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The Bollard People, ATG Access, the UK manufacturer of high security and counter-terrorist bollard systems is pleased to announce the award of the contract to manufacture and install 168 high security static bollards and 2 automatic rising bollards to add to existing vehicle security at Heathrow Airport.

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Mitsubishi Electric (Stand E432) is using the EcoBuild exhibition to demonstrate the future of energy efficient heating with its advanced Ecodan™ air source heat pump boiler.

Designed specifically for the UK residential sector, the ultra efficient low carbon heating system can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 35% (*) compared to a modern gas condensing boiler and can help new homes achieve Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes, which the UK Government has introduced to set minimum standards for sustainability in energy use within the residential sector.

The average UK household produces over 5 tonnes of CO2 per year with space and water heating accounting for more than 73 per cent of this and many different alternatives to gas are competing to prove their green credentials in this market.

With a conventional gas boiler, one kilowatt of energy delivers less than one kilowatt of heat to a building. With an Ecodan heat pump boiler, one kilowatt of energy delivers a heat output in excess of 3 kilowatts – that’s a 300 per cent increase in energy efficiency – and that is set to grow as the technology develops. Heat pumps are movers of heat energy – they upgrade naturally occurring low temperature heat into useful high temperature heat to reduce primary fuel consumption.

Other alternatives to gas are often unproven, depend on how brightly the sun shines or how hard the wind blows, are far too expensive, require complex equipment, or in the case of biomass boilers, leave the homeowner with waste to dispose of.

The Ecodan unit runs off a normal domestic electric circuit and is easy to install, although Mitsubishi Electric is stressing the need for exacting standards of installation coupled with modern levels of building insulation to ensure the greatest efficiency.

“One of the easiest ways of achieving a significant reduction in CO2 emissions would be through the greater use of heat pump technology which extracts free energy from the surrounding air,” explained Jason Tinsley, Product and Technical Manager for Mitsubishi Electric’s Heating Systems Department. “This energy that surrounds us is a key sustainable resource that doesn’t currently factor into many people’s thinking.

Mitsubishi Electric is holding free seminars on the Ecodan heat pump boiler in Hatfield, Herts. For further details call 01707 282882.

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Mitsubishi Electric’s bold and ambitious programme to help the country reduce carbon emissions has been recognised again with nationwide acclaim at the prestigious Regenerate Awards 2007, held on 3 December 2007.

Jointly organised by leading magazines Building, Building Design and Property Week, the Awards celebrate schemes, organisations and individuals that have delivered successful projects to help regenerate society.

In their summing up the judges explained that: “Mitsubishi pipped the other innovations to the post here for its clever carbon reduction system. At a time when sustainability is paramount its heat pump boilers cut CO2 emissions by up to half. In addition the company’s radical 10 point sustainability plan sets out a framework to reduce CO2 by more than 3 million tonnes a year – the equivalent of removing 830,000 cars from the UK’s roads.”

The company secured the ‘Innovation of the Year’ Award with its Green Gateway Initiative™ which Mitsubishi Electric is using to call for a fundamental rethink in the way people heat and cool both residential and commercial properties.

The plan includes technological developments and new thinking combined with simple behavioural changes such as better maintenance regimes or not using the thermostat as an on/off button. All of the initiatives are focused on creating a significant impact on CO2 reduction in the UK’s buildings by reducing energy consumption and the energy bills of both consumers and businesses.

The gala evening at London’s Grovesnor House Hotel was attended by around 1,200 people from the industry including developers, funders, public sector development agencies, contractors, house builders, housing associations, local authorities, politicians, architects and planners.

The Green Gateway Initiative, which was launched by the company at the House of Commons in June, has already secured the RAC Cooling Industry ‘Environmental Pioneer’ Award 2007, the EDIE ‘Carbon Reduction’ Award and been short listed in the Defra and Independent sponsored CEED Awards in the Education category.

The programme highlights the significant savings can be made in both commercial properties and our homes if advanced heat pump technology is used to provide space heating and hot water instead of traditional gas-fired boilers. The latest heat pump boilers harvest free energy from the surrounding air and are three times more efficient than gas boilers at heating buildings whilst emitting up to 40% less CO2.

“We have to control and minimise the energy that we all use in our buildings if we are to combate CO2 emissions,” explained Donald Daw, Divisional Commercial Director for Mitsubishi Electric, who collected the Award on the night. “We undertook this initiative because we felt that we could use our position in the market to influence the way we heat and cool our buildings in the UK and we are delighted that the judges have recognised this with this award,” he added.

Further details on the 10-point initiative can be found on the dedicated website www.greengatewayinitiative.co.uk.

