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Mitsubishi Electric has released a new video highlighting how the unique Hybrid VRF air conditioning system can remove the need for leak detection whilst still delivering all of the control and efficiencies associated with VRF (Variable Refrigerant Flow) systems.

The City Multi Hybrid VRF unit operates without using refrigerant in occupied spaces, whilst delivering high levels of comfort to a building, through the system’s modular two-pipe design.

“Hybrid VRF will give you levels of comfort normally associated with four-pipe fan coil technology, whilst providing the all flexibility of traditional two-pipe VRF”, explains Mark Grayston City Multi Product Marketing Manager.

Mitsubishi Electric has identified the need for a new approach to delivering comfortable heating and cooling to buildings as the industry comes to terms with the impact of F-Gas legislation and the move towards refrigerants with a low global warming (GWP) potential.

“We’ve prepared the animation to explain how the system works and show how it can help building operators comply with legislation such as BS EN378”, adds Grayston.

The animation can be viewed on the company’s dedicated YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/mitsubishielectric2 .

Further details on the Hybrid VRF system is available by emailing air.conditioning@meuk.mee.com

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Double winner of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, Ancon Building Products, continues to expand its range of high integrity structural fixings and will exhibit a number of new products at Ecobuild 2016 taking place at ExCeL, London from 8-10 March 2016.

On stand number E3080, Ancon will showcase its latest fixing innovations, suitable for new-build construction including low-energy residential developments. Products on show will include the lightweight Nexus® brick faced soffit system, a number of insulated balcony connectors and an exciting new development within the Teplo range of low thermal conductivity wall ties.

Developed in partnership with cut-brick specialist, Ibstock-Kevington, the new Nexus system is a lightweight simple-to-install solution to creating flawless brick soffits in any brick type. It combines brick-faced offsite-manufactured building modules with Ancon’s popular MDC brick support angle. Bringing together two industry experts in one product launch, Nexus provides quick and easy alignment on site without mechanical lifting.

Further reflecting the sustainability theme of the exhibition, Ancon will also be focusing on ways of helping building designers to meet their thermal performance aspirations.

A newly-extended range of Ancon insulated stainless steel connectors enable structural integrity to be maintained at steel and concrete balcony interfaces without compromising on thermal efficiency. Designed to create a thermal break in the construction, these connectors are proven through thermal modelling to help prevent condensation and mould growth.

For exhibition visitors involved in the super-insulated end of the market, including PassivHaus and Zero Carbon projects, EcoBuild 2016 will hold a special treat – the launch of an exciting extension to the award-winning Teplo range of ultra-low conductivity basalt fibre wall ties. By minimising insulation depth and wall footprint, these unique wall ties are already helping to shape low energy building design and this latest product development will see them become more user friendly for the installer, improving their all-round appeal.

Finally, visitors to the stand can get a taste of the company’s pro-active customer-focussed technical and sales support. Come and meet the Ancon team. If you would like to book an appointment with a member of staff to discuss your specific project or business requirements, please get in touch.

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REHAU Polytec 50 is an innovative composite curtain walling system designed to compete head on with aluminium offering improved strength and better thermal efficiency, without any compromise on slim sight lines or colour options.

The system was designed and developed by global polymer giant REHAU and has a high strength steel core which outperforms aluminium under load, an aluminium exterior face with slim 50mm profiles which can be powder coated in any colour, and a comfortable, ‘warm to the touch’ PVC interior.

It is also a traditional ‘Stick’ curtain walling system which uses the same profile for both transoms and mullions, making it easy to fabricate and easy to install with minimal wastage.

REHAU Polytec 50 has been Passivhaus certified and has a U_f value which can be as low as 0.74 W/m²K, so it is popular for use in public and private sector commercial projects, and in both new build and refurbed homes where the emphasis is on energy efficiency.

It has also recently been tested and certified to the CWCT standard test methods for building envelopes so can be used in new build developments where an NHBC certificate is required.

Recent installations at the newly opened St Marys student village at Bangor University, North Wales and in the Greenlaw Court apartment building in Ealing illustrate many of its strengths.

At St Mary’s village, for example, 23 REHAU Polytec 50 screens coloured anthracite grey on the exterior and white on the interior were installed at heights of up to 11.3m in new student halls built by Vinci Construction.  REHAU’s composite system was preferred to aluminium primarily because it was more cost effective with no compromise on the aesthetics of the finished buildings, but also because of its better thermal performance and warmer internal face.

