New Altro Orchestra earns a gold star at Primary School

Brand new Altro Orchestra™ soft vinyl flooring is proving a big hit with pupils at The Lanner Primary School, in Cornwall, who have reported a significant improvement in acoustics and comfort.

The Acting Head Teacher, said: “We are always looking for ways to make cost effective improvements to the school for the safety and comfort of pupils and to enhance their learning and playing experiences where we can.”

“We fitted new Altro Orchestra flooring in the main school hall to reduce reverberation and boost overall comfort, and we are delighted with the results. The children have told us that it’s more comfortable to sit on than the flooring it replaced, and that the acoustics in the hall are much better.”

Altro Orchestra has been engineered to create the ideal environment to learn and live, specifically for applications such as schools and hospitals where comfort and sound reduction are paramount.

For primary schools such as Lanner, the new flooring offers the ultimate flexible, multi-purpose surface that can be used for both study and play areas throughout the school.

At 2.85mm thick, Altro Orchestra offers superb comfort underfoot, making life easier on the feet of both pupils and staff and, as the children have reported, it’s very comfortable to sit on too. In addition, the low residual indentation of the flooring means furniture and equipment can be used and moved flexibly without leaving tell-tale marks.

At the same time, the integrated impact sound insulation system cuts impact sound by up to 15dB. Specifying an acoustic flooring option, instead of a standard floor covering, can therefore improve the performance of space for children and those with hearing difficulties, and aid concentration, in addition to creating a more effective learning environment for teachers and support staff.

With a palette of 40 colours and designs varying from calming neutrals reflecting tones of nature, to vibrant shades, Altro Orchestra allows the right atmosphere to be created every time. Lanner School selected the shade Guitar, a subtle green that creates a calm atmosphere.

The flooring was installed by Eden Flooring & Interiors.

For further information please visit www.altro.co.uk
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Funding secured to refurbish Woodlands Academy in Scarborough

Sika Liquid Plastics has provided its Decothane Ultra 25-year system for a roof refurbishment at Woodlands Academy in Scarborough after helping the school to bid for a Condition Improvement Funding (CIF) grant.

The SEN school has a two-storey building that had previously been refurbished using Sika Liquid Plastics products so when the roofs of two classroom blocks, the kitchen and the hall reached the end of their service life, Sika Liquid Plastics was a natural choice.

Following a roof condition survey carried out as part of the funding bid process, Sika Liquid Plastics developed a full technical specification and Quality Assured (QA) contractor, Surface Protection Coatings Ltd, was appointed to carry out the project.

It was vital to avoid the use of hot works and heavy equipment to minimise health and safety risk and noise, the use of virtually-odourless Decothane Ultra avoided any nuisance odours on site.

For further information visit gbr.liquidplastics.sika.com
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Stretching your Imagination

Stretch Ceiling together with Tunable LED lighting can reinvent a space bringing alive a corridor, classroom, reception area, meeting room, plus sensory rooms thus enhancing these environments.

Our extensive experience and product knowledge gives us a unique insight into the optimum lighting systems compatible with our Stretch diffuser providing a cost effective solution and the ability to create evenly illuminated, cool and clean or loud and colourful luminaires.

Our own Quadlink product, flexible daisy chain advanced LED modular system, provides energy efficiency, long life and reliability. The complete stretch and lighting system can be installed quickly on site following pre-assembly and testing in our workshop.

The products are quick delivery, 100% recyclable, hygienic, anti-static, nontoxic and accessible for maintenance.

For further information please call Tel: 01276 681000 or visit www.stretchceilings.co.uk

 

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VELFAC composite glazing for education projects – new brochure demonstrates competitive pricing

The latest brochure from VELFAC shows how price-competitive the company’s composite wood/aluminium glazing systems can be when specified for education projects.

The brochure features a detailed cost-analysis of a typical window/door configuration for a classroom screen, to provide compelling cost-comparison data for architects, specifiers, builders, and cost consultants. The brochure also details the added benefits of installing VELFAC – from improved indoor climate provided by different ventilation strategies, to low maintenance design provided by external aluminium frames and an expected operational lifetime of over 40 years, backed by a 12 Year Warranty including glazing and ironmongery.

