Housing Specification October/November 2019

The government is being “more practical” about the National Housing Federation’s call for a massive new social housing construction funding settlement.

This summer the NHF, which represents the country’s housing associations, asked for £12.8 billion a year for the next decade to tackle the government’s housing target of building 300,000 new homes a year.

WelcomeThe NHF believes that a figure of 340,000 homes a year should be the target, including 140,000 social housing units, of which 90,000 would be available for rent, and the private sector meeting the balance. It says that the cross-subsidy model, where social housing is partly subsidised by profits from selling new homes is limited.

Faced with a downturn, London & Quadrant – the biggest housing association – recently put its housebuilding programme on hold. Under the new NHF proposals, 44% of the cost of grant-funded homes would come from government funding.

In the wake of the Grenfell tragedy, new public housing slowed as resources were diverted into repair and maintenance. To counter this, the NHF also wants to create a Building Safety Fund.

Despite money going into repairs, social housing construction has recently outperformed expectations.

While private housing starts fell 8% in the quarter to August 2019 according to the National House-Building Council, there was a 4% rise in social housing starts.

Glenigan expects the underlying value of social housing construction project starts to edge up 2% this year.

Glenigan’s economics director Allan Wilén said: “Overall the value of detailed planning approvals for affordable housing projects stabilised last year. This is expected to support a modest improvement in affordable housing project starts during 2019 as projects reviewed in the wake of the Grenfell tragedy start on site. “

This improvement is gaining pace. In Q3 2019, social housing project starts rose 14%. If the NHF settlement is agreed, the sector could boom.

Paul Groves Group Editor

paul.groves@tspmedia.co.uk

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STEEL LINTELS

Government to fund new homes using MMC

The north of England has the potential to become a world-leader in the creation of modern, high-quality homes, the Housing Minister Esther McVey has said.

During a visit to Factory 2050, part of the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, she met with major developers, small businesses and academics as she announces the Government’s ambition for a new ‘centre of excellence’ for MMC in the north.

The government housing agency Homes England has also announced funding deals worth £38.2 million with 6 local authorities to speed up the construction of 2,072 homes

across the country. The deals are the latest to be awarded through the government’s £350 million Local Authority Accelerated Construction programme, which was launched to accelerate the delivery of local authority housing schemes and encourages the use of MMC.

Housing Minister Esther McVey said: “The benefits are clear. Some modular homes can be built in a factory over a week. And assembled on site in a day.

Industry has told us some homes built using modern methods can have 80% fewer defects and heating bills up to 70% lower. Homes built using modern methods can be

of higher quality, greener and built to last. I want to see a housing green revolution. In the north of England where the first industrial revolution began.”

In order to ensure that the industry has the skills it needs to keep up with advances in technology coming down the line, the government will encourage business to link up with academics across the North – sharing expertise and working together.

The ‘centre of excellence’ will create a new network of people, connected in their aim to boost the use of MMC whilst also sharing ideas and future uses.

BSI calls for construction organizations to digitally transform New homes slowdown in Q3

NHBC’s latest statistics show the number of new homes registered to be built in the UK during the last three months is 9% down on last year’s levels, despite a significant increase in the affordable and rental sector.

In total 39,364 new homes were registered over the last three months compared to 43,403 a year ago.

NHBC Chief Executive Steve Wood said: “It is great to see the strength of the affordable and rental sectors, whilst we would hope that the slowdown in private sector registrations is transient, and a function of short-term Brexit uncertainties.

Achieving true digital transformation within the built environment has previously been a near impossible task, according to BSI, the business improvement company. With compliance requirements, urbanization and sustainability demands, organizations are on a tightrope, balancing these priorities whilst trying to modernize their services at the same time.

The rise of new digital industrial technology, known as Industry 4.0 is arguably one of the most evolutionary eras the construction industry has ever experienced. Centred around the exchange and automation of information, this wave of digital transformation moves physical assets from static structures into connected ecosystems. Big Data, IoT and Building Information Modelling (BIM) are improving the way buildings are designed, made and maintained as they support machine-to-machine and machine-to-human communication.

However, research from BSI’s Digital Transformation Report has revealed that 32% of construction professionals feel unprepared and behind in delivering digital transformation

standards in 2019 and only 12% of construction organizations would consider themselves as leaders in their field in terms of their digital transformation strategies. Whilst there have been some great advances from construction organizations, this lack of confidence is hindering the ability of others in the industry to modernize and deliver better services for their clients.

BIM, a key foundation of digital transformation in the built environment has helped construction organizations create collaborative environments from every phase to work together to overcome challenges and improve trust and increase profitability. BIM has also been found to reduce delays – in fact, BSI research found that using BIM processes have contributed to an average project time saving of 15%.

For those organizations looking to gain competitive advantage, reduce outgoings, work more efficiently and increase their resilience, standards will undoubtedly help to support a digital transformation strategy. The ISO 19650 series will provide a framework which allows the industry to work effectively, efficiently and to a high standard.

“In any event, NHBC will continue to work with builders to raise standards and improve quality for homeowners.”

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Huge residential development opportunities on government land

The swathes of land government acquired for residential development by Homes England offers “huge opportunities” says the head of the regeneration agency.

Over the last four years, Homes England has acquired more than 70 sites from the NHS and also signed a new memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Defence and Defence Infrastructure Organisation.

“The MoD and DIO are looking to relocate on 90 sites over the next few years,” says Stephen Kinsella, the chief land and development officer at Homes England. “There will be huge opportunities.”

As part of the MoD agreement, Homes England will work as a project partner on an initial seven MoD sites as the agency becomes more proactive as part of a restructure.

In 2018/19, Homes England supported the completion of 40,289 new homes and funded enabling works for around 35,000 homes. Mr Kinsella says more needs to be done to help the industry meet the government’s target of delivering 300,000 new homes a year.

“Unless we do something about housing supply and intervening in the market, it’s going to get worse,” said Mr Kinsella at the Housing Market Intelligence conference in London. He added: “We need to unlock large sites. In certain cases, sites are stalling.

“Burgess Hill [in West Sussex] is a good example as there was a large amount of housebuilders there and no chance of them coming together to equalise the infrastructure problem, so we bought the housebuilders out.”

Sapa Systems delivers seamless sightlines

Homes England is now directly funding a £63 million package of infrastructure work on the site’s northern arc, which will deliver 3,500 homes.

Over the next 18 months, Homes England will sell around 180 sites and expects to invest £300 million in infrastructure in 2019.

Glenigan’s construction market analysis shows that in the 12 months to Q3 2019, Homes England awarded £232.4 million-worth of construction contracts. The average size of contracts awarded by Homes England in this period was £15.5 million.

In addition to funding infrastructure, Homes England will also break up large strategic sites to help the ever-diminishing number of smallto-medium-sized housebuilders get a stronger foothold and increase development.

Two sets of Sapa Sliding Folding Doors have been installed in the orangery. One, featuring a six-pane run that splits and opens in the middle, the other, a three-pane configuration that opens to the side - exploiting the open aspect of the rear and side elevations.Three striking gables shape the focus of the house to the rear, with a curved on-plan bay entrance to the ground floor that features faceted Sapa Dualframe 75 HP Aluminium Hinged doors.

This structure creates a balcony area for the master bedroom suite at first floor level where Dualframe doors have been installed, opening out on to the balcony. The doors are framed by a raked head detail, produced using Elegance 52 curtain walling to mirror the pitch of the roofline.

At this impressive home in Cheshire, fully compatible curtain walling, window and a variety of door systems from Sapa have been installed to create a seamless appearance, satisfying both client and architect requirements completely.

Following initial design meetings with the architect, Sapa provided a full NBS specification for the aluminium systems with typical through sections and full thermal value calculations, as well as budget pricing pretender to ensure an accurate tender package.

Meeting the demanding energy efficient U-value of 1.5 W/m2K, external doors, windows

and curtain walling from the Sapa range were carefully selected for their compatibility and specified with high performance solar performance glazing throughout.

Flooding the indoor swimming pool with light, Sapa’s high-end C160 Aluminium Sliding Door system has been installed as a six-pane configuration spanning 11m x 3.6m. Engineered with a user-friendly slide action, the doors glide back easily to create a dramatic opening onto the exterior marble terrace.

The feature room of the house is a large kitchen diner and lounge area that runs from the front to back, opening on to an orangery.

