Latest innovations and products in the sustainability sections of the construction industry.

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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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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ELCO introduces new range of network interface units

ELCO Heating Solutions has introduced a new range of network interface units to satisfy the growing demand for district/communal heating schemes. The redesigned Nexus range consists of 10 models, offering specifiers an extensive choice of products to suit the specific needs of a project.

To complement the new Nexus range, ELCO has also introduced a comprehensive 56-page brochure, which offers design guidance, detailed schematics and drawings, plus full performance data for each model. There is also a handy selector chart, which allows readers to quickly identify the most suitable Nexus interface unit, based on a few simple questions.

The new range can be viewed at www.elco.co.uk, accompanied by a free download of the Nexus brochure.

For applications that require heating and instantaneous hot water (DHW), there are three Nexus units available, including the Nexus Bitherm, Nexus Bitherm S and Nexus Dual Stage. Heating outputs for these models range from 2.5kW to 20kW and DHW production from 30kW to 150kW.

Where heating and stored hot water are required, there are a further three options, with the Nexus S-FS, Nexus Dual Circuit ID and Nexus Dual Circuit D, offering heating outputs up to 15kW and a range of storage options.

In high-end apartments requiring heating, instantaneous hot water and cooling, specifiers can choose from the Nexus Bitherm Combined or Nexus Dual Stage Combined. These provide heating outputs from 10kW to 20kW, DHW from 60kW to 150kW and cooling outputs from 2.5kW to 20kW. For applications that require heating, cooling and stored hot water, there is the Nexus Dual Circuit D Combined, which delivers up to 25l/min of DHW, heating outputs up to 20kW and cooling outputs up to 20kW.

Finally, a dedicated cooling unit is available in the form of the Nexus Cooltherm, which offers cooling outputs from 2.5kW to 20kW.

Commenting on the new range, Ian Bradley, Managing Director at ELCO Heating Solutions, said “We have been heavily involved in network heating projects for the last decade, acquiring a wealth of experience in the sector. So, with this knowledge and expertise, we have re-designed the Nexus range to specifically suit the needs of modern network heating systems, while also making the specification process as simple as possible.”

“ELCO is also one of the few companies in the UK able to offer a complete package for district heating schemes, so everything from boilers, CHP and a range of interface units, through to a dedicated service and maintenance offering is comprehensively covered.”

For more information on the new Nexus range and the full commercial heating and hot water portfolio from ELCO Heating Solutions, please visit www.elco.co.uk.
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Rinnai continuous flow & solar panels replace stored hot water system at Peckforton Castle

Rinnai, the UK’s leading manufacturer of continuous flow hot water heating units and systems, has recently completed an installation at Peckforton Castle in Cheshire, replacing the old direct fired stored hot water system.

Two HDC 1500i units were linked to solar panels as the main hot water heating source by contractor A P Mitchell.

Peckforton Castle, built in 1842 and completed in 1851, is a Victorian country house built in the style of a medieval castle and is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a Grade I listed building. It stands in woodland near the village of Peckforton on the Cheshire plain. The house has changed ownership many times before it was purchased by the Naylor family in 2006, whereupon the historic building was repurposed as the popular luxury hotel and spa it is today.

The house has featured many times in TV and film – Robin Hood in the mid-1980s – and Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Who. Now it is a 48-bed room hotel and prestigious venue for corporate events and weddings.

Adam Mitchell for A P Mitchell said “The brief from the client was to create a more efficient system, and at the same time to enact a reduction in stored water volume to give substantial saving in gas fuel consumption. But the new system had to still meet peak demand in the hotel, spa and event facilities.”

“Our company provides a professional and comprehensive M&E building service, design, supply and installation; offering quality construction workmanship and value for money services. We pride ourselves on our quality of building services, workmanship excellence and client service.”

Rinnai’s HDC1500i, is an award-winning range of continuous flow water heating units that will reliably meet this brief. The range was developed to guarantee the maximum amount of affordable, ecologically friendly; safe-temperature controlled hot water, on demand at any time, by even the busiest commercial user. The Rinnai 1500i is engineered to the highest standard and is technologically advanced with a host of features giving added value.

