|
A new chimney system which enables users to have a real fire in an air-tight energy efficient house has been launched Schiedel has now introduced Schiedel Air - a sealed system which delivers the combustion air directly to the appliance form outside the house and safely transporting the flue gases to the atmosphere. According to Schiedel, most people want a real fire at the heart of their home. With the drive towards energy efficiency the dilemma has been how to achieve this goal in an in an air-tight house. The answer lies in the installation of an energy efficient appliance, like a stove and an advanced chimney system. With Schiedel Air, No air is taken from inside the house and, most importantly, heated air is not lost up the chimney. The superior insulation in the chimney allows flue gases to escape freely to the atmosphere even at low temperatures. The combination of this advanced chimney technology and an efficient wood burning appliance can give you the best of both worlds - an energy efficient house with lower carbon emissions and the enjoyment of a real fire. Schiedel air is suitable for stoves, inserts and pellet boilers. |
| New event tackles Delay Analysis in Construction Programmes
PMIS Ltd. has been providing Forensic Delay Analysis and on demand Planning/Scheduling services to their clients in the Construction industry for over seven years In addition they regularly present Project Management related seminars, their next scheduled event is titled “Delay Analysis in Construction Programmes”, which will take place on June 3rd. The two directors of the company, Anthony Harkins and Raymond Poole, have over 75 years experience between them in the construction Industry. PMIS Ltd. will also present a seminar on the New Government Form of Contracts to take place towards the end of May, with the final date yet to be decided. In addition, PMIS also conduct PM software training courses in MS Project and Primavera P6. They are the authorised representative for Primavera software in both the Republic and Northern Ireland. For further information on their Professional Services, Seminars, PM Products and Training, email at rpoole@pmis.ie. W: www.pmis.ie | E: info@pmis.ie | T: 045 891141 | F: 045 891380
|
The Dyson Airblade™ hand dryer is the first hand dryer to be awarded the Carbon Reduction Label from the Carbon Trust. To secure the Carbon Reduction Label, the machine’s total carbon footprint – the amount of carbon emissions (CO2 and other greenhouse gases) produced from its materials and manufacture, transport, in-use and end of life – were measured and certified by the Carbon Trust. As part of the certification, Dyson has committed to reducing the Airblade™ hand dryer’s carbon emissions further in the next two years. The footprinting process revealed that the Dyson Airblade™ AB03 hand dryer emits 1,200 kg/C02e total emissions during its lifetime or 3.2 g/CO2e per dry – equal to the carbon emissions created by watching 2 minutes and 7 seconds of television. |
Kingspan Insulated Panels has launched its latest innovation at the prestigious Energy and Environment Conference, which was held recently in London. The new Kingspan PowerPanel systems combine the latest photovoltaic (PV) technology with the guaranteed performance of Kingspan’s insulated roof, wall and façade panels. Photovoltaic (PV) systems generate clean, inflation proof electricity, reduce energy costs and can generate electricity to be fed into the national grid, allowing the building owner to benefit from the feed-in tariff system. Even if the sky is overcast, some types of PV are still proven to produce electricity. Kingspan PowerPanel Systems consist of three different product offerings, including polycrystalline silicon modules for roofs and walls and a thin film solar laminate for roofs: |
SmartPly SiteProtect OSB has been used for world’s longest free-standing billboard at Cleeve Hill overlooking Cheltenham Racecourse, unveiled by Bookmakers Paddy Power during the prestigious racing festival. The Paddy Power sign is a new world record at 270ft long; eclipsing the previous record holder at 160ft long, and also dwarfs the iconic Hollywood sign in Los Angeles. As well as being the world’s longest sign, the giant Paddy Power sign stands at 50ft in height - taller than three double-decker London buses stacked on top of each other. To create a billboard of such extraordinary dimensions, Paddy Power turned to a compatriot manufacturer, Coillte’s SmartPly OSB, whose new SiteProtect wood product (a durable, pre-coated oriented strand board developed for hoarding) was perfect for the task. |
Richmond Building Products has taken steps to help its customers understand the issue of whether or not roof ventilation is required. The company has worked with Glidevale- one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of roofing membranes and ventilation solutions- to compile a quick and simple cross-reference checklist. 'To Vent or Not to Vent' asks a series of yes/no questions in flow-chart format to clarify whether or not ventilation is required in both warm and cold roof constructions and includes guidance for the ‘no ventilation independent certification’ route. “Roof ventilation requirements to achieve compliance and Building Regulations continue to cause confusion for specifiers and roofers alike,” says Richmond Building Products’ Frances o'Loughlin. “There are so many factors to take into account, from whether a vapour permeable membrane is being used to building construction and airtightness, then there is the choice of routes for certification. |
