Animal magic

The Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens near Burford, Oxfordshire, has over 260 different species of animals and is the largest privately owned zoological collection in the UK and recently voted the 4th best zoo in the UK.

The Park’s recently refurbished Oak Tree Restaurant features Kemmlit’s Bambino cubicles for the children’s toilet area and their Cronus cubicles for the adult toilet facilities – specified by consultants Piers Sturridge and installed by the on-site maintenance team.

Bambino is a range of cubicles designed to keep children safe, comfortable and put a smile on their face.

Available in a range of colours, designs and accessories, Bambino cubicles are virtually indestructible featuring either 30 mm high density melamine panels or 13 mm solid grade laminate panels.

Safety is paramount to Kemmlit, which is reflected in Bambino’s edgeless door handles, integrated doorstop buffers, and outward opening doors with rounded edges.

Even the hinges have a rounded aluminium safety profile to eliminate the gap between wall panel and door to avoid hands being trapped.

The Cronus cubicle system is versatile and flexible and can be used for either dry or wet areas. The panels are made from 13mm solid grade laminate with a special overlay to protect them against abrasion, wear and scratches.

Bambino and Cronus are available in a range of colours and finishes that can be configured as a single or multiple cubicle system and can be installed into virtually any room configuration.

For more information please visit www.kemmlituk.com.
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BLT Direct builds on commercial inventory with metal halide flood lights

British facilities managers are introduced to a new level of illumination this month, with BLT Direct introducing a refreshed range of metal halide flood lights. Powerful and functional, metal halides are still ideal for use in a variety of applications against there LED counterparts, for applications including courtyards, car parks churches, athletic facilities, building facades, industrial warehouses and general outside areas.

As High Intensity Discharge lamps (HID) halides emit the majority of their light from an electric arc located within a small discharge tube. With high quality white light and impressive efficiency, metal halides are an established popular choice for use in urban, industrial and facilities oriented spaces. BLT Direct stocks a wide range of metal halide flood lights to suit all needs. Prices are tiered from a competitive £31.99 to £63.99, and include 70, 150, 250 and 400 watts. Lumens increase with wattage, ranging from 5500 to 34,000.

Metal halides are favoured for their pure white light frequency that’s close to daylight. This creates a bright, unimposing glow that’s ideal for outdoor areas. The brilliant lumen output makes them great for use in indoor areas with high ceilings, as well as industrial bay applications. All come with an IP 65 rating, meaning they are 100% protected against dust ingress, as well as pressure water jets from any direction. These hard wearing credentials make them well suited to both outdoor applications and indoor industrial environments.

“When it comes to functionality, we’re always on the search for good value top performers. In commercial and facilities applications it’s essential to install solutions that are safe, reliable and durable. That’s why we have introduced this range of metal halide flood lights range direct from Red Arrow, a repitable manufacturer in commercial lighting,” says Steven Ellwood, Managing Director of BLT Direct.

With the ever increasing use of LED there is still a place for Metal Halide fittings as a cost effective solution offering the user great energy efficiency and long lamp life.

 

To find out more about BLT Direct and browse the new range of metal halide flood lights available to purchase online, visit: www.bltdirect.com.

 

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New fire system for UK college demonstrates Advanced advantages

An Advanced, intelligent fire system with touchscreen repeaters, internet control and backwards compatibility, has been chosen to protect Ringmer Community College in East Sussex.

Originally opened in 1958, Ringmer Community College is a leading secondary school Academy with specialisms in technology and the arts. The college also has a Sixth Form that boasts excellent engineering and media facilities.

The specification and installation of the new fire system was undertaken by Pyrotec Fire Detection, long-time partner of Advanced. The completed network includes Advanced’s TouchControl remote control terminal/repeater panels which feature Active Maps and zone plans, networked with an eight-loop MxPro 5 panel and a two-loop MxPro 4 panel with an IP Gateway for control and monitoring via the internet.

The use of Advanced’s updated EN54-2, 4 & 13 approved MxPro 5 panel, with its older MxPro 4 sister and its latest product, TouchControl and internet control, on the same network demonstrates the backward compatibility and interoperability built into Advanced’s product range.

