ScaleBuster® Performance and Longevity Encapsulated at James Hornby School

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Between August 1998 and February 1999 three Scalebuster® units were installed at the James Hornby School in Basildon, Essex. The Scalebusters® were specified to protect the calorifiers in the school heating system by inhibiting the build-up of harmful limescale and so preventing the need for costly repairs or premature replacement.

In 2014 a refurbishment programme was undertaken at the school that included changes to the heating system, but the question was, had the Scalebusters® actually done their job? The ideal chance came when the three original units were removed 16 years after their installation. Between December 2014 and February 2015 new boilers were installed for the upper and lower schools as well as the sports hall. At the same time five new Scalebusters® were installed to protect the new system and the old units were returned for a detailed examination.

Their effectiveness was immediately evident from the condition of the calorifiers. The contractor involved in their replacement took internal photographs of the original, 16 years old calorifiers, shown here, before they were removed. The images show no build-up of scale on either the cylinder walls or the heat exchange walls demonstrating conclusively that the ScaleBusters® had performed their function of inhibiting the build-up of hard scale throughout their operational life.

But what of the Scalebusters® themselves? If the old boilers hadn’t been replaced would they have carried on working even longer? External inspection showed the body of the units to be in good order. The nickel plating was in good condition and there was no corrosion or pitting of the brass. The central spindle and all PTFE fins were in good order on the flanged units. All the fins were present and were tight within their housing indicating that minimal reduction in the anode had taken place.

The PTFE sections within the ISB C50 threaded unit were clean and showed no sign of wear or fouling. All the zinc anodes were in place and although some signs of depletion were evident, this was to be expected after having been in use since 1999. A detailed internal and external examination of the units confirmed that despite the use of a zinc anode as a sacrificial element, minimal depletion of the anode had actually taken place.

During a service life in excess of 15 years, thousands of cubic metres of water would have been treated as they passed through the three units. The service life in the case of the removed ScaleBuster® units within the system and water type at the James Hornby School was found to be well in excess of 15 years.

How do Scalebusters® work?

The Scale-Buster® unit conditions hard water (preventing lime-scale build up) by combining a number of actions that release zinc ions into the water as it passes through the unit. It does not contain magnets or involve any sort of magnetic process. It needs no power supply and works completely automatically with no control panel to maintain. They are WRAS approved and can be installed with new systems or retro-fitted to existing installations.

Scale-Buster® is designed to cause precipitation of calcium carbonate into the water stream. This is as a result of the breakdown of the bicarbonate into carbon dioxide, water and carbonate due to the effects created within the Scale-Buster® itself. The particles which are formed in the water stream act as nuclei for the formation of further scale when the water is heated. In this way, scale deposition upon heating surfaces is minimised.

When a salt is precipitated from solution it results in a relatively less saturated solution remaining. The less saturated water is then able to dissolve and breakdown existing scale from pipe surfaces which form bigger particles that can then be removed from the system with a filter.

For further information, call The Rodin Group on 01795 423400, Email info@therodingroup.co.uk or visit www.therodingroup.co.uk

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RINNAI – reliability really rules

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Rinnai, leading manufacturer of a complete range of A-rated continuous flow gas fired water heaters, is supplying the UK with what is thought to be the most reliable individual units* on the market.

The ErP A-rating** applies over the complete Infinity range – from small domestic models to XXL sized industrial units. Rinnai is the only manufacturer that can field a complete range of gas fired water heaters that more than achieve to coveted A-rating.

Rinnai can combine high efficiencies with high levels of reliability. During 2015 warranty claims against Rinnai stood at 0.05% demonstrating unparalleled reliability.

The next issue is servicing – the Rinnai system is simple and straightforward to service as all components are easily accessible and parts readily available.  Compare this to a business, for example a fast food restaurant or a hotel, running on just one cylinder, they would have to shut down the hot water system to allow it to be drained and inspected as part of the service. This would mean that during this down time the business may have to cease operating for a few hours while the work is carried out.

