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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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A standing seam roof in VMZINC QUARTZ-ZINC PLUS^® has been used in Howl Associates’ design of Wyre Forest Crematorium in Kidderminster. It consists of a series of ‘floating’ roof forms separated from walls with frameless clerestory glazing. Acoustic considerations were a prime concern due to the proximity of an adjacent industrial estate, major road and rifle range. Zinc, with its Green Guide A rating and compact roof build-up, was selected to deal with the complex geometry of the main chapel and used alongside green roofs on the site maintenance building.

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Extensive conservation and remodelling of the Grade 1-listed All Saints Church in Kingston-upon-Thames saw Klober Permo® air underlay used in the choir vestry reroof. The £1.7m project, designed by Ptolemy Dean Architects, a practice specialising in conservation work has opened up two entrances on the church’s north side, transforming the church into a revitalised centre for heritage and community in the heart of the town.

Permo air has an unmatched standard of ‘breathability’ and its growing use in conservation and restoration projects is matched by a similar degree of use in new build work.

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A new video from Mitsubishi Electric shows how the company took its head office from an ‘E’ to a ‘B’ energy rating and offers advice on how other companies can do the same.

With tough legislation focusing attention on energy use in the built environment, how we heat, cool and ventilate our buildings is coming under scrutiny as never before.

“We’ve been on an eight year journey and one of the things we are saying in this video is that any business could and should be planning to improve the performance of their building”, explains Russell Jones who hosts the video.

“Just like any other company we have had to make a strong business case for each new piece of equipment, but the fact that we have improved so much and have significantly reduced running costs shows the advantages that can be gained”.

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

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Leading water softener manufacturer Tapworks says water softeners are far more common in the UK than you might think. With so many homes across the UK built in hard water areas, whilst the majority simply put up with the hard water coming through their water mains, a significant minority currently have taken the sensible step of doing something about it and improving their lifestyle situation.

Despite attempts to share the message that our American cousins have known for decades – a message that has seen literally millions and millions of softeners purchased and installed across the States – in the UK we’re really only just waking up to the news that installing a water softener will result in lower energy usage and – take a deep breath…..lower energy bills.

At a time when energy bills continue to head in an upwards direction, any investment that pays for itself in around two years and continues to save you money for as long as you use it, would seem to be an investment worth looking at closely – and worth recommending to your customers if they live in hard water areas of the UK.

A major independent research study in the USA – the Battelle Report – which began six years ago in 2009, with further updates after that date, concluded that ‘water softeners are amongst the ‘very best’ household energy savers’. As a consequence of the study, the Water Quality Association – an independent body in the USA, is now promoting water softeners in the USA as ‘the best energy saving device you can buy’.

If your customers live in a hard water area – which is around 60% of the UK, especially in London and the south east, East Anglia and the Home Counties – they will already know about hard water. Scum in the kettle. Scaling up of showerheads, limescale marks in the sink and loo.

But if that’s what can be seen easily, imagine what damage is being done where you can’t see it, in heating systems, in washing machines and dishwashers, prime targets for hard water damage. Scale will also form around the heating coil and eventually fill a hot water cylinder. It’s estimated that the annual amount of hard water used by an average family of four contains a whopping 70kg of scale. Untreated limescale simply means wasting energy, wasting money and having to replace appliances and heating systems.

Tapworks new high capacity water softener will fit comfortably in a standard kitchen cabinet. The Infinity offers all the benefits associated with the leading Tapworks range of softeners and meets the needs of families where space is at a premium in their kitchens.

Chris Eaton heads up the water softener company here in the UK: “We’ve seen excellent take up of our leading AD11 unit and the smaller Ultra 9 unit, but we’ve been asked by installers to consider bringing a new, higher capacity unit – that will still fit in a kitchen cupboard – to the market and we’re happy to respond with the new Infinity model which is available from merchants now. It’s perfectly suited to busy, growing families and with its higher capacity offers a more efficient unit too. There’s now a Tapworks unit for every sized home in the UK including a one inch valve unit for larger homes needing higher flow rates.”

Contrary to what you might think, over the last few years when the economy has been difficult, sales of water softeners in the UK have remained remarkably buoyant. People have clearly recognised the issues relating to hard water in their homes and decided that softened water improves their lifestyle, but importantly also cuts their costs – their heating bills in particular and the costs of cleaning and washing, because softened water allows soaps, shampoos and detergents to work harder, so you need so much less of them. This new model will open the door to many more people looking to replace elderly water softeners or those looking to install a new softener in their home for the first time.

Just a 1.6mm build-up of scale on the inside of heating system surfaces can cause a 12% loss in heating efficiency in pipes, in radiators and on heat exchanger surfaces in boilers. Scale will also form around the heating coil and eventually fill a hot water cylinder.. The most welcome benefit for householders in the current economic climate, is that having softened water in the home can reduce heating bills significantly – 15% reductions in energy bills are commonplace, often more – and importantly, having a water softener installed will reduce maintenance costs on those appliances.