To ensure the most cost-effective window solution, VELFAC also provides a range of specification services, including free cost consultancy.

To view the brochure online visit www.velfac.co.uk or contact enquiry@VELFAC.co.uk

 

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Air Vent Technology’s extensive range installed in the George Mitchell School

Two models from Air Vent Technology’s extensive range of heat recovery units are being installed in the George Mitchell School in Leyton.

The product chosen was from AVT’s bespoke heat recovery range. The STR06 with heat recovery will ensure that the school is properly and economically ventilated, whilst making sure there is the minimum loss of heat during the winter.

Units are available with either an EHB or LPHW heater battery, and are only some of AVT’s extensive range of ventilation products (air handling – heat recovery – energy efficient with EC motors – cabinet and twin fans and emergency smoke extract units).   AVT has an extensive knowledge of the requirements of the custom-build market and caters for unique specifications such as hospitals and schools, whilst meeting the increasing demands on space and performance.

AVT provides a “one-stop shop” for all requirements, with a high standard of service and flexibility on product design combined with speed of delivery resulting from an extensive stock of components and finished goods.

For more information call 01264 356415 email: Sales@airventtechnology.co.uk Web: www.airventtechnology.co.uk
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Monster Buddy Takes a Bow

New from Leafield Environmental are the friendly Monster Buddies… cheerful waste collection bins that eat enormous amounts of waste and simply refuse to be overlooked.

Produced in highly durable, easy to clean polyethylene, these exciting new character bins are ideal for use in school classrooms, playgrounds, leisure centres and theme parks and are already gaining traction.

Designed in pastel blue or purple and standing just short of a metre tall, Monster Buddies have a huge capacity of 100 litres when used with the optional plastic liner or 120 litres when used with a plastic sack. They are equally suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.

Monster Buddies are a great way of encouraging children to dispose of their litter in the proper manner. The bright colours and novel, fun design will capture children’s imaginations and their perpetual smile will brighten any day.

For more information contact 01225 816541 Web: www.leafieldrecycle.com
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Inclusive education is more than disability

School buildings need to be equipped to address more than disability to be inclusive, advises the UK’s leading provider of accessible toileting solutions Closomat.

The advice comes as new figures reveal the country’s changing social make-up:

–           One in 12 pupils are officially classed as Muslim, prompting consideration to be given to the faith’s toileting etiquette (Qadaa’ al-Haajah and istinja) where washing with water is required.

–           A tenth of pupils have a continence issue.

–           The number of disabled children has increased by more than 60% in 25 years.

–           Some 60% of statemented children are in mainstream schooling.

–           Almost 10% of FE students have a disability.

The simple solution is the installation of a shower (wash and dry) toilet in place of a conventional WC, such as the brand leader, the Closomat Palma Vita. Looking like, and capable of being used as a conventional toilet, the version has integrated douching and drying. It ensures the user is effectively and consistently cleaned after toileting.

It ensures compliance with Islamic toilet considerations. It also helps address accessibility needs where relevant out of school hours when the building is open to community use. It ensures children with continence problems, or who have had a toilet accident, are enabled to be thoroughly clean after an incident.

It means children with disabilities can develop personal care skills without relying of support staff to assist.

“Even the new British Standard for accessible and inclusive buildings- which particularly references educational establishments, BS8300:2018, recognises that a shower/ wash & dry toilet in place of a conventional WC gives greater dignity and independence,” observes Robin Tuffley, Closomat marketing manager.

“Accessibility and inclusion tends to be taken as enabling disabled people to use a building. But full inclusion covers racial, religious, cultural and gender considerations. Education is about equipping pupils for life; that includes addressing and teaching them independence, personal skills. Schools need to adapt to address this- and that includes the fixtures and fittings, through to the toilets.”

Closomat is the biggest manufacturer of wash & dry toilets in the UK, with its equipment having the most effective wash available. Its brand-leading Palma Vita can be fitted initially or retrospectively with a raft of accessories to help children, able or with special needs, including paediatric support systems. The Lima Lifter offers the performance benefits of the Palma Vita, but is fully height-adjustable, enabling it to be lowered for small infants or raised for adolescents and adults.

