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

Altro now recommended supplier for Procure22

Altro has been appointed as a recommended supplier of Wall & Door Protection by the PSCPs on the Department of Health & Social Care’s ProCure22 Framework for NHS and social care construction schemes in England. Altro wall and door systems, including Altro Whiterock and Altro Fortis systems, are recommended for use throughout healthcare environments.

The ProCure22 (P22) process is designed to achieve improved value for money and reduce exposure to risk through a simplified capital procurement procedure.

With up to 20 year product guarantees, Altro can ensure healthcare environments provide an impervious and hygienic environment, meeting the stringent requirements in critical hygiene areas. With up to 43 colour choices and new Altro Whiterock wall designs, a warm and welcoming environment can be created to reduce stress and improve patient and staff wellbeing.

Altro

Altro also provides a wide selection of floor solutions that can be used in all areas of healthcare environments, including specialist safety solutions for areas of high slip risk including bathrooms and kitchens.

Altro is the only walls manufacturer on the P22 supplier list to have been awarded DSDC accreditation and is the only walls and doors manufacturer to have HACCP approval for wall and floor products.

“Altro pioneered hygienic wall sheets and we have over 35 years of experience providing these solutions in healthcare environments, including many projects within the NHS and social care,” says Mark Johnstone, Head of Commercial – UK, Middle East & Ireland. “We are proud our wall and door solutions have been recognised as a cost- effective and durable solution for healthcare, which supports our commitment to creating environments that are designed for the wellbeing of everyone who uses them.”

The following products are included in the P22 standard components list:

  • Altro Whiterock White
  • Altro Whiterock Satins
  • Altro Whiterock Chameleon
  • Altro Whiterock wall designs
  • Altro Whiterock Splashbacks
  • Altro Fortis Titanium
  • Altro Fortis corner protection
  • Altro Basis
  • Altro Whiterock Digiclad
  • Altro Whiterock hygienic Doorsets

This award is valid until October 2020.

For further information please visit www.altro.co.uk
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A world of possibilities with Vicaima doors

The eagerly anticipated 2019 edition of the Vicaima Interior Door Selector (IDS) has now arrived, with an array of products designed to inspire creative interiors for modern living.   Whether for homes, commercial environments, health or educational establishments, Vicaima offers original style coupled with outstanding performance.

The 2019 IDS provides specifiers and distributors with an easy to navigate, priced guide through a myriad of styles and finishes that demonstrate the sheer breadth of possibilities available with Vicaima interior doors and doorsets. All doors are available in a variety of constructional cores, extensive choice of dimensions and of course a colour palette that allows real creative flair for new build and refurbishment projects. Whether the vision calls for wood veneers displaying their natural specie or stained in a contemporary tone, originally designed laminates and innovative foils or even a spectrum of paint lacquers; Vicaima has one of the most comprehensive selections available.

Vicaima

As if 80 pages of door models were not enough, the Vicaima 2019 Interior Door Selector goes one step further, offering a wide assortment of additional modifications.   Vicaima customisation provides the opportunity to select a door of choice from any of their Essential ex-stock solid core designs and to transform them with grooves, inlays and glazing plus many other factory servicing options. Effectively this creates thousands of additional doors patterns, all available with shorter lead times than conventional bespoke doors.

Download a copy of the 2019 Interior Door Selector today by visiting the Vicaima website www.vicaima.com. Alternatively call 01793 532333 for further possibilities.
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Ariston introduces Aures – a new electric instantaneous water heater

Ariston has added the Aures Slim Multi to its portfolio of electric water heaters. Suitable for a wide range of applications, from bathrooms and kitchens to loft conversions and utility rooms, each compact unit can simultaneously supply multiple outlets – such as a sink and a shower – with instantaneous hot water. As a result, users no longer have to wait for the water to heat up.

The Aures Slim Multi has an ‘A’ class ErP energy rating, making it the most efficient method of providing water at the point of use. Plus, each unit is also supplied with a two-year warranty as standard.

To ensure an advanced level of performance, the Aures Slim Multi is equipped with a flow sensor system, which initiates instantaneous water heating when an outlet is opened. The unit also boasts an easy to operate, front facing dial complete with LED indicators to highlight the selected power level: ‘low’ (4.5kW), ‘medium’ (5kW) or ‘high’ (9.5kW). In addition, all internal components can be accessed from the front of the unit for easy maintenance, while a double thermal cut-out is in place to ensure safety and peace of mind.

