Latest innovations and products in the interiors section of the construction industry.

Be amazed with a Stiltz Home Lift: Making the difference to your latest building project

The Stiltz Home Lift offers building industry professionals a ground-breaking, compact through-floor mobility solution which provides access to all areas of the home, without the limitations of stairs.

With a growth in popularity for domestic applications, clients are looking more and more towards home lifts. They are chosing domestic lifts for a wide range of reasons; from comfort to prestige, for care needs or as a future-proofing investment.

The Stiltz Home Lifts range is versatile and stylish. The lift is ergonomically designed with sleek lines and a semi-transparent lift car body. Because it blends into the background of any room no sooner have you admired it then you can forget about it and just get on with living your life.

A Stiltz lift can be installed virtually anywhere within the home thanks to its self-supporting structure, which means there is no need to fix to existing, or build new, load bearing walls. It has a small footprint of less than one square metre, but is still roomy enough to comfortably carry two people.

Unlike a traditional domestic lift, the unique Stiltz Home Lift is not powered by noisy hydraulic equipment, there is no need for a lift shaft or pit and it is very quiet when running between floors. Thanks to its built-in drive system, the lift plugs straight into a domestic 13amp power socket, just like any other household appliance, which saves on energy.

Stiltz Lifts has designed their products with safety in mind. Every lift includes hold to run controls, weight limit sensors, out of balance sensors and sensors which halt the lift if there is an obstruction. There is also a battery back-up to carry passengers safely to their destination in the event of a power cut. Optional extras include bespoke colours and finishes, interior grab rail, telephone and a comfortable folding seat.

The versatile Stiltz Home Lift can be fitted in many locations around the home, with the most popular installation choice from a hallway or living room up to a main bedroom or landing area. It can also be fitted within a turning staircase, slotting into the dead space in the void or it can be completely hidden from view in a downstairs cupboard travelling up to an airing cupboard or wardrobe space. If desired, the lift can also be positioned centre stage in a room as once the lift car is on the other floor, all that remains are two descreet vertical rails.

All that a Stiltz domestic lift requires for installation is a qualified builder to cut and trim the appropriate ceiling aperture – a quick and simple process. Stiltz engineers can then have the lift operational in no more than a single day for a standard application.

Homes with sloping ceilings can also now benefit from a Stiltz Home Lift. Because the lift rails only need a horizontal surface to fix to, these quick modifications can be made to complete the installation. For end users looking for quick and safe access from their garage into their home, construction of a simple shaft can make it possible for a domestic lift to be fitted in this area, too. For less mobile customers, Stiltz now offer a home lift which with sufficient capacity to accommodate a standard-sized wheelchair.

Stiltz provide a range of lift models from the entry-level Classic to the prestigious Lifton Home Lifts brand. So whatever the requirements of the client, the Stiltz Home Lift can easily slot into any building project and make a huge difference to their lives.

For more information please visit www.stiltz.co.uk.
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Rinnai launches into the commercial boiler marketplace

Rinnai has launched new products into the commercial gas-fired boiler marketplace with an initial introduction of three condensing models.

The new boilers, German-manufactured to high specification in materials, build and components are built to last and offer high quality construction and engineering alongside top of the range energy efficiencies.

The Rinnai Infinity condensing boiler range is available for natural gas and LPG operation and comes with innovative controls maximizing energy efficiencies through class-leading weather compensation technology.

The Infinity boiler is A rated under the ErP directive, meaning customers can make an informed decision when purchasing.

The Rinnai Infinity condensing boilers come in 50kW, 75kW and 100kW versions and are both maintenance and installer friendly. The appliances are accessed from the front and require minimal space for installation, thus helping to reduce cost and time required on site. Some of the units also feature a fully removable pivoting heat exchanger and burner for easy inspection and cleaning.

New combustion control technology also imbues the units with the capability to self-calibrate so avoiding manual setting and automatically adapts to suit the gas quality.

The boilers also offer a range of ancillary options including pressurisation units, manifold pipework assemblies, mounting frames, heating system separators, boiler and water heater combination packs, ancillary control options, external temperature sensor
and advanced boiler controls.

The 50kW, 75kW and 100kW versions all have an efficiency of 93%. The CGB-50 measures 855mm x 440mm x 393mm, while the CGB-75 and CGB-100 both present at 1020mm x 565mm x 548mm.

For more details on RINNAI products visit www.rinnaiuk.com.
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Vortice wins new contract to supply ventilation to William Davis

Ventilation systems supplier Vortice has been awarded the contract to supply intermittent ventilation fans to Midlands-based housebuilder William Davis.

