Research Identifies Significant Savings with Tapered Roof Insulation

A new white paper has highlighted that tapered roof insulation systems, which combine flat roof insulation and drainage in a single product, can achieve considerable savings when compared with other common methods for creating a fall on a flat roof. The report shows the tapered insulation systems require no drying time, can be as little as around 3% the weight of screed to fall systems and deliver cost savings of as much as £58 per m2 (43%) on the roof build-up above the deck.

 

The Flat Roof Drainage white paper from Kingspan Insulation examines three commonly used methods of achieving a fall on a warm deck flat roof:

  • screed laid to falls;
  • timber firrings under a plywood deck; and
  • tapered roof insulation (specifically Kingspan Thermataper Systems)

 

It features a comparative cost analysis from Currie & Brown, looking at the three approaches across four new build non-residential buildings with concrete decks. These included a hospital extension and office blocks, with roof areas of between 192 m2 and 3,073 m2. All of the constructions use Kingspan Therma range insulation and are designed to achieve identical U-values of 0.16 W/m2K.

 

The results showed that the Kingspan Thermataper Systems provided the most cost-effective option across all four case studies. The system provided savings of £43 – 58 per m2 (up to 43%) on the roof build-up above deck when compared with screed to falls and £15 – 32 per m2 (up to 23%) when compared with the timber firrings. The analysis concluded that Kingspan Thermataper Systems would also provide cost savings on timber and metal deck roofs when compared with timber firings.

 

The white paper also highlights that a standard cement: sand screed dries at approximately one month per 25 mm thickness. This means that the drying time can be as much as 195 days or more on larger surfaces – greatly extending project timescales. Whilst this can be reduced with a quick-drying screed, this will raise system costs by between 40-50%.

 

Weight is also identified as an issue, with standard cement: sand screed weighing around 2000 kg/m3. When applied to the 3,073 m2 case study roof this led to a total above deck system weight of 1,005,000 kg, compared with just 23,000 kg for the Kingspan Thermataper System. This added weight will have clear structural implications for the building foundations and frame along with additional costs beyond those highlighted in the Currie & Brown analysis.

 

To read more about the research and the benefits tapered roof insulation can provide, download the Flat Roof Drainage white paper – www.kingspaninsulation.co.uk/flatroofdrainage

 

For further information, please contact:

Tel: +44 (0) 1544 387 384

Fax: +44 (0) 1544 387 484

email: info@kingspaninsulation.co.uk

Website: www.kingspaninsulation.co.uk/flatroofdrainage

www.twitter.com/KingspanIns_UK

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STAYCATION SUPERSTAR: ARISTON’S VELIS EVO IS THE IDEAL ELECTRIC WATER HEATER FOR HOLIDAY HOMES

Ariston’s super slim Velis Evo electric storage water heaters have been designed with the leisure and holiday accommodation sectors in mind. Providing a perfect combination of comfort and design, the units are suitable for applications such as country cottages, mobile homes, glamping pods and cabins – which are all currently in high demand as UK residents look to enjoy a summer ‘staycation’.

 

For owners and managers of park home, camping sites and other leisure facilities seeking a high quality, reliable and efficient source of hot water, the Velis Evo has everything required to keep guests happy, comfortable and clean for the duration of their holiday.

 

Each unit benefits from space-saving twin-tank technology; measuring a slim 27cm in depth, the products are simple to fit in holiday accommodation. The Velis Evo also boasts the best in-class ErP rating, as well as fast reheat times to ensure end users do not have to wait long for their shower to be ready. Its energy efficiency credentials are further enhanced by a low 1.5kW power supply, which is ideal when installing in leisure or off-site applications as an alternative to hot water cylinders.

 

Hot water hygiene is also important, with the British Holiday and Home Parks Association (BHHPA) encouraging leisure sites to regularly review their legionella risk assessment procedures and follow advice from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE). The Velis Evo allows park owners and managers to adhere to this legislation, as all units have an anti-legionella function that automatically increases the temperature of the water up to 65°C once a month. Doing so reduces the risk of legionella bacteria developing inside the tank to ensure healthier water.

