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

Rinnai + renewables = boosted efficiencies on hot water

Rinnai + renewables = boosted efficiencies on hot water

Chris Goggin of Rinnai UK, manufacturer of market leading Infinity HE gas fired continuous flow water heaters, believes there is a responsibility for the industry to monitor and control energy usage but warns that prevaricating until the perfect solution is developed is not helping to push things forward.

“It is time to focus on what we can do to decarbonise the UK building stock to support energy and emission target reductions by using the best available technologies today and not waiting for a ‘magic box’ solution tomorrow.”

He says there is no one, single method to achieve energy efficiencies and advocates using a mix of existing renewables and traditional technologies tied in with smart control systems as the practical way forward to a greener future. He urges the industry to act now considering multiple solutions and not one size fits all.

“Experts have warned that energy blackouts are forecast by 2017, so a smart and well engineered method of dealing with the increasing pressures on the Energy Network without over engineering and over pricing is to find ways of using current renewables technology, be it solar thermal, solar PV or heat pump, in a practical manner maximised by traditional fuel sources” says Goggin.

Rinnai award winning renewables water heating solutions are designed to offer a perfect blend of eco-friendly technologies, guaranteed to provide a constant flow of hot water, no matter how many outlets are in use at the same time. The HE Rinnai condensing continuous flow water heater can be utilised as a secondary heat source for a solar or ASHP-boosted hot water delivery system and is one of the most energy efficient. Smart internal and external controls ensures that the Rinnai system is only using the optimum amount of gas, harnessing and maximising renewable gains and not acting as a constant or wasteful secondary heat source.

For all-year round hot water, Rinnai Infinity HDC1500 and HDC 1200 gas fired condensing continuous flow water heaters are renewables-ready or easily ‘retrofitable’ with current renewable technology.

Rinnai’s Infinity condensing products incorporate two heat exchangers to achieve optimum water heating generated from every cubic metre of Natural Gas or LPG, producing efficiencies of 95-97 per cent, easily surpassing the 90-92 per cent thermal efficiency thresholds set by the new legislation in the new build arena. They are extremely low NoX, less than 50mg, with hot water supply volumes of up to 740 litres per hour at 50° Delta from a single appliance. The addition of smart controls to the commercial condensing range cuts emissions further and aid frugality in gas consumption.

Rinnai’s award-winning renewable water heating solutions are designed to offer a perfect blend of eco-friendly technologies, guaranteed to provide a constant flow of hot water 365 days of the year.

For more information on the RINNAI product range visit www.rinnaiuk.com

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Quality Driven by Remmers

Quality Driven by Remmers

Established in 2004 and formally known as Blackhorse Car Sales, Lex Autolease Car Select in Oldbury has over 500 cars displayed in their showroom. The 2000㎡ showroom space along with the 600㎡ workshop space required a high gloss smooth finish flooring to upgrade the executive used car sales operation.

The existing old liquid polymer screed floor surfaces were badly cracked and damaged and needed refreshing and upgrading to better withstand the frequent and abrasive movements of the cars.

Capeland Industrial Flooring took on the challenge, which involved repairing, levelling and finishing the existing flooring with a slightly flexible floor topping that complemented the high end motor car sales. Remmers Epoxyflex PH SL was chosen for its ability to provide additional protection from reflective cracking. Three different shades of grey were employed throughout the buildings for demarcation and to highlight safe pedestrian routes.

The works were completed within a stringent timescale and budget much to the clients satisfaction.

For further information, please visit www.remmers.co.uk

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Altro triumphs at National Manufacturing Awards

Altro triumphs at National Manufacturing Awards

Altro has won a coveted award at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ Manufacturing Excellence (MX) Awards 2014 in the ‘Innovation in Products and Processes’ category.

Christopher Simpson, Chairman of the Manufacturing Excellence Awards Executive, said: “The judges were hugely impressed by how much Altro values its customer voice in the creation of new products and by the company’s ability to create products that break new ground and allow Altro to stay ahead of the competition.

“Altro’s safety flooring for areas where both bare feet and shoes are used, called Altro Aquarius, is one of the company’s most successful product launches. The company also has a range of flooring derived purely from renewable sources.

