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Five historic arches in 600-year-old walls near Southampton waterfront will be ablaze in a sea of multi-coloured lights every night for at least the next two years. Computer controlled LED’s display more than 10,000 different colour combinations, installed by Hampshire based electrical contractors GES Digital, who specialise in smart control technology.

In the project, known as Halation, energy is saved by ensuring that the LED lights only turn on after dark, under the control of a Theben Solar Time Switch from Timeguard.

Once you select from the Solar Timers menu the required UK town or city the SEL170TOP can be left to calculate sunrise and sunset times automatically for years to come. Lights can be switched on at sunset and then either left on until sunrise or turned off at an earlier time chosen by the user, saving even more energy. The switching time can be off set by up to 120 minutes either side of sunset and sunrise, manual over-ride is also provided, as are holiday and weekend programming as well as PIN protection to prevent tampering. In Southampton the lights initially turned on at dusk and off again at 1am, but in the peak summer season they are being programmed to stay on longer. All this light control comes from one small, economic device.

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Fakro FTT and FPT 'Thermo' triple glazed roof windows have been chosen for use in four luxury eco homes being built by Marshall Robertson Associates’ at High Farm, Great Lumley. By providing the best U-value currently available in a standard product (0.94W/m2K), the windows will make a key contribution to the North East’s first ‘Code for Sustainable Homes’ Level 6 development. A combination of top hung and centre pivot windows will be fitted on the site which overlooks the Angel of the North, Lumley Castle and Durham Cathedral.

As well as achieving zero net carbon emissions, key aspects of the brief to architects Queensberry Design were provision of space and light and encouragement of a sustainable lifestyle. Other features include solar panels, rainwater harvesting and a wind turbine which will generate electricity to be fed back into the National Grid.

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Square detection zones provide 100% coverage grid with fewer detectors

The Sun Microsystems philosophy gets to the point: Sun solutions link up the world and demand integrated thinking, is the message in the multi-national computer group’s image brochure.

So it was clear to architects and planners that integrated thinking was called for in the design of the new Sun administrative building in Volketswil Hegnau, Switzerland – both visually and in terms of building technology. So it is that, over a floor area of 7000 m², a large number of Theben HTS presence detectors now ensure reliable and cost-effective operation of the lighting and ventilation system.

Theben HTS presence detectors from the ECO-IR C-Series, with their signature square detection zone and inrush current limitation for electronic ballasts, were used. The range is now available in the UK from Timeguard Ltd, a Theben company.

Sun has a flexible office philosophy which means that many of the staff no longer have fixed workstations: they simply log on wherever they happen to be. This means that the occupancy – and thus he lighting and ventilation requirements of different parts of the building are changing all the time and economic control involves responding to more than daylight levels and time of day. The use of sensitive presence detectors (instead of the rather blunt instruments that are traditional PIR detectors) enables the building managers to provide ideal combinations of lighting and ventilation levels for each building occupant at all times and with minimal energy consumption.

The specifier, Daniel Stadeli of Zurich-based Thomas Luem Partners realised that providing individual control of each room or area required the sophistication of HTS C-Series, which offer adaptive switching behaviour. In addition, their signature square detection area greatly simplifies planning. Using master-slave parallel circuit connections, he was able to design lighting for a large open plan office area with no gaps in presence detection. With more-traditional circular detection zones, almost twice as many detectors would have been needed to provide 100% coverage, he said.

Theben HTS C-Series presence detectors offer energy savings of up to 70% and are ideal for large areas such as Sun’s open plan office. They offer an 8m x 8m detection area with inrush current limitation to reduce peak currents and switching of up to 24 36-Watt electronic ballast.

Also particularly attractive in this range is the Quickfix system for flush mounting in hollow ceilings.

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Architects Mountford Pigott have specified VMZINC PLUS® in QUARTZ-ZINC® to create a highly unusual design for the new McDonalds in Eureka Park Ashford. The system was chosen to provide a visually continuous warm roof across the curved span without unsightly ventilation details. Mountford Pigott’s Trevor Scale commented, “We chose zinc as a natural material for its aesthetic qualities and to provide an innovative and sustainable solution which was ideally suited to the building design. The brief was to develop a factory engineered pod design solution for a production run of similar shops”. The result will enable landmark design buildings using the latest in engineering methods to be provided.

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High performance and durable luminiare, ideal for uplighting and flood illumination. The symmetrical high purity anodised aluminium reflector makes it ideal for building facades, signs and vertical lighting or applications such as car parks and recreational areas.

Provided with a durable die cast aluminium body which promotes heat dissipation and cool running. The unit has toughened glass cover held in position with clips. For use with either metal halide (MBI) or high pressure sodium (SON-T) light sources.

• Die cast Aluminium body – finished in black.
• Toughened glass.
• IP65.
• Designed to BS EN 60598.
• Supplied with lamp.