Both Rinnai HDC1500i internal and external units turn in an impressive energy performance of 105% net efficiency. They can also be cascaded into Infinity Plus modules comprising of a minimum of two HDC1500 units – any number of modules can be manifolded; therefore, the capacity for never ending ‘cascading’ hot water is infinite. Installation is straightforward and simple – each module of Infinity Plus cascades for the Rinnai HDC 1500i comes with its own precision engineered rack, so there is no need to fabricate one or partake in adding pipework right up to the appliances. Simply connect the services pipework and the rack system will eliminate these time-consuming plant tasks, streamlining the installation and helping keep remedial costs to a minimum.

A major benefit onsite has been the savings on fuel over other forms of water heating solutions, this has been achieved by the added advantage that Rinnai systems will only raise the temperature of the water if required and that these smart condensing water heaters will only increase the temperature by the precise amount needed. This ensures that any solar gains are maximised and ‘boosted’ by a secondary heat source thus guaranteeing the optimization of both technologies.

Rinnai hot water heating products and systems are intelligent, fully modulating units, giving an output range from 56kW down to 2.27kW, and only use as much gas as is needed to bring the required volume of water to temperature. For example, if the solar panel array can only achieve a temperature of 40°C within the stored water instead of the required 60°C, and there is a demand on the system of 15 litres a minute, the fully modulating intelligent Rinnai unit will increase the temperature by the required 20°C (±1°C) whilst only using the required 21kW. If the demand drops to say 5l/min the heater will modulate down accordingly to an output 7kW.

As can be seen a Rinnai unit used as a gas booster for solar systems will not only maximize solar gain, it will only use the correct amount of energy for the demand at the time and the rest of the time the unit remains inactive. It is this, the booster, that ensures never-ending hot water – no matter the demand, the conditions. Fossil fuel is only used when the renewable thermal energy store is below its set-point, thus reducing the dependency on fossil fuel and reducing CO2 emissions.

The Rinnai system produces usable hot water on demand, at the turn of a tap or the push of a shower button. The relatively compact footprint of the units also means they can be housed in tight spaces and still be easily accessible for maintenance and servicing.

According to Chris Goggin “Rinnai 1500i units represent the best value-for-money commercial hot water solution on the market today, delivered direct to site in one complete, easy to manage package. Ensuring that our customers and end users experience is effortless”

“Rinnai condensing continuous flow water heaters are low NoX, achieving less than 50mg/ kwh with gross efficiencies of 96-97%. The appliances can delivery in excess of 960 litres per hour at 50° degree rise and all our units are A rated within ErP.”

For more information on the RINNAI product range visit www.rinnaiuk.com.
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Scouts herald a “New Beginning”, thanks to Armstrong Ceiling Solutions’ Dune eVo tile

 

Ceiling systems from Armstrong, including a next-generation ultra-green tile, are helping to herald a new beginning for Scouts in one English county as part of Armstrong’s ‘New Beginnings’ initiative to support community projects by offering a “New Beginning” for their ceiling space.

Armstrong’s new Dune eVo tile, which is 100% recyclable and provides class-leading visuals and improved acoustic performance through a new surface which is both brighter and smoother, has been used alongside moisture-resistant Hydroboard in a new bunkhouse for Derbyshire Scouts.

The Cradle to Cradle™ accredited system comprising 190m2 of Dune eVo Tegular tiles on a Prelude 24mm grid with TLS cross tees features in the entrance, main hall and corridors of their 368m2 new bunkhouse, while the 56m2 of Hydroboard Tegular tiles feature with non-corrosive grid in the kitchen, shower rooms and toilets.

The various Armstrong Ceiling Solutions were specified by regular Armstrong users Maber architects and supplied free of charge by Armstrong as part of the company’s “New Beginnings” initiative.

This gives community projects like Drum Hill Scout bunkhouse the chance to give their ceiling space a “New Beginning” with Dune eVo – the next generation in ceiling tiles. At Drum Hill Scout Campsite, they were installed over weekends by specialist sub-contractor Peveril Interiors, a member of Armstrong’s approved Omega network of installers.

Lee Smith (pictured bottom left), associate director at Maber as well as a Scout Leader, said: “As a long-time specifier over the past 12 years working in architecture I trust and know the Armstrong product range will deliver what we want, giving us quality and robustness within our budget range.

