A final coating to put others in the shade

The first new building to open in Northampton’s flagship Waterside Enterprise Zone is the £8.5m University of Northampton Innovation Centre, seen as a hub for organisations that deliver social impact. This striking six floor cubic building leaves the onlooker in no doubt that Northampton’s new development means business.

Locally based Powdertech Corby Ltd powder coated the solar shading system on the exterior of the building, a contract worth £11K.

Richard Besant, Powdertech Corby Sales Director commented “We coated over 1800 individual sections comprising fins, end plates and brackets, in a premium quality Valspar architectural powder, RAL 9010 white matt. When we viewed the completed building at the end of the job, we could appreciate the fabulous visual effect these solar shades create, in addition to being part of a highly functional design.”

Vertical solar shading fins on the north, east and west side of the building will shade the windows from summer sun and moderate solar gain. They improve the insulation value of glass in the winter by acting as a windbreak. On the south side of the building, horizontal solar shading fins, across the windows, will reduce glare and solar heat gain in the summer but also allow low winter sunlight to shine through in the colder darker months.

Architectural powder coatings are especially suited for use on solar shading systems. The powders have excellent gloss retention, resistance to corrosion and UV light and will last for up to 40 years without significant colour change.

The Waterside Enterprise Zone is part of the Northampton Alive regeneration scheme and incorporates a new £330m campus for the city’s University alongside global brands and thriving small businesses.

For further information on Powdertech (Corby) Ltd and the benefits of powder coating please call 01536 400890,visit www.powdertechcorby.co.uk or email Richard.b@powdertech.co.uk.

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Coastal Hotel & Spa stops false alarms with Nittan

Nittan’s Evolution EV-DP Dual Wavelength Photoelectric smoke detectors have been installed into The Cliff Hotel & Spa in Cardigan, West Wales by Fire and Security Alarms Ltd. (FAS) Carmarthen.

The Cliff Hotel & Spa is a large family-owned hotel featuring 70 en-suite bedrooms, spa and gym facilities, function suite and a golf course. As part of a hotel wide refurbishment project, the existing fire alarm system has been removed and replaced with a sophisticated Nittan Evolution system featuring 260 Nittan devices, including over 200 EV-DP smoke detectors. The system runs on four loops controlled by an Advanced Electronics control panel.

Nittan Dual Wavelength Photoelectric smoke detectors were selected by installer Fire and Security Alarms Ltd. (FAS) to prevent further issues of false alarms that the hotel had been experiencing previously. The primary cause of these had been steam escaping from the en-suite bathrooms and activating the smoke alarms.

As an NSI Gold, BAFE and NICEIC approved contractor, Fire and Security Alarms Ltd. (FAS) provides both design, installation and maintenance of fire and security systems primarily in West Wales. It has a diverse customer base including nursing and residential homes, factories, shops, schools, social and domestic housing. It has built its business on the of quality of its services, providing effective fire and security solutions to customer’s requirements, including The Cliff Hotel where it identified Evolution EV-DP smoke detectors as an ideal solution to the false alarm issue.

Nittan Evolution EV-DP smoke detectors have been designed to reduce false alarms caused by non-combustion products such as steam, dust and aerosols. Unlike other industry standard (single optical sensor) smoke detectors on the market that claim to distinguish between smoke and non-combustion products, the EV-DP effectively measures the actual particle size in the chamber via its combined IR and blue LED technology. As steam and dust are much larger particles than smoke, the detector won’t false alarm.

Nittan EV-DP alarms are not just highly resistant to false alarms, but come with a number of key features and benefits, including their use of a sophisticated and highly flexible Sine Wave FSK protocol for data transfer to and from the panel. This protocol also allows for substantial amounts of information to be transmitted back to the panel at very high speeds. Furthermore, they come with a 360 degree OMNIVIEW LED indicator, permitting clear and visible indication of the sensor’s operation from any angle. Increased EMC immunity is also achieved by the inclusion of a “Bandpass Discriminator Circuit” which is built into every sensor head and loop device.

The Nittan Group has been at the forefront of the international fire protection industry since 1954 and has sales, R&D and manufacturing bases in four countries, including the UK. The company continuously innovates and strives for exceptional quality products that meet the highest of standards.

For sales information, please contact Nittan on 01483 769 555 or by email at sales@nittan.co.uk or visit the website www.nittan.co.uk.

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Canterbury handmade range is first choice for standout roof design

Marley Eternit’s Canterbury premium handmade clay plain tiles are available in three colours to achieve truly unique roof design.

Loxleigh boasts an antique appearance due to its semi-sanded finish in red and grey shades, Burford is a rich red-brown tone in a fully sanded texture and Chailey offers a vibrant orange tone and can be used on the main roof or as a contrast tile for vertical tiling.

