2010 August

MAP Software has brought the Trimble MEP layout solution to the UK to provide a solution to help avoid expensive reworks resulting from the inaccurate installation of MEP services (mechanical, electrical and plumbing). The 2D plan is transferred to the Trimble Nomad handheld Windows Mobile device, which then drives the Trimble Robotic Total Station to position a visible laser dot at the required installation co-ordinates, with an accuracy of ±2 mm over 250 m. It can be operated by a 2-man team or a single user.

Euroheat’s biomass open days in June attracted over 120 installers, stove retailers and other customers. They had the opportunity to see the new extension to the company’s biomass technical centre, which doubles the space and number of biomass boilers and stoves actually operating. The extension represents an investment of over £500 000 and is available to anyone, installer or customer, to see the operation of biomass equipment under ideal conditions.

Big Foot Systems, the UK’s leading supplier of support systems for equipment on flat roofs, is offering a unique, independent 15-year warranty to customers. The warranty is offered through AWM, one of the country’s largest independent auditing companies.

ATC Semitec’s AT-11 series temperature sensor offers the best accuracy/cost/quality ratio available in the industry. Precise to ±0.3 K at 25°C and with a fast-response tip (only 6 x 5 x 15 mm long), the AT-11 controls air or water temperature in your application up to 105°C.

Danlers designs and manufactures a range of outdoor security switches, weatherproof to IP54 rating. Each product is housed in a tough, compact polycarbonate moulding and contains an adjustable photocell, which can be set to keep the lights off during the day.

Bitzer UK reports that its test rig designed specifically for refrigeration training centres and colleges offering F-gas training and refrigeration compliance courses is proving extremely popular.

Glow-worm’s straightforward range of air-to-water heat pumps, Clearly Heat Pumps, is now accredited under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). The approval came from the Building Research Establishment following site inspections of the Clearly Heat Pumps laboratory and production facilities.

Grundfos Pumps has received a Green Hero award from the Green Organisation for the fifth year in succession. The award was presented at the Tower of London, and the scheme has been specifically designed to recognise organisations whose green credentials act as an example to others in the business community.

Tour & Andersson has announced a series of technical CPD seminars designed to inform and advise HVAC consultants and contractors, as follows.

GE Lighting’s 4 W GU10 retrofit LED lamp is said to be the first to gain approval by the Energy Saving Trust’s product certification scheme. It has a rated life of 15 000 h and uses 80% less energy than the lamps it replaces.

Purchase on line account or credit card.
Next day delivery.
All you need In a box.
Feet & bracket kits to build strut frame

The products of SE Controls are now listed on NBS Plus, which is widely used by specifiers to obtain industry-generic specification clauses for products used in construction. The specifications are available for download from the NBS Plus web site and SE’s own web site.

Vortice reports phenomenal sales growth for its Vario range of reversible supply and extract fans. They are available in three sizes (6, 9 and 12 in) in surface-mounted and built-in versions (pictured) with a wide choice of applications. These fans are suitable for window mounting, wall mounting and roof mounting and can be used with a variety of sensors — such as humidity, temperature, PIR and timers. They have extremely low noise levels.

Glow-worm is presenting a series of seminars from September to November to provide straightforward guidance on the Renewable Heat Incentive and Feed-In Tariffs as part of the series of CPD construction service road seminars. They will offer an in-depth insight into grant-funding programs for producing electricity and heat from renewable sources and be presented by systems technology manager Martin Butcher and contracts and specifications manager Ken Gilbey.

Kingspan Solar, part of Kingspan Renewables, has opened its first training centre specialising in renewable-energy. It is aimed at installers looking to boost their earning potential through an in-depth understanding of solar thermal, heat pumps and unvented hot-water systems, as well as industry-standard accreditations.

Clivet’s EQV-X range of Versatemp water-source heat pumps is designed for all types of commercial premises and public buildings. Units are available with six cooling capacities from 1.9 to 4.0 kW. High efficiencies are achieved through the use of modern rotary compressors, electronic thermostat valve and a source-side plate heat exchanger. EERs in heating mode are greater than 4.1 and cooling COPs are greater than 4.4. These units can be floor standing or wall mounted and are precharged with refrigerant, so there are no refrigerant connections. Sound levels are considerably less than other products with a similar capacity thanks to component selection and the acoustic cabinet design.

Passivent’s Sunstract combines natural ventilation and the company’s Sunscoop rooflight technology into a single product that is suitable for medium and large commercial buildings. Sunstract combines an Airstract high-capacity thermally insulated passive-stack ventilation terminal with an 885 mm Sunscoop square ducted rooflight. The system uses natural daylight and air movement, with minimal electrical consumption.

System Sensor Europe has introduced a range of fire detectors for square and circular ductwork. The InnovairFlex range consists of conventional and addressable versions using optical detectors. Both ranges are said to offer class-leading false-alarm rejection through a combination of advanced hardware and software engineering.

