The new clean air strategy is a breath of fresh air for Vortice

Vortice Limited has always been committed to educating its customers about the importance of ventilation and is now thrilled to get behind DEFRA’s new clean air strategy consultation. This new draft outlines very simply that ‘Air pollution is the top environmental risk to human health in the UK, and the fourth greatest threat to public health after cancer’. The draft clearly shows the connection between suitable, correct ventilation and good indoor air quality which maintains the health and wellbeing of the occupants.

Vortice knows only too well the importance of this and has made it its mission over the years to be a voice within the industry ensuring customers get a correct and compliant ventilation system by offering a complete design, aftersales and training service.

The DEFRA consultation also discusses how occupant behaviour can affect the ventilation requirements of a home. Vortice has listened to housebuilders and specifiers and works hard to provide a range of ventilation solutions for many different applications to improve indoor air quality in airtight dwellings.

For new build properties, Vortice offers a range of whole house solutions such as the compact Vort HR 200 BP heat recovery unit which has a 100% fully filtered bypass meaning no outdoor pollutants can enter the home. The unit also has a smart controller which indicates when the filters require cleaning and changing. For existing households there is a wide range of stylish bathroom, utility and kitchen fans, complete with many sensor options such as the attractively designed Punto Evo Flexo axial fan.

Marketing Manager Jennifer Quinn said ‘Vortice welcomes this new Government strategy as this will underscore what we have been talking about for years. It is important for us as a ventilation manufacturer always to offer a compliant solution suitable for the end application and to provide education to the installer and end user. We find lack of education is the key issue here so it is great to see this consultation highlighting the risks of bad ventilation and what damage this can have on the occupant’s health.”

Vortice will be promoting good practice during Green Great Britain Week, which begins on 15 October 2018 and is designed to engage the public in the debate on air quality alongside climate change and highlight the economic opportunities it offers for the UK.

For more details about Vortice products visit www.vortice.ltd.uk.
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School benefits from prefab heating solution

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Glebe Primary School in Rayleigh, Essex has upgraded the heating systems serving its Infant and Junior School buildings with the installation of two sets of two Quinta Pro 115 condensing boilers on a bespoke-designed Remeha rig system.

Now part of the Rayleigh Schools Trust, Glebe Primary School formerly came under the local authority of Essex County Council. Following a routine condition survey, Essex County Council recommended replacing the existing sectional cast-iron boilers, which had reached the end of their lifecycle, with advanced, high efficiency condensing boilers.

Reliability was a key requirement for the school together with ease and speed of installation as the refurbishment project was scheduled to be completed within a tight, fixed timeframe.

Spyros Sergiou of Triglyph Engineering Service was the M&E consultant on the product, working alongside heating contractor Balm and Davies and principal contractor Mitie.

As a preferred supplier of Essex County Council, Remeha boilers now serve many schools in the county due to their reputation for quality and high performance. Spyros therefore recommended installing four energy-saving Remeha Quinta Pro 115 boilers on two bespoke-designed rig systems to meet the requirements.

“We are familiar with Remeha boilers and have also used Remeha’s bespoke rig service on several projects,” said Spyros. “Installing multiple condensing boilers rather than one larger output unit helped maximise system efficiency and reliability for the school as well as ensuring easier future maintenance. Installing them on Remeha’s bespoke rig system meant that the unique requirements of the project and the site could be factored in from the outset.”

The bespoke design enabled all the space and access restrictions relating to the plant room at Glebe Primary School to be addressed at the design stage. This resulted in a more compact design, enabling faster installation and reduced on-site labour and costs.

“The boilers needed to pass through a double set of doors to enter the plant room,” continued Spyros. “This was accounted for in the design so that when the boilers were delivered into the plant room in the pre-assembled wheeled unit, they fitted in neatly and just needed to be plugged in. It couldn’t have been more straightforward.”

For the school, a further advantage of the detailed forward planning process was that the cost, size and specification were all fixed and in place before the bespoke rig was built. This helped keep the project on time and on budget.

When installing condensing boilers onto old systems, it is important to consider system integration as the quality of the water can affect boiler operation and longevity. This aspect can also be accommodated in the bespoke rig unit, as Spyros explained:

“The heating system at the school is around 20 years old. To achieve hydraulic separation and so ensure good condition water, we integrated a plate heat exchanger and air and dirt separators into the rig design.”