“The Armstrong range gives us the acoustic and light reflectance values we need in the main hall to makes this a truly multi-functional space as a seminar space, play space, dining hall and whatever else it needs to meet the constantly fluid demands of the campsite. They fit seamlessly within the project to give us a modern and functional building.”

And specifically of Dune eVo, he said: “I’ve been aware of it for a few months now. I think it’s another advancement for the ceiling tile in terms of the specification and the acoustic delivery that we will get for spaces such as the main hall that we use for dining and activities all the way through to training seminars.”

Maber’s brief was in essence to replace the previous building, Birch Hall, which stood on the site. They took the best features of other buildings on the site and of other camp sites internationally to create a modern, state-of-the-art camping bunkhouse.

He added: “Firstly, we and members of the Scout campsite team used our connections to work with other professionals and tradespeople to find those who could help us. Through a collaborative design process we then designed a building which met the brief but was also future proofed and easily maintainable. This was a critical part of the brief as the whole campsite is run by volunteers.
Future proofing has been key as the building will develop with technology and the needs of the users. We ensured the building fabric was super insulated to give the building longevity. This then allows us to add extra green features like the Armstrong Dune eVo ceiling tiles, grey water systems and PVs to the roof.

“The site has its own challenges with restricted access but through modular construction we were able to meet all of these. From a concrete slab to a fully clad building in two working weeks really showed the benefit of off-site modular construction. “

The new single-storey bunkhouse at the 47-acre Drum Hill Scout camp site in Little Eaton replaces a former Rolls Royce canteen that had reached the end of its 50-year life span. It comprises a training/dining hall, kitchen and bunk rooms with associated services for up to 44 residents and will also be available for use by the local Derbyshire community.

The result of five years of fundraising £200,000 as well as donations of products from companies such as Armstrong Ceiling Solutions, pro bono professional services such as the architectural design provided by Maber, and labour carried out by hosts of volunteers including Peveril Interiors, the new building has been achieved. Constructed of SIP timber frame on a ground-bearing slab with external brick plinth it features larch timber cladding and a profiled aluminium roof deck.

Kevin Leahy of Peveril Interiors said: “We prefer to use Armstrong ceiling products. They have never let us down and adding the new Dune eVo tile to the range has gone down really well with both the clients who value the aesthetics and performance and our installation teams who value the new tougher edge which gives a much better installation experience.

“We have made a good choice, both aesthetically for now and environmentally for the future. Young people will use this building for generations to come and deserve to be left with a product that is completely recyclable. That should really be the legacy and example that we leave for them.”

He added: “We were introduced to the team and the Scouts Association by a client of ours at Rolls Royce. Once we had visited the site at Drum Hill and understood the purpose of this building and what it would mean to the young people using it we felt we wanted to help the Scouts get the building completed to a very high standard and at minimum cost.

“It has been a rewarding project for us. The Scouts Association is giving young people from all backgrounds shared experiences that will really equip them with skills that will last a lifetime. To play a small part in that feels pretty good.”

Scout Leader and project manager Tom Stoddart said: “Armstrong Ceilings have been superb. From the first contact with Anthony Fawcett [Armstrong’s assistant sales manager, UK – commercial] their enthusiasm and support has been beyond our dreams really. They have just stepped forward and helped in ways that we hadn’t even imagined.

“Without Armstrong’s involvement there certainly would have been a time delay while we fundraised for the materials and then it would have been an even longer time delay being volunteers who would have installed it. No disrespect to our volunteers but I’m sure we wouldn’t have got the professional finish that we have.

“I’d like to think that over its [the Dune eVo tile] life it will look down on 40 to 50,000 young people who are experiencing all sorts of things. It will see those young people making friends, having fun and learning skills for life.”

Volunteer camp site manager and project manager Lesley Upton said: “I think it’s amazing what can be done by volunteers giving their time and companies supporting us to provide an outstanding building.

“It’s great that Armstrong have a community side to their company that would actually support organisations like the Scouts in providing facilities for young people when we couldn’t do it without company support.