 

Velis Evo electric storage water heaters are also fitted with Ariston’s ABS Safety System; this includes ‘Anti-Overheating’, ‘Anti-Freezing’ and ‘Dry Heating Self-Diagnosis’ functions, protecting products in the event of energy or water failures – providing the owners and managers of leisure facilities with absolute peace of mind.

 

Commenting on the super-fast electric storage water heaters, Victoria Gutierrez, Marketing Manager at Ariston, said: “With a higher number of people looking to spend their holidays on ‘staycation’ this year, it’s important their accommodation has a reliable supply of hot water. Our Velis Evo range has been designed with leisure applications in mind, with its slim design ensuring it can be installed in compact spaces without affecting its water heating performance. In addition to adhering to all health and safety requirements, park home and glamping site operators will also benefit from higher levels of efficiency – and lower energy bills.”

 

All Velis Evo units have an easy to configure, smart ‘blue tech’ touchscreen, and are supplied with an unvented kit, as well as a 5-year manufacturer’s warranty as standard.

 

For more details about Ariston and its range of electric water heaters, visit: www.ariston.com/uk.

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SMART INTELLIGENT FAÇADES FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM’S ADVANCED MANUFACTURING BUILDING

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The University of Nottingham’s Advanced Manufacturing Building used TECHNAL GEODE MX 52 Visible Grid Curtain Walling, SOLEAL FY 65 Windows and PY 55 Doors. Selected by architects Bond Bryan, the TECHNAL aluminium systems offered a cost-effective, thermally efficient solution that was backed by outstanding technical support both prior and during construction.

 

The state-of-the-art training and research facility, located at the entrance to the Jubilee Campus, has enhanced the University of Nottingham’s Faculty of Engineering. The building features teaching facilities, laboratories and workshops, and houses the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre in Manufacturing Technology.

 

Costing £23 million, the 9000m2 facility, built by contractor GF Tomlinson, plays host to pioneering research that could shape the future of UK manufacturing. Since its completion, the structure has been awarded a RIBA East Midlands Award in recognition of its architectural excellence.

 

The building was designed by further education sector specialists Bond Bryan Architects, in a form that would work around the site constraints of the River Leen and the campus entrance road. Design inspiration was also taken from the adjacent, Elizabethan Revival style, Lenton Lodge, with the anodised cladding panel system selected to resonate with the colour and tone of the lodge.

 

On the glazing aspect of the design, a representative of Bond Bryan commented, “The masonry plinth at ground level combined with high-level glazing were designed to give the impression that the upper storeys are floating. Extensive internal glazing and the use of open walkways also allow visitors a sweeping view through and out of the building. This design visually links the activities within the faculty whilst also creating a dramatic and exciting work environment.”

 

It was down to TECHNAL’s project consultant to interpret the glazing requirements set out by Bond Bryan and recommend products that would meet the required thermal efficiency and safety standards of a university building, whilst also providing the desired aesthetic effects sought by Bond Bryan.

 

When combined with the highest performance glazing, the GEODE MX 52 range curtain walling and its integrated thermal break enables Ucw coefficients as low as 1.1 W/m2K to be achieved. The curtain walling is also easily integrated with the thermally broken FY 65 windows and PY 55 doors, both of which offer outstanding thermal performance. In terms of security, both the FY 65 windows and PY 55 doors, have been tested in accordance with BS EN1627, achieving RC2 and up to RC3, respectively and PAS 24.

 

With regards to the assistance received from TECHNAL, Bond Bryan Architects added, “We work with TECHNAL regularly because its solutions are cost effective and the team offers great design and technical support throughout the process.”

 

Tim Hubner, Project Manager for GF Tomlinson commented: “We are very pleased with the final outcome of the building. It is a credit to all the contractors and suppliers involved.”