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The Bollard People, ATG Access, the UK manufacturer of high security and counter-terrorist bollard systems used extensively in the UK and internationally, has announced the latest addition to its SP range of anti-terror bollards, a unique, revolutionary shallow foundation bollard.

According to ATG Access they will protect approaches to buildings, drop-off and passenger loading areas at airports, ports, shop fronts, sports arenas, office buildings and other locations where vehicle bombers have no obstacles to stop them.

With a foundation of only 20cm (8 inches) deep versus a typical 1.5 m (5 feet), ATG’s shallow mount bollard removes the major concern of underground services for planners and specifiers and can be installed on pavements, on top of bridges or in locations where other ordinary products may be impossible to install.

Engineering spokesman for ATG Access David Sutton said “The future of high security lies in shallow foundation products, in modern city centres the need for ultra strong products which are buried to a minimal depth is phenomenal and our SP range is streets ahead of the competition, we are extremely proud to have engineered a product that can perform to this level in such a shallow foundation”.

The bollards were tested in accordance with the PAS68 standard. They were succesfully impacted with a 7.5 tonne (15,000lb) truck travelling at 40mph (65kph). You can view the footage of many of ATG’s impact tests online at www.atgaccess.com.

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Mapei’s Mapefloor System has been used to provide a unique floor finish for the latest UK PUMA Concept Store which recently opened in Birmingham City Centre.

In-line with the rest of the Puma Stores across Europe, the epoxy and polyurethane system was specified for the entire floor area. VISSA, the Italian contractors, who hold the flooring contract for all European Puma Concept Stores flew into the UK for 5 days to complete the 180m2 flooring application. VISSA worked closely with main contractor Withey Contracts, who were responsible for completely renovating the ground floor interior of the existing building for the new PUMA store, which is located on Birmingham New Street/Cannon Street.

The application began with Primer SN, a two-component, solvent-free, epoxy filling primer used to improve the bonding of Mapefloor Systems. Once the Primer was dry, a coat of Mapefloor I 300 SL/TRP was mixed with Mapecolor Paste in silver and applied over the entire floor area by trowel. The colour paste used for this project was a unique formulation developed by VISSA and Mapei for this effect.

Mapefloor I 300 SL/TRP is a two-component, multi-purpose, neutral coloured epoxy formulate for industrial floors, applied at a thickness of up to 4mm. It is a solvent-free epoxy filling treatment used for self-levelling, multi-layer and non-slip dressings on industrial floors. Mapecolor Paste is a colouring paste added at the preparation stage to provide an alternative colour to neutral and is available as standard in 19 colours.

The products were applied by trowel to give a textured finish, this was then over coated with Mapefloor I 300 clear to a super flat non-slip finish.

Further information on Mapei’s resin and cementitious flooring systems can be found in our new catalogue ‘Products for Flooring’ available on request, call 0121 508 6970. Technical Data Sheets for all Mapei products can be downloaded at www.mapei.co.uk.

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Triton Chemicals has enhanced its range of waterproofing systems with the launch of a comprehensive range of products designed for the protection and waterproofing of concrete structures. The new range includes Triton TT Super, a surface applied system which waterproofs and protects concrete in depth; Triton TT Super Admix, a unique chemical waterproofer and protector which is designed to be used as an admix at the time of batching; Triton TT Waterstop, a ready to use pre-formed roll which swells up to 700% when in contact with water; gun-applied Triton TT Swell Mastic for waterproofing joints in concrete and Triton TT Vapour Membrane, which provides a waterproof methane and carbon dioxide barrier for walls, floors and soffits for retro- application or in new construction.

New product literature for the range has been produced to help with the specification of the most appropriate product and is available direct from Triton. Detailed technical and health and safety information about each product, as well as technical drawings, are available from Triton’s website at www.triton-chemicals.com or by calling the company direct on 020 8310 3929. Typical applications will include car parks, basements, lift pits and liquid retaining structures.

These new products will sit alongside the existing products in Triton’s TT range including the TT55 Tanking System, Triton Fillet Seal wall/floor junction sealant, Triton Tanking Mix Elastifier and the Triton Quick Set plugging compound.

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With the clean-up from the recent floods likely to take months, if not years, many government agencies and local authorities, as well as planners, specifiers, builders and homeowners, are sourcing products not only to help with restoration programmes, but also to prevent such damage in the future.

Zinsser, which manufactures a full range of specialist paints and primers, offers specifiers, stockists and end users a one-stop source of disaster restoration and prevention products.

In its Disaster Restoration Products Guide, a six-page colour brochure, Zinsser outlines its extensive range of specialist paints, primers and prevention products. The clear, concise brochure provides details of the products the company offers to deal with fire, smoke and water damage, as well as mould and mildew prevention.

