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Klober membranes have been used in a couple’s zero carbon eco-home which featured in the latest series of Grand Designs. The five-bedroom, 4,300sq ft timber frame building on the West Pennine moor has Wallint 50 on the warm side of the insulation to provide an air barrier and vapour control layer. By contrast, Permo forte was installed on the cold side of the insulation to enable moisture within the building to escape and provide a weatherproof barrier behind the timber cladding. Its vapour resistance value of 0.15 MN/sg is well below the 0.6 MN/sg requirement for walls.

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It is increasingly important in the current climate of public sector budget cuts that public buildings are as energy efficient as possible. In addition the Government wants to be at the forefront of the reduction in carbon in public buildings. One such building is the Foreign and Commonwealth Office which occupies a Victorian, Grade 1 listed building in St. James Place, London and has great historical value. A recent upgrade project at the FCO required the energy monitoring of approximately forty combined heating & cooling circuits in order to calculate and benchmark savings which could be made. The quest for energy and utility efficiency requires the best and most reliable measurement systems and Bridge Controls Ltd from Reading, Berkshire, the nominated BMS specialist on this project, had experience of the Micronics range of heat meters from past projects and specified the U3000 range of ultrasonic flow meters for this project. Bridge Controls undertook the installation of the flow meters and CF51 energy calculators which provide direct communication to the Trend BMS network and energy manager software suite.

Martin Knowles, Bridge Control’s Contracts Manager specified the U3000, a transit time ultrasonic flow meter and the CF51 Heating & Cooling Calculator as ideal for the job. Consequently, 40 U3000s were installed in the heating and cooling circuits throughout the building. The U3000 is designed to work with clamp on transducers and accurately measures liquid flowing through a closed pipe. It eliminates the need for any mechanical parts to be inserted through the pipe wall or to protrude into the flow system and because it takes just a few minutes to install, there is no need to shut down flow or drain the system. The CF51’s multifunctional display means that it is easy to read, providing rapid and clear access to important billing data.

Officials at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office were pleased with the installation which proceeded rapidly with no interruption to the day to day functioning of the office. They would certainly use Micronics heat meters in other Government buildings.

For further information on this project or the Micronics range call Micronics on +44(0)1628 810456, or visit www.micronicsflowmeters.com.

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Imperial War Museums is a multi-branch national museum founded in 1917 to record the story of the Great War and the contributions made to it by the peoples of the Empire. IWM Duxford, a branch of IWM is Britain’s largest aviation museum. The site was originally designed as a Training Depot Station and construction started on 15 October 1917. The buildings have been adapted from their original use and in 2004 work to convert the Armoury into a Visitor Centre and Café was completed. The wet heating system for the café was integral to the Visitor Centre. The Facilities Management team at the site use a Micronics clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter to monitor the energy use by the Café. The partner is charged for energy usage and Malcolm Price, the Facilities Manager was keen to establish the relative usage to ensure that the charges were apportioned accurately. The museum is committed to sustainability, reduced energy use and effectiveness and energy costs are a major part of the museum running costs, and measuring and monitoring use is a vital tool in achieving this. Malcolm Price saw the Micronics stand at an energy event and was impressed by the simple but seemingly reliable technology.

The Micronics flow meter was chosen because it offered a non-invasive, quick and reliable flow measurement solution. With its easy to follow menu and simple set up it proved to be a cost-effective alternative to a traditional in-line meter installation. No installation drain down or pipe cutting was required and in addition dry servicing is possible so that downtime is kept to a minimum, absolutely vital in a building which is open to the public throughout the year.

Malcolm Price has total confidence in the Micronics product born of many years of experience. “It is crucial to have the ability to monitor the flow in the site. The unit has worked extremely well for 10 years and is still producing the data we require. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to accurately establish the amount of energy being used. This is particularly important in public buildings like the IWM where there is a statutory requirement to be as efficient as possible.”

For further information on this project or the Micronics range call Micronics on +44(0)1628 810456, or visit www.micronicsflowmeters.com.

