2011 June

Grundfos has developed pump audit tools to assess energy used by operational pumps and provide a comprehensive report that will advise how best to save energy, with consequential reductions in CO2 emissions and energy costs. Grundfos Pumps that can be used to replace inefficient pumps qualify for Enhanced Capital Allowances.

Big Foot Solar Systems offer the complete non-penetrative mounting system for photovoltaic panels on a flat roof.

Thermo-Floor, which supplies energy-efficient underfloor heating and cooling systems, has been named as an exclusive supplier of underfloor heating systems for Callum Walker Interiors of Perth. Ian Dickson of Callum Walker comments, ‘We are delighted to have Thermo-Floor on board. We chose them because of the exceptionally high quality of products and services they offer. We ensure everything is finished to the highest standards, so Thermo-Floor is the sensible option to recommend underfloor heating systems to our customers. It is an exciting opportunity for both companies, and we look forward to a longstanding partnership.’

Phase Change Materials (PCM) store and release thermal energy during the process of melting & freezing and the latest range of PCM solutions between -100°C and +885°C offer new application opportunities.

Xpelair Ventilation Solutions has become an approved BPEC Assessment Centre for training installers on the installation, inspection, testing and commissioning of domestic ventilation systems in accordance with the requirements of Part F and the ‘Domestic ventilation compliance guide 2010’ that such work is carried out by a suitably qualified person

Glow-worm’s CPD seminar on new renewable legislation and incentive schemes such as the Renewable Heat Incentive and Feed in Tariff is being presented at venues around the country until 17 November. Called ‘Lower carbon, lower costs — meeting legislation in 2011’, the seminar guides specifiers, developers, housebuilders and social-housing professionals through the latest UK renewable legislative changes and discusses how they can prepare for them.

The EcoMESH concept is based on intermittently spraying water onto a mesh placed in front of the heat reduction surface. Thus reducing power consumption by as much as 30-40% and improves the performance of Air Cooled Chillers, Dry Coolers and Condensers and Refrigeration Plants.

Distributor Senate Electrical has published the first of a monthly buyers’ guide, running to 168 pages and including prices. It is also available online. Research has indicated that customers prefer a regular printed catalogue with prices.

The Energy Consortium has publish two best-practice guides aimed at higher- and further-education institutions but also valid for other public-sector bodies. One guide provides 154 pages of advice for project managers responsible for improving energy and water efficiency in university buildings. The other gives 80 pages of guidance on which options for renewable energy are worth pursuing.

A comprehensive technical manual from Polypipe Terrain provides information on its Terrain Fuze high-density polyethylene system for all above- and below-ground drainage and many chemical waste applications. This manual provides dimensional data and drawings for all components in the range — along with guidance on preparation, jointing and installation.

Marshall-Tufflex Energy Manage­ment has pre­pared a buyers’ guide to voltage optimi­sation. It discusses how voltage optimisation works, the differences between the various systems available, savings that can realistically be achieved, how to asses the suitability of site, main­tenance req­uirements etc. There is a checklist of questions to put to prospective suppliers or manufacturers.

Kingspan Insulation has produced detailed technical bulletins on achieving BREEAM credits with its Kooltherm and Therma ranges of insulation boards and the TEK building system based on structural insulated panels.

Passivent has launched a software tool to enable architects and specifiers to accurately and quickly assess the impact of natural daylighting on the energy performance of a building. The company worked with software house EDSL to develop Passivent Sunscoop Builder, which complements the Passivent Airscoop Builder tool for natural ventilation in buildings. Both tools are based on substantial recently published research.

The final newsletter of the now completed Harmonac project to understand more clearly how air-conditioning systems consume energy in practice and to assess opportunities for energy savings is now available on the project’s web site. This newsletter is a summary of the project’s main findings.

HVCA has prepared a package of health and safety information for SMEs (small and medium enterprises). It contains advice on setting out and maintaining general and site health and safety responsibilities. The pack contains over 70 industry-related risk assessments, accident reporting, accident investigation, and many more assessment and checklist templates in Word and PDF formats.

Thermokon’s catalogue for 2011 runs to 228 pages and includes all types of sensors form room operating panels, pressure, mixed gas-CO2, light/motion, IO modules, humidity, thyristors, and temperature to the EasySense wireless system.

Halton’s Marvel ventilation system for commercial kitchens provides demand-controlled ventilation that is intelligent and responsive. Instead of operating ventilation at full capacity, the Marvel system constantly monitors each kitchen appliance and adjusts airflows and duct pressures accordingly.

A specific fan performance of 0.47 W/l/s and 93% heat transfer are achieved by Greenwood Airvac Fusion HRV2HT heat-recovery ventilation units. These units incorporate the company’s Smart technology to simplify commissioning, with the use of a single wireless LCD controller to set up, adjust and commission numerous units on site. Variable airflow settings are ensure that the requirements of Building Regulations are achieved on site first time.

