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.

RINNAI CELEBRATES ITS FIRST 100 YEARS OF MANUFACTURING PRODUCTS TO SERVE ITS CUSTOMERS

Rinnai, best known in the UK for its comprehensive range of hot water and heating home units, is globally celebrating its first 100 years of manufacture in serving its customers with a three-year period of planned anniversary related events to connect to the start of the company’s next centenary.

The Rinnai Corporation was founded in Nagoya, Japan in 1819 and today operates in 17 nations and regions around the world with sales of kitchen appliances, air conditioners, hot water heating & home heating units in over 80 countries.

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Says Rinnai UK Managing Director Tony Gittings, ”The company has evolved and developed into a group that produces a diversity of products and services that directly benefit ordinary people in their daily lives.

“Our policy is to help enrich the lives of people in local communities by providing optimal solutions that fit the lifestyle culture, climate conditions, and the energy situation of each country around the world. The three-year period is aimed at connecting the first century to the next one. The theme will be named – Connected in passion for the next 100 years.”

This follows the other significant corporate developments on the global presence of Rinnai – the issuing of a new logo and a new brand statement – ‘A Healthier Way of Living’.

In the UK Rinnai is the acknowledged leader in continuous flow hot water heating technology. The company offers a comprehensive range of A-rated units plus large systems for any size of site or application.

 

 

For more information visits www.rinnaiuk.com

 

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IMPROVING WELLBEING AT A FLAGSHIP HOSPITAL WITH THE HELP OF KINGSPAN

Kingspan Kooltherm products have been installed in the new operating theatres at Wrexham Maelor Hospital to provide a versatile, lightweight HVAC solution.

Wrexham Maelor is one of the busiest hospitals in North Wales, with a catchment area of over half a million people. £3 million was invested into the site to create a state-of-the-art modular building, delivered by MTX, comprising day case and endoscopy theatres, allowing the hospital to provide exceptional care.

With the NHS’ commitment to improving efficiency of services, the performance of products was crucial. The premium building service specification included the installation of 2,000 lm of Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation and 400 m2 of Kingspan Kooltherm Duct Insulation by thermal insulation contractor, Midland Premier Insulations Limited (MPI). Scott McCaskie, Director for MTX, discussed the project:

“Given the environment, safety of patients is a priority. Kingspan products were selected for this project as, in addition to their thermal performance which would support the maintenance of comfortable temperatures, they could also deliver excellent levels of indoor air quality with their fibre-free insulation cores.”

Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation has a best-in-class Eurofins Indoor Air Comfort Gold certificate, recognising it as an outstanding material according to the VOC Indoor Air Quality emissions standards. It also offers premium thermal performance with an aged thermal conductivity as low as 0.025 W/m.K (at 10°C mean). It is one of the thinnest and most thermally efficient in common use within the UK construction industry today. This supported a fast-track installation whilst ensuring services operate effectively.

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Kingspan Kooltherm Duct Insulation is externally faced with an aluminium vapour barrier foil. Its rigid nature ensures the specified thickness is maintained at the corners and can help to create a continuous and fully sealed vapour barrier. It can achieve thermal conductivities as low as 0.022 W/m.K (at +10°C mean) and is suitable for rectangular, circular and flat oval indoor ductwork applications, within an operating temperature range of –20°C to 80°C. The duct insulation is also manufactured under a BS EN ISO 14001: 2015 scheme and is produced at Kingspan Insulation’s Pembridge and Selby manufacturing facilities which are certified to BES 6001 ‘Excellent’.

The products’ cores are manufactured with a CFC/HCFC–free blowing agent that has zero Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) and low Global Warming Potential (GWP). All Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe and Duct Insulation has a BRE Green Guide Rating of A/A+.

 

Website: www.kingspanindustrialinsulation.com and www.kingspanductwork.co.uk

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£10m boost to get people of diverse backgrounds into construction

CITB will be targeting more than 11,800 people to attract them into construction careers, as part of the Pathways Into Construction programme.