Aesthetically, the Aures Slim Multi benefits from premium Italian design by Umberto Palermo, including an elegant brushed effect front panel and a sleek cover to conceal the water inlet and outlet pipes. The product’s compact size (L = 304mm, H = 178mm, D = 98mm) also ensures plenty of space is saved in whatever application it is installed.

Commenting on the new electric water heater, Alex Boweren, Product Manager at Ariston, said: “The Aures Slim Multi is a great addition to our range of hot water products. Because of its compact size, the unit can be fitted in narrow spaces, making it suitable for a variety of applications, including utility rooms, garages and conservatories.”

Ariston Thermo UK, which is part of the Ariston Thermo Group, is a manufacturer of domestic heating, hot water and renewable products. With over 20 years of experience in the UK, Ariston Thermo is a worldwide leading company in the heating and water heating industry.

For more details about Ariston, visit: www.ariston.co.uk or follow @AristonUK on Twitter.
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Rinnai A-rated Infinity range for a low NOx infinite supply of safe hot water

Available from leading manufacturer Rinnai is claimed to be the most energy efficient, low NOx and cost-effective range of A-rated water heaters across a range of load profiles compared with any other gas fired continuous flow water heaters on the UK market.

RINNAI’S HEAVY-DUTY CONDENSING (HDC) INFINITY MODELS

The Infinity HDC1600i, tested to below 20 ppm NOx, produces the lowest emissions on the market, with 107% net thermal efficiencies. The newly developed unit with down-firing burner allows increased efficiency.

The established award-winning condensing HDC1200 internal and external models show an impressive energy performance of 107% net thermal efficiency while the larger Rinnai HDC1500 internal and external models turn in 105% net thermal efficiency.

The Rinnai Infinity Low NOx HD55i internal water heater is a room sealed, wall hung, LPG or natural gas fired continuous flow water heater. The Infinity Low NOx 55i is capable of supplying in excess of 980 litres at 50º rise per hour. Up to 25 units can be cascaded to satisfy any specification.

RINNAI SOLO

The Infinity Solo condensing, low NOx condensing water heater, is the first Rinnai product for the UK to combine the advanced technology of its wall mounted continuous flow water heaters with a stainless-steel storage cylinder in one compact unit.

RINNAI INFINITY PLUS

The Infinity Plus solution brings together multiple units of the company’s award-winning low NOx water heaters into single, easily manoeuvrable modules. All pre-assembled on ready fixed racks designed to fit through standard door frames.

RINNAI INFINITY INDUSTRY SPECIFIC BESPOKE PACK

The Rinnai Bespoke Packs have been designed to provide better on-site efficiency and is supplied to site in one complete package, ready for instant installation. The A rated, low NOx system offers proven tested 105% efficiency and is G3 and Legionella (ACOP L8) compliant.

RINNAI INFINITY DOMESTIC AND LIGHT COMMERCIAL UNITS

The 24kW multipoint Rinnai Infinity 11i and 35kW 16i with push fit flue systems join the Rinnai Infinity 17e for external mounting to create a flexible range of domestic and light commercial water heaters that boast high efficiencies and on-going savings, with ease of installation and reliability.

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

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Evinox Comment on Changes to Hot Water Services in NHBC Standards for 2019

The NHBC is the UK’s leading warranty and insurance provider for new homes, setting standards for registered builders and working to help improve the construction quality of the homes they build.

They recently announced the launch of their 2019 Standards, which will become effective from 1st January 2019. The standards apply to all properties with foundations laid on or after that date.

Evinox are happy to see some updates to ‘Hot water services’ in the new standards, where changes have been made to some of the flow rates and supply temperatures at the outlets. For example, the supply temperature at the kitchen sink has been reduced from the previous 60C to 55C, which is in line with the delivery temperature that was selected for the majority of Heat Networks, during the last year.

NHBC-Table-3-web

Helen Gibbons, Evinox Technical and Design Manager, Comments, “This change to the outlet temperature is a very positive development as it will enable district and communal heating system flow temperatures to be reduced, something which is especially important for the growth of 4th Generation Heat Networks in the UK. In addition, the lowered DHW temperature combined with the new table in the NHBC standard for simultaneous hot water use, will give design engineers the confidence to reduce the kW demand for individual properties, something which will improve both efficiency and cost of UK Heat Networks.”

Helen continued, “whilst we are very happy to see that the required temperature from the kitchen outlet has been lowered to 55C for 2019, we do hope to see this further reduced to 50C for heat network developments using instantaneous DHW heat interface units in the near future.”