Another problem is a breakdown: if your only source of hot water fails then you have no means to provide hot water until the fault is rectified. If we take the worst-case scenario of a cylinder failure the whole thing needs to be replaced and this is no easy task especially when you consider the weight. You are now looking at multiple problems:

  1. a) You have lost all hot water capability.
  2. b) You need to pay for a replacement (if it isn’t covered by warranty).
  3. c) You have to pay for engineers to remove the faulty one and replace it, which can take days to change.

If we then look at a Rinnai Infinity water heater or multiples thereof, the down time would be reduced significantly, in the case of multiple units, putting up with reduced capacity for a very short period of time.

Servicing not only reduces the down cost of the business but can also reduce the servicing cost as a Rinnai water heater can be fully serviced and back operating within one hour. If a unit fails whereby it needs replacing, this replacement can be done in a couple of hours and if you have a bank of heaters you will still have the facility to provide hot water, albeit at a slightly reduced capacity, while one of the heaters is down. This is nowhere near as disruptive as having no hot water at all, and perhaps having to close the business while servicing or replacement takes place.

According to Rinnai UK Associate Director Chris Goggin: “The configuration of the Rinnai system is supportive of operational reliability. In effect, if you have a cylinder and you need to service it, or it breaks down, you are left with nothing but a standing body of water.

“Many Rinnai systems supply additional benefits to storage by using multiple heaters, let’s say three so the total system is made up of 33.3% by each heater. If one needs servicing there is still 66.66% still operational so there is no downtime for the hotel, restaurant or any other facility that uses hot water as a criteria feature.

“Some facilities incorporate additional heat engines as a means of built-in redundancy so that the system will always operate at full capacity even during servicing.”

Goggin concludes: “The Rinnai continuous flow system has significant USPs over any stored hot water system while at the same time offering built-in reliability and peace of mind to both installers and their customers.”

* With regards to the reliability of the units themselves a comparison of unit sales from 2013 until April 2016 against Rinnai UK’s warranty database shows 0.003% first year failure rate. (2013 is when the new database was set up.)

** All water-heating products sold in the UK need to meet minimum energy performance criteria in order to be legally placed on the market, and require an energy label.

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

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GEZE UK supports the very best of Scottish Architecture

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GEZE UK, leading manufacturer of door and window control systems, has pledged its support to the very best of Scottish Architecture by sponsoring the RIAS Centenary and Awards Dinner having supported the RIAS Awards Dinner for the last two years.

The 2016 Awards will be announced at The Hilton Hotel, Glasgow, on Wednesday 15th June and will recognise a host of architectural achievements in Scotland.

The 23-strong shortlist features an eclectic range of projects. These include a town centre redevelopment, a variety of new learning environments, a lookout tower with oil-rig style construction and views of the Flow Country, and the redeveloped British Golf Museum and Café at the famed home of golf, St Andrews.

Kaz Spiewakowski, managing director of GEZE UK said that sponsoring the awards dinner was a natural fit for GEZE UK as it worked closely with architects in making their vision become a reality.

“The RIAS Awards are the ideal opportunity to highlight and celebrate the tremendous architectural skills and creative talent of Scotland. The public demand for high quality buildings is keen and GEZE UK provides solutions for door and window control which can be both innovative and yet sensitive to the built heritage or natural surroundings,” he said.

The judging panel for this year, was chaired by Willie Watt PRIAS and included Denise Bennetts FRIAS (representing the Royal Institute of British Architects), Alan Jones PPRSUA Hon FRIAS, Andy Leitch (Forestry Commission Scotland) and Stuart McKill (Saint-Gobain).

Willie Watt, President of the RIAS said: “This is a list that fully demonstrates the privilege of living in our magnificent wee country and just how architects have embraced the responsibility that brings with it.”

For more information about GEZE UK’s comprehensive range of automatic and manual door closers call 01543 443000 or visit www.geze.co.uk.

