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Pumps play an essential role in keeping buildings working and are broadly responsible for around 20% of all the energy consumed on the planet. All buildings have pumps operating as part of the heartbeat of their operation – providing heating, cooling, air conditioning and moving sewage and greywater. They are at the heart of the majority of processes in our factories and manufacturing plants, play a vital role in our public buildings and ensure that the wider sanitation systems in the country and indeed the world, continue to operate efficiently.

The advent of high efficiency pumps and pumping systems is of course a huge step forward, partly driven by legislation and partly driven by common sense and a desire to use less energy, pay lower energy bills and to a degree to reduce carbon emissions. To assess the benefits of new pump technology, it’s useful to look at a major new build project where new pumps have been specified and installed across a wide range of areas and integrated with the building management system to maximise on the benefits these high efficiency pumps can offer a building owner.

Palm Papers – a German company with seven paper mills across Europe has recently built a new plant in Kings Lynn. An impressive new base for its work in the UK and Ireland, it’s one of the world’s largest and most efficient newsprint paper mills producing 400,000 tonnes of newsprint a year with a working width of 10.63 metres, producing around 2,000 metres of paper per minute.

The production of paper from recycled paper is an established and energy and cost efficient method of producing paper and saves hugely on the use of virgin wood from managed sources. Not only are the forests conserved, but making paper from recycled paper saves around half the energy and one third of the water needed for paper from wood pulp. In addition the effluent and waste produced is far lower.

The new building sits on a 50 acre site in north Norfolk. It represents a huge investment in environmentally friendly technologies and it’s a building that sets new standards when it comes to environmental performance.

The total pump infrastructure in the building has been supplied by Wilo. Heating, cooling, water supply, sanitation – all supplied by Wilo in a project valued to them at around €400,000.

A paper mill is responsible for a serious amount of wastewater so a dedicated private sewage facility was built as part of the project. From this, approximately 96% of the wastewater can be recycled, meaning very little water needs to be sourced from the nearby River Ouse and the water that is put back into the river is actually cleaner than the water taken from the river originally.

Wastewater from the plant is dealt with by five Wilo-EMU FA08 submersible pumps and two Wilo-EMU FA10 pumps. These are specially designed to pump waste water containing solids and for sewage plants and pumping stations for water management and industrial applications.

Wilo-EMU FA submersible pumps are also used for rainwater collection and drainage on the site – a total of twelve pumps – Wilo-EMU FA20s and 30s each pumping up to 900m3/h. Four relays control three pumps each and are connected by MODBUS to the building automation system.

In the building, the air conditioning and process cooling use Wilo pumps as well. The 2.3MW cooling requirements are dealt with by two quantum refrigeration compressors. Wilo-Veroline IPL and IPE in line pumps are utilised for chilled water distribution. In the laboratories cold water distribution is controlled by two Wilo-Stratos CAN pumps – integrated via an IF module lined to the building automation system. These pumps are based on the ECM – electronically commutated motors – which offer double the efficiency of an electronically controlled pump with a conventional drive. Wilo-Stratos high efficiency pumps have been optimised to the operating conditions of the air conditioning refrigeration area. They are capable of operating happily under a wide range of liquid temperatures – from -10°C to +110°C, protected by a cataphoretic coating to guard against corrosion.

Only the most energy efficient pumps were considered for the project with Wilo-Stratos and Wilo-Stratos ECO installed. The heating system comprises five sub-divisions – a total of 13 circuits which are also controlled by the building automation system.

To provide the required levels of water pressure around the buildings, Wilo Comfort-Vario pumps are installed, which with four pumps provides a flow of 25m3/h at a head of 80 metres. Once again this system is monitored and controlled by the building automation system.

This integrated pumping system illustrates the energy efficiency benefits of utilising high efficiency pumps, delivering significant operational benefits and savings – not just in the lower energy bills they deliver but in the lower maintenance costs associated with them because of their high reliability levels and in-built protection – this ensures the pumps run with minimal interference and maintenance. The lower life cycle costs associated with selecting Wilo pumps is a vital benefit to any major organisation looking to incorporate this number of pumps in an integrated system that needs to operate constantly with the minimum of fuss.

