"mechanical heating cooling and refrigeration"

The largest free standing structure in the UK, Terminal 5, has a vast amount of essential building services that are concealed under the flooring. An access solution was required that would enable maintenance of services, including water and waste; electrical, communications, heating, cooling and lighting, without having to remove the flooring as this would be costly, time consuming and disruptive in such a busy environment. A number of Howe Green’s 1050 Series and 7500 Series access covers were specified to provide easy, safe and hassle free access to the vital services.

As concerns about environmental sustainability continue to escalate, the concept of Passive House (Passivhaus) design has emerged as a game-changer in creating energy-efficient buildings.This innovative approach focuses on maximizing a structure’s energy efficiency while maintaining optimal comfort for its occupants. One key element that can complement and enhance Passive House principles is the incorporation of automatic doors.Understanding Passive House DesignPassive House design revolves around stringent energy efficiency standards. It employs various techniques to minimize energy consumption, such as superior insulation, airtight construction, high-performance windows, and heat recovery ventilation. These elements work harmoniously to create a building that requires minimal energy for heating or cooling, leading to significant reductions in carbon emissions and energy costs.The Role of Automatic Doors in Passive HouseAutomatic doors might not seem like an obvious addition to Passive House design, but their integration can significantly contribute to its efficiency goals. Here’s how:Controlled Air Exchange:Passive House principles emphasise airtightness to prevent energy loss. Automatic doors, equipped with sensors and precise control mechanisms, can efficiently regulate the airflow, allowing for controlled ventilation while minimising the loss of heated or cooled air. This feature ensures that the building maintains its airtightness while providing necessary air circulation.Energy Conservation:By automating the opening and closing of doors, energy loss due to unnecessary drafts or human error is minimised. The doors swiftly close after use, reducing the transfer of heat or cold air between different zones within the building. This helps in maintaining the indoor temperature, contributing to the overall energy efficiency of the structure.Accessibility and Comfort:In addition to energy efficiency, automatic doors significantly enhance accessibility, ensuring ease of entry and exit for all individuals. The seamless operation of these doors adds convenience and comfort to occupants while aligning with the core principles of Passive House design.From revolving doors to sliding doors, we have just he solution for your energy saving needs. We help our clients save energy because we know how important it is to cultivate a sustainable future and reduce environmental impact, while simultaneously promoting cost-effective and efficient solutions for their individual needs. Find our new energy saving FAAC sliding doors here solutions here, and energy saving data here.ConclusionPassive House design has revolutionised the way we approach building construction, emphasising sustainability and energy efficiency. The incorporation of automatic doors complements these principles by enhancing airtightness, energy conservation, and overall occupant comfort.In the pursuit of creating eco-friendly and energy-efficient buildings, integrating automated systems like doors not only aligns with Passive House standards but also sets a new benchmark for sustainable architecture. These technological advancements not only serve functional purposes but also play a pivotal role in reducing environmental impact while prioritising the well-being of the building’s occupants.Check out more of our Energy Solutions.For more information or assistance with any project, please contact enquiries.esuk@faactechnologies.com where we can provide expert guidance and detailed documentation.

S&P UK was appointed by local Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) contractors to specify the bespoke ventilation requirements. Following in-depth analysis, our recommendation to supply our newly-expanded RHE 15000 was given the go-ahead. The heat recovery unit provides the highest rate of airflow for large spaces, indoors or outdoors, and is capable of pumping 4 m³ of fresh air per second

The ETB building is dedicated to research, development and demonstration (RD&D) in sustainable energy technologies. It incorporates energy efficient materials and is designed to minimise its demands for heating, cooling, lighting and ventilation. It actually produces more energy than it requires, heating the neighbouring Institute of Mental Health Building.Approximately 1000m2 of Ash & Lacy Façade was specified on the building’s two main elevations in the VariAL CF1 configuration. VariAL CF1 is a concealed-fix, baffle-jointed cassette rainscreen with a fully adjustable support system, primarily used for horizontal application on walls and for soffits. Designed to fit in with the high-tech building design and to appear to exude their own energy, the panels were manufactured in Alucobond Spectra Sacura ACM finish. This provides a quite stunning two-tone iridescent effect that shows ever changing hues of pink and silver that constantly vary as the angle of view or illumination changes.