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Maximum benefits from MAXX

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With the new additions to the MAXX family, Delta Membrane Systems offer a range of products that bring to the market the most secure basement pumping systems for type C (cavity drain) waterproofing.

Specifically designed for the basement waterproofing industry, MAXX technology takes an ‘intelligent’ approach in the design of the product range, resulting in optimum functionality, high levels of efficiency and ease of installation and service.

Included in the range are the DMS270 for ground water and surface water applications, and the DMS269 for foul water use.

Also available is the PowerMAXX which can run a standard V3 pump without mains power for up to four days, depending on the number of cycles per hour. It can sit in standby mode for over three weeks, and is virtually inaudible.

Completing the line-up is the MessageMAXX which, combined with AlertMAXX, gives remote monitoring when residents are away from the property. Messages are sent using GSM technology, usually in text format.

All of these models are ideally suited to the range of pumps offered by Delta Membrane Systems, making the company a ‘one stop shop’ for pumping packages.

The company also offers the necessary membranes and channels to ensure damp and wet basements are turned in to warm, dry and useful spaces.

Website: www.deltamembranes.com

Email: info@deltamembranes.com

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CMS spearheads quiet revolution with new acoustic windows

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A decade since it pioneered the first zero carbon 0.8 U-value PVCu window for the mainstream UK market, CMS Window Systems is first again, this time with the launch of the country’s first Quiet Mark approved acoustic PVCu window.

Its development marks a step change in how noise issues for homeowners and tenants can be effectively tackled through window and door design, manufacture and installation. Building on the current superior performance of the CMS window range to add a noise barrier, the CMS Silent-Therm Window prevents everyday noises outside from disturbing the peace and quiet within. The result is a sound insulating window delivering A-rated energy performance, compliance with the enhanced security requirements of Secured by Design and significantly improved furniture ‘fade control’.

Developed in conjunction with leading sealed unit manufacturer GLASSOLUTIONS and independently tested at Aerotech Laboratories, the CMS Silent-Therm Window significantly outperforms standard windows in terms of its ability to reduce external sounds, such as traffic and barking dogs. It offers huge potential to the millions of people who suffer the devastating effects of unwanted noise, especially at night: research shows that people whose sleep is disturbed by noise are at greater risk of developing a variety of serious health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, strokes and depression.

Key to the CMS Silent-Therm Window is a smart window design which utilises the specialist acoustic glass from Saint-Gobain, Stadip Silence, plus the market leading low-e glass Planitherm Total+ combined with a Sheerframe energy efficient PVCu frame. These windows are able to reduce sound travel into a room by 5db, whilst at the same time optimising heat insulation and solar gain.

Such is the effectiveness of the window’s noise control capability that it has been approved under the Quiet Mark scheme – the internationally recognised certification of the UK Noise Abatement Society. In becoming approved, CMS joins some of the UK’s best-known brands in this rapidly emerging scheme, including Dyson, John Lewis and Virgin Atlantic.

The CMS Silent-Therm Window is available in six window types to suit all types of PVCu window application, including casement, reversible, and tilt and turn. These are all created using Sheerframe PVCu window profiles, all of which are 100% calcium organic stabilised and fully recyclable, UK-made and provide superior thermal insulation thanks to an advanced multi-chamber profile design.

Andy Kerr, Managing Director of CMS Window Systems says: “Noise is a huge issue for so many householders, but until now there has been no approved window specification to help building professionals, architects and homeowners properly address the issue. We’ve changed that with the launch of our acoustic thermal window: by utilising the best technology and investing in Quiet Mark approval we aim to give total confidence that the window will enhance acoustic insulation in the home.”

Employing around 250 people at its 15-acre main manufacturing base and HQ near Glasgow, plus its facilities in Fife, CMS Window Systems is one of Scotland’s fastest growing manufacturing businesses. In addition to its range of PVCu windows and doors, the company also designs, manufactures and installs aluminium and timber composite systems for commercial construction projects as well as offering total building envelope solutions through the installation of external wall insulation (EWI) and cladding.

