Monthly Archives: September 2013
New High Efficiency VRV® III Heat Pump and Heat Recovery Models from Daikin Europe
Story
Pioneering Daikin VRV climate control technology for commercial buildings is extended with the introduction of new and upgraded VRVIII models with higher COP/EER ratings for both heat pump and heat recovery ranges.
Heat pump range
Efficiency has been increased in the heat pump range with a redesigned small footprint 8 HP model with a COP of 4.50 (+5,4%) and EER of 4.29 (+6.5%) and the addition of a high COP 12 HP model with a COP of 4.37 (+10%) and an EER of 3.89(+12%). Combinations of existing small foot print models and the upgraded 8 HP model offer improved energy efficiencies in variety of configurations, whilst overall efficiency throughout the high COP range also benefits from the inclusion where possible of the new 12 HP high COP model.
Heat recovery range
The extended VRV heat recovery range also benefits from the high COP upgrade and returns the best efficiencies currently available on the market and this is the first time that Daikin has introduced a high COP heat recovery range alongside a small footprint modular range. Upgraded 8 HP units with a COP of 4.31 (+5%) in cooling mode and 4.38 (+2%) in heating mode plus 12 HP units with a COP of 3.84 (+4%) in cooling mode and 4.24 (+1%) in heating are available in stand-alone format. The modular series benefits from the addition of an upgraded 8 HP model and a new high COP 12 HP model.
All the new models also feature automatic refrigerant charging and testing, saving time and ensuring an optimum refrigerant charge for top performance.
Continuous heating
Combination systems using heat recovery models also provide continuous heating during defrost and oil return cycles since only one outdoor coil at a time is defrosted, allowing the other units to continue to provide (reduced) heating capacity to the entire system, resulting in a higher integrated heating capacity and a significant increase in user comfort.
Year round cooling
VRVIII heat recovery models also feature a year round cooling option (known as technical cooling), allowing cooling even at ambient outdoor temperatures down to -20° C and supporting piping lengths to 165m or 1,000m in total. The technical cooling facility can be set up in the field. Rapid changeover from cooling/heating is also possible whilst the ability to control each zone separately – heating or cooling only those rooms where it is needed – keeps operating costs down to a minimum.
View Daikin's profile:
Mt ‘near perfect’ in service stakes
Story
Cable management specialist Marshall-Tufflex has received a resounding thumbs-up from its customers, with a large number of those canvassed so happy with the service the company provides that they think nothing can be added or improved.
The Hastings-based manufacturer regularly asks customers for their views, with its most recent Customer Service Survey highlighting satisfaction with on-time – and correct – deliveries, supportive delivery staff and the overall service and product quality provided.
Debbie Ensell, commercial office manager at Marshall-Tufflex, said: “We are committed to best practice and strive to deliver the highest standards of customer service. We understand that our customers require faster, easier and more cost-effective solutions with superior levels of support services. Customer Service Surveys help us to ensure that these very high standards are continually maintained, whilst identifying areas where improvements can be made.”
The latest cable management Customer Service Survey went out to Marshall-Tufflex customers across the UK. In several areas, including overall service, sales staff being knowledgeable, deliveries being correct and on time, delivery staff being helpful and invoices being clear and correct, the business recorded its highest levels of satisfaction since 2003, with scores close to excellent.
Marshall-Tufflex prides itself on quality, professionalism and, above all, accuracy of delivery, valuing the opinions of its customers so highly that it conducts twice yearly surveys to gain their views.
It also quizzed electrical contractors for their opinions of the business. Findings from this survey highlighted product and service quality, as well as availability, as reasons for remaining loyal to the Marshall-Tufflex brand, whilst the vast majority of contractors disclosed that it is their product of preference when installing cable management solutions. Almost 97% of respondents also rated the technical support that Marshall-Tufflex provides as either very good or excellent.
Contractors questioned did suggest ways in which Marshall-Tufflex could improve its service, for example by looking at ways to reduce installation costs with new, plug & play product ranges.
“We take our customers’ views very seriously and so these surveys are an opportunity for us to take those views on board and address any shortfalls,” concluded Debbie Ensell.
View Marshall-Tufflex's profile:
Energi Holdings: enabling public and commercial enterprises to ‘Green-Up'
Story
Energi Holdings is one of the UK’s leading suppliers of renewable technologies and specialise in the design and installation of solar and wind energies.
Energi Holdings works with clients across the public and private sectors including educational establishments, social housing associations, commercial and residential property developers and the agricultural industry to reduce fossil fuel derived energy bills and cut carbon emissions.
