2013 October

Indepth Hygiene Services, which specialises in cleaning ventilation ductwork, has achieved BS EN ISO 14001:2004 certification for the environmental aspects of its activities. The company was required to develop an environmental-management system to help meet its objectives.

Trane has introduced a buyback programme for chillers when they are written off or replaced. This programme is designed to support the process of replacing a chiller by providing single-source responsibility for the customer’s maximum convenience and minimum disruption during transition.

Legrand has launched its first accredited CPD course for the industrial market with its specification guide for industrial plugs and sockets. This CPD outlines 10 considerations for specifying the most appropriated industrial plug and socket for an application. An impartial and practical guide, its coverage includes protection classifications, material costs, security, safety, temperature and fixings.

Verbatim’s 10 W Classic A LED retrofit light bulb has come out as one of the most reliable and highest-performing light bulbs in the Which? 2013 light-bulb survey. The survey of 55 light bulb included CFLs, halogens and LED lamps. The survey found the light output to be 906 lm, against a claimed performance of 820 lm.

Siemens has launched a new application booklet for its RVL400 series heating controllers. The booklet contains applications with and without DHW control. The RVL400 series controllers are easy-to-use optimiser/compensator controllers which deliver energy savings based on demand based control.

Xpelair Ventilation Solutions has opened a new training centre at its Peterborough site following an extensive investment programme. The centre forms part of the company’s multi-million relocation to state-of-the-art facilities. The premises are equipped with a wide range of Xpelair’s ventilation solutions — including traditional fixed systems, demand-controlled ventilation systems and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery.

J&P Supplies, a leading provider of pipework expansion joints and pipeline equipment has rebranded as Stourflex. This move represents the culmination of product development that began with the creation of the Stourflex product range in 1990 and reflects the prominence of the Stourflex brand in the pipework sector. The company is now trading as Stourflex, and the rebranding includes a new web site using the new Stourflex logo.

Ability Projects is now included in the Energy Technology List for its fan-coil unit controller and associated control strategy, enabling installations to qualify for Enhanced Capital Allowances. Such an Ability package provides a means of improving the Ska rating of office refurbishment projects.

CP Electronics has supplied its Vitesse Modular marshalling boxes and a range of detectors for the lighting component of the refurbishment of the Lancashire County Cricket Club at the Emirates Old Trafford stadium in Manchester.

Fire detection for one of Malta’s major holiday locations is now provide by an Hochiki system following major refurbishment work in 2012. The Seabank Resort & Spa is just 30 m away from Malta’s largest beach and has 1700 beds and 130 on-site staff. Facilities include five themed restaurants, three bars, Malta’s largest hotel swimming pool and a wellness spa with heated panoramic indoor pool.

Following observations that a large number of electrically biased CHP systems have been designed to reject heat unnecessarily, Pete Mills of Bosch Commercial & Industrial Heating has called for a more responsible approach to designing CHP systems. He says, ‘The number of small-scale CHP system that have been designed to prioritise financial gains over efficiency benefits is a huge concern as the industry attempts to reduce emissions in the non-domestic sector.’

Sontay sensors and other devices were installed as part of the site-wide upgrade of the building-management system at the Eden Project to provide control of multiple buildings and the iconic biomes. The company’s sensors for temperature, humidity, CO2, pressure and other devices were chosen for reliability, accuracy and ability to work in critical environments.

The capabilities of Wieland’s Gesis pluggable lighting system made it the preferred choice for the regeneration of Birmingham’s busy New Street station, the busiest interchange station on Britain’s national rail network. Gesis 2-, 5- and 6-pole units with integrated DALI control feed lighting around the new concourse.

Helping to provide energy-efficient environmental control for the Aquatics Centre used in the London 2012 Olympic Games are 10 Moducel air-handling units with Fanwall technology. They serve the tiered seating. Fanwall technology is based on a modular array of small-diameter fans housed in individual cubes; the concept replaces the single or dual fans using in conventional air handlers.

Nine CHP units supplied by SAV Systems for several phases of the Caspian Wharf residential development in east London have a total output of 135 kW of electricity and 270 kW of heat. They are installed in three centralised plant rooms and will supply low-carbon heat to apartments and commercial units and electricity to landlord’s areas. These LoadTracker units were selected by MLM Consulting Engineers.

Hamworthy heating’s Purewell VariHeat boilers provided a seamless heating upgrade at the 4-star Menzies Bournemouth Carlton Hotel. Cedar Green Commercial Heating & Building Solutions installed seven of these 180 kW condensing boilers in place of the existing 16 Purewell Classic 70 kW atmospheric boilers, with no downtime.