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Sapa Elegance 52 curtain walling has also been used to create a full height feature glazed entrance screen, ensuring a light and airy entrance hall, together with two small rooflights that connect the main house to the swimming pool and leisure suite.

The future of homes: Catering to environmentally conscious home occupiers

However, if you look at the sustainability credentials of the materials used, or how air tight a home is, these are less tangible yet can have an equally significant impact on how sustainable a home is. As such, willingness to invest in some ‘sustainable design features’ is likely to increase as the public’s understanding of them does. Some they will already be investing in, without appreciating it.”

With this in mind it is vital that, as the homes of the future are designed and built, sustainability goes beyond just what the public can see and is familiar with.

For example, on top of using environmentally friendly materials, architects and specifiers can commit to improving air tightness of buildings, considering water run off collection, and including air flow systems that enable hot and cold air to be drawn from outside to regulate temperature.

Building sustainable homes

Despite being behind some sectors on the uptake, the construction industry has made increased efforts to reduce its environmental impact over recent years. From initiatives to reduce its levels of waste, recycle more materials and make use of closed-loop processes, to beginning to design and build homes with sustainability considered from the outset, efforts have ramped up over the past decade.

Increasing consumer demand for sustainable homes is playing a large part in convincing the construction sector move faster on this. As a result of the widely reported effects of climate change, members of the public are becoming increasingly socially aware and environmentally conscious. Using bags for life and recycling plastic bottles is no longer enough, consumers are now increasingly expecting their homes to be built with sustainability in mind.

This requirement for sustainable homes was demonstrated by recent Eurocell research which found that over half of consumers believe it is important that their home is made using environmentally-responsible materials. The findings also highlighted consumers’ preferred sustainability features, with 58% of respondents identifying double/triple glazing as the most appealing followed by solar panels (35%), energy efficient appliances (34%) and the use of recycled and sustainable building products (22%).

As a result of this demand, designing homes with their overall environmental impact in mind will be increasingly important for architects and specifiers moving forward. However, while there is an undeniable public demand for sustainably built homes, consumer understanding of what sustainably means in the context of how a home is built is limited.

Sustainability goes beyond what a potential homeowner may understand or define it as when it comes to building a property. Analysing the findings of Eurocell’s research, James Roberts, Project Architect at SimpsonHaugh, said: “It comes down to what is tangible. People understand the concept of double glazing and smart meters, for example.

Improving the environmental impact of the industry

In order to improve the overall sustainability of properties of the future and cater to the wants and needs of future home occupiers, it is crucial that consumer-led tangible sustainability features are considered and included in the design of homes where possible. To take this further, as housebuilders and architects put in place those less tangible sustainability features, the sector must inform and educate the public about them.

In doing so, the industry will not only make leaps in improving its own environmental impact, but consumers will also be fully aware of sustainability features at every level and how to make the most of them.

Chris Coxon, Group Head of Marketing, Eurocell plc, the UK’s leading manufacturer, distributor and recycler of PVC-U window, door, conservatory and roofline systems investigates.

Eurocell

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PERMEABLE PAVING & SUDS COST LESS

The trade association Interpave has published a new case study which demonstrates that sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) – including concrete block permeable paving – should cost less than conventional piped drainage, both initially and in terms of maintenance.

Interpave’s new case study revisits the SuDS scheme at Lamb Drove in Cambourne, Cambridgeshire. The SuDS scheme was designed by Royal Haskoning with Robert Bray Associates and applied to a conventional housing layout, based around two cul-de-sacs.

Two SuDS management trains serve distinct sub-catchments before linking at the bottom of the site. Properties have water butts and there is a small green roof, but source control is predominantly catered for with concrete block permeable paving, used for the two access roads, each with a flow control to optimise water storage and reduce the need for additional storage further down the site.

Avoiding Land-take

The permeable paving avoids additional landtake for storage and supplies a controlled flow of clean water to other, ‘soft landscape’ SuDS features such as swales, filter strips, underdrained swales, detention basins and, finally, a detention pond at the bottom of the site.

Despite layout constraints, natural flow routes have been optimized through the site for low and high flows, as well as for exceedance. SuDS have been integrated with landscape design adding amenity, interest and biodiversity to an otherwise unremarkable scheme, and a holistic approach taken.

This scheme demonstrates the use of as many SuDS techniques as possible, including concrete block permeable paving, used in combination to form an effective management train. The Monitoring Project measured the performance of the SuDS over time, compared with that of a conventional piped drainage system on another nearby development, similar in size and density.

Lower Costs

Overall, both capital and maintenance costs –and therefore whole-of-life costs – associated with the Study Site were much lower than those for the conventional piped drainage system Control Site.

The Monitoring Report noted capital cost savings of £314 per home and also suggested 20-25% lower maintenance costs than traditional drainage on the Control Site. Having said that, further potential cost savings were also noted.

In addition, monitoring of pollutants, biodiversity and resident satisfaction is testament to the SuDS, notably concrete block permeable paving delivering a gradual flow of treated water to open SuDS features further down the management train. The Monitoring Report also confirms that: “The permeable pavement infiltration study specifically illustrates the robustness of the performance of this feature to limited maintenance. The infiltration capacity of the permeable pavement is able to adequately cope with the highest recorded rainfall intensity at the Study Site.”

Interpave’s new case study on this Monitoring project, including photos showing how the scheme has developed over time, is now available to download from Interpave’s website www.paving.org.uk – an essential resource covering all aspects of design with precast concrete paving, including an inspirational project gallery and case studies, supported by background information for all design stages, as well as for CPD.

BATHROOM DESIGN FOR MULTIGENERATIONAL LIVING

Paul McGuire, Associate Channel Manager at Mira Showers, examines some of the recent showering and bathroom product innovations that have been sparked by the growing trend for multigenerational living.

As the UK population continues to grow, it is estimated that by 2050 one in four people in the UK will be aged 65 years and over – an increase from almost one in five in 2018.

One of the most tangible effects of this has been the rise in three or more generations living under the same roof; according to a recent survey by Barclays Mortgages, three in ten homeowners are now living in intergenerational homes.

This rise in what many are calling the “sandwich generation,” where parents are often faced with caring for their own children whilst at the same time providing some, or a similar amount of care for their own parents or in-laws, means that adapting their homes to suit the needs of all the family is becoming a growing opportunity for installers.

One of the frequently more challenging considerations for multigenerational households is providing a showering solution which is accessible for the whole family.

Popular because of the aesthetic, as well as the functional benefits, wet room adaptations are proving to be a popular aspiration in these circumstances, owing to the clean look and feel of the finished floor surface as well as the obvious accessibility this provides.

However, as most installers will be only too familiar with, wet room adaptations often come with a cost which consumers seldom anticipate and include a host of installation challenges which only further inflates the cost and feasibility for many.

Following the development of Mira’s Flight technology, the latest offering in shower tray solutions is the Mira Flight Level tray.

With all the strength of the capped acrylic Flight technology, Mira Flight Level has a profile height of only 25mm. This can be installed to suit the installation conditions specific to site.

The tray can be fitted straight on to the finished floor surface to provide a minimal 25mm stepover, in order to gain access to the shower area, or for tastes and conditions which allow, the tray can be installed recessed into the finished floor surface which gives all the benefits of a level access floor, without the added expense and complication which typical wet floor installations entail.

For installations where slips or falls might be a concern, Mira Flight Level is also available as a Mira Flight Level Safe variant, which comes with built-in anti-slip technology. This provides peace of mind and independence for any member of a multigenerational household.

Another consideration where multigenerational households are concerned is, of course, the delivery of safe water

temperatures for showering. One typical solution would be to install a thermostatic mixing valve, capable of being commissioned to limit the maximum blend temperature discharged by the product.

For some housing stock however, owing to existing services or the limited water pressures available from gravity fed systems, the ability to gain a desirable performance from any kind of thermostatic mixer shower, without the installation of an associated shower pump, would often add additional complication and unwanted costs to the renovation.

Fortunately there are thermostatic electric showers like the Mira Advance, capable of delivering the same peace of mind by limiting the maximum blend temperatures delivered. With the right level of awareness of the product choices available for both installers and consumers, we believe that in multigenerational households, stylish can also mean safe.

Mira Showers

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HAMMERING HOME THE NEED FOR SOPHISTICATED STUDENT ACCOMMODATION

With the standard repetitive fixtures and fittings no longer ticking the box for student accommodation design, Maxwell Green Design Ltd enlisted the help of Forbo Flooring Systems to breathe a new lease of life into the communal areas of iQ Student Accommodation’s new property in Hammersmith, London.

