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To meet market demand for products that offer higher levels of energy efficiency, Heatrae Sadia has upgraded its market leading Megaflo HE and Megatech solar thermal unvented hot water storage cylinders to significantly improve heat loss figures.

The unvented water heating market continues to grow, with consumer demand for powerful showers and fast filling baths keeping sales buoyant. Despite increased competition in the unvented sector, Heatrae Sadia continues to be the strong market leader with its Megaflo HE range.

However, with the UK Government aiming to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions, legislation is driving important changes in the heating industry, and products need to become even more efficient.

Improving insulation and minimising heat losses from Megaflo HE and Megatech has been one of Heatrae Sadia’s key aims for 2007. As a result, from January 2008 an insulated cover for the temperature/pressure relief valve will be included on Megaflo HE, Megatech and Megaflo SystemFit, which will significantly improve the products’ heat loss figures. To assist installers, Megaflo HE will also include a wiring centre and drain valve.

Heatrae Sadia’s senior product manager Jon Cockburn said: “Whilst Megaflo HE continues to be a successful, market leading product, we want to keep improving. And, to continue to meet the needs of the market, the product must evolve.

“There is a huge focus on energy efficiency at the moment – especially because of SAP ratings, HIP packs/Energy Performance Certificates, the Code for Sustainable Homes and the forthcoming 2010 revisions to Part L of the Building Regulations. It’s also the Government’s aim for all new buildings to be zero carbon rated by 2016, and there’s a very real possibility that from January 2009 hot water systems will be labelled in terms of their energy efficiency, in line with the EuP (the Eco-Design of Energy Using Products) Directive.

“Heatrae Sadia has always made sure Megaflo HE is a forward-thinking unvented brand. We developed a pre-plumbed and pre-wired Systemfit version to assist our house builder customers, and in 2006 we launched our solar thermal cylinder, Megatech. Efficient and environmentally friendly, Megatech is designed to be used in conjunction with the solar panels and evacuated tube systems now available for the UK market, and can provide up to 60 per cent of a home’s annual domestic hot water requirements.

“Our strategy is to identify issues and deliver solutions, so this is just the first stage of Megaflo HE’s enhancement – with more to follow.”

Heatrae Sadia’s Megaflo HE is the strong market leader in the unvented sector. The company believes this success is due to a number of factors; Megaflo HE’s hot water recovery rates and performance, its internal air gap and floating baffle system, the guarantee and quality of support package offered and the materials used to manufacture the cylinder.

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ASD are please to launch the latest addition to our CENTRO range the new QUADRO luminaire.

The New QUADRO?s eye-catching design is complimented by a host of features to speed installation time. By incorporating a ?first fit? base with fast fit connector block, the fittings gear tray can be ?snapped? in place in seconds. The units diffuser easily clips on and the Twist-Lock facia simply rotates into position.

A Halo back lit version enhances the ranges design options, offering an array of energy saving options as well as standard GLS lamp versions, to provide a stunning range of units designed to make installation easy

• Designed, developed & Manufactured in the UK
• Easy to install
• IP54
• Wall or ceiling mounting.
• Halo back light version in a choice of colours.
• Integral 3 hour maintained emergency Option (HF).
• Tough Vandal resistant polycarbonate Construction
• Unique First fit polycarbonate base with fast fit connector block & snap fit gear tray.
• Fast fit Twist-Lock facia

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Rockwool’s highly insulating, sustainable and non-combustible Flexi insulation has been used in the groundbreaking ruralZED™ house, which was launched at this year’s Ecobuild and claims to be the most sustainable house design ever produced.

Designed by ZEDfactory Ltd, the ruralZED™ house has emerged from a consortium, which includes Rockwool, Charcon, Rationel, Mi-space, Hansgrohe.

The super-insulated house is constructed using 200x200mm glulam timber post-and-beam and is insulated using Rockwool’s Flexi stone wool insulation. The flexible design of the ruralZED™ house has been devised to allow various elevations and roofing configurations, and the units can be grouped to meet the requirements of different master plans.

Bill Dunster, architect at ZEDfactory Ltd, comments: “The ruralZED™ house design goes far beyond the requirements of level 6 of the Code for Sustainable Homes. It combines versatile design, unrivalled sustainability, innovative energy efficiency measures and, importantly, affordability.”

The basic elements of the ruralZED™ house cost just £116,000 and a typical property can be constructed in a month, although the prototype unveiled at Ecobuild was built in just three days.

Dunster continues: “All the materials used in ruralZED™ house design have been thoroughly tested and carefully selected for their buildability, advanced, multi-functional performance and sustainability credentials. For example, Rockwool insulation not only provides excellent thermal insulation, it is also extremely sustainable, completely non-combustible and provides very high levels of acoustic protection.”

