Archive for category: Building News

Now available is Rinnai’s ErP A-rated Infinity 1600 range of continuous flow condensing gas fired water heaters, designed to deliver the most energy efficient and cost competitive hot water heating units to any UK site or application.

Rinnai manufactures over 2 million hot water heating units each year and so can offer advantageous cost savings for installers and end users. The units are probably the most competitively priced type of their kind currently available to the UK sector.

The company’s low-NOx Infinity HDC 1600i models utilise Rinnai’s patented pre-mix burner technology with a 14-1 turn down ratio – the largest on the market – of 58.4kw-4.05kw with extremely quiet operation.

Integral controls on the units enable the water heater to achieve high efficiencies whether locally or integrated into a building management system. In reducing Legionella proliferation, Rinnai has developed additional ‘SMART’ controls for secondary return DHW systems in the form of an advanced temperature control system which allows for safe running of water at 42°C core temperature during the day and 60°C overnight.

Another Rinnai innovation addresses an age-old industry problem with hot water delivery – lime scale build-up. The company’s integrated scale control system is an innovative solution and comes in the form of an LC (lime check) code on the display of the controller.

Ultimately, ongoing use with hard water may shorten the lifespan of conventional water heating appliances and systems. To safeguard against this Rinnai units continually self-monitor for lime scale deposits around the heat exchanger. If a lime scale build-up is identified, a message is sent to the built-in interface panel on the front of the appliance. The message is displayed as ‘LC’, which alerts the homeowner to contact a Rinnai service agent to perform a lime scale flush to clear the potentially harmful deposits.

The industry uptake of Rinnai’s series of low-NOx high efficiency products is that continuous flow heater systems are proven to be more energy efficient than conventional storage systems and are increasingly the experts’ preferred method of hot water provision. Rinnai units easily cater for any size projects that need high volumes of water at intermittent times of day.

The Rinnai Infinity 1600i offers condensing technology with up to 107% gross efficiency, ultra-low-NOx of less than 20 ppm, a widely expansive modulation range of 54kW-4kW and high flow rates of 37/ltr/min. Add to these benefits, the peace of mind of an extended warranty, a top A-rating exceeding the demands of eco-labelling legislation, and the knowledge that the HDC1600 is future-proofed against future regulatory and legislative changes.

For more information on the RINNAI product range visit

www.rinnaiuk.com

Kingspan Kooltherm products have been installed in the new operating theatres at Wrexham Maelor Hospital to provide a versatile, lightweight HVAC solution.

Wrexham Maelor is one of the busiest hospitals in North Wales, with a catchment area of over half a million people. £3 million was invested into the site to create a state-of-the-art modular building, delivered by MTX, comprising day case and endoscopy theatres, allowing the hospital to provide exceptional care.

With the NHS’ commitment to improving efficiency of services, the performance of products was crucial. The premium building service specification included the installation of 2,000 lm of Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation and 400 m² of Kingspan Kooltherm Duct Insulation by thermal insulation contractor, Midland Premier Insulations Limited (MPI). Scott McCaskie, Director for MTX, discussed the project:

“Given the environment, safety of patients is a priority. Kingspan products were selected for this project as, in addition to their thermal performance which would support the maintenance of comfortable temperatures, they could also deliver excellent levels of indoor air quality with their fibre-free insulation cores.”

Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation has a best-in-class Eurofins Indoor Air Comfort Gold certificate, recognising it as an outstanding material according to the VOC Indoor Air Quality emissions standards. It also offers premium thermal performance with an aged thermal conductivity as low as 0.025 W/m^.K (at 10°C mean). It is one of the thinnest and most thermally efficient in common use within the UK construction industry today. This supported a fast-track installation whilst ensuring services operate effectively.

Kingspan Kooltherm Duct Insulation is externally faced with an aluminium vapour barrier foil. Its rigid nature ensures the specified thickness is maintained at the corners and can help to create a continuous and fully sealed vapour barrier. It can achieve thermal conductivities as low as 0.022 W/m^.K (at +10°C mean) and is suitable for rectangular, circular and flat oval indoor ductwork applications, within an operating temperature range of –20°C to 80°C. The duct insulation is also manufactured under a BS EN ISO 14001: 2015 scheme and is produced at Kingspan Insulation’s Pembridge and Selby manufacturing facilities which are certified to BES 6001 ‘Excellent’.

The products’ cores are manufactured with a CFC/HCFC–free blowing agent that has zero Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) and low Global Warming Potential (GWP). All Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe and Duct Insulation has a BRE Green Guide Rating of A/A+.

Website: www.kingspanindustrialinsulation.com and www.kingspanductwork.co.uk

The Kingspan TEK Building System has been used to construct five luxury villas at the Porth Veor Manor Hotel near Newquay – providing the perfect seaside spot for holiday makers.