Manchester's Milliners Wharf development is a part of the "Hat Box" regeneration of New Islington. This high-end residential development was designed to ensure residents feel safe in their home by specifying products with high security features. As such, our aluminium door was chosen for the ground floor apartments and top floor duplex apartments, which incorporates an invisible door closer as well as concealed locking groover for a tight and secure mechanisam. These features, along with the single-leaf open in and open-out hinged doors that meet PAS24 certification for burglar resistance, resulted in the Secured by Design certification.Along this door system, aluminium sliding doors were used for the balconies and was specified for their durability alongside aluminium windows. This further assisted in the Secured by Design certification. There are several optional additions to the window system which provides the ability to customise for each project. In this case, the Hat Box development benefits from tilt before turn windows made possible with the systems durability and strength. The hinge mechanism can support glazing up to 130kg. As well as a safety element, it was important to ensure that the building's occupants would be living in a healthy environment. In building's where there is a difference of U values between the walls, windows and doors, there is a risk of high humidity which could potentially cause issues with condensation and mold. The issue was overcome at Milliners Wharf through the thermal efficiency offered by our aluminium curtain walling. Less energy is lost between the inside and the outside of the facade. This consistancy in temperature and improvement of the air quality in the room means that the room needs much less energy to heat and cool it.

This family house, located in Chailland (France), has reduced up to 55% its annual energy bills thanks to THERMOSLATE. This solar collector in natural slate covers this family needs for hot water while enhancing the aesthetics and efficiency of their home. Five solar collectors over a total surface of 6.45 square meters, were more than enough to generate the energy required to cover the hot water needs of this family. The main component of the collectors is natural slate, extracted directly from our quarries and specially selected to ensure perfect fit and performance.

Kelly is a lifestyle writer whose popular blog, My Norfolk Home, covers home decor ideas & renovation inspiration. Kelly selected a Dimplex Grand Noir Opti-MystTM fire. The Grand Noir, is a beautiful electric stove, combining the classic feeling of a wood burning stove with modern electric functionality.

The refurbishment of children's wards at Leighton Hospital by the Estates Management Team at Mid Cheshire Hospitals aimed to alleviate the distress often associated with hospital visits for young patients. Recognizing the anxiety induced by unfamiliar surroundings, the team prioritized transforming clinical spaces into welcoming environments conducive to children's wellbeing and recovery.Employing an innovative approach, large format prints of wildlife in forest and jungle settings adorned the walls behind beds, accompanied by soft natural colours on walls, panels, and fixtures. The use of RAL Green 6019 on the DeepClean LST radiator guards contributed to the soothing ambiance, seamlessly blending with the floor covering and complementing the blue panelling behind the wall-mounted washbasins. This thoughtful design choice aimed to create a calming and tranquil atmosphere for children during their recuperation.Furthermore, the choice of RAL White 9003 for the guards in the ward corridors maintained a clean and hygienic environment. The DeepClean guards, featuring a patented drop-down front panel for easy access and a BioCote anti-microbial coating, played a crucial role in upholding hygiene standards in critical care areas.To further enhance the natural theme, Contour supplied a column casing finished in RAL Brown 1019, harmonizing with the jungle and forest-inspired décor. This comprehensive refurbishment initiative demonstrates a commitment to not only aesthetics but also the holistic wellbeing of young patients undergoing treatment at Leighton Hospital.

Every pub or restaurant hand dryer will have its own requirements. There will always be keys features that are needed to make sure that both your customers and your staff are not put off from coming to your establishment. Here at Handy Dryers we would be confident that each and every one of our products would be a perfect fit for your needs. We have picked out just a few that we feel will really make your place stand out from the crowd.

The past few years have really thrust hygiene into the spotlight. From robust cleaning to hand hygiene, people have become increasingly aware of the role that cleanliness plays in managing infection transmission. ​Steve Levy looks forward to what this might mean throughout 2022.