The Principal at Ringmer Community College, Kathryn Stonier, said “Safety of our staff and students is the utmost priority and the Advanced system ticks all the boxes in that department. We needed a system that could work seamlessly right across the site and we’re very pleased with the performance of the Advanced products and the new TouchControl panel. We’re also impressed by the ability to update and expand the system in the future without the need for a full replacement.”

Mark Mathers, spokesperson for Pyrotec Fire Detection, added “We needed a system that not only covers the main building, but also the outlying buildings and the swimming pool. We install Advanced panels in ninety eight percent of our projects, mainly due to their ease of installation, configuration and commissioning and they were the obvious choice. The spare loop capacity also allows for future upgrades and the potential addition of new buildings.”

TouchControl is a fully functional remote terminal and repeater and 10 HD inch touch device that delivers new features including integrated graphics, called Active Maps that are easily added to the system from almost any drawing, even google maps.

TouchControl’s unique interface offers fire panel and network control and reporting right down to individual device level and allows users to immediately identify zones and devices in fire, fault, disablement and test using dynamic colour-coded status buttons. The TouchControl panel is available across most of Advanced’s analogue addressable fire systems.

Robin Kemp, Advanced Sales Manager for the South, commented: “We spend a lot of our development time ensuring we deliver the right products for installers and end users, especially in terms of long term cost of ownership and each of installation and use.”

MxPro offers customers a choice of two panel ranges, four detector protocols and a completely open installer network, backed up by free training and support. MxPro panels can be used in single loop, single panel format or easily configured into high speed, multi-loop panels in 200 node networks covering huge areas. MxPro’s legendary ease of installation and configuration and wide peripheral range make it customisable to almost any application.

Advanced is a world leader in the development and manufacture of intelligent fire systems. The legendary performance, quality and ease-of-use of its products sees Advanced specified in locations all over the world, from single panel installations to large multi-site networks. Advanced’s products include complete fire detection systems, multi-protocol fire panels, extinguishing control, fire paging and false alarm management systems.

More details can be found on the website at www.advancedco.com.
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Smart Architectural Aluminium Case Study: Kingston Hospital

In 2014, the Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust embarked on a major refurbishment programme to replace the windows and doors of the hospital’s Esher Wing. The work was commissioned not only to improve the building’s aesthetics, but also improve thermal performance, reduce energy costs and deliver improved patient, visitor and staff comfort.

The seven-storey block contained a mix of wards, operating theatres, maternity units and administration facilities, with all four elevations still featuring the building’s original 1960s, heavy-duty steel windows which were well beyond their useful life. As a consequence, the performance of the windows had become extremely poor, with both drafts and water ingress causing major issues.

After an exhaustive scoping and tender process, the trust awarded a management contract to construction consultants Pellings, who took responsibility for the detailed design, specification, procurement and project management of the whole programme. ARJ was subsequently appointed main contractor, with the fenestration fabrication and installation contract being won by Heritage Window Systems (HWS), one of Smart Architectural Aluminium’s specialist partners.

Having been appointed, HWS’s first task was to undertake a full survey of the wing, which revealed a significant variation in the size of the window apertures. To address this, Heritage and Smart developed a novel solution – effectively based on a curtain wall ‘grid’ system with variable trim to allow for the different size of the window units.

Chris White from HWS explains: “This was the only way that we could meet the programme and give the installation team enough flexibility on site to react to programme changes. We sourced colour-matched trims for the windows and then trimmed each one on site to exactly meet the dimensions of the aperture.

“Although the size of the windows was quite large – nominally, each was six metres wide by three metres high – our experienced teams of fabricators and installers were certainly able to deal with units of these dimensions. The main issues we faced were logistical. With work being carried out as the hospital continued to operate, we had a very exacting programme to follow – and a period of just nine hours to complete the upgrade for each unit, whether that was a ward, a theatre or an office. In that time, our teams had to take out the old windows, fit the new units, change the radiator and clean the area to a clinical standard.

