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.

F.H. Brundle expands its range of steel railings

Reduced installation time and almost limitless customisation

possibilities are some of the features of F.H. Brundle’s

Fortitude range of ready to install steel railings.

 

 

To complement its range of already successful Fortitude ready to install steel railings and gates, the company has introduced a range of stunning wall top railings that will help to create a stylish wall top boundary and add kerbside appeal to any property.

 

 

Available as ROSPA Bow Top, Forest, Sphere Top or Vertical Bar options, these railings come in panel widths of 2750mm, and as either concrete-in or bolt-down posts to give an overall height of 500mm.

 

Posts are either PPC black or galvanised, which can be powder coated to a colour of your choice.

 

Standard railings can all be supplied with matching 0.9m and 1.2m high single and double leaf gates, complete with a catch, security collars to stop removal, and with a Locinox self-closing Tiger hinge on ROSPA bow top single leaf gates.

 

 

Estate fencing and gates is another part of this versatile range. Panels are supplied ready-made, making it a quick and economical fencing solution ideal for housebuilders in residential developments.

 

“Fortitude railings are one of the easiest to install and most versatile off-the-shelf handrail solutions on the market today,” comments F.H. Brundle’s Head of Marketing Paul Smith.

“We’re excited to be expanding our Fortitude range with our selection of wall top railings, and if you’d like to learn more about them, don’t hesitate to get in touch – we’d love to help.”

For more information

visit www.fhbrundle.co.uk

or email sales@brundle.com

or call 01708 398 048

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RINNAI – WE ALL WIN WITH NETZERO

 common sense, calm and commitment

 

Cp and hot water industry and this can be supported via gathered scientific data applied to finding solutions that allow for least harm and disruption to current standards of living and comfort.

The manufacturing sector of the heating and hot water industry has a responsibility in playing a leading role in the reduction and eventual removal of harmful emissions. For UK decarbonisation targets to be met, working practises that rely on fossil fuels have to be changed and transparent assessments of product impact and efficiency should be common currency. To enact the transition to greener energy there is a pressing need for unity of purpose across multiple industry sectors.

 

 

Rinnai Managing Director Tony Gittings says: “Fact, logic and reason must be employed to achieve the best outcome for all of us. We need decarbonisation, we need NetZero, and we need it as soon as possible but in such a way that is pragmatic in terms of catering to the existing populations and markets.”    

“To further encourage decarbonisation the heating industry must look past just simple financial motivation. No one single product alone is presently capable of delivering NetZero, so rather than fracture into competing groups, the heating & hot water sector will benefit from a platform of cross-communication and information sharing that can be relayed to positively assist the UK end-user and customer.

“We need to look at this from the consumers’ viewpoint. We need to be putting accurate information in the public arena. At the moment there are a lot of interested bodies and companies showing understandable self-interest in wanting to know they have a future in the marketplace.

“In our sector we have manufacturers of similar or like-for-like products which are looking to what will replace natural gas as the fuel of mass consumption and how that will affect them. We also have the pragmatic logic of trying to find affordable fuels for the mass market. Alternatives on their own are simply not an answer. We also need to look at the range of innovations and developments such as Hydrogen and BioLPG that will come on stream.

“Yes, individual products have a place. But what would be the NetZero answer, as an example, to a commercial or industrial unit or site that has the added complications of needing Legionella prevention regimes and constant high temperature hot water in large volumes. How would electrification and heat pumps, for example, be attractive in terms of capital, installation and ongoing operational costs and performance?

“Everything has a role to play and everything non-carbon can have a future. And a collective, equable effort will give us the result we all want, the result we must have, if we are to have a sustained quality of life.

“We are a business based on engineering excellence and are employing technological creativity to achieve the targets. It will mean, in the UK, that we begin to offer a wider range of products under the H3 umbrella of Hydrogen, Heat Pumps and Hybrid Systems to enable our customers to achieve their own carbon reductions and eventual neutrality.”