Construction output is expected to grow by 1.3% per year with 168,500 jobs being created by 2023 – challenging employers to recruit more people from diverse backgrounds.

Just 16% of construction employees are female, and 7% are from BAME backgrounds.

This has been due, in part, because construction employers have relied over the years on traditional recruitment methods (PDF. 903kb) such as word of mouth.

Pathways Into Construction will attract people from underrepresented groups over the next three years with CITB’s investment establishing recruitment pathways that employers can use in future.

This supports construction employers by helping them meet their workforce and skills needs. Pathways Into Construction will see a £10m investment in 270 colleges; construction employers and federations; infrastructure projects; councils; housing associations; armed forces organisations; charities; prisons; recruiters and training providers across England, Wales and Scotland to connect employers with people who traditionally don’t enter the industry.

CITB insight into critical training and employment issues underpins the Pathways Into Construction programme with investment aimed at key groups including young people not in education, training or work; women; long-term unemployed; service leavers who left the military at least 12 months ago; and full-time learners, focusing on CBE Diploma students.

In the West Midlands and East Anglia, Women Into Construction will assist 240 women with work-readiness support and job placements with 30 companies, half of which are to be small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

Specifically in Wales, Creating Enterprise will also run work readiness courses and placements for more than 140 long-term unemployed people, including careers support plans beyond the project. Also in Wales, the Community Impact Initiative will provide nine renovation projects for 72 women to train on, plus CSCS card testing, along with vital on-site work experience to enable employment in the industry.

In Scotland, Sibbald will target 180 service leavers and young people not in education, training or employment within the North Glasgow area, in partnership with Glasgow Kelvin College, TIGERS Ltd, Keepmoat and Morgan Sindall.

Stephen Cole, CITB Head of Careers Strategy, said “With thousands of jobs being created in the coming years, Pathways Into Construction will demonstrate that we need to stop fishing in only half the pond and diversify the talent pool to meet future skills needs.

“We’ll explore the best routes, which employers can adopt in future, to bring under-represented groups into the industry, not only filling the skills gap but also supporting employers by recruiting domestic talent with Brexit on the horizon.”

Mark Reynolds, Mace Group CEO and Construction Leadership Council lead on skills, added “The funding awarded to the 16 projects will have a huge impact… It will help to ensure that everyone can access high-quality construction training and employers can find the right new people to deliver their projects.”

Other organisations leading Pathways Into Construction multi-partner projects include: Abbey Access Training; Balfour Beatty; Construction Youth Trust; Croydon Council, Doncaster College; EN:Able Futures; Ethos VO Ltd; the Home Builders Federation; Leeds Beckett University; Lendlease; Saint-Gobain; Sibbald Ltd; and YTKO.

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KINGSPAN TEK VILLAS ARE READY FOR THE SUMMER SUN

The Kingspan TEK Building System has been used to construct five luxury villas at the Porth Veor Manor Hotel near Newquay – providing the perfect seaside spot for holiday makers.

The mid-19th Century manor sits in two acres of terraced lawn gardens. In 2007, a swimming pool and 12 cottages were added to the resort and, with demand continuing to grow, the owners chose to build a further row of two-storey villas in an underused section of the grounds. The Kingspan TEK Building System of structural insulated panels (SIPs) was specified for the project for a variety of reasons, as Mike Burke from contractors Sip Hus, explained:

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“The design of the units, their location, size and performance requirements meant that the Kingspan TEK Building System was the best choice for the structural shells. The excellent thermal performance of the panels allowed us to maximise the internal spaces within the given footprint without having to compromise on thermal efficiency.”

The Kingspan TEK panels feature a high-performance rigid insulation core which is sandwiched between two layers of OSB/3. The panels were factory cut to the villa’s designs by SIP Hus Ltd. This allowed them to be installed quickly and efficiently once onsite, with the structural shells erected in just 5 weeks.