The first site to be completed is Mill Fields, set in the Leicestershire village of Broughton Astley. This select development of 2 to 5 bedroom homes offers stunning views of open countryside and the houses are all well specified. William Davis is a family owned company which has been building homes for more than 80 years and it is known for its high quality craftsmanship and use of the highest quality products.

Vortice Specification Manager for the North, Ken Johnson, said “After discussions with William Davis it was clear that the quality of the products specified was of the utmost importance. The fans chosen are stylish and discreet, making them the ideal choice for bathrooms, utility rooms and kitchens. We are delighted William Davis has chosen Vortice products for these beautiful homes.”

For more information about Vortice fans visit www.vortice.ltd.uk.
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Studor shows the way to health and hygiene in the bathroom

Whilst unpleasant, a bad smell in the bathroom is not in itself dangerous. However, it may well be indicative of a more serious and potentially life-threatening issue. The smell can indicate that the water trap seal – the only barrier between the drainage system and the living space – has been lost, potentially posing serious health risks.

Water trap seals started being fitted on bathroom and kitchen fixtures after the 1854 cholera outbreak in London, in which hundreds of people died. Today, cholera is not a risk in the UK, but within all our drainage systems sewer gases and pathogens such as SARS, legionnaires, norovirus and others are always present.

For the last 40 years, drainage ventilation expert Studor has been solely focused on developing products that maintain the water trap seals in our buildings.

Studor’s Trap-Vent solution, the combination of a water trap and Air Admittance Valve (AAV), can easily be retrofitted to an existing bathroom, and is also ideal for small group venting in, for example, hotels, care homes and hospitals. It protects the water trap seal between the drainage system and the room, stopping bad odours and pathogens escaping from empty traps.

Studor’s UK Managing Director Stephen Taylor comments, “The Trap-Vent comes with a lifetime guarantee and also reduces siphonage noise, providing a 20dB noise reduction compared to conventional traps. Furthermore, it allows freedom of design for engineers and architects to enable multiple drainage fixtures to link together. It is also highly styled, so eminently suitable for installation in environments where aesthetics is of high importance.”

The Studor Trap-Vent is a combined trap with a 50mm water seal and an integral AAV. It reduces the need for secondary ventilating in small fixture groups and replaces conventional S traps and P traps. It is height adjustable for fully flexible installation, has integrated self-cleaning, and is suitable for bath and shower rooms, providing an excellent solution for problem solving in new builds as well as the retrofit market.

Studor has more than one million products installed each year across six continents, and its worldwide distribution network extends to more than 50 countries. The company has a rich history and specialist knowledge, making it well placed to help architects, engineers, specifiers, plumbers, and end-users solve their drainage ventilation issues.

For more information call 0845 6013292; email info@studor.net or visit www.studor.net/trap-vent.
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Demand escalates for Rinnai training

Rinnai is a registered provider of CPD courses, which it has developed over the past few years, earning praise from the CPD Certification Scheme for the design of the courses. The manufacturer has seen an upswing in demand for its training as specifiers and engineers alike have switched on to the energy saving benefits of the A-rated Rinnai Infinity range.

Rinnai’s qualifications as a provider of CPD courses are impressive: as the UK and European market leader in the supply of gas fired continuous flow water heaters for commercial, domestic and renewable integration, Rinnai is at the forefront of innovative and efficient systems and technology.

As Rinnai UK Managing Director Tony Gittings explains: “The UK water heating industry is facing a myriad of environmental and politically driven market forces, including the need to reduce carbon emissions within new and existing buildings. In the training modules we clarify and engage with the market to assist decision making and understanding of the different messages faced by today’s engineers, installers and designers.

“Rinnai can demonstrate how innovation can reduce the burden on fossil fuels while maximising renewable gains. We also look at the growing support for continuous flow technologies and how this can benefit the industry versus traditional gas fired storage systems and analyse water heating design and specification discussing technical issues associated with product installation.”
“Our training facility and CPD training courses ensure key market personnel at all levels can benefit from nationwide training from our highly skilled team of technical experts. Ensuring they are up to speed with changes in legislation and product developments. Rinnai can also deliver bite-size one- hour courses to suit your needs,” says Rinnai associate director Chris Goggin.

For installers, specific hands-on training can be tailored to cover all aspects of commissioning and servicing processes. The Runcorn training facility has recently been redesigned and enlarged to cope with demand and is fitted with all the latest Rinnai technology so attendees can be assured they are gaining experience on the latest energy saving appliances and systems.