When iQ Student Accommodation obtained the building, it realised very quickly that the communal spaces were tired, dated and very uninspiring. As such, it approached Maxwell Green Design Ltd for its interior expertise. The result is a contemporary and fun interior that will satisfy the sophisticated needs of today’s students for a long time – so much so, that it went on to be awarded the Highly Commended status in the Fly Forbo 2018/19 competition.

The Tessera Layout and Outline carpet tiles were chosen in the contemporary Mono and Frosting colourways to create maximum impact when people first enter the space. Thanks to the plank format (100 x 25cm) of this range, the possibilities for designers to create stunning flooring schemes is endless.

Forbo’s Flotex flocked floor covering is the only product available on the market that combines the appeal of a textile floor covering, with the practical and hygienic advantages of a resilient – making it perfect for very busy locations, like the screen room on this project.

It is also available in a wide range of existing colours, designs, and formats including sheet, tile and plank, or designers can have their own pattern – or logo – printed onto the surface for a completely unique aesthetic.

According to a report by AMA Research, the outlook for the UK floorcoverings market is one of moderate growth. Factors affecting this slow market change are increasing inflation, adverse currency movements and relatively low wage increases affecting consumer confidence.

Floorcoverings is a mature market, strongly impacted by levels of consumer and business confidence, the strength of the housing market, changes in the domestic economy and overseas trade.

Vinyl flooring continues to outperform all other product sectors in the UK floorcoverings market although growth has dropped slightly. Demand is driven largely by the popularity of LVT which has provided enormous choice for the consumer.

Due to this strong market performance, vinyl looks set to outstrip wood as the second largest category in the overall floorcoverings market. This despite the likelihood of the growth rate for vinyl dropping in 2019.

Vinyl is increasingly the product of choice in both the contract and domestic floorcovering sectors, with growth driven primarily by the popularity of LVT, the fastest growing sector in the UK flooring market.

Forbo Flooring Systems

www.housingspecification.co.uk

The domestic vinyl market is slightly smaller than the contract market, the domestic market has experienced higher growth rates in the past two years. This reflects the growing interest in resilient floors in domestic settings.

As part of the 2019 expansion of its popular Signature collection of Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT), Amtico has launched ‘Modernist’, a design inspired by the brutalist architecture seen around future UK City of Culture, Coventry.

‘Modernist’ was developed by Amtico’s inhouse design team following two years of research into the brutalist architecture in the city of Coventry, UK, which has been home to Amtico for more than 50 years.

The design’s texture is inspired by light patterns on concrete, with tonal shifts giving way to soft angles and a multitude of layers, which playfully mirrors the layered composition of LVT.

The design is available in five softly-toned colourways: Atrium, Frame, Lintel, Spire, and Vault. As part of the Signature collection, ‘Modernist’ boasts a 1mm wear layer, the thickest wear layer of any LVT on the market.

The collection, which carries a 20-year commercial warranty and an A+ BREEAM accreditation, is also available with an optional Amitco Acoustic backing layer, which dampens noise transference by up to 18dB.

The Cosentino Group is delighted to announce the launch of Dekton Grip+. A safe, stylish solution for flooring in both commercial and residential projects, this new launch once again demonstrates the Cosentino Research and Development team’s leadership in terms of product innovation.

Grip+ is an advanced, innovative treatment that guarantees slip resistance on Dekton ultracompact surfaces, providing maximum safety when used for flooring. Dekton Grip+ offers a smoothness that’s similar to the material’s standard finishing, thus ensuring the same pleasant feel when walking across it barefoot. In addition to these benefits, Dekton Grip+ meets the most restrictive international regulations. Dekton Grip+ classifies as R11 under regulation DIN 51130, whilst also meeting the Class 3 regulation.

Grip+ combines the anti-slip innovations and solutions that the Cosentino Research and Development department has been developing for years across its product range. Thanks to this innovative technology, Grip+ allows Dekton to position itself as the best product for anti-slip flooring applications, even for the most demanding of projects, whether located inside or outdoors. This can include dressing rooms or community access points, ramps, pavements, terraces, surfaces in and around pools, showers, or spas.

Grip+ represents a revolutionary modification of the Dekton surface structure in a controlled way. Grip+ is joined to the material before the particle sintering process involved in the manufacturing of Dekton, therefore making it part of the surface’s molecular structure. This ensures it cannot be worn down over time.

The lightly textured surface is consistent, uniform and pleasant to the touch. It is also easy to maintain and long-lasting.

The Grip+ anti-slip technology provides Dekton surfaces with a higher safety index and helps avoid potential accidents. This new benefit joins the existing long list of excellent properties that define the revolutionary Dekton surface by Cosentino. Thanks to its innovative manufacturing process, Dekton offers advanced resistance to scratches, stains, freeze/thaw, heat and UV rays. It also absorbs very little water.

Grip+ will initially be applied to a total of 16 different colours in the Dekton range, including best-selling industrial look Trilium as well as wood effect Makai and neutral tone, Keon. It will be gradually incorporated into other tones.

Forbo Flooring Systems

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Dekton

Forbo Flooring Systems

Amtico

GEORGE CLARKE, MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC’S ECODAN BRAND AMBASSADOR EXPLAINS

AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMPS

Air source heat pumps are going to be at the heart of the nation’s sustainable future, so George Clarke explores the technology.

Ok, be honest. Do you know what an air source heat pump is and how it works? No? Well, I’m not surprised because very few people do. I didn’t really understand the technology myself until a few years ago.

At the moment heat pump sales per year in the UK are in their tens of thousands. Compare that to the gas boiler market, which currently sells around 1.5 million boilers per year and you realise that air source heat pumps are a tiny part of the market, but I promise you that is all about to change.

I’m writing this article for one simple reason; to raise awareness of the benefits of air source heat pumps. If you don’t know about them why would you consider making any changes to your current heating and hot water system? Also, when you do know about them you might not believe how they work.

Ok, so awareness is one big issue, but another stumbling block to anyone buying an air source heat pump is that they can’t get their head around the technology. They don’t actually believe it. How can a unit take heat from the air to heat my house to say a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius when it’s only 5 degrees outside? It’s not going to work? Well, it does. Let me explain by starting at the beginning.

Antiquated and carbon intensive

You currently have a gas or oil fired boiler. You know from your energy bills that burning these fossil fuels isn’t getting any cheaper and you are no doubt aware of the costs to the environment.

Not just the damage caused in extracting these base fossil fuels, but also the detrimental effect on the environment by burning them.

Let’s be honest, it isn’t the most sophisticated way of heating our homes, particularly when we know we are going to run out of the stuff at some point. The planet is a pretty amazing ecosystem and Mother Nature is very good at giving us what we need to survive. If we overuse or miss-use those resources then we are in trouble.

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Mother Nature has given us the Sun and what a phenomenal resource that is. But, some of us are so far behind the times we haven’t woken up to what the sun can actually do for us.

Do you know that more power from the Sun hits the Earth in a single hour than the entire population of the planet uses in an entire year! Yet, solar power only provided 0.39% of the energy used in the United States last year. How stupid is that? Globally, we would only need to cover a land area the size of Spain in solar panels to power the earth in renewable energy.

Amazingly simple

There is also the heat held in the air that surrounds us. And this is also renewed every day when the sun rises.

Even on the coldest day, there is ‘heat’ from the sun and using an air source heat pump, we can capture that heat and use it to heat our homes. The technology is actually very straightforward, but the effect is amazing. I have a Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan air source heat pump fitted to my house, it is so easy to have installed on your existing property as well as a new-build home.

It’s basically a box that sits outside your home and uses a fan to draw outside air across refrigerant piping.

Air source heat pumps are currently a tiny part of the market, but I promise you that is all about to change.

“ ”

Your fridge freezer uses a heat pump to basically remove the heat from inside your fridge, ejecting it to the outside and therefore keeping your food cold. You’ll have noticed that sometimes there is a high level of heat around the back of your fridge, well that is the heat pump hard at work removing the heat from inside. By expanding and compressing the refrigerant inside the heat pump in your fridge you can achieve even lower air temperatures, hence why your freezer can be so much colder than your fridge, even when it is sitting in a very warm kitchen.

By simply reversing this process using the same basic technology used in your fridge, an air source heat pump can take even the smallest amount of heat held within the outside air, compress it and upgrade it, to provide all the heating and hot water you need in your home.