Find out more about Evinox’s Products and Services for Heat Networks by visiting www.evinoxenergy.co.uk or contact Evinox at info@evinox.co.uk for further information.
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Vortice goes even Greener

Vortice is striving for a greener tomorrow and is asking its customers to participate! As part of this, the company will be gifting Christmas tree seeds this December. Clean air cannot be taken for granted and as air experts, Vortice’s mission is to improve the quality of the air that we breathe and to work towards maximum well-being in the buildings we inhabit. Assisting in this mission by providing additional trees to improve outdoor air quality, is a long standing tradition of the company.

Trees absorb carbon dioxide as they grow and also help to reduce ozone levels in urban areas. During the process of photosynthesis, trees take in carbon dioxide and produce the oxygen that we breathe. In the same way, house plants can improve oxygen levels indoors. Their leaves also help to collect dust and debris from the air, allowing the householder to wipe them clean and remove the dirt.

So, how else can we improve the quality of the air we breathe within the home?

1          Use good quality ventilation fans installed correctly to ensure that moist, stale air is taken out of the building. Prolonged exposure to damp indoor air can cause asthma and nasal congestion.

2          Ensure that you turn the fan on or open a window when you’ve had a shower, when you’ve been cooking or doing the washing, in order to allow damp air out.

3          Capture the heat! If you have a heat recovery system, ensure it is working correctly and is maintained. These units capture the warmth contained within stale air, by passing it over a heat exchanger, transferring the heat to the incoming fresh air thereby saving energy which would have otherwise been lost.

4          Clean any mould that appears within the home immediately, its spores can be damaging to the lungs and inflame the airways.

Having an issue with condensation and mould? The Vortice technical department would be only too happy to offer advice on the best ventilation solution for you. Vortice has a wide range of fans suitable for bathrooms, wet rooms, utilities and kitchens, as well as whole house units.

For this and more useful information visit the Vortice website www.vortice.ltd.uk
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Rinnai Solo for low NOx continuous flow on demand hot water……but with a store….

Rinnai Infinity Solo condensing and low NOx water heater is said to be the first of its kind in the UK to combine the advanced technology of low NOx wall mounted continuous flow water heaters with a stainless steel storage cylinder, all in one compact footprint.

The design parameters of this product allow specifiers, designers, installers and engineers to benefit from unique Rinnai technology in applications it was once not previously possible. For instance, the Infinity Solo features both 35kW and 54kW sized appliances, ensuring sites with a smaller gas meter can readily use this technology. The larger Infinity Solo model will also act as a high-efficiency alternative to gas fired storage appliances that exist in today’s market.

The cylinder is stainless steel and this reduces the weight compared to glass lined models, and it makes transportation, handling and installation a lot easier. As well as the difference in weight, the cylinders also have extremely low heat loss figures (as low as 1.41kW/h day), so the user pays less to maintain the heat within the tank.

Another benefit of the Infinity Solo with stainless steel cylinder is that the life expectancy of the material is far greater than that of a glass-lined equivalent as glass suffers from thermal shock causing it to crack after a period of time.

The Infinity Solo range is also renewables compatible and supplied pre-fitted with a coil, meaning that the primary energy source will always be from renewable gains and the complementary Rinnai water heater will only apply the precise amount of gas to boost the difference in temperature.

Rinnai manufactures the energy efficient Infinity range of low NOx gas fired continuous flow water heaters and space heaters. The Infinity brand carries the widest range of condensing water heaters on the market today with the most impressive efficiencies in operation, leading the field in technological innovation.

For more information on the RINNAI product range visit www.rinnaiuk.com
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Altro Orchestra looks the part in eye clinic

Altro Orchestra™ smooth flooring has been used to transform the eye clinic at Torbay Hospital, South Devon’s main hospital. The flooring, ideal for areas where comfort and sound reduction are important, was used to replace old carpet floor tiles that were no longer suitable.

The Estates Building Supervisor worked closely with and was fully supported by Altro to choose the right product for the clinic. Altro met with the ward and building supervisors to discuss floor options.

Roberts Flooring installed the Altro Orchestra. Scott Andrews, Estimator at Roberts Flooring said: “We fitted out the Eye Surgery Waiting Room in two contrasting colours Altro Orchestra ‘Bassoon’ and Altro Orchestra ‘Soul’. Aesthetically the design looks really good. The floor was easy to fit, which you would expect from Altro.”

