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Sourcing all the elements of a combined waterproofing system from one expert supplier is convenient, saves time and, most importantly, avoids any potential split responsibility issues. This was the approach taken by specialist basement contractors, MGA, in the construction of a very high specification new build London property comprising a multi level basement with swimming pool and gym. All waterproofing system components were supplied by Triton Systems whose team also oversaw their installation.

Because of the ‘variable’ water table classification and the very high value of the property, a combination of three types of waterproofing system was specified.

The complete below ground concrete structure, including the swimming pool, was formed using a watertight concrete system incorporating Triton Super Admix (BS 8102 2009 type B structurally integrated waterproofing).

As a primary method of waterproofing the structure, Triton TT Vapour Membrane (BS 8102 type A barrier waterproofing) was applied to the underside of the ground soffit. TT Vapour Membrane is a liquid applied, single component acrylic modified coating.

Platon cavity drain membranes provided the secondary waterproofing system (BS 8102 2009 type C cavity drained) and were installed to all walls and the floors of the lower level, draining to the Triton Aquachannel drainage conduit and pump system.

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FAKRO roof windows have been used at the new £2.85 million Airdferry Resource Centre at Carr Brae, Dornie. Owned by Lochalsh and Skye Housing Association, they were specified by architects Bracewell Stirling whose requirements included non-opening 78 x 140cm windows. A spokesman for Bracewell Stirling explained. “Some of the roof windows were installed to provide natural light within a cantilevered walkway canopy. This links the centre to six elderly residents’ houses so we wanted to ensure that the balcony did not affect the quality of light in the homes. Although not a standard product for FAKRO, the company was able to meet our requirement without problem”.

Meeting non-standard design requirements is a key facet of FAKRO’s service as Senior Specification Manager Adam James explained. “The increasing use of roof windows has encouraged designers to look at different ways in which they can be used. We now receive frequent requests for special window shapes, flashings and colours while conversions are prompting the need for conservation style windows with features such as additional mullion bars. Other commissions have included provision of arc windows for curved roofs, stained glass decoration and special sash and frame colours”.

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Marley Eternit has welcomed the news that the BRE (Building Research Establishment) has awarded an A+ rating to fibre cement profiled sheeting in its Green Guide to Specification.

The company is the only UK manufacturer of fibre cement profiled sheeting, which therefore means it is the only product of its kind able to achieve an A+ (the lowest environmental impact) in the BRE's Green Guide to Specification.

Being the only fibre cement profiled sheeting range manufactured in the UK also provides customers with a reduced carbon footprint in terms of transportation miles.

An A+ rating is the highest possible ranking for any material, putting it at the top of the list for specifiers looking for roofing and cladding solutions with the very best sustainability credentials.

“We are delighted with the recent announcement by the BRE,” said Lynn Street, Sales Director of Marley Eternit – Profiled Sheeting. “This just confirms what we have long recognised – that our fibre cement profiled sheeting, which is the only range manufactured in the UK, is a real sustainable choice as well as being the best value roofing and cladding solution on the market.”

The BRE Green Guide provides architects and specifiers with advice and guidance on how to make the best environmental choices when selecting building materials.

The BRE assigned the top sustainability ratings for fibre cement because of its low environmental impact, along with the work that has gone into reducing its embodied energy during manufacture.

Fibre cement profiled sheeting’s low maintenance and long life expectancy were also recognised by the BRE. So too was the fact that end-of-life fibre cement is 100 per cent recyclable, reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill.

Fibre cement profiled sheeting from Marley Eternit is used in a wide variety of sectors including agricultural, commercial, leisure and residential.

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Stelrad Radiators is celebrating definitive confirmation that it does indeed produce installers’ favourite radiators here in the UK. The result of research carried out earlier this year by a leading sector publication with a random sample of nearly 150 installers came up with some very positive results that seem to suggest that pretty much every installer has installed Stelrad radiators at some stage in their careers – and most of them found it a pleasurable experience! So pleasurable indeed, that they have continued to do so ever since.