An air source heat pump can extract heat efficiently from the outside air even when temperatures are as low as MINUS 10 degrees or even colder! Yes, I know it’s virtually impossible to believe, but it’s true. An air source heat pump is able to extract even the tiniest amount of heat from air when temperatures are sub-zero to heat your home. This is 100% true, hence why this opportunity for renewable energy is so good, for you, your home and the planet.

And the cost?

You’re now thinking, how much does all this cost? An air source heat pump installation costs more than a gas boiler. But, you need to see it as a completely different product.

An electric car might cost you more than a diesel car, but every person I know that drives an electric car says they wouldn’t go back because of the long term cost benefits to their wallet and the environment.

One guy recently said to me, “when I have to leave my electric car at home and drive a diesel or, say when I book a hire car when I’m abroad on holiday, I feel like I’ve gone back to the dark ages! I’ll never go back”. Well you’ll be saying the same about your home air source heat pump.

The installation and capital cost obviously depends on the size of your house, the condition of the windows, levels of thermal insulation, the volume of space you need to heat, the number of bathrooms you have and the amount of water you have to heat.

You should get a specialist to come to your home to do all of the calculations and recommend the most appropriate type and size for you.

But, as a very broad, general guide, to install an air source heat pump system into a standard 3/4 bedroom house with a main family bathroom and a small en-suite, will cost around £8,000 - or more if you need additional work*. Now, before you spit your tea out, it’s worth considering the benefits.

Future-proof

You will see a considerable reduction in your energy bills. The heat from the air outside is free so you are only paying a relatively small electricity cost to actually power the heat pump unit. Spread that energy bill saving across the life of an air source heat pump installation cost and you’re laughing.

The government is also giving out grants to promote this new technology. This is called a Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) and the estimate average annual RHI payments for air source heat pumps are around £1,000 per annum for 7 years!

So yes, air source heat pumps cost a few quid to install. But, the combined savings from reduced energy bills and government incentive means you’re going to break even in just a few years time and will then be getting free energy to heat your home and your hot water for many years to come.

Why wouldn’t you?

This is honestly not a sales pitch. It really isn’t. I care about home design and high levels of comfort, I worry about heating bills going through the roof for everyone, and yes I do worry about the terrible impact the running of our homes have on the environment.

This is fantastic, clean, green and affordable technology if you’re planning on staying in your home for the next few years. It is a brilliant opportunity for all of us, especially when it is so easy to install in your existing home.

And that is why I’ve decided to go for an installation myself with Mitsubishi Electric’s Ecodan Air Source Heat Pump, which is amazingly efficient and ultra-quiet.

Ecodan comes with really cool smart controls that allow you to monitor and control your heating from anywhere in the world. Just what I need with my crazy schedule!

The Committee on Climate Change forecasts that heat pump heating will rise to over 1 million units per year, because the technology is so good and the financial benefits are so significant.

It’s time for us all to move out of the dark ages and embrace renewable energy. I’m proud to be one of those million people going for an air source heat pump and I hope you will be too.

Further details on the range of renewable heating systems can be found at www.ecodan.co.uk

George Clarke is Ambassador for the Ecodan range of renewable heating. George Clarke writes regularly for The Hub - a blog site dedicated to providing information to help everyone transition to a more sustainable built environment.

www.thehub.mitsubishielectric.co.uk

Mitsubishi Electric

*Note from Editor: Before the cost of any preparatory upgrading that may be required to your home’s insulation (for example, if it requires the installation of additional, or different, radiators or improved insulation).Get several quotes from professional renewable heating installers.

SCOLMORE’S EVO LED BULKHEADS SAVE TIME AND MONEY FOR HOUSING ASSOCIATION

With responsibility for over 4,000 domestic properties, Fife-based Kingdom Housing Association faced a number of challenges when they decided to increase the general and emergency lighting provision in all their communal areas.

The main challenge they faced was to procure a product that did not require rewiring, as most of these blocks were wired in two core cabling. With the need to keep costs, installation time and disruption to a minimum, it was Scolmore’s innovative EVO LED bulkheads which provided the solution to this full refit project.

The Inceptor EVO LED Bulkhead range was ideal in meeting with the housing association’s specifications. The fitting is capable of working on two core cabling whilst still providing battery supply for the emergency operation of the fittings. It can also supply a background light during the day, as the LEDs can be on at a reduced rating or turned off fully. This suited Kingdom’s needs as they have several blocks with darker areas and this would also provide better security and comfort to the tenants.

Inceptor EVO is quick to install and simple to use. As well as integrating the control gear and the

light source within the diffuser, the bulkhead has the added benefit of a Flow plug which allows for fast and simple connection and disconnection for testing and maintenance of the luminaire.

With an average lifespan of 50,000 hours, the fittings will not need to be replaced for a further 10 years, and with no maintenance visits required to replace the old 2D Fluorescent fittings approx. every two years, this more than pays for the new units with no ongoing maintenance costs.

Scolmore

Effective limescale prevention explained on Cistermiser’s new-look Combimate website

Available in a choice of models for 15mm or 2mm pipework, Combimate keeps domestic water systems clear of limescale and energy costs down.

Combimate is WRAS approved and uses Combiphos spheres to efficiently dose the water, as required. This 100% safe, food-grade natural material stops scale build-up on taps, boilers and appliances.

The new website explains the benefits of phosphate dosing in detail, with helpful FAQs and informative User Guides to ensure that consumers get the most out of their Combimate, which is commonly installed to prevent limescale formation in hard water areas but will also reduce the effects of soft water corrosion.

New pocket guide from Aico

Combimate, Cistermiser’s proven and popular limescale prevention device, is presented on an eye-catching new website (combimate.co.uk) which has been designed to appeal to housing specifiers, installers and homeowner customers alike.

online: www.enquire2.com

Cistermiser’s Marketing Manager Mark Schlotel said: “The improved webstore functionality is definitely a big step forward. We now offer increased payment options with rapid emailing of order acknowledgments back to purchasers. Homeowner customers who have previously registered an installed Combimate for extended warranty cover can also conveniently purchase their Combiphos refill pack online, at a special discount price.”

Cistermiser

With the recent changes to BS 58396:2019, Aico – the UK’s market leader in domestic mains powered Fire and Carbon Monoxide Alarms - has condensed the information into a pocket-sized guide. British Standard BS 5839-6:2019 covers specific recommendations for fire alarm systems in all domestic premises and covers both newbuild and existing properties. The standard contains a large amount of detail on all aspects relating to the design and installation of fire alarm systems, including the type of alarm to install and the areas of the property to protect. Visit www.aico.co.uk or email marketing@aico.co.uk to order the guide.

Aico

DOMUS VENTILATION ACHIEVES FULL SYSTEM MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATION

Domus Ventilation is pleased to announce it has been awarded a full suite of quality, environmental, management and health & safety systems certification, courtesy of the BSI. The Polypipe Group’s ventilation division, of which Domus Ventilation is part of, is the first to achieve this within the domestic ventilation sector and clearly demonstrates their ability to consistently deliver quality on all fronts.

Domus Ventilation now proudly boasts an ISO 9001:2015 compliant Quality Management System; ISO 14001:2015 compliant Environmental Management System; PAS 99:2012 Integrated Management System; and BS OHSAS 18001:2007 Occupational Health and Safety Management System. This range of impressive accreditations proves the company’s commitment to quality, safety and environmental considerations and shows it to be a leader in its field.

In order to attain the complete range of certification, Domus Ventilation undertook a gap analysis of operations and formulated an action plan incorporating regular communication and training with key staff, before applying for an external audit from BSI. The process took six months and led to the establishment of many new documented

policies and procedures, along with tools for ongoing improvement.

Stephen Flood, Quality, Safety, Health & Environment Manager, played a pivotal role in the process: “Being the only organisation within our sector that has an accredited integrated quality, safety and environmental management system is very gratifying. The systems we have in place provide consistency to ensure our customers get the best customer experience. We are very proud of this achievement and

CHOOSE THE RIGHT DOOR CLOSER

The right door closer will not only meet relevant fire and accessibility requirements, but also assure continued reliability of the fire door, tenant safety and well-being, as well as help to control whole life costs.

Samuel Heath’s Powermatic, jamb-mounted, concealed door closer delivers in all these areas, meeting the necessary performance standards and delivering a host of additional benefits thanks to its total concealment when the door is closed.