Using a prefabricated heating solution like the bespoke rig system reduces the intensity of skills required on-site. For schools this means added flexibility as the safer conditions, combined with the rapid changeover, enable boiler replacements to be carried out outside the holiday period.

As part of the refurbishment at Glebe Primary School, a new Building Management System has been fitted to enable accurate control and operation of the boilers. The design also uses a variable temperature circuit to maintain low flow and return temperatures, further maximising boiler and system efficiency.

The off-site fabricated bespoke heating solution has achieved an excellent outcome for all.

The school is benefiting from reliable, high-performance heating which is generating a more comfortable learning environment for the school’s children and staff. The more efficient heating will also lower operating costs due to reduced energy use and easier future maintenance, helping stretch the school budget further. At the same time, the cleaner operation and ultra-low NOx emissions will minimise its environmental impact.

For the contractors, Balm and Davies, the prefabricated rig system has enabled them to schedule the project and team more accurately to meet the skills base and so increase site productivity.

And the consultant? Last word to Spyros: “Ultimately, for us as designers, the bespoke nature of the rig and the ability to ‘frontload’ the design means that we can be assured that the specification is met. And at the end of the day, that makes everyone a winner.”

To find out more about Remeha’s bespoke rig service, contact your Expert Area Sales Manager or visit the manufacturer here.

NEW REMEHA LOGO

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Armstrong Ceilings set to debut virtual reality education experience

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The debut will take place at two near-future education exhibitions.

Armstrong Ceilings is following up the launch of a new education brochure by exhibiting at a brace of education shows this term.

The leading UK manufacturer will debut a virtual reality ceiling installation in a classroom at the Education Estates exhibition at Manchester Central from October 16th to 17th (stand G11) and at the Education Buildings exhibition at Edinburgh International Conference Centre from November 21st to 22nd (stand B9).

On the Armstrong stand, users of the new VR experience will find themselves transported to a typical classroom setting which has not been acoustically treated. Amidst the students, they will hear for themselves how typical classroom noise and clatter effects intelligibility and acoustic comfort.

Finally, the user will personally experience the acoustical transformation of the learning environment through the installation of a typical classroom ceiling system solution, using Ultima+ acoustic tiles (the first mineral ceiling tile range in Europe to win Cradle to Cradle™ certification), Blind Boxes, Axiom transitions, and Prelude 24 TLS suspension system .

It makes it easy to see why 65% of teachers in a London South Bank University survey reported voice problems during their career – a point the VR experience also makes as well as the fact that up to 30% of what is said in classrooms is missed due to extraneous noise. The presentation also shows that a high light-reflecting ceiling can also help with eye strain and fatigue.

Designed for specifiers to experience for themselves how to create a better and more sustainable learning environment, whether it is new-build or refurbishment, the VR experience will be joined on stand by the new education brochure and demonstrations of Armstrong’s online selector tool. This advises specifiers on the well-being requirements for a variety of school rooms including auditoriums, classrooms, gyms, cafes, lobbies and corridors.

Case studies on the use of Armstrong solutions at UK schools including Ystalyfera Welsh Medium Comprehensive School in South Wales, Royal Holloway University of London and Parsons Tower at Newcastle College, will also be featured.

More information is accessible via the Armstrong Ceilings website https://www.armstrongceilings.com/commercial/en-gb/.
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New Kingspan tapered systems provide a slimmer insulated fall

Kingspan Insulation has introduced Kingspan Thermataper TT44-K and Thermataper TT47-K, its first tapered roofing systems to incorporate Kingspan Kooltherm insulation, delivering excellent drainage and thermal performance with slim, lightweight constructions.

Kingspan Thermataper TT44-K and Thermataper TT47-K are designed for use on new and existing roofs with concrete or timber decks. With a thermal conductivity of just 0.018 W/m.K, the Kingspan Kooltherm packer board helps to minimise the overall system thickness required to achieve a desired U-value. Typical thickness savings of 20 – 40 mm could be achieved, dependent on the individual scheme and build-up, when compared with a full Polyisocyanurate (PIR) system.

Kingspan Thermataper TT44-K and Thermataper TT47-K can provide an effective flat roof drainage solution without the need for a structural fall. Each application is supported by Kingspan’s specialist tapered roofing design service, providing a clear layout for installers which will allow the desired level of rainwater run-off and insulation performance to be achieved. The service also includes a full condensation risk analysis.

