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There’s a renewed look to the sports pavilion at Cambridge University, where Sikkens Cetol BL Opaque has helped to transform and rejuvenate the external timber elements. The building, which is used extensively by the students and visitors to the pavilion and the running track, was originally constructed in the 1990s and the coating that had been used for the timber had begun to crack and fade badly. The University of Cambridge Estate Management department, who are responsible for the upkeep of the buildings on site, needed a product that offered both durability and colour fastness. Cetol BL Opaque fitted the bill perfectly.

The colour issue was an important factor as the new coatings had to perfectly match the original deep green and white to maintain the required visual impact of the pavilion in its location. “We chose an opaque coating because of the need to offer better UV light resistance,” comments Ian Scrivener at the Estate Management Department. “The proven credentials of Cetol BL Opaque offered the solution. It’s able to provide the desired protective finish and in addition, the product’s extensive colour range meant that we could make a perfect match with the original.”

Cetol BL Opaque is a water borne coating that combines durability with the ability to flex with the natural movement of the timber. The high build coating has a paint like appearance with excellent covering power and adhesion to the timber to ensure that any blemishes are covered up, without hiding the natural grain texture.

Work on the pavilion, which was carried out by the contractor Haywoods, began in May 2009 and is now complete, with Sikkens Cetol BL Opaque coating providing a colour resistant exterior for many years to come.

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Project

To design and manufacture a product to satisfy the heating and cooling requirements for the store, whilst incorporating high grade heat recovery from the food refrigeration plant.

Solution

Weatherite worked closely with the client and consulting engineers, together with the refrigeration engineers, to integrate within the HVAC system the food refrigeration cooling equipment.

This integration provided high grade recovery from the refrigeration packs, energy normally lost to atmosphere.

The design culminated in alternative integrated solutions heat reclamation directly from the refrigeration pack heat rejection or via a secondary fluid loop where energy circulated for use in other areas in the store.

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Laidlaw Solutions’ position as the UK’s leading supplier of doorsets to the healthcare sector has been emphasised by the specification of 4500 Orbis Timber Doorsets to two new PFI hospitals at St Helens and Whiston.

In addition to a 30-year maintenance and replacement contract, specialist requirements included 50 post-formed 'Acroyn' PVC-faced sterile doorsets for level 1 theatres, 80 Radiological performance doorsets for X-Ray departments and 180 Easi-fold doorsets for disabled POD bathrooms. Orbis Commercial ironmongery in Silk Anodised Aluminium was supplied for the ’Bio Oak’ laminated doorsets, with solid nylon Normbau levers and pull handles used for the ’Corfu’ Formica® psm laminate doors.

Laidlaw Managing Director John Jefferies commented, “This is a huge project that Laidlaw has been proud to support. We have worked in partnership with the Taylor Woodrow teams, at both St Helens and Whiston, to deliver a world class hospital for the client and local community. There could be no better illustration of Laidlaw’s ability to meet the specialised needs of healthcare projects in the UK.”

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Project

As part of their partnering approach, Weatherite Group of companies supplied and installed a new state of the art air conditioning system at Marks & Spencer’s Cheshunt store in Hertfordshire.

Solution

Weatherite Manufacturing Ltd won the contract to supply seven replacement rooftop packaged air conditioning units and ancillary equipment.

Weatherite Building Services Ltd won the tender to install and commission the seven fully packaged units and associated M & E works, offering the client a ‘complete solution’. Both companies worked closely with the contractor Ellmer Try Joint Venture (ETJV) Consultants to ensure the work was carried out to the highest standard and caused minimum disruption to the store. The team devised a cost effective engineering solution which took into consideration the client’s tight deadlines and the varying demands of the project.

The challenges with this project included the urgent replacement of an existing unit which had completely failed and the hire of a specialist 300 ton crane which had to be used after midnight to lift the seven air handling units into place on the roof.

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JS Air Curtains is launching the new Zen air curtain with bespoke fascia panels that can carry designs such as corporate logos or slogans and functional elements such as clocks and signage.

The air curtain is available in 1m, 1.5m, 2m and 2.5m lengths, in electrically heated, low pressure hot water or ambient air only models. The heat outputs range from 3-32kW and low noise, double inlet centrifugal fans provide up to 6,475m3/h airflow.