Where overhead, surface-mounted door closers have arms and boxes on show, Powermatic door closers are totally concealed, making them less likely to be damaged, either through a deliberate act, lack of care, misuse or tampering. This means enhanced reliability of the fire door and less chance of the door closer and fire door needing repair or replacement in the future.

Powermatic also rises above other concealed devices, being the only Certifire jamb-mounted door closer, contributing towards a door’s ability to meet accessibility requirements and facilitating adjustment without removal from the door.

Powermatic door closers also comes with a 10-year warranty and, of course, there is also the comfort of knowing that they are manufactured in the UK by Samuel Heath, which, with more than 50 years’ experience, is probably the foremost authority when it comes to concealed door closers.

Samuel Heath

To make an enquiry - Go online: www.enquire2.com or post our free Reader Enquiry Card

all the hard work and dedication of our staff in enabling this step change.”

Domus Ventilation has a well-deserved reputation for quality, supported by excellent technical support, from a market leading manufacturer and designer. It is well placed to offer immediate, practical solutions to Building Regulations Parts F & L. For more information please go to www.domusventilation.co.uk.

Domus Ventilation

Aggregate Industries wash plant scoops prestigious IQ Excellence award

The recently updated wash plant at Aggregate Industries’ Bardon Hill Quarry has won a coveted IQ Excellence Award for Most Effective Process Improvement in the North of England.

The award was given for the vast improvements made to the site’s CDE wash plant, which more than doubled production of highly valuable products by adding a QMS crushing circuit and overhauling the process while delivering outstanding housekeeping.

The wash plant – between its installation in 2013 and 2016 – had a regular throughput of 800-1,000 tonnes per day.

New management in 2016 saw an opportunity to add significant value by making improvements to the wash plant, upping the tonnage and making more products available. Objectives included upping throughput to 2,000 tonnes per day and to achieve world class housekeeping with negligible spillage.

Doug Galbraith, Operations Manager at Aggregate Industries said: “Not only did we set about improving the wash plant, we also undertook a great deal of planning –including assigning a full-time supervisor to the plant and colleagues becoming specialists in the field of wet processing – to ensure that the project was a success and that the improved state was sustainable.”

A series of incremental objectives were established for the team to aim for. First, they targeted 2,000 tonnes in a day, followed by 10,000 tonnes across five continuous days and 40,000 tonnes across 20 continuous days. These were delivered, with the record for one day being 2,377 tonnes, over 1,000 tonnes of sand per day being a regular occurrence and 2018 full year production topping 440,000 tonnes.

Aggregate Industries

Space saving A2 insulation improves thermal performance

The A. Proctor Group’s Spacetherm® SLENTEX® A2 Aerogel Blanket has been chosen for its superior thermal performance, flexibility and suitability for space-critical applications in the refurbishment of 146 high-rise apartments in Poplar, East London.

In their concept for the refurbishment Egret West has sought to bring the fabric of the building up to modern-day standards in terms of fire, acoustic and thermal performance.

Alisan Dockerty, project architect at Egret West explains: “We chose to apply Spacetherm SLENTEX® A2 Aerogel Blanket from the A. Proctor Group, a high-performance insulation blanket with A2 fire rating, capable of achieving the BRE’s surface condensation analysis target temperatures of 16°C, whilst providing us with a minimum loss of space.

“The concrete walls around the stairways in each apartment were particularly space critical and identified as a weak point for cold bridging. The original specification would have required an additional insulated wall lining of 145mm, whilst using Spacetherm SLENTEX® A2 the required high-performance insulation was achieved in less than 60mm.”

In addition to the Spacetherm SLENTEX® A2 blanket, foil encased Spacetherm A2 (CBS) Cold Bridge Strip was also included at window and door junctions to address areas susceptible to cold bridging. A. Proctor

Accessible housing design - put pleasure over procedure

According to guidance published by RIBA, a well-designed bathroom is often the key to dignity and independence. The guidance‘Age Friendly Housing’- says “hospital-style bathrooms have made bathing [personal hygiene] a procedure rather than a pleasure for older and disabled people but safety and practicality no longer need to come at the expense of style.”

Closomat is the leading brand of wash dry toilets, also known as shower toilets, smart toilets or automatic toilets, which combine integrated douching and drying within the WC so there is no need to manually wipe.

Its latest models, the wall-hung Asana and floor-mounted Palma Vita, reflect several of the features and benefits referenced in the age-friendly housing guidance. They deliver contemporary styling with the best performance in douching and drying.

Robin Tuffley, Closomat marketing manager, said: “Appropriate design (and execution) at the outset can reduce or eliminate the need for adaptation later, with all its financial, physical and psychological cost, and enable someone to enjoy living in their home, for life, with optimum dignity and independence.”

Closomat

Taking Flight to a new level.

Minimalism is everything when it comes to the NEW Mira Flight Level trays range. With its 25mm depth and discrete waste, creating a wetroom aesthetic has never been easier.

For more information visit our dedicated online Professional Zone at www.mirashowers.co.uk/professional

FASSA BORTOLO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF RENDERERS WITH REFURB AT PLASTERING SCHOOL

Fassa Bortolo has recently completed a new project to inspire the next generation of renderers with a stunning transformation at the Silver Trowel plastering school, based in Lee-on-the-Solent in Hampshire. Demonstrating the design possibilities achievable with decorative plaster, Italian render specialist Fassa Bortolo gave the walls of the reception area a new lease of life creating an inspiring space for plasterers to learn their trade.

The Fassa team was briefed to deliver a solution that would offer a unique talking point and tie in with the school’s specialisms. Collaborating with local authorities and colleges to teach beginners and experienced tradespeople about external renders, plasters, dry lining and tile application, the Silver Trowel complex spans two floors, complete with a number of spacious training bays.

After consideration the Fassa team specified RS02 from the Sfide D’arte Ricordi Stucco range. A decorative plaster with striking orange tones, the reception now has a stunning polished plaster feature wall, that effortlessly reflects the light to open up the space, while providing a practical surface solution.

Commercial manager at Fassa Bortolo UK, Dale Telling explains: “Decorative plaster is an age old wall covering that has been made 21st century.

A surface solution that requires some skill and training to apply, the design possibilities are endless with designers and architects now embracing plaster as contemporary alternative to tiles, paint and wallpaper.

“Our Sfide D’arte collection offers an extensive range of colours and finishes, and has added character to the reception area with its authentic, polished design. We hope future plasterers are inspired by its use and become a fan of this design-led plaster.”

Colin Teagle, director at Silver Trowel adds: “We were keen to showcase the beauty of Venetian plaster within our new refurbishment with the finished effect and colour complementing our reception perfectly. Fassa was professional at all times sending their own specialist out to carry out the work for us. As a provider of training courses, we will be looking to work with Fassa again in the future.”

To find out more about Fassa Bortolo and its range of render systems and building products, visit http://www.fassabortolo.co.uk/en/

To find out more about Silver Trowel Plastering School in Hampshire, visit www.silvertrowel.co.uk

Fassa Bortolo

MIXED-TENURE HOUSING WITH NORDIC COPPER

An exemplar for a new, progressive era of public housing design in London utilises high-quality materials –including Nordic Brown Light copper cladding – as part of its tenureblind strategy. It challenges preconceived notions about this typology to deliver a beautiful mixed-tenure neighbourhood which caters for the genuine needs of its community.

Branch Place provides the first replacement homes in the second phase of the Colville Estate Masterplan designed by Karakusevic Carson Architects, part of Hackney Council’s innovative housebuilding programme, delivering hundreds of much-needed Council homes for local people through a pioneering model of financial cross-subsidy.

The project provides 116 mixed-tenure homes and the two buildings are crafted from a considered palette of high-quality tenureblind materials including brickwork, timber and pre-oxidised Nordic Brown Light copper. Commonality between each building is achieved through consistency of urban form and robust detailing to windows and doors. Individual architectural character across the buildings has been created through articulated roof forms, facades and subtle variations in brick tone.

A mansard roof, clad with Nordic Brown Light copper and installed by Full Metal Jacket, to the building next to Regent’s Canal reflects the roofscape of neighbouring historic warehouse buildings and marks an entrance to Branch Place and the new Colville neighbourhood.