These training events are aimed primarily at engineers and facilities managers. The courses don’t just look at the individual units but also explore system design and how to deal successfully with legionella. The most popular course modules are ‘Understanding ACOP L8 and hot water system design’ and ‘System design incorporating continuous flow and renewables’.

Engineer courses are held on the first and last Thursday of each month at Runcorn. More courses are in the process of being added, including one on the new Rinnai Infinity Solo, which is now awaiting CPD accreditation.

The comprehensive engineer training course line-up for 2017 includes nine modules: Rinnai product overview; Continuous flow and the future of water heating; Intermediate water heater; Continuous flow – Excellence in design; Service and fault diagnostics (Water heaters); Service and fault diagnostics (Energy saver warm air units); Understanding ACOP L8 and hot water system design; Maximising renewable gain in hot water design; and, Continuous flow as an innovative method of satisfying energy and regulatory demands.

CPD Roadshow courses are also available for M&E consultants and specifiers, design and build engineers, facilities managers and gas contractors.

For more information contact Ian Jenkins on +44 (0)1928 531 870 or email ianjenkins@rinnaiuk.com

For more details on RINNAI products visit www.rinnaiuk.com.

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tp24’s new abstract range ‘loved’ by Grand Designs Live

Grand Designs Live proved to be the ideal platform for tp24 to launch their new G30 Abstract range of Linear Led light fittings. Not only were stand visitors impressed by Abstract, but the tp24 stand received the accolade of ‘Grand Designs Loves’ status, selected by the team from Grand Designs Magazine as being a ‘best in show’ exhibitor displaying innovative, revolutionary and eco and sustainable product design.

Designed in the UK by tp24, Abstract offers many innovative features including a built-in driver and integrated circuit dimming mechanism within the LED arms which enables the consumer to easily control the light levels of the fitting. In addition to dimming the arms, members of the tp24 team demonstrated how easy it is to alter the fittings’ look by changing the orientation of the arm, removing the arm or changing it for an alternative arm design.

Shaun Davis, Managing Director of tp24 Ltd commented “Grand Designs Live was a real triumph for us, with our stand being busy throughout the duration of the Show. Our new G30 Abstract range really created a buzz with visitors and the feedback that we received on its revolutionary design was most encouraging, resulting in many exciting opportunities for the future”.

For further information on tp24’s range of LED light bulbs and fittings, please telephone 01354 691919, email sales@tp24.com or visit tp24.com.
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Altro’s harmonious ranges strike the right chord

Altro has launched three new complimentary flooring ranges, developed to deliver harmonious design possibilities and meet the needs of diverse areas. Each room in a building has different challenges. Altro’s new flooring ranges draw from the same colour palette but offer different properties so you can mix and match to meet your needs, without compromising on style or performance.

Altro Operetta™ is a robust 2mm floor perfect for medium to high traffic areas such as corridors in hospitals, care homes or schools, patient rooms and retail environments. It has 25 attractive natural and contemporary colours and finishes to fit your interior design scheme.

Altro Orchestra™ is ideal for areas where comfort and sound reduction are important. Engineered to create the ideal environment to learn and live, this 2.85mm thick floor with 15db sound reduction offers comfort underfoot, making life easier on the feet of students, patients and hard-working staff. An even wider palette of 40 colours and designs varying from calming neutrals reflecting tones of nature to vibrant shades allow you to design the right atmosphere every time.

Altro

Altro Serenade™ is an acoustic floor, ideal for playrooms, hotel rooms, care homes or offices – anywhere where silence is golden. Whether softening the sounds of little feet or maximising privacy at work or leisure, Altro Serenade is up to the task. At 3.9mm thick with 19dB sound reduction, it also offers a high level of comfort underfoot. With 15 colour and design options, Altro Serenade matches and coordinates with Altro Operetta and Altro Orchestra.

Altro’s new ranges are colourful, easy to clean and compatible with each other. They are perfect for internal areas with low potential for spills from water, and can be combined with Altro safety flooring for areas prone to spills that have a high slip risk.

All three ranges also harmonise perfectly with Altro Whiterock™ hygienic wall cladding and the Altro Fortis™ wall, door and corner protection system, allowing you to create the look and feel you want, throughout.

All have industry-leading guarantees and the performance you would expect from Altro.