Full details of the Wilo pumps utilised in the project can be found by visiting www.wilo.co.uk.

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UGINOX BRIGHT, PATINA and TOP are terne-coated stainless steels which take on the natural patina of aged lead sheet. This has prompted English Heritage to endorse them as an acceptable alternative to lead. Such nickel-free ferritic grades are invariably lower in cost per square metre than copper and zinc, their inherent strength enabling them to be used at gauges as thin as 0.4mm. Overall weight savings can therefore be as much as 35%. All require minimal cleaning and maintenance and offer complete resistance to underside corrosion in non-ventilated situations.

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Amtech Group has confirmed that the keynote speakers for its two-day ‘Crystal Clear BIM’ conference at the Crystal Building in London will be Roy Evans of the BIM Task Group GSL Workgroup and Professor David Philp, head of BIM with the Cabinet Office and with international construction company Mace.

Reflecting the conference’s focus on the practical implementation of BIM, Roy Evans will talk on ‘The importance of catering for FM from conception to handover’ on the first day (17th June), while Professor Philp will provide an overview of the Government Construction Strategy with regards to BIM on day two (18th June).

Throughout, the conference will take a ‘no-nonsense’, ‘no BIM wash’ approach, concentrating on BIM in a real life context and providing accurate, sensible advice. It will address the needs of those who are already in the process of implementing BIM and those who are looking for guidance on where to begin.

Other speakers will include:

• Ismena Clout, Chair of the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM)
• Nick Tune, Director BRE Wales & South West, CEO BRE Canada, Director/Business Manager Building Smart UK
• Steve Race, Architect and former BIM Regional Ambassador, Construction Industry Council
• Ben Haldin, CEO Fulcro
• David Throssell, UK BIM Technical Manager, Skanska
• Gary Ross, Director of BIM Solutions, Amtech Group
• Alexandra Grounds, BIM Director – Applied BIM technologies, Amtech Group

There will also be opportunities to examine the unique architecture of the Crystal Building, one of the world’s greenest buildings.

For full details and to book a place, call Amtech on 0800 028 28 28 or visit www.amtech.co.uk/conference

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Two new timber buildings at Ockendon Academy have seen use of 53 FAKRO Electro roof windows with blinds. 16 were installed in the 7-classroom English block while 37 were used on the larger ‘Ockendon Studio School’, a self-contained 6th form facility for year 12 and 13 students. Cabinco, which specialises in eco building,and the construction of sustainable school buildings in particular, was main contractor for both projects.

Designs focussed heavily on the provision of large, open plan teaching areas. As a result, it was particularly important to maximise availability of natural light and with both buildings having low pitch roofs the roof windows play a crucial role.

Simon Lawrence, Director of Cabinco explained their reasons for using FAKRO windows. “Selection was based on a number of factors in addition to local availability. We had specific technical issues to address including a requirement for wall operated electrical operation throughout. We received the support of FAKRO’s technical team to produce flashing details specific to the roof construction. Based on past dealings, we were already aware that the windows were of a high quality and had confidence that such requirements would be met without difficulty”.

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Sentinel’s new heating system filter – Eliminator – is doing the business for installers across the UK but one of the hot spots of activity is Northern Ireland, traditionally one of Sentinel’s strongholds in the water treatment marketplace going back more than twenty years.

S P Plumbing & Heating Specialists are based in Carryduff in South Belfast and operate across the Province. Established in 1997, boss Sean McGeough has been in the heating business for more than twenty five years and has been a ‘Sentinel man’ for all that time. He takes immense pride in providing outstanding customer service and has been rewarded in recent years by picking up and Achievement Award in 2011 from Phoenix Natural Gas and a Highly Commended in the Installer of the Year Award at the Northern Ireland Plumbing & Heating Awards ceremony in 2012.

“Our main objective is to continue to get accolades from our customers,” says Sean, “for providing the highest quality of work we can provide on every completed job we do. It’s all about providing high levels of customer satisfaction because so much of our work comes from recommendation.”