Unlike traditional alternatives, such as screed to fall, the systems can be fitted with a dry installation process – reducing project timescales. In retrofit application, they can often be installed above the existing roof surface in conjunction with a waterproof membrane. This can avoid the time-consuming process of stripping down the existing surface. Pre-mitred hip and valley boards are also supplied as part of Kingspan Thermataper systems, helping to reduce both on-site adjustments and waste from offcuts.

For further information, please contact: 01544 387 384, email info@kingspaninsulation.co.uk or visit www.kingspaninsulation.co.uk.
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RCM first (and currently only) approved stockist of Rockpanel (FS-Xtra)

RCM, Roofing and Cladding Materials Ltd, a specialist in complete through wall solutions, are delighted to be the first, and currently only stockist of A2 Rockpanel (FS-Xtra) in the UK.

RCM are now able to offer Rockpanel (FS-Xtra) in a selection of colours directly from stock.

Made from compressed mineral wool, originating from basalt, Rockpanel has the strength and durability of stone, yet the workability of wood.

The addition of this ‘stone-based’ cladding further enhances RCM’s already extensive facades offering. Recent supplied projects by RCM have included the University of West England in Bristol, where over 1,000m² of Rockpanel Metallics were supplied to newly built high-quality student accommodation on the Frenchay campus.

Rockpanel is suitable for use as exterior cladding, applications along the roofline and for building detailing. It has the fire rating A2, which is ideally suited for applications where high levels of fire performance are desirable or mandatory.

The number of colours and finishes to choose from is huge and RCM are now able to deliver four of the most popular colours (Signal Grey, Anthracite Grey, Dusty Grey and Pure White) directly from its Staffordshire warehouses. It brings with it a great benefit to RCM’s customers by shortening lead times for these stock items, thus improving the service RCM are able to offer.

As well as choosing one of these stock colours, RCM are also able to supply the full 50 standard colours with an additional 100 special colours, including a further 10 Rockpanel ranges, which include Woods, Metallics, Stones, Uni, Ply, Natural, Chameleon, Brilliant, Lines and Premium.

Ian Quinton, RCM Managing Director said “It is a pleasure to announce RCM as a stockist of Rockpanel. Being able to stock four of the most popular colours means that we will be able to supply our customers much faster with the facades. This will reduce wasted time and allows RCM to become more efficient in the long run. Many great UK based projects have used Rockpanel in the past, endorsing the quality and sustainability of this fire safe exterior cladding from Rockpanel., not to mention the huge choice of colour finishes.”

A good example of the full range can be seen on RCM’s website – www.buildingboards.co.uk/products/rcm-rockpanelfacades/
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weberend one coat dash designed for speed of application and onsite efficiency

Saint-Gobain Weber has launched high performance weberend one coat dash, a one coat render that can receive a dry dash finish without the need to apply a base coat or a second pass. Designed to achieve a durable and weather resistant finish weberend one coat dash is especially suitable for the challenging Scottish climate where dash finish is commonplace.

Suitable for brick, blockwork, concrete, natural stone and clay substrates weberend one coat dash can be applied and finished on the same day, avoiding the drying time associated with a traditional two coat system typically of three to seven days. The use of weberend one coat dash allows faster application, reduced programme periods and improved onsite efficiency.

Onsite preparation is quick and easy requiring only the addition of water to the factory-blended, through-coloured render mix. It is suitable for application by hand and by spray render machine which will speed the process further. When applied at 16mm thickness coverage is approximately 1m² per 25kg bag. In many circumstances it is possible to apply the total thickness of weberend one coat dash in a single pass dependent upon criteria such as construction alignment, suction and mechanical key offered by the substrate. weberend one coat dash is factory produced for consistency of proportioning and available in three key colours: white, cream and buff.

“Whatever name you know it by, pebbledash, harling or dry dashing, this is a time-honoured building technique in Scotland which results in a long-lasting weatherproof shield, originally designed to protect stone buildings. This new one coat system offers a quick solution to architects, housebuilders and contractors, allowing their choice of decorative aggregates, to achieve an attractive and durable façade. ” says Tracey Dempster, head of marketing, Saint-Gobain Weber. “This practice is the most common type of finish that has been used throughout Scotland for centuries. Long lasting and practical weberend one coat dash, finished with a blend of decorative aggregate stones, is perfectly suited to the exposed locations of the country offering low maintenance and upkeep as its increased surface area serves to maximise evaporation and protect against driving rain.”