For more information visit www.altro.co.uk.
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Rinnai System thinking for gyms

Rinnai’s gym specific solution delivers a new generation of fully integrated, high efficiency & cost effective hot water heating and delivery systems

Rinnai has developed a new and innovative concept of economical and efficient hot water delivery specifically for gyms and fitness centres. The concept brings together all the components of a system in one handy, bespoke pack for any operation, large or small, local and national.

Rinnai recently supplied a growing High Street gym estate with a custom-built ‘gym pack’ that includes everything from design to delivery of a complete hot water system in one easy to install, fully specified and energy efficient ‘pack’ delivered direct to site.

The site has reported excellent results from the systems which have been installed in multiple sites over the UK, with more rolling out over the next couple of years.

Rinnai’s Chris Goggin says “Simply supplying a water heater unit (or multiple units) has become an antiquated notion that simply is not good enough. ‘System’ thinking, where we deliver to site the complete package, is what is going to give the gym chain the edge over the competition. The Rinnai system virtually guarantees endless amounts of hot water at useable temperatures, all on demand. Who wants a cold shower after a workout? And what gym chain wants to lose a client because of cold showers?”

The inaugural site was keen to have a fully reliable system with the slimmest of running costs, and, at the same time it was paramount that the showers never ran out of hot water even at the busiest of times.

The Rinnai total gym solution includes water heaters, flues, scale protection, unvented cylinders, valves, prefabrication racks, advanced BMS controls – even water sampling equipment – specified, designed and delivered by Rinnai.

“This is arguably the most efficient package on the market,” says Goggin, “and we have the figures to back this claim up.” When ErP labelling went live on 26 September 2015, Rinnai scored A-ratings on all its water heaters and achieved best in class energy and running cost figures following independent testing by a notified body.

“The heat generator on the system is Rinnai’s HD1500i which offers 95% gross efficiency which is maintained for the lifetime of the system due to the design principles and controls. Therefore, the design, combined with the system-thinking approach, promotes best-in-class energy efficiencies.”

Rinnai HDC1500i regulates water temperature to within +/- 1ºC via a ‘smart’ digital controller without any variation of temperature at the outlet even when water is drawn off elsewhere. All models have full electronic ignition, no pilot light and operate on demand only, so there is no gas consumption when the unit is idle.

The system can accommodate as many HD1500i units as necessary depending on the size of the gym/hot water need on a bespoke cascade frame, with bespoke designed common header flue – also including proven electrolytic scale prevention device.

“With our integrated system concept, we have gone far beyond simply manufacturing a product to offering a complete turnkey service from planning through installation and commissioning to on-going maintenance,” says Goggin.

“Customers and end-users can be assured that their system is–G3 compliant and performing to the guidance of ACOP L8 as well as being best in class under Part L building regulations. As well as for the gym chain, we have already developed these packages for some other household name companies and for our distribution partners, and these pioneering projects, along with the gym chain programme, have been very well received.”

For more details on RINNAI products visit www.rinnaiuk.com.
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Altro’s first adhesive-free flooring for low slip risk areas is tough time-saving solution at Warrington Hospital

New Altro CantataTM, the company’s first adhesive-free flooring for areas with a low slip risk, is already demonstrating its capabilities at Warrington Hospital, providing a tough time and cost saving solution in a busy non-clinical corridor.

Lee Bushell, the hospital’s Acting Head of Capital Projects, says “The service corridor is an area that gets an enormous amount of traffic. It’s in constant use during the day.

“After many years of this treatment, the existing vinyl flooring was really showing the strain. It looked tired, scruffy and we needed to find a hard wearing, affordable long term solution that could be laid with minimal disruption in this busy area.

“We have a very good relationship with Altro, and their flooring is proving very successful elsewhere in the hospital, so we asked them to have a look at the corridor and give us some guidance.

“They suggested we use their new Altro Cantata flooring, because it could be laid straight down onto the existing flooring, without adhesive, which would mean a fast installation.

New Altro Cantata is a decorative, adhesive-free flooring that creates maximum impact with minimum downtime. Using Altro’s award-winning adhesive-free installation method, it can be welded and walked on the same day, and at the end of its life removed easily, allowing it to be reused or recycled. It can handle the traffic of busy areas and is a long-term solution that will look good for years to come.

It is ideal for busy public spaces where disruption needs to be minimal, such as hospitals, schools and general circulation areas, with the durability needed for medium to high traffic areas. Plus there are no associated adhesive odours. Altro Cantata’s 16 soft-look shades, which range from subtle naturals to beautifully vivid, allows you to create just the right colour scheme or tone.