Durapipe SuperFlo pipework has been installed at one of Scotland’s largest regeneration projects to provide cold-water services for student accommodation providing 588 beds. The £200 million Collegelands development consists of around 100 000 m2 of space and includes a mix of offices, a hotel, multi-storey car park, student accommodation, residential units and retail space.

Mikrofill is now in the premier league with the upgrade of plant for the banqueting suite of Aston Villa FC. Wall-mounted stainless-steel condensing boilers, hot-water-loading cylinders and pressurisation equipment were supplied by Mikrofill and installed by mechanical-services contractor Lord Combustion Services.

Versatile lighting for the new Library of Birmingham to optimise energy efficiency and which can be configured in many different ways is provided by a lighting-management system supplied by CP Northern. The system also manages emergency lighting, which comprises specially finished LED emergency luminaires.

Elta Fans has supplied ventilation equipment for the energy-efficient new headquarters of the Co-operative Group in Manchester. One Angel Square is thought to be the most sustainable large office space in Europe. It was designed to achieve a 50% reduction in energy use compared to the previous Manchester complex and an 80% reduction in carbon — reducing operating costs by up to 30%.

Evaporative cooling (sometimes called adiabatic cooling) successfully maintained the required environmental conditions at a site in Surrey of 4D Data Centres on the hottest day of the year — 22 July 2013, with a recorded temperature of 33.5°C at nearby Heathrow. The site at Byfleet has a total of 29 evaporative-cooling units, following the recent installation of a additional 10 units from EcoCooling. The centre has a PUE (power usage efficiency) of 1.14.

Actionair has revamped its published specification information for fire and smoke dampers in response to the start of mandatory CE marking in the UK. Product literature is being revised in three stages, with the first being a 40-page catalogue covering the Smoke Shield PTC range of dampers. Subsequent catalogues will cover the Fire Shield range and CSS dampers.

ICOM, the Industrial & Commercial Energy Association) has launched a web site providing useful information for members and non-members. The site includes updates on key development and legalisation relating to the energy sector, as well as a register of members accessed by name or market sector.

Detailed technical information about refrigerants is available on iPhones and Android devices using a free app from A-Gas. It provides details on the composition of refrigerants, their thermodynamic properties and global-warming potential.

Saint-Gobain has created a short CGI video to demonstrate the simplicity and flexibility of the VortX range of cast-iron floor drainage. Called ‘Simplicity re-invented’, the 2-minute video highlights the many features and benefits of VortX by demonstrating how all the components fit together to create a complete solution.

Guidance on how to procure Soft Landings published by BSRIA is primarily intended to help public- and private-sector clients and main contractors procure soft-landings services from their construction supply chains. BSRIA has developed the guide (BG 45/2013) with input by members of the BSRIA soft landings user group in response to clear trends in the use of Soft Landings.

Rehau’s brochure app provides an easy way for specifiers and contractors to access the company’s complete range of product and technical literature on the move. It is downloadable for Android and IOS devices.

Pegler Europe’s Tectite Flexible Metal plumbing system combines Tectite push fittings with flexible multi-layer composite (MLCP) tubing in UK metric sizes. This tubing comprises a thin layer of aluminium flanked by cross-linked polyethylene. This tube can be shaped and is more resistant to warping than plastic piping. It can handle temperatures of over 100°C and working pressures up to 16 bar.

Schwank’s ThermoControl Plus control system for its gas-fired infra-red radiant heating can be integrated with the company’s own building-management system and also supports other leading commercial BMS software and fire-alarm systems.

Elco’s Nextron range of monoblock commercial burners has outputs from 250 kW to 11.2 MW and is available in the UK through sister company Ecoflam. This range is available for gas, light oil and oil/gas.

Dimplex’s AC3CN recessed ceiling heater for commercial buildings has been updated with a white linear grille and hinged access for easy installation and connection. Designed to provide subtle heating where wall space is limited and fast response is needed, the 1.5/3 kW heater is recommended for ceilings up to 2.3 m high.

Lochinvar’s LOK range of package plate heat exchangers comes in 11 sizes to deliver hot water at rates from 872 to 9544 l/h at 50 K temperature rise. Each model is available with single or twin primary LTHW pumps.

Honeywell’s Alwa-Comfort valve is installed in line in recirculating DHW systems to provide accurate temperature control. Its flow is a minimal 0.1 m3/h, and it comes in one size — 15 mm. These valves come with preset temperatures of 57 or 63°C.

Honeywell’s D15S pressure-reducing valve maintains a stable pressure to protect pipes, valves and other devices in potable-water-systems against damage from too high a pressure and pressure surges. These valves are available in three sizes (65, 80 and 100 mm), and one pressure-control cartridge fits all three.