 

Rinnai are also now offering a free “Carbon Cost Comparison” that can be found by following this LINK .   The Rinnai Carbon Cost Comparison Form offers a free appraisal of a site’s current hot water delivery system, along with recommendations for reducing the carbon load.

Rinnai is a world leading manufacturer of hot water heaters producing over 2 million units a year. The company operates on each of the 5 continents and has an established reputation for products of high performance, robust cost efficiency and extended working lives.

 

Rinnai hot water products offer a limitless supply of instantaneous temperature controlled hot water that can, at 65degrees C, act as a thermal 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 is committed to decarbonisation and N series is hydrogen-blends ready NOW and can use BioLPG capable of delivering NetZero carbon emissions.

 

Rinnai offers 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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TRIPLE CHALLENGE FOR NEW MD

It’s a triple crown for Steve Marshall who has not only taken over as Managing Director of Strand Hardware, but also its two sister companies – Strand Technologies and AliMet Fabrications.

The industry stalwart has taken the helm of the three Midlands companies following a 24-year career at GEZE UK where, for the past two years he served as Operations Director, following roles in the service and commercial teams.

However, his new challenge has taken him full circle – he began his career as an estimator for an aluminium door and window fabrication company (James Gibbons) before moving into the world of automatics (Newman Tonks followed by Horton Automatics).

Steve’s appointment is a significant step change for Strand Hardware and demonstrates a resounding belief in his abilities. It will be the first time that the company has seen day-to-day operations managed by someone outside the family-run firm. Strand was founded by Jonathan Franks in 1991 and his daughter, Catherine, took on the role of Managing Director in 2005. She will continue to help steer the ship in her new role as Chair of Strand Hardware.

Said Steve: “It is such an exciting challenge. They are three fairly different companies which at the same time complement each other. My work at GEZE UK has given me a background in door hardware, albeit that Strand Hardware has a different range of specialist products, but I know a lot of people in the industry that are customers of Strand already.

“GEZE also distributed iContact which is a pivotal product within the Strand Technologies range.   Although a relatively new company, Strand Technologies is going from strength to strength and diversifying into many new markets outside the door industry. I began my career with a door and window fabrications company, so AliMet’s business is not unknown to me either. All three are really, really exciting, and I’m looking forward to working with the teams, helping them develop and achieve further growth.”

He says he intends to spend his first 100 days ‘learning and planning’ – getting to know the teams, existing customers, market segments and identify opportunities for growth, development and diversification.

Steve will be supported at Strand Hardware by Sales Director Craig Fox and General Manager Jo Wallis in managing the day-to-day business operations.

Catherine Franks is to focus on special projects, strategy and investments. She said she felt certain that Strand Hardware and its sister companies were in “a safe pair of hands”.

“I would not move aside, if it were not for the certainty that Steve is absolutely the right person for the job. Managing three companies is not easy, each has its own unique demands but Steve has huge amounts of experience working within complex working environments and to time-sensitive deadlines. I feel confident that he will be able to support all three companies and help them grow.”

 

Visit Strand Hardware

 

 

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Rinnai – Creating a healthier way of living

DON’T GO ‘LIKE for LIKE’ TRADE UP

TO HIGH PERFORMANCE, FUEL SAVING EFFICIENCY FOR LIMITLESS HOT WATER TEMPERATURE ACCURATE ON DEMAND READILY AVAILABLE NOW

 

Hydrogen blends-ready Rinnai continuous flow hot water delivery units&systems analysis shows 20% (min.) carbon emissions reduction compared to heated storage systems

Easy access and continuous, limitless flow of hot water is a critical component of building services for all applications in all sites.

Continuous flow technology in hot water delivery provides constant flows of temperature specific and controlled delivery end-product, which are hydrogen blends and BioLPG ready. They are also a one-man lift requiring no lifting gear.

When a stored water system or unit comes to the end of its working life it is assumed that replacing ‘like for like’ is the best option.

