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The installation of Ability Projects fan coil units has now been completed for phase 1B of the Masdar Institute complex in Abu Dhabi. The contract, involving more than 700 Matrix II EC horizontal and vertical fan coil units represents the second large order that Ability projects has fulfilled for this innovative six square kilometre development designed by Foster and Partners, which seeks to use 100% renewable energy, be carbon neutral and generate zero waste.

Phase 1B of the development involved the installation of 2-pipe, cooling only units (with capacities between 1.3 and 3kW) in mixed residential, laboratory, offices and classrooms for the Masdar University applications. Control of the units’ fresh air inlets and outlets was provided by Ability via damper actuators, which regulate supply and extract based on enthalpy, Vin card entry and occupancy levels within the rooms. This system acts in the manner of a room controller and also takes into account the effects of equipment such as cooker hood etc. In addition, each room is fitted with its own dedicated LCD touch display unit to interface with the complex BACnet building regulation system.

Seventeen further Ability Matrix II EC fan coil units are installed in a local field station, situated adjacent to bore holes, which bring hot water to the system and utilise it for cooling purposes via absorption chillers.

The unique feature of Matrix EC fan coil units is their capability to independently adjust the air volume delivered by each duct on the same unit. This gives Masdar designers the option of using a single unit to condition two spaces, where in the past two units might have been required. This feature, combined with the energy savings afforded by EC motors, makes Matrix fan coil units the natural choice for such an energy conscious project.

The units at Masdar employ both demand and occupancy dependent fan speed control — developments first marketed by Ability in 2005. Demand dependent fan speed allows the fan speed and therefore the air volume, to vary commensurate with thermal demand. The upper limit would (in the past) have been the design fan speed and the lower limit is a percentage reduction determined by the designer.

Occupancy dependent control is a feature whereby the fan coil set points are allowed to move apart and adopt a holding strategy while the space remains unoccupied. With both features operating in tandem, the fan coil is activated only when personnel enter the room, at which point the fan speed imperceptibly modulates to deal with the current cooling load and no more. On Phase 1B of the Masdar project many units also receive control signals from window switches, enthalpy sensors, time clocks and key cards.

Whist Masdar City exploits the best of modern technologies, surpassing the highest standards currently demanded by internationally recognised organisations, its design also incorporates many traditional design techniques to help reduce energy consumption still further. Shaded walkways and narrow streets reduce glare and solar gain while the diagonal orientation of the urban layout makes the best use of cooling night breezes and lessens the effects of hot daytime winds. Other traditional features such as wind towers and solar shades help further improve comfort levels.

The Masdar Institute offers Master’s and Doctoral level degree programs focusing on the science and engineering of advanced energy and sustainable technologies. It has set its sights on being the centre of high calibre renewable energy and sustainability research, capable of attracting researchers and scientists from around the world.

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Another new and unobtrusively styled lantern from Thorn, the Oracle S adopts eco-friendly technologies to meet the sustainable needs of today’s minor road and urban street lighting projects.

Beneath its compact aluminium exterior, the Oracle S conceals a double IP66 protected optic/gear enclosure, complete with superior ethylene-propylene rubber (EPDM) gasket. The reflector, when combined with a choice of enclosures (flat or shallow) and lampholder adjustments (15 sets), optimizes light output and control for both E27/E40 and PGZ12 lamps up to 150W. The benefits are a LOR of 81%, an ULOR of 0% and little maintenance.

Three lighting control options are available: basic Nema / Minicell sockets, Step-Dim switching ballasts and “intelligent” remote monitoring (RMS).

Eco-design credentials are documented in a Product Environmental Profile (PEP), which lets customers check the environmental impact of the product through life.

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Chaido Doulala-Rigby (Yuli), Chief Engineer Tensar International, and Mike Dobie, Tensar Regional Manager Asia Pacific, have both recently been admitted as Fellows of the Institution of Civil Engineers, the world’s oldest professional engineering society, and the pre-eminent international organisation for civil engineers of all disciplines.

“Recognition by one’s peers is extremely valuable and self-rewarding,” comments Yuli. “Since becoming Chief Engineer at Tensar, I am fortunate to have been responsible for the design of some of the largest reinforced soil structures ever built. Pushing the boundaries has helped me to make a mark in the industry.”

“My invitation to become a Fellow recognises the contribution that ICE has made to civil engineering here in Indonesia,” adds Mike. “In Tensar our professional standards in ground stabilisation and soil reinforcement systems are as high as, if not higher than, any in our industry.”

Chaido Doulala-Rigby (Yuli) FICE and Mike Dobie FICE are supported by a number of professionally qualified engineers at Tensar International, including eight Members of the Institution of Civil Engineers.