In theory, placing your hand dryer or towel dispenser in just the right location should be easy. In the simplest terms, it involves measuring the hand dryer height from the floor and planning the right hand dryer distance from the sink and other washroom features.

A unique and distinct project delivered by Helo within a tight timescale. The old garage building was completely refurbished to create spa treatment rooms on the first floor and a health suite and ‘Pay-for-Play’ rooms on the ground floor. Outside a ‘secret garden’ was also created. Helo provided an Aroma steam room, Salt inhalation room with Himalayan salt blocks, automated Rasul /mud room with Carrara marble seats, Hammam wet massage room, Dry Float, Log burning outdoor sauna, Outdoor metal tub heated spa, Indoor wooden hot spa tub, warm tub and cool plunge tub.

A beautiful mix of a traditional kitchen with modern roof-to-wall glazing by Cantifix has successfully incorporated roof shading to reduce heat and glare.R30 Zipped Roller Blinds were specified by DUST Architecture with the roller mechanism concealed within the back wall of the house. The side channels were powder coated to match the glazing structure. Blinds were made using Goodrich 1% Screen material to provide maximum protection without reducing noticeable light.

The first homes at Barratt Homes’ new energy efficient Hanham Hall development feature Posi-Joists as the floor system of choice. Each home is constructed using highly insulated materials and is fitted with a Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) system, which is why Posi-Joist was the natural choice for the floor system. Kingspan Potton have been involved throughout the design and delivery of the project, supplying both Structural Insulated Panels and the Posi-Joist floors.

The Ascent Aluminium companionway / ships ladder system was specified to create a permanent safe access route to the roof of refrigeration units within Aldi stores for maintenance personnel. A companionway was chosen as it is deemed preferable to a vertical ladder where frequent access is required. The ladder designed in accordance with BS 4211:2005 + A1 2008 was manufactured in accordance with CE 1090 factory production control procedures. The ladders have been installed within around 700 stores across the UK.

The 'HOOLA' in Tidal Basin Road in East London, gateway to the soon-to-be regenerated Royal Victoria Docks area, has transformed a brownfield site into two rippling 23 and 24 storey glass towers, that offer 360 apartments with a mix of studios, along with one, two and three-bedroom units.The buildings are super-insulated and the concrete frame will act as a heat sink – absorbing heat on warm days and releasing it back into apartments when it cools. An innovative link-up with the neighbouring ExCel Exhibition Centre will also see excess heat piped directly into the two towers. This will provide all the necessary heating and hot water requirements and significantly reduce maintenance costs by doing away with the need for individual boilers. A critical design requirement for such a super-insulated building was the avoidance of any risk of thermal bridging at the many concrete-to-concrete balcony connectivity points – so highly efficient structural thermal breaks were required throughout. The preferred solution was the Schöck Isokorb® T type K for cantilever balconies.Luke Smerdon-White, Technical Director at Thorp, takes up the story: "We had to design, manufacture and deliver 1410 precast concrete balcony sections that had to then be cast integrally with the in situ concrete structure." "The exposed front-face is curved, with almost 50 different dimensional configurations, while the internal face has a facetted line that had to correlate with the glazing line and opening doors."

Our quiet Hand Dryers have been voted the best in their class, with each unit having passed rigorous testing against hundreds of other quiet branded dryers from across the commercial washroom industry. Boasting sound-softening technology the Hand Dryers in our quiet range, offer drying times of just 8 - 10 seconds and are capable of produce outstanding sound levels of just 63dB, making them some of the quietest hand dryers in the world!

Veltia has long been recognised as Europe's most advanced designer and manufacturer of hand dryers and have now teamed up exclusively with Handy Dryers to produce the illo by Veltia hand dryer. The ultimate melding of style and technology to produce a true state-of-the-art hand dryer.

Which method of hand drying is most suitable in modern day life, an electric hand dryer or paper towel?