“Altro is a hugely exciting company and demonstrates that innovation and originality is very much alive in UK manufacturing.”

John Patsavellas, Altro’s Manufacturing & Technical director said: “It is truly a huge honour for Altro to receive this prestigious award. It recognises our core innovation competency that enables us to make a positive difference in safety, hygiene and sustainability, with our customers and our colleagues at the heart of all our innovation systems. We are delighted with this honour and determined to continue leading in this field and sharing our innovation success story with British Industry.”

The Manufacturing Excellence Awards was established in 1982 and is widely recognised in the business world for promoting the very best of UK manufacturing.

The 2014 Manufacturing Excellence Awards is run by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers with AESSEAL®, The ERA Foundation, Grant Thornton, Lombard, NatWest, Renishaw and WMG and supported by the Department for Business and Innovation, MAS (Manufacturing Advisory Service), the MTC, Hexagon Metrology and Power Panels.

For further information about Altro, please visit www.altro.co.uk

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Brent Hudson confirmed as new Head at Twyford

Brent Hudson confirmed as new Head at Twyford

Reporting to Anders Spetz, Chief Commercial Officer of Sanitec, Brent will have full responsibility for Twyford in the UK and Ireland.

Brent joined Twyford in February 2013 to head up the Commercial Operations and Marketing departments. He has previously held board level positions with Valeo Service, Saint-Gobain Pipelines and Biwater Industries.

Says Brent Hudson: “I am delighted to be appointed at such an exciting and interesting time in Twyford’s history. With the recent launch of our Energy Collection we are looking to further grow our position in the UK market, and I am greatly looking forward to leading the company as we re-affirm the Twyford brand.”

Brent’s appointment is with immediate effect.

For further information on Twyford Bathrooms, contact tel: 01270 879777 or visit www.twyfordbathrooms.com

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Rinnai – a full range of fanned convection space heaters

Rinnai – a full range of fanned convection space heaters

Rinnai Energysaver fanned convection powered flue gas fired space heating solutions are suited to all types of sites – schools, community centres, libraries, conservatories and churches.

Rinnai Energysaver models deliver smart, energy-efficient and consistent warm air without the use of central ductwork. And installation is quick, easy and simple.

The Rinnai Energysaver range comprises of models that exceed seasonal thermal heating guidance under the Building Regs Part L.

Rinnai provides an innovative solution by heating from the floor up and by modulating gas usage in relation to room temperature, enabling its units to provide unparalleled levels of comfort and efficiency. They provide safe, controllable heat with maximum energy efficiency, combined with flexibility of location.

Any number of Rinnai space heaters can run off a central time clock providing heat to large spaces. The Energysaver Multi is not limited to single Energysavers as the flexibility of the system guarantees any units can be mixed and matched together to satisfy even the most unique buildings.

The Rinnai range of Energysaver fanned convection powered flue heaters includes three products – the Energysaver 309 FTR, the Energysaver 559T, the energy Saver 1004T, which are available in both Natural Gas and LPG options. All models come with a 15 year warranty on the heat exchanger.

Fully modulating burners mean heat output and energy input are reduced as the space warms up. The units, encased in a low surface temperature casing to eradicate any risk of burns, are swift to warm up, easy to control and are very economical to run. Rinnai Energysaver 559T, and 1004T heaters are also suitable for central timer control.

For more information on the RINNAI product range visit www.rinnaiuk.com

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Hush Acoustics: Hard wood flooring replaces carpet in apartment

Hush Acoustics: Hard wood flooring replaces carpet in apartment

A 4 month refurbishment project has been completed by Hush Acoustics in a block of apartments in Kensington, London.

The client wanted to replace their existing carpet with a more modern timber flooring in the apartment but the lease dictated that a change in floor finish was not permitted due to potential sound transmission to neighbouring properties.

Hush Acoustics were called in to solve this problem and specified Hush Mat 15 as the acoustic underlay for the project. This allowed the carpet to be removed and a timber floor to be installed. Hush Mat 15 decoupled the hard floor from the existing floor structure. The floor construction consisted of: Hardwood floor finish 15mm, Hush Mat 15 acoustic underlay, existing timber structural deck and existing ceiling.