Chaido Doulala-Rigby FICE; profile: B Eng. Technical Institution of Thessalonika, Greece; MSc Geotechnical Engineering, U of Newcastle-o-T; UK site and project experience incl. AMEC-Balfour Beatty (Jubilee Line extension); Hong Kong experience Geotechnical Engineer and Team Leader, Mouchel; Tensar International 2006 Senior Design Engineer, 2009 Chief Engineer; 2011 FICE.

Mike Dobie FICE; profile: BSc Civil eng. Univ. Bristol, MSc & DIC Soil Mech. Imp. College; Geotechnical engineering for CEng MICE; UK experience, Graduate engineer WS Atkins, Dames & Moore, Freeman Fox & Ptnrs. International experience: Delft Soil Mech. Lab. Netherlands and Singapore; Tensar, Area and Regional Manager Asia Pacific, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta; ICE Country Rep. for Indonesia and Jakarta Local Association ICE committee official; 2011, FICE and invited to Editorial Advisory Board of the ICE Proceedings, Geotechnical Engineering Journal.

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Detectomat will be exhibiting its unique wire-free Wireless detect – Fire Detection and Alarm system at the show, the SRC3000 wireless detect including the designer range of smoke detector/sounders.

The SRC 3000 is a unique wireless detect solution from detectomat –fast, easy to use and no wires, mess or disruption. Just quick, simple to use and stylish, from designer range detectors to control panel!

This unique Wire-Free, Radio Fire System is an ideal solution for retrofit and refurbishment applications in small to medium sized enterprises including office buildings, listed buildings, guest houses, restaurants, nursery schools, garages / workshops, large houses and houses in multiple, occupation.

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The new 11-storey, 583-bedroom Mint Hotel Tower of London is the largest to be built in the City for 35 years. The highly sustainable design by Bennetts Associates included 2200m2 of VMZINC QUARTZ-ZINC® panels built up in 3 zones. Horizontal, interlocking and spandrel panels were installed with moveable, perforated zinc solar shading screens but due to the close proximity of adjacent buildings, fabrication had to be undertaken by Sotech Architectural FaÇade Systems offsite. The separate metallic element which forms the 'skylounge' sits above adjacent rooflines and in addition to affording stunning views of the Tower of London and other iconic landmarks is a prominent feature in its own right. The pre-weathered QUARTZ-ZINC colour integrates perfectly with the building’s natural stone facades and will retain its consistency for decades while developing the natural, self-protecting patina for which zinc is renowned. The project has been awarded the Future Design Award for sustainability.

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The latest additions to the popular Memera range of consumer units from Eaton’s Electrical Sector have integral energy monitoring facilities, making them a convenient and cost-effective solution for local authorities seeking to improve their performance against National Indicator 186, which targets their CO2 emissions. In properties where energy monitors with real time displays have been installed, it has been found that users are readily achieving sustained reductions in energy usage of between 5% and 20%, by simply changing the way they use electricity.

The Local Government Performance Framework has reduced the central government burden on local authorities, but has increased direct accountability. Underpinning the framework is a series of National Indicators (NIs) against which the performance of the local authorities is now measured. Among these is NI 186, which deals with the per-capita reduction in CO2 emissions in the local authority area, and effectively obliges local authorities to find ways of continually improving their emissions performance.

While CO2 emissions relating to energy used in domestic properties account for a significant proportion of the whole, reducing domestic energy use has, in the past, been difficult. Eaton’s new Memera consumer units with integrated efergy wireless energy monitors can now offer an effective and affordable way of addressing this crucial issue, by encouraging the behavioural changes required to effect these reductions.

Designed primarily for use in new installations and for incorporation during major refurbishment work when a new consumer unit is also being fitted, these new units feature a wireless energy-monitoring transmitter and sensor pre-installed by Eaton. This means that they take should take no longer on site to install than a standard unit and that the inconvenience and potential hazards associated with an unskilled person fitting current sensors around meter tails are also eliminated. In addition, with this arrangement the transmitter is powered internally direct from the consumer unit, and so needs no batteries.

The transmitter sends information wirelessly to an efergy remote display unit that can be mounted in any convenient location up to 40 metres away from the consumer unit. The display shows not only the amount of energy currently being used, but also the cost of that energy – a feature that has been found to provide a big incentive for homeowners to look for ways to economise.

The efergy energy monitoring system also stores historical data about energy costs, usage and CO2 emissions for up to 24 months. This not only makes it easy for homeowners to evaluate the success of their energy- and money-saving efforts over that period, but also could allow local authorities to check on the patterns and trends of energy use in specific properties.