Lee Bushell continues: “I must admit I was sceptical that Altro Cantata would be able to meet our needs, but I am very pleased that I have been proved wrong, and it has been perfect for us in so many ways.

“There was a very short window for installation, because the corridor is in use until 7pm, but the process went very smoothly and was completed in just one night. A flooring that needs adhesive would have taken 3 to 4 days to fit. Altro Cantata has delivered a massive saving in cost, and the corridor was back in full use the next morning.

When speaking of the floor handling foot and wheeled traffic, Lee said: “It’s is standing up to the demands well with no signs of movement, bubbling or rippling, which proves it truly is a long term solution and not just a temporary fix. Very impressive.

“In terms of aesthetics, the flooring looks superb. There are some great colour choices with Altro Cantata. We selected a pale ice blue, which perfectly matches the colour scheme of the corridor.

“Cleaning is proving to be a revelation. The black scuffs and wheel marks from the trolleys were always tough to remove on the old flooring. Initially our cleaning team was doubtful they could get the marks off the new flooring, and nervous of using the scrubber and buffer because they thought they might do some damage.

“But we are delighted to report that the flooring comes up like new after every nightly cleaning regime, and even the stubborn black wheel marks are gone. Scrubbing machines and buffers are doing a wonderful job, with no damage.

“Sustainability is also an important factor for us. Because Altro Cantata is an adhesive-free flooring it means that in the future, if we need to make repairs, we can simply cut out a section and replace it, without having to re-lay the entire area. And the product is 100% recyclable as well.

“Overall, Altro Cantata is meeting all our needs in terms of cost saving, durability, looks and hygiene. This is vital at a time when the NHS is looking to make savings where possible, while also maintaining the highest standards.

“We are currently looking at using this product in another non-clinical area of the hospital, where there are similar issues with installation time. We think it will do a fantastic job there as well.”

Altro Cantata was installed at Warrington Hospital by Cheshire Contract Flooring Ltd. Director Dave Hunt says: “We specialise in installing flooring in healthcare environments, so we completely understand the pressures in terms of timing, cost and often sensitive environments.

“The beauty of Altro Cantata is that it can be laid straight down on to the subfloor, or existing flooring, with minimal preparation. There is no need to grind the floor, or put down a DPM, or prime, screed or use adhesive. This is a massive time and cost saver, a real fast track solution. Plus there is no need to wait for adhesive to dry and cure, so the flooring can be used and walked on immediately. It’s an ideal product for busy areas with heavy traffic where quick installation is paramount.”

Dave Hunt adds: “We laid the flooring in just one night, an area of 140m2, with two operatives. The process was quite straightforward. Firstly we made sure the existing flooring was clean, dry and dust free, then rolled out the sheet of product and cut it to size. Double-sided tape was then put around the perimeter, along the walls, one either side of the join.

“The tape was then peeled back and the flooring laid down and pressed into place. We finished by hot welding the joints, putting in a sit-on skirting, and steel threshold strips in the doorway. It was so fast: we could not have completed the work in this short timeframe with a traditional vinyl flooring.

“The work was carried on a very cold night in November, and we were afraid that the low temperature might cause the product to be brittle and buckle. But it settled very well, and we are delighted with how easy it was to work with and install. It looks great too.

“I was unsure that the flooring would stay in place with all the heavy trolleys turning on it every day, but it has been designed to do just that, and hasn’t moved or buckled in the slightest. We are very impressed with Altro Cantata and we’ll certainly be recommending it for our future projects.”

For more information please visit www.altro.co.uk.
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The Natural Stone Show returns!

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Image: St James’s Market, London Portland limestone: Fancy Beach Whitbed; Grove Whitbed; and Jordan Whitbed from Albion Stone (Stand E6)

Returning for its 12th edition, the Natural Stone Show remains the only UK exhibition and conference dedicated to natural stone. Thousands of architects, designers, developers, stonemasons, wholesalers and retailers will flock to London’s ExCeL this April to see exhibitors from across the globe and enjoy 3 days of seminars; each seeking inspiration and advice for their next stone project.

If your marketplace is stone slabs, tiling or block; CNC machinery; diamond tooling; the latest fixing systems; sealants, adhesives, cleaning materials or another related product or service, then the Natural Stone Show is for you.

Natural Stone Show

Image: The Sainsbury Laboratory, Cambridge – England using Crosland Hill Hard Yorkstone paving from Johnsons Wellfield (Stand E25)

Natural Stone Show

Image: Private project, London   Silver travertine crafted by Ateliers Romeo (stand P16)

Register here for free tickets.
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