“We also undertook the work through the summer of 2015 which had some very high temperature spikes, leading to a rise in admissions and occupancy of many of the hospital’s wards. At one time, the hospital also had to create an isolation ward due to an outbreak of the Novara virus. As a result, our programme was subject to change at very short notice, and our contract manager was based on site for the duration of the work to make sure we kept in daily contact with all parties.”

HWS completed the work in just eight months, starting on site in April and completing just before Christmas, 2015. During this time, the company installed around 1,200 Smart Eco Futural windows – with a combination of tilt and turn and bottom-hung casement windows – as well as seven sets of Smart Wall double doors and the MC 600 curtain wall grid system. MC600 was specified due to the requirement to hang brise soleil units from two of the building’s elevations, with HWS fabricating a bespoke bracket to accommodate this.

The materials were finished to one of Smart’s own colour formulations from the company’s Sensations range, with an Antique Grey finish specified for the external profiles and Velour for the internal.

Paul Dancey, Operations Manager of BMI’s Coombe Wing which formed part of the refurbishment programme said: “The whole project was exceptionally well managed, with the clear communications between all parties a vital component of its success. As a result of the programme, we now have state-of-the-art windows which have considerably improved patients’ comfort and provided a much improved working environment for all hospital staff.”

Ian Nunn from Pellings had the final word: “This was a technically and logistically challenging project, but one which was successfully delivered on time and under budget, thanks to a true partnership approach. All parties – Pellings, ARJ, HWS and Smart worked extremely collaboratively to ensure that the programme was achieved with as little disruption to the hospital’s staff, patients and visitors as possible.

“While inevitably in a project of this complexity issues did arise, they were resolved quickly and collaboratively to ensure that the work remained on track. The end result is a much-improved appearance and a building which is warmer, weather-proof, more energy-efficient and better ventilated.”

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IAQ and the safe opening of high level windows

For centuries, windows have been the preferred and sometimes the only means of ventilating buildings to ensure that carbon dioxide, temperatures and pollutants can be vented and replenished by fresh air.

They remain an important part of the ventilation solution as windows can provide greater air flow rates and the capacity for purge ventilation required by Building Regulations ADF (for example to vent odours caused by spillages) and also the greater flow rates required for cooling during the warmer summer months, both during the day and as part of a night purge strategy.

Ensuring openable windows comply with Building regulations

Nevertheless, designers should be aware that any window upgrade undertaken as part of a building refurbishment or repurposing project that incorporates the replacement of high-level openable windows, must comply with Building Regulations Part K (Part N in Wales). They stipulate that window opening controls must be accessible and located no more than 1900mm above floor level (AFL) or 1700mm AFL, if obstructed.

Consequently, ordinary window handles on such high level vents do not meet building control requirements and alternative opening control methods should be considered. The regulations clearly specify that if the window controls cannot comply, then an alternative remote electrical or safe manual solution should be provided.

At SE Controls, we provide a range of solutions for the operation of high level windows; using push button operated electrical actuators, either stand-alone or linked to automatic indoor air quality monitors, such as our NVLogiQ system, or via a manual winding mechanism. We can also provide assistance to help designers specify the most appropriate solution.

Whatever method is used, windows still provide a simple, effective and economic route to air quality and temperature management, whilst allowing the all important ability for them to be controlled by building’s occupants.

Ventilation is not just about ensuring that fresh air can enter a building, but enabling contaminants to be removed, or at least diluted, to improve overall air quality. Although there are numerous methods of improving air quality, just opening a window is one of the easiest and most accessible, but it must be compliant.

By Dr Chris Iddon CEng MCIBSE – Natural Ventilation Design Manager with SE Controls
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Triton launches Dene Mixer range to help specifiers save time on site

Durability and Installation time on site are two of the most important considerations for social housing procurement and maintenance managers when it comes to retro-fit or new bathroom projects. To provide specifiers with a high quality showering range which is also designed to minimise set up time on site, Triton, The Great British Shower Company, has launched the Dene Mixer range.