The results of the survey were very revealing and supported Stelrad’s four key values in its business. Asked what the most important influencers were on their choice of radiator brand to install in the private replacement market, 42% said that availability from merchant stock was the most important factor, followed by 37% who said that access to a wide range of sizes was important. Only 22% said that price was the key deciding factor and 20% said product design was key. Perhaps most worryingly for the Government, only 11% said that environmental benefits came into play when deciding on the radiators they wanted to install.

Asked if they offered their customers a choice of radiator designs, a perhaps surprising 76% said they did, whilst 24% admitted they didn’t and installed what they thought would be best for that customer.

93% of installers consider the age and condition of the radiators when replacing a boiler and if appropriate recommend replacing them according to the survey.

Asked to list the brand of radiator products they trusted most, 78% mentioned Stelrad, and invited to name five brands, 17% actually mentioned only Stelrad by name. Nearly 90% mentioned Stelrad or an Ideal Stelrad Group brand of radiators in their answers.

“These results are very satisfying,” said Stelrad’s Marketing Director Anna Burns. “We know we’re the UK’s number one which suggests we’re getting something right, but direct responses like this from a decent sized, statistically valid sample, do help us to recognise what is important to our customers and gives us a ‘checkpoint’ to ensure we’re actually responding to what installers out there want, rather than what we think they might want. It’s very pleasing to see that availability and range are the two most important influencers on selection in the merchants. We have instigated a new strategy that sees us with four core values at Stelrad – reliability, availability, range and value for money – and between them they account for the majority of reasons why installers choose a given brand of radiators.

“In addition, the recent launch of ‘The Radiator Book’ – our comprehensive new catalogue of all our products, but with a huge amount of technical information as well, will, we hope, help those installers to have an even better insight into what we offer and the options available to them and their customers, and see us converting even more installers to think ‘Stelrad’ when they walk into their merchant.”

Full details of the exciting Stelrad Radiator range can be found on their website at www.stelrad.com where you can download a pdf of “The Radiator Book”, or of course by calling on 0870 849 8058. You can also request your own printed copy of ‘The Radiator Book’ from the website, from their stands at upcoming heating and plumbing shows or by calling Stelrad.

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Consort has upgraded their successful 1.5kW waterproof heater with the all new QZWP15N. The brand new heater has the added benefits of a replaceable lamp and a more robust construction. This heater is IPX5 rated making to totally weatherproof.

It utilises the high energy, shortwave output of quartz halogen lamps. Short wave high intensity radiant heat, like sunlight, provides warmth that can be felt the moment the heater is switched on. The polished aluminium reflector ensures the heat is directed to a specific area and the glass-free front ensures maximum thermal efficiency and a lamp life of 5,000 hours. It only warms the surfaces that it meets so there is no wasteful heating of air, and the heat is not affected by draughts.

These features make the QZWP15N significantly more environmentally friendly for heating outdoor areas compared to gas heaters, which are far less efficient as much of the heat goes straight up into the atmosphere.

The QZWP15N is clean, silent, and odourless, has very low glare, and is virtually maintenance free. The running costs are very low, working out approximately 1/3rd of the total running costs of gas systems.

The QZWP15N measures 480 mm x 120 mm x 120 mm, weighs 1.7 kg and heats an area of around 9 square metres. The heater is finished in black and fitted with a metal guard and the special bracket supplied can be wall or overhead mounted and adjusted to ensure an ideal installation.

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Bradford-based construction, civil engineering and groundworks contractor Moortown (www.moortowngroup.com) has enhanced its equipment fleet with the purchase of six more market-leading Kubota mini excavators, in a deal that now takes the total number of Kubota models used by the company well into double figures.

Three KX080-3 and three KX057-4 machines – the two highest capacity models in the Kubota mini excavator range – have been selected to provide Moortown with a hard-working and versatile solution; ideal for its extensive school and hospital building programme, as well as other construction and civil engineering projects.

Half of the new vehicles are traded-in replacements for another manufacturer's models, while the rest are additions to support the rapid growth of Moortown, a leading construction and civil engineering specialist operating throughout the North of England.

“Work demand has been increasing to such an extent that it made commercial sense to invest long-term by purchasing six machines rather than hiring several mini excavators to augment our existing fleet,” explains Moortown plant manager Pat Stapleton.

“Kubota was the natural choice based on the quality of their mini excavators which we’ve used in the past. By upgrading to some of the latest models, we are future-proofed against the huge amount of excavation work anticipated.”