So it will come as no surprise that Sean sees the contribution made by Sentinel to his business as key: “We recognise that we need to provide our customers with quality products at every level of the work we do,” he says. “We work closely with Worcester Bosch because we know the quality of their boilers and we work with Sentinel because we know that using quality water treatment is vital to make sure that the heating systems we install keep working at optimum efficiency levels. A clean heating system is an efficient heating system. Plus Worcester Bosch recommends Sentinel products are used with their products by name in their installation instructions, as do most boiler manufacturers – so when boiler manufacturers have faith in a product delivering with their products, that pretty much seals the deal for me!”

Talking to Sean about Sentinel products, it clear he has faith in the quality of the products and can’t see any reason to move away from them: “I’ve never understood the logic of buying anything because it’s cheap. I tend to believe that in all things you get what you pay for and water treatment isn’t the most expensive element of a heating system installation – maybe 1-2% of the final bill. So why skimp on it and use anything but the best?”

The recent launch of the new Sentinel Eliminator system filter was a case in point for Sean. He had been fitting filters to most installations but when the new Eliminator came long he had no hesitation in giving it a go: “Why wouldn’t I? It had Sentinel’s name on it so I had faith it would do the business! And we’ve now fitted something like 100 of them and had no problems at all. They do what they say they will do and importantly we get no leaks from them which has been an issue with some other filters we’ve been asked to fit on some contracts we’ve been involved on. Eliminator is simple to fit, it’s very flexible, so easy to fit in tight spaces and whilst most customers trust us to put in the best, those that have questioned what the filter is and what it does have quickly understood the concept of cyclone technology and welcomed anything that will help reduce their heating bills and provide reliability – which at the end of the day is what everyone wants from their heating and hot water system – they want hot water when they turn the taps and heat when they turn up the room thermostat! It’s not something most people want to get into the nitty gritty of – they just want it to work and hopefully cost as little as possible in the process!”

Northern Ireland continues to be a great supporter of Sentinel and its products – the traditional chemical water treatment products from its X range and the newer products in its portfolio too. And its top end installers like Sean and his team that continue to give Sentinel a good name, from quality installations and a belief in providing the very best for their customers. To see more about Sean and S P Plumbing and Heating Specialists, visit www.spplumbingheating.com.

And if that was not enough there’s another Belfast-based heating engineer that is impressed with what Eliminator has to offer! George Nelson Plumbing & Heating – based in Belfast – has been a loyal Sentinel installer for more than 15 years! As with many companies in the sector, George himself, was raised through the ranks using Sentinel X100 and X400, more recently X800 and several other Sentinel water treatment products because he was always told to use quality products to keep heating systems running smoothly – and importantly to ensure there were no call backs to fix faulty systems after the installation work was completed.

“That was pretty much it,” agrees George. “When you use a good quality product for many years and it doesn’t let you down, you stick with it. The cost of water treatment isn’t exactly outrageous, so why save five or six pounds on inferior water treatment when you may get yourself problems from doing so. It doesn’t make sense to me. All the boiler manufacturers I respect say use a good quality water treatment product and mention Sentinel by name. They know what they’re doing and hat will keep their boilers operating efficiently – and I agree with them!”

So when Sentinel launched its exciting new technology Eliminator system filter in 2012, with quadra-cyclone technology to remove all the magnetic and non-magnetic debris from a system, George was one of the first into his local merchant branch to give it a go.

“It’s got the Sentinel name on it and I spoke to John Lynch at Sentinel who I’ve known for several years and asked him what was special about the Eliminator. He took me through it and showed me one and I decided to give it a go. That was more than fifty Eliminators ago,” says George. “And frankly I wouldn’t use any other filter now. It does exactly what it says on the tin! It removes all the circulating debris left in the system after correctly flushing and inhibiting a system. They’re easy to fit – they don’t leak – and I’ve had no call backs to any installation where I’ve used one. That’s good enough for me!”

There’s lots of useful information on the new Eliminator on the Sentinel website at www.sentinel-solutions.net where there’s a video you can watch, and you can find out more about George Nelson Plumbing and Heating by calling them on 028 9050 2800. Alternatively follow Sentinel on Facebook and Twitter and take a look at the Sentinel videos on their YouTube channel.