High Performance Copper

Nordic Brown Light is part of an extensive range of architectural copper surfaces and alloys with an unrivalled lifespan, no maintenance and full recyclability. With a melting point of 1083˚C and ‘A1 (non-combustible material)’ fire classification to EN 13501-1, copper is suitable for cladding tall buildings, using appropriate constructions. Low thermal movement makes it appropriate for any climates and locations – and it is non-toxic and safe to handle, as well as non-brittle and safe to work. Its inherent antimicrobial qualities make it ideal for touch surfaces internally as well.

Copper’s unique architectural qualities are defined by its natural patina, developing gradually in the environment – which cannot be replicated successfully using other materials with surface coatings. The ‘Nordic Copper’ range provides all these surfaces straightaway. The processes involved are generally similar to those taking place over time in the environment, utilising copper mineral compounds, not alien chemical processes. All these surfaces form an integral part of the copper, generally continuing to change over time, and are not lifeless coatings or paint. The architectural range includes Nordic

Standard ‘mill finish’ and Nordic Brown preoxidised copper, offering lighter or darker shades of brown determined by the thickness of the oxide layer.

The extensive Nordic Blue, Nordic Green and Nordic Turquoise ranges have been developed with properties and colours based on the same brochantite mineralogy found in natural patinas all over the world. As well as the solid patina colours, ‘Living’ surfaces are available for each with other intensities of patina flecks revealing some of the dark oxidised background material.

Copper alloys include Nordic Bronze and Nordic Brass, which can also be supplied preweathered. The innovative Nordic Royal is an alloy of copper with aluminium and zinc, retaining its golden colour and simply losing some of its sheen over time with exposure to the atmosphere to give a matt finish. Aurubis is part of the world’s leading integrated copper group and largest copper recycler. For more information visit: www.nordiccopper.com or email: g.bell@aurubis.com.

Aurubis

Fassa Bortolo is a historic name in the world of building. Attention to quality raw materials, research, innovation and the environment have always been at the basis of the company’s vision, expressed through the continuous development of state-of-the-art solutions for the evolution of building.

INJECTED BLOWN BEAD CAVITY WALL INSULATION

A Cavity Wall Insulation (CWI) bead system improves the thermal insulation of external masonry cavity walls.

Simon Lloyd, Technical Project Manager, Kiwa Building Products, explains that a CWI bead system typically consists of small, spherical, closed cell, expanded polystyrene (EPS) beads, in accordance with draft BS EN 16809-1.

“Typically, an air drying water-based polyvinyl acetate (PVA) bonding agent is simultaneously injected with the EPS beads to give a homogeneous finished insulation,” he continued. “EPS bead used as CWI is water vapour permeable and can reduce the risk of condensation in or on a masonry wall when a project specific design takes into consideration the provisions of BS 5250. Gaps between EPS beads when installed allow any wind-driven rain water that penetrates a cavity void to drain down to ground, rather than cross the cavity void.

“A CWI project specific design can allow for the bridging of a damp proof course (DPC) in masonry walls as the EPS bead will resist the transfer of ground moisture to the inner leaf at DPC level.”

To determine whether a building is suitable to receive CWI, an installer shall undertake a pre-installation survey to assess the suitability of a cavity void by using a borescope and tape measure.

To finish the installation, injection drill holes are fully filled and sealed with mortar (of a similar type, colour and texture to that of the existing wall). Combustion air vents and flues are checked, and any obstructions cleared.

Kiwa

Completing the exceptional Arts and Crafts style at a large, private family home in Gleneagles, CUPA PIZARRAS’ thick Heavy 3 natural slate roofing has been specified and installed to provide a durable and lasting high quality finish across this impressive 680m2 roof. The blue black Heavy 3 is supplied as a 300 x 200mm slate and, unlike the artificial products, the colour and the properties stay unalterable through time with no maintenance required. Split to an average thickness of 7mm to 9mm, they feature non-rusting metallic particles and thin laminations which form a riven surface.

CUPA PIZARRAS

Hadley Group is pleased to announce that following the move of Hadley Steel Framing Ltd to its Oldbury site, an extension to scope of the existing ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management System registration has been completed and successfully audited by the UKAS accredited Steel Construction Certification Scheme (SCCS). The scope of registration is: ‘The manufacture of cold roll-formed metal sections and allied products, including the design and assembly of steel framing systems’ which now covers the site activities of both Hadley Group - Building Products Division and Hadley Steel Framing Ltd. Hadley Steel Framing

Senior Architectural Systems has developed a new aluminium curtain wall system that allows architects to create sleek and expansive fenestration designs, all with the added reassurance of accommodating greater structural movement. The new SF62 aluminium curtain wall system has been specifically developed for use on projects where structural movement may be a challenge, such as high-rise schemes or those that incorporate large spans of glazing. Combining an attractive robust aluminium frame with a wider 62mm box, the increased rebate size means that it is possible to provide either additional clearance between the section and infill, so that the system is able to allow the glass to move more.

Senior Architectural Systems

Heavy 3 slate for awardwinning new build

Hadley Steel Framing achieves ISO 14001:2015 certification

Senior adds strength with new SF62 curtain wall system

Protim Solignum Ltd Marlow, Buckinghamshire

SMOKE AND ENVIRONMENTAL VENTILATION FROM SE CONTROLS FOR WALTHAMSTOW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT

A major residential development by Taylor Wimpey in Walthamstow, East London, is using combined environmental ventilation and smoke control system from SE Controls to help keep residents both comfortable and safe.

As a key part of the ongoing planned regeneration of the Blackhorse Lane area, the Eclipse development provides more than 400 one, two and three bedroom apartments, as well as incorporating a proportion of affordable housing within the design.

Eclipse is split into two construction phases with each comprising of six residential blocks that are joined together to form a single building. Each six-storey block incorporates a dedicated hybrid smoke control and ventilation system, which was designed and installed by SE Controls.

In normal operation, the hybrid system maintains comfortable temperatures within the corridors and avoids overheating due to ceiling mounted heating pipework, while providing fresh air movement through the building.

To achieve this, SE Controls installed ‘envirofans’ in the ceiling plenum on every floor, which are activated by temperature sensors and draw warm air from the corridors, into the building’s smoke shaft before being vented.

The mechanically vented smoke control system utilises roof mounted duty and standby fan sets, which are linked to smoke shafts in each of the residential blocks. Every corridor is fitted with a SHEVTEC smoke shaft damper, which opens in the event of a fire, allowing the fans to remove smoke from the fire corridor into the smoke shaft to keep escape routes and stairs clear of smoke.

SHEVTEC control panels are installed on every floor to manage the automatic operation of the smoke control system, while tamper proof manual control points enable the fire service to reset the system after testing or actuation and also prevent any accidental activation.

Due to the building’s design, the roof mounted duty and stand-by smoke fan sets had to be concealed and located away from terraced areas To meet this requirement, SE Controls created a dedicated solution that would also allow them to be accessible for maintenance and servicing in accordance with the specified schedule for compliance.

In addition to using fire rated ducting, which allowed the smoke shaft to be offset at roof level, SE Controls Contracts Manager, Dave Furneau developed a fan ‘cassette’ solution, which enabled the fans to be concealed within the shaft, yet also allows them to slide out on integrated load bearing runners.

A key benefit of this approach, in residential situations is that it provides unrestricted access for service engineers, which minimises downtime and reduced potential risk exposure for the building. If necessary, a fan can be replaced within a turnaround time of 1 hour.

Paul Denyer SE Controls Project Manager for the Eclipse development, explained: “We engineered a dedicated fully compliant system for this project, as the design of the building and the specification presented some unique challenges in the way the system functioned.

“While life safety is the dominant aspect of the system, the need for environmental ventilation and corridor cooling enabled us to utilise the smoke shafts as part of the solution, enabling us to create an effective and safe hybrid solution.”

SE Controls

MAXIMISING HIGH-RISE FIRE SAFETY WITH WIRELESS ALARM SYSTEMS

In the next five years, around 541 new high-rise buildings will be constructed in London, but with these developments comes a large amount of risk for employees including the breakout of fires and managing those fire risks.

Bradley Markham, director at Bull Products, believes that construction companies and employees must be aware of the fire risks of working on high-rise buildings, and more importantly, implement fire safety solutions such as wireless fire alarm systems to ensure health and safety isn’t compromised.

Over the last few years, we have no doubt seen a major rise in the construction of highrise buildings, from office developments to living spaces – but an increase in high-rise developments presents its challenges too.

There are around 11 construction fires every day - it may seem like a small number, but in reality, that’s potentially hundreds of workers’ lives that are at risk every day.