But, says Pete Seddon for Rinnai, ‘If we look at the ‘like for like’, out with the old one and in with the same model stored water heater – there is actually a major amount of work involved in this. Changing old for new does not mean it is better. Most plant rooms are limited in space which would require the old equipment being removed before the like for like appliances can be installed.

‘Not only that, but if the appliance being replaced was non-condensing and the new appliance was condensing, then the flue would most likely require changing as well as the provision to discharge condensate. Plant rooms are very rarely designed to remove equipment. This requirement to remove equipment before new is installed would have a major impact – and it takes so much time,’ adds Pete Seddon.

‘The hot water system would have to be completely shut down to allow such major works to take place and all sites, especially healthcare ones, cannot simply allow this to happen.

Due to the size and weight of these appliances it can make life exceedingly difficult for installers. They are usually manufactured with Enamel Lined (Glass Lined) Mild Steel which can make it extremely heavy but also very fragile. It would require multiple personnel to manoeuvre these out and in, even specialist lifting equipment and for plant rooms high up cranes would be required. All of this will add a lot of time and cost to the overall installation. Not only that, but if specialist lift equipment and cranes are required you are going to need suitably trained personnel as well as permits.

Says Pete Seddon, “So, what can continuous flow solutions offer that can make this entire process a lot easier? Well, we will start with their size and weight. This type of technology is 30kg. That is a one-man lift. Two sizes are available – 47kW and 58kW. This would equate to a large volume of hot water for such a physically small appliance. (774 and 954 litres per hour at a 50-degree rise).

‘The other benefit is the ability to cascade these appliances so when more hot water is required you would simply add more continuous flow water heaters. This would mean that just a single installer could create a system that would produce vast amounts of temperature accurate hot water. Whilst also creating built-in redundancy – this means that if one unit needs to be shut down the complete site still has ready access to hot water.

 

“Also possible is a ‘plug and play’ cascade sequencing control system that will automatically control how many appliances are running at any one time, all the installers would have to do is plug it in and select the primary water heater. Continuous flow can easily cope with any size of healthcare site. Simple as that,’ adds Mr Seddon.

With a continuous flow system there are also externally sited units where there is just no space in a plant room. These external hot water heaters are fully weather protected with and hold IPX5D rating. Installations also come with frost protection down to -20°C and will keep the appliance protected so long as the mains power supply is left switched on.

When measured in economic performance, continuous flow water heaters are half the yearly costs on a Peak Period of 3 hours per day at 960 I/h that a combustion unit would accumulate. A typical water storage-based installation will cost £5,662.13 per year, where in comparison a Rinnai continuous flow water system will cost £2,736.02.

Rinnai’s complete range of hot water heating units are available for next day delivery on orders placed before the previous mid-day.

 

Rinnai UK has excellent stock levels of all units in the range

plus spares and accessories.

Installers can contact the company direct in gaining access to the supply of units –
Call   01928 531 870 or
email engineer@rinnaiuk.com and sales@rinnaiuk.com
alternatively use the smart online contact points “Help Me Choose”
or “Ask Us a Question”, all held on the website homepage at
www.rinnaiuk.com
 
For more information on the RINNAI product range visit
www.rinnaiuk.com
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SterlingOSB Zero a great choice

The practical benefits that make SterlingOSB Zero a great choice for the UK construction industry

 

With an ever-increasing checklist of requirements, UK builders have very exacting standards when sourcing the right materials for their project. Choosing panel products that satisfy building standards, have sound environmental credentials and are quick and easy to use when battling all that the Great British weather has to offer, it’s no wonder West Fraser’s (formerly known as Norbord) SterlingOSB Zero range is one of the most popular in the construction industry.

West Fraser’s OSB portfolio comprises of SterlingOSB Zero OSB3, SterlingOSB Zero Tongue and Groove, and SterlingOSB Zero StrongFix. They are variants of the precision-engineered OSB3 board; BBA-approved and designed for humid conditions, the board contains zero added formaldehyde (ZAF) and is unique in the market by being the only ZAF OSB manufactured in the UK.  Produced in Scotland from forest thinnings taken from sustainably managed forests, the board is certified according to the guidelines of the FSC or PEFC.

