2010 July

Britannia Kitchen Ventilation, which specialises in kitchen ventilation canopies, has signed an agreement to make its products available in Australia. Food Service Machinery of Melbourne will make Britannia’s range of canopies under licence. FSM has an extensive dealer network providing national coverage. Products available in Australia will include Ultrastream UV filtration and the Econex energy-saving extract system.
Terry Randall (left in photo with Peter Taylor, sales director of Britannia) managing director of FSM, said, ‘We see this as a very exciting opportunity and are pleased to be able to deliver this high-quality range of eco-friendly ventilation systems in Australia.’

The new CPD reflects the growing use of roof space for siting heavy plant on flat roofs, and highlights the importance of using support systems that minimise risks of leaks and cold bridging. The presentation also demonstrates the advantages of off-site fabrication to reduce installation time.

Hochiki, a leading manufacturer and supplier of industrial fire-detection products, offers three CPD courses for M&E contractors, consultants, architects and end users. Each course lasts for about an hour and can be held at a customer’s premises

Mitsubishi Electric has produced a free, CPD-accredited guide to solar photo-voltaics. It explores the issues around solar power and highlights the rules of thumb necessary for specifying and installing these systems.

Samsung has announced further expansion of its air-conditioning business in the UK and Ireland with the appointment of two more distributors. They are Logicool and Ultimate Air and bring Samsung’s network of distributors to eight, with more than 20 branches.

Wagner UK offers a series of CPD seminars to help fire-system designers, installers and consultants better understand the implications of a new European standard that has changed the way aspirating smoke detection systems have to be designed and installed.

Vent-Axia has launched a heat-pump division to complement its comprehensive Lo-Carbon ventilation range. The division will offer ground-source and air-source heat pumps for the light-commercial and domestic markets.

Danlers has been awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation. The award was given in recognition of the continuing development of its range of energy saving electronic controls for lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

JG Speedfit has launched a new underfloor-heating web site. It aims to educate users about the benefits of underfloor heating — while removing the mystique and perceived difficulty behind the specification and installation.

BG Controls has been names ‘Best service and maintenance provider’ at the recent Building Controls Industry Awards. By demonstrating outstanding levels of care and commitment to its clients in the provision of customer services and maintenance contracts for building-management systems. The award was received by systems support director Phil Bolus (left) from BIFM deputy chair elect Ismena Clout.

Trade Training Associates of Newcastle upon Tyne has been awarded a training contract by the National Apprenticeship Service and Skills Funding Agency to deliver Level 2 and 3 apprenticeships to 16-to-18-year olds in the mechanical-engineering sector. TTA is already training 76 apprentices and will train a further 80 over the next 18 months. 75% of the current apprentices are not in employment, education or training.

United Refrigeration (UK) has been appointed by IBD Distribution for the Invisible AC small-duct high-velocity air-conditioning system, giving installers easier access to the system at branches in many parts of the UK.

Crabtree’s latest catalogue on wiring accessories and circuit-protection equipment runs to over 200 pages and clearly details the specific features and benefits of each range. Product sections enable contractors to easily identify the items they require, and technical pages provide information regarding specifications, dimensions, capacities, performance and the standards and approvals to which the products conform.

Cablofil has published a comprehensive catalogue providing contractors and consultants with guidance on the Cablofil wire tray system for cables. Running to 115 pages, this guide give a full visual summary of all the products that make up the Cablofil system, along with a quick-reference guide to load-bearing capacities and bend radii. It also includes guidance on the correct methodology for cutting, shaping, joining and fixing the system.

The ‘Copper pipework compendium’ of the UK Copper Board includes a wealth of educational material on how to install and design copper pipework systems, as well as more technical information for the experienced plumber. In addition to the detailed pages on copper tube in building and the guide to bending and pipework installation, there are pdf files of the very popular ‘Installation tips’ publication and a series of web casts showing step-by-step approaches to pipe sizing for water and gas services.

Xpelair Ventilation Solutions’ ‘CustomVent for education’ brochure showcases its innovative range of low-carbon ventilation systems for primary and secondary schools, colleges and universities. The brochure includes all the essential information that specifiers and contractors will need to select a low-energy, cost-effective ventilation, heating and cooling system to provide optimum indoor air quality and also exceed the requirements of Building Schools for the future and Building Bulletin 101.

Following a BRE study, the BRE Trust has prepared guidance to help engineers position wind turbines for on-site renewable energy. Called ‘Building-mounted micro-wind turbines on high-rise and commercial buildings’, it is based on a study that characterised wind conditions over a range of building heights from 15 to 80 m and provides guidance on the most effective height and location for wind-turbine sites.

Sirrus by Gummers has published a specifiers’ guide to its full range of commercial water controls. This comprehensive product source gives full product details and data such as working pressures and flow rates to enable fast product selection.