For more information about this product, or for technical support including award winning training courses, please contact Saint-Gobain Weber on 08703 330 070, or visit www.netweber.co.uk.
A free download of the 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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Crown Paints introduces 100 per cent recycled plastic containers

Crown Paints is set to launch paint containers made from 100 per cent recycled plastic – making it the first paint manufacturer in the UK to do so.

The plastic 2.5 litre and 5 litre containers, which will be available across Crown Paints’ retail range as early as mid-August, have been manufactured by packaging solutions expert Emballator, using 100 per cent post-consumer waste (PCW) plastic for each container.

The innovative manufacturing process involves separating polypropylene plastics such as shampoo bottles, yoghurt pots, plastic water bottles and even elements from household appliances from unusable plastic waste – saving thousands of tonnes of PCW plastic from otherwise ending up in landfill.

Once sorted, the PCW plastic is turned into individual pellets which are then dyed and moulded to create Crown’s 2.5 litre and 5 litre paint containers, with the dark grey shade making them instantly recognisable to consumers.

The paint containers, which will soon be rolled out across the entire Crown Paints range including its larger 10 litre tubs and Crown Trade products, are also fully recyclable once empty and clean. With such sustainability credentials, the new paint cans are the ideal choice for today’s environmentally conscious consumers.

Julie Entwistle, packaging buyer at Crown Paints said “We’ve invested a great deal in creating this innovative new packaging and have worked closely with the Emballator team to create a product which is made entirely from recycled plastic. This marks a significant improvement to the plastic paint containers manufactured from 25 per cent recycled plastic which are currently available in the UK.”

Liz Hickson, marketing director at Crown Paints added “We recognise that plastic waste is of huge concern to all our customers whether in the trade or retail market so we’re proud to be able to play our part in reducing the volume of reusable post-consumer waste plastic ending up in landfill unnecessarily. Once the new packaging rolls out to our full range, it has the potential to save many thousands of tonnes of plastic each year from otherwise going to waste and we’re pleased to be able to offer our customers a more sustainable choice at the same time.”

Gerard Dibb, managing director at Emballator commented “We are proud to support Crown Paints in bringing this innovative 100 per cent recycled container to market at a time when the public’s concerns over plastic waste levels have never been higher.

“Plastic paint can producers have been striving to break the 25 per cent recycled level for many years and to reach the 100 per cent level is a great achievement. The technical requirements of these containers were very challenging but we succeeded by working in co-operation with leading plastic recycler ImerPlast, whose innovative and unique compatibilisation of the post-consumer waste made this project feasible.”

The paint containers will start to roll off Crown Paints’ production lines next month and will soon be available in retail outlets and stockists across the UK. Crown is continuing to work with Emballator to create new packaging solutions for the entire Crown family of products including Crown Trade, Sadolin and Sandtex.

For more information and to find your nearest stockist, please email info@crowntrade.co.uk, call 0330 024 0297 or visit www.crowntrade.co.uk. You can also follow @CrownTradePaint on Twitter, CrownTradePaint on Facebook or Crown Paints on LinkedIn.
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RAVATHERM UK expands floorboard product range

In response to customer demand, RAVATHERM UK, the POLYFOAM™ XPS insulation manufacturer, has launched three new floorboard products offering specifiers and contractors a greater choice of thicknesses.

Adding to the company’s Floorboard Extra range, the new XPS insulation products are available in a thickness of 60, 125 and 150mm.

Speaking about the launch, Stuart Bell, managing director at RAVATHERM UK said: “We work closely with our customers to understand their needs to ensure we can continue to offer the right product mix.

“We recognised that there was a growing demand for different insulation thicknesses for new floor construction, so have responded by developing three new products aligned to specific customer requests.

“POLYFOAM Floorboard Extra in 125mm and 150mm are now the thickest products in the range and will prevent installers from having to double layer the insulation boards to achieve certain U-values. This will help to reduce costs and labour time.”

The new products mean that POLYFOAM Floorboard Extra is available in nine different thicknesses ranging from 25 – 150mm.

Suitable for almost any floor construction in domestic or industrial properties, POLYFOAM Floorboard Extra is highly resistant to compression and water absorption and offers thermal conductivity of 0.033 W/mK.

All products in the range achieve a BRE Certified Green Guide rating of A+, have product-specific Type III Environmental Product Declarations and are 100% recyclable.
RAVATHERM UK carries out U-value calculations free of charge for building designers involved in the construction of ground floors.