Our range of ECO Hand Dryers use the lowest amounts of power possible, without sacrificing functionality or output.This is all thanks their use of the most advanced dryer technology available on the market today. ECO does not mean lower performance. It means enhanced performance, 8-10 second dry times and an incredible 2000+ separate hand drying cycles for only £1.00.

The most recent innovation in the Hand Dryer sector is the blade dryer. Handy Dryers would like to introduce its own Blade Hand Dryer, The Gorillo hand dryer.

Investing in washroom hand-dryers is clearly a smart move. Making the best use of your funds and finding ECO friendly solutions are high priority for us. An equipment purchase qualifies as a fixed asset, unlike paper towels that are classified as a costly expense.

Installed by Kawneer’s approved specialist subcontractor FK Group, the £25.3 million project, designed by FCB Studios, was the first to use Kawneer’s newly enhanced AA®110 Curtain Wall system that features a bespoke expansion joint, which allows a building movement tolerance of +/- 15 mm. Creating a sense of scale and vibrancy, the white profiled terracotta ceramic façades contrast the earthy tones of the perimeter buildings in a modern interpretation of the grand Victorian warehouses nearby. The high-performance Curtain Wall was accompanied by AA®720 Side Hung Open-In Windows to deliver a high level of thermal performance throughout. Using passive principles, the high insulation building fabric coupled with solar control glazing, address the energy requirements for heating and cooling.

Accoya cladding supplied by International TimberArmadilla create luxury experiential garden buildings. They currently focus on two core markets, hospitality and education, providing a self-contained environment for the users. Armadilla offer a smaller ‘Pod’ or the larger ‘Wave’ design but both options are ‘eco smart’, meeting the sustainability ethos of Armadilla.The garden buildings meet industry-leading insulation standards, have low energy air source heat pump technology and mechanical ventilation heat recovery. The smaller design, The Pod, can run off a one 13 amp electricity source.By endorsing the concept of the ‘Circular Economy’, all elements of Armadilla products can be recycled, repaired or reused. This is why Accoya is the perfect material choice for the external cladding, with a 50 year warranty. Accoya is a new introduction for Armadilla, justifying their product as world-leading for its sustainability and durability.Armadilla were awarded the 2020 Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation.

The original Ironmonger Row Baths site was built in the 1930s with swimming pool and traditional style bathing house of hot rooms and cold plunge in the basement. These facilities were completely upgraded in 2012 with saunas and steam rooms added.  In January 2022, the basement spa was destroyed by a fire. A complete restoration of the area was required of the builder’s work, fabric and services and Sauna360 UK was honoured to be commissioned to design and install all wellness areas. In January 2024 the "bathing house" re-opened to a wonderful reception.There has been a transformation of the area and a feeling of space, tranquillity and relaxation. Huge full height tiles adorn the walls throughout. Longitudinal floor tiles subtly take the eye to the glass fronted Salt sauna at one end and the backlit image and relax zone the other.  On arriving from the changing area the guest has a choice of contemporary facilities of saunas, aroma steam rooms, feature showers and ice to the left or traditional hot rooms, cold plunge and massage slabs to the right with large relaxation areas in the centre.  In the contemporary zone there are two large saunas: The Juniper Sauna This sauna  is operated at 75-85C with automatic infusion for a medium humidity. To the front a Juniper wall provides a beautiful detail with its own natural spicy aroma.  Behind the benches, and hidden within the wall, are Infra red panels. These allow the room to be operated in separate sessions at a lower temperature 40-45C with the benefits of IR bathing.The Salt Sauna The Salt Sauna is hot (85-95C) and dry like a traditional Finnish sauna and provides the ideal environment for the large salt wall. The impressive sauna has the height for a third bench in the hottest zone. The glass front allows the backlit salt wall and attractive finishes to be viewed from outside and the feeling of space appreciated from within. The Aroma Steam Room This opulent room has copious amounts of steam infused with seasonally changing essence. The stunning, large format, dark marble tiles are paired with subtle underbench lighting to create a relaxing ambience. Inclined backrests are used for ultimate comfort.Salt Inhalation Steam Room Contrasting beautifully with Aroma Steam Room, this thermal experience infuses the area with a mint or lemon essence to complement the automated salt spray within the steam environment for enhanced inhalation benefits.Completing the area are two Feature showers with warm and cool programs using essence plus a Cool room with ice feature and icy mint spray.Infrared Benching In the central area there is a long Recliner bench in ergonomic ceramics with gentle Infra red heating plus an expansive relaxation zone.Hot Rooms In the traditional zone there are the Hot Rooms. A series of interlinked rooms in large ceramics with increasing temperature as you get further in for the ultimate thermal experience.Drench Bucket & Plunge Pool Outside the hot rooms one will find a drench bucket cleansing shower and a large Plunge pool. The plunge pool now includes a unique heat recovery system which uses the heat removed from the plunge pool water to provide heat to the existing learner pool.Massage Slabs & Footrests The traditional zone also has twin heated Massage slabs for wet massage treatments by the spa therapists. The area is completed by additional heated benching with heated foot rests, below the backlit feature wall.