Dow Building Solutions, a manufacturer of products designed to improve energy efficiency, is urging Irish housing designers and developers to consider below-slab insulation when constructing new buildings. “Below-slab insulation is the right design choice when aiming for an ‘envelope’ of continuous insulation that minimises heat loss,” said Stephen Johnson, Technical Sales Manager for Dow Building Solutions. “Surpassing requirements by installing extra insulation beneath a floor during construction also makes the most of precious internal space and provides a one-off opportunity that could help compensate for design and construction changes made during a building’s lifetime. “By thinking ahead, housing developers may avoid having to add further insulation in the future in order to meet increasingly stringent thermal efficiency criteria, changes in building use or the needs of different inhabitants,” he continued. |
Richmond Building Products is launching a new solution to effectively counteract the estimated 30 per cent building energy losses attributed to uncontrolled air leakage & air infiltration. Protect BarriAir provides an effective air leakage barrier with vapour control qualities. When installed immediately adjacent to the insulation on the warm side of the structure, with airtight laps, it is proven to create an airtight system, yielding an air permeability at 200Pa of 0.0l/m2/s. Frances O’Loughlin, Richmond Building Products marketing manager, elaborates: “Research by the Fraunhofer Institute showed that with just a 1mm continuous air leakage gap, a building can suffer thermal performance worsening by a factor of 4.8 and increased moisture penetration by a factor of 1600. |
An innovative piece of sprung polymer - Cavit-E Clip - can improve the build process and thermal performance of walls and roofs, reduce air leakage by up to 60% and create a useful service cavity, all whilst reducing installation costs. The product has been developed to further simplify the use and enhance the performance of Protect VC Foil highly reflective vapour control layer - already established in the market by exclusive Ireland distributor Richmond Building Products - and is proven to achieve effective reduction in heat flow through walls and roofs. The Protect VC Foil is positioned over the insulation, and Cavit-E clip simply clip-fixed onto the stud or rafter. |
Construction consultancy firm Davis Langdon PKS is this week celebrating its 150th anniversary. The event was marked by a reception for over 300 people including current and former staff as well as clients in the soon-to-open Grand Canal Theatre – a project on which the firm has worked. Davis Langdon PKS’s Managing Director, Norman Craig, explained that the firm now has 65 staff. “Over the last 150 years we have grown from having an office in Dublin to having offices in Cork, Galway and Limerick as well as being part of the leading international cost consultancy group Davis Langdon, who have offices worldwide,” he said. |
|
| Paraslim RMD Kwikform’s modular cantilever formwork system, Paraslim, has been supplied pre-assembled for the first time on the high profile A34 Wolvercote viaduct project, that is being delivered by Costain on behalf of the Highways Agency. The A34 dual carriageway is a major access route for freight travelling up into the midlands from the port of Southampton and the south coast. The viaduct gives traffic passage over the Thames flood plain, a major rail line that runs into Birmingham, the Oxford Canal and the heavily used A40. |
Keating Insulation, of Castlebridge in Co Wexford, is pioneering the use of Protect VC Foil highly reflective vapour control layer, which can achieve effective reduction in heat flow through walls and roofs Inclusion of the membrane - available exclusively through Richmond Building Products - in the flat roof ceilings and walls of a new concrete block bungalow is helping achieve lower U values and simultaneously enhance airtightness. The Projects Management team of Keating Insulation, elaborates, “We saw Protect VC Foil in both a cavity block wall house and a timber frame: the temperature within was 16°C when outside it was 3° colder, yet there was no heating source. "The improvement was purely from the effectiveness of the Protect VC Foil! To our mind, and that of clients, the combination of Protect VC Foil and Protect VP400 yields an optimum solution to maximize energy efficiency within by reducing heat loss, and giving better vapour control, airtightness and breathability, whilst delivering value for money.” Protect VC Foil is manufactured from a polywoven core and high purity aluminium foil bonded with a further polypropylene interlayer. The foil is laid with its reflective side facing into an unventilated airspace between the foil and insulation; the airspace enables the foil to function, and block infra red radiation, improving the overall U value of the construction and simultaneously creating a service cavity. Protect VP400 is a high performance vapour permeable (LR) underlay that is entirely air and watertight, with BRE certification for use in both warm and cold pitched roofs. It is further certified for unrestricted use with regard to wind uplift for all exposure conditions in the UK and Ireland, and does not generate noise under wind loading. Its three layer laminate construction provides very low resistance to water vapour but at the same time will resist at least 3m head of water when tested to BS EN 20811:1992. Protect VP400 can be used as a temporary weatherproof covering for up to three months. Tel: 028 90846484 |