Public sector organisations can benefit from up to 50 per cent government funding towards the cost of their installations and Energi Holdings are experts in enabling businesses to access this.
With companies and businesses now legally required to ‘green-up’ their operations, one way to meet regulations is to install solar or wind power. Energi Holding’s technologies can be used to comply with the Merton Rule, Code for Sustainable Homes and other associated planning policies.
Energi Holdings offer its clients a complete bespoke solution and holistic consultancy service – helping clients access funding, designing systems, providing installation and offering ongoing monitoring, evaluation and maintenance.
Recent projects completed by Energi Holdings include the largest installation of solar photovoltaic panels at any educational establishment in the U.K. at the University of Central Lancashire. The panels will generate 36,800 kWh of electricity every year- enough to power more than 500 laptops. Video Link to University of Lancashire Project: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=5-TFsg4B3SY
View Energi's profile:
Roof Condensation Risk Analysis Service from Klober
Story
With the drive towards more thermally efficient construction, the risk of condensation in the roofspace has increased dramatically. Roofing ventilation specialist Klober has introduced a 'Condensation Risk Analysis' service to help determine ventilation requirements. This has proved invaluable to both specifiers at the design stage and contractors when tendering. Klober Technical Manager Graham Copson commented “Demand for such information has grown with increased use of 'non-ventilated' systems. Problems are by no means restricted to complex roof designs or situations where heavy vapour creators such as power showers and wet rooms are used”.
View Klober's profile:
Reducing the risk of entrapment
Story
A positive solution
The temptation for small children to press against elevator and glass screen doors can lead to fingers becoming trapped in the gap between the frame and the doors when opening.
Simple to install, ELEVATORGUARD significantly reduces the risk of entrapment by closing the gap and protecting the pinch points with flexible and durable brush filaments.
ELEVATORGUARD is also effective in sealing against draughts and wind noise, helping to maintain air-conditioned environments and increase passenger comfort levels.
Features
- Extensive range of anodised, painted and plated fascia finishes available
- Simple to install, complete with all fixings
- Fulfils the requirements of EN81
- Fire retardant option available
From elevators to automatic and platform screen doors, ELEVATORGUARD protects passengers by reducing the risk of entrapment in the gaps between sliding parts.
View Elevator Guard's profile:
IDE HILL DEVELOPMENT GETS A QUALITY SOLUTION
Story
Hamilton Litestat’s Hartland range of wiring accessories has been utilised within a prestigious development of classical Georgian country Homes at Ide Hill Park near Sevenoaks. The housebuilder, Millgate Homes, has featured these high quality products to enhance the interior of this top end development.
The Ide Hill Park development is an exclusive parkland estate into which this award winning developer is building eight country residences. Each of these houses has its own private gardens of around an acre, with stunning views over the North Kent Downs. The homes also share some 31 acres of rolling parkland, benefiting from a mature arboretum consisting of Beech, Cedar, Oak and Scots Pine, with an under storey of rhododendrons and azaleas.
Steeped in a rich history of royal connections and distinguished persons, Ide Hill Park was once the hunting ground of Henry VIII, where it provided a secret rendezvous point for the king and his future queen, Anne Boleyn of Hever.
To create a contemporary twist within each of these traditionally styled homes, Millgate Homes specified the Hartland wiring accessory plates in a bright chrome finish. By featuring white inserts these plates offer the desired opulence which suits the up-market image of this exquisite project. Media plates for satellite TV systems have also been installed to provide neat solutions that minimise the distraction from the original architectural features.
Due to the Hartland’s slimline plate and system versatility it is ideal for this type of top end development,” said Alison Hamilton, Director of the Hamilton Litestat Group. “The availability of a suite of products enable the cover plates to be matched across a whole scheme as, unlike other ranges, this plate can be featured as box fit, or grid fix and has the option of secret screw fixings all of which are available in a whole range of finishes to create the ‘look’ that the developer requires. As grid fix is available we are able to manufacture special plates to suit the developer’s exact requirements. These plates can include power centres that feature switches and fuses for various pieces of kitchen equipment including dishwashers, microwaves, washing machines, fridge freezers etc., as well as media plates for Satellite TV installations.
This type of wiring solution also enables the contractor to satisfy the developer’s requirements for the latest hi-tech devices, particularly as this range can feature Eurodata outlet sockets which can be used for sound distribution and lighting control systems.