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With the launch of the new TM1700 range of circuit breaker analysers from Megger, users with regular circuit breaker testing requirements no longer have to choose between low-end instruments designed only for simple applications and versatile but costly high-end instruments.

• Provides reliable and accurate test results in noisy high voltage substations
• Four standard models. Full stand-alone functionality or data acquisition models without user interface.
• Fast and safer with DualGround™ testing, both sides of breaker grounded
• On-screen assistance with connection diagrams and test template Wizard
• All models can be controlled via computer

Dual-ground safety

Drawing on its wide experience of circuit breaker testing, Megger has developed TM1700 instruments to offer the most useful and widely used features of high-end analysers at a very attractive price. The technology used in the new instruments is based on Megger’s popular and proven high-end TM1800 series, which remains the most attractive option for users who need the ultimate in circuit breaker testing flexibility.

Among the many key features inherited by the new TM1700 range of instruments is DualGround testing, which means that tests can be performed with both sides of the breaker grounded. This greatly increases operator safety by eliminating the risk of high voltages being induced into the breaker under test.

Incorporates active interference suppression

TM1700 instruments also incorporate active interference suppression, which means that they consistently deliver accurate and dependable results, including measurements of PIR values, even in electrically noisy environments such as electricity substations. A further important benefit is that all inputs and outputs are galvanically isolated, making it possible to perform all relevant measurements in one test without the need to change connections.

Range of four instruments to match your requirements

The new instruments are available in four versions, allowing users to choose the specification that best matches their requirements as well as between standalone and PC-controlled units. Standalone models incorporate a large colour touchscreen and offer an intuitive user interface backed by software wizards that simplify the production of custom test templates. Computer-controlled models are supplied with a PC-compatible software package that provides comparable functionality.

Full range of accessories

To complement its new TM1700 circuit breaker analysers, Megger offers a comprehensive range of accessories. As well as motion transducers , transducer mounting kits, and Static Dynamic Resistance Measurement (SDRM) kits, these include clamp-on CTs that allow the instruments to perform comprehensive first-trip testing, with full analysis of coil current signatures, whether the breaker has a single operating mechanism or separate operating mechanisms for each phase.

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Amtech, the market-leading software developer for the UK Building Services Industry, is expanding its product offerings to include intelligent data content for Autodesk® Revit® MEP via Building Data™ SysQue™ (“SysQue”), pursuant to a recently announced strategic product and technology partnership between Amtech and Building Data, LLC.

SysQue managed data content, powered by the Building Data database, is a cloud-based software as a service that enables designers, engineers and contractors to design in Revit MEP using real-world, manufacturing-specific content that’s ready for fabrication and meets the detailing, fabrication, manufacturing, and installation requirements of MEP contractors.

Amtech’s new partnership with Building Data will extend Amtech’s lead in MEP Design, Estimating and Project Management software and its Information Services (Luckins) to include Building Information Modeling (BIM) with Revit MEP content — available directly through LuckinsLive, the online portal for price and labour data used by the majority of UK contractors’ estimating and purchasing systems. Using SysQue, Revit MEP 2013 is enhanced to model systems with materials and sizes based on actual manufacturer products by name and part number. SysQue web services offered by Amtech will extend the Revit MEP BIM data to include Luckins material cost, labor values, submittal documents and procurement part numbers, and also includes Excel reporting – making the model data-rich and ready for a multitude of additional functions – including cost analysis, prefabrication, manufacturing and installation.

“Providing this additional level of real-world, manufacturer BIM data for creating detailed, constructible models directly in Revit furthers Amtech’s unique advantage of fostering product integration for improved customer productivity and efficiency,” commented Amtech’s CEO, Mark Tindall. “Going forward, our customers will be able to compile detailed Estimates or generate Bills of Material directly from their Revit MEP models – while still using the Luckins data services they’ve depended on for years.”