Practical Design

New for 2016, Triton’s Dene Mixer showers offer a choice of options with all the necessary fittings to complete the job. The range consists of a bath shower mixer, sequential mixer, concentric mixer, bar diverter and three TMV2 bar mixers options – Hi-Flo, Eco and Cool Touch. All would particularly appeal to Housing Associations, as they provide a solution for a variety of requirements and user needs. The collection has a contemporary all-chrome finish with high quality metal handles, perfect for new and replacement property programmes. Furthermore, each shower is WRAS approved certifying its compliance with Water Fitting Regulations.

Ease of installation

One of the key benefits of the Dene Mixer range is that the showers can be installed quickly and efficiently ensuring installation teams and maintenance managers can undertake a job swiftly and effectively whilst achieving a high quality finish.

The Dene Bar mixers are specifically designed with installation in mind as they are supplied as standard with a pipe spacer to ensure pipes are spaced correctly and then cut to the correct length ready to fit the Fast-Fit surface brackets with Push-Fit pipe connectors that are quicker and easier to install than compression fittings.

Powerful Performance

Understanding that versatility is key for an efficient maintenance programme, each of the Dene bar mixer showers works on all water systems, including gravity fed whilst still offering great performance for the end user. The high performance bar mixer shower is available in Hi-Flo and Eco options. The Hi-Flo TMV2 bar mixer shower provides generous flow rates with 5 l/min at 0.1 bar (18l/min at 1.0 bar) offering a strong and invigorating water flow, even on gravity systems. By comparison, the Eco TMV2 bar mixer model is the ideal choice for new build projects as the water flow is capped at 6 l/min, making it a desirable unit on account of the relatively low associated running costs while assisting in compliance with Building Regulations and the Home Quality Mark (HQM).

The Dene TMV2 Cool Touch bar mixer offers the same easy installation and safety features as the standard bar mixer options. Plus, the cool touch function ensures that the body of the shower remains cool to touch at all times as the bar mixer draws cold water across the valve for extra peace of mind for residents who require additional care.

The Dene Mixer collection is set to prove extremely popular for social housing procurement and maintenance teams alike due to the versatility, durability and installation benefits it offers. Each model in the Dene collection is covered by a full five year parts and labour guarantee, with Triton’s national team of engineers on standby if needed. The new Triton Dene Bar Mixer is priced from £85 (manufacturer’s list price).

For more information on Triton’s range of mixer showers, visit www.tritonshowers.co.uk and for the latest promotions and information follow @tritonshowers on Twitter or like TritonInstallers on Facebook.

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A new generation of Piccolo – One of our best lifts just got better

Looks like a passenger lift? Check. Functions like a passenger lift? Check. All the gorgeous interior options of a passenger lift range? No problem!

Whilst technically being a machinery directive platform lift, our Piccolo looks just like a passenger lift with sliding doors, fully automatic cabin and landing controls. With its compact shaft size, minimal pit and headroom and its use of single-phase power supply, it’s the passenger lift your project needs with none of the headache.

Plus – we have made the installation of this groundbreaking product even easier with the introduction of the Stannah FX structure option. Unique to Stannah, the FX structure comprises of a ‘shaft within a shaft’. Erected by our engineers, it negates the need for scaffolding within the shaft – saving both time and money on site. Travel is now up to 12m and with smaller cabin sizes available, this lift is now even more adaptable to your project.

Piccolo offers the best of both worlds and is ideal in sites where digging a pit is neither practical nor possible. It delivers much of the functionality of a passenger lift but can be accommodated in surprisingly small spaces. It’s a great alternative to a traditional platform lift when the position of the lift is against a load bearing wall and a shaft can easily be created. It’s stylish, conventional appearance means it looks great in both public buildings, schools and colleges, shops and restaurants or even in your own home. It lends itself well to existing buildings but is equally at home in new-build projects.

The only thing you have to worry about with a Piccolo lift is letting us know your specifications. This is the lift for passengers – that isn’t a passenger lift!

To find out more call us on 01264 339090, email: liftsales@stannah.co.uk or go to http://www.stannahlifts.co.uk/platform-lifts/vertical/piccolo.asp

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One of Europe’s largest regeneration schemes specifies Silavent heat recovery systems

345 Silavent Green Line HRX2 Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) systems from Polypipe Ventilation are being installed into apartment schemes at London’s Greenwich Peninsula – one of the largest regeneration projects in Europe.