Polypipe Ventilation, which specialises in energy-saving light-commercial and domestic ventilation systems, has relaunched its web site with a host of improved features and new content to simplify product selection and system design.

Mitsubishi Electric has prepared a CPD-accredited guide to renewable heating for commercial buildings. It focuses on heat-pump systems based on well established and reliable technology which offers the added benefit of being officially recognised as ‘renewable’.

Legrand’s latest catalogue of wiring devices is described as ‘an all-encompassing and indispensable guide to its industry-leading portfolio of products for commercial, residential and industrial use’. It will be followed later this year by new publications covering cable management, power and data.

Wilo has added seven more pumps to its high-efficiency Stratos range of commercial pumps for connections from DN25 to DN50. These high-efficiency pumps have a range of control options and interfaces to building-automation systems. They can also be used for smaller performance ranges up to a head of 4 m. This range extension provides for the easy replacement of old, uncontrolled pumps with high-efficiency pumps to achieve energy savings of up to 80%.

Samsung’s DMS2 data-management server enables building managers to remotely oversee installations of air-conditioning systems and virtually leave these systems to manage themselves. The system is designed to become a core element of the integrated management system for Samsung’s DVM Plus III (VRF) air heating and cooling installations.

Software specialist Integrated Environmental Solutions (IES) has added bio-climatic analysis features to its VE-Gaia climate-assessment tools. Bio-climatic analysis uses an understanding of climate and environment to inform building-design strategy. Focused on low-energy and passive strategies, this tool uses a user-selected weather data file to derive an extensive set of design suggestions for urban layout and built form.

Saint-Gobain PAM has added a 150 mm-diameter range to its Ensign Eezi-Fit push-fit cast-iron drainage system. This system is now available in diameters of 100 and 150 mm. The 150 mm range consists of bends, branches and a coupling. An 88° large-radius bend has been added to the 100 mm range in response to customer demand.

Teaching staff in schools can easily monitor and maintain ventilation levels and indoor air quality using Sontay’s GS-CO2 range of carbon-dioxide, temperature and humidity and monitoring devices. Offering full Building Schools for the Future, Building Bulletin 1 (BB1) compliance, the GS-CO2 sensor series combines ease of operation with real-time monitoring and the ability to swiftly adjust CO2 levels.

KAC’s range of manual call points for fire-alarm systems includes units for a vast range of applications. The standard MCP indoor version can be installed in offices, hotels and public buildings. The IP67 WCP is for use in environments where water or dust are present. Intrinsically safe units are approved for use in areas with gas and dust hazards.

Glow-worm’s Ultracom2 range of boilers is SEDBUK A rated and available in a wide range of combi and system models. It is specially designed for ease of installation. A particular design feature is the design of the filling loop to enable filling without removing any parts.

An updated version of IES’s VE plug-in to Autodesk Revit Architecture and MEP enables users of Revit 2011 to easily export models into any of the IES Virtual Environment analysis tools for environmental building performance — VE-Ware, VE-Toolkits, VE-Gaia and VE-Pro. By removing the need to rebuild models, this plug-in greatly enhances design workflow and simulation accuracy — bringing comprehensive and integrated analysis options for all design stages to the building-information-modelling (BIM) process.

Becolsolar’s range of solar photovoltaic systems includes the cost-effective Solrif integrated 120 W solar PV panel and an 83 W panel. The system can be installed by Becosolar or can be designed, supplied and commissioned by the company and the modules installed by a roofing contractor.

Thermo-Floor has developed a wiring centre for its underfloor heating and cooling systems. It is quick and easy to mount, program and control. It can even be installed wirelessly.

Photo-voltaic roof tiles from Systems Photonics can be integrated into the design of a building without compromises on their efficiency. The PV elements are built on a 3 mm ceramic substrate that is available in 12 permanent colours, including slate grey and slate red. Complementary passive tiles are also available. The use of crystalline cells provides an efficiency equal to normal solar panels.

Baxi’s Ecogen microCHP unit uses natural gas and can simultaneously produce 1 kW of electricity using a free-piston Stirling engine and 6 kW of heat. Heat output can be modulated down to 3 kW while still generating electricity, and a supplementary burner can deliver an additional 18 kW of heat.

Up to 25% lower energy consumption for a new range of water chillers compared to previous models is claimed by Ciat Ozonair. The Dynaciat Power range offers cooling capacities from 220 to 720 kW and heating from 250 to 800 kW.

A version of Daikin’s Altherma system for apartment buildings and community heating can deliver flow temperatures of 80°C for heating and achieve DHW temperatures of up to 70°C. COPs are up to 3.5. Cooling is also an option, with leaving water temperatures down to 5°C. Outdoor units use R410A and offer heating outputs from 23 to 45 kW; they can be grouped for higher outputs.

