2009 August

Zip Heaters has added two new models to its HydroTap range. The 4-in-1 can supply instant boiling, chilled, hot and cold water from a single source. The 3-in-1 can supply instant boiling hot and cold water.

Daikin Airconditioning has introduced a DHW module that can be connect to the refrigeration circuit of a Daikin VRVIII HR heat-recovery system to use heat extracted from a building.

Kamco has introduced a new generation of water filter to remove suspended matter from water supplies. Cyclone filters remove rust, scale, sand and earth particles larger than 90 µm.

When linked with solar panels, Rotex’s GasSolar boiler system delivers efficiencies of up to 100%. These boilers are described as easy and inexpensive to install and requiring little maintenance.

Three dimming options are key features of the low-wattage Ventronic ballast from Venture Lighting Europe. Switch dimming can reduce power consumption to 50%. Part night provides pre-set dimming to maximise energy savings. Thirdly, WiMAC offers complete compatibility with lighting-management control systems/software for maximum flexibility.

The Ultramax 600 range of boilers from MHS Boilers comprises three types — swimming-pool boilers, water heaters and bypass water heaters. Each type is available as seven models with outputs up to 570 kW.

Trox now offers integrated service modules that include VAV fan-coil units for installing as totally prefabricated units. They include air diffusers, lighting and control all pre-wired, PIR sensors, sprinklers, PA system etc.

Armstrong has launched two pump ranges under its Design Envelope category. They are the Series 4300 IVS vertical inline pump and the Series 4302 dualARM IVS pump designs.

The Zen air curtain from JS Air Curtains has bespoke fascia panels that can carry designs such as corporate logos or slogans and functional elements such as clocks and signage. The panels are available in anodised aluminium, stainless steel or wood. Finishes include matt, gloss or brushed.

Bilco has improved its entire range of roof hatches to reduce air leakage and thermal insulation to help meet Part L of the Building Regulations. All Bilco hatches are now fitted with closed-cell EPDM sponge gaskets to give a better seal of the cover to the curb.

Swegon has added a new size to its Gold range of air-handling units. Gold 12 provides a maximum airflow of 1.3 m3/s, with the range as a whole delivering air-volumes of up to 9.1 m3/s. Gold 12 units are available in three versions, according to the type of heat exchanger.

Ener-G has joined forces with Italian manufacturer Robur to supply gas absorption heat pump (GAHP) solutions in the UK.

Keston has entered the air-source heat-pump market with the introduction of Airgen, designed specifically for UK applications. Hot water is produced at up to 65°C without the need for a supporting immersion heater. Hot water for radiators and underfloor heating systems can be supplied at temperatures from 35 to 55°C.

Carrier’s latest Aquasnap air-cooled liquid chillers and heat pumps use R410A and have cooling capacities from 17 to 160 kW. They are also more energy efficient than previous models and have a graphical user interface and other value-added features.

Emerson Network Power has introduced a computer-room cooling unit that is installed between the racks in server rooms and data centres from 1 to 100 m2. Liebert CRV units can be integrated into any IT layout from two to 30 racks and adapt their operation and, therefore, power consumption to actual requirements.

Vortice has launched three new products for the energy-efficient ventilation of dwellings. Each has a unique selling point and has been designed with the installer and consumer in mind.

ABB’s Concept BS range of wiring accessories and control devices offers flexibility, and aesthetics in a cost-effective range of products. Underpinning the range is a easy-to-install modular design where internal components can be fixed onto a grid structure system — reducing installation time and cost. The front panel is then simply clicked into place, avoiding the use of screws.

The course in underfloor heating design and installation that is approved by the Underfloor Heating Manufacturers’ Association is proving a major success. Over 200 trainees have already taken the 3-day course, which was developed under the auspices of BPEC in liaison with SummitSkills and UHMA.

Gallant Air Conditioning has opened Samsung’s first UK training centre. Senior Samsung management, led by European white-goods manager Brian Kim attended the opening ceremony in Mansfield alongside managing director Ted Berry and the Mayor of Mansfield Tony Egginton.