Full details of the Tapworks range can be found on the company’s excellent website at www.tapworks.co.uk or you can call for information on 01494 480 621.

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New energy-efficient Crittall windows have been installed in a late 1960’s tower block at one of north London’s major hospitals for main contractor Kier Construction (London).

The £1.5 million contract saw more than 300 windows replaced in the eight-storey tower and two-to-four –storey podium building at North Middlesex University Hospital, and was carried out in a manner designed to reduce noise and disturbance for patients and staff in the hospital buildings.
Situated in Edmonton, the hospital has undergone a multi-million rebuild and upgrading in recent years. Crittall has been involved in the refurbishment of windows in the nearby stroke and cardiology departments.

For the eight-storey tower block, built in 1968, 322 C2000 composite windows were installed. The elevations have differing glass specifications with variations in the thickness of sound control laminators. Various windows also had Solarshield film applied where showers or toilets are being fitted internally.

Some 95% of the window replacement was undertaken using Camac Mast Climbers, seen as a far more efficient external access solution than scaffolding. New materials were loaded by Telehandler into the goods hoist through a larger side door, taken to the desired floor and pallet trucked to the work area.

The old windows, which were also Crittall units, were removed by levering out the vents, splitting the couplings, taking the frame out in sections and passing all parts to the inside of the building. They were then placed on trollies, brought down in the hoist and disposed of in skips to be recycled. No grinders are used and no glass was broken during window removals. This helped to keep noise and dust disturbance to a minimum which was particularly important as two floors were occupied by patients and staff.

www.crittall-windows.co.uk

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Saint-Gobain PAM UK, part of international materials company Saint-Gobain, has launched a new range of steel channels, gullies and gratings for use in most industrial and commercial applications.

Adding to the company’s VortX range of cast iron floor, roof and shower drains, the steel channels, gullies and gratings can be used internally and externally and are 100% recyclable at the end of product life.

Supplied in Grade 304 stainless steel as standard with Grade 316 versions also available, products are designed to suit terrazzo, tiled and vinyl floor finishes. Grating options include a high flow, anti-slip bar grate, ideal for areas where more slip resistance is required, and can withstand loads of 15kN to 250kN.

Commenting on the launch, Mike Rawlings, Marketing Manager – Soil, Drain & Rainwater at Saint-Gobain PAM UK said:

“This launch adds to our ever-growing VortX range, which is the result of a continuous development programme that offers installers everything they need to do the job, without complicated selecting procedures.

“The standard range is suitable for a number of applications including food and drink processing, pharmaceuticals, commercial kitchens, hotels and restaurants, hospitals, supermarkets, sports and leisure, prisons, railways and utilities.

“In addition to the standard products in the range, we can offer an array of bespoke products that can be manufactured to suit the customers’ exacting requirements.”

For more information, visit www.pam-vortx.co.uk or telephone 0115 930 5000 to request a brochure.

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Saint-Gobain PAM UK, part of international materials company Saint-Gobain, has extended its range of cast iron, VortX roof outlets with the launch of a new 150mm vertical body unit.

Designed in accordance with BS EN 1253, the new, BSP threaded outlet has a compact vertical body and is available with both a flat and domical grating, with the domical version achieving a flow rate of 14.5 litres per second – making it one of the highest performing cast iron roof outlets on the market. Connections to 160 OD pipework are made using a cast iron spigot adaptor.

Commenting on the launch, Mike Rawlings, Marketing Manager – Soil, Drain & Rainwater at Saint-Gobain PAM UK said:

“The high flow rate and compact body design of the new 150mm outlet offers space saving benefits to the customer, and potentially means fewer outlets are required to remove water from flat roof structures.

“Also new to the range is a stainless steel gravel guard to suit the vertical roof outlets.”

The rest of the VortX roof range includes a 100mm vertical outlet as well as balcony outlets with flat and notched gratings, along with two-way outlets, clamping rings and raising pieces. All bodies are available as spigot and BSP versions, allowing connection to cast iron, PVC and other materials.

To ensure durability, all of the flat gratings in the range are sherardised, which provides a hard wearing and anti-corrosive finish. Cast iron domical gratings, clamping rings and raising pieces in the range are supplied black epoxy coated.

In addition, cast iron roof outlet bodies are supplied in a grey epoxy coating used for EN877 pipework, performing to high standards of adhesion, chemical resistance and temperature cycling.

Cast iron has a proven track record for its longevity over the lifetime of the building. Manufactured from up to 97% recycled content, end of life cast iron products are also 100% recyclable, and can therefore be returned to the furnace to make new cast iron products.

Rawlings continues:

“The VortX range is the result of a continuous development programme that offers installers everything they need to do the job, without complicated selecting procedures.

“As all of the outlets in the range are made from cast iron, they offer robust, long lasting solutions for most construction market applications. We’ll be adding more products to the VortX range throughout 2015.”

For more information on the new range of VortX roof outlets, visit www.pam-vortx.co.uk.

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