Part of the well-proven and widely used family of Memera consumer units from Eaton, the new versions with integral efergy energy monitoring are available in both main switch isolator controlled and dual RCCB versions. When correctly installed, the consumer units comply fully with all applicable UK standards, and with the requirements of the 17th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations.

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Loop Systems’ design for the rejuvenation of the Pioneers’ Museum in Rochdale included installation of 8 bespoke roof windows supplied by FAKRO GB. Being within a conservation area, the specification required windows to have a double mullion bar in RAL7022 to match the existing stone slate roof. Fitting of the windows also had to be flush within the roof line. Although this would ordinarily have been a straightforward process using FAKRO’s EZJ flashing, variations in slate thickness also had to be overcome.

Fakro regularly manufactures roof windows to bespoke requirements in addition to selling most of its extensive range in conservation style. Commissions for special detailing are normally completed quickly, as Fakro Senior Specification Manager Adam James commented. “The growing demand to meet specific design requirements can vary from a non-standard size to a particular frame colour or, as in this case, an additional mullion bar. Fakro has considerable experience of meeting such needs and with our exceptional timber quality and window U-values we are benefitting from a high level of word of mouth recommendation”.

Restoration of the Grade II Listed building attracted Heritage Lottery funding and was undertaken by specialist contractor William Anelay Ltd. The existing stone slate roof was stripped off, the underlying membrane replaced and the roof reinstated together with an upper floor which had been removed in the 70s. The project’s completion will be celebrated with delegates visiting from all over the world during 2012, the United Nations International Year of Co-operatives.

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The demand for an attractive, versatile and economic spotlight tailored to all display applications is fully met by the new range of Thorn Prospector luminaires. Designed to harness the latest LED and ceramic metal halide lighting technologies the spotlights offer consistent contemporary styling, in a choice of silver grey or white. With a choice of four beam distributions, plus track or pendant models, they are equally adapt at focussing tightly on individual displays, or washing large space with ambient light. The 12W LED option embodies Cree’s ‘True White™’ technology to produce warm-white light (2700K) with superior colour rendering (CRI > 90). The LED is mounted at the focus of the reflector for a concentrated, near-parallel beam. This achieves the lighting level of a 35W lv halogen lamp for just a third of the energy consumption.

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Introduction

For over 12 years, Chalmor has been leading the way in forecourt energy savings. Chalmor’s Endurance induction lamp fittings offer proven technology; forecourt pioneers that installed this technology ten years ago still report no failures!

Canopy lighting costs and efficiency levels are coming under ever-increasing scrutiny, as companies spend anything between 30 and 60 per cent of their electricity budgets on lighting alone. Most petrol retailers are looking at three main options for their needs. These are inexpensive metal halide lamps, induction lamps and light emitting diodes (LEDs).

How they work

• Metal halide (MH) lamps consist of an arc tube (also called a discharge tube or “burner”) within an outer envelope, or bulb. The arc tube may be made of either quartz or ceramic and contains a starting gas (usually argon), mercury, and MH salts. Traditional quartz MH arc tubes are similar in shape to mercury vapor (MV) arc tubes, but they operate at higher temperatures and pressures. Typically lamps have a life expectancy of 15,000 hrs and very efficient initially, but depreciate heavily over their life.
• Induction is the process of transmitting energy via an electro-magnetic field. The light emitting gas inside the lamps is energized by passing alternating current through a coil, or inductor. Induction lamps are similar to regular fluorescent lamps, but they don’t have electrical contacts to conduct electricity from the fixture to the light-emitting gas inside the lamp. Additionally with a lamp life of greater than 60,000 hours and efficiency maintained throughout their life they are a popular solution.
• LED lighting is based on semiconductor diodes. When a diode is switched on, electrons are able to recombine with holes within the device, releasing energy in the form of photons. This effect is called electroluminescence. The colour of the light is determined by the energy gap of the semiconductor. For commercial lighting, there are two main methods of producing high intensity white-light using LEDs. One is to use individual LEDs that combine red, green, and blue light to produce white light. The other is to use a phosphor material to convert monochromatic light from a blue or Ultraviolet LED to broad-spectrum white light, in a similar way to a fluorescent light lamp. The useful life of an LED is typically 50,000 hours, subject to the environment placed. LED’s are the least efficient of the three, but maintain their performance relativity well throughout their life.

Metal Halide v Induction

Although Metal Halide fittings may appear to be a cheap solution they have three major disadvantages, it is difficult to control fittings in line with occupancy and daylight, lamps are lower efficacy and shorter life compared to the other HID sources.

The below table: Shows typical energy savings achieved by installing Chalmor’s Endurance fitting and Chalmor’s Universal Lighting Controller (UNI –L) against Metal Halide fittings.

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