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Power and data delivery specialist Marshall-Tufflex has beefed up its Underfloor to Desk range with the launch of a new raised floor box strong enough to withstand the combined weight of ten baby elephants.

The new box is quicker and easier to install and comes as standard with a market-leading 3mm support plate allowing it to handle ‘medium load’ traffic. For installations requiring ‘heavy load’ classification a steel sub-frame can be ordered and quickly inserted (at a later date if building usage changes) to support the lid without restricting space for wiring and accessories.

During load testing this steel sub-frame, which also allows for fine adjustments to accommodate uneven flooring, proved itself capable of withstanding a 1.25 tonne load – more than the combined weight of 10 newborn elephants.

In addition, the floor box has been designed with earth fixing points at each end, giving installers greater flexibility when positioning sockets. It is supplied with dividers that make it suitable for use as either a three or four compartment box.

“Our aim when designing this floor box was quite simple, to provide installers with one product that meets a wider range of needs, offers more flexible installation and can be upgraded to increase load capacity as required. Earth fixing points at either end solve the problem of modifying boxes on site (saving time) and the compartment dividers simply drop in to give either a three or four compartment unit, massively simplifying the specification and ordering process,” said Jeremy Dodge, Marshall-Tufflex Head of Marketing & Technical Services.

The 83mm deep unit, which replaces existing Marshall-Tufflex floor boxes URF32/URF42, is supplied with two easy fit cable retainers/guides, a cut-out within lid for carpet/carpet tiles of up to 6mm deep (extra deep lids are also available), metal screws to attach trim to surrounding carpet for a more secure fix, pre-punched fixings, a barrel lock option for extra security (installer to fit), other box depths, an RCD option and pre-wired option with MT32 Connectors.

The floor box has been designed and manufactured in accordance with the latest standards (BS EN 61534-22:2009, BS EN 60670-1:2005, BS EN 60670-23:2008, BS EN 50085-1:2005 and BS EN 50085-2-2:2008).

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The country’s architects have access to a new information source on renewable technology with the installation of a permanent exhibition stand at the Building Centre in London’s Store Street from Mitsubishi Electric which focuses on sustainability in the built-environment.

The company, which has long pioneered energy efficiency in our buildings, is using the space to highlight the potential that heat pumps offer in reducing the energy load required to heat, cool and ventilate both commercial and residential properties, and is also focusing on the energy producing potential of Photovoltaic panels.

“The Building Centre is renowned for providing essential information for all involved in the built environment, so it made perfect sense for us to use this venue to convey the energy saving potential of these technologies,” explained Sharon Oliver, Marketing Communications Manager for Mitsubishi Electric’s Photovoltaic and Domestic Heating Divisions.

Both air source and ground source heat pumps are classified as renewable technology by both the European Union and the UK Government because they harvest free, renewable energy from the air to maximise efficiency and minimise energy consumption.

Mitsubishi Electric has led the way in the use of heat pumps for commercial air conditioning and has pioneered air source heat pumps for both domestic and commercial heating systems.

The permanent stand at the Building Centre includes a touch screen panel which provides essential information on the technologies and highlights how their energy saving potential can be used to meet the Code for Sustainable Homes and other energy performance legislation. In addition to gaining advice on reducing energy costs and emissions levels, architects can also source information on equipment to help with indoor air quality and ventilation.

“Everyone involved in the construction industry, whether new-built or retro-fit is under immense pressure to demonstrate how low carbon the buildings they design now are and we wanted to raise awareness of the potential that this equipment can offer,” adds Oliver.

The Building Centre – established in 1931 – has developed to become an independent forum dedicated to providing information and inspiration to all sectors of the built environment. It is open from 9:30am – 6pm, Monday to Friday and on Saturday’s from 10:00am to 5:00pm. Further information can be sourced by visiting www.buildingcentre.co.uk.