Victaulic’s VE460 shop fabrication roll grooving tool can prepare pipes for jointing with the original groove system from 100 to 300 mm or for the advanced groove system from 350 to 1500 mm. It comes complete with safety guard and safety foot switch and is supplied with rolls for the original system from 100 to 300 mm and for the advanced system from 350 to 600 mm. Grooves can be rolled on standard-wall large-diameter pipes in five to seven minutes.

Giacomini has entered the social-housing market with the launch of a neat interface unit for use with communal heating systems. It is described as providing all the benefits of a combi boiler without the combustion. These compact units (60 cm wide, 73 cm high and 21 cm deep) control and measure the consumption of heating and hot water in apartments and multi-use dwellings supply by communal heating plant. There is no need for hot-water storage.

Eaton’s Memera range of consumer units can now have integrated energy-monitoring facilities. They will be of interest to local authorities wanting to meet the requirement laid down in National Indicator 186 for reductions in CO2 emissions.

The high-efficiency Ensbury LT range of steel boilers from Hamworthy Heating has a low-temperature management system that enables return water temperature to reach as low as 15°C [repeat 15°C] without condensing and with no minimum flow rate. They can be fuelled by natural gas, propane, 28 and 32 sec oil and liquid biofuels. Options for biofuels are FAME (fatty acid methyl ester) or RME (rape methyl ester) blends up to B50.

Trion’s complete range of Air Boss T Series of electronic air cleaners has been independently certified by European testing house TUV for compliance with European safety and performance regulations for removing odours and fumes in commercial kitchens.

The Neptronic SKS steam-to-steam humidifiers from JS Humidifiers uses an existing supply of impure boiler steam or high-temperature liquid through a sealed heat exchanger to create sterile steam suitable for humidifying air. These units can provide up to 600 kg/h of steam to an air-handling unit or ductwork. Applications include hospitals, universities, pharmaceutical manufacturing and other large institutions with steam or high-temperature-liquid circuits.

Pegler Yorkshire has won a contract to supply taps and mixers for Nottingham City Homes’ Secure Warm Modern programme to improve thousands of council homes by 2013. The contract covers fitting around 17 000 new kitchens and 12 700 new bathrooms.

Polypipe Ventilation’s HR01 MVHR (mechanical ventilation with heat recovery) units are Energy Saving Trust best-practice compliant and SAP Q rated. Air extracted from the kitchen or bathroom passes through an efficient counter-flow heat exchanger, which transfers heat to incoming fresh air. Over 92% of the 600 W of heat that is extracted from the average bathroom can be recovered. This air is exhausted twice an hour.

Ciat Ozonair’s Major Line of fan-coil units use 20% less electricity than their predecessors and are also 2 dB(A) quieter. They also filter indoor air. Cooling capacities are up to 10 kW. The high-performance coils have up to 15% larger face area, and the wide choice of coils enables customised water ranges.

Aereco offers an approach to ventilating airtight dwellings that combines the passive stack system with mechanical ventilation. Normally, passive stack ventilation ducts meet the requirement, with mechanical ventilation being used only when there is not sufficient wind to drive the stack effect. The mechanical ventilation starts automatically, activated by a temperature sensor or pressure controller.

A 2-year full parts and labour guarantee, as well as its first annual services, now comes with the Ultramax WM condensing boiler from MHS Boilers. The full guarantee and annual service can be extended with a maintenance and service package. There are five models in this range of wall-hung boilers with outputs from 45 to 120 kW, modulating down to 20% of full output.

To help designers comply with the requirements of the 2010 Building Regulations, EDSL Tas offers a range of energy consultancy services, including Part L compliance modelling and documentation. This service includes the calculation of building emissions, Energy Performance Certificates and BRUKL documen­tation.

Xpelair’s Xplus 2EC mechanical central extract unit projects only 190 mm from the wall or ceiling, compared with the traditional 250 mm, making them suitable for applications such as high-rise apartments. These units have EC motors to reduce energy consumption and extend motor life. These units continuously extract stale and moist air.

The recycling programme that supports ABB’s swappage scheme has this year recycled 13 t of waste variable-speed drives, recovering over 90% of their component materials by weight. The swappage scheme offers at least 17.5% off the list price of a new ABB drive and will swap out incumbent drives from any manufacturer.

Armstrong’s IVS102 range of variable-speed drives is suitable for all types of centrifugal pumps with motors up to 450 kW in new and existing applications, for heating and cooling. Many of the features required for variable-speed pumping are built into the inverter’s design, reducing the need for ancillary components and cutting overall capital cost. Installation costs are also lower as the built-in mains isolator option and flow compensation reduce the need for on-site wiring.

Legrand has launched a range of wiring devices and home-automation systems that it says will change the market beyond recognition. The Arteor range combines cutting-edge style with state-of-the-art technology to appeal to interior designers, specifiers and systems integrators.

The latest addition to Monodraught’s SunPipe is the 1000 mm Diamond Dome model, which has already been installed on two buildings in a science park. It is designed to provide more light, especially in buildings with higher ceilings such as sports centres and retail outlets, which are increas­ingly being designed with ceiling heights of 12 m or more. The 1000 mm model is calculated to achieve a 70% improvement in performance at a height of 12 m compared to the 750 mm model.