The authentic blend of colours means all three tiles can be mixed on the roof to create their own unique design or replicate a patchwork of colour often seen on traditional roofs in Suffolk, Sussex and Kent. Canterbury clay plain tiles are also available with a complementary range of traditional handmade fittings and decorative accessories to achieve the perfect finish.

To request a brochure or samples contact 01283 722588 / www.marleyeternit.co.uk/handmade

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Winter Wrapped Up!

To help you prepare for the colder months we’ve got winter wrapped up with our comprehensive range of winter safety products. Turbocast 800™ towable grit spreader can be used as a broadcast or drop spreader. Turbocast 800 will hold approximately 10 x 25kg bags of rock salt and gives controlled, accurate coverage up to 8 metres width at speeds from 5-20mph. Turbocast 300™ manual grit spreader spreads to a width of between 3 and 7 metres with minimum effort and can be easily pushed along, even when fully laden. Nestor 400 grit bin has a double skinned lid for supreme strength and durability. The weight of the lid is sufficient to minimise the risk of it opening in strong winds and therefore protects the contents from adverse weather conditions.

Glasdon UK Limited
Telephone: 01253 600410
E-mail: sales@glasdon-uk.co.uk
Website: www.gritbins.co.uk

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Designed to transform

Interior Film from David Clouting is a self-adhesive film that can be applied to almost any surface including: wood, metal, plaster board, plastics and melamine. This enables feature walls, pillars, doors, furniture, skirting and architrave to be quickly transformed with minimum disruption and at low cost.

Features & benefits:

  • Safety – Self-extinguishing when tested for flammability.
  • Application – no air bubbles
  • Durability – resistant to impact, abrasion and scratching
  • Stability – remains stable when exposed to heat, cold and humidity
  • Flexibility – can be adhered to complex shapes and curves
  • Economical – rapid installation, easy to repair or remove
  • CE Certificated –specify with confidence
  • Manufactured by LG Hausys – innovative technology
  • Available in a range of designs and finishes including: Exotic woods, Leather effect, textured metals and Natural stone, the Interior Film range is also available to view on the BIMSTORE website.

For a sample or further information:

Email: marketing@davidclouting.co.uk

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

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Polypipe Terrain awarded Investors in People Silver Award

The people management skills of Polypipe Terrain, the UK’s leading plastic piping manufacturer, have been recognised by renowned independent commissioner, Investors in People.

For their continued dedication to managing performance, delivering continued improvement and creating sustainable success, Investors in People awarded Polypipe Terrain with its sought after Silver Award.

To achieve the Investors in People Silver accreditation, Polypipe Terrain had to demonstrate best practice across areas outlined in the Investors in People framework. The framework focusses on 9 key indicators, with Polypipe Terrain required to consistently outperform their peers when measured against the criteria.

Whilst a large number of British companies are awarded the Investors in People award, as of December 2014 only 6% of those who entered were awarded the prestigious silver certificate.

Members of the team, including operations and logistic staff, sales team, office staff and senior management, were interviewed by an Investors in People representative over a number of months in order to achieve the accreditation.

Polypipe Terrain used the assessment to establish core values which now underpin the company including Excellence in Service, Quality, Together and Health, Safety & Environment.

Lee Dawes, Finance Director at Polypipe Terrain, said “We have always been dedicated to developing and growing the team at Polypipe Terrain, the Investor in People award gave us the opportunity to prove that our hard work is paying off.

“To be awarded the silver award was a brilliant achievement and is a testament to the hard work of everyone in the team.

“We are now working hard towards the gold certificate, continuing to improve and develop our core values.”

To learn more visit www.polypipe.com/terrain

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Energy savings for Bristol family with EWI by Saint-Gobain Weber

weber.therm XM External Wall Insulation ( EWI) has been installed on a two-storey end of terrace, privately owned property in the Brislington area of Bristol. This is just one of several upgrades being undertaken by the homeowner which have included the addition of a large extension to the side of the property; a loft conversion; the addition of a garden room to the rear and new windows and doors throughout.

“We bought this 1960s property knowing that a substantial makeover was needed and being in the construction business I could see the potential and have managed a lot of the work myself,” says Mark Holden, property owner. “The property was unattractive, even ugly, with hard to treat solid walls, and it was cold. We wanted a more attractive home and greater comfort for our young family.”

The application of BBA accredited and Energy Saving Trust listed weber.therm XM EWI was carried out by M P Plastering Limited, Somerset, renowned for excellent render application skills and experienced with use of the weber.therm EWI systems. The couple sought Green Deal funding with the help of M P Plastering, a Green Deal certified applicator, and successfully achieved a 75% contribution toward the £9,000 cost of the EWI project.