To reflect the architecture of the surrounding beach front properties, the upper storey of each villa is clad in New England style boarding whilst the lower storey is rendered in light neutral colours.

To help situate the buildings within their natural surroundings, the villas were designed with barrelled green roofs. This curved form presented an unusual challenge for the contractors, as Mike Burke added:

“In order to create a curve, the roof panels were spanned horizontally and faceted then battened and lined with plywood. The step in each villa also added to the complexity of the canopy design.”

The panels feature a unique jointing system which reduces thermal bridging and, in combination with their OSB/3 facing, also allowed air leakage to be reduced. This creates a warm and comfortable environment for holidaymakers, whilst also minimising their long-term heating costs.

 

Website Kingspan Tek

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Lorient, leading door seal manufacturer celebrates its 40th anniversary

Devon based company Lorient, celebrated its 40th anniversary on 1st August 2019. Lorient is a market leading designer and manufacturer of high performance sealing systems for acoustic, smoke, fire and energy containment.

Founded in 1979, Lorient was responsible for introducing intumescent technology for fire doors to the UK; and the first combined fire and smoke seal was created in a small industrial unit in Surrey. Intumescent seals are a vital part of a fire door assembly, helping to defend buildings against the spread of fire. Smoke seals restrict smoke movement around a building – giving people time to escape, and reducing property damage.

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Lorient’s flagship acoustic, smoke and fire seal products now sit within a comprehensive range including fire resistant glazing systems for doors, screens and partitions; fire and smoke resistant damper/air transfer grilles for doors, walls and ducts; and a range of fire resistant door hardware. In 2013, Lorient launched a commercial testing and technical services division including acoustic testing, indicative fire testing as well as fire door inspection services – with 5 fully qualified fire door inspectors in 2019.

The Lorient Group has grown to encompass businesses around the world and has established presence in Australia, the Middle East, USA as well as the UK, Singapore and Hong Kong.

While the company’s services and operations have expanded, its underlying principles have remained the same. Proudly a Made in Britain company, Lorient designs and manufactures the highest quality sealing systems that protect people and property throughout commercial, public, residential and industrial buildings. Through constant development, evolution and refinement, Lorient has created many industry firsts; always underpinned by independent third-party accreditation, and extensively tested to relevant building codes and regulations.

Today, Lorient is recognised worldwide for quality, technical capability, and service; with over 100 employees and 100s of products in its range. In December 2018, Lorient was acquired by ASSA ABLOY – the global leader in opening solutions; which brings a wealth of technology, resource and capability to support customers.

Speaking of the anniversary Kerry Hicks, Managing Director said: “We are incredibly proud to celebrate 40 years in business. It provides us with an opportunity to reflect on our history, and look forward to an exciting future as part of ASSA ABLOY. We owe our successful 40 years to our great teams past and present; most importantly to our loyal customers – without them, we wouldn’t be Lorient. Here’s to the next 40 years!”

To honor the landmark 40th anniversary Lorient will be launching a number of marketing initiatives; which included a brand-new website earlier this year – www.lorientuk.com. A family fun day was held on 2nd August 2019 for staff and their families to celebrate this momentous occasion.

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RINNAI – ‘E’ BEFORE ‘I’ OR VICE VERSA?

Rinnai offers big performance, heavy duty, diminutive appliances that offer virtually limitless volumes of hot water at useable temperatures – all through engineering design and excellence. And both ‘E’ (external) – and ‘I’ (internal) versions are offered. Here Chris Goggin, Rinnai Operations Director, explains the why and the where of using either model to suit the application.

Gas fired appliances such as hot water heating units or domestic or light commercial boilers tend to be wall hung on the interior of a site. Having a unit sited internally on a kitchen wall or a plant room makes for convenience for the end-user and for the installer or contractor in terms of installation, maintenance or servicing.