Among its multiple uses, SterlingOSB Zero is ideal for timber frame construction. The boards are designed to speed up the build process and are available in a wide range, thicknesses and sheet sizes. For structural use in dry or humid load bearing situations, SterlingOSB Zero OSB3 is the board of choice. When undertaking dry lining, SterlingOSB Zero StrongFix quickly provides secure anchorage areas.

Flooring and roofing applications are served by SterlingOSB Zero OSB3 and SterlingOSB Zero Tongue & Groove. Panels are easy to saw, drill, nail or plane. SterlingOSB Zero’s smooth surface gives improved adhesion qualities for all flat roofing applications with no sanding required, even for GRP finishes.

In building sites all over the UK (and other rainy, snowy or generally mucky climates), the art of getting buildings wind and watertight quickly is an important one that the builder needs to get right! Choosing a quick, easy to install, reliable and versatile roofing system is, therefore, vital. High quality roof decking or pitched roof sarking is an essential component and Oriented Strand Board (OSB) is now the preferred option for many today. And winning the game with outstanding attributes is West Fraser’s SterlingOSB Zero OSB3 or SterlingOSB Zero T&G.

Ideal for structural use in load bearing dry or humid conditions, SterlingOSB Zero OSB3 offers great value and durability. Stronger than most softwood ply, thanks to its makeup of multiple layers of real wood strands pressed together, it is designed to withstand the toughest of conditions. Working with the boards is trouble free as they are uniform in quality with no knots, voids or delamination issues. Helping to cut waste, a range of panel sizes and thicknesses is available to suit all needs.

The boards are square edged so butt together easily and cleanly. Panels are cut and installed on a roof using conventional roofing equipment and are easy to saw, drill, nail or plane. Nails can be driven as close as 8mm from the panel edge without causing splitting. SterlingOSB Zero’s smooth surface gives improved adhesion qualities for all flat roofing applications and no sanding is required, even for GRP finishes.

With all the advantages of the Sterling OSB Zero range, SterlingOSB Zero T&G is specifically designed for flat roofing and is BBA approved and fully compliant to BS 6229:2003. The panels are consistent and machined to exact tolerances. Reliable fixings are easily achieved across the board using 3mm diameter ring-shank nails or 50mm long screws at 100mm centers across the supporting joists.

The inherent strength of SterlingOSB Zero makes it the natural choice for site hoardings and for boarding up windows and doors of vacant properties. Hoardings formed using SterlingOSB Zero may be finished with most popular surface treatments, allowing marketing messages and designs to be displayed to create a smart site perimeter.

Along with its many practical attributes, the Sterling OSB Zero range has strong environmental credentials. All West Fraser panel products produced in the UK are net carbon negative and manufactured in mills that have obtained the coveted environmental ISO 14001 accreditation. Responsibly sourced, the panels are FSC certified and created from locally grown timber, cutting embodied carbon from transportation. Sterling OSB Zero is also the first OSB product to be made in the UK with zero added formaldehyde, ensuring an even ‘greener’ board that meets all standards with ease.

 

 

 

 

To find out more about West Fraser’s products for housebuilders, get in touch with Dan Clarke – email Daniel.Clarke@westfraser.com or download product brochures from the housebuilder page of the West Fraser website CLICK HERE

For further information, call 01786 812 921 or visit www.westfraser.com

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Entries for the 9th Schüco Excellence Awards are now open

The ninth annual Schüco Excellence Awards will take place this summer,

for which project applications are now officially being accepted.

 

The well-established Schüco Excellence Awards for Design and Innovation, run in association with Architecture Today, recognise exceptional projects completed with Schüco systems all over the UK and Ireland. The deadline for entries is 27th April 2022.