For additional information, visit: www.amtech.co.uk and www.sysque.net

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Widespread damage to roofs following winds often of gale force intensity provides a timely reminder of the value of protection against falling tiles, slates and other débris. The Klober Snowguard provides the twin benefits of preventing snow slippage and that of potentially lethal tile fragments. 3-metre, galvanised steel grids in powder-coated black, tile red or brown can be fitted over either profiled or flat interlocking tiles and slates. Klober MD David Arendell commented, “We have seen increasing interest being expressed in Snow Guard as a means of protection against falling tile, slate and mortar fragments. They are easy to fit either to homes or buildings with long roof spans as the grid sections are light and use support brackets which are positioned over the batten and tile”.

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TROX UK has cemented its place in the air handling market with the launch of the X-CUBE Compact range of ready-to-use and pre-configured air handling units. The move means that TROX now has an air handling unit solution for almost every project from the very largest to the mid-range and the smallest application.

The arrival of the X-CUBE product range, during 2012, heralded TROX’s arrival as the only company in its sector capable of supplying, from a single source, virtually all components required for installing a complete air conditioning system. The new X-CUBE Compact, for volume flow rates up to 1.7 m3/sec extends the capabilities to encompass a wider range of applications. The high-efficiency unit has a heat recovery performance of over 80% and an even smaller physical footprint.

X-CUBE range

With the TROX X-CUBE range of freely configurable air handling units, TROX defines new standards in the air handling unit market and sets considerably higher standards for quality, flexibility, reliability, energy efficiency, and hygiene. The units in the standard X-CUBE range cover an air volume flow rate range up to 24 m3/sec with unlimited configuration options. They are designed for supply or extract ventilation of rooms and buildings, incorporating filtering, heating, cooling, humidification, dehumidification, and heat recovery. A special hygienic design is also available, ideally suited for hospitals and laboratories, and a weather-resistant version is included in the range for outdoor applications.

The outstanding performance of the range is underpinned by the very highest levels of independent assessment. Both the X-CUBE air handling unit and the X-CUBE Configurator design programme have been successful in achieving Eurovent certification providing independent assurance of the accuracy of the data and the stated performance criteria.

Energy efficiency is a vital feature of the range and the X-CUBE has been assessed by Eurovent as A class (the highest possible). This is due in part to the fine tolerances of manufacture. In contrast to other commercially-available air handling units, which have evolved incrementally over time, the X-CUBE has been created from a ‘clean sheet’ by a dedicated design team and with investment to create a new manufacturing facility purposed-designed for this product line. The X-CUBE’s enclosure incorporates a number of special construction and insulation features to ensure low leakage and optimised heat recovery. In addition, the TROX attenuators, with aerodynamically profiled frames achieve 30% less pressure drop than conventional silencers. Distance pieces in variable widths can be used to individually adjust the distance between the splitters. These also function as handles to enable the splitters to be removed when the casing requires cleaning. Intelligent control and highly-efficient IE2 (with options of permanent magnet IE4 compliant) motors also contribute to outstanding energy performance.

Hygiene of the unit is unparalleled as a result of the special design of the casing, its smooth surfaces and the way in which the components are installed. X-CUBE meets the VDI 6022 guidelines and the DIN 1946/4 requirements as standard, and an optional version of the unit, which meets AHU Guidelines 01, is available for even more demanding environments.

Highly flexible, the X-CUBE can be supplied with a choice of energy-efficient heat recovery systems, such as regenerative thermal wheel technology with hygroscopically coated thermal mass, plate heat exchangers or composite circulation systems to suit the application.

Installation and maintenance is simplified by the modular structure of the units. In addition the extended use of field BUS technology (communicating with virtually all building management systems) has simplified wiring. During commissioning and on-going operation, the intuitive design of the X-CUBE touch panel means that virtually all status information is available at a glance to assist safe, comfortable and error free operation.

The new X-CUBE Compact

The launch of the new X-CUBE Compact extends the range by bringing to the market a range of ready-to-operate and pre-configured air handling units that deliver the same excellent performance characteristics of the X-CUBE in the smallest of spaces.