“The Green Deal funding was surprisingly easy to achieve,” says Mark Pickthall, M P Plastering, “which is just as well considering how cold the house was and that there was a young family to keep warm. The property looks completely different now with the application of Weber’s EWI system. We like everything about Weber from start to finish. Great representation, excellent technical support, industry-leading warranties and products that are consistently reliable.”

The weber.therm XM EWI system used on this property included 90mm thick expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation which was mechanically fixed to the outer skin of the wall substrate. The render process requires two passes of weber.rend LAC, a cementitious render into which the fibreglass reinforcement meshcloth is embedded to give a robust render coat. When dry the surface is primed with weber PR310 in preparation for a 1.5mm thin coat decorative finish of weber.plast TF, an acrylic based, pre-mixed, textured finish, in Winter White. The porch has been finished in weber.pral M one-coat, through-coloured monocouche render in Chalk. weber.therm XM EWI is capable of substantially improving the U-value of a property in a retrofit project, and produces exceptional levels of energy efficiency on new builds.

“Where I had made additions and re-modelled the internal space the external walls were in an awful state. And from an aesthetics angle, it was great to cover the whole exterior with EWI. We can no longer see the scars and joints,” continues Mark. “Work started at the coldest time of year in November 2014, but within weeks we were feeling the benefit of the EWI. During a particularly cold spell we found there was no need to switch the heating back on after the timer programme had lapsed each morning which would have been necessary previously.” By February the property was fully wrapped and rendered.

“The massive visual improvement to our home is quite amazing,” says Mark, “but the saving we have made on our monthly fuel outlay is incredible. From an average of £150 per month during the winter months we are now paying around £80 a month, that’s a very big saving for a family.”

“We have carried out many projects on this property and my wife and I agree the EWI application has been by far the most successful element of our plans.”

Weber products are manufactured from carefully selected raw materials at purpose-built facilities in Bedfordshire, Shropshire and Ireland where quality and consistency is achieved.
For more information about this project, or for technical support, please contact Saint-Gobain Weber on 08703 330 070, or visit www.netweber.co.uk. Customers in Ireland should call 028 9335 2999 or visit www.weber.ie.

A free download of the new weber.app for iPhone and iPad users is also available from iTunes and from Google Play for Android smartphones and tablet users. Follow Saint-Gobain Weber on Twitter @SGWeberUK for the latest company news and updates.

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Rinnai space heater excels in energy efficiencies

The Rinnai range of Energysaver fanned convection powered flue gas fired space heaters offers the highest efficiencies on the market.

The range has been designed specifically for use in schools, community centres, libraries, conservatories and churches and other large enclosed spaces where they offer exceptionally high efficiencies in operation and contribute to drastically reduced running costs.

The Energysaver 1004T has an input of 11.6kW and outputs 10.23kW. Its measurements are 670mm x 930mm x 315mm and it has energy efficiencies of 96% under the guidance of Part L 2014. This puts it in the top rank of space heaters in its class.

It provides safe, controllable heat with maximum energy efficiency, combined with flexibility of location.

The heater is also suitable for central timer control. This feature allows the building manager to run any number of Rinnai space heaters off a central time clock providing heat to the large of spaces. The Energysaver Multi controller is not limited to single Energysavers as the flexibility of the system guarantees units can be mixed and matched to satisfy even the most unique of buildings.

The units are encased in a low surface temperature (LST) casing to avoid any risk of burns and offer easy on/off operation and intelligent features such as self-diagnostics and a self-learning pre-heat time to maximise heat up time and energy consumption. Warm air is delivered at floor level for greater comfort and coverage of even greater spaces.

Rinnai Energysaver units are very easy to install as there is no need for expensive (and extensive) ductwork, nor do they involve to running heating circuits for radiators or pipework to boilers. This cuts down drastically on cost and time at the point of installation.

The Rinnai Energysaver 1004T delivers energy-efficient and consistent warm air powered by Natural Gas and LPG options via fully modulating burners so heat and energy input is significantly reduced as the space warms up.

“Rinnai energy saver space heaters really do deliver a cost saving on installation, low operational costs and maintenance, lower life cycle costs, lower replacement costs, high energy efficiencies. They are infinitely suitable for refurbishment projects and, due to Rinnai’s confidence in the superiority of its engineering processes, they come with a 15-year warranty on the heat exchanger,” explains Chris Goggin, Associate Director of Rinnai UK.

The Rinnai Energysaver range comprises fanned convection-powered flue models that exceed seasonal thermal heating guidance under Building Regs Part L, while also heating the usable space within buildings, ensuring comfort, efficiency and compliance.