Kentec’s Sigma Matrix range of conventional fire alarm mimic display panels uses flexible fibre-optic light guides to illuminate areas on a floor plan, laid over a high-resolution grid, to give a clear indication of the origin of an incident. This system dispenses with wiring and enables indicators to be moved, added or removed on site.

By isolating the water supply to a washroom when it is not in use, Cistermiser’s Sensazone achieves BREEAM Wat 4 credit and reduces the waste of water caused by defective taps and WC filling mechanisms. A Sensazone sensor is quick and easy to fit and can control several solenoid valves pipes carrying hot water, cold water and grey water. A single dribbling WC cistern valve can cost over £183 a year, and the risk of flooding during vacant periods is prevented.

A series of compact and versatile LED drivers from Helvar provide power to LED applications with an efficiency of over 80%. The have a universal power supply and dual current output of 350 and 700 mA. These drivers are designed to provide sustainable and future-proof lighting solutions and can be combined with Helvar’s system solutions to provide easy switching control via relay units and Helvar button panels and TouchPanel applications.

Tri-Air Innovations has developed a duct damper that combines the simplicity of a single-blade damper with the demands of blade setting accuracy and product reliability. It is made in the UK and has a price that is said to be equivalent to the most basic dampers available.

Polypipe Terrain’s range of passive fire-protection products is designed for drainage stacks in above-ground applications. These products comply with BS476 and enable the specification of Terrain drainage systems that conform to the requirements of Part B of the Building Regulations.

The Beta release of software to automate the LEED* compliance process has been released by EDSL. ASHRAE 90.1 Studio is said to provide the performance rating in a fraction of the time of using other software. Used with Tas, ASHRAE 90.1 Studio takes modelling data already entered and converts it into the baseline building as required by ASHRAE as part of the LEED assessment procedure.

A-Gas has developed a system for flushing HCFC refrigerant systems when they are being retrofitted to use another refrigerant such as an HFC. AK Flush is a non-toxic solution with no ozone-depletion potential. It uses a range of polar solvents that dissolve and remove oil, particulates, sludge, acids, carbon residues and moisture to prevent compressor damage. AK Flush can also be used after a compressor burn-out.

Osram is about to launch a range of LED light ‘bulbs’ that can be used as direct replacements for incandescent and halogen lamps. Lamps in the Parathom range have a life of 25 000 h, 80% lower energy consumption than traditional lamps and excellent light quality. They will be available with bayonet and screw bases.

EarthEnergy, which designs and supplies ground-source heat-pump systems, has chosen Taconova setter valves to provide precise setting of flow rates and efficient measurement for a number of significant projects. These valves can regulate and isolate flow and provide flow measurement via a sight glass. The setting scale makes possible quick and accurate balancing without diagrams, tables or the need for expensive measuring devices.

Profile Lighting has completed the lighting contract for the workshops of RS Performance, which specialises in designing and developing high-performance engines and producing exclusive cars. These new workshops are part of the restoration of Stow Maries WW1 Aerodrome at Cold Norton Parish near Maldon in Essex.

When old and efficient gas-fired heaters in Kirkbymoorside War Memorial Hall stopped working altogether, they were replaced with six Caspian fan convectors from Smith’s Environmental Products. The hall houses indoor markets, theatrical performances, bingo, dance classes and other evening events. It is the focal point of the community in this North Yorkshire market town.

Timoleon underfloor heating is providing safe and low-energy comfort for a progressive primary school in north London. Anson Primary School in Cricklewood has 360 pupils aged from 3 to 11 in 11 classes and a nursery. It is a leader in information and communication technology, with all classrooms equipped with fully interactive white boards.

Protection from the effects of smoke and low-leakage air control for the air-conditioning and ventilation system serving MediaCity UK in Salford are provided by Actionair dampers. This £500 million development by Peel Media in the old Salford docks is one of the largest in the UK. As well as accommodating some BBC programme-making departments the 36 acre site is also home to part of the University of Salford, a 218-bedroom hotel, 65 000 m2 of office space, 7500 m2 of retail space and 378 apartments. Six large television studios are being constructed as part of the project.

The new lighting scheme installed as part of the significant refurbishment of James Watt College in Greenock makes extensive use of well designed and affordable lighting products from Ridi Lighting. Vision III award-winning suspended direct/indirect panel luminaires feature alongside many other RIDI products in a lighting scheme that balances natural and artificial light in the beauty and treatment areas.

MHS Boilers has supplied four 1400 kW Monomax gas-fired, fully modulating pressure-jet boilers and two Ultramax R301 condensing boilers to the High Point Village development in Hayes. This major inner-city regeneration scheme comprises 570 residential units, a hotel and a large retail development. A quarter of the residential accommodation is for affordable housing. The development also features an art-gallery space and a new public square for Hayes town centre.

As part of the energy-efficient building-services system of the John Hope Gateway Visitor Centre at Edinburgh’s Royal Botanical Gardens, Zehnder Flatline radiant panels have been installed to provide heating and cooling. The services system for this £15.7 million project was designed by consulting engin­eers Max Fordham and installed by mechanical contrac­tor Emtec.