Advanced Air’s EPIC range of fan-coil units can achieve a specific fan power as low as 0.15 W/l/s, which is claimed to make them the most efficient in the European market. When installed into a building designed to meet or exceed the 2010 Building Regulations, the saving in carbon emissions can, in most cases, exceed 15% of the total carbon emissions of the whole building.

New features in the nes2010 building-services software include extensive functionality enhancements and an nesPlus module for healthcare facilities. This latest generation of nes, which is endorsed by CIBSE, also provides single-click access to LuckinsLive.com, a comprehensive source of building-services product and price information.

The Alpha2 range of domestic circulating pumps from Grundfos Pumps has an A Energy Label and is described as the most advanced energy-efficient domestic circulator of its kind on the market. The reduction in power consumption has been achieved using permanent-magnet motor technology. Using pressure-controlled operation, power consumption can be reduced to as little as 5 W.

Passivent’s Sunscoop Hybrid lighting unit combines tubular rooflight technology with a low-energy luminaire. The daylight admitted by a Sunscoop is said to provide up to ‘eight times the amount of light of a single 60 W electric bulb’. [We make that about 870 lm - Ed.] When the built-in light sensor detects that the natural lighting has fallen below a predetermined level, a 26 W dimmable fluorescent lamp is switched on [around 1600 lm]. A PIR sensor turns the lamp off if the room is unoccupied.

Gripple has devised a adjustable clamp that can do the job of 11 differently sized traditional pipe rings. It can withstand temperatures from -40 to 110°C and support pipes for hot and cold water, heating and gas.

Needo electric radiators are claimed to heat up twice as quickly as other electric radiators and offer energy savings of up to 25%. A small quantity of liquid is boiled off and imparts its heat to the radiator surfaces as it condenses. This condensing process is said to achieve a very uniform temperature across the radiator surfaces.

Low-surface-temperature radiators from MHS Radiators are available in four styles and hundreds of different sizes. They have been tested by BSRIA in accordance with BS EN442. The casing and grille temperatures are tested to comply with NHS guidance. They have a durable antibacterial polyester powder-coated finish (RAL 9010 warm white semi-gloss).

The PowerLens technology used by Megaman in these directional lamps provides a higher luminous intensity to fulfil EuP requirements for directional lamps. Megaman CFL reflectors can achieve energy savings of up to 78%, making them effect eco replacements for rational halogen and incandescent lamps.

Adiabatic cooling has been added to Geoclima’s Turbomiser chillers to reduce energy consumption by a further 20%. By adding evaporative cooling to the face of the condenser coils, the ambient temperature in their vicinity is reduced by up to 8 K, dramatically improving energy performance. This cooling can be set to activate automatically at a predetermined external temperature.

Fujitsu’s range of wall-mounted plasma air conditioners are designed for applications such as GP surgeries and dental practices. They incorporate the Plasma Clean filtration system, which removes dust and pollen spores down to 2 µm in size. The have high energy efficiency and the ability to heat and cool.

The KNX ETS (Engineering Tool Software) programming tool supports KNX installations and has been completely redesigned. It has many new functions, and the Beta version was present at the 2010 Light+Building Exhibition in Frankfurt. The new version makes it possible to implement KNX projects more easily and has a standardised open interface to enable data to be exchanged and integrated with other applications.

Trend’s Ethernet metering interface controller (EMIC) provides a cost-effective way of automatically channelling readings for multiple multiple-parameter electricity meters to a Trend building energy management system, where they can be displayed, analysed and then acted on to effect energy savings.

HCP’s radiant heating service rafts can be fitted with up and down lighting with acoustic absorption pads or perforated panels to absorb reflected sound from the structural soffit. These service rafts are freely suspended below coffers, leaving large areas of the concrete soffit exposed, enabling free air movement to the structural slab for cooling using the thermal mass.

Hamworthy Heating Melbury HE range of steel boilers have outputs from 530 kW to 10 MW and are designed for very large projects such as district-heating schemes. These steel boilers have been designed for high energy efficiency and long service life. They can be specified for a variety of fuels, such as natural gas, propane, 28 and 32 sec oil, and liquid biofuels conforming to EN 14213. There is also a dual-fuel option.

The Sinamics G120P range of modular frequency inverters from Siemens Industry Automation & Drive Technologies is specifically designed for pumps, fans and compressors. They can also be used for closed-loop speed control of fans and circulating pumps for heating and cooling systems, for booster pumps and pumps for level control.

Fujitsu’s J-Series VRF system can serve eight indoor units from an outdoor unit with a cooling capacity of 15.2 kW. The outdoor units weigh just 97 kg and are only 900 mm high. They have a high-performance DC inverter. A newly designed larger fan and double casing bell-mouth construction reduce noise emissions.