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Recotherm is an established company that has built high quality climate control systems for indoor swimming pools since 1985.
Recotherm developed a unique concept in 1991, which was an industry milestone when launched. Previous experience with heat pumps showed that the technology was often under utilised and therefore expensive to run, so they set about a redesign that utilised the properties of ‘fresh air’.
This concept breakthrough set the tone for Recotherm products for the next 25 years.
Recotherm’s Martin Killen advised ‘Recotherm’s mission is simple, we want to engineer the best product for the job, for the best price, ensuring efficiency and running costs are at the forefront of our thinking and to develop new ideas whenever viable.’

Recotherm products offer several advantages, they offer

• Products built specifically for the swimming pool environment.
• Utilisation of ‘Fresh air’ for better climate control
• No use of harmful refrigerants
• Ultra Low running cost
• Reliability, and are ease of maintenance
• Simple installation with a flat pack solution for difficult sites, the systems need only to be connected to a heating circuit, low amperage electrical supply and return and supply ductwork and condensate drain
• Large screen monitor for easy operation
• Internal or external location

Why Recotherm use Fresh Air
Simply it replaces stale air with fresh warmed air, thus Chemical odours, stuffiness and condensation are removed.
With modern controls, efficient heat reclamation units and a modern custom designed ventilation strategy; Fresh air systems easily become more economical than refrigerant based dehumidifiers.

Recotherm are always innovating in their product features and can offer additional enhancements such as:
SCENT SOLUTION
This introduces fragrance into the air meaning that you can choose from a range of aromas making the pool hall smell like a spa experience
REMOTE MONITORING.
Recotherm units can be fitted with extra sensors and a SIM chip, to eliminate mis-diagnosis in the event of problems meaning wasted site visits are eliminated and a return to service speeded up.

Recotherm design and build their products in the UK and are available to consult with you and your technical advisors to engineer a perfect solution.
Please contact Recotherm for more information

Unit A Astwood bank Business Park, Astwood Lane, Astwood Bank, Redditch
Worcestershire B96 6HH

Tel 01527 894533
www.recotherm.co.uk
Email: sales@recotherm.co.uk

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Never one to stand still, Giant Peach New Media is introducing another brand new addition to its portfolio of communications media, this time targeted at exhibition and events organisers and their myriad of customers, that currently sell and buy stand space and utilise the events to spread their messages amongst visitors and attendees. The new addition is also relevant to companies wanting to video their CPD presentations for sharing on digital platforms.

This new offering will allow these customers to spread their messages far wider, to individuals and businesses that have not attended the shows or events themselves but who are keen to find out more about what was on offer – and perhaps what they missed by not being a part of the event. It’s a service that event managers will warm to as a value added service, offering exhibitors who want to take advantage of the resident film crew at an exhibition or event the chance to video their stand and key messages to pump out across the digital networks to ensure the highest possible coverage for their investment at the show through every possible media.

It’s an extension of the recently launched podcast option that has seen companies providing information to Giant Peach to translate into podcast broadcasts, utilising the words and images that customers can provide to be seen through the BusinessNet Explorer portal or through the BNE YouTube channel. This exciting new offer involves Giant Peach providing a live recording of the company’s offering at an exhibition or at an event or CPD presentation with the benefits of seeing and meeting that company’s senior people with a relevant platform in the form of the exhibition stand or backdrop and even possibly the opportunity to see the products or services being made available, there in front of the camera – and even seen operating or in action if that is feasible. Giant Peach offers the full package including a high quality video team to record the message and provide post-production services to enhance the quality of the delivery of the message, to maximise its impact. In the case of a CPD presentation, the opportunity exists to stay on afterwards and record an interview with a senior member of a company’s team to give them a second bite at the cherry for added value digital activity.

One of the first users of the recently launched podcast service said that in five minutes of audio visual, he could get across messages that would take several well-crafted media releases, read multiple times, over a number of hours to understand: “You only need to show someone an idea once on camera whereas you may need to explain it over the phone or in writing several times before the target audience gets to grips with the message you’re trying to share,” he said. The same sentiments are relevant for the new service on offer from Giant Peach.

Giant Peach CEO Mick de Leiburne says: “People are always looking for new ways to share news and messages with their target audiences and this new offer is a logical and natural progression of what we have been offering for years using the BNE portal and more recently extending that to a podcasted format.

“This is a value added service offering marketing communications collaborative opportunities. In this case, each podcast will have its own URL making it linkable and shareable through a customer’s own social media and email updates – expanding the scope of the message sharing exponentially. It’s a simple and relatively inexpensive way of increasing exposure for news stories and product information through the modern use of audio visual activity, shared through the digital networks that exist. It’s a simple but effective way of sharing key messages with your prime audiences.”