The high-performance models chosen by Moortown meet the company’s requirement for productivity, reliability and durability. Ideal for heavy-duty construction applications, the KX080-3 can handle up to 8 tonnes, while the new KX057-4 hits the 5.5 tonne mark.

The KX080-3 features a versatile 2-piece boom, whose long reach and close retraction make the levelling of large areas more efficient and productive, even in narrow environments. Innovative hydraulics enable the operator to complete smooth simultaneous operation of arm, boom, bucket and swivel, all controlled by a user-friendly 2-piece pedal. It also benefits from the CESAR© registration and security initiative.

The KX057-4 delivers an impressive bucket digging force of 4,315 kgf, with a powerful and well-balanced arm and bucket enabling the operator to dig faster and more efficiently even in the toughest conditions.

Both machines benefit from Kubota’s unique, Thatcham approved, key-based 'ANTI-THEFT' system and a three year warranty as standard, alongside a host of easy-to-use features and unrivalled user comfort. There is better visibility and an intuitive digital panel display, which indicates fuel level, engine temperature, service intervals, auxiliary circuit oil flow settings and even the machine’s operational history.

Each has a new load-sensing hydraulic system which provides optimum oil flow to each cylinder, offering smooth operation and enhanced fuel economy, as well as an auto-shift system which enables automatic travel shift from high to low, depending on traction effort and terrain.

The use of Kubota Original Direct Injection Engines, meanwhile, includes a fuel-saving Auto-Idle function, while bonnet placement is optimised for ease of maintenance.

Richard Harrison, Kubota (UK) Ltd – Construction Equipment sales & marketing manager, said: “We are delighted that Moortown continues to hold faith in the quality of Kubota engineering and this further purchase is testament to the exceptional build quality, superior performance and outstanding reliability of our mini excavators, which continue to prove, time and time again, that they are undoubtedly the best machines of their type on the market.

“By enhancing their fleet with some of our most powerful machines, we are sure that these latest additions will have a really positive impact on Moortown’s rapidly growing business.”

The UK, European and world leader in mini excavators, with 19 models spanning the weight range from 980kg to 8 tonnes, Kubota provides the widest choice of machines from a single manufacturer and the largest selection of increasingly popular zero tail swing minis.

Kubota excavators are well known and respected for their quality, performance, versatility, excellent residual values and exceptional dealer support, together with legendary reliability and durability.

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Reliable humidity and temperature controls are essential in ensuring the high performance of many building automation applications. To ensure accurate and stable measurement data, Vaisala introduces two new humidity and temperature transmitters, designed for use in cleanrooms and demanding HVAC applications specifically.

The new Vaisala HUMICAP® Humidity and Temperature Transmitters HMT120 and HMT130 complement Vaisala’s existing offering of relative humidity measurement instruments that covers all applications from ventilation to process control.

In addition to delivering accurate and reliable long term measurement data, the new transmitters are durable, easy-to-use and easy-to-install. In addition, their smooth enclosure finish is resistant to dust and most chemical cleaning agents, which means that the transmitters are ideal for installation in critical environments with very high level of air quality requirements.

“The HMT120/130 are ideal in more demanding HVAC applications, such as outdoor and high humidity environments. They incorporate Vaisala's state-of-the-art HUMICAP® humidity sensor technology with guaranteed high measurement performance, which for the user means less maintenance and trouble free operation”, says Ulla Mattila, Regional Market Manager for Vaisala's Building Automation business.

Designed for both indoor and outdoor use, the transmitters can be either wall-mounted or used with a remote probe for installations inside air handling units, air ducts, and difficult to reach places. Calibration and maintenance are made simple, quick and cost-effective by making the transmitters' relative humidity probes fully interchangeable. As a result, the probes can be replaced without having to remove and re-adjust the transmitter.

For further information and detailed product specifications, please go to www.vaisala.com/hmt120.

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Megger’s SVERKER 760 protection relay test set can now optionally be ordered with a rugged protective case that makes it even easier and more convenient to store, transport and use. The case, which is constructed entirely from non-conductive materials, incorporates a robust hinged carrying handle, and is also fitted with an second extendable handle and wheels, allowing it to be moved around easily and with a minimum of effort.