 

TECHNAL is part of the Hydro Group, a world leader in aluminium solutions that also encompasses sister brand WICONA. Through its globally renowned Hydro Technology Hubs, the group is shaping a sustainable future, with innovative products that satisfy and surpass customer expectations, in line with demands of CSR and increasing environmental regulations.

 

For more information, please visit www.technal.com/en/uk/.

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ALTRO CREATES PEACEFUL ENVIRONMENT FOR LIBRARY

Altro Ensemble modular flooring has helped create a comfortable and elegant reading and learning environment for children and adults in a Swedish library.

The old library in Smedstorp was squeezed into a school, which meant visitors had to go through the school building to access it. Tomelilla Municipality moved the library to new premises and decided to allow visitors to access the library after hours on evenings and weekends with a library pass. They needed to find a floor for the new library that improved sound reduction and provided comfort underfoot. They chose to install Altro Ensemble.

Award-winning Altro Ensemble is a modular flooring system that gives complete design freedom to create stunning floors for interior spaces. From colour blocking to geometric patterns, the possibilities are as endless as the imagination.

The flooring has up to 15dB sound reduction with added comfort underfoot, making it perfect for front of house areas in hotels, including foyers and receptions, restaurant and café dining areas, retail, offices and student accommodation – any environment where design is key. With 39 colours and four modular sizes, you can mix and match to create unique patterns using colour and design.

“We chose Altro’s LVT flooring mainly because of its acoustic benefits,” says Lars Axelsson, Project manager, Tomelilla municipality. “We have invested in sound absorbents on walls and acoustic solutions in the ceiling, but we wanted to dampen the noise as much as we could to promote peace and quiet when reading and that’s where Altro’s solution fitted in well. It is a floor that is neat, quiet and easy to maintain, so everyone has been happy: the visitors, the staff and the cleaning staff.”

Ronnie Bergström, from Floors in Ystad, was the installer on the project. “Altro Ensemble was incredibly easy to handle which is always an advantage to an installer. In addition, it is a good floor for a library, as the underside of the tiles offers both sound reduction and provides a nice surface to walk on. The process was smooth from start to finish and the result was very good.”

 

About Altro – www.altro.co.uk

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NEW ALTRO WOOD ADHESIVE-FREE IS HOMELY AND HASSLE FREE SOLUTION FOR GLOUCESTER NURSING HOME

New Altro Wood™ adhesive-free is providing Coate Water Care’s Woodstock Nursing Home in Gloucester with homely flooring for bedrooms and en suites, was quick to fit and caused minimal disruption.

 

Altro Wood adhesive-free is a safety wood-look floor with easy cleanability; perfect for decorative, homely or biophilic areas. The range has been created with design freedom in mind – Altro Wood adhesive-free shares some designs with Altro Wood Comfort and Altro Wood, allowing you to coordinate floors with different performance criteria across different areas of the building.

Nursing Home Manager, Trudy Glassonbury, says: “Our previous flooring was getting very tatty and needed replacing. We wanted to continue with a wood effect product, as it is stylish, homely, and warm looking. We needed something that would be quick to fit, so that it would cause minimum disruption to residents.

 

“C&C Flooring, who we have worked with for many years, recommended the new Altro Wood adhesive-free product, because it could go down on top of the existing flooring and would take a fraction of the time to install compared with an adhered product.

 

“This was ideal for us, as we could fit it in the five bedrooms and en suites we were refurbishing without prolonged disruption to residents. It took far less time than an adhered flooring would have taken. There was no need to remove the old flooring, or put down a screed, or drying time. It was so professional and fast. Plus of course there were no adhesive smells, which in a care home setting with vulnerable residents is a very important consideration.”

Using Altro’s award-winning adhesive-free installation method, you can halve installation time compared with a traditional adhered installation. Depending on substrate condition, a 200m2 corridor would be laid in two days compared with four days with an adhered floor covering, with a significant cost saving too.

With no DPM and no adhesive required, floors can be welded and walked on the same day. Adhesive-free floors are ideal for busy public spaces where disruption needs to be minimal, plus there are no associated adhesive odours. And at the end of their life, they can be re-used elsewhere or recycled.