Nine different units and a choice of two heat exchanger systems provide an extremely flexible range of solutions for volume flow rates of up to 1.7 m3/sec in small and mid-range applications. The units feature the same casing design and manufacture criteria as the X-CUBE for maximum energy efficiency, such as a seamless foam seal on each panel to ensure the low leakage class is maintained. High efficiency IE4 compliant EC motors and Eurovent-certified energy class A minipleat filters also contribute to energy savings. The X-CUBE Compact is pre-configured and ready to operate (plug and play), simplifying installation and maintenance, and the operating side of the unit can also be changed quickly and easily by simply exchanging the panels.

Dedicated Centre of Excellence for design and manufacture

Ahead of its move into the air handling unit market, the TROX Group built a new dedicated 15,000m2 production facility in Anholt, near the German-Dutch border, specifically for the X-CUBE. The new production facility is pupose designed and built for this purpose; it therefore offers the necessary flexibility for manufacturing air handling units in all common size ranges. The new advanced manufacturing technology with which the factory has been equipped has been selected with the high quality requirements of the air handling units in mind, and allows for a very efficient production process. For example, laser cutting of profiles, plastic profile machining, punching and sheet forming have been automated. New powder coating equipment and sealing foam application equipment have also been customised specifically for the requirements of AHU manufacturing.

TROX has defined a process which takes all factors into consideration: its new configurator software, the ERP system (Enterprise Resource Planning), the production equipment and also each individual worker. This process enables the company to provide customised, unique units of the quality and also at the price of a standardised production unit.
The total investment for the X-CUBE project amounted to € 20 million which, thanks to the excellent liquidity of the TROX GROUP, was completed without requiring credit lines.

“So often in our industry, new models are launched which are just an incremental improvement on a previous product, but with X-CUBE we have a completely different situation” explained Paul Wenden, Technical Director of TROX UK. “Here the designers have started with a completely clean sheet and created a product based on levels of performance, energy efficiency, flexibility and practicality that have not been available to customers in the past. The resulting product ranges re-write the rules and set new standards for air handling. This is an extremely exciting launch for TROX UK and will ultimately be an important stepping stone for our customers as they move forward with their energy efficiency and carbon reduction ambitions.”

‘One stop shop’

TROX is the only company in its sector capable of supplying, from a single source, virtually all components required for installing a complete air conditioning system. By providing a single point of accountability, TROX can bring additional peace of mind for customers, and remove risk from projects. During the design phase, the TROX sales and design engineers can advise on an integrated solution that captures the needs of their customers.

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The Brick Development Association (BDA), the body that represents the clay brick and paver industries in the UK and Ireland, has strongly rejected claims by the Royal Institute of Surveyors (RICS) that a fall in UK Construction Output is due to shortage of bricks.

Simon Hay, Chief Executive Officer for the BDA, commented: “You only have to look at the statistics and forecasts from the Construction Products Association (CPA) to prove that these claims from the RICS are completely unfounded. Housing starts in Great Britain during 2013 are estimated to have increased by 24% and forecast to increase further in 2014 by 16% and 10% in 2015. Clearly house builders have been able to acquire sufficient brick supplies to significantly increase house building. Construction output is expected to rise by 3.4% in 2014 and by a further 5.2% in 2015, so there is no anticipation of supply problems causing problems in growth. If the brick industry was in ‘crisis’ as suggested by some areas of the media last year, this recovery would simply not have been possible.”

The CPA has also reported that the largest constraint to industry recovery continues to be public sector construction. Public non – housing output fell 27.2% between 2010 and 2012 with recovery not anticipated until 2015 when the impacts of capital investment growth begin to feed through.

“The lack of investment in public sector projects is what is really affecting the industry, not a shortage of bricks,” continues Simon. “The initial success of the government’s Help To Buy scheme and the growing pace of the economic recovery has meant that the construction industry has faced an upswing in demand. However, there is absolutely no suggestion that brick manufacturers will be unable to cope with the increased demand.”

The BDA reports that many manufacturers as well as stepping up production have continued production right through the winter to meet demand, but demand is being met. It urges builders to work closely with manufacturers and merchants to plan their deliveries and place orders in advance as was standard practise prior to 2008 and the credit crisis.

“The construction industry is in a phase of growth and optimism,” concludes Simon. “We are seeing a much needed lift in activity which is a really positive development and something our members are well placed to manage.”

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