One of the major challenges during the construction of high-rise buildings is the number of workers on site at one time. With more people to be accountable for, site managers must ensure that they have an efficient alarm system that can be sounded throughout the building during construction, ensuring workers at all levels can evacuate the site safely in the event of an emergency.

Another challenge is the time in which workers take to respond in order to evacuate the building. In a recent report, researchers from the University of Greenwich found that a third of construction site workers who took part in evacuation trials took almost six minutes to respond to an alarm during highrise construction. These six minutes could be the difference between life and death – so, how can we overcome these challenges and maximise fire safety on site?

Fires and injuries are a real and ongoing risk, and health and safety managers need to be aware of new and innovative ways of safeguarding workers.

Wireless alarm systems provide the ideal solution for high-rise buildings, as they can be connected to multiple buildings or levels, without the worry of hazardous cables and wires.

Providing comprehensive fire safety protection through a fully linked network of detectors and call points, wireless fire alarms provide the most effective and safest solution for construction sites and workers.

Overcoming challenges to maximise high-rise safety:

• Investing in fire alarms – As sites grow, the need for fire safety becomes even more crucial. This is certainly the case for high-rise buildings where workers could be located on different floors and need to be able to quickly alert others if there’s a fire.

• Evacuation trials – By carrying out evacuation trials rather than drills, workers can be put to test in more realistic situations, allowing them to respond and prepare as if it were a real-life emergency.

• Training – Thorough training is vital to ensure workers are aware of how to respond if a fire was to break out, how to alert others in an emergency and the steps they need to take to prevent a fire in the first place.

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AKZONOBEL PASSES TESTING INDUSTRY STANDARD WITH FLYING COLOURS

AkzoNobel knows that an industry recognised standard assessment which tests various common ‘problems and challenges’ faced daily by its furniture lacquers is seen as more than crucial in determining quality and longevity. This includes the contract market, which has a tough benchmark and the domestic sector, which has a slightly less rigorous pass mark.

In undergoing a Furniture Industry Research Association (FIRA) testing programme for a range of their products AkzoNobel can provide an unbiased, holistic and pragmatic set of results borne out of the desire to supply the highest quality of products at every opportunity.

The FIRA general product safety principles are applied to both the domestic and the contract furniture sector. They say, “a product should be suitable for its intended use and so a product should be tested to the correct hazard level for the environment.” This is a sentiment echoed by AkzoNobel in their quest to ensure that their popular products are continually exposed to a range of independent tests by FIRA.

Recently AkzoNobel have had some very positive results regarding FIRA testing on six of their most popular interior paint coating systems. In each product type FIRA tested a clear and opaque system with the AkzoNobel products achieving a full house of six passes.

The coating systems submitted for FIRA testing were based around three of AkzoNobel’s most popular and innovative systems; the Duracid Formaldehyde Free Acid Catalysed, Quantum and Aqualit systems. All were applied to MDF panels with a clear lacquer finish and an opaque colour tested in all cases.

The test requirements were both rigorous and challenging and included:

FIRA Standard 6250 2018 Specification: Furniture Materials (Interior):

• Finish Performance - Horizontal Surfaces: For Contract use

Finish Performance - Horizontal Surfaces: For Domestic use

The performance summary produced passes for all six products

• FS 6250 2018 Finish PerformanceHorizontal Surfaces: Contract

FS 6250 2018 Finish PerformanceHorizontal Surfaces: Domestic

Duracid FF from AkzoNobel is a series of acidcuring products delivering high-quality results without the use of formaldehyde.

It’s a system that’s Formaldehyde-Free, and isocyanate-free with no odour to the end user on either coated furniture or fittings.

The Duracid FF clear AC lacquer which successfully passed the FIRA testing regime is extensively used at Stourport-on-Severn based Witley Jones who design, manufacture and install bespoke furniture for schools needed a formaldehyde free coating for a school project in Worcestershire.

In putting their head above the ‘testing parapet’ AkzoNobel have produced a set of results that will enable a host of contractors and specifiers to use their top-quality products, safe in the knowledge that the independent tests have produced stunning pass reports for a range of their coatings. It’s all about providing peace of mind.

Paul Brennan UK General Manager, AkzoNobel Wood Coatings commented: “The testing by FIRA on some of our most popular ranges and the results we achieved are a testament to the rigorous standards we set at AkzoNobel on both the safety and performance of our products”.

AkzoNobel

HYBRID HEATING FOR THE MODERN HOME

– THE CHOICE IS YOURS

EHC offer a comprehensive Range of Electric Products that are all controlled by the well-established DSR Technology Control System. It enables you to select a Hybrid Heating Solution from the range for the various rooms within your property to suit your design style and budget – the choice is yours.

All DSR Controlled Heaters are manually operated using the “easy to use” Controller located on the Heater. They also have Wi-Fi capability that can be activated when you purchase the optional DSR Smart Gateway which will allow you to control your Heaters Anytime, Anywhere 24/7 up to a maximum of 30 Heaters using our free bespoke APP.

When used with the EHC Smart Gateway you can take advantage of the in-built Wi-Fi ready capability and are able to program your heaters individually or in groups. The DSR Control APP has many features designed to enhance your comfort levels and provide essential information regarding your heating system. There is also an optional Power Meter Clamp available for Load Shedding Control.

Popular features within the APP:

• Setting Times to suit lifestyle

• Adjust each room temperature to suit using the manual boost

• Limit electricity consumption to avoid exceeding maximum power available

• Monitor your electricity consumption history

• View the Temperature history by room

• Alexa and Google Home commands

The Geolocation feature is also popular as the user can define a perimeter at a set range around their property.

When the smart phone enters or leaves the perimeter, the Geo-location feature is triggered and automatically increases or decreases the room temperatures. From within the APP the Geo-fence zone can be set to a radius around your home from 150 to 1000 metres.

The DSR Range of Heaters all offer partial heat retention via the internal storage tiles. They are designed to provide an even heat across the surface area of the Heaters and in turn provide a combination of Convected and Radiant Heat. The comprehensive range of Heaters which are available in various Outputs are:

• EHC Combination Heaters – An award winning product in the domestic market which offers smart control with highly efficient partial heat storage technology. Using patented Magmatic tablets, the Combination Radiator is able to retain warmth for longer than a traditional convector heater. Combined with its increased surface area – up to 6 times greater than other models – the Electric Combination Radiator is German engineering at it’s best.

• Edge - This traditional Convector Heater has been designed with a gentle curved profile on each side of the Heater. It is manufactured using high grade 100% recyclable Aluminium.

It produces heat on demand and with the modular construction of the Heater it cycles airflow and emits heat throughout the room.

• Solaris - A modern, slim, stylish and carefully sized Convector Heater which has been designed with a distinctive curved front that will enhance any room within the home whilst providing a quick and responsive heating experience.

• Visage – This contemporary Panel Heater is available in all RAL Colours and utilises the perfect balance of convection and radiant heat which in turn warms both you and the room. The aluminium heating element located within the Heater provides fast-acting heat, before warming the Magmatic Ceramic Tablets inside the Heater.

For further information or a free Brochure contact 01698 820533 or visit www.electric-heatingcompany.co.uk

Electric Heating Company

THE NEW HRV20 HE Q PLUS

The most powerful MVHR unit Titon has ever produced. Designed for use in large apartments or dwellings, it offers higher airflow rates and fantastic controllability, without compromising efficiency.

Up to 92% energy efficient

Higher airflows of up to /h) at 100 Pa Extremely low Specific Fan

Fantastic 4-speed control to reduce overheating Outstanding build quality for improved acoustic performance

•

Compact and robust steel unit

• Accepts 200mm ducting touchscreen capabilities (standard on HMB models)

• On board aura-t

aura-t control

RINNAI LAUNCHES ENERGY EFFICIENT MULTIPOINT WATER HEATER

Now available for domestic applications from Rinnai are the 11i A+rated continuous flow gas fired water heaters, with high energy efficiencies, low running costs and a consistent delivery of temperature accurate water.

The Rinnai 11i is a modern-day variant on the multipoint water heater - plus all technological advances and innovations - yet at a very similar cost to its lower specification counterparts.

Rinnai’s multipoint water heaters are far more energy efficient than outdated storage systems and are the preferred water heating method of choice in domestic properties and light commercial sites such as, cafes, pubs, restaurants and other smaller to mid-size outlets.