Exterior window films from 3M are applied to the outside of the window and claimed to block up to 77% of solar energy to reduce solar gain. Applying these films externally to double or triple glazing greatly reduces the risk of breakage from thermal stress.

Shenton Group has extended its Powertherm range of CHP systems by combining its expertise with that of its European partners Seva AG and Tedom. The Powertherm range is now available in over 60 sizes from 7 kW to 2 MW and in five package styles that include open sets, acoustic enclosures, compact series, containerised and total pre­fabricated plantroom packages. These units are available for seven different fuels, including natural gas, LPG, biogas, vegetable oils, biodiesel, PPO (pure plant oil) and mineral diesel.

Alpha Heating Innovation’s InTec range of boilers is designed to achieve an A rating under the new European Energy Related Products guidelines, which are due to be introduced soon. These boilers will be launched over the next few months, with the InTec 24X and 28X combinations being introduced in June.

Vent-Axia’s eViking range of air-handling units achieves an A+ energy-efficiency rating. Features include highly efficient fans, EFF1 motors and high-performance heat recovery (80%+) designed for maximum efficiency at minimum pressure loss. Throughputs range from 3.5 to 16 m3/s.

Newey & Eyre has added a range of cable trunking with a faster-fitting lid to its range of Newlec-branded products. This return-edge trunking is available in 3 m lengths and made from pre-galvanised steel. To speed installation, the covers are fixed using die-cast turnbuckles operated by a screwdriver.

Vortice has launched a range of heat-recovery ventilation systems for the commercial market. There are nine models of Vort NRG, six single-phase and three 3-phase. They can recover over 50% of the heat that would otherwise be lost. Applications include bars, pubs, restaurants, offices, meeting rooms and shops. There are models for horizontal and vertical mounting, and they can be installed onto false ceilings.

Baxi Commercial Division has developed its prefabricated skid-mounted heating system to include low- and zero-carbon solutions. Ecoskid is a development of the earlier non-condensing prefab­ricated system that it replaces and the MB Series modular condensing option that will continue as a popular specifiers’ choice.

MHS Boilers has launched a range of gas-fired wall-hung condensing boilers with outputs from 45 to 145 kW. Thision L boilers have a double-helix stainless-steel heat exchanger and a turndown ratio of 6:1. Up to eight boilers can be installed in a purpose-built cascade rig to deliver an output of up to 1140 kW. Built-in controls can manage two heating zones and a DHW cylinder; it can be adapted to provide cascade management.

Glow-worm has added larger models to its Clearly Heat Pumps range of air-to-water heat-pump systems. The new units have outputs of 7, 12 and 14 kW and join the existing 5 kW model. Clearly Heat Pumps is a fully integrated heating system which is straightforward to install and easy to use.

ATC Semitec’s SP interchangeable series of NTC thermistors offer very high precision (±0.2 K or better from 0 to 70°C) at significantly lower pricing to that of existing interchangeable NTCs. They are readily available from stock.

Polypipe Ventilation has incorporated anti-microbial properties into its duct silencers for life-long clean, fresh ventilation systems. The company’s systems are designed to provide energy-efficient ventilation of light-commercial and domestic applications. These silencers absorb a wide range of frequencies to reduce traffic noise, noise from the ventilation fan and room-to-room cross talk by as much as 50 dB(A).

Hydropath has added to its range of water conditioners for removing and preventing the build-up of limescale in pipes. Three new units have been added to the existing five, so the range now covers pipe sized from 32 to 125 mm DN.

Douglas Delabie, which specialises in thermostatic control solutions and accessories for healthcare, has introduced an electronic wall-mounted top featuring a Bioclip spout with fixed and removable options for mounting on panels up to 20 mm thick. The spout can easily be removed for disinfection to help counter cross infection. These taps also have an anti-bacterial duty flush that operates every 24 h after the last use.

Smedegaard has launched a range of compact wall-mounted cold-water booster sets. Called the FalFlex range, these units are said to solve the traditional problem of limited space in plant rooms. Sets are mounted on rubber-line support brackets to reduce noise transmission.

Polypipe Ventilation has extended its range of mechanical ventilation systems with heat recovery (MVHR) with high-capacity models for larger properties. The new units comply with Energy Saving Trust best practice and are SAP HR02 and HR03 rated. They can serve up to seven wet rooms and a kitchen. They can work at up to 640 Pa, making possible very long duct runs.

Geberit has introduced three new tools for use with Mapress and Mepla pressfitting pipework. The new generation of Novopress Comfort-Line pressing tools is ergonomically designed to ensure that installers can take a firm, safe grip. There are battery- and mains-powered tools, all with electronic monitoring of the jaw-locking bolt and a visual error indicator for greater operational safety. An electronic logbook enables precise and quick analysis if errors occur.