The Zen combines innovative air curtain design with high performance technology to provide an air curtain that is ideal for use in shops, offices, hotels and other public buildings. It is mounted horizontally above doorways up to 3.5m high and provides a seal of air to keep cold air out during the winter and to keep air conditioned air in during the summer.

The Zen’s central structure is made of zinc plated steel finished in black as standard with any other RAL colour available on request. The bespoke fascia panel is available in anodized aluminium, stainless steel or wood. Finishes include matt, gloss or brushed.

The discharge vents on the air outlets have airfoil-shaped vanes to direct the airflow, creating a tighter seal across an entrance.

The control panel has five speed selection and is easy to connect to the air curtain with 20m of plug and play RJ45 lead. The Zen can also be controlled via BMS.

JS Air Curtains supplies an extensive range of air curtains, as well as bespoke solutions, for all commercial and industrial applications. JS’ in-house project management division also provides a smooth, hassle-free installation service that walks the customer through from design specification to post-installed product training.

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Logica to continue managing outsourced IT services until 2014

Logica, a leading IT and business services company, today announced that Morrison Utility Services has extended an outsourced IT service agreement that will provide further efficiency and flexibility throughout its IT infrastructure while ensuring a competitive cost base. Morrison Utility Services has been a Logica client for eight years, and the new £10.9 million deal will see this relationship extend to 2014. The service supports Morrison Utility Services’ 3,200-strong workforce, spread across more than 50 sites in the UK and Ireland.

Morrison Utility Services, one of the UK and Ireland’s leading utility services providers, offers replacement, repair, provision and maintenance of utility infrastructure to the gas, water, electricity and telecommunications sectors. Given the fast-changing, dynamic nature of Morrison Utility Services’ business, Logica will continue to focus on delivering a flexible service, enabling the delivery team to react quickly to the changing needs of Morrison Utility Services and its customers.

In addition to supporting and continuing to update their infrastructure services, Logica will also provide application and change management services. Logica is working closely with Morrison Utility Services to foster innovation and help deploy new technology to benefit their clients. Solutions such as cloud based services are helping them deliver greater flexibility, reliability and speed of deployment.

Judith Halkerston, Managing Director for Energy, Utilities and Telecoms, Logica, highlighted that the contract extension reflects the commitment shown to Morrison by the service delivery team: “We are excited about continuing to provide Morrison with a service that helps them continue leading in their market. By understanding their need for flexibility in what we deliver, our team is helping Morrison to provide the level of partnership-based service that its clients demand.”

Graeme Cross, Head of IT at Morrison Utility Services, explains that this extension is testimony to the strength of relationship his team enjoys with Logica. “As our business grows and adapts to changing market conditions, Logica continues to re-engineer its service. The contract that we have with Logica provides a flexible framework that meets the changing nature of our business and we look forward to working together.”

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Flag Soprema’s TPO single ply roofing membrane has been used on the second phase of one of 'Grand Designs' more unusual eco projects. Known as the 'Brittany Groundhouse', owner and ecological building consultant Daren Howarth specified TPO in his search for products with minimal environmental impact. The flat roofed, single storey building has walls made from tyres and will provide an open plan kitchen and living room, family bathroom and three bedrooms. TPO offers the added benefits of being non-toxic and having a BRE Green Guide A+ Rating, the only product made using EPR modified polyolefin currently to do so.

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Cable management specialist Marshall-Tufflex has launched a new brochure giving full details of its Cat 6 compliant trunking systems.

From completely curved Odyssey trunking through to the Mini 4 Data product, Marshall-Tufflex has a range of systems to suit virtually any application, including schools, offices and health care environments.

The new literature details each of the systems, outlining their application suitability, design features, number of compartments and cable capacity.

Odyssey is the flagship of the range, with its curved profile offering an elegant dado trunking with flush accessories. It has three compartments, a built-in cable tray and is – importantly – tamper resistant. It is highly suited to health care and educational environments, where its curves aid cleanliness and tamper resistance delivers greater peace of mind.