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Atkins' architects £29.7m North Liverpool Academy has seen Flag-Soprema Silver Art® PVC and Flagon TPO single ply membranes used to waterproof the roof. Silver Art was used on the predominantly curved roof to provide the aesthetic benefits of traditional metal roofing at greatly reduced cost. Aluminium particles are incorporated in the manufacturing process to give the membrane long-term colour stability while avoiding problems such as cold bridging, corrosion or water ingress at penetrations and details.

Flagon TPO AP/PR-F PVC membrane was fully adhered to the flat roof areas. With its BRE Green Guide A+ Rating, it retains exceptional flexibility and resistance to puncturing while remaining highly adaptable to structural movements. Being completely inert, Flagon TPO is non-toxic and has a life expectancy in excess of 30 years.

The simple, 'rectangular box' is split by a striking curved form at the centre, creating a spectacular external profile. The building combines the latest technologies with sustainable design to create a relaxed learning environment where the students can make the most of their learning experience. It houses 12 science laboratories, engineering workshops, a theatre, recording studios and teaching rooms equipped with the very latest in IT. The sixth-form common room and learning resource centre, dubbed the Learning Deck, sits within the highest point and enjoys panoramic views of the Liverpool skyline, the River Mersey and the distant Welsh mountains.

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The high powered LED’s provide excellent illumination. With long life, reduced maintenance requirements and energy efficient operation LED technology provides the latest solutions to lighting scheme and environmental demands.

• Unlimited switching.
• Instant light.
• Fit and forget for life of product.
• Energy efficient.
• No UV.
• Long life.
• Energy efficient operation.
• Environmentally friendly.
• Superb reliability.
• Maintenance free operation.

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Beko, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of domestic appliances, has launched its new advertising campaign with a slot during The X Factor. The above-the-line campaign – the company’s biggest to date – promotes Beko’s growing range of built-in home appliances, with the TV advertisement focusing on the recently launched induction hob and multi-function pyrolitic oven.

The investment in prime-time advertising slots during such popular shows as The X Factor actively demonstrates Beko’s ongoing support of its growing number of customers in the housebuilding sector. The message is clear: Beko built-in appliances make life easier in the kitchen, as a couple are seen dancing the night away as the appliances do all the work cooking the food in the background.

Since launching its built-in range in April of last year, Beko has made major inroads into the housebuilding sector and continues to expand its national network of distributors and kitchen specialist dealers. The range offers builders, designers and contractors a wide choice of stylish built-in appliances that combine design, reliability and energy efficiency at an affordable price. The aim is to help builders maximise their profits without compromising on quality, design and innovation.

“Beko is already the UK brand leader in free-standing cooling and cooking, and the second largest appliance brand,” says Clayton Witter, managing director . “The aim of this new campaign is to build the same level of brand awareness of Beko’s built-in appliances that has already been achieved in free-standing. Stronger consumer awareness of and confidence in the brand will reassure builders and contractors that they are responding to increasingly discerning consumer demand when specifying Beko built-in appliances.”

The built-in range offers a choice of models in refrigeration, laundry, dishwashers and cookers. Quality control is ensured at all times: the company manufactures all products within its own factory network, with specialised factories dedicated to specific product categories.

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BT, one of the world’s leading providers of communications solutions and services, has begun the rollout of Sabien’s M2G boiler load optimiser following extensive pilots. M2G will be installed, in a rolling program, to all suitable buildings within BT’s estate of 7,500 buildings.

Jeff Nash, Head of Sustainable Estates, BT noted; “BT has a clear focus to reduce its energy consumption and hence its CO2 emissions. It has plans to reduce its emissions by 80% by 2016 in the UK. To help it achieve this target it requires innovative solutions from suppliers to help save energy and Sabien delivered on our expectations and will have a continuing role to play in supporting BT in these plans.

“M2G’s ability to integrate with existing Building Management Systems and the vast range of single and multiple boiler applications regardless of size and age within the BT estate is a significant benefit,” he added.

Sabien worked closely with Monteray, BT’s FM provider, during the rollout, providing end to end project management and installation across the UK.

How M2G delivers CO2 savings

The M2G is an intelligent boiler load optimiser which improves the efficiency of each individual boiler regardless of age and size by removing ‘dry cycling’, an inherent problem found in over 80% of commercial boilers.

M2G is retro-fitted to each boiler and monitors the temperature of the water in the flow and return every 10 seconds, enabling the M2G to analyse the temperature losses from the boiler. The M2G calculates whether the temperature loss is caused by a genuine heating demand or from standing losses i.e. temperature losses through the boiler casing and flue. When the boiler tries to fire as a consequence of the standing losses the M2G will prevent the boiler from firing resulting in reduced energy consumption.

M2G’s ability to remove dry cycling within each boiler results in no changes to the boiler’s designed set points or impacts to ambient room temperatures. This approach eradicates previous control methods of using fixed time delays or predictive firing patterns.

M2G complements and integrates with existing building controls by identifying any changes to the boilers set point from building management systems or additional controls such as weather compensation.

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