Study shows the significant benefits of LLumar® films for saving energy, reducing CO2 emissions, improving thermal comfort, and controlling glare: Energy: - 3.9 year simple payback - 42 % annual savings on electrical energy - conditioning cooling - Savings of €125 800 on energy costs over operational lifetime of the film - Reduction of 46 tonnes annual CO2 emissions Thermal Comfort: - Reduction in indoor temperatures of up to 5 °C when HVAC cooling switched off - Productivity savings estimated at €40 per employee per cooling month Lighting and Glare: - Significant reduction in glare

For many years there has been significant research into the control and elimination of germs. Repeated outbreaks of MRSA and C Difficile in hospitals has certainly prompted us all to question the methods used to combat germs in our environment.

Project detailsDerby City Council’s new Innovation Centre is at the heart of Infinity Park, Derby’s new 250-acre commercial and technology park.Designed to embrace the characteristics of transport engineering, the centre will play a vital role in supporting companies in the aerospace, automotive and transport industries by helping existing companies to grow and new ones to develop. Project overviewThe Innovation Centre demonstrates its environmental credentials through a number of sustainable features to reduce the carbon footprint. These include GDL natural ventilation products to help provide efficient heating and cooling.GDL worked in conjunction with Derry Ltd to provide and install Intelivent Wall Units and Penthouse Turrets.Designed to meet the ventilation demand of the occupied spaces, our in-house design team assisted making the correct system choices. Our Intelivent products are particularly effective in offices, seminar rooms & workshops where occupancy levels vary throughout the day and a controlled ventilation rate is required.Benefits of using GDL Products on the projectThe Wall Units allow a controlled environment by allowing natural fresh air to enter the building via external weather louvres. The heating coil within the unit is used as a front line heating source during winter.Our Intelivent Turrets offer a balanced supply of fresh air whilst removing warm stale air, an ideal product to ventilate the workshops effectively and efficiently.Intelivent Transfer Fans have been installed to ductwork to assist with the supply and extract of air within the offices and seminar rooms.

On the site of a former carpark next to a flyover, Kindred House has become a distinctive silhouette in the skyline of central Croydon.The build utilises over half a million bricks, consisting of Zircon, a white glazed brick and a brown brick, each chosen for their tone and colour variety, which helps create a sense of place and identity for the building.The building is characterised by brick reveals at a depth of three and a half bricks and provides a visual solidity that defines the character of the building.IG Masonry Support was the chosen supplier of masonry support and brick slip solutions for the award-winning project.SolutionIG Masonry Support’s easy-to-install Welded Masonry Support (WMS) was supplied in several variations, including special corner systems for each of the 24 levels of the building, including the parapet. Cast-in Channel was also supplied to the project, providing high adjustability and enabling quick and easy installation of the WMS systems.For the large entrance on the North West elevation, a mechanically-fixed Brick Slip Lintel, compliant with the new Fire Safety: Approved Document B of the Building Regulations, was supplied for a 2035mm opening. The Brick Slip Lintel was designed to suit a soldier course bond pattern with a face height and soffit return of 215mm.For the three brick-deep window reveals, mechanically-fixed B.O.S.S. (Brick on Soffit System) proved the ideal solution. 1242 individual units, in 593 variations were designed, manufactured, and supplied to the project to suit a soldier course bond pattern. A consignment of bricks was collected from site to be utilised on each unit and then once complete, units were delivered to the site, ready to be easily bolted to each Welded Masonry Support system.As well as creating a visually appealing finish, the depth of the window reveals on the Southern and Western elevations has been designed to provide inherent solar shading, mitigating overheating and avoiding the need for mechanical cooling, creating a sustainable benefit of the build.Kindred House is an exemplary build proven by winning the Large Housing Development category at the 2023 Brick Development Association Brick Awards and being shortlisted in the Mixed-Use category at the 2023 AJ Architecture Awards. 