“The project would have been delayed because we would have to financially raise the money to pay for our ceilings and then use volunteer time to actually install them. Whereas since Armstrong have come along and done it all it has speeded up the project and started to change it from a construction site to a usable space. “

She said Dune eVo’s recyclability had played a “really important” role. “We need to stop using new resources all the time and use the stuff that we have got on this planet.”

Scout Felix Hughes (pictured top with Explorer Scout Libby Halford) said: “I think it’s a really nice place. It looks a lot better than the old one and it’s a lot more friendly and inviting. It will make a big difference because there is now a greater opportunity to do stuff than there used to be.

Of his experience helping Peveril interiors install the Dune eVo tiles, he said: “I have enjoyed the involvement of designing, putting my ideas forth and helping out, like actually putting the ceiling tiles in. I have respect for people who do this now because it is a bit difficult.”

And of the new Dune eVo tile above, he said: “It might want to tell me that it’s looking forward to seeing the generations of Scouts go through and using this space a lot more.”

Lee Smith concluded: “The project is difficult to value due to the generosity of numerous local companies and volunteers giving their free time. If we had approached a main contractor to deliver it would probably be in the region of £600,000 to £700,000 to deliver the scheme.”

As part of Armstrong’s “New Beginnings” initiative, the company is running a social media competition in May and June for one community-based project to win a new beginning for their ceiling space.

Anthony Fawcett said: “This first use of our next-generation Dune eVo tile prompted us to offer other community projects the chance to win a new ceiling and we are confident that once they see what can be achieved with it we will be inundated with entries into our New Beginnings competition.”

Community groups interested in applying to win 250m2 of Dune eVo tiles and grid and up to three days of free installation should click here to apply. For more information go to #eVoNewBeginnings.

Derbyshire Scouts’ new bunkhouse will play host to a Scout and Guide activity camp for 1,500 campers over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend when it will be officially opened.

More information is accessible via www.armstrongceilings.com/commercial/en-gb/.
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Can your insulation really affect your health?

A well-insulated house or office will protect your health, comfort and lifestyle but how many of us know and understand how to achieve this?

Ecomerchant and Steico UK have joined forces to launch a protection campaign. It aims to champion the benefits of using natural insulation products.

How we select insulation needs to be about having a real choice and for specifiers to be equipped with the right knowledge to compare materials on a like-for-like basis.

To design a well-insulated building, you need to make informed decisions throughout all phases of a construction project to ensure your building performs as you envisage.

Protexion

However, selecting the right insulation is about more than just reaching building regulation compliance or ‘keeping in the heat’. It’s about ensuring a building protects its occupants’ entire well-being and comfort in the following ways.

How well does insulation keep the heat out?

In the UK, thermal insulation to protect from the cold is essential, particularly given ever-increasing energy costs. However, as demand for usable square footage of buildings increases, basement and loft conversions are the routes many now take. However, these parts of a home or office, are the spaces most prone to extremes in temperature. They therefore need more thought – i.e. how do you keep a space warm in winter but, for a loft, how to keep it cool come summer.

Compared with synthetic insulation materials, wood fibre insulation has a much higher density. This higher density means that natural insulation makes for a better heat buffer as the high midday temperature will only reach the internal side and be lost at night when the temperature is already cooler outside.

How a building’s breathability is hurting our health

A breathable structure is one that allows the passage of moisture.

With 90 per cent of all building construction problems associated with water in some way, breathability is essential in measuring a building’s performance and preventing the accumulation of harmful water within the building’s fabric. These are fundamental in reducing health risks from mould, mites that those suffering from respiratory illnesses such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are particularly susceptible to.

For effective breathability, there are four essential components that need to be considered:

  • a moisture pathway
  • a driving force
  • a sorptive fabric
  • vapour control

Natural fibre insulation is most effective as it suppresses potentially harmful water by binding and releasing moisture which helps regulate humidity levels as the moisture moves.

Easy-to-fit insulation

A well-designed building takes into consideration how a material performs throughout the building’s entire life cycle. This includes ease of installation. Steico’s wood fibre insulation is simple and easy to fit (either packed or friction-fitted), eliminating installer error, keeping construction programmes, tight and costs, low.

How sustainability will save you time and money

While all insulation is helping the environment by limiting energy being burnt for heat, natural fibre insulation materials are comparatively more robust. This means that when it comes to disposal, they can be composted – i.e. no specialist waste facilities or landfill. Throughout their lifecycle they will additionally have a much lower, and often, negative carbon footprint.