Each product is illustrated with in situ application photography, as well as an image of the tin to reinforce brand and product awareness. Product description, generic type details, recommended surfaces for application, application details and directions, and clean-up instructions complete the presentation of each product.

Among the products profiled in the brochure are the Zinsser range of high performance primers and sealers, including Solvent-Base Primer-Sealer Stain Killer, Shellac-Base Primer-Sealer Stain Killer, Oil-Base Primer-Sealer Stain Killer, and Dewaxed Shellac Sealer.

Mould and mildew solutions featured are Disinfectant & Fungicide Interior Concentrate, Mould & Mildew-Proof*TM Interior Paint, Mould & Mildew-Proof*TM Interior Sealer, and Mould & Mildew-Proof*TM Waterproofing Paint.

The brochure presents additional problem solvers from the Zinsser line-up, including Water-Base Sealer, Exterior Mold & Mildew Killer, and Stain Sealing Wall & Ceiling Primer/Finish.

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Leading supplier of cast iron drainage systems, Saint-Gobain Pipelines has produced new brochures for its PAM Ensign and PAM Timesaver soil and vent, waste and rainwater systems. The brochures have been designed to offer customers an easy to use reference and detailed specifications of all products in the ranges.

The new brochures enhance the information available to builders, architects and specifiers looking to design gravity drainage and rainwater systems in commercial buildings. Mike Rawlings, Product Manager for Saint-Gobain Pipelines, describes why the new literature is so important: “Ensuring we give our customers a fully-rounded service has always been key to us and what we stand for. This high quality service needs to start right from the moment a customer starts to research our products. We want our customers’ buying experience to be as straightforward as possible. This is why our new literature is clear and concise, while being detailed enough to allow accurate specifications. By highlighting the key benefits, the customer will be able to make an informed decision about their requirements quickly and efficiently.

“We feel the new brochures of both our PAM Ensign and PAM Timesaver ranges, together with our strong Marketing Communications and PR programmes, will help customers to realise the extent of the Saint-Gobain Pipelines brand and its offerings.”

Brochures are available direct from Saint-Gobain Pipelines via the Brochure Hotline. Tel: 0800 028 2134, fax 0115 932 9513

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Online – from any computer, anytime, anywhere

AMTECHLive is a new, online, family of products that frees electrical contractors and gas installers from being tied to a single computer. The result of 18 months research and development, AMTECHLive is being introduced with the launch of two new FREE products, FastTestLive and GasCertLive.

Both products are aimed primarily at contractors who haven’t yet deployed powerful software within their businesses. They enable contractors to very quickly and simply complete certificates, such as electrical Test & Inspection or Gas Safety Record certificates, online, from any computer using any internet connection, at any time. There is no need install any software; users simply log in using their personal, secure details to access all of the tools they need.

For ease of use, both FastTestLive and GasCertLive provide a selection of on-screen certificates, which can be customised with the addition of an electronic signature. They can then be saved in PDF format and either e-mailed to the client or printed onto plain paper, eliminating the need to buy specialised certificate paper. They also incorporate an online database for storing clients’ details, enabling fast and easy retrieval when a certificate is renewed.

“AMTECHLive empowers contractors to adopt a new and more flexible way of working,” commented AMTECH Sales Director James Cooper. “It is based on technologies that have been tried and tested in other sectors and are now being pioneered in the building services sector by AMTECH. We are also very proud to launch these new applications FREE to all,” he added.

A key benefit of the AMTECHLive concept is that users don’t have to worry about maintaining and securing software, as they have access to the latest version, hosted on secure servers. This feature is expected to be particularly valuable for smaller contractors without access to IT specialists and who haven’t yet progressed to full-functionality programs such as AMTECH’s FastTest and GasCert products.

Consequently, AMTECHLive is not a replacement for AMTECH’s market-leading desktop applications. Rather, it represents an entry-level introduction to the benefits of using industry-specific software tools in a contracting business. Furthermore, it also brings a glimpse of what the future may hold as the power of the internet increases.

AMTECHLive Products

FastTestLive is a free, very simple to use BS 7671 certification package, offering some of the key features of AMTECH’s market-leading FastTest program. This free version provides Minor Works and Short Electrical installation certificates to contractors who produce low volumes of certificates. AMTECH anticipates FastTestLive will be ideal for companies that are not yet using IT solutions for Test and Inspection certification.

GasCertLive works in the same way as FastTestLive, providing Gas Safety Certificates and Warning notices. This application has been developed free for Gas Installers who are increasing the use of technology within their businesses and only need to produce low volumes of certificates.

FastTestLive and GasCertLive are available free from www.amtechlive.com

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