Giant Peach New Media offers the whole package from planning the shoot to providing the film crew at the event and producing the finished item to share on You Tube and through the many additional media available in this day and age.

“For brand and event managers looking for exciting new content opportunities and with the increasing importance of video in web sites and in social media, it’s a natural progression for companies looking to widen their sphere of influence,” says Mick de Leiburne. “Not only is it an effective new medium – properly planned, it’s an enjoyable one to be a part of and a very personal one that allows you to be right there, in the offices and workplaces of your target audience and as they travel around during their working day, right across the UK and further afield, simply by making a few clicks on their laptop or mobile devices. It’s a simple concept that enables a complex communications opportunity to come to life quickly and effectively. If you’re ready to embrace the new communication opportunities that the new digital technologies allow, Giant Peach can help you join the podcast revolution!”

For more information on how you can spread the word through this exciting new medium, contact Mick de Leiburne via newmedia@BusinessNetExplorer.com or mobile 07971 081 620. Or you can head for https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-LLRE7HG_U to hear from Mick direct.

For more information –

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WAGO has invested over £200,000 in building an engineering centre located at its UK headquarters in Rugby that is dedicated to designing, pre-assembling, testing and distributing bespoke modular trunking systems for commercial and industrial new builds and upgrades. The centre is a world first for WAGO.

Modular trunking
“While modular wiring is not new, what is different is the concept of modular trunking,” explains WAGO’s Steve Emberton. “Today WAGO is offering a one-stop shop, with modular trunking bringing together all control, power and lighting into one integrated system. Our ability to combine a modular trunking system with I/O is a first within the UK market, allowing many building services to be monitored and controlled using a single platform.” The same trunking can also carry other piped services.
The modular trunking is assembled at WAGO’s facility in incremental lengths and can be installed by non-qualified personnel. Electricians are only required on-site, and in far fewer numbers, for final wiring and testing, thereby significantly reducing labour costs.
Contained within the modular trunking is WAGO’s WINSTA® pluggable connection and cabling system which, via a system of harmonised plugs and sockets, connects all electrical installations and components with each other, from large fan coil units to individual dado sockets. The connectors simply plug together and are keyed to avoid mis-mating, significantly reducing installation errors. The trunking distributes power and data to and from I/O modules to monitor and control various automated systems throughout a building.
Initial investment on modular trunking is rapidly returned with significantly faster installation times leading to considerably lower overall project costs. WAGO’s ability to deliver a fully integrated “plug and play” system assembled off-site at its production unit, allows customers to benefit from shorter lead times and more effective distribution of labour. With less cabling and testing required, fewer staff are required for installation. This reduces the numbers of people required to work at height, while improving overall site health and safety.

WAGO-I/O-System
The WAGO-I/O-System supports all major protocols such as BACnet, KNX, DALI and EnOcean, Modbus/TCP/IP. The I/O system can be used to control and monitor almost any building automation task, from heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) to lighting or window blinds. “The compatibility of the I/O system, with all commonly used programming protocols, permits streamlined integration and communication with almost any existing systems installed prior or alongside WAGO’s.
“The concept was created following a demand from the hospital sector, where there was a need to ensure separate power supplies for critical areas like theatres, and for more general areas” says Emberton.
The engineering centre in Rugby comprises a design team, pre-assembly, testing facility and despatch, manned by some 20 personnel.

Design team
The modular trunking is assembled at WAGO’s facility based on specifications supplied by the customer, or designed by WAGO’s engineers. The company offers consulting and project planning services to help customers devise the best possible solution for their project. An experienced in-house engineering department offers access to highly skilled building services project consultants, who offer advice or undertake site visits to assist the design and planning process of projects, and ensure that the right systems, solutions and components are selected.
Where previously customers would have to design, commission and install trunking, HVAC, lighting and blind control systems often from separate companies, WAGO is able to provide a fully integrated solution delivering comprehensive building automation capabilities underpinned by secure, reliable connections.