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However, external models of hot water heating units have become increasingly popular. We are seeing more and more units sold as installers seem to be favouring external siting for a variety of reasons.

Firstly, having a gas fired unit internally has its own restrictions – lack of internal space, flueing restrictions and impediments, exact siting for installer convenience, inspections etc. On external units a whole stack of advantages come into play – starting with the fact that it is a gas fired appliance and it is outside habitable space; and with no need for a flue there’s greater flexibility on exactly where you place the unit; it is easier to service and maintain; all units have robust casings and comprehensive weather controls, for example a Rinnai external appliance is frost protected down to minus 25ºC.

All these factors add up to possible economies for the end user and ease of installation for the installer.

Rinnai offer several units in both external – ‘E’ – and internal – ‘I’ – models. They are in the more heavy-duty part of our product range – 1600, 1500, 55 but also at the smaller end – the 17e.

Rinnai’s HDC1600i/e low NOx, gas-fired continuous flow water heater, delivers commercial qualities of hot water, up to 37 litres per minute on demand – to any site and application. And they are ErP ‘A’ rated.

The Rinnai external version HDC1200e gives end users 105.5% net efficiency* because the condensing process delivers up to 95% thermal efficiency, translating to significant energy savings when compared to standard tankless water heaters.

All of which makes the HDC continuous flow hot water range by far the best option for all types of applications. With a continuous flow water heater you can never run out of hot water no matter how many individual baths or showers or delivery points are being used simultaneously.

The only time the unit is using energy is when there is a demand, in other words it is only burning gas when a tap or shower is being run and, design improvements by Rinnai have increased the lowered NOx levels and increased efficiencies to market ready levels.

The Rinnai 17e is designed for use directly off the mains, with no need for large, ungainly storage vessels. Weighing just 17kg and measuring 503mmH x 355.6mmW x 181mmD the Rinnai 17e has been developed to allow maximum flexibility as it can be easily mounted on an external wall thereby eliminating the need for flueing and freeing up valuable interior space. This feature gives greater flexibility at the design stage and can offer an alternative solution where flue runs are problematic or internal space is not available.

A range of external ancillary items including a pipe cover box and security cage are available where necessary. Capable of flow rates of up to 510 litres per hour at a 50°C rise, the 17e is suitable for multiple applications, such as cafés, small restaurants and kitchen facilities.

 For more information visit www.rinnaiuk.com

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Hold off reverse charge VAT until 2020, urges industry

A letter from 15 trade federations has been sent to Sajid Javid MP, the chancellor of the Exchequer, asking for the 1 October 2019 introduction of domestic reverse charge VAT to be delayed until April 2020.

Reverse charge VAT means that the customer receiving the service will have to pay the VAT to HMRC instead of paying the supplier. The reverse charge applies through the supply chain where payments are required to be reported through the Construction Industry Scheme. Making the payment of VAT the responsibility of the customer rather than the supplier, there is no opportunity for the supplier to avoid paying VAT.

The National Federation of Builders, together with the other trade federations, has highlighted the effect the change will have on cash flow and administration costs for an industry already facing increased material and labour costs.

The guidance issued by HMRC was delivered late, is not clear and leaves some questions unanswered. A delay before introducing the charge would give the industry and government time to properly prepare the industry to understand the changes and update systems.

Richard Beresford, chief executive of the National Federation of Builders, said “For an industry facing lighter workloads, increasing pressure on cash flow and an already high rate of insolvency, reverse charge VAT could not have come at a worse time. By delaying the introduction of this measure, the industry will have more time to properly prepare and make their businesses more resilient, and more detailed guidance can be provided to ensure a smooth introduction.”

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RCM Launch Exciting New Partnership With Allface

RCM, the leading through wall supplier continue their successful growth by forming a strategic partnership with Allface Smart Fixing Systems.

As the newly appointed sole Allface Smart Fixing Systems partner for UK distribution, RCM have secured further success in delivering complete through wall solutions to the UK industry. This appointment allows RCM to offer indicative and fully designed façade framing solutions to its customer through the Allface partnership.