Paul Gaunt, Building Maintenance Manager, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust said: “The installation went really well, there was a noticeable difference to the floor area as the installation progressed. The waiting area now benefits from a more professional look with improved natural light using the two colours. Altro Orchestra is really easy to clean and can be machine cleaned.”

2.85mm Altro Orchestra has been engineered to create the ideal environment to learn and live. Low residual indentation facilitates the flexible use of equipment and furniture, including hospital beds. At the same time, the integrated impact sound insulation system cuts impact sound by up to 15dB.

It offers comfort underfoot making life easier on the feet of patients or students, but particularly hard-working staff who spend countless hours on the move.

With a palette of 40 colours and designs varying from calming neutrals reflecting tones of nature, to vibrant shades, Altro Orchestra allows you to create the right atmosphere every time. It coordinates with Altro Operetta and Altro Serenade for a complete look throughout.

For further information, please visit www.altro.co.uk
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New Altro ensemble is the stylish choice for Radisson Blu

New Altro Ensemble modular flooring system is delivering on chic style and sound reduction at the four-star Radisson Blu Hotel in Mannheim, Germany. Designers of the contemporary 229 room hotel used Altro Ensemble luxury vinyl tiles to create the perfect ambience in the guest rooms, restaurant, corridors and state of the art conference area.

Altro Ensemble modular flooring system is the next generation of luxury vinyl tiles. From colour blocking to geometric patterns, with a range of plank and tile sizes and textures, Altro Ensemble gives design freedom to create luxurious floors for commercial interior spaces. With 57 options to mix and match, the modular flooring system has natural wood and stone designs and bloc colours too. Altro Ensemble is 2.6mm thick with a 0.55mm wear layer, 15dB sound reduction qualities and added comfort underfoot, with minimal residual indentation and excellent durability. A truly exceptional material, it combines these features with unique flexibility and is lightweight, making it easy to transport, cut and handle for installation.

“We paid particular attention to sound reduction when choosing the flooring,” explains Raimund Förg, project manager at Diringer & Scheidel. Designers also considered comfort and sustainability when making their product choices. Altro Ensemble has the benefits of local sustainably sourced raw materials made to Altro’s exacting manufacturing standards, which ensure high quality, excellent durability and high-performance characteristics.

In developing the new Altro Ensemble collection, the design team has taken inspiration from the Bauhaus design school’s philosophy of bridging the gap between form and function to engineer products that meet the customers’ biggest challenges, such as the need for cleanability, sustainability and flexibility. The result is a premium modular flooring system that offers variety and design freedom to create sophisticated, contemporary and striking designs.

Altro Ensemble is the perfect partner to Altro Whiterock wall designs – a new vision in wall decoration with natural wood, stone and linen options plus stunning metallic designs to give elegance to interior walls.

Discover more at www.altro.co.uk
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Riverside School receives spotless reception

The personality, vision and culture of a school should be reflected in its reception area. As the first room that every visitor, student and parent sees, the front of house presents an opportunity to impress and for a school to characterise its beliefs in just one look. Reception rooms need to be well planned to take into account footfall and should also have a large desk that is both practical and enjoyable to work on.

To create the right first impression, it’s worth taking a bit more time on the design of the reception area. Research indicates that a good school reception should be well decorated, display student work and be comfortable, friendly and welcoming. Understanding this Formica Infiniti® was specified to add a special touch to Riverside School’s reception room.

Portakabin was chosen as the principle contractor for the entire £44.5m three-school campus, which is now the UK’s largest offsite free school. With over 50 years’ experience in delivering market-leading modular solutions for a range of buildings; including schools, offices and hospitals, Portakabin delivered over 24,000m² of teaching accommodation across six hectares.

Formica Infiniti was selected to create a stylish ambience in the reception area of Riverside School. For the project, a 16 meter long reception and library desk was designed to impress. The contrast between the matte texture of Formica Infiniti in Storm and the gloss of the desk’s base in White, taken from the Formica® laminate AR Plus Colour range, was selected to create an open and welcoming space.

One of the main issues in designing a school reception desk is how children love to put their hands on everything. A sense of touch is important to our surroundings, tactility is in our nature and for children it is important for both learning and understanding the world. The fingerprints on the desks, however, can be challenging to manage.

Its resistance to fingerprints, marks and accidental abrasions makes Formica Infiniti perfect for creating a warm welcome and a lasting impression. Elegant and sleek with a contemporary matte finish, it not only feels soft, but also works harder than any laminate surface made to date and stays looking better for longer. You could say the surface is childproof.

For further information, please visit www.formica.com
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