More than just protecting your home from fire

All insulations will meet fire safety standards, but this is a minimum rating. The key differentiator between natural and synthetic is that natural insulations will prevent the spread of fire and if burnt, will not give off toxic fumes such as cyanide as polyisocyanurates (PIR) might.

Will the house be standing in 100 years?

Condensation is one of the costliest risks to buildings causing huge maintenance repairs and structural damage. Natural materials are better able to absorb and release water whilst remaining dry meaning it is better able to protect from and buffer moisture thereby becoming a key part of healthy living.

Comfort for occupants

When selecting insulation for a building, there are implications for the health of the occupants, the structure of the building, its impact on the environment, its acoustic properties, durability and carbon footprint.

Cancelling out the noise for a peaceful night’s sleep

The higher density of natural insulations – such as wood fibre – makes them better at reducing noise. Sounds external to the building, such as traffic or music, as well as those from within the building, through walls and ceilings are attenuated better by wood fibre than synthetic equivalents. In providing better protection from acoustic pollutants, occupants often report a building as being more restful and relaxing thereby encouraging better mental health.

When a building is well-designed and well-built, occupants should be at their peak comfort. With the average person spending approximately 80% of their lives in enclosed rooms, an occupant’s well-being is imperative . Therefore, the products used to achieve this, should cover all the issues affecting a building’s construction, its impact on both its occupants and nature.

For a free audit of whether natural insulation’s right for your project, visit www.ecomerchant.co.uk/protexion or call 01793 847 445.

Protexion

Written by Will Kirkman, managing director at Ecomerchant

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Added Green Roof protection for former WWII bunker

Originally built in 1941 as a special decoy target for German bombers, The Decoy Bunker is tucked away in the rolling hillsides of Monmouthshire and has been fully restored as a unique holiday home.

As the bunker had to blend directly into the hillside, a highly durable waterproofing system was needed to provide full protection against water travelling down from the surrounding landscape: a green roof waterproofing solution that would provide the desired ‘camouflage’ effect by using the existing soil and grass from the surrounding landscape.

Alumasc’s Registered Contractors Span Roofing installed Blackdown Greenroof Drainage Layers, Intensive Substrate and Washed Pebble Ballast to finish the green roof. A Derbigum Black Anti-Root Built-Up System sits below the green roof and provides a highly reliable waterproofing solution and maximum peace of mind for the future, as the Derbigum system holds 40-year durability certification with the BBA (British Board of Agrément).

Further details about Alumasc’s full range of waterproofing systems can be found at www.alumascroofing.co.uk or call the Alumasc technical team on 03335 771 500.
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Rinnai announces price hold for second year

 

Rinnai, the UK leader in hot water heating units and systems for all commercial and residential sites, has announced that it is holding its price for the second year in succession – in the face of reports that some other manufacturers are increasing prices by almost 5%.

Two other manufacturers are reportedly ghosting through price rises of between 3 – 4.5%.

“We see no justification whatsoever to submit price increases and seek to stabilise market prices for our customers. We offer what we believe is a first-class product proposition of energy efficiency, economic cost in use, limitless hot water on demand where you only pay for the fuel you use to heat the water, completely compliant with all existing or pending UK and EU legislation”, says Rinnai Managing Director Tony Gittings.

The Rinnai natural gas or LPG water heaters guarantee a limitless supply of accurately temperature controlled safe and useable hot water. The Rinnai range delivers energy saving performance and low greenhouse emissions through new low NOx burner technology.

All units and systems can be installed as stand-alone or manifolded to provide unlimited hot water for the largest of all commercial sites such as big hotels, busy gyms, high rise offices etc.

Water temperature is and can be pre-set through easy-to-use built in digital controls, eliminating the risk of scalding. The newly updated Rinnai Infinity range is designed for use directly off the mains, with no need for large, ungainly and energy inefficient storage vessels.

Rinnai Heavy Duty water heaters are high efficiency gas continuous flow water heaters with outputs up to 69kW. Incoming water temperatures of up to 60°C are accepted, making the HD50i suitable for secondary return systems. Water can be delivered at high volume with minimum gas consumption. All models have full electronic ignition with no pilot light and operate on demand only, consuming no gas when not in use.