Find out more at www.cmswindows.com

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Innovative offsite designs that shatter all perceptions

It is now widely accepted within the industry that off-site construction can provide high quality, fast and disruption free buildings that rival more traditional construction. But can they provide design led innovative buildings or is this still an area of compromise when you decide to build off site?

When asked, Rachel Davis, Business Development Director, said ‘With Premier Modular the answer is NO, we never compromise. What we bring to the market are design solutions that push past the normal modular limitations. Sloped roofs that can create ceilings heights over 5m and incorporate north lights to bring daylight and ventilation to areas that would otherwise be inaccessible. Floor to ceiling windows and curtain walling to give a light and airy feel and roof top ball courts and play areas to make the best use of tight sites in city environments’.

Each project is solution focused, Premier Modular Ltd takes the opportunity to ‘think outside the box’ and move forwards with each building they produce, every endeavour breeds innovation.

Inner City Constraints

Premier Modular Ltd recently delivered a scheme in Westminster, London, acting as the main contractor. Premier worked with the client design team to ensure that 75% of the building could be built offsite due to the restricted inner city residential site.

The project was a four storey community scheme, incorporating a nursery, staggered to create roof top play areas with laser cut steel panel/ glass balustrades and green roof outers. The laser cut panels were also replicated as Juliet balconies and external stair cladding. Another design feature was the double height sports hall with large floor level and high level windows. The building also had many sustainability features built in to achieve London Plan and BREEAM Excellent.

There were several key areas as well as the design which contributed to this complex project, removal of asbestos during the demolition phase, piled foundations working over the London Underground system and road closures. Premier’s skilled project management team worked with the local police, client bodies and the local communities to minimise disruption to the local residents.

Unique Places to Learn

Premier Modular Ltd working as a specialist subcontractor to Conlon Construction are currently building a new Free School in Manchester, New Islington School. This will be a new home for 420 children and is due to open for the September term 2016.

Premier worked with their architectural partners Vaughan Architecture & Design to create this visually stunning building with angular external walls, a feature entrance with oversailing roof, picture windows, a lightwell running the full length of the building bringing light from roof to ground floor and an external cladding panel giving the school a very modern finish. The building also includes a roof-top teaching space to maximise the space available on site and an external play area linked to the building. Sustainable and wildlife features were also included such as PV panels, bird and bat boxes and a Redstart habitat was created on the roof.

The New Islington School values are Creative, Innovative & Unique. These fit well with Premier’s own values and have certainly been captured in the new school building.

Rachel Davis, Business Development Director at Premier Modular said ‘The client is at the centre of everything we do, we feel that having the right environment around us as we work, learn and live can inspire us, support us and motivate us therefore making our schools the best place to learn is essential’

‘Giving children and teachers a quality environment with all the spaces required to teach and learn makes them feel valued and builds confidence. An inspired, confident and motivated culture breeds; Therefore creating inspiring buildings which teachers, students and the surrounding community can be proud of will take our education forwards maintaining it as one of the best in the world’

So at a time where an increased rate of build is required, budgets have been cut and there is a squeeze on available space, Premier Modular has firmly proved that design doesn’t have to take a back seat.

For more information please visit www.premiermodular.co.uk.
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Securikey works the room with its new Modulprim features

Leading physical security specialist, Securikey, has made innovative modifications to its range of Modulprim security rooms. The Modulprim is a bespoke modular vault solution for both new builds and existing buildings and is a convenient and cost effective method of adding a high security strong-room to a building. The Modulprim offers a complete storage facility for money, documents and pharmaceuticals and is adaptable to most building specifications, even those with limited space or those located on upper floors. This impressive level of adaptability has now been increased further with the introduction of new lighter-weight materials to offer even further convenience and more storage space.

