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Architects and designers from across the UK gave a big thumbs up to Bona’s newest waterborne, low VOC lacquer which was launched at Ecobuild. New Bona Mega Extra Matt delivers a sustainable solution for specifiers looking to achieve a totally matt look to a wooden floor. Part of the established Bona Mega family of finishes, these products hold a unique position on the market due to their innovative crosslinking formula which reacts with oxygen and gives the benefits of a two component product.

Since its launch in 1995, 28 million litres of Bona Mega have been sold and 136 million M² of wooden floors have been finished with this still innovative product! Suitable for homes and commercial spaces with normal wear, Mega offers good resistance to wear, scuff marks and scratches, as well as very good chemical resistance.

Since no traditional hardener is needed, Bona Mega is a sustainable choice in all its sheen versions. The Mega formula contains vegetable oils – a renewable resource – and the production method has actually saved 8 million kilos of carbon dioxide emission to the atmosphere! Bona Mega also carries the ECI certification recognizing its very low emission properties. New Mega Extra Matt was presented at Ecobuild alongside Bona’s new Traffic Anti Slip coating, Bona Naturale which retains the natural texture of the wooden surface, Bona Novia for domestic and lighter commercial use and Bona’s traditional and Hard Wax Oils.

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The Daikin Altherma High Temperature (HT) heat pump has received two prestigious Rushlight 2009 Awards, which were presented at a gala dinner, held on 28 January, following The Rushlight Clean Technologies Show at London’s Royal National Hall. Daikin won the Ground and Air Source Power Award and also the Rushlight Natural Energy Award, in appreciation of “the most significant overall contribution to renewable energy technology during 2009.”

The Rushlight Awards, organised by Eventure Media, support the development of clean technology and improving environmental standards by organisations throughout the UK and Ireland, which have furthered environmental consideration, technology and innovation. Separate award categories cover renewable energy, clean fuels, power generation, green products and services, water, waste and pollution management — highlighting technologies and innovations that are shaping the future of the energy, transport, environmental and industrial sectors.

The Rushlight Natural Energy Award is awarded to the most significant overall achievement in the exploitation and adoption of natural energy sources. Winners of 5 other Rushlight Award categories – for Solar, Ground and Air Source Power, Wind Power, Marine Energy and Hydropower – were short-listed for this, the highest accolade.

In winning the Ground and Air Source category, the Daikin Altherma HT system was recognised as the most important single contribution to renewable energy technology in 2009. Altherma HT is a low carbon, low energy system, capable of supplying a home’s total heating and hot water requirements, even during outside temperatures as low as -200C. For every 1kW of electrical input, Altherma HT delivers between 3 and 5kW of usable heat, compared to the typical 0.93kW generated by a condensing boiler.

The Daikin system represents a direct alternative to boiler replacement and can fully support existing radiator systems, providing a highly energy efficient and versatile high temperature solution guaranteeing flow temperatures of up to 800C without the need for a non-renewable back up heating system. High flow temperatures are achieved as a result of the system’s specially designed cascading heat pump configuration. Altherma HT consists of an outdoor heat pump (first stage) and indoor hydrobox unit (second stage heat pump), in which upgraded free heat from the outside air is transferred to the heating and hot water system. The hot water cylinder is installed next to or mounted neatly on top of the indoor unit.

In order to provide even greater capacity for year round water heating and storage, Altherma HT can be combined with the Daikin Solar Thermal System, which includes solar panel/s, a solar pumping station and a thermal storage tank.

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The innovative DiscDrive technology at the heart of sara's new Sprint 3000 R roller door delivers practically wear-free operation, plus low noise and vibration, for extended operating life. Designed for frequent operation inside or out, the Sprint 3000 R is a low maintenance door that offers maximum reliability in high traffic areas; its robust construction easily coping with the toughest everyday production demands.

The patented DiscDrive technology integrated into the Sprint 3000 R comprises sturdy profiles, which are wound separately on up to three winding modules. This design reduces noise, vibration and – most importantly – wear, by preventing harmful metal-to-metal contact. Moreover, with the profiles protected from damage, they suffer no distortion, even after frequent, long term use, enabling the Sprint 3000 R to deliver practically wear-free, continuous operation, with long service intervals and low maintenance costs.

Also contributing to the Sprint’s low maintenance operation is a simplified overall design, which, in addition to using fewer parts for improved reliability, also provides a unique response to impact damage. Using a completely new technology, the individual profiles in the Sprint door are linked without hinges; instead, each section is individually mounted on rubberised carrying belts, creating an elastic flexibility. The benefit of this design is evident in the case of impact; the pressure from the impact is dispersed and not transmitted to the overall door structure. As a result, any damage is always kept within limits, and, even in the worst case scenarios, individual sections are quick and easy to replace.