For more information about RAVATHERM UK, visit www.ravatherm.co.uk.
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Rinnai hot water delivery – Pay As You Go heating

Jennifer Williams looks at how continuous flow hot water delivery systems are fast overtaking the old technology of heating and storing water ready use.

Reports from the market on hot water heating system delivery in the commercial sector are showing a transition away from older technologies, which commonly use large volumes of cylinder stored and reheated hot water, are reaching a ‘tipping point’ with continuous flow units vastly out-perform them in terms of capital costing, economy of fuel, plant room space and lifetime efficiency.

Each family is said to use 80 litres of hot water daily and the older technologies employed by traditional means of stored hot water heating systems are increasingly unable to economically and sustainably meet these market demands. Stored types of systems feature an insulated cylinder or container that keeps large quantities of water heated by either a boiler or immersion heater, and reheated when temperatures drop below a useable temperature. Thus, when there is demand, stored water is released and used, and then the cylinder refilled and reheated to
remain at optimum temperatures (above 60°C) until next use.

The market today requires and expects instant access to hot water, and in most domestic and light commercial applications there is no need for an inefficient system that can have a significant lag in recovery time to fully reheated water reserves. The major claimed benefits of storage systems lie in large commercial applications, such as a gyms or hotels, which need very large volumes of water at peak times – however, this can be easily accommodated by using a cascade system of continuous flow units.

According to an AECOM independent study (AECOM is the largest building services consultancy in the world) the life cycle costings of continuous flow systems in comparison to equivalent storage systems, on average a ‘continuous flow water’ heating system can be up to 7% more economical’. At 89% efficiency on average, a storage system will encounter heat loss and wasted energy – reheating at times when there is no demand, for example. A continuous fl ow unit will maintain an efficiency level of 96%, increasing the returns on investment; or in other words, major savings on ongoing costs.

Continuous flow hot water delivery is disrupting the old ways with new ways of doing it better, faster and more economically.

The continuous flow units and systems offer heating effi ciency, reliability, space saving, Legionella prevention and environmentally conscious Low NoX outputs – plus a Limescale Check system which ensures optimum performance throughout the life of the unit by constant monitoring and alerts for any buildup of lime-scale residue. Limescale can build exponentially if left and ignored, where a 1.6mm depth of limescale on a heat exchanger means a drop in efficiency of at least 12% – and a cut in the efficiency of any system means higher running costs. “The payback investment over the 10 years-plus life of a single Rinnai unit can be measured and shown to out-perform cheaper and much less efficient water heaters in a matter of months”, adds Chris Goggin, Operations Director.

For more details on RINNAI products visit www.rinnaiuk.com.
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Titon teams up with Kenrick to form new distribution partnership

Titon has joined forces with West Bromwich-based window hardware and accessories manufacturer Kenrick, to become a distributor for the company’s window and door multi-point locking range. The addition of the Kenrick products complements Titon’s existing window and door hardware offering, and creates a broad and comprehensive selection for Titon’s customers in the UK fabricator market.

The Kenrick multi-point lock portfolio includes standard espagnolettes, security espagnolettes, shootbolts and door locks, with all products available in a number of variants, including easy-fit options, according to customer requirements. They are suitable for use on aluminium, timber or PVCu, and an extensive range of profile-specific keeps are available, while new keeps can also be designed to suit new profiles.

The new distribution partnership follows a successful trial period in which Essex-based Titon sold a limited range of Kenrick items to a small number of its existing customers who specified the use of the products.

Kenrick was founded by Archibald Kenrick as an iron foundry in 1791, and the company still manufactures from the same West Bromwich premises today. With the exception of standard espagnolettes, its entire range is SBD (Secured by Design) accredited, so has passed the PAS24 security testing, allowing it to work effectively in tandem with Titon’s own SBD-approved products, such as the Asterion Three Star door cylinder, friction hinges and handles.

“Kenrick has been successfully producing multi-point door locks and window hardware for many years to build up a sizeable customer base,” said Titon Sales and Marketing Director, Tyson Anderson. “As an established brand ourselves, we are delighted to have gone into partnership with such a well-respected business boasting a long heritage.”

He added: “We are confident that Titon’s considerable expertise in this field, combined with our constantly expanding sales network, will assist in growing Kenrick’s customer base even further.”

For more information about Titon’s Ventilation Systems Division, please visit: www.titon.co.uk.
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