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The BBA has just taken delivery of a new rig which tests the hygrothermal performance of solid wall insulation systems called external thermal insulation composite systems (ETICS) to the European Technical Approval Guideline (ETAG) 004. ETICS are external wall insulation systems (EWIS) comprising insulation coated with render. The new rig is extremely versatile and can meet the requirements of a number of different test specifications.

The ETAG 004 test regime involves subjecting an insulated solid wall to a series of extreme temperature cycles. This tests how the insulation system will react over time to changes in moisture (humidity) and temperature. The tests and assessment methods outlined in ETAG 004 have been written with an intended working life of 25 years in mind.

The test regime subjects the insulation system to repeated cycles of heat and rain, then heat and cold, and finally heat, rain, freeze and thaw. These cycles are completed in strict order for a set amount of time. During these series of cycles the system can be exposed to temperatures as high as 70°C and as low as -15°C mimicking the extreme weather conditions the insulation system could face during its expected working life. Once complete the test wall is assessed for damage such as surface blisters, flaking, delamination, cracks and other visible changes.

Although mainly aimed at ETICS, other materials such as cement particle boards, glass reinforced plastic (GRP) and MgO boards can also be tested.

The new rig is a significant investment by the BBA and it has been made to address the growth of interest in hygrothermal testing of external wall insulation systems due, in part, to the ability to CE mark this type of insulation system. Although CE marking remains voluntary, for products that do not fall within the scope of a harmonized European Standard (hEN), a manufacturer can obtain CE marking through assessment against the appropriate European Technical Assessment (ETA) and a system of assessment and verification of constancy of performance procedure.

The ETAG 004 hygrothermal test is significantly shorter than other similar tests and coupled with the improved efficiency and versatility of the new rig, cycle times are significantly reduced compared to the test rigs previously used by the BBA. This means a quicker throughput of work increasing the capacity to cope with the anticipated higher level of demand. However, companies are advised to contact the BBA as soon as possible to ensure their products can be scheduled for testing in plenty of time.

To contact the BBA e-mail testing@bba.star.co.uk or telephone 01923 665300.

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The £3m development of two blocks for sixth-form boarding in Housman Hall at Bromsgrove School will create 49 new en-suite study bedrooms. The first building was completed in October 2013 with the second due to be finished by the end of August. Robothams Architects specified Klober's air-open roofing underlay Permo® air as one of only two membranes approved by the NHBC Standard for use without supporting high level ventilation.

The old central house at Housman Hall, formerly the home of Old Bromsgrovian poet AE Housman, is listed with the site overall in a conservation area. Permo air therefore enables both long span roofs to be unaffected by vents within a roofline which is in the vernacular style. As such, Permo air made a tangible contribution to a development which preserves and enhances the character of Housman Hall by replacing the former boarding wings with a more sympathetic development.

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Jestico and Whiles design becomes London landmark

London Bridge station, the capital's oldest railway terminus, presented a major bottleneck through lack of capacity either to increase train frequency or service longer trains. Three different operating companies use it with six lines continuing to Cannon Street, Charing Cross and Blackfriars. Of 86 trains each hour only one Thameslink train could be accommodated in the face of demand for 18.

A new 400 metre viaduct and 1,080-tonne, 70-metre bridge over Borough High Street was therefore built to address the congestion issue. Described by architects Jestico and Whiles as an iconic structure, its distinctive appearance is provided by 2200m2 of VMZINC curved cassette panel facades in pre-weathered QUARTZ-ZINC®. The material was fabricated by EDM Spanwall and installed by specialist architectural metalwork and faÇade contractor the McGrath Group. The material will retain its appearance for years to come and in doing so requires minimal cleaning and maintenance.

In addition to construction of the viaduct work also included demolition of existing buildings, temporary relocation of Borough Market to adjacent land and removal, refurbishment and reconstruction of the existing cast iron market structure.

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Amtech, the market-leading software developer for the UK building services industry, has launched Service Manager Mobile for use on the Android mobile platform. Service Manager Mobile works in conjunction with the Service Manager desktop application to improve visibility of job and engineer status and to maximise the productivity of service engineers while they are on site.