The new Altro Wood adhesive-free range was the first floors to use Altro’s innovative underside emboss structure, which provides 14dB impact sound reduction and comfort underfoot. It has 12 wood-look designs, enabling you to create biophilic, stylish, or warm and homely aesthetics together with the safety and durability needed for medium to high traffic areas.

With a 10-year guarantee and Altro’s one in a million slip-resistance reassurance, Altro Wood adhesive-free offers high levels of comfort underfoot providing a safe, durable and decorative solution for busy spaces. Robust enough to withstand rigorous and frequent cleaning, like all Altro floors, Altro Wood adhesive-free can be steam cleaned thousands of times without damage. It is ideal for public-facing areas, where it will continue to make a great first impression and support the wellbeing of users for the lifetime of the product.

Trudy says: “We are delighted with our new flooring; it looks lovely, has superb safety credentials, is very easy to clean and the entire installation process was completely hassle free.”

 

About Altro – www.altro.co.uk

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VORTICE LAUNCHES THE NEW VORT QUADRO dMEV

VORTICE has announced the launch of a new de-centralised continuous Mechanical Extract Ventilation (dMEV) system complying with system 3 of the building regulations.

This sleek and stylish new fan comes in four models, a standard and a timer with humidity control (T-HCS), both available in a surface mounted and a recessed design.  Units are equipped with a trickle and boost function, with one of four trickle functions (ranging from 5 to 12 litres per second) The timer function allows the user to programme the boost mode to come on immediately or after 45, 90 or 120 seconds” selected at the time of wiring. The fan is PCDB Listed offering low power consumption with low specific fan powers on both through the wall and ducted applications. The unit is also extremely quiet and has a hinged cover which allows for easy maintenance to the filters.

Sales Manager Paul Gunner said: “This fantastic new de-centralised continuous mechanical extract fan offers Italian aesthetic style, is energy efficient and extremely quiet. This will be a great addition to our residential fan offering.”

For further information visit www.vortice.ltd.uk

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Steel and Timber Combine on Stylish Kingspan TEK Self Build

The Kingspan TEK Building System of structural insulated panels (SIPs) has been used to create a spectacular, cantilevered self-build in Oxfordshire, achieving excellent airtightness and energy efficiency with a fast-track build programme.

Homeowner, Daniel Frazer, identified timber frame as his preferred construction method at the outset of the project due to its speed of build and ability to be constructed in most weather conditions. Following discussions with Greenspace Architects and Kingspan TEK Delivery Partners, Point 1 Building Systems, he finally settled on the Kingspan TEK Building System. “I was attracted to SIPs due to their air-tightness and even faster erection speed,” Daniel commented. “I particularly liked the ability to have a roof fabricated from the panels.”

The Kingspan TEK Building System is formed from rigid insulation panels which are faced with OSB/3. Kingspan TEK SIPs are pre-cut to each project’s specifications by trained delivery partners, ensuring a simple, fast and accurate installation once on site. Their unique jointing system also ensures excellent insulation continuity throughout the envelope whilst limiting air-leakage.

The building’s unique angular design presented some unusual challenges for the project team as architect, Geraint Edwards, explained:

“The first-floor volume cantilevers in two directions to create a balcony to the front of the house, along with an inset entrance doorway. We try to minimise the use of steel with SIPs projects but in this case it was necessary. The benefit of Kingspan TEK panels is that they can be used in combination with other structural elements – whether it is steel, glue-lam or masonry. It was also incredibly helpful to have an experienced Kingspan TEK Delivery Partner to advise on detailing and avoid unnecessary complications.”

Point 1 Building Systems used detailed 3D modelling to interrogate the requirements at the quotation stage and ensure an appropriate structural package was developed. Once the design was agreed they precisely manufactured the panels before delivering them to site to a careful scheduled programme. This supported a rapid build programme and allowed materials to be stored within the perimeter of the site, without encroaching into neighbouring plots.

