HOWE GREEN SUPPORTS SUCCESSFUL SPECIFICATION AT BOND STREET STATION

As one of nine new stations developed as part of the construction of the Elizabeth line, Bond Street Station will facilitate up to 137,000 passengers per day, with up to 22 trains passing through the station every hour at peak times from November 6 this year and up to 24 trains per hour from May 2023.

Providing interchanges for the Central and Jubilee lines, the newly constructed Bond Street station will significantly improve accessibility for travellers, whilst simultaneously increasing capacity at one of the busiest shopping districts in the UK.

The development of the station included the specification of 200 Howe Green stainless steel floor access covers as part of the structural and architectural design process to provide secure and concealed access to under-floor services. Installed throughout the entire station, which includes two newly constructed ticket halls at street level and all underground passenger platforms that can be as long as 255 metres, the medium-duty 7500 Series Floor Access Covers were manufactured to meet the project’s extensive requirements.

With over 50 kilometres of communications cabling, 200 CCTV cameras, 66 information displays, 200 radio antennas, 750 loudspeakers and 50 help points, an essential element of the specification process was ensuring the covers were tamper proof, without preventing contractors from gaining quick and easy access to the services below.

Manufactured with unobtrusive barrel cover lifting points that can only be accessed with unique lifting and securing keys, the access covers are protected from unauthorised access, without impacting the overall design scheme, as only the securing bolt and barrel edge are visible.

The method of removing the covers also ensures the products can be handled easily and safely by contractors, eliminating any potential strain or harm, regardless of the covers’ combined weight with the hard flooring finishes. This is due to the lifting blocks being anchored to the inner frame. Throughout maintenance-only areas, the lifting mechanisms of the floor access covers are mechanically assisted with pistons so engineers can securely lift the covers from underneath.

Installed in conjunction with terrazzo flooring across the platforms, and Portuguese granite throughout the ground floor public areas, the 7500 Series Floor Access Covers seamlessly blend with the architectural finishes of the station for a streamlined visual effect. This sleek aesthetic is further enhanced by the tiling modules, which create a unified and cohesive finish, simultaneously eradicating any potential trip hazards, as the access covers are installed entirely flush with the hard flooring. The minimal profile of the edges also reflects the dimension of the joins between the tiles to create a perfect finish, even when working with the radial sections of stone tiling on curved passages and walkways, which required individual access covers constructed of curvilinear profiles to deliver a high quality, bespoke finish.

Each of the covers withstand up to five tonne pneumatic tyre wheel loads. Manufactured to BS 476: Part 22: 1987, the covers’ ability to eliminate the potential transmission of smoke and fire from the underground services in the event of a fire was another key consideration of the specification process. www.howegreen.com

On the heating front, things have never been more interesting in the UK heating industry. Renewables are becoming more important by the day. The decision to ban the use of fossil fuel heating systems in new build homes from 2025 was the first serious change that made us all sit up and take notice. The possibility of fossil fuelled heating being banned even in replacement heating systems from 2035 seems likely if not earlier. It seems hugely sensible that in the circumstances we move towards a proven technology that uses renewable energy and which is already being installed extensively in mainland Europe, Scandinavia and in Canada.

Heat pumps use latent heat from the air or the ground or from water – available in huge quantities and won’t run out. But at least we have workable and practical products to install. Air to Water Heat Pump (AWHP) systems – monoblocs or splits - present a variety of proven energy-saving options for a home’s heating and hot water system. The terms ‘Split’ and ‘Monobloc’ refer to how the system is required to be set up in a home. A Monobloc is a bit like a combi boiler and is literally a ‘single block’ system, where the heat pump has all of its components - apart from the hot water cylinder which is installed inside the property - located inside a heat pump unit situated outside the home.

A Split heat pump unit has both an outside unit which incorporates the heat exchanger and refrigerant and an internal unit which sits inside the property, usually in a utility or boiler room. Most homes in the UK are ideal for a Monobloc air to water heat pump. A Split system is an option generally for more complex installations and it can be installed up to 30m away from the home, which gives far more installation flexibility. These ASHP systems don’t produce water as hot as a traditional boiler will, as they generally only reach around 50°C at a maximum. But unlike the hot water produced by boilers they don’t need anything like as much cold water added to cool down the hot water for safe bathing and showering.