All Rinnai internal HDC condensing continuous flow water heaters, are room-sealed, power flue appliances, while the external weatherproof models have forced exhaust which enables them to be compact, saving both floor and wall space.

Rinnai’s unique condensing technology incorporates two heat exchangers to achieve optimum water heating generated from every cubic metre of Natural Gas or LPG. The condensing process delivers up to 95% thermal efficiency, which translates to significant energy savings when compared to standard on-demand water heaters or conventional stored systems.

Rinnai Gas Hot Water Storage Pack represents the best value-for-money solution on the market today with everything delivered direct to site in one complete package

The pack consists of up to five heavy duty water heaters with an equal number of flue kits (for internal heaters) or an equal number of pipe cover boxes (for external models) and sufficient valve packs. Also included is one hot water storage vessel (stainless steel 300L, 500L or 800L glass lined steel) along with necessary valves and one primary pump with valves and one unvented kit. Add to this an expansion vessel of either 50L or 80L capacity, two drain cocks, one tundish, a temperature and pressure relief valve along with a control thermostat, an overheat thermostat and the kit is complete. Common header flue systems are also available to further stream line the installation.

Typical applications for the commercial ranges include cafés, children’s nurseries, factories and offices, laundries with top loader machines, hotels and restaurants, sports clubs, shower blocks in caravan parks – and many more.

Rinnai continuous flow hot water systems deliver on all levels in a cost effective and practical manner. Easy to install and operate the units provide a flexible and energy efficient solution for domestic applications and for all sectors of business and industry.

For more information on the RINNAI product range visit www.rinnaiuk.com.
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Ecobuild keeps finger on the pulse of industry issues with new sustainability showcases for 2018

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A series of exclusive Sustainability Showcases is set to be launched at ecobuild 2018 as new owner, Futurebuild Events Ltd, looks to put sustainability back at the heart of the industry-leading event.

Following its acquisition of ecobuild, Futurebuild Events called on industry to provide feedback, input and support to collaboratively shape ecobuild 2018 and ensure the event remains as relevant and invaluable as possible.

Curated alongside leading architects, manufacturers and designers – and developed as a direct response to industry feedback – the Showcases will form a 1500m2 area at the very centre of ecobuild dedicated to innovative sustainability features.

Building on the conference programme and seminar series, the Showcases will add a further dimension to the event, delivering a range of interactive installations and demonstrations – from full scale builds that could solve the housing crisis to pocket parks that can better build community – that offer direct, tangible solutions to the biggest issues facing the industry.

Martin Hurn, managing director of Futurebuild Events, explains “ecobuild is well-renowned as the must-go event for forward thinkers in the built environment.

This reputation is built on the event’s track-record of collaboratively showcasing and championing the very latest thinking and approaches from across the built environment, and indeed further afield. Under independent ownership, we’re determined to further enhance ecobuild’s commitment to industry innovation and sustainability.

“The Sustainability Showcases represent this commitment in action and are all about bringing the latest thinking from across the industry to attendees in a way that they can physically interactive and engage with. Each Showcase promises to be a thought-provoking and striking event highlight, yet all also offer very practical and achievable solutions to the current issues we face. They will also feed into the main conference programme, which will be shaped around delivering the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and place sustainability firmly at the heart of everything ecobuild 2018 is about.”

The Sustainability Showcases are:

Zero Bills Home Lite
ZEDfactory returns to ecobuild with a full-scale build designed to tackle the housing crisis. The zero-net carbon home is designed to minimise fossil fuels and annual energy bills, while also reducing build times to four weeks.

Passive Pod Exhibition House
Building Research in Architecture (BRIA) will showcase a full-scale demountable Passive Pod House erected on a foundation of recycled concrete railway sleepers on a gravel bed.

The Hive
Returning to ecobuild for the second year, the Edible Bus Stop Studio will be showcasing The Hive – an engaging pocket park focused on biodiversity, biophilia and health and wellbeing.

WasteZone
Curated by architect, academic and environmental activist Duncan Baker-Brown, the WasteZone will discuss the issues and huge potentials of seeing waste as a valuable resource, not a problem.