In addition to the steel structural elements, the final package combines 142 mm Kingspan TEK panels with a 25 mm layer of Kingspan Thermawall TW55 and Thermapitch TP10, which was fitted throughout the envelope internally, helping to meet the demanding fabric performance requirements of the Graven Hill development. Besides achieving wall and roof U-values of 0.15 W/m2K, this also meant particular attention had to be paid to detailing.

“Psi-values were calculated showing the performance gain when the 25 mm layers of Kingspan Thermapitch TP10 and Thermawall TW55 were installed internally. Working within the scope of Graven Hill Plot Passport, our SAP assessor was able to confirm the required performance at an early stage to prove compliance.”

The home is also expected to achieve a measured air-leakage rate of less than 1 m3/m2hr @ 50 Pa. Daniel Frazer personally oversaw work to achieve this, which included applying silicone and airtight tape to all junctions other than those between the Kingspan TEK Building System panels.

 

For further information, please contact:

Tel: +44 (0) 1544 387 384

Email: literature@kingspantek.co.uk

Website: www.kingspantek.co.uk

 

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Adveco AD: Tough, Highly Efficient Commercial Water Heating

 

  • A range of compact commercial semi-instantaneous gas condensing water heaters
  • Perfect for applications requiring direct contact with soft, softened and chlorinated water
  • Highly efficient modular design offers continuity of service in one appliance

 

Commercial hot water and heating specialist Adveco, announces the AD range. A new generation of sleekly designed, modulating commercial floor-standing gas condensing water heaters to be used with a buffer for high demand semi-instantaneous hot water applications in sports & leisure centres, hotels, spas, schools, stadia, and large commercial buildings.

Bill Sinclair, technical director, Adveco said, “The titanium-stabilised stainless-steel construction of the AD range’s heat exchangers is the perfect response to counter the concerns of corrosion in soft, or softened water applications. Compact, lightweight yet still powerful, the AD’s patented space-saving design makes it equally applicable to both new projects or renovation work where a lack of space would traditionally stall or quickly drive up costs of a project.”

With each water heater composed of one to four 70 kW heat exchangers, the AD range offers appliances from 70kW up to 280 kW. This approach optimises the supplied output (up to 160 litres/minute) ensuring maximum efficiency when providing DHW. Models with multiple integrated heat exchangers offer load balancing for optimal long-life operation and inbuilt redundancy guaranteeing continuity of service.

Tough and efficient, AD water heaters are all equipped with premix burners made of Fecralloy metal fibre for large modulation range with excellent functionality at extremely high temperatures. Using a premix burner ensures the AD requires less gas, making it more cost-effective, plus reducing harmful NOX and CO emissions. The AD’s heat exchangers will also work in direct contact with chlorinated mains water.

The AD range can be configured to operate in a cascade of up to eight water heaters. The AD’s controller provides full temperature control and self-check maintenance functions. The controller also accommodates 0-10 input, MODBUS communication, and alarm output for seamless system integration.

Additional information

  • Five-year warranty on AISI 316Ti heat exchangers
  • Compact floor standing arrangement: AD 70T & AD140T H1180 x W600 x D945mm / AD210T & AD280T M1880 x W600 x D896mm
  • High maximum run pressure up to 11 bar
  • Low emissions, built with Class 6 technology for NOₓ at 27 mg/kWh GCV
  • Available for natural gas or LPG
  • Acid condensate neutraliser included
  • Ideal for soft water applications. Hard water areas over 150ppm require use of a water softener down to 100ppm.
  • Supports standard flue systems using low cost 110-160 mm diameter PP

Adveco – Expertly engineered for you. Visit www.adveco.co

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NEW ALTRO WOOD ADHESIVE-FREE GIVES A WARM WELCOME AT GLOUCESTER CARE HOME

Altro Wood™ adhesive-free flooring is helping to create a homely, welcoming and safe environment for residents at The Lawns, a family-run care home in Gloucester.  