The ambitious regeneration scheme will supplement the extensive development that Greenwich has seen to date, including the iconic O2 venue. Once complete, Greenwich Peninsula will include over 10,000 residential units across 51 developments, providing homes for 23,000 residents, as well as 62,500sqm of commercial, retail and office space and 48 acres of green open space.

Polypipe Ventilation’s Silavent HRX2 MVHR systems have been specified by Wates Construction for two key plots, incorporating 201 and 144 apartments. Both plots feature buildings arranged to create a perimeter block and a central courtyard, with surrounding buildings ranging from two storey maisonettes to 11 storey blocks, over half of which are affordable housing.

The Silavent HRX2 units are being installed in utility cupboards within each apartment for easy access with Polypipe’s market leading Domus rigid ducting.

Featuring a heat exchange efficiency of up to 95%, the HRX2 offers the homeowner a year-round ventilation solution. It operates by transferring the heat from the waste stale air extracted from kitchens or bathrooms to fresh filtered air drawn in from the outside. The pre-warmed, filtered air is then distributed to the living rooms in the home. As well as helping to reduce demand on the central heating system, Silavent Green Line HRX2 MVHR units also provide a healthy living indoor environment through continuous balanced ventilation.

Designed and manufactured in the UK, the HRX2 is 2010 Building Regulations compliant and has the highest available heat exchange efficiency on the Performance Characteristics Database (previously known as SAP Appendix Q). Featuring the latest fan technology, these units offer an extremely low Specific Fan Power (SFP) down to 0.46 W/(l/s), resulting in minimal energy usage whilst retaining full airflow performance. The distinct moulded EPP casing helps to maximise airflow, as well as delivering improved thermal efficiency, thereby enhancing the recovery of a home’s waste heat.

When used with Polypipe Ventilation’s Domus rigid ducting, insulated by Domus Thermal insulation, as seen in the Greenwich Peninsula development, the Silavent Green Line HRX2 offers one of the most comprehensive MVHR solutions available on the market.

Silavent Green Line HRX and Domus duct systems have a well deserved reputation for quality, supported by excellent technical support, from a market leading manufacturer and designer. Polypipe Ventilation is well placed to offer immediate, practical solutions to Building Regulations Parts F & L. The company continues to provide differentiated solutions in the private and social housing sectors, transforming the way developers, specifiers, installers, home owners and distributors meet emerging environmental standards.

For further information please go to www.polypipe.com/ventilation or call 03443 715523.

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Armstrong launches time-saving plasterboard ceiling suspension system

Drywall Grid System by Armstrong delivers up to 40% installation time savings.

Armstrong Ceilings has formally launched its time-saving Drywall Grid System (DGS) to the UK market following its stunning use on the largest hospital building project in Europe to date.

A new DGS brochure showcases the project Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow as well as other UK DGS projects, and in the United States where the system has been popular for years, the NOAA offices in Alabama and the Pennsylvania Academy of Music.

Now that the system is launched to the UK office, education, retail, leisure and hospitality sectors, giving specifiers the option to use as a standalone, wall-to-wall, or in combination with Armstrong tiles and Axiom perimeter systems as a fully compatible solution.

Up to 40% quicker to install, the DGS suspension system for plasterboard ceilings is available in three versions – standard for typical flat installations, faceted for curved and domed ceilings of any radius, and Shortspan for smaller areas such as corridors.

Designed for strength, but using 15% less steel, the CE-marked Drywall Grid System utilizes Armstrong’s popular T-shaped grids and can easily incorporate service elements such as light fixtures, access panels and air diffusers or ventilation systems.

A total of 70,000 linear meters of DGS were used at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital – flat DGS was installed alongside Armstrong’s bespoke pre-engineered Axiom perimeter solutions in the stunning reception atrium and curved DGS was used for the nurses’ stations in the wards.