Suitable for use with all Android tablets and smartphones, Service Manager Mobile maintains regular communication with the desktop application by ‘polling’ at pre-determined intervals (e.g. every 60 seconds). In doing so it receives job information from the office and transmits data such as change of job status and GPS tracking information back to base. Job and engineer status is then automatically updated in the desktop application so that service managers have a strategic overview in real time.

Service Manager Mobile incorporates a host of advanced features to improve communication and ensure mobile engineers are provided with all relevant information. For example, in the case of planned preventative maintenance the job information can include multiple equipment items and service information such as forecast hours and spares requirements.

Once the jobs have been accepted by the engineer a ‘job response history’ is created in the desktop application that records travel and work progress, along with any additional information and file attachments (e.g. photos). Incomplete jobs are also recorded and their progress tracked.

Spares and mileage values, as well as other cost-related information, are assigned to relevant Job Costs in the Service Manager desktop.

Amtech Group CEO Mark Tindall commented: “Service Manager Mobile is the most recent development from an ongoing programme that will see the benefits of mobile communications being introduced to a wide range of applications. Built on feedback from customers, our mobile applications are designed to add value to users’ businesses by boosting productivity and improving profitability”.

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Easilift Loading Systems has launched the Advanced Control Centre, an intuitive management system that helps distribution centres and warehouses to efficiently and pro-actively take care of loading bays and vehicle traffic.

The system comprises four easily accessible web-based modules – Service; Dock Management; Facility Management; and Statistics & Reporting – providing a comprehensive overview of loading bay activity.

Benefits of the system include faster maintenance, more effective servicing, reduced waiting times, and improved safety, security and energy savings.

“The modern technology of the Advanced Control Centre integrates a whole host of useful functions into a complete operational solution,” explains Rob Fay, managing director of Easilift. “With unprecedented control over loading bay processes, warehouse co-ordinators can optimise efficiency for maximum uptime.”

The Service module supports everyday operation with 24/7 monitoring of maintenance requirements. An Easilift specialist is automatically notified upon any equipment breakdown, so that problems can be immediately analysed and solved – sometimes before the problem is detected on-site. Where possible, this is achieved remotely, significantly reducing disruption as well as avoiding service engineer call-out charges.

By delivering an ongoing audit of loading bay activity, the Advanced Control Centre can also measure usage to ensure that periodic maintenance is appropriate to the specific bay. Automatic planning arranges routine maintenance at the correct service intervals to extend product lifetime.

Dock Management offers real-time information on the status of all loading and unloading dock stations to enable the swift and appropriate allocation of vehicles. With remote reservations ahead of arrival and automatic re-allocation upon vehicle departure, bottlenecks are minimised and dock usage maintained.

Facility Management complements these capabilities with an ‘at a glance’ inventory of essential station data. With expensive utilities energy lost every time a door is opened unnecessarily, or internal lighting systems left on, warehouse co-ordinators can restrict usage only to active bays. And with security paramount, the system can augment or replace existing walk-around surveillance.

The final module, Statistics & Reporting, gives the customer up-to-date information on everything from loading bay station usage rates to average loading and unloading times. As well as substantiated analysis to optimise the flow of traffic and goods, it delivers an overview of operational costs.

“Effective business management means knowing what is happening in the workplace, in order to reduce wastage and focus on the essentials. With our Advanced Control Centre, distribution centres and warehouses now have an authoritative tool to co-ordinate all loading bay activity,” confirms Rob Fay.

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Micronics Ltd will be exhibiting their comprehensive range of “clamp-on” ultrasonic Liquid flow, Heat and Energy flow meters for industry and commerce including the NEW PF330E & U3000E “clamp-on” Heat/Energy meters, which extend the scope of Micronics simple to operate PF330 (portable) and U3000 (fixed) product ranges. The First made in Britain “clamp-on” flow meters offering an integral Heat/Energy meter solution!