Similarly, at the high profile, eight storey 1960s Greenlaw Court, a 20m high curtain walling section in REHAU Polytec 50 was chosen to match the aesthetics of the steel section which it replaced and give the building’s residents better thermal performance with minimal requirements for maintenance.

REHAU Polytec 50 is on display in the new REHAU Hub in the Building Centre, London; and further information for architects and specifiers, including full technical specification, is available in a newly produced 16 page brochure which can be downloaded from the REHAU website via www.rehau.uk.                                   -1-

As part of REHAU’s extensive support package for commercial specifiers which is branded ‘REHAU KNOWHAU’, the company also offers a RIBA approved CPD on high performance curtain walling.

This examines the different curtain walling options – ladder, stick, unitised and structural glazing and explains the differences between them and the most appropriate applications for each.

It also covers the key design criteria – from material, spans and fixings to finishes, glazing and ventilation; and there is a detailed focus on the load considerations which apply when calculating curtain walling designs.

The CPD can be booked via REHAU’s website at: www.rehau.uk

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BBA certificates for the VMZINC ‘Compact roof using cellular glass insulation’ and ‘Structural roof using PIR or mineral board insulation’ have been updated and extended. The compact roof utilises Foamglas® cellular glass insulation to prevent the passage of water vapour and is therefore ideal for buildings with a high vapour drive such as swimming pools. Both systems are installed without mechanical fixings penetrating the insulation, thus greatly reducing scope for thermal bridging. VMZINC remains the only zinc manufacturer to have such accreditation and can additionally offer a BRE Green Guide A+ rating for the structural roof system.

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‘ColourLine’, an option with FAKRO DEF flat roof windows, enables outer cladding to be specified in any RAL colour from the Classic Palette. Whether to blend with a green roof, terrace landscaping or tiles on pitches up to 15°, thermally efficient glazing units provide an installed U-value as low as 0.76 W/m² – ideal for Passivhaus construction. White PVC interiors are ideal for bathrooms and wetrooms, while windows from 60 x 60 to 120 x 220 cm have a glazing area up to 16% greater than competitors’ windows of comparable size. All can be installed with an XRD upstand to add 15 cm height and on pitches from 2° to 15°.

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Giant Peach introduces YouTube and SoundCloud options

The world of communications never stands still and as we enter 2016, there’s an exciting new option for companies looking to raise awareness of their products and services that makes that communication more powerful than ever before.

For UK Construction & Building Services and associated Manufacturing and Energy sector manufacturing and service provider businesses looking to communicate in a very targeted way with their trade target audiences, there’s a new option from an established internet portal that makes information gathering via the internet even simpler – and quite a lot more fun!

Giant Peach launched its first sector portal in 2001 and has since developed BusinessNet Explorer – a new multi-sector portal with a state-of-the-art customised search facility. BNE aims to significantly reduce the time taken for the business community to search for B2B internet options.

Giant Peach’s specialist team has already put together an impressive offering of product news and information access options via the BusinessNet Explorer portal, providing an easy to navigate and rewarding visit to the evolving BusinessNet. The company has now introduced a new BusinessNet Explorer YouTube channel and a SoundCloud podcast channel that makes trade news messages simple to listen to on the move and easy to gather information from.

The YouTube channel enhances the audio content from the SoundCloud channel based product news round and ‘special edition’ interview podcasts further by including supporting visuals. Both channels can easily be accessed via the BusinessNet Explorer home page www.BusinessNetExplorer.com

Both channel playlists include monthly product news round podcasts and a selection of ‘special edition’ podcasts featuring interviews with industry leaders covering topical industry issues, new products and product areas and new services available in the industry. The latest one available sees Nick Hayler, Technical Services Manager of Marshall-Tufflex, interviewed by Mick de Leiburne for BusinessNet Explorer covering a range of issues including the company’s investment in new manufacturing technology that assists them in bringing new product developments to market more quickly. The number of new podcasts available will grow in the weeks and months ahead to provide a library of interesting options available in an easily digested format that hasn’t been available in this sector before.

The initial podcasts are proving popular with the listeners and the companies involved in providing the information: “Our client Klober was extremely pleased to be contacted by us to determine whether they wanted to take advantage of BNE’s first podcast,” says Nigel Pittman at Pittman PR. “The number of individuals who listened in the first fortnight was very impressive, so we would recommend considering them as a worthwhile addition to extend marketing exposure.”