With its curtain of robust metal profiles, with optional vision panels, the Sprint 3000 R provides greater security, not only in high-cycle and high traffic areas, but also in other applications such as machinery protection and laser protection. In all of these applications the Sprint’s tough construction and reduced vulnerability to crash damage are paramount.

As well as reducing whole life costs for users – through long life and low maintenance – the Sprint 3000 R also optimises production throughput with its fast opening speeds of up to 2m/s. These are delivered by the Sprint’s MCC vector control intelligent door system, which also ensures smooth operation at high speed, and gives users the facility to program operation of the door to meet individual user needs.

Effective safeguarding of users during all aspects of door operation is provided by sara’s patented non-contact safety beam with pre-running photocell. The photocell automatically detects any obstructions during door closing, and reverses the door automatically, before its bottom edge can make contact with equipment, vehicles or personnel.

In addition to the standard non-contact safety beam and the door line photocell, the Sprint 3000 R door offers a comprehensive range of safety options to enable customisation to specific application requirements. These include: an electrically monitored contact safety edge (which replaces the 'non-contact' safety beam); drop down protection via tension springs; and emergency self-opening in the event of power failure (partial depending on door size) by Bowden lever brake release. As you would expect there are many activation devices to choose from, including radio, mushroom button, induction loops and a wide range of radar/presence detectors for example.

About sara LBS

sara Loading Bay Specialists Limited is a major force in five key market sectors within the UK: high speed doors, loading bay equipment, industrial doors, aluminium ramps and drawbridge levellers. sara is a total package supplier, combining excellence in product supply with the highest levels of pre and post sales design input and technical support. Our solutions are an important benefit to the end user, specifier, and main contractor. So is our service, with the installation, maintenance and service of sara equipment carried out at our six depots operating throughout the U.K.. These are strategically located in Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Hemel Hempstead.

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The Clearline Solar Collector range from Viridian Solar (Certificate 0001) and TopSola TSM-160M Solar Photovoltaic Modules from MAP Environmental (Certificate 0002) are the first to be issued with UK Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) Certificates. These are the result of a certification process set out in the MCS.

The BBA is accredited by UKAS to certify microgeneration products against the requirements of the MCS. However, this is not the same as our Agrément Certificates, which address all relevant aspects of the performance of a product. The MCS is much more limited, focusing primarily on the energy-providing capabilities of a product, although proposed amendments to the scheme may take things a little further.

Viridian Solar already had a full Agrément Certificate showing how it meets regulatory and other non-statutory requirements of roof components. Stuart Elmes, Chief Executive of Viridian Solar, said: ‘We welcome the BBA becoming approved assessors for the MCS scheme. They were a good choice for Viridian because of our earlier work together to create the first Agrément Certificate for a solar panel.’
MAP Environmental (also seeking full Agrément Certification) said: ‘We at MAP Environmental are excited about the confidence that the BBA Agrément Certificate on our photovoltaic systems will give and will also increase consumer confidence in the photovoltaic market’.

We at the BBA believe that more specifiers and purchasers will be looking for the same additional reassurance of product performance provided by Agrément Certificates for in- and on-roof microgeneration products that they look for from other roofing products, and we look forward to announcements in that regard shortly. Our approach will be to address further key issues of interest to the consumer, designer, specifier or architect such as regulatory compliance and assessment of structural stability, durability, output performance, weatherproofing and practicability of installation’.

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Literature is now available on Ancon’s range of low thermal conductivity wall ties. These ties minimise heat loss through thermal bridging, improving the energy efficiency of a masonry cavity wall. The use of these ties can reduce insulation depth and wall footprint.

In addition to a number of stainless steel wire wall ties, the range includes the Ancon TeploTie which is manufactured from pultruded basalt fibres set in resin. This BBA-approved product is available exclusively from Ancon. It has a thermal conductivity of just 0.7W/mK, making it the most thermally efficient wall tie on the market.

Ancon continues to lead the wall tie industry. The company now has a BBA-approved, low conductivity wall tie for cavities from 50mm to 300mm.

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Polypipe Ventilation will be exhibiting at Ecobuild (2nd – 4th March) for the first time, where they will display their market leading Domus range of energy-efficient ventilation ducting systems. The company will also be launching the new Polypipe SAP Q rated Mechanical Extract Ventilation Heat Recovery (MVHR) unit.

Polypipe Ventilation is at the forefront in delivering energy-efficient solutions and plays a vital role in helping customers to achieve the higher levels of the Code for Sustainable Homes. Polypipe supplies high quality ventilation systems with multiple configuration and installation options which together lead to enhanced air flow performance and prevent unwanted energy loss through air leakage.

This level of efficiency is all the more important when ducting is used with other energy-efficient heating and ventilation systems, such as Exhaust Air Heat Pumps, which are becoming increasingly popular. Polypipe will showcase its Domus ducting solutions supporting these systems at Ecobuild, with product displays and system examples.