Closomat has 55 years’ experience in delivering personal hygiene solutions. The company has developed a range of equipment and support services that today meets every need, at home and away, from adapting an individual WC through to a full specification hygiene room with a changing bench and ceiling track hoist in educational buildings, or similar (Changing Places) facility.

Uniquely, the products are backed up by in-house support, from assessment of requirements, design of an accessible bathroom or washroom to legislative and budgetary requirements, installation and commissioning of equipment, and lifetime maintenance.

Full details of equipment are available on the company’s website, www.clos-o-mat.com, which is the ‘go to’ resource for relevant white papers, ‘how it works’ videos and fly-throughs, typical layouts, NBS specifications, and CAD blocks.

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New carpet design options from Gradus with Lafite Connect Space

To complement Gradus’ expanding, high-performance contractor carpet products and to provide a versatile offering, Gradus has extended its Lafite Connect Space range to include a plank option as well as two new colours.

Carpet planks have become increasingly popular amongst specifiers and contractors and the new plank variants of Lafite Connect Space can be used as a feature design to enhance and customise interiors.

Featuring an attractive linear design, Lafite Connect Space is perfect for large areas in commercial office and education environments.

Karen Burman, product manager for Gradus, said: “Transitional zoning has become popular in recent years and can be created by installing planks or tiles of different colour tones to form a subtle shift from light to dark flooring. With the new Lafite Connect Space options, specifiers can combine grey base tones for a gradual transition and add a vibrant accent colour for a unique statement with the new colour options.

“Alternatively, to create feature areas, Lafite Connect Space allows specifiers to experiment with colour contrast and bold installation patterns to create a feature area or an exciting statement design.”

The two new colour additions, warm natural and an olive grey, cater to the growing appetite for organic colours in commercial environments to create features or zones such as breakout areas, seating areas and walkways.

The high-performance contractor carpet forms part of the Lafite Connect family and will work in conjunction with other designs within the range for a coordinated floor scheme. Specifiers and contractors can combine formats and choose from a range of installation methods such as herringbone, half drop and brick bond.

For more information on Lafite Connect Space or Gradus’ complete carpet range, please visit www.gradus.com or contact Gradus Technical Support on 01625 428922.

 

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Act Smart and Save the Date

GEZE UK will demonstrate some ‘joined up thinking’ when it takes part at this year’s Smart Buildings Show (7-8 November 2018) at the Barbican, London.

Its stand, F3, Hall 2, is a third bigger than last year and will feature the latest integrated products that can form part of intelligent building networks.

By using smart building interfaces such as the GEZE Cockpit, IQ box KNX or the IO 420, modular solutions can be applied to achieve natural ventilation and climate control, security and fire safety. In turn, they can be integrated into building management systems which ‘talk’ to each other for complete control – often remotely.

Using GEZE’s range of automatic door and window systems, these ‘hubs’ can transform premises into smart buildings – making them more pleasant environments in which to live and work – conditions that help people feel more happy, healthy and productive.

Said GEZE UK managing director, Kaz Spiewakowski: “Our presence at the UK’s leading dedicated smart building event will be bigger and better this year.

“We have some ground-breaking products to demonstrate and in GEZE UK’s 30th year, we wish to make our presence felt and become firmly established as the ‘go to’ supplier for those looking to create the next generation of buildings.”

As the only company in the UK to offer both door and window solutions, GEZE is keen to be at the forefront of the ‘smart revolution’ allowing building performance to be optimised, costs reduced and environments improved through responsive and multifunctional systems.

Visitors to the stand will see products such as the Slimchain, IO 420, IQ box KNX, IQ locks, WS 1000 touch screen controller, Flat scan sensor, the GEZE Cockpit – which will be available in the UK very soon – and a first look at the Perlan AUT NT, a cost-effective alternative to the manual sliding door system – ideal for use in difficult-to-access areas which can help reduce accidents.

For details of the event visit www.smartbuildingshow.com

For more information about GEZE UK’s comprehensive range of products and system solutions call 01543 443000 or visit www.geze.co.uk
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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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