Vent-Axia’s eDemand controllers can be added to existing speed-controllable fans to offer demand-controlled ventilation and to improve the performance and operating efficiency of its own range of fans. They are available for single-phase and 3-phase fans and can be controlled by signals from CO2, temperature or constant-pressure sensors.

Black Teknigas has introduced a system of free-fall fire-valve equip­ment that is suitable for oil and gas installations. This range of valves and accessories provides a complete, positive 100% fuel-isolation system that will automatically operate in the event of excessive temperatures or an alarm.

Two products from BDR Thermea, formerly Baxi Group, can considerably increase the efficiency of combi boilers by recovering energy from flue gases. These products are listed under SAP Appendix Q and can make a significant contribution for specifiers seeking to achieve the energy-saving targets required to meet levels 3 and 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes.

Gecko provides a multi-point multi-disciplinary resource to help clients comply with all their Part L obligations. The company can provide SAP calculations, SBEM calculations, energy audits and energy statements. Clients include the MoD, Primark and Boots to help achieve emissions targets. Gecko can also provide advice on how to efficiently achieve targets and to provide design stage and completion.

Passivent and Rehau have combined their expertise to develop a natural-ventilation system that provides low-energy cooling. It combines Passivent’s passive stack natural ventilation with Rehau’s Awadukt Thermo ground-air heat exchanger. It is said to be particularly appropriate for buildings with deep floor plans and/or restricted external facades.

Double-glazed aluminium louvres with thermal breaks from Naco can provide natural ventilation while meeting the standards for airtightness required in modern buildings. Vengen louvre windows can provide the required ventilation rates with much smaller openings than bottom-hung windows, giving greater design and architectural flexibility and improving the thermal efficiency of the building envelope. They can be adapted to fit most applications, including curtain walling and brick/block structures.

MHS Boilers has supplied boilers and solar collectors to the historic Montpellier Chapter Hotel in Cheltenham to supply heating and hot water. The installation was part of the refurbishment of this Grade 2 listed building and the addition of crescent-shaped wing extension.

As part of the extensive refurbishment of The Three Crowns Inn on the north-east edge of Dartmoor, working conditions in the kitchen have been improved by demand-controlled ventilation based on an Elta Fans system. The restaurant seats nearly 80 diners and is open for lunch and dinner every day. There is also a function room for 100 people.

An ammonia-based heat-pump system drawing heat from seawater has replaced an R134a system at Ramsund Naval Base in Norway. Supplied by Star Refrigeration the Neatpump has a capacity of 600 kW and a COP of 2.7. It heats water to temperatures from 60 to 80°C to provide heating and hot water to all buildings on the base.

To help maintain the efficiency of two new solar-thermal systems to produce domestic hot water for The Candlesticks restaurant and 8-bedroom cottage-style lodge at Ringwood, Hydropath Hydroflow HS38 water conditioners have been installed. These devices prevent the build-up of lime­scale by emitting randomly varying electric signals throughout the system to reduce the effects of hard water.

Vaillant has supplied 120 m2 of evacuated-tube collectors for a new leisure and sports facility at Uppingham School in Rutland. This vast solar field comprises 60 Aurotherm collectors and provides hot water for showers.

Faced with an increase in the price of heating oil from 42 p to 72 p a litre over just eight weeks, the occupant of a converted barn near Holmfirth in the Peak District looked for another way to provide heat for his radiator system and hot water for a bathroom and three en-suites.

Data for a full year, including the harsh Winter of 2010/11 have shown that a heat pump at a school in Lancashire performed considerably better than expected. The Danfoss unit at Bowland High School in Grindleton achieved an average COP of 3.39, well ahead of the predicted 3.08.

Patients and staff in the recently refurbished Mayfield Ward of Thurrock Community Hospital in Essex are benefiting from efficient, hygienic and safe heating with the installation of 63 Safeguard low-surface-temperature radiators supplied by MHS Radiators.

The tallest building in the City of London, the 46-storey Heron Tower, includes four Remeha P520 pressure-jet gas-fired high-efficiency boilers in its environmental design, contributing to an BREEAM ‘Excellent’ raging. This building is 230 m high, including a 28 m mast. It provides office space across 36 floors. A restaurant is planned on levels 38 to 40 and a separate one on the ground floor.

A regeneration partnership in Lancashire has opted for has opted for Baxi Ecogen micro-CHP to provide low-carbon heating and hot water for the redevelopment of 14 homes on Staley Street in Nelson. PEARL2 (Pendle Enterprise & Regeneration Ltd) is a partnership between Pendle Council and Barnfield Construction. This project includes 12 of the homes being joined to make six spacious double-fronted homes.

Home self builder Garry Watson has completed the underfloor heating installation for his new 4-storey 1250 m2 house in Low Fell, a suburb of Gateshead, with the help of local company Myson. Having sold his typesetting business The Setting Studio in 2000, he decided to build his own home. He started the project three years ago and hopes to complete the project by Christmas 2011.