According to Mick de Leiburne, it’s all good news for Giant Peach: “It’s another new offering from Giant Peach that is a direct response from our customers to the need for new ways of sharing news and spreading messages in the sector. It’s a natural progression to the work we have been doing for several years and offers a value added service to the role we have performed successfully over that time. The value is more than doubled as the companies that are providing us with content for these podcasts are also making them accessible through their own web sites and communications processes. It’s just a way of increasing the exposure that companies can get for news stories, case studies and new product and services releases that they already produce and at the same time meeting the growing demand within the specifier and buyer community to have the option to access product news and information in audio and audio / visual formats.”

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.

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According to Mike Nankivell, marketing director of Space Air, the UK Daikin Distributor, heat pumps already play in commercial buildings and the latest VRV heat pump developments from Daikin Europe demonstrate their innovative approach to meeting virtually any requirement.

The “flagship” of the new 4^th Generation VRV RANGE is the heat pump heat recovery system launched earlier in the year. This new system makes huge advances in climate control efficiency. Not only is it up to 28% more efficient than the previous generation of VRV, it is even more flexible and can be installed faster than any other heat recovery system available.

Today, Daikin’s VRV IV heat recovery system is able to efficiently satisfy requirements for heating, cooling and domestic hot water.

Daikin Europe calls it “The most Sustainable HVAC System in the World”. Mr Nankivell claimed.

The new generation Daikin VRV IV systems are now available in several variants – we have:

VRV IV Heat Recovery
VRV IV Heat Pump
VRVQ IV – replacement systems
VRV IV – W – Water cooled
A new mini VRV IV range including the S-series compact (super low profile) outdoor units
Finally – the new VRV IV i-series. The first VRV outdoor unit designed for indoor installation.

In the commercial sector, the pre-eminent heat pump is the air source air-to-air type, which can satisfy both the space heating and cooling requirements. However, sanitary hot water services have still, in the main, been provided by secondary systems such as point of use electric water heaters or central gas/oil fired boilers. This is now changing thanks to new developments in air source heat pump technology.

Focus on Efficiency

Daikin Europe’s three-pipe VRV heat recovery systems were already considered the most energy efficient on the market but VRV’s fourth generation features other new innovations outlined below, which “fine tune” the focus on efficiency with remarkable results:

1. Variable Refrigerant Temperature technology – enables the refrigerant temperature to be adjusted to match heating or cooling demand and the outside temperature, reduced power consumption results in an improved operating efficiency of as much as 28%. Comfort is also enhanced because variable refrigerant technology enables cold draughts to be avoided.
2. Continuous heating during defrost – The defrost cycle can result in reduced indoor temperatures at a time when this is undesirable. VRV IV’s continuous heating during defrost avoids this issue and maintains comfort levels when the defrost cycle is activated.
3. The VRV configurator software – enables the system to be “set up” off site, saved to a USB and simply uploaded at the commissioning stage. This feature greatly simplifies both the installation and commissioning of Daikin VRV systems.

Mike Nankivell commented. “To effectively and efficiently manage the heating and cooling and hot water requirements of our commercial buildings it’s not so much a question of “why install heat pumps?” rather than “why consider any other technology?” No other systems offer anything like the combined energy efficiency, carbon emission reductions and cost effectiveness than heat pump technology.”

For more information about Daikin’s VRV IV systems contact – marketing@spaceair.co.uk

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The National Memorial to the Few at Capel-le-Ferne, on the famous white cliffs between Dover and Folkestone in Kent has been redesigned and updated with a stunning new building, shaped like an iconic Spitfire aircraft with its sweeping wings. The site is appropriately based in the area nicknamed ‘Hell-fire Corner’ due to the intensity of the dog-fights that took place during World War 2, in this part of Kent.

Maintained by the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust, the site at Capel-le-Ferne is dedicated to Churchill’s famous “Few” who fought in the skies overhead to keep this country free from invasion. The Memorial itself inspires quiet reflection on the bravery and sacrifice shown by the aircrew – fewer than 3,000 men – who flew, fought and sometimes died in probably the most crucial battle fought by this country in the whole of the 20th century.