Architectural designer and television presenter, Charlie Luxton will reprise his role as host for the awards event at The Banqueting House in London’s Whitehall on Thursday 30th June 2022.

The Awards receive recognition across the industry, as was demonstrated by the landslide amount of entries for the 2021 Awards, increasing the number of entries for the second year running. Winning entries demonstrate the very best contributions from design and specialist contractor teams, and the Schüco façade, window and door systems used in the project.

Entries are judged on creativity, innovation, technical expertise and collaboration to deliver architectural intent. This year’s judges comprise esteemed past judges and previous award winners, including Ingrid Petit, Associate at Feilden Fowles; Steve Mudie, Partner at Alinea Consulting; Fiona Scott, Director at Gort Scott; Carol Patterson, Director at OMA; Harry Montrésor, Partner at the Montrésor Partnership; Pankaj Patel, Director at Patel Taylor; Innes Johnston, Senior Partner at Max Fordham; and Architecture Today Editor Isabel Allen, who will Chair the judging.

The ten categories for the 2022 Schüco Excellence Awards, which have been updated since last year, are: Commercial and Mixed Use development; Cultural building; Education, Health and Leisure building; Refurbishment and Adaptive Reuse project; Individual house; Individual house improvement; Residential development; Specialist contractor, Steel project and Sustainability.

CLICK HERE

To visit the awards platform to enter a project into the Schüco Excellence Awards 2022 

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OVERCOME LOW THRESHOLD LIMITATIONS ISSUES IN FLAT ROOFS

THERMALLY-EFFICIENT, SUPER-THIN DECK-VQ® VACUUM INSULATION PANELS

OVERCOME LOW THRESHOLD LIMITATIONS ISSUES IN FLAT ROOFS

By Paul Simpson, Commercial Director at Gradient

 

When renovation space is at a premium, roof terraces are gaining in popularity as an attractive and purposeful way to revitalise and utilise an otherwise redundant area of a building. However, when insulating a flat roof to accommodate a terrace or balcony extension, which type of system is suitable when build-up thickness is an issue?

Gradient’s Deck-VQ® vacuum insulation panels (VIPs) succeed where traditional products fail. Super-thin with an ultra-high thermal performance, Deck-VQ insulation ensures required U-values can be met without the need for costly, time-consuming structural changes when space is limited.

Panel availability

Deck-VQ® insulation is based on four modular flat roof sizes: 1200x600mm, 1200x300mm; 600x600mm; 600x300mm, with two thicknesses of 45mm and 60mm. Despite its slender form, its 60mm board delivers a thermal performance of 0.008 W/mK (45mm: 0.009 W/mK) whilst its VIP core provides a Lambda value of 0.006 W/mK. With Deck-VQ®, Gradient has introduced an industry-leading product which harnesses the superior insulating properties of a VIP panel and fully encapsulates it within a PIR protective shell.

Installation guide

A wealth of scientific research and industry knowledge has gone into making the installation of Deck-VQ® as straightforward and convenient as possible. A guide on how to install Deck-VQ vacuum insulation panels is available to VIEW HERE:

Deck-VQ® offers an extremely high insulation value and long-term performance whilst maintaining the existing roof structure, thereby avoiding costly modification and increasing on-site costs.

VIP benefits

VIPs are the best available insulation on the commercial market but by their nature, should they become damaged due to puncture, it would severely affect their insulation performance. VIP technology awareness has become more widespread in the UK construction sector in recent times. It led to VIP manufacturers being urged by industry members to create a product that contractors found simple to install and wouldn’t damage easily.

Bespoke service

As part of its superior service provision, Gradient’s technical teams provide a bespoke project specific layout to ensure the insulation fits before it even arrives on site. Thin, flat roof insulation in the form of Deck-VQ® is compatible with adhered single-ply membranes and bituminous systems, meaning it can be used with existing construction technologies. Deck-VQ® VIPs are fully-protected, making them easy to transport and store on site.