Rockwool Flexi is a stone wool product, which features a natural 'spring' to ensure a flush fit that eliminates air gaps, even with out-of-true walls. The product flexes with the building structure in order to maintain this tight fit despite shrinkage throughout the life of the building.

In addition, Flexi moulds round any surface irregularities like bolts and fastenings, unlike rigid foam insulations, maximising airtightness levels and the thermal performance of the building structure.

Rockwool Flexi offers a superior 4 in 1 solution: In addition to its excellent thermal properties, Flexi is classed as non-combustible and has excellent acoustic properties and sustainability credentials.

Rockwool stone wool insulation is one of the most environmentally friendly and energy efficient construction products available and meets the highest standards of ‘cradle to cradle’ sustainability, energy conservation and recyclability. It is manufactured using igneous volcanic rock, an abundantly-available resource. Over the lifetime of the building, the energy saved could be 100s of times more than that consumed to manufacture the Rockwool insulation.

Rockwool insulation has a low embodied energy of 16.8MJ/Kg and has zero Ozone Depleting Potential (ODP) and Global Warming Potential (GWP). Its excellent thermal properties cut energy consumption, reducing the need to burn fossil fuels and therefore helping to minimise harmful emissions of greenhouse gases.

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align=”right”>–>By using the new Mitsubishi Electric Ecodan heat pump for domestic space heating and hot water, it is possible to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 50% and running costs by 30%.

Ecodan is a low carbon alternative to traditional boilers in modern buildings, whether new build or refurbishments. Ecodan uses the latest technology to upgrade natural energy from the outside air and uses this to provide domestic space heating and hot water.

For the ideal opportunity to find out more about Ecodan and the issues we all face as we strive to reduce CO2 emissions and energy consumption on the path towards 2016, we would like to invite House Builders, Architects, Specifiers, Consultants, Housing Associations and Local Planning Authorities to an exclusive seminar and live demonstration of Ecodan.

Venue: Mitsubishi Electric, Travellers Lane, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 8XB.
Time: All seminars are from 10am until 4pm with lunch and refreshments included.
Dates: Thursday 17th April 2008
Thursday 15th May 2008
Thursday 19th June 2008

If you fit the criteria above and would like to attend one of the seminars, please either email heating@meuk.mee.com or call 01707 278601, stating your name, company name, contact telephone number and preferred date of attendance.

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The ?litehouse? bollard from ASD Lighting is designed to provide photometrically superior light output, achieving maximum downward light with minimal uplight, in an unique distinct design.

• Maximises downward light.
• Minimises upward light.
• Bollard column available in high impact PVC or extruded aluminium. Black powder coated
• Range of lamp and control gear options / louvre combinations.
• Range of finishes, colours and halo options.

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Rockwool showed its commitment to sustainable construction at this year’s Ecobuild in the form of its high performance insulation solutions, which featured both on its stand and in the innovative zero-carbon ruralZED™ house from ZEDfactory.

Rockwool stone wool insulation solutions meet the highest standards of ‘cradle to cradle’ sustainability, energy conservation and recyclability. Visitors to Rockwool’s stand were able to see first hand the superior four-in-one performance of these products in terms of sustainability, thermal efficiency, fire safety and acoustic protection.

The Rockshield external wall insulation, Rockfon ceiling solutions and the Rockpanel product ranges featured prominently on the Rockwool stand at the show.

The Rockwool insulation used in all these building solutions is manufactured using igneous volcanic rock, an abundantly-available resource, which in its lifetime can save several hundred times more energy than is used in its production.

Managing Director of Rockwool, Hans Schreuder, commented: “At Rockwool we are passionate about our role in promoting sustainable building practices and raising awareness of the advantages of using stone wool insulation.

“Rockwool insulation is one of the most environmentally friendly and energy efficient construction products available. Its excellent thermal properties cut energy consumption, reduce the need to burn fossil fuels and therefore help minimise harmful emissions of greenhouse gases.

“Rockwool is also committed to minimising the use of resources and emissions of pollutants during the manufacture of its high performance products and systems. We recycle significant quantities of off-cuts and production ‘waste’ back into the manufacturing process, along with carefully selected by-products from other industries.”

View press release

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Mitsubishi Electric is launching unique wireless air conditioning controllers which also have the ability to monitor other systems within a building.

The new M2M controllers build on the success of the company’s expertise in controls and now offer a relatively low-cost solution for both smaller premises that do not have Ethernet connections and larger corporations which cannot allow outside systems to link into their security networks and across firewalls.

“This is the first wireless controller in the air conditioning industry and it brings the benefits of remote monitoring and control to a much wider audience,” explained Sebastien Desmottes, Product Marketing Liaison Manager.