The increase in popularity is quite simple –these units deliver high volumes of water instantly at any time of the day, or night, all at accurate temperatures for user comfort and safety. They are also easy to operate and simple to install and maintain.

These Rinnai multipoint water heaters, for example, eliminate the problem of sudden changes in water temperature, resulting in cold showers or scalding hot baths – the water temperature you set is the water temperature you get. So, if somebody is showering at 42°C and a tap is turned on to draw a bath elsewhere in the property, the temperature does not vary, and there is no chance of either user running out of hot water.

The lightweight 15kg 11i water heater is compact enough to install in the smallest of spaces and is the ideal replacement for large obtrusive cylinders. Featuring easy to use digital controls this small but robust and durable unit is also simple to install. www.rinnaiuk.com

NEW OVER-FLOOR HEATING, QUICK TO INSTALL WITH RAPID RESPONSE

With the UK starting on the road to zero carbon emissions, between now and 2050, 20,000 homes a week must meet new standards.

One of the key solutions to these goals will be underfloor heating, as it’s the only system that efficiently runs with new low energy heat sources.

Underfloor heating experts Wunda Group have created Wundatherm, a rapid response overfloor system 16mm or 20mm thick that can be laid without the need to dig up floors and is suitable for both retrofit and new build homes.

Wundatherm consists of pre-formed aluminium coated boards that deliver rapid response heating and are bonded instantly to the floor with spray adhesive. Once in place, high output 16mm floor heating pipe is laid into the preformed grooves in the boards, looping around to a heating manifold, with up to 150 sq. metres taking two people just two days to install.

Once the boards and pipes are down, any choice of floor covering can be laid straight away, from carpet and vinyl to wood, laminate, ceramic or stone tiles.

Compatible with sustainable heat pumps, solar panels or any existing gas/oil boilers, the Wundatherm underfloor heating system can be laid by any competent tradesmen including builders, carpenters and tilers.

A fully developed and proven system, Wundatherm comes with a number of options including both 16mm and 20mm board thicknesses and three densities to choose from according to the final floor surface. There are also different pump sets available to go with the manifold, and hassle-free auto-balancing actuators which adjust flow rates.

Wunda Group

Rinnai

RINNAI AIMS FOR DOUBLE GROWTH IN LESS THAN 10 YEARS

Rinnai, a UK leader in the manufacture and supply of heating & continuous flow hot water delivery systems and units for residential and commercial sites, has announced that it is planning on doubling its size within 10 years.

The announcement, made by Managing Director Tony Gittings at a major event held at Skinners Hall in the City of London, detailed new product developments, marketing initiatives and service launches.

In the 2019 the company has completed the following:

• Launch of service division offering total offering customers Service Plans for peace of mind in knowing that, in the unlikely event of a problem, they have an instant answer to the problem. All inspections and all remedial works are carried out by Gas Safe registered engineers.

• Launch of the new N series of hot water heating units - The Rinnai SENSEI water heater range offers a new, more compact and enhanced combustion design that allows for easier installation and enhanced operational performance and importantly

increased levels of serviceability. All the components within the Sensei are designed and manufactured by Rinnai.

• Launch of the A series of domestic hot water heating units.

• Launch of the Zen and Zen Plus home hot water & heating system which marries established and proven manufacture durability with new technologies to offer great energy efficiencies, user control and, importantly, unparalleled level of comfort. The Rinnai Zen and Zen Plus system will increase comfort and reduce energy usage whilst also providing a highly economically solution for today’s changing marketplace.

• Launch of the Trust Partnership with the formation of an installer network specifically for its domestic product range, the Zen & Zen Plus. The installer domestic partnership network includes all bona fide,

Gas Safe registered, installers of residential heating and hot water units and systems.

Domus Ventilation, part of the Polypipe group, has launched its first ever in-line carbon filter range – NOX-FILT – designed to improve indoor air quality by preventing harmful airborne contaminants. Designed to work on the supply leg of the ducting system of a mechanical ventilation system, NOX-FILT delivers fresh, filtered air into the main living areas of homes. There are two units in the range: NOX-FILT which houses a carbon filter cell only; and NOX-FILT2.5, having the added benefit of a PM2.5 prefilter to maximise the filtration of particulate matter equal or larger in size to 2.5 microns.

Domus Ventilation

Chipping Homes has specified air source heat pumps from NIBE for its attractive Fellside development in the picturesque village of Chipping in the Ribble Valley, which comprises 39 family homes. Thirtytwo, three to five bedroom homes on the development, are being fitted with NIBE F2040 air source heat pumps, which are ideal for meeting all their heating and hot water requirements. The remaining seven properties are smaller bungalows built for the local over 55s community, and these are being fitted with NIBE F730 Exhaust Air Heat Pump systems, which offer ventilation, alongside heating and hot water.

NIBE

Consort Claudgen has launched their latest Heat brochure which includes a host of new heating controls and heaters in their product range. The 48-page brochure features motion-activated and waterproof run-back time controllers, new heater models in the electronic 7-day timer range and advanced wireless controllers which are now compatible with Consort’s RX and SL heaters. As well as several other new products, it showcases heaters with safety monitoring features. All of these are detailed in the brochure along with the established panel and fan heaters, convectors, LST heaters, air curtains, downflows and towel rails.

Consort Claudgen

Housebuilder chooses NIBE heat pumps for new development

Domus Ventilation launches in-line filter

Consort Claudgen launches new electric heating brochure

Rinnai

QUIET PLEASE!

As manufacturers of vinyl flooring solutions for markets including housing, healthcare, sport, education and hospitality, we are aware that acoustic flooring is no longer usually confined to where there are specific noise issues, for example in flats where noise can easily travel from rooms above to those below.

Instead, it is increasingly becoming a crucial part of the general specification process to reduce noise levels and increase comfort within new build and refurbishment projects across many sectors.

The need to increase sound insulation levels may, in part, be attributed to increasing evidence that elevated noise levels have negative effects on health and wellbeing.

Exposure to regular and raised sound levels have been known to impair hearing and performance, induce stress and psychological conditions and contribute to heart problems and diabetic illness.

It’s even said that children’s language and cognitive development can be impeded if noise interferes with speech and learning.

Vinyl floorings with excellent performance characteristics and sound reducing qualities that match the requirements of new and refurbishment projects are therefore providing solutions.

Gerflor

Using lighting to improve end user experience

For architects and contractors, modern LED lighting is providing the perfect solution to meet modern day lighting requirements. Solutions such as Loox by Häfele also offer additional flexibility and creativity, meaning lighting can be used to create different atmospheres. Its colour coded plug-andplay system means installers can plug it directly into the wall or hard wire it into a larger lighting system. This removes the need for an electrician and because users can manage the system via an app available for smartphones and tablets, they can change the lighting to suit occasion or mood.

Häfele

Crown Paints has launched its new collection of colour trends for the 2019 autumn and winter season, helping to inspire new ideas in interior design. The three new trends that are set to take the rest of 2019 and beyond by storm are ‘Botanical Noir’, ‘Unprocessed’ and ‘Pigment’. Jemma Saunders, colour specialist at Crown Paints commented that each design trend aims to equip people with a greater understanding of the emotive side of colour and how certain combinations can improve both the look and feel of a room. The trends are inspirational and inclusive.

Crown Paints

Crown paints the Danish Living exhibition

Nordic design recently took centre stage at the Embassy of Denmark in the UK as part of this year’s London Design Fair, with Crown Paints donating 50 litres of Crown Trade Matt Vinyl Emulsion to its stunning exhibition space which showcased Danish style and culture. Crown Paints supplied paint for the exhibition space through NIMTECH, a social enterprise based at its Lancashire headquarters which aims to reduce waste and promote recycling, so that the company’s involvement was in alignment with Danish Living’s nod to the environment and sustainability.

Crown Paints

The wider use of acoustic flooring is helping us lead quieter lives says Nick Egan, Technical Manager at Gerflor Limited.

Crown reveals its new seasonal colour trends

WOOD COATINGS

Tradition and competence, innovation and quality, service and partnership – these are the values that have made us the leading brand in wood coatings for exterior applications.

The basis of our success is our passion for wood and striving toward perfect coating solutions.

Tel: +44 (0) 1254 687950 Email: sales.shadsworth(at)akzonobel.com Web: www.sikkens-wood-coatings.co.uk

Akzo Nobel Industrial Coatings Ltd. Unit 04a Mercer Way, Shadsworth Business Park Blackburn Lancashire, United Kingdom, BB1 2QZ