Fit for modern purpose

By enabling occupiers to install quality insulation in limited-space areas out-of-bounds to other products, as a flat roof solution Deck-VQ® is ideal for creating interiors which thrive and excel in terms of comfort and wellbeing. The panel’s superior thermal credentials come to the fore in enabling even the most complex projects to be carried out in a time and cost-effective manner by reducing on-site working times and materials.

With property owners and developers looking to maximise an ever-decreasing amount of living and building space, Deck-VQ® is absolutely fit-for-purpose for the current construction climate.

CLICK HERE

For more information on Deck-VQ®, the market-leading, super-thin flat roof insulation

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KOOLTHERM PIPE INSULATION FITTED ON LEADING BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH BUILDING

The University of Warwick’s Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research Building (IBRB) is breaking new ground in building design. The £33m facility has been constructed with a cutting-edge offsite approach featuring Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation and Kooltherm Insulated Pipe Support Inserts.

The research building, designed by Hawkins/Brown and Fairhursts Design Group, will provide world-class facilities for over 300 biomedical researchers helping to deepen our understanding of the origins and mechanistic basis of diseases of the brain and body. Working closely with the project team, which included Willmott Dixon and Hoare Lea, NG Bailey has manufactured and assembled much of the mechanical, electrical and plumbing installations at its specialist offsite facility in Bradford. This specification included the installation of over 20,000 lm of Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation and Kooltherm Insulated Pipe Support Inserts, with onsite fitout carried out by specialist contractor Insulation & Cladding Services Ltd (ICS).

The University of Warwick set a target to complete at least 50% of the building work using offsite methods. NG Bailey helped to achieve this with a bespoke, five-storey ‘megariser’, which contains all of the buildings’ primary wet and dry services. The riser was delivered to site in eight sections, greatly reducing the number of deliveries and disruption to neighbours and allowing the installation to be completed in two days compared with the 15 weeks it would have taken with traditional methods. The sections were constructed horizontally at the NG Bailey facility and were lifted and installed using a crane – cutting time spent working at height.

As with all offsite work, careful pre-design was essential to ensure the ‘megariser’ and services were aligned correctly once in-situ. The project team collaborated closely with the use of BIM technologies and this process was supported through the specification of Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation and Kooltherm Insulated Pipe Support Inserts. These products are supported with bespoke BIM objects which can be freely downloaded from www.bimstore.co.uk This allowed service engineers and designers to accurately plan and position pipework and supports. With their leading thermal performance, the products also contributed to the project’s sustainability targets.

Stefan Watson, Offsite Integration Manager, Midlands, at NG Bailey explained: “By using offsite manufacture to produce the MEP elements, we removed circa 11,000 working hours from the project and reduced deliveries by around 190 HGV vehicles. The Client set the challenge of at least 50% of the construction being delivered through offsite techniques – and this was achieved.

“This greatly reduced the carbon footprint of the project and the completed building is expected to achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating. Building services play a significant part in reaching this target and we carefully developed a specification which will keep the building’s energy use to a minimum.”

Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation is one of the most thermally efficient pipe insulation materials in common use. This allowed the project team to effectively insulate the full range of pipe diameters on the project with a minimal thickness of insulation, supporting a faster, installation both in the factory and as part of the onsite work completed by ICS.

The project team also carefully addressed the risk of heat loss through pipe supports by installing Kingspan Kooltherm Insulated Pipe Support Inserts. The premium performance inserts effectively limit thermal bridging through the supports and form an effective vapour barrier. For larger diameter pipework, the inserts are supplied with a metal spreader plate which prevents insulation compression, ensuring the efficiency of the pipework is maintained over time.

Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation and Insulated Pipe Support Inserts have been fitted as part of the Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research Building (IBRB) at the University of Warwick.

The specification of the Kingspan Technical Insulation products also supported work to achieve credits within BREEAM assessment. An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) certificate for Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation can be accessed at www.greenbooklive.com. The product is also certified as Eurofins Air Comfort Gold, recognising it as having low emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and both products are manufactured under an environmental management system which is certified to ISO 14001:2015.