As part of the overall solution, RCM are also able to provide an extensive optimisation service forming part of the complete facade package.

The Allface Smart Fixing System is manufactured from structural grade extruded aluminium. It offers a comprehensive selection of solutions for all types of rainscreen cladding projects. The system is compatible with all façade types, including ACM, ceramics, fibre cement, laminates, stone, glass, terracotta, etc and is suitable for fixing to masonary, timber and steel primary structures.

An already successful business, RCM are continually investing within its product offering and fabrication services, keeping the company at the forefront of the industry requirements and keeping systems competitive.

This, together with other developments, make RCM one of the country’s leading experts in providing specialists cladding solutions, as well as offering innovative and advanced complete through wall solutions.

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Stock of the Allface Framing System will be available from RCM’s distribution centres for nationwide distribution

“We are delighted that we have found such a skilled, experienced sales partner as RCM. RCM’s powerful presence represents a major opportunity for us,” says Johannes Mitterbacher, Managing Director of Allface GmbH. “We expect this cooperation to improve our market penetration in this economically important region.”

 “RCM are very pleased to have been able to secure a strategic partnership with Allface Smart Fixing Systems. The systems that they offer will further enhance our product offering within the UK.

One of the biggest challenges over time is to stay creative, innovative and launching systems that meet the stringent requirements of the ever-changing UK construction industry.

Through our growth and continued investment, I see RCM further developing into a market leader in the supplying and fabrication of trusted products and through wall systems.” (Ian Quinton, Managing Director RCM)

 

RCM are exhibiting at UK Construction Week, 8-10 October, NEC Birmingham – stand B485. Allface Smart Fixing Systems will form part of the display.

 

Website

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RINNAI UK WINS TWO MAJOR GLOBAL AWARDS

Rinnai has won two global awards for an ‘Outstanding Performance’ in the UK hot water heating marketplace. Rinnai UK was judged to have made the REU Most Outstanding Performance and Best Business Performance in its category.

The awards acknowledge the strides that Rinnai UK has made during the last several years in converting the marketplace to continuous flow energy and fuel-efficient products in the commercial and domestic hot water heating arenas.

“We are delighted that a team effort has resulted in global acknowledgement by our peers. We are honoured. It is gratifying to be recognised for all the hard work that each member of staff has made throughout the year,” says Managing Director Tony Gittings.

This year sees Rinnai, global leaders in continuous flow hot water heating products and systems, introducing the Zen and Zen Plus home hot water & heating system which marries established and proven manufacture durability with new technologies to offer great energy efficiencies, user control and, importantly, unparalleled level of comfort.

Rinnai UK will be launching this innovation plus several other cutting-edge appliances during 2019. The company has already launched a service & maintenance scheme, tailored training courses for installers and will be introducing the next and most advanced generation of hot water heating units.

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The Rinnai Zen and Zen Plus system will increase comfort and reduce energy usage whilst also providing a highly economically solution for today’s changing marketplace.

‘Our core expertise is the mass production of long-term reliable combustion products with advanced technologies – we are a global leader and make over 2 million water heating units every year for domestic, residential and commercial applications.

“We have been researching and monitoring the UK domestic heating market for several years until we had a proven system. That time is now, and we are offering hot water heating units together with a superior performance combi boiler in 24, 29 and 35-kW outputs.” says Tony Gittings.

 

 www.rinnaiuk.com

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Community centre heralds a New Beginning, thanks to Armstrong Ceilings

The Space Field Lane refurbishment includes a brand-new, ultra-green ceiling from Armstrong.

A year after it won Armstrong Ceiling Solutions’ competition for an admirable cause to win a new ceiling, a community centre in West Yorkshire is heralding a New Beginning for local residents.