The Drywall Grid System launch is supported with a technical brochure and also features on the Armstrong website (www.armstrongceilings.co.uk) and the Ceiling Systems App available from both the Apple store as well as the Google Play store. Just click on one of the links below with your mobile device www.armstrong.com/CeilingDownloads-Apple or www.armstrong.com/CeilingDownloads-Android.

Dry Wall Grid specialist Martin Dalby recently joined the Armstrong UK sales team and will support customers with technical training and on-site installation and support.

For further information, please contact Armstrong Ceilings on Freephone 0800 371 849 (UK) or 1800 409002 (RoI). Visit www.armstrongceilings.co.uk.

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Time to breathe

Sand and cement renders have been the most common replastering method used on rising damp affected walls since the 1950s. Whilst effective, they can also present problems. Hudson Lambert of Safeguard Europe explains.

In the face of rising or penetrating damp, there is a need for internal plastering that is impervious to salt-based damp damage. Traditional strong sharp sand and cement mixes are effective at holding back damp and salts; yet they are slow and expensive to apply, and are associated with condensation risk, poor insulation qualities and a cold feel that is unpopular with building occupants. They are also not suitable for heritage structures because they are inflexible, don’t breathe and can damage underlying brickwork.

For this reason, Safeguard has developed two new replastering systems that combine the effectiveness of sand and cement without the drawbacks. Both Dryzone Renovation Plasters and Dryzone Express Replastering complete the Dryzone System range of rising damp renovation products, enabling the sourcing of all necessary materials from one place.

The Dryzone System enables the treatment of rising damp from start to finish. Simply install a new damp-proof course with either Dryrod DPC Rods or Dryzone DPC Cream and choose one of the plastering specifications below.

Replastering System No.1: Dryzone Renovation Plasters

Dryzone Damp-Resistant Plaster is a modern formulation of breathable damp and salt resistant plaster that can be applied with traditional plastering techniques. For older buildings, Dryzone Hi-Lime Renovation Plaster is also available.

Unlike sand and cement renders, Dryzone Renovation Plasters are non-destructive to the underlying masonry, do not require gauging and provide a warmer surface. Simply mix and apply two coats.

These highly effective Safeguard renovation plasters can be applied to walls while they are still damp and has a porous structure which controls salt migration, allows walls to dry out by evaporation and results in higher thermal resistance, reducing the risk of condensation. Other properties include a low compressive strength ensuring that the plaster can easily be removed at a later date without damaging underlying brickwork; high water vapour diffusion and conformity for the EN998-1 CE Standard as ‘Renovation Mortars’.

Dryzone Damp-Resistant Plaster is applied in two layers as a 5mm anchoring rough coat and a 15mm to 20mm top coat. The working time of the plaster is 30 – 60 minutes depending on temperature and humidity; and a 2mm skim coat can be applied after 24 hours.

Replastering System No. 2: Dryzone Express Replastering System

This specification utilises plasterboard and provides the speed and convenience advantages of a traditional dot and dab plasterboard application and also provides a salt and damp-proof interior wall surface.

The system is quicker and consequently less expensive to install per m2 than traditional ‘wet’ plaster systems. These materials combined allow for treatment and room reinstatement in around a day – a massive improvement over the weeks that more traditional methods may take – and obviate, for example, problems associated with decanting tenants for significant periods of time.

There are two elements to the system: Dryshield Cream, which primes walls; and Drygrip Adhesive to direct bond plasterboard to treated walls. Armed with these products, a skilled operative can treat rising damp, replaster and complete re-decoration in just 24 hours.

Once a DPC is installed, Dryshield Cream is applied to affected walls. It is a breathable, salt-resistant water-repellent that weakens the crystal strength of salts forming in or at the masonry surface as damp evaporates. Easy to apply by brush or roller, the cream not only acts as a primer for Drygrip Adhesive but also penetrates the masonry structure deeply so as to form a durable, robust bond.

Developed for ‘dab’ fixing plasterboard directly to masonry surfaces, Drygrip Adhesive forms a strong and long-lasting bond and is resistant to both salts and damp. Once fixed, the boards can be tape-jointed and skimmed as in ordinary drylining situations.

For more information please email info@safeguardeurope.com or visit www.safeguardeurope.com.

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