With Kingspan Industrial Insulation’s free Pipeline Technical Advisory Service,

which can be contacted on 0808 168 7363,

clear advice and guidance can be accessed at every stage in a project.

 

E-mail: info@kingspaninsulation.co.uk

Website: www.kingspantechnicalinsulation.co.uk

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ALTRO REJUVENATES WITH COLOUR

ALTRO ADDS COLOUR TO REJUVENATED WAITING AREA AT SHEFFIELD CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

A chance hospital visit resulted in a refurbishment of the Emergency Department waiting area at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, using Altro floors and walls and delivered at no cost to the hospital.

Over the last two years the NHS has faced unprecedented challenges that have made the British public more appreciative than ever of our health services, with more and more people wanting to give something back. When Ryan Spencer took his son to A&E for treatment, it set off a series of actions resulting in a rejuvenated waiting area that has made a huge difference to families and staff alike.

Ryan Spencer runs RLX Construction, but in 2020 he worked for Henry Boot Construction, a Sheffield-based company with a background in healthcare projects. Ryan explains how the project at Sheffield Children’s Hospital came about: “I took my son to A&E and as we waited, I though this is a great facility that has served so many children, but it was really looking a little tired, and a little outdated.

“So, I approached my employer with the idea of giving something back – using our contacts and experience, asking our subcontractors to work with us at a reduced price for this project, and asking our manufacturers to donate products. I got really good buy-in, and we were able to deliver a fresh, bright and colourful waiting area at no cost to the hospital.”

The Altro Whiterock walls were installed by Richardson Claddings. Fresco Flooring installed the Altro floors.

Jamie Douglas, Senior Capital Projects Manager at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, was delighted with the project, especially as it used products from tried and trusted manufacturer Altro. “We use Altro products across the hospital,” Jamie explains. “This project used Altro Fortis Titanium wall protection, and Altro Whiterock Chameleon and Altro Whiterock Satins – we know these well and use them a lot.

“For flooring, we tried something new – Altro Cantata adhesive-free floors. This was recommended to us because it is so quick to install, with little disruption. This is essential in busy areas such as these where we cannot afford downtime. We had not used adhesive-free flooring before but it is very impressive and we will certainly look to use Altro Cantata in other projects in the future.”

Ryan Spencer worked with Altro to put forward suitable products to the hospital’s art team who viewed swatches and colour palettes to make the final selections. The results are making a big difference to staff and to the families using the services, as Dr Cath Rimmer, Paediatric Emergency Medicine Consultant and ED Team Lead, explains: “The whole place looks so much better. It’s clean, fresh, and bright. It’s a far more pleasant environment to wait in for children and families attending the emergency department.”

Ryan Spencer was also delighted with the results. “It was not just about looks; this project had to deliver performance too. We opted for Altro Cantata because it could be laid over the existing flooring in this area that is in use 24/7, 365 days a year. The Altro wall products are fantastic because they bring colour and interest to the area with no compromise on hygiene and are so easy to clean.

“Our thanks to Altro for their help with this project. We use their products because they look great, they last a long time, but also because of the high quality customer service that backs that up.”

Altro Cantata™ is a tonal and modernist, adhesive-free floor that creates maximum impact with minimum downtime. It has been designed for hard-working public areas and is a durable 2.4mm floor. It gives you 14dB impact noise reduction, to quieten busy spaces, plus comfort under foot to help reduce fatigue. It is ideal for busy spaces where disruption needs to be minimal, is easy to clean and maintain and has no associated adhesive odours. At the end of its life can be removed easily, allowing it to be reused or recycled.

Altro Fortis Titanium™ offers durable protection for walls, doors and corners. Doors and plaster board walls can easily be damaged, be it scrapes and knocks as people pass, or more serious dents and holes caused by wheeled traffic. Altro Fortis Titanium has been specifically designed to protect these surfaces and is dense, impervious and resistant to bumps. It features a lightly textured surface, which camouflages scuffs, keeping the wall area looking better for longer.