Securikey’s Modulprim components have now been adapted, using new materials, to provide further options, ease of installation and accessible space. New light-weight panels combined with reduced steel work decrease the weight of the original Modulprim by up to 25%. In addition, the new method allows for unsupported space of up to 12 metres with no internal pillars, compared to 7.4 metres on the original, providing the customer with a much greater amount of useable space along with increased flexibility in layout.

Pre-fabricated off-site to precisely fit a detailed floor plan drawn up by Securikey, the Modulprim components are welded together from smaller panels allowing installation in difficult to reach locations which means that it can be easily modified at a future date and it is also possible to disassemble the vault and transfer it to another location.

The Modulprim can be installed on any floor capable of taking the minimum load capacity, the scope of which has now been widened with the introduction of the new lighter weight components and, although extremely robust, the walls are relatively small in width enabling the Modulprim to be installed in more compact areas without compromising on security.

Consisting of four walls, a floor, celing and vault door as standard, the Modulprim can also be supplied as a five sided solution if desired, as is often a requirement for the pharmaceuticals market. The Modulprim door, which is manufactured from steel and delivers a level of protection that is equal to or higher than the vault room itself, is available in Grades ranging from 0-9 depending on the level of security required. All vault elements are subjected to exhaustive tests to meet European security standard EN1143-1, ensuring European wide approval and, in addition, each product is branded with the appropriate badge as proof of certification – the Modluprim also has the approval of SBD (Secured By Design), the official UK Police flagship initiative combining the principles of ‘designing out crime’ with physical security.

As testimony to Securikey’s reputation for efficient and user-friendly products, the unique construction of the Modulprim also allows for the space above the Modulprim to be used for storage of up to 500kg per square meter if required, meaning that not an inch of space is wasted.

For more information about Securikey’s Modulprim or to download the latest strong-room catalogue, visit www.securikey.co.uk/vaults-and-safe-deposit or call 01252 311 888.

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Achieving the impossible with Sika Sarnafil

In a complex new build roofing project that was deemed almost impossible, Contour Roofing stepped up to the challenge with a Sika Sarnafil membrane to achieve truly stunning results.

32 Ewart Grove, a Paul Simon Homes residential development minutes from Wood Green tube station, required a high-performance roof with a striking aesthetic result to match the contemporary luxury flats within. Located in a prominent position at a fork in a road, the roof can be seen when travelling up to the building, as well as from the upper floors of surrounding buildings.

With its extremely intricate design, including two barrel roofs and a large, unique triangulated tower at the front, the project presented a real challenge. Originally the specification for the 400sq m area called for a metal roof but the cost implications of this meant that another solution was needed, and fast.

It was thought that such a complex roof design could not be done, especially with the time and budget available. However Jonathan Woods, director at Contour Roofing, alongside senior contracts manager, Lee Clift, sought to prove that the roof could indeed be covered using a high quality single ply membrane, if the correct product and level of expertise were applied.

Jonathan and Lee met with the architect and the director of Paul Simon Homes to discuss amending the roofing specification. Jonathan explained: “With our previous experience of Sika Sarnafil products, we knew that we could get the perfect finish within budget. In partnership with Sika Sarnafil we quickly presented a new bespoke specification; an adhered system using Sarnafil G410-15ELF Lead Grey with a polyester fleece backing as the main roof sheet for a flawless result and Sarnafil G410-15EL Lead Grey for all the detail work flashings.”

The installation was very challenging, with various shapes, details, upstands and intricate sections to cover.

Lee added: “Working closely with the carpenter, the plywood deck had to be spot on to make sure the membrane could be laid smartly and correctly. Absolute attention to detail and skill were required to make sure the membrane was flush with the substrate below. Décor profiles were used to imitate the standing seams of a metal roof, which is what the original designs had envisaged.

“The project really took installation to new frontiers and pushed the boundaries of what can be achieved in roofing.”