Residential Development wit Colt Smoke Control and Corridor Cooling System

With state-of-the art facilities and interior design features throughout, it is little wonder that AccorHotels UK wanted to create a warm, welcoming and unforgettable first impression as guests entered their £90 million hotel. Whilst researching options, Joey’s team came across Dimplex’s Opti-myst® effect, which uses unique, state-of-the-art, patented technology to create the world’s most realistic electric flame effect – a highly convincing illusion of ‘flames’ and ‘smoke’.

Façade automation for environmental ventilation, CO2 and temperature control incorporating night time cooling.

This1970s dwelling in South Dublin’s suburbs was transformed and renovated to a modern detached, energy-efficient home and office. The ultimate aim of this project was to design a taller building, radically reduce the building’s energy consumption, maintain the structural integrity of the building fabric, increase thermal comfort for the occupants, and reduce carbon emissions.A suite of passive strategies was implemented to meet the requirements of the EnerPHit standard. The project incorporated superior airtightness, green thermal bridging solutions, blockwork insulation on the external structure, triple-glazed windows, and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery to attain an A3 energy efficiency rating.Creating an airtight and insulated building envelope is the cornerstone of a Deep Energy Retrofit. Partel’s IZOPERM PLUS phA certified airtight product system delivered maximum airtightness in The Willows project

Low environmental impact... CHALLENGE All over the world architects and building owners are trying to create buildings with a low environmental impact. For this private house, the architect wanted to combine an aesthetical finish of a metal roof in combination with PV and hot water panels. The biggest issue for the architect was the fixing of these panels without having leak problems in the future. SOLUTION The roof was waterproofed using a RENOLIT ALKORPLAN roofing membrane that is mechanically fastened onto the supporting roof structure. Two kinds of PVC profiles were heat welded onto the waterproofing membrane: on the one hand RENOLIT ALKORDESIGN profiles (for aesthetical value only), on the other hand there are RENOLIT ALKORSOLAR profiles, which function as the base to attach the hot water and the PV panels. The gable was also finished with the RENOLIT ALKORDESIGN system.

A natural ventilation solution from SE Controls Africa is helping shoppers at Maerua Mall in Namibia to keep their cool.

The Friedrichscarrée is a modern office and retail complex in the center of Stuttgart.Named after the former king of Württemberg, Friedrich I., it is characterised by its modern architecture and glass front. In addition to numerous companies, it now also hosts retail, catering businesses and event spaces. The good access to public transportation and the close proximity to restaurants and cultural institutions, make Friedrichscarrée an attractive location for businesses and visitors.As the general contractor for the expansion, Lindner carried out an extensive interior construction - ranging from drywall work to floor systems and wall cladding. In addition to high-quality floor coverings and also partly automated partition walls, the special construction of the hollow floor FLOOR and more® for the pedestal in the barista bar was a central element of the revitalisation. Lindner hallway ceilings LMD, heating and cooling ceilings and acoustic sails were also installed to optimise room acoustics.Furthermore, GiB mbH supported Lindner in upgrading the existing fire protection. The entire conversion was carried out during ongoing business, which required precisescheduling of noise-intensive work.