Hush Acoustics carried out Sound Testing before and after the works were carried out. The results confirmed that the treatment proposed by Hush showed an improvement in both Impact and Airborne acoustic performance. This satisfied the leaseholder and the management company and allowed a timber floor finish to be installed. This is a very common problem within multi-occupancy buildings and Hush Acoustics provide solutions to treat it.

For more information on the Hush product range please visit www.hushacoustics.co.uk or call direct on 01519332026.

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Cinema is the perfect Showcase for direct replacement

Cinema is the perfect Showcase for direct replacement

When Showcase Cinemas decided to replace the air handling units at some of its UK sites, Weatherite’s ‘direct replacement’ air handling systems delivered a reliable, cost effective, energy efficient, long lasting solution.

Showcase Cinemas is a major UK cinema chain, owned and operated by National Amusements Inc. Efficient air handling is essential to the comfort of its cinemagoers and staff. Unreliability and the cost of continually replacing components had become a concern with some of the existing air handling units, a number of which were failing in well under the 15 year life cycle expected with this type of equipment.

Showcase Cinemas investigated replacing the equipment with standard proprietary units, however, this proved unviable due to unit size, space constraints and the cost and down time involved in moving M&E services to connect with the new units.

Showcase’s Consultants, Hoare Lea contacted Weatherite who suggested replacing the old AHU’s with ‘bespoke direct replacements’ that match the existing units in terms of size, footprint and positioning of service connections. Using the latest technology, such as EC fans, scroll compressors, high efficiency indirect gas fired heaters and web-enabled Trend control systems, Weatherite’s solution also delivered high operational efficiency and energy savings.

Weatherite also developed bespoke BMS software for the control systems integration which has given National Amusements real time access to each of the AHU’s performance and operational data. The software allows the client to make adjustments remotely, and includes self-diagnostics to aid maintenance of the equipment.

The first Showcase Cinema to be updated with new Weatherite equipment was Walsall, in the West Midlands where 14 AHU’s were installed over a three-day cycle. In conjunction with Elite Air Services Ltd, Showcase’s service and maintenance company, Weatherite carried out the work after the last evening performance, working overnight until the building was handed back ready for the following day’s screenings.

Weatherite also supplied the new centralised control access system and carried out the commissioning with Showcase’s BMS contractor, to ensure everything ran smoothly. The success of the Walsall project has led to further installations in Coventry and Teeside.

The direct replacement approach has delivered many benefits to the client. The new system features ‘like for like’ equipment in terms of air volumes, heating and cooling performance and M&E service connections. It will also substantially reduce ongoing energy costs.

Thanks to the overnight installation process, system downtime was minimised and no business days were lost. The control software provides much greater management information in real time, plus immediate control of the operating system.

For further information please contact Steve Cartledge, Sales Director, Weatherite Manufacturing Limited on
+44 (0) 121 665 2266; email: sales@weatheritegroup.com or visit www.weatheritegroup.com

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Rinnai offers a ‘BMS gateway’ to hot water efficiency – another innovation

Rinnai offers a ‘BMS gateway’ to hot water efficiency – another innovation

Rinnai is introducing yet another product innovation in its continuous drive for the highest possible efficiencies and control over hot water provision in all commercial sites. This pioneering product allows end-users to exercise ultimate control and maximise energy efficiencies in all sizes and types of buildings, even in multi-tenanted sites.

Utilising the BACnet and modbus compatible protocol, Rinnai has introduced a gateway that allows a seamless integration of its continuous flow hot water heating products and systems into Building Management Systems (BMS).

The Rinnai Gateway enables access to its advanced product functionality including temperature control, fault diagnostics and communication, energy monitoring, trend logging and on/off status.

“We have recognised the growing market demand for a reliable and efficient supply of hot water. The Rinnai gateway will provide end-users and FM managers alike with the facility to manage and maintain their hot water supply more efficiently than ever before” says Managing Director Tony Gittings.

The Rinnai smart controller offers on/off status as well as fault codes to facilitate first hit repair. For example, the BMS can communicate a precise error code to the central system meaning that in the event of a breakdown the user can communicate the correct parts and information to the engineer for a first time fix, limiting down time and improving Rinnai service response.