In addition, Polypipe Ventilation will use their recently launched VSPweb On-line Planning tool to demonstrate how quick and simple specification of energy-efficient ventilation systems can be, opening up this market for a wider range of mechanical installers and specifiers. On-stand demonstrations will guide visitors through the easy-to-navigate selection screens to show how to select both the correct duct package and the most suitable SAP Q listed appliance for a property, saving considerable time and effort. The end result is a summary of the property / unit and a single order code to make purchasing the correct Duct Pack simple, which can be done from a professional network of approved Ventilation Solution Providers (VSPs).

Neil Tilsley, Managing Director of Polypipe Ventilation, comments on the company’s commitment to sustainable ventilation solutions: “We’ve been working in partnership with major specifiers and installers of energy efficient air distribution systems for some time now, continually researching ways of improving energy efficiency. This recently led us to a major re-tooling investment to ensure our ducting products have a cleaner more consistent finish and are manufactured to even more exacting tolerances, guaranteeing uniform shape and a superior fit. This means less air leakage which drives improved system performance.

“These factors are becoming ever more important as heat recovery systems continue to grow in popularity. Whole-system efficiency plays a major role in optimising energy saving capabilities. The combination of a highly efficient heat recovery unit with high quality ducting can contribute greatly to achieving these aims.”

The Polypipe range now features the widest selection of plastic ventilation ducting products in Europe, including an extensive range of fittings and outlets to ensure installations benefit from the quickest ducting route with the greatest ease and efficiency. Specifying premium, engineered ventilation ducting reduces sourcing, design, installation and operating costs.

The addition of the new Polypipe MVHR unit now means that Polypipe can provide a complete ventilation package to meet the most demanding of energy efficiency targets.

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Cruz: that’s the name given by Thorn to a new range of technically advanced die-cast aluminium downlights, which give class leading light outputs with great glare control.

It takes four major lamp types from 13W CFL to 150W HIT in 10 body sizes. Sources can be positioned either horizontally for general light distribution or vertically for a spotlight effect.

There are also 15 attachments, ranging from the floating trumpet to an IP54 cover. A Gyro version is also offered for directional effects (0-60°).

Installation is made easy by a patented ‘sec-lock’ holding arm, which retains the downlight – problem-free – in place. Fixing is further aided by the availability of low height units for 100mm void depths and ‘plug and play’ versions.

Digital dimming, with or without DALI, is available, as are emergency options.

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In addition to its range of standard Orbis door signage products, architectural ironmongery market leader Laidlaw Solutions now offers a bespoke service for interior and exterior commercial signage. 10 -14 days turn round In addition to standard interior requirements, custom-made dual language, tactile warning and Braille text signage can be supplied as part of a full door, hardware and access control package. In addition to using stainless steel letters/numbers in a variety of thicknesses, signs are produced in PVC and aluminium, while traditional engraved brass nameplates can also be supplied. Existing fittings can be matched and supplied in any standard RAL, BS or Pantone colour.

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Growing international concern for the environment has led to an increase in demand for environmentally conscious, energy saving product solutions for the industrial, commercial and retail sectors of the refrigeration market. That said, the rapid increase in the application of refrigeration to corner shops, convenience stores and petrol station forecourts in residential areas has highlighted the need for constraints on equipment operating noise and size.

Daikin Europe NV has met this situation by developing the ZEAS range of compact, high efficiency, low noise and low operating cost condensing units for deep freeze and medium temperature applications. Two parallel ranges are available, each with 7 models and 1, 2 or 3 compressors, with capacities of 12.2kW to 37kW for medium temperature (-100 C to 320 C) applications and 5.41kW to 15.1kW for low temperature (-350 C to 320 C) applications.

ZEAS therefore, offers highly flexible freezing or cooling for cabinets and single or multiple evaporators or variable refrigeration loads in ambient temperatures from -150 C to 430 C with evaporating temperatures from -450 C to 100 C. Low operating noise levels plus a night set back mode, compact footprint and easy installation characteristics make ZEAS the ideal medium capacity solution for supermarkets, wholesale, retail and convenience stores, cold and freezer rooms, petrol station forecourts and food processing areas etc.

Daikin has harnessed and applied the experience and technology inherent in its VRV system — which revolutionised the comfort cooling industry – to commercial refrigeration applications. The end result is a system that can supply optimum cooling to multiple terminal units with precisely the degree of cooling required. Advanced inverter control of the semi hermetic scroll compressor varies output according to required cooling load, even in partial load conditions, maximising energy efficiency, decreasing carbon emissions and reducing operating costs. Furthermore, the use of DC motors (on the fans as well as the compressor) minimises the frequency of stop/start cycles and underpins excellent unit reliability throughout an extended operating life.

A new economiser function also increases cooling capacity and hence efficiency, without any resultant increase in unit size, whilst the use of R-410A, currently the best refrigerant available as regards the environment, ensures optimum energy efficiency and minimum capital cost.

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