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

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New commercial chemicals optimise system performance

Fernox has launched an enhanced range of commercial chemical water treatments, which includes: FC1 Inhibitor, FC3 Cleaner and FC1 Filter Fluid+ Inhibitor. Specifically designed for larger commercial systems, the three new products provide contractors with the high quality and reliable solutions needed to maintain energy efficient heating systems and protect vital system components from breakdown and failure.

Featured within the range is the universal, powerful FC3 Cleaner. Its formulation has been designed to purge commercial systems from harmful sludge and debris and restore the efficiency of existing systems. The effective product is also ideal as a pre-commission cleaner for new installations and suitable for use when conventionally flushing.

Once the system water is clean, the best-in-class FC1 Inhibitor should be utilised to protect against limescale build-up and corrosion formation. The FC1 Inhibitor is a proven formulation that is left within the system to maintain system efficiency and extend component longevity.

In cases where conventional flushing is difficult, not practical or even where high pressure powerflushing could create further system problems, then the unique FC1 Filter Fluid+ Inhibitor is recommended. The product combines the proven effectiveness of F1 inhibitor with an active dispersant package to detect, lift and deliver contaminants to a system filter.

For example when used together, FC1 Filter Fluid + Inhibitor and the TF1 Delta Filter will continuously protect against circulating debris that could cause system damage or breakdown – working to restore system efficiency. This complete solution mitigates the need for a system shutdown.

Also featured within the commercial chemical range is the popular Alphi-11 Antifreeze Protector. With proven capabilities and a reliable performance, the product is both non-toxic and compatible with metals and materials commonly used in heating systems. Alphi-11 can be left in the system all year to prevent frost damage and freezing pipework to temperatures down to -22 ̊C. Additionally, the combined antifreeze and inhibitor package avoids the need for a winter drain down and prolongs system life.

“Commercial heating systems are vulnerable to the build-up of sludge, scale and corrosion, all of which not only has a detrimental effect on system performance and carbon emissions but also affect the longevity of the system,” said Francine Wickham, Global Marketing Director at Fernox. “Our complete range of chemical water treatment and filter technology allows contractors to maximise the energy efficiency of commercial systems and protect vital and expensive system components from premature breakdown.”

FC1 Inhibitor, FC3 Cleaner and FC1 Filter Fluid+ Inhibitor are available in 20 litre packs and Alphi-11 Antifreeze Protector is available in a 25 litre pack.

For more information on Fernox’s new commercial chemical water treatments, visit: www.fernox.com.

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Nexus Brick Faced Support System

Creating flawless brick-faced soffits and lintels has now become much simpler and quicker, thanks to a new lightweight stainless steel based system developed by two industry-leading companies – brick support specialist Ancon Building Products and Ibstock Kevington –national manufacturer of brickwork and masonry special shapes and prefabricated components.

The new Nexus® system combines a specially developed Ibstock Kevington lightweight brick-faced steel unit with Ancon’s tried and tested MDC stainless steel bracket angle support system. The system offers contractors easier handling coupled with maximum adjustability, both vertically and horizontally, for quick and simple alignment on site.

The new system offers considerable benefits over traditional cast concrete alternatives – cutting weight by more than half, which in most cases will allow the brick-faced units to be installed without specialist lifting equipment, and significant savings in installation time – making it particularly appropriate for fast-track or time-limited projects.

Individual Nexus® units are designed and prefabricated off-site to suit different soffit dimensions, even modern deep soffits, so there is no cutting required on-site. They are simply offered up to the pre-fixed and pre-drilled Ancon MDC support system and then bolted into position using T-head bolts. The quality design allows units to be simply adjusted for perfect alignment and, once in position, all that is left is for the brick facing to be pointed for a seamless match with the main brickwork.

Nexus units can be fabricated using virtually any brick or masonry with the chosen product being specially selected and precision cut, generally from the same batch as the main façade to ensure a perfect visual match. Various brick patterns can also be specified to match individual project designs and styles.

All system components are of the highest quality, and engineered for economy and durability, with slips permanently bonded to the high grade stainless steel Nexus system using a BBA accredited bonding system. Nexus has been independently tested for long term durability by Lucideon, the independent global experts in materials testing, analysis and consultancy.

Ibstock Kevington Sales Director, Warren Dean said “Nexus® is an exciting new development that brings together the combined experience and expertise of two major companies – each market leaders in their own area. The advanced design will not only make it easier and quicker to specify and install modern brick-faced soffit and lintel features in a range of different building applications, but the two-part design means it will be far easier to achieve perfect alignment with the main brickwork façade.”

Further details and technical specifications for the Nexus® system are available in a new 4-page brochure, available to download from www.ancon.co.uk/Nexus.

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