Buildings as Material Banks
16 partners from eight European countries share their mission to move the building industry towards a circular economy, by combining materials passports with reversible building design.

Sustainable Product Showcase
A collaboration between sustainable built environment champions, the Passivhaus Trust and the Alliance for Sustainable Building Products, to showcase the most sustainable and innovative products and materials across two pavilions.

Natural Building Products café
In this café, industry experts will provide demonstrations and information about natural building materials and techniques, including advice on how attendees can incorporate them into their projects.

BREEAM Awards Gallery
Attendees can find out more about BREEAM’s leading-edge thinking and learn about the performance of past winners’ buildings and projects. BRE experts will also be providing 1:1 support with any technical questions.

The Showcases will complement and build upon ecobuild 2018’s wider programme of talks, seminars and activities, all centred around a core objective of developing an action plan for change.

To register for ecobuild 2018, visit www.ecobuild.co.uk/register.
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How the life-cycle of a product can reduce its environmental impact

In October 2009, the European Commission (EC) published a framework Directive for energy-related products, thereby extending the scope of application to products that use, generate, transfer and measure energy. This includes products under the previous scope (e.g. electrical appliances) as well as other products such as windows and insulation.

The objective is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other adverse environmental impacts throughout the life-cycle of a product. Emphasis is being placed on the design and development stages of a product with a view to improving its energy efficiency.

Ecodesign regulations require manufacturers to decrease the energy consumption of their products by establishing minimum energy efficiency standards. By setting these standards at European level, manufacturers do not have to navigate through multiple national regulations when launching their products on the market.

The ecodesign requirements for individual product groups are created under the EU’s Ecodesign Directive, a process managed by the European Commission.

From a product perspective, there are really two main aspects that manufacturers need to consider, namely seasonal efficiency of the appliance and the emissions, notably of nitrogen oxide. The regulations establish how these factors are calculated but the essence is to increase efficiency of the appliance whilst reducing its emissions of nitrogen oxide.

The energy-related products directive has already been implemented for washing machines, TVs, kettles, gas boilers and a number of other products and the new regulations will be applying to warm air heaters from January 2018.

There are essentially two critical dates that need to be recognised.

  • For all warm air heaters, the requirements for Seasonal Efficiency must be achieved on the 1st of January 2018.
  • For all warm air heaters, the requirements for Emissions (NOx) must be achieved on the 26th of September 2018.
  • For Johnson & Starley air heaters this means that the standard efficiency Hi-Spec and Economaire ranges will not meet the seasonal efficiency requirement at the 1st of January 2018.

To enable the heaters to be placed on the market they must be fully compliant with the regulation.

However, appliances in the supply chain after the implementation date, can still be sold but they must be covered by an order, written or verbal. In other words, orders would need placing for the non-condensing ranges of warm air heaters, the HiSpec and Economaire, by the end of December 2017 to comply with the new regulation. Providing these orders are in place, Johnson & Starley are able to sell these two models of heaters up until 26th September 2018

Naturally, Housing Associations and Social Housing who currently own, or are looking to upgrade their stock will wonder what the availability of spare parts will be. There is need to worry.

Johnson and Starley has always been committed to keeping spare parts for heaters available for as long as possible and will not be making exceptions for these or any of our model ranges. Parts will be available for a minimum of 10 years after production of these 2 models of heaters has ceased. Johnson & Starley currently supply spares for heaters that are 50 years old as we believe cost of ownership is extremely important to our customers.

We are so confident in our products that we are extending the guarantee period for the Economaire and Hi-Spec heaters from 1 to 3 years

So what will be the Johnson & Starley warm air heater line-up be from 2018 onwards? We launched our highly successful range of WarmCair condensing heaters in 2013 which now come with a 5 year Guarantee. Our market leading QuanTec range of boilers can connect to the Aquair our warm air heat emitter range. Again these come with extended Guarantees of 8 years for the QuanTec range of boilers and 5 years for our Aquair range.

These units are highly efficient, giving customers significant savings on running costs and meeting all future ecodesign regulation requirements, future proofing our market leading products and giving warm air a strong footing for the coming years as Hi spec and Economaire hand over the baton.

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