Pre-assembly and testing facility
All modular trunking is tested electrically and for material defects using three rigs from MK Test Systems. This ensures that every trunking system leaves the facility having been fully tested to specification ready for quick on site installation.
All trunking is fitted with WINSTA connectors that have a high current rating, and wiring that performs to specification, with minimal leakage or field effects between adjacent running cables.

Despatch
While time is saved during installation, WAGO is keen to avoid delays in delivery or confusion as to what has been dispatched and where it is to be used. WAGO packages the modular trunking safely and securely to ensure it arrives at site ready to use. For schools, hotels or offices, where several types of room are repeated in a building, the trunking is packed “per floor” or “per room”, ensuring that the installer has the right trunking per room type delivered in one clearly labelled container.

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The benefits of Timbmet Engineered Components (TEC®) compared to Timber are explained in a new brochure that underlines why the company is at the forefront of innovation in the largely traditional timber industry.

Manufacturers and installers will find that Timbmet’s multi layered construction of TEC® offers stability and stress performance far in excess of Timber. These highly engineered wood products – available in four key species – are made by joining/gluing multiple pieces of material together.

TEC® is designed to provide uniform performance; a flawless appearance free from nots, splits and staining; reduced levels of waste; and savings on material yield costs and labour costs.

“We hope that we can help our customers to see the benefits of using Engineered Timber” says Justin Hayward from Timbmet. “Timbmet is so confident that you’ll see improved results using TEC® that we can provide working samples for you to trial.”

Compared to solid wood, TEC® could save approximately 25% on material yield costs; made to measure components could also result in 30% less waste and lower associated costs. Waste is also produced at the source of manufacture which means it is recycled back into other wood products.

Labour costs are also reduced because of ease of storage and assembly of the quality controlled product.

Mike Thompson of Biker Group says: “We now use engineered Red Grandis for all our doors and windows because of its quality, performance, stainability and sustainability, and because it is economical and 100% FSC® certified.”
TEC® is available in European Oak, Sapele, Redwood FSC® or PEFC certified, and FSC® certified Red Grandis, exclusive to Timbmet in the UK.

Julian Connelly of Patchett Joinery says: “Red Grandis being a hardwood, the consistency of the grain means no imperfections appear after painting. The result is a high performance, low maintenance material that ensures higher value for our customers.”
Timbmet can offer a comprehensive off-the-shelf range and the capacity to manufacture bespoke components, plus the fact that all TEC products are FD30 fire certified. The range includes Window, Door and Stair parts, in addition to Sandwich Panels, Insulated Sandwich Scantlings and Glulam Curtain Walling.
If you would like to learn more about how engineered timber can benefit you in the manufacture and installation of windows, doors and stairways contact marketing@timbmet.com .

Further details on Timbmet’s full range of TEC products and the new brochure can be found at www.timbmet.com . Hard copies are also available by contacting marketing@timbmet.com

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Effective heating controls are a vital part of an efficient central-heating system. Heating controls manufacturer ESi says it makes huge sense to look more closely at the options.

ESi offers a range of programmers from a simple 1 Channel version to a 3 channel Multi-Purpose Programmer which enables housing providers to comply with Part L of the Building Regulations by providing separate timed heating control for living and sleeping zones in a home, whilst also providing timed control of hot water. These programmers also feature a “Landlord” option to encourage social housing tenants to allow access for annual maintenance, often a real challenge for landlords.

ESi has developed a unique new electronic dual Cylinder Thermostat – a revolutionary new energy saving product. It is a direct and economical replacement for traditional mechanical dual cylinder thermostats. It offers real safety and energy saving benefits and provides accurate temperature control with a clear and informative LCD display. Hot water can be stored at any temperature between 25 and 65 degrees C. It has the added advantage of a weekly automatic one hour “boost” that can be set at a time that is best for the homeowners. This “boost” lifts the temperature of the water in the cylinder to above 60 degrees C to eradicate any legionella bacteria. This results in substantial energy saving compared to traditional systems storing the hot water at a constant 60 degrees C.

Most homes in the UK still tend to have a single heating zone – and the only control in the rooms is by thermostatic radiator valves. When a new central-heating system is installed, it’s possible to fit a full zone control that has different pipe loops and separate thermostats for two or more areas. This can offer significant energy savings.

ESi offers a range of zone valves which are a direct replacement for existing valves if they fail. These are very quiet in operation and now come with an industry leading five-year warranty. They are easy fit components, with a simple clip on/off detachable actuator head and an option of a ‘plug and play’ cable.