Based on Machine 2 Machine technology that has been developed over the last decade, M2M uses the same principles employed throughout the transport industry such as that used by the Highways Agency to instantly update modern motorway signs or by transport companies to get live data to passengers at bus stops on the likely arrival of the next Number 37.

The M2M interface has a data SIM card just like a mobile phone and remote sites talk to a central server using the GPRS mobile phone network. Data is both compressed and encrypted for security and is stored on the server.

“This means that whatever your building, you can have full access and control via the internet from your home, PDA or Blackberry,” added Desmottes.

The package can also come with a specially designed graphics interface to help customers visualise their data and assist in monitoring trends and performance.

The two versions are immediately available with the Mini M2M allowing control of up to 16 units and the Maxi up to 50.

In the UK’s first live example of the system, Mitsubishi Electric has been working in support of HSBC which has been influential in the development of the product. The Kings Lynn branch of the bank is now using M2M to control the lighting and monitor energy and water consumption, in addition to allowing for exact control of the heating and cooling system.

“Typically, the cost of a full building energy management system (BEMS) can be un-economic in smaller retail stores, particularly when the full capacity and capabilities of the BEMS are not always utilised,” explained Desmottes, “with M2M, an equivalent system can provide a more economical solution whilst providing all of the exact control requirements that each branch needs.

“These new controllers therefore tick all the right boxes for large corporations such as HSBC because they allow the company to remotely monitor and provide the means to reduce energy consumption across a range of equipment within each branch.”

For other sites, such as petrol forecourts or smaller high street stores, M2M offers a simple and straightforward way of enjoying all the benefits normally associated with an Ethernet-based system, without the need for a complex infrastructure.

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Introducing the NEW HQ MAPRESS Range
HYDRAQUIP have introduced the popular MAPRESS fittings on hose assemblies. This range is exclusively available to HYDRAQUIP in the U.K with either a stainless steel or EPDM rubber core.

First established in 1958 The MAPRESS range of fittings is a popular choice for the mechanical and engineering applications for secure and permanent fixture, making it a preferred choice.

Versatile, Tight and Durable
The press connection system can be installed in many applications taking on even the extreme high pressures, which normal fittings would fail to do. The straightforward effortless process allows the fitting to fit like a glove on components, a quick and easy system that now has the added benefit of the flexibility of a hose for final alignment or to take up any system vibration or expansion.

Variety
With both Copper and Stainless Steel in stock, HYDRAQUIP can offer you options for different applications, such as water, gas and fuels. Already accepted and approved in a number of industries the addition of a hose range offers additional solutions and opens up more possible applications.

Ex- Stock
The HQ MAPRESS range is stocked in standard lengths with bespoke assemblies manufactured and despatched on short lead times in a range of sizes.

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Kenilworth is the largest ruined castle in England, and the conservation of various parts has been an extensive task for English Heritage over the years. As with any project involving a historical building, aesthetics, and safeguarding as much of the site as possible in its original state, is paramount. This is why, when it came to finding an unobtrusive CCTV monitoring system, English Heritage turned to Chubb.

Alan Capewell, English Heritage Technical Manager for the West Midlands Region, explains: ?We have worked with Chubb Electronic Security on a number of projects where the nature of the historic site has demanded a sensitive and bespoke security solution.

?In this particular instance, we were setting up an exhibition on one floor of the Gate House and, due to the valuable nature of the exhibits which include precious tapestries and original letters to Queen Elizabeth I who visited Kenilworth in 1575, we wanted to be able to monitor and keep it under surveillance from the main site.?

The challenge was to install five CCTV cameras and find a way to relay the images to the new visitor centre on the other side of the site without digging up or disturbing any of the archaeologically sensitive ground around the Gate House to lay cables.

Tony Skelton of Chubb Electronic Security describes the task: ?We needed to find a way to transmit the live images from the cameras across the site, which was also on the other side of the tree line. Several other suppliers had said that it couldn?t be done but, knowing how important it was not to disrupt the site, we were determined to find a solution.

?It was borderline case but we devised a way of using radio and microwave technology to create a videolink and transmit the live CCTV images wirelessly so that they can be viewed and monitored in the visitor centre.?

Alan Capewell continues: ?We are delighted with the solution which, not only ensures that the historical integrity of the site is retained, but also gives us peace of mind to be able to manage the security of this exhibition in real time. So far we have not had any trouble with visitors to the Gate House, but with such valuable items in there, theft and vandalism are always a risk.?

Chubb Electronic Security has worked on several bespoke projects for the English Heritage. Another recent success was the installation a tailor-made infra-red CCTV system in order to be able to monitor the bats hibernating within the roof space of the Visitor Centre at Witley Court, Worcestershire.

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