• More portable
• More manouverable
• Better protected
• Easy to move

To allow unimpeded access to the instrument, the lid of the case can be removed completely and, as a further aid to convenience, provision is made within the case for the storage of test leads. When closed, the new case has an IP67 ingress protection rating to safeguard the instrument against damage by water, dust or other contaminants while it is being stored or transported.

Efficient testing

The SVERKER 760 single-phase protective relay test set for which the new case is suitable are designed to maximise testing efficiency while minimising complexity. It features logical front panel layouts that make setting up straight forward, and it has easy to read displays that can be used to show Z, R, X, S, P, Q, phase angle etc., as well as time, voltage and current.

As a further aid to testing efficiency, the voltmeter function of the instruments can be configured as a second ammeter, which is particularly useful when testing differential relays, and the display incorporates a freeze function for capturing short duration voltage and current transients.

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Hambleside Danelaw, the UK market leader for GRP mortarless flashing products, is urging builders to follow a new NHBC recommendation that they should seriously consider opting for dry systems on pitched roofs to reduce their risk of incurring remedial works due to mortar failure.

The NHBC has just reported that 60% of claims handled in 2010 related to pitch roofs and half of these claims were due to mortar issues. The Council’s latest Technical Extra guidelines ask, “When was the last time you considered the latest dry systems available?”

Availability is easily found within one of the most comprehensive ‘dry roof’ ranges offered by a British manufacturer. The range includes Dry Fix valley troughs, ridge and hip systems, soakers, verges and bonding gutters. Some of these Danelaw products are listed in the WRAP procurement guide because they contain up to 50% recyclable content.

Scotland leads the way

The NHBC says that almost all of its insured sites in Scotland are now being built with dry systems for ridges, verges and hips. Claims figures appear to support this move to dry systems, with Scotland experiencing a smaller proportion of pitched roof claims per property covered.

Since the start of 2011, Project Managers for three local authorities in Scotland and the Glasgow Housing Association have specified Hambleside Danelaw’s Dry Fix Bonding Gutters and HD TV15 Tile Vents.

Dry verges reduce claims

Verges are also reported by the NHBC to be a common feature of pitched roof claims and can require complicated and expensive scaffold access to facilitate repairs. Hambleside Danelaw supplies GRP Dry Verges in an attractive slate grey colour for batten and sark boards or face fixing which are suitable for all natural and man-made slates.

Chris Avery, Hambleside Danelaw’s managing director, comments: “Repairs directly undertaken by builders add to the £11m bill which the NHBC faces for pitch roof claims, so it really makes sense for specifiers and contractors to look at the Dry Fix option. And if you choose Hambleside Danelaw, you are buying products designed and made in Britain.”

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Introducing Low-Build UFH from Thermoboard. It’s a slim, energy-efficient, plumbed system that can be installed quickly and safely. It’s designed to fit onto existing floors with minimum build-up and no major disruption.

Low-Build plumbed UFH vs Electric mat UFH

Until recently, an electric mat system was the usual solution for adding UFH to existing floors. However, the high running costs of electric UFH have always been a drawback.

Like all plumbed UFH systems, Low-Build UFH is less costly in service than electric systems. In fact, when compared with Low-Build UFH, an electric system can cost up to 3 times as much to run.

Low-Build UFH is based on ultra-slim polystyrene panels with pre-routed channels for 10mm polybutylene pipe. The installed height is just 15mm. That’s actually less than the diameter of a UK 5p coin. Each panel has a thin aluminium diffuser layer as a built-in heat reflector. A 6mm ply load-bearing layer may be added if required.

Key benefits

• No digging or dismantling of existing floors to accommodate UFH.
• No significant rise in floor level necessary.
• No separate end-return panels needed.
• Less disruption to doors and skirting.
• No special tools required.
• Panels easy to handle and trim to size.
• No assistance required to lay panels and pipe.

Applications: for existing floors

Low-Build can be installed directly onto any flat and level existing floor, whether solid or timber-based. It’s perfect when renovating:

• Kitchens
• Conservatories
• Bathrooms
• Newly-separated en-suites for bedrooms
• Garage conversions

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