The controller allows the end user to remotely monitor and change system temperatures and also to monitor and adjust burners for maximum efficiencies. In effect, the controls monitor gas usage to dictate business periods and energy savings. Rinnai units modulate the gas supply in relation to the amount of heat input required to optimise gas usage meaning high energy efficiency is delivered at all times. This is monitored and visualised by the controls.

The Rinnai smart controller controls also monitor running hours and service requirements. As Rinnai units are on-demand, operating only when a tap is turned on, suggested service periods can be ascertained from running hours, as well as early warning of scale build up. Rinnai HDC units now contain smart lime scale notification systems to maintain system integrity and prevent in-efficiencies from scale accumulation.

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

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Evinox Energy Chilled Water meter Kit

Evinox Energy chilled Water meter kit

Perfect for installations that include a communal chilled water system, the new Evinox Energy chilled water meter kit includes all the equipment required to facilitate commissioning, balancing, and flow control of the chilled water circuit, as well as the accurate measurement of energy consumption.

The integrated flushing by-pass allows the chilled water primary circuit to be cleansed and flushed by simply moving the blue lever valve to the off position and the blue T bar lever across the pipe and the apartment circuit. This ensures the Pressure Independent Control Valve (PICV) and meter are protected from the cleansing process of the primaries. The PICV provides flow regulation of the chilled water circuit within the apartment and differential pressure control of the chilled water circuit ensuring that only differential pressure control of the main primary pump set is required.

The PICV also features its own binder points for the commissioning engineer to use when required and the in inbuilt isolation valve has an integral strainer.

The kit includes a MID approved meter head, which is supplied with a wall mounting bracket that enables the meter head to be installed in a position where it can be read easily, normally below the ceiling level. The meter can also be wired directly back to the Evinox ModuSat heat interface unit, allowing the chilled water consumption to be read via our ViewSmart room controller.

The whole chilled water meter kit assembly comes complete with its own sturdy insulation jacket, which allows removal for any maintenance that may be required.

For pre-payment operation with our PaySmart system the assembly can be fitted with an actuator to shut down the chilled water circuit in the event of no credit being available.

For further information about our integrated communal heating solutions, please contact us by emailing info@evinoxenergy.co.uk or visit www.evinoxenergy.co.uk

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Altro provides first class bathroom solution for University of Melbourne

Altro provides first class bathroom solution for University of Melbourne

Altro has delivered an integrated flooring and wall cladding solution for Ormond College at the University of Melbourne. Ormond College is the largest residential college at the University, with more than 400 students and 80 permanent and casual staff.

The college needed practical, easily maintained flooring and wall cladding for new bathroom installations. They selected Altro Aquarius™ safety flooring to provide a surface that would be slip-resistant in wet and dry, shoe and barefoot environments – perfect for their ensuite refurbishment. For the ensuite walls, they selected Altro Whiterock™ wall cladding. Ormond College loved the fact that it is impact resistant and that they no longer needed to worry about repairs to grout, cracks or chips.

They were impressed with the product’s high end look to match their building design whilst providing safe, easy to clean, hygienic and durable surfaces. The bathrooms, being a wet and dry environment, needed flooring that would be safe under both conditions and under bare feet as well as different types of shoes. With a TRRL ≥36 and Class B safety rating, along with Altro’s long warranties, 15 years sustained slip-resistance, and reputation, they knew they were in safe hands.

Dennis Stammer, Maintenance Manager at Ormond College said, “I have experienced Altro in the past and not only do they have excellent customer service but high quality, top of the range products as well. The bathrooms that we installed using Altro safety flooring and Altro Whiterock wall cladding were reasonably priced and of very high quality. I would only recommend and use Altro Aquarius and Altro Whiterock products.”

Altro is a world leading manufacturer and supplier of flooring, walling, ceilings and doorsets. The company supplies hygienic, safe and practical, yet decorative, solutions for all interior environments – without compromising on function or design.

A vast product range features traditional and contemporary, textured and smooth coverings, all in a broad palette of colours. Altro’s customers operate in the education, healthcare, pharmaceutical, retail, leisure, hospitality and food and drink sectors.

Altro is leading the way in sustainable manufacturing and is the first safety flooring manufacturer with the facility to recycle safety flooring in house.

For further information, please visit www.altro.com

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