View Hamilton-Litestat's profile:
Diamond Light
Story
Metstrut has supplied over 6km of bespoke cable tray to Balfour Kilpatrick, for the £250 million Diamond synchrotron, the largest scientific facility to be built in the UK for over 30 years.
The specially adapted cable tray was prefabricated by Metstrut into 24 “achromats”, each one a 16m set of prefabricated, pre- assembled modules in six units of differing lengths, each 600mm wide and 740mm high. Metstrut cable trays carry all of the complex electrical cabling requirements for each of the 24 experimental research stations, control rooms, laboratories and offices within the doughnut-shaped building on the Harwell science campus.
The Metstrut 50mm deep return flange heavy duty cable tray is capable of carrying loadings of 250N/m. The bottom tier of tray carries 55mm thick dipole cables, the one above power cables, the second one control cables and the top tier instrument cabling.
Metstrut worked closely with Balfour Kilpatrick to develop the most efficient way of supplying the cable tray for the Diamond project, delivering each achromat as a set of completed racks together with specially designed connection plates set to the curve of the building, enabling Balfour Kilpatrick engineers to lay the modules out, fix them together and bolt them to the floor.
Metstrut adapted the design of its standard cable tray to meet the Diamond’s particular specification. The perforation pattern was changed to a symmetrical layout, with the holes running in one direction, to eliminate any potential for crossover of the electro magnetic forces emitted by the very powerful electron beam.
Balfour Kilpatrick specified Metstrut cable tray for the project because of the company’s design capability, its manufacturing resource, including prefabrication facilities and its competitive pricing.
The Diamond synchrotron building is the size of five football pitches and is owned and run by Diamond Light Source, a joint venture company between the UK Government and the Wellcome Trust.
View Metstrut's profile:
Installation As Easy As ‘A-B-Z' With Triton's New T80z
Story
For the past 30 years, Triton’s T80 electric showers have been the number one choice for installers faced with a new, problematic or retrofit installation. Now with the launch of the fifth-generation T80z collection, this best selling electric shower makes new and retro-fit installations even easier and quicker – meaning installers can simply ‘fit and forget’ and move on to the next job.
All four of the new T80z models – White and Chrome, Chrome, Satin/Chrome and a highly topical Eco model – incorporate innovative, easy fit benefits designed using feedback from installers to ensure they tackle the installation problems met on a daily basis, particularly when replacing an existing electric shower.
Eliminating the nuisance of existing water or electric connections being on the wrong side or perhaps the chosen new shower not covering the original fixing holes, the new range includes features such as a unique ‘reversible’ water inlet and the choice of five water and six electric entry points to easily accommodate countless cable and pipe layouts.
An installation template allows all water, electric and fixing points to be marked out before any work starts and there is generous ‘working’ room for installers to make the necessary connections and fixings whilst carrying out the installation. Removable pipe entry trims further reduce the need for cutting on water and cable entry points
Z Uni-Fit Kit
For installations where existing wiring is too short, the addition of the innovative Z Uni-fit kit option makes it simple to extend wiring without compromising the professional finish of the shower. BEAB approved, the Z Uni-fit kit can save up to four hours on a difficult installation, widening the replacement scope of this shower range even further.
Green Credentials
For installers looking for a shower for environmentally friendly customers through to Housing Association or new home projects, the T80z Eco provides an equally straightforward solution. Offering a maximum flow of 6 litres per minute, rather than an average flow which is often seen, the T80z Eco makes a big difference when it comes to satisfying the Code for Sustainable Homes.
Lorna Fellowes, Triton’s managing director comments:
“The T80 range has been loved by installers for the past three decades, namely for its cost effective, problem solving ability. The latest T80z models certainly continue this trend and in fact take ease of installation to the next level. We have incorporated many features across these five flexible options that are most requested by installers, with the aim of providing a flexible showering range that is simple to install, appeals to the end user and all with the quality finish you’d expect from Triton.”
Big Brand Benefits
Particularly in the current climate, it is important for installers to have products that can ensure a first class service that customers can really feel the benefit from. Using known names such as Triton brings reliability firmly into the mix. The T80z not only benefits from the involvement of Triton’s in-house research and development team but also from the company’s expert technical advice, quality and customer service.
The complete range of T80z models has a 2 year guarantee and, if ordered before 5pm, forms part of the rapid replenishment service for delivery the following day.
Whatever finish is chosen, this newest T80z continues the trend for offering innovative design, performance, value and ease of installation – and over 1 million homeowners agree, with a T80 variant installed in their home.