Dimplex’s accredited heat-pump installer training scheme now has Logic Certification approval, giving it full industry recognition. Both ground- and air-source technology are covered in one 4-day course, which is available at a number of approved training centres nationwide.

Sanyo has introduced an approved installer scheme for its ECO heat-pump heating system that uses carbon dioxide as the refrigerant. It involves a one-day course on the theoretical and design aspects of installing carbon-dioxide based heating systems.

Danlers PIR occupancy switches and electronic time-lag switches have been installed at the Games Workshop head office in Lenton as part of an overall effort by the company to improve energy efficiency.

The IS version of the conventional waterproof call point from KAC has been independently tested by SIRA and approval extended from use in Zones 0, 1 and 2 gas atmospheres to included Zones 20, 21 and 22 combustible-dust atmospheres.

Inviron’s managing direct Gerry Metcalfe was named a winner in Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Awards for the north of England and the Midlands.

In extending its use of Amtech Power Software’s FastTest software, building-services contractor John N. Dunn Group purchased the 25 000th licence for this software. Amtech sales and marketing director James Cooper (left) marked the occasion by presenting Mike Simpson, John N. Dunn Group director for Leeds, with a bottle of champagne.

Timoleon claims to be the first specialist underfloor-heating company to switch to the exclusive use of A-rated pumps for maximum energy efficiency.

Flakt Woods’ latest Express range catalogue includes a variety of new products. They are the leading JM high-temperature range for life-safety systems, Greasefighter and e-line.

BSS Industrial has launched a new web site to provide customers with instant access to product information, quotations and branch locations. Customers can quickly view a range of catalogues on line, directly link to a quotation service and have technical queries answered. There is also an online credit-application facility.

Key guidance for those involved in the preparation and production of Display Energy Certificates (DECs) has been published by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers. ‘TM47: Operational ratings and display energy certificates’ provides guidance on the requirements for DECs and their preparation — including what software should be use and what must be done to display them.

Electrak has published a definitive guide to its comprehensive power-distribution systems. This 86-page catalogue is described as an essential reference guide for all consultants, contractors and facility managers concerted with power and datacoms installations in the workplace.

Renewable energy and ground-source heat pumps are featured on the new web site of Econic. The company specialises in the planning, installation, integration and commissioning of ground, air and water source heat pumps and integrated solar thermal systems.

New shower rooms in the Norwich facility of professional training and survival specialist Petans are equipped with Rada shower panels, fed with blended water through high-volume Rada thermostatic mixing valves. The facility is the world’s only combined survival and fire-fighting training unit for the offshore oil and gas industry.

Helping to achieve a major reduction in the carbon footprint of Tesco’s first major Eco store at Cheetham Hill, Manchester, are the Monodraught Windcatcher natural-ventilation units that are clearly visible on the roof. The store’s carbon footprint is 70% lower than that of an equivalent sized store built just over two years ago, and the fuel bill has been reduced by 48% based on 2006 baselines.

SAS has supplied energy-efficient integrated service modules that include active chilled beams and micro prism optic (MPO) luminaires for a significant refurbishment at the headquarters of Places for People in central London. This is said to be the first major UK project (1700 m2) combining active chilled beams with MPO technology.

When environmental engineering consultant Paul Hinam cannot keep up with the demand for logs for the wood-burning boiler in his environmentally friendly house near Cardiff, an LG heat pump steps in to meet the demand. He says, ‘It is a once-in-a-lifetime house. I wanted to showcase what I do for a living and do the right ting for the environment. We are ecologically aware as a family and as business.’

Traditional cast-iron radiators and a biofuel boiler from Clyde Energy Solutions have been installed as part of the extensive restoration of the former Devon holiday home of mystery writer Agatha Christie. Greenway near Brixham, is now owned by the National Trust and open to the public. For the project, Clyde supplied 46 traditionally styled Windsor classic cast-iron radiators and a 120 kW biofuel boiler.