The Christopher Foxley-Norris Memorial Wall lists the names of all those who took part in the Battle of Britain, while a replica Spitfire and Hurricane stand nearby as a reminder of the iconic machines they flew to victory. At the edge of the car park, greeting visitors to the site is a low wall bearing Churchill’s famous quotation: “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed, by so many, to so few”.

The original plan for the memorial was on a bigger scale than the visitor will see today. Many would argue that the final design, by Harry Gray of the Carving Workshop, Cambridge, is moving through its simplicity. It features a striking sculpture of a seated airman looking out to sea, surrounded by the badges of the Allied squadrons and other units that took part in the Battle of Britain.

Independent LG distributor LGCC has had the privilege of supplying the air conditioning and heating services for the new state of the art centre, bringing together the latest Variable Refrigerant Flow technology and Heat Recovery Ventilation units in a unique energy saving combination.

Using the LG Multi V Series 4 heat recovery VRF system LG, through distributor LGCC, has supplied a 32HP (89kW cooling/ 100kW heating), two module, inverter driven outdoor unit connected to ten large ducted internal units and two four way air discharge cassettes, connected through five heat recovery distribution boxes. LGCC has also supplied cooling for the server room.

In addition there are three LG Heat Recovery Ventilation units (ECO V) installed for the supply and extract of fresh air. These are supplied with CO2 sensors.

Remote zonal control is included but overall building control is achieved by LG’s AC Smart Intelligent Centralised controller. Remote return air sensors are also installed in zones to ensure accurate control of space temperature.

All LG outdoor unit coils are treated with LG’s Gold-fin™ epoxy coating as standard to inhibit corrosion. This will be particularly relevant at this site due to the air’s salinity and the memorial’s proximity to the coast.

“We hope that LG’s equipment will make the visits of the thousands of visitors in the years ahead, that bit more comfortable – whatever time of year they choose to visit – to pay their respects to the quite extraordinary men and women who kept the invaders at bay and showed extreme bravery – up to and including giving their lives for this country” says LGCC Director Jez Smith.

“As M&E consultants, Steadman Environmental Control is proud to have been associated with this iconic project, especially in this Battle of Britain 75^th anniversary year,” said Martin Steadman.

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Mitsubishi Electric has produced a free, CPD-accredited guide to the new Energy Related Products Directive or ErP (2009/125/EC), which is a key part of the European Union’s drive to encourage consumers to use more energy efficient products.

The ErP Directive, which came into force at the end of September, now means that commercial and residential heating products will need to display an energy label, so that consumers can quickly understand the energy efficiency of the products they purchase.

A similar market transformation strategy has already proved highly successful with consumer goods such as fridges and freezers, where it is now very rare to find anything below an A rated product available on the high street.

To highlight the requirements under ErP Mitsubishi Electric has also released a short video which explains how the Directive is designed to help phase out lower performing products whilst having a positive impact on the emissions levels across Europe and increase the share of renewable energies by 20 per cent.

The dedicated video can be viewed at the company’s YouTube Channel and further information on the entire range of A++ heat pumps can be found on the dedicated Youtube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk1ldYXNpuw&list=PLvcrLXkBScHpdC0WSvzpO3uvwawcNjpIr&index=10  

The Directive is a two-part strategy. Firstly, the ErP requires manufacturers to produce energy-using products that meet stringent minimum performance standards. And secondly, these products must be clearly labelled using a standard methodology so that consumers can quickly understand the energy efficiency of the products they purchase.

The CPD Guide covers both main parts of the ErP: the EcoDesign regulations and the Energy Labelling regulations. The guide explains how the labelling is designed to help businesses and homeowners understand the benefits of each technology and focuses on the importance of ErP in relation to legislation such as the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).

For further information, visit http://bit.ly/1NBrWjl

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Dualchas Architects’ design of Taigh Learaige in Stanley, Perthshire shows the benefit of being able to install FAKRO roof windows at varying depths. The visual aesthetic is greatly enhanced by their low profile in a structure which takes the timber from the roof into the walls with no visible rainwater goods. Eight non-vented, triple-glazed FTV U5 centre pivot windows were used with thermal combination flashings and XDP fitted underfelt collars around each window. Architect Alasdair Stephen commented, “The Fakro windows were used because of the wide range of sizes and the scope the company offers for project-specific customisation.  They are also great value compared to other glazing systems”.

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