The mid-19^th Century manor sits in two acres of terraced lawn gardens. In 2007, a swimming pool and 12 cottages were added to the resort and, with demand continuing to grow, the owners chose to build a further row of two-storey villas in an underused section of the grounds. The Kingspan TEK Building System of structural insulated panels (SIPs) was specified for the project for a variety of reasons, as Mike Burke from contractors Sip Hus, explained:

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“The design of the units, their location, size and performance requirements meant that the Kingspan TEK Building System was the best choice for the structural shells. The excellent thermal performance of the panels allowed us to maximise the internal spaces within the given footprint without having to compromise on thermal efficiency.”

The Kingspan TEK panels feature a high-performance rigid insulation core which is sandwiched between two layers of OSB/3. The panels were factory cut to the villa’s designs by SIP Hus Ltd. This allowed them to be installed quickly and efficiently once onsite, with the structural shells erected in just 5 weeks.

To reflect the architecture of the surrounding beach front properties, the upper storey of each villa is clad in New England style boarding whilst the lower storey is rendered in light neutral colours.

To help situate the buildings within their natural surroundings, the villas were designed with barrelled green roofs. This curved form presented an unusual challenge for the contractors, as Mike Burke added:

“In order to create a curve, the roof panels were spanned horizontally and faceted then battened and lined with plywood. The step in each villa also added to the complexity of the canopy design.”

The panels feature a unique jointing system which reduces thermal bridging and, in combination with their OSB/3 facing, also allowed air leakage to be reduced. This creates a warm and comfortable environment for holidaymakers, whilst also minimising their long-term heating costs.

Website Kingspan Tek

Rinnai offers big performance, heavy duty, diminutive appliances that offer virtually limitless volumes of hot water at useable temperatures – all through engineering design and excellence. And both ‘E’ (external) – and ‘I’ (internal) versions are offered. Here Chris Goggin, Rinnai Operations Director, explains the why and the where of using either model to suit the application.

Gas fired appliances such as hot water heating units or domestic or light commercial boilers tend to be wall hung on the interior of a site. Having a unit sited internally on a kitchen wall or a plant room makes for convenience for the end-user and for the installer or contractor in terms of installation, maintenance or servicing.

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However, external models of hot water heating units have become increasingly popular. We are seeing more and more units sold as installers seem to be favouring external siting for a variety of reasons.

Firstly, having a gas fired unit internally has its own restrictions – lack of internal space, flueing restrictions and impediments, exact siting for installer convenience, inspections etc. On external units a whole stack of advantages come into play – starting with the fact that it is a gas fired appliance and it is outside habitable space; and with no need for a flue there’s greater flexibility on exactly where you place the unit; it is easier to service and maintain; all units have robust casings and comprehensive weather controls, for example a Rinnai external appliance is frost protected down to minus 25ºC.

All these factors add up to possible economies for the end user and ease of installation for the installer.

Rinnai offer several units in both external – ‘E’ – and internal – ‘I’ – models. They are in the more heavy-duty part of our product range – 1600, 1500, 55 but also at the smaller end – the 17e.

Rinnai’s HDC1600i/e low NOx, gas-fired continuous flow water heater, delivers commercial qualities of hot water, up to 37 litres per minute on demand – to any site and application. And they are ErP ‘A’ rated.

The Rinnai external version HDC1200e gives end users 105.5% net efficiency* because the condensing process delivers up to 95% thermal efficiency, translating to significant energy savings when compared to standard tankless water heaters.

All of which makes the HDC continuous flow hot water range by far the best option for all types of applications. With a continuous flow water heater you can never run out of hot water no matter how many individual baths or showers or delivery points are being used simultaneously.

The only time the unit is using energy is when there is a demand, in other words it is only burning gas when a tap or shower is being run and, design improvements by Rinnai have increased the lowered NOx levels and increased efficiencies to market ready levels.

The Rinnai 17e is designed for use directly off the mains, with no need for large, ungainly storage vessels. Weighing just 17kg and measuring 503mmH x 355.6mmW x 181mmD the Rinnai 17e has been developed to allow maximum flexibility as it can be easily mounted on an external wall thereby eliminating the need for flueing and freeing up valuable interior space. This feature gives greater flexibility at the design stage and can offer an alternative solution where flue runs are problematic or internal space is not available.

A range of external ancillary items including a pipe cover box and security cage are available where necessary. Capable of flow rates of up to 510 litres per hour at a 50°C rise, the 17e is suitable for multiple applications, such as cafés, small restaurants and kitchen facilities.

 For more information visit www.rinnaiuk.com