Sikalastic was used for the guttering when the space was just too tight for single ply, demonstrating the compatibility between Sika’s various roofing products. Both the Sika Sarnafil and Sika Liquid Plastics systems were awarded a 20 year guarantee.

Carly Tan, quantity surveyor, Paul Simon Homes, said: “We didn’t think this project could be done within the budget, but Contour assured us that they could take on the challenge with single ply. No one else would even try.

“The roof is unique and when I saw the end results on a site visit I was really impressed with the finish. The Sika Sarnafil membrane looks very smart and mirror the metal look we originally wanted. The skill of Contour is obvious in the results. It meets our requirements perfectly, matching the luxury feel we wanted to achieve throughout the building.”

The project impressed the judges of the upcoming NFRC UK Roofing Awards and has been shortlisted in the Single Ply category. The winners will be announced in May.

For more information on Sika Sarnafil’s products and services, call 01707 394444, email sarnafilroofing@uk.sika.com or visit http://gbr.sarnafil.sika.com.

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MVHR-Easy with Posi-Joist

The Posi-Joist floor system was recently used on high quality homes for Severnside Housing, incorporating the latest in Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery systems.

Severnside Housing is one of Shropshire’s largest social landlords owning more than 5,400 properties in Shrewsbury and the surrounding areas. A not-for-profit company they invest in their neighbourhoods and work closely with residents, partners and the wider-community to deliver their vision of ‘Excellent Homes in thriving communities’. Morris Property Ltd were chosen by Severnside due to their reputation for building high quality homes and the long standing relationship between the companies. Morris Property are keen to partner on future development projects in Shropshire. The contract commenced on the 23rd March and is scheduled for completion in June 2016.

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AC Roof Trusses were chosen by Morris Property to supply and install the timber frame walls, roof trusses and Posi floor joists for the 28 room, 3 floor apartment block. The apartments are to have a robust detail sound floor along with a MVHR system in each of the apartments.

The two bedroom apartments all have ‘state of the art’ Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery systems supplied and installed by SCS Group (Shropshire Cooling Services) who although local to the site also operate nationwide.

MITEK-INSERT-2SCS commented on the Abbey Foregate job “We recently used Posi joists supplied by AC Roof Trusses and found that because of this, we were able to provide a more competitive installation price due to the reduced labour costs. Because they were metal web Posi joists we did not have to cut any holes for the ducting to pass through. It also enabled our electricians and plumbers to save time on installation and on materials costs. Having to use a core drill every time our ducting passed through a joist would have taken a lot of time and effort, but we didn’t because they were Posi-joists.”

 

“As a company we design and install whole systems and with the Posi joists we were able to bring it all together much quicker and more efficiently.”

For more information please visit www.mitek.co.uk.

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Lucideon launches new balustrade testing service

Lucideon, the international materials technology company, has launched a new balustrade testing service. The testing covers free standing glass, post, rail, spindle and infill balustrades to BS 6180: 2011 ‘Barriers in and about buildings’ and Eurocode 1.

The new service will allow designers, manufacturers, distributors, importers and suppliers of new balustrades, and Health and Safety and Facilities Managers of existing in-situ balustrades, to obtain performance testing to ensure that the temporary or permanent barriers (panels and structural components) protect people from hazards or restrict access.

Balustrades can be tested in Lucideon’s large-scale construction laboratory in Stoke-on-Trent or on-site, if the system is already in place. It is crucial that balustrades are safe and fit for purpose before installation and during service.

Steve Newman, Product Manager, Lucideon said “Balustrades can look great in any setting, but without complying with regulations and meeting specifications, they can pose a serious risk. Loading tests ensure the safety and performance of balustrades and their components.”

In addition to balustrades, Lucideon also offers testing for staircases, balconies, handrails, and Glass-reinforced Plastic (GRP) products. The GRP products include canopies, chimneys and dormer windows.

To find out more about Lucideon’s balustrade testing services, visit www.lucideon.com/balustrades.

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