And of course, many washing machines and dishwashers now operate effectively using colder water supplies. Air source heat pumps are perfectly suited to new build and existing homes that are well insulated. To be at their most effective, they operate well with either larger capacity – possibly K3 design - radiators or a higher number of radiators and or underfloor heating. A COP of 3 can be relatively easily achieved by an AWHP and 4 or above is possible for very well-designed systems.

It’s possible to achieve a COP of around 4.5 from an LG Therma V system. We know that when heat pumps under-perform below these levels, it is often the result of poor design, installation and maintenance. Heat pump technology is tried and tested and proven technology. Combined with other renewable technologies, such as solar, the genuine opportunities to switch from fossil fuelled homes to renewable driven systems is becoming a reality. For more information on the LG Therma V range head for partner.lge.com/uk, or email LG at uk.aircon@lge.com

New Programmable Room Thermostat Launched By Esi

ESi has responded to the current economic climate with the introduction of its latest quality heating control – the RTP4 Touch programmable room thermostat. This latest introduction is capable of controlling heating and hot water systems via combi, system or heat only boilers.

When installed with the ESi WIFI hub, homeowners and tenants heating and hot water can be controlled via Alexa or the ESi Centro App. Vitally, the load compensation functionality, available via OpenTherm technology, modulates the flow temperature dependant on the desired room temperature, saving up to 15% on gas usage – a benefit not to be overlooked in the current situation where energy prices have leapt to a huge new high in the UK.

The RTP4 Touch offers optimum start/stop and delayed start functions offering additional cost savings for users, 7 day, 5/2 day or 24 hour options to suit the homeowner or tenants lifestyles, automatic summer/winter change settings and has home, manual, away, sleep and holiday modes long with its popular landlord service interval reminder which makes it a perfect fit for social housing providers looking for a compliant heating control.

www.esicontrols.co.uk

OMNIE WHOLE-HOUSE SOLUTION FOR DEVON BARN CONVERSIONS

The conversion of three stone-built agricultural buildings near the beautiful Devon town of Totnes is employing a full selection of renewable and low-energy technologies from OMNIE, to create a comfortable living environment for the new occupants. The hundred year old buildings at Ritson Farm are being renovated and turned into highly desirable rural retreats.

Each home is to be heated by an LV air source heat pump, which will be connected via multi-branch manifolds to OMNIE’s Staple underfloor heating system across the ground floors with the company’s LowBoard being specified to warm the upper levels.

A constant supply of pre-warmed and filtered fresh air will be supplied via one of OMNIE’s Zehnder ComfoAir mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) units. The Totnes conversions vividly demonstrate how high efficiency heat pumps, combined with underfloor heating developed to bring the best performance from them, can heat any home and keep fuel consumption to a minimum. www.omnie.co.uk

Riverside Apartments

INTEGRATE VICAIMA STAINED DOORS

Set in the beautiful surroundingsof historic Chiswick in London and positioned with excellent views over the river Thames, sit a group of select and classic new apartments created by modern living specialists Fruition Properties. These stylish open-plan apartments have been complemented by their choice of interior doors, where Vicaima Crown Cut Ash Stained from the Vicaima Naturdor Range were selected. The finish specified in this instance was the tasteful Marina Grey option. This finish not only depicts a contemporary tone, but also permits the attractive and natural grain configuration to shine through. Doors for the project were supplied in a mixture of both flush and glazed options, blending seamlessly with their surroundings and adding to the tasteful décor which a hallmark of Fruition Properties exemplary living space.

Marina Grey is just one of six attractive tonal options from the Naturdor Original Stained Range and is available in an extensive array of performance options, including FD30 third -party accredited fire doors. For other inspirational finish ideas, download a copy of the Vicaima Interior Door Selector, Visit the Vicaima website www.vicaima.com or contact mailto:info@vicaima.com