The 50-year-old standby generator at a research laboratory of Alstom Power has been replaced with a solution from Scorpion Power Systems. This complete turnkey solution included all electrical installation work and commissioning.

As part of a Government-funded replacement programme for capital works in schools, Remeha skid-mounted boilers are proving a popular choice in the Leeds area. Quinta boilers have bee installed by Sayes & Co. of Leeds in two primary schools, one in Shadwell and one in Otley.

Rehau’s Awadukt Thermo ground-to-air heat-exchanger system is an integral part of the renewable-energy solution developed by Greentec Systems for The Lakes by Yoo second-homes development near Lechlade in the Cotswolds. This development of 160 contemporary lakeside homes and hotel and leisure facilities was designed by The Raven Group in collaboration with Yoo Design Studio, founded by Phillippe Starck.

Renewable-energy targets for a business park on the south coast of Cornwall have been met with the help of Dimplex ground-source heat pumps. Falmouth Business Park consists of 10 single- and 2-storey units giving a total of 2250 m2 of self-contained offices.

Heat from new high-density server racks at Warwick University is being removed by rear-door heat exchangers (illustrated) from Eaton-Williams Process Cooling, avoiding additional load on the existing CRAC (computer-room air-conditioning) units. The project at the university’s Centre for Scientific Computing is one of the first to benefit from these rear-door units, which are based on chilled water.

The compact size of Remeha condensing boilers was put to good advantage in the £30 million refurbishment and extension of St Martin-in-the-Fields church on Trafalgar Square in London. The work included creating new facilities underground by demolishing vaults and excavating below them to create two floors of modern, comfortable facilities.

To help the new Oslo Opera House in Norway meet challenging standards for energy consumption, consultants Erichsen Og Horgen worked with Tour & Andersson to ensure the hydronic system was fully controllable — in particular, that the design flow should be available at all terminals at fully load, the differential pressure did not vary and flows were compatible at all system interfaces.

Venomous snakes in the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine are one of the latest beneficiaries of the expertise of JS Humidifiers, which has supplied and installed five Neptronic SKR steam humidifiers in the Alistair Reid Venom Research Unit. Each humidifier can provide up to 5.5 kg/h of steam to maintain the required humidity for the health and comfort of the snakes.

Bespoke luminaires from Riegens Lighting played a key role in the overall design of 30 Crown Place in the City of London. This 23 000 m2 development comprises a 16-storey tower with an 8-storey block attached. It provides retail space on the ground floor, with office space above.

Power Electrics has installed a 1250 kVA standby generator in the basement car park of Centrica in Cardiff by digging a pit to provide the required headroom. The company worked closely with electrical contractor Evans Electrical to install this diesel generator, control system and bulk fuel tank.

As part of the upgrading of the fire system at the Royal Albert Hall, six networked Mx-4400 intelligent control panels from Advanced Electronics have been supplied and commissioned by Leader Systems UK. These panels have been fitted with ipGateway to enable the system to be monitored over the Internet using a standard web browser.

Britain’s first onshore wind-farm visitor centre uses Grundfos pumps to achieve high environmental standards. This wind farm is 55 km2 with 140 turbines having an output of 322 MW.

With spare parts all but obsolete for two aging and inefficient boilers, Freeland House Nursing Home near Witney has replaced those floor-standing boilers with four Vaillant ecoTEC 65 kW wall-hung system boilers. Tim Curtis of Curtis & Carder Services, which installed the new boilers, explains, ‘The original boilers ran on solid fuel before being converted to oil and then to gas. They were 5 ft tall and 6 ft long, taking up a great deal of space in the cellar. They were also around 40 to 50 years old and had pretty much reached the stage of being beyond repair, so needed to be replaced with a more up-to-date energy-efficient heating system.’

Eaton’s EMA wiring accessories and MEM Memera consumer units are being used exclusively in the upgrading of 15 000 homes in Liverpool. The 5-year programme by Liverpool Mutual Homes involves properties dating back to the 1920s. They are being fitted out to exceed the Decent Homes Standard for social housing. The electrical content includes individual RCBO protection of every circuit.