 

Owner Anna Carrier said: “The previous carpet flooring was starting to look tired, and we were worried about infection control issues. Frankly it didn’t look very good. But we also wanted a floor that looked warm, to help residents really feel at home, so we knew we needed to make a change.”

 

The new Altro flooring was installed on the ground floor at The Lawns in the circulation areas, dining rooms, lounges and in reception. It was fitted by C&C Flooring. MD Roo Williams said: “We have used other Altro adhesive-free floorings for a few years now, and the new Altro Wood adhesive-free product is fantastic. It looks great, really creating a home-from-home look, and it complements the care home perfectly.

 

“It’s ideal for this kind of environment where there are vulnerable end users, because there are no harsh adhesives creating odours or potentially causing breathing difficulties. Installation is so much quicker because we are not waiting for glues to cure before laying, and it can go straight down onto the existing floor, so there is minimal disruption for residents. The acoustic value is brilliant, too, which is a huge benefit in any environment where there is a lot of noise.”

 

New Altro Wood adhesive-free creates maximum impact with minimum downtime. Its 12 wood-look colour choices allow the creation of biophilic, stylish, or warm and homely aesthetics. With up to 14dB impact sound reduction, a 10-year guarantee and Altro’s one in a million slip-resistance reassurance, the flooring offers high levels of comfort underfoot, providing a safe, durable and decorative solution for busy spaces.

 

Using Altro’s award-winning adhesive-free installation method, it can be welded and walked on the same day, and at the end of its life can be removed easily, allowing it to be reused or recycled. Using Altro adhesive-free floors, installation time can be halved, compared with a traditional adhered installation. It’s ideal for busy public spaces, where disruption needs to be minimal, plus there are no associated adhesive odours. 

 

Anna Carrier added. “We love the new flooring because it’s easy to clean, reduces noise in the building, but mostly the wood effect is lovely, so welcoming. It looks and feels like something the residents might have in their own home, so it makes them feel very relaxed. It’s also very comfortable to walk on, and this is so important for our residents. Overall the flooring fits exactly with what we want to achieve.

 

“It was so quick to lay, going down in just a day, and for a busy environment like ours, where we are looking after people with complex care needs, this made the lives of both residents and staff so much easier. From an infection control perspective replacing carpet with this Altro flooring has made our life so much easier.

 

“We will definitely use this product again, because we wanted a flooring that would enable us to keep the same homely ‘look’ throughout the home, and one that would meet our hygiene requirements. Both these critical issues have certainly been delivered.” 

 

Watch a video case study of this project at: https://www.altro.co.uk/Adhesive-free-floors

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Regency Design creates student friendly hand sanitising units to prevent cross contamination issues when schools reopen

Regency Design, the design and manufacturing business, has launched a bespoke series of automatic hand sanitising stations which come in a variety of sizes to help prevent cross contamination challenges as schools and universities reopen.

Complying with the Equality Act, the automatic hand sanitising dispensers have been created to accommodate schools and pupils of all sizes, from nursery and pre-school to senior and secondary schools.

To teach younger children especially about the importance of hygiene, Regency Design has created a specific nozzle that dispenses sanitiser in a foam bubble, to make the concept of hand sanitising more fun.

Zak Manhire, Chief Commercial Officer at Regency Design, says that the team has used innovation and imagination to make the sanitising units suitable for schools: “We have adjusted the heights of our sanitising units as well as creating a variety of nozzles to make dispensing the sanitiser fun and interesting,” he says. “They can also be fully customised with a school’s coat of arms or colour schemes, to make them an integral part of the environment.”

As well as schools and early education facilities, the sanitising units are also being delivered to colleges and universities, with positive feedback already received from campuses in Sunderland and Edinburgh.

The sanitising units are 100% Made in Britain, which as well as supporting the UK economy, also means they are quick to manufacture and deliver.

Along with their hand sanitising units, Regency Design has created a full range of PPE, including face visors, which can help keep teachers and children safe when interacting in the classroom.

www.regencydesign.co.uk

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