowing for a level of functioning synchronicity that produces greater operational performance for larger applications.

Rinnai’s heat pump range is designed to satisfy domestic through to large commercial hot water and heating requirements. Rinnai’s innovative heat pumps systems include an ability to switch between settings of heating, hot water and cooling.

The HPI models omit minimum acoustics via an installed ultra-low sound capability making Rinnai heat pumps suitable for any area with prohibitive sound legislation. Rinnai’s HPI range operates within compliance of all stringent sound standards ensuring low-sound functionality.

All Rinnai heat pumps use R32 refrigerant, renowned for reducing electricity consumption by up to 10% and for holding a lower global warming potential (GWP). R32 has a GWP one-third lower than other refrigerants. Rinnai’s HPI heat pump range is ratified with an ERP rating of A +++.

Rinnai’s HPI heat pumps, hybrid formations, electrical formats and hydrogen gas mix powered water heaters are part of the H3 range of products. All new models are designed to embolden decarbonisation, energy efficiency and reduce customer costs.

Rinnai is a world leading manufacturer of hot water heaters and heating systems, and the company designs and produces over 2 million units a year. Rinnai operates on each of the five continents and has an established reputation for high performance, robust cost efficiency and extended product life cycles.

 Rinnai offer a comprehensive unique carbon calculation service providing end users and clients with information on the best high efficiency low carbon solution for their needs. More information can be found on Rinnai’s website on the “Carbon Calculation service” webpage.

 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

Eve Waldron Design is making progress on its work with the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership’s The Entopia Building, which was launched by HRH Prince Charles Last Week

 

A circular economy is a model of production and consumption that reflects the values of the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. Unlike the more traditional linear economy where natural resources are ultimately destined to become waste, a circular economy involves sharing, leasing and reusing existing materials and products for as long as possible.

Entopia’s name is a blend derived from the ‘En’ of Envision, an electric car battery manufacturer which donated £6m towards the cost of the building, and utopia. The current green retrofit project is transforming a 1930s former telephone exchange to create a new home for CISL, including its international offices and expanding global network. The Entopia Building will also host The Canopy; an Accelerator and Sustainability Hub which will support innovative start-ups and small businesses. The ground-breaking £12.8m project aims to achieve multiple sustainable building certifications, including BREEAM (Outstanding), the Passivhaus ‘EnerPHit’ standard and WELL (Gold) certification.

Eve Waldron Design has had significant involvement in space planning and specifying the office furniture at the Entopia Building in line with circular economy principles. Furniture has been sourced second-hand either from, the Cambridge University Warp-It system, or from reusing CISL’s existing collection. Hemp fabric by Camria and recycled plastic fabric by InLoom have been used for reupholstery, while the building’s chairs and barstools are constructed from the 100% plant-based materials of hemp and resin.

In addition, Eve Waldron Design has fitted Entopia’s kitchens with wood from a renewable giant bamboo species renowned for its CO2-absorbing and oxygen-producing capacity. Bamboo’s sustainability is augmented by its durability – because of the wood’s high harness, density and stability, bamboo products last a long time.

The tiles for kitchen’s worktops are made from 98% recycled materials, approximately 60% of which would normally end up in landfill. Finally, Eve Waldron Design has used linoleum, which captures more climate-harming CO2 than it releases, for the flooring in the building’s communal areas.

For the launch last week Eve Waldron Design printed a range of sustainable materials, promising the future of interior design, to showcase, including the biodegradable and renewable hemp, 100% recyclable Strawboard and RE-CD, which is a unique, sustainable composite material consisting of 100% waste CD disks. The latter, when recycled, prevents CDs from degrading in landfills for over a million years.

Eve Walron, Founder of Eve Waldron Design, comments: “The building sector contributes over 40% of worldwide carbon emissions and therefore our ambitions for supporting a circular economy are necessary and heartfelt. It is difficult to compare both interior materials and furniture based on carbon footprint and other measures of sustainability, but we have strived to reuse as much as possible. Our choices of materials and products can always be challenged, and we hope that the finished Entopia building serves as a case study for what it possible as well as a lab for trialling materials.”

 

www.evewaldron.com