Suitable for busy public areas that are subject to high levels of traffic such as in education and healthcare, Altro Fortis Titanium is impervious and easy-to-maintain and co-ordinates with Altro Fortis corner protection.

Altro Whiterock Satins™ is a range of colourful, satin finish wall sheets with all the hygiene and durability of Altro Whiterock. Versatile and sophisticated, vary the mood to stimulate or soothe. Great in wet environments, wards and kitchens. Altro Whiterock Satins can be combined with Altro non-sparkle safety flooring to achieve the required Light Reflectance Value difference needed for the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.

Altro Whiterock ChameleonTM is glossy, vibrant and vividly colourful hygienic wall cladding, available in 16 high impact, high-design shades to add a little bit of affordable luxury to a range of environments. Offering all the benefits of Altro Whiterock, Altro Whiterock Chameleon is very durable, with a smooth, watertight, wipe-clean surface.

 

www.altro.co.uk

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RINNAI – HYDROGEN BLENDS READY

Chris Goggin, Operation Director for Rinnai

Creating a healthier way of living with HYDROGEN BLENDS READY

RINNAI H3 – THE NEW ELEMENT IN HOT WATER, LOW CARBON HEATING & HOT WATER SYSTEMS IN

HYDROGEN, HYBRID & HEAT PUMPS

 

RINNAI ANNOUNCES NEW PRODUCT ROADMAP IN DRIVE TO NET ZERO

 

Rinnai is set to launch its ‘H3’ range of products consisting of Hydrogen blends-ready water heating systems in hybrid versions and a comprehensive selection of heat pumps specifically designed for commercial use. It is also expected that the company will be launching electric formats to existing product ranges within the next 12 months.

The new ranges will be launched in stages throughout 2022 starting in the very early part of the year and culminating in the biggest range of hot water heating solutions for both residential and commercial sites in both hydrogen-blends gas and electric format, hybrid formation and heat pump driven.

 

Says Chris Goggin, Operation Director for Rinnai, ’Our company operates on the five continents of the world producing over 2 million water heating units each year. We have a global reach of over 650 design engineers plus testing facilities in Japan, America and Australasia. We have moved this quickly as we perceive that the market is fast changing.

‘We must start reducing the use of high carbon content fuels as soon as is realistic and pragmatic. We have huge populations that want to fight the rate of climate change but there is still the need for the assessment of the technical, practical and economic feasibility within the UK’s unique housing stock of over 25 million units. We aim to continue to help and assist in achieving NetZero without compromising on product quality or customer satisfaction.”

The new products and formats are all Rinnai products and meet or exceed existing or proposed UK legislation or certifications.

 

Adds 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 very best we can for customers. We believe implicitly in this basic premise – we do the very best we can, and we achieve what our customers want and expect. And that includes anticipating the future.”

This follows news that Rinnai has commissioned a comprehensive comparative review and report on gas and electric appliances utilising a variety of energy vectors in both residential and commercial UK scenarios.

”We simply want to see realism brought into an increasingly polarised debate that, at times reaches levels of unbridled hysteria. Fact, logic and reason must be employed for the best outcome for all of us. We need decarbonisation, we need NetZero, and we need it as soon as possible but in such a way that is pragmatic in terms of catering to the existing populations and markets,” says Chris Goggin.

“We are committing substantial sums to this report and the contract with the authors stipulates that there is no third-party doctoring or spin. The consumer needs to be given the facts to make an informed decision.

“We are manufacturers of proven excellence and are using our core competencies of design engineering solutions to suit all probable future needs and fuels. We will evolve to ensure that our customers have the absolute best possible product options.

“We believe, implicitly that there will be a need for a variety of solutions to the Energy Trilemma – there is not one single fuel or appliance that is the answer to all the problems.”

 

www.rinnaiuk.com

 

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