The Space Field Lane is a £480,000 renovation project using Armstrong’s ultra-green Dune eVo ceiling tiles. The community centre had lain empty for almost seven years, on the Field Lane estate in Rastrick near Halifax.

Dune eVo is the next evolution in ceiling tiles. Fully recyclable, it provides class-leading aesthetics and improved acoustic performance through a new surface which is both brighter and smoother. It is also the first ceiling system in the industry to gain Cradle To Cradle accreditation.

The project was entered for Armstrong’s eVoNewBeginnings competition by the project’s coordinator Neil Hardaker of Pickles Architecture in Brighouse.

The competition for up to 250m2 of Dune eVo tiles and grid plus up to three days of free installation by a member of Armstrong’s national network of approved Omega installers was promoted through Armstrong’s social media sites (LinkedIn, Twitter and Pinterest).

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Open to any non-commercial project in the UK and Ireland that serves a community, it was judged by two internal and one external judge, with the winner being the project they thought most deserved a charitable helping hand.

Neil said: “We heard about the eVoNewBeginnings competition through an email from Armstrong Ceilings and we passed it onto the client. We thought The Space would benefit from the help that Armstrong Ceilings and the competition offered. I think it’s given The Space the opportunity to save some capital costs and use that money for other areas which are more needed for the local community.”

He added: “We have worked for many years with the Armstrong name. We think they are a good brand and we do specify them on projects. I think the new Dune eVo tile has given The Space and the building a fantastic look and a very modern, sleek appearance which we all wanted to create. I think the end result is what we all wanted for the charity and we’re proud to have all been involved.”

Centre trustee Mary Green said: “It was a tremendous opportunity. We were very anxious we wouldn’t succeed because we had to value engineer our project so many times but here was an opportunity to add value to the project with such a super ceiling. The installation went really, really well and really quickly. All the Armstrong people we have been involved with have been super, very friendly very helpful and generally excellent to work with.

“This really is a new beginning for the community. Without Armstrong’s involvement we certainly wouldn’t have been able to have such a super new ceiling. We would have had to have had something much less specified and would have had to save money elsewhere in the building. The £16,000 value of this ceiling was really important to us. Using an ultra-green ceiling tile like Dune eVo was really important to us because we have tried, with everything we have done in the centre, to use materials which are environmentally friendly.”

In a letter to Armstrong, Mary added: “I wanted to write personally to thank you all so much for the New Beginning you gave to our building and our project and to our community. The contractors have now moved out and we have moved in and it is all so fabulous. To be quite honest I can’t quite believe that we, just a bunch of locals, have achieved all this and we wanted to stress the very significant contribution you have made to our project.

“I also wanted to thank you for your patience since our project took so much longer to reach ceiling installation stage than we could have imagined. A lot of that was due to our last-minute decision to add a Changing Places accessible toilet to the project – this is not just a ‘disabled loo’ but is one with an adult changing bed and hoist so that people with all levels of disability are not excluded from the building.”

Quality Ceilings of Elland, who are a member of Armstrong’s Omega network of approved installers, had two men on the project for a total of a working week. They installed a total of 350m2 of Dune eVo tiles in the main hall, offices, toilets and kitchen area.

Managing director Craig Sutcliffe said: “We were selected by Armstrong to carry out the installation because we were the most local Omega installer to the project which is just a mile down the road.

“We had not previously been aware of the campaign to renovate the community centre but were pleased to be asked to help. We work very closely with Armstrong. They give us a lot of support so we reckon it works both ways.

“It wasn’t a challenging project or anything like that as we have used the Dune eVo tiles for a couple of years now so the product is not new to us. We use Armstrong products on the vast majority of our contracts.”

The Space Field Lane was selected as the winner by judges Sara Rees, head of fundraising at the Rays of Sunshine Children’s Charity (Armstrong’s chosen charity for 2018), Armstrong sales director Graham Taylor and Armstrong HR director Sara Carter.

 

More information is accessible via the Armstrong Ceilings website

 

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