The Sterling range of containment systems is manufactured in six versions, offering different sizes and compartment configurations, adjustable data boxes and dado/skirting solutions and – on Sterling XL – extendible capacity. For designers and consultants wishing to specify a high performance Cat 6 product, Sterling Twin Plus is the perfect solution. Its twin compartments are designed specifically to carry power and Cat 6 cabling in completely segregated compartments that include large bend radius fittings of 50mm and cable control performance that exceeds international category standards.

The Maxi Data system for main feeder runs is produced in clear trunking for high security applications, as well as in PVC-U for more traditional applications. Its 90° to 135° slow bends deliver a generous radius, and fabricated tees and crossovers can accommodate radius greater than 50mm.

Finally, the Mini 4 Data system is a compact feeder trunking for smaller volume distribution. It is the only mini trunking with Cat 6 compliant 50mm radius control fittings.

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In response to the significant development of underfloor heating systems in the UK, leading European water treatment specialist Sentinel has launched a brand new sanitiser and biocide product to add to its well known ‘X’ range of products. The new product is called X700.

X700 kills bacteria and fungi and removes blockages caused by slimes whilst additionally providing protection against the re-growth of bacteria and fungi in underfloor heating systems.

Most underfloor heating systems utilise flexible plastic hosing to carry heated water around under the floor and the surface of such piping in contact with warm water is particularly conducive to bacterial growth. During periods of warmer weather and in summer months, when the heating is turned down or off, the water ‘sits’ fairly motionless in the pipes allowing the growth of bacteria and fungi to take place which can cause major problems when the system is next started up.

Sentinel’s John Lynch says: “Underfloor heating is clearly a popular choice these days for many people and many developers, but we have to recognise the potential problems that arise with them in the circumstances in which they are used in the UK marketplace. This new product will allow the systems to be kept clean and efficient and meets a need that has become increasingly apparent as more and more underfloor systems have been installed.”

X700 is now available from merchants across the UK.

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Mitsubishi Electric has launched its second generation of R410A City Multi Replace models to offer an 80 per cent increase in COP (Coefficient of Performance), halve the install time and cut installation costs by up to 40 per cent, when replacing a 10-year-old R22 air conditioning system.

The new City Multi YJM Replace units join the existing splits Replace line up to offer one of the widest and most efficient replacement model ranges available on the market.

Mitsubishi Electric were the first manufacturer to offer R22 replace models in the UK and have over five years experience in the Replace VRF market and even longer in the splits sector. This new development completes the product range with 100 per cent of the City Multi, Mr Slim and M Series models now available with R410A.

The new City Multi YJM Replace model is a modular system which comes in both heat pump and standard size small module (22 – 100kW) and heat recovery in the standard larger model (22 – 33kW). All currently available City Multi indoor units can be used with the Replace model and there is also the potential to upgrade the R22 systems of other manufacturers in addition to Mitsubishi Electric equipment.

Once installed, the City Multi Replace system will perform automatic refrigerant charging ensuring the optimal amount of R410A refrigerant is used. Following this, the system performs an automatic flushing of the mineral oil whilst operating in either heating or cooling modes.

The system saves on installation time by using Mitsubishi Electric’s unique, patented flushing operation which takes less than 2 hours and involves sending an R410A gas / liquid mix through the R22 pipes to collect any residual R22 refrigerant mineral oil.

“The sale of virgin R22 was outlawed at the start of 2010 and with a total ban on R22 sales by 2014 at the latest, anyone operating older equipment may soon run into difficulties,” explains Philip Ord, Product Marketing Manager for Mitsubishi Electric. “These old systems may still work at the moment but they will need replacing before too long and operators can benefit immediately from lower running costs if they switch now.”

Many elements of the existing system can be used including all piping, control wiring and power wiring as well as circuit breakers. This allows installation time to be reduced dramatically by up to 50 per cent with disruption kept to an absolute minimum.

Substantial material cost savings can be made, as well as installation costs, and there is also less waste. Overall, a 40 per cent installation cost reduction can be made on a replace system compared to installing a new system. Replacing a 10-year-old R22 system with a same capacity modern unit will deliver up to a 45 per cent power consumption saving leading to a potential 80 per cent increase in COP.

“We have spent the last five years preparing the most comprehensive range of replacement models to offer anyone with an R22 system the simplest way of upgrading,” adds Ord. “No other manufacturer can deliver such a wide range of solutions to the R22 challenge.”

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