Take a closer look at ESi’s offering at www.esicontrols.co.uk.

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LG has launched its new range of residential air conditioning equipment,
the Econo, (ref: E09EM / E12EM), the Libero-S, (ref: P09EN / P12EN / P28EN / P24EN), and
the Libero-R, (ref: D09RN / D12RN / D18RN / D24RN).

All have had an upgrade and now come with Wifi options and a ten-year smart inverter compressor warranty, reflecting the reliability of LG units, as well as a stylish redesign to add to its successful ARTCOOL Stylist, the Mirror and the Prestige units.

These new energy efficient units are simple to install and come with easy to use controls and a large magic display allowing you to check the unit’s energy usage. They’re easy to open and simple to clean which lengthens the units’ lifespan. Features include very low noise levels – just 19dB for the 9k and 12k models, fast cooling and heating, smart control – with Wifi option- and Gold-finTM coating protecting the surface of the outdoor heat exchanger from wear and corrosion.
These new units incorporate high pressure blade fans which provide indoor air flow rates 15% higher than conventional systems. The outdoor unit features high efficiency wings that create high efficiency cooling and heating and a 9m long power airflow corridor that provides a cooling response that is faster and more powerful.

Brochures can be downloaded from partner.lge.com/uk, or you can email LG HVAC.marketing@lge.com for more information.

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Co-operation between leading pump manufacturer Wilo UK and Burton-upon-Trent based MCS approved installation company Renewable Heat UK has seen an existing anaerobic digestion plant on a livestock farm expanded and extended to maximise the benefits it offers the farm– Broom House Farm at Oakethorpe, north of Derby.

Renewable Heat UK saw a number of opportunities in the project and with the support of Wilo products, set about introducing new elements to the existing system to show huge improvements in the systems’ output. The newly expanded system saw the inclusion of nine energy saving pumps – Wilo Yonos-MAXO and Wilo Stratos models – that are amongst the most energy efficient pumps on the market.

The new improved anaerobic digestion system offers a raft of benefits that are all making a huge difference to the farm. Now all organic matter produced on the farm can go directly into the digester. This includes cow muck, old bedding, old feed, hedge clippings from around the farm and any other organic matter generated. The system draws methane off the top of the system using it to fire an engine generator that generates 250mW of electricity – 10% of which powers all the electricity required by the farm with the other 90% going to the grid – producing enough electricity theoretically, to supply a small village. The engine in the system has no radiator – it directly heats a large header tank to dissipate the heat, and this water is then pumped around the site using the Wilo pumps to share the heat across the site.

The low methane slurry that is the waste product of the anaerobic digestion can then be spread on the fields, benefitting from an 80% reduction in smell as a result of the anaerobic process that has resulted in a major reduction in complaints from the farms neighbours. In addition the fertiliser is activated far more quickly on the fields after digestion, rather than having to lie on the fields for some time waiting to start the assimilation process.

But the benefits don’t stop there. The heat generated by the system’s engine sees the drinking water for the cows heated to 30 degrees C which has resulted in an 8-10% better milk yield and the cow shed is heated to 20 degrees C resulting in faster growing, healthier calves on the farm as well. Healthier animals require far less antibiotics, reducing cost and other fears regarding the long term use of such drugs on animals which contribute to food supplies for human consumption. The cows also benefit from better quality feed as in the past feed was put out and left for the cows to eat. Now fresh food is put out every day and the old feed goes into the digester.

Rob Ridley says the partnership with Wilo has paid off handsomely: “We were delighted by the help Wilo was able to provide and the farm is benefitting hugely from the newly extended anaerobic digestion system. It’s a model for livestock farms across the UK that could be benefitting from a similar holistic approach to raising stock, maximising milk yields, generating high quantities of electricity, much of which goes to the grid providing additional income for the farm. It’s not just a win, win situation it’s a ‘win to the power of four or five situation’ when you step back and take a closer look at all the benefits the system offers the farm.”

“We were delighted to be involved in the project,” says Wilo UK’s Morgan Warren-Ross. “It’s always rewarding to be involved in a project that offers something slightly different, and the success of this one is far reaching and offers serious opportunities for other livestock farms to learn from the installation and to benefit from additional income streams.”

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