Viessmann and Panasonic have developed a fuel-cell co-generation system which is claimed to be the first polymer electrolyte fuel-cell system available for homes in Europe. The fuel-cell unit has been developed by Panasonic, with the peak-load boiler and hot-water tank from Viessmann.

Hochiki Europe’s FIREscape range of emergency lighting comprises self-contained LED luminaires and signage that are power via low-voltage cabling. The LED lamps use 95% less energy than conventional lighting. Integral batteries provide at least 3 h of operation, even if the control panel or line cables are damaged.

Panasonic’s wall-mounted PKEA units are designed to provide heating and cooling for offices and professional environments, including server and computer rooms. They are designed for 24/7 operation and come with a 5-year warranty as standard.

An installation rig for Atag Heating’s Q Series condensing boilers enables up to three boilers to be installed in cascade operation. The rig is only 1.5 m high and enables boilers to be installed in a variety of configurations. Q Series boilers modulate down to 16% of full output and are up to 109.3% efficient. These rigs offer outputs from 9 to 172 kW.

The latest range of Evinox’s ModuSat heat interface units for communal- and district-heating systems builds on the success of the existing ModuSat range. The new range includes floor-standing units with integrated hot-water tanks, single- and twin-plate instantaneous units and units that provide heating and cooling.

Helvar has added to its range of 70 W drives for LED lamps with the release of the LL2x35 2-channel LED driver. It is available as a fixed constant-current or DALI dimmable and offers manufacturers more flexibility in their transition to LED products for linear and 600 mm-square applications.

Vortice’s Punto Evo for shower and utility rooms has a specific fan power of less than 0.5 W/l/s, as required by the 2010 Building Regulations for System 1 fans. These fans also have a very low noise level of less than 21 dB(A).

CP Electronics’ MWS6 mid-range micro-wave presence/absence detector is now available as a surface-mounted version. It has a low-profile design and small dimensions. It can be used for the automatic control of heating, ventilation and lighting.

Big Foot Systems has repositioned its Light Duty range of free-standing framework systems to increase market share. Designed primarily to support air-conditioning equipment and small air-handling units on flat roofs, the range has been extended and is available at prices that are said to bring into question the use of other solutions.

Spirax EasiHeat engineered systems for delivering hot water and heating on demand have been enhanced to achieve energy savings of up to 20% compared to conventional steam-to-water heating systems. EasiHeat now features the Spirax Intelligent Monitoring system (SIMS) control and monitoring display technology that makes it easy to save energy and control critical applications.

Daikin Europe has updated its VAM and VKM heat-recovery ventilation units to include CO2 sensors and optional filters that can reduce energy loss and maintain high air quality in commercial environments. These units can provide overnight free cooling as part of a complete climate solution.

Gripple’s D6 catenary suspension system for services in buildings has an integral locking mechanism that simultaneously pre-loads the wire in both channels with one action. The system provides a solution where there is no practical anchoring point such as a soffit or purlin.

Myson’s Design Collection of heat emitters is described as featuring exceptionally stylish heating solutions for every interior. The scope of the Design Collection extends from a sleek minimalist environment to a sumptuous traditional setting. There are four designs; Fowey (pictured), Kasai, Décor and Jarua.

Honeywell’s BA300 backflow preventer confirms to standards DIN EN 1717 and DIN 12729 and can be used with liquids with up to Category 4 health hazard. These valves come in sizes from 65 to 200 mm to prevent contaminated liquids flowing back into the water-supply line.

Sirius Two WH wall-hung condensing boilers from Potterton Commercial offer outputs from 50 to 110 kW and a 9:1 turndown ratio. Height and depth have both been reduced, as has the case width (from 600 to 450 mm). Some models are 25 kg lighter than before. Gross efficiency is 94% with a ∆T of 50 K.

Trane’s UniTrane Harmony range of cabinet fan-coil units can be configured to simplify installation and suit a wide variety of customer needs. All units come with factory-installed controls, water valve kits, support feet and return-air grilles. A full range of accessories further facilitates easy installation on site.

The Condair HP in-duct high-pressure spray humidifier from JS Humidifiers can deliver up to 1300 kg/h of humidification and a potential 884 kW of evaporative cooling from just 2.2 kW of electricity. A high-pressure pump delivers water at around 70 bar to spray nozzles on a stainless-steel manifold in an air-handling unit. Water is released as a very fine mist that is quickly absorbed into the air stream. Any water that does not evaporate is removed from the air by a droplet separator.