Micronics full range of simple to install and accurate flow measurement solutions will be on show including:

A comprehensive range of Portable Transit time and Doppler instruments for clean or dirty, contaminated liquid flow measurement as you would expect from the leading UK manufacturer of portable “clamp-on” instruments. Micronics portables have always been regarded as the simplest to set-up and operate and this essential feature for portable instruments has been maintained throughout the range with great success.

A wide range of Fixed Transit time and Doppler “clamp-on” flow meters for Heat Meter and Liquid flow measurement including the unique U1000, factory preset, “clamp-on” alternative to traditional in-line Hot and Cold water meters. And the U4000 now established as Micronics's “clamp-on” fixed meter solution for larger Building Services and Industrial applications incorporating the latest digital ultrasonic measurement technology to provide easier set-up and commissioning with enhanced accuracy and reliability in operation. Savings of up to 90% have been established for fixed meter installations in comparison to traditional in-line meter installations!

So if you need to know what's happening through investigation with a temporary, portable solution or need a permanent flow or heat measurement/metering solution a “clamp-on” alternative is a must consider option! And the first step is to visit Micronics at www.micronicsflowmeters.com or Sustainability Live, Nemex stand G33.

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If REHAU built houses, they would probably look like this one. A stunning, new build property in Dundee, Scotland has been constructed using REHAU's complete range of building solutions, from PVC-U windows to underfloor heating, a ground – air heat exchanger and even composite decking.

The luxury house, built for a private client by Discovery Homes, is designed to be as efficient and environmentally friendly as possible and uses REHAU solutions wherever possible in line with the quality specification and to reduce running costs.

Discovery Homes regularly installs REHAU underfloor heating and flexible heating and plumbing pipework in its developments and its team have all received training at the REHAU Academy.

Grant White, a Director at Discovery Homes, said: “We have always been impressed by the quality of the REHAU pipework systems and with the support the company provides via its sales office in Glasgow.

“In this one-off project, we wanted to extend the use of REHAU solutions as far as possible and worked closely with the company to identify and install the right products for a range of applications.”

Working from the ground up, the house features REHAU's award winning AWADUKT Thermo ground – air heat exchanger system to provide a sustainable source of fresh, filtered ventilation air, REHAU underfloor heating and REHAU flexible pipework for the hot and cold water supply, sound insulated RAUPIANO pipework for the domestic waste water system and REHAU PVC-U windows throughout.

It is also one of the first properties in the UK to feature the RAUVACLEAN central vacuum system inside and the RELAZZO composite decking system outside.

Grant White adds: “The products show the very best of REHAU's expertise in polymer – both replacing traditional materials with polymer alternatives which are more durable or more convenient and utilising the inherent properties of polymer to deliver 'green' solutions.

“The finished house is built to an outstanding specification which will ensure it is both comfortable and efficient. For our clients, that satisfies their requirements perfectly.”

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Amtech Quickscale is a new, easy-to-use module that enables accurate, electronic measurements and item counts to be taken from PDFs or scanned drawings. As such it dramatically reduces the time spent measuring and eliminates the hassle and cost of printing out large drawings.

Quickscale is compatible with all 2012 versions of Amtech Estimating and provides four easy ways to take-off accurate measurements and add them to the estimate. It can be used to count items (e.g. sockets, valves), measure lengths of materials (e.g. cable, pipework), track and measure the total paths of materials or measure floor area for cost per square metre reporting. All standard drawing scales are included as well as a calibration tool. For each measurement the units (metric or imperial) are simply selected from a drop-down menu.

Each item or material is then selected in the Luckins database for pricing, assembled into kits where appropriate and added to the estimate. The estimate is then completed by marking up and incorporating wholesaler discounts in the usual way.

All measurements are stored against the PDF for easy recall.

To see how easy Quickscale is to use, visit www.amtech.co.uk/quickscale

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