Leading supplier AEI Cables is highlighting the need for the highest quality of cabling for use in sprinkler systems increasingly being specified for use in new modern buildings. This follows a call from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Chartered
In a move designed to enhance levels of efficiency, sustainability and quality, mechanical and electrical services specialists Mitton Group have entered into a new partnering agreement with modular and portable building company Enviro Building Solutions. The agreement will see Mitton provide mechanical and electrical services for buildings designed and constructed
Clare Adamson, Convener of Holyrood’s Cross Party Group on Accident Prevention and Safety has become the latest member of the Scottish Parliament to back the campaign to regulate electricians and supports SELECT, the electrotechnical trade association, for raising awareness by campaigning for recognition of Electricians as a Profession. Clare, who
Mechanical and electrical engineering consultancy McCann and Partners completed the MEP design for a £5M state of the art fire station at Bristol Airport, which has now been handed over. This is the latest in a series of developments that McCann and Partners have and will be undertaking at Bristol Airport, which
A building in London’s Tech-City has been redeveloped in order to create 75,000 sq ft of new stand-out office and retail space. The work was delivered on Arnold House by Gilbert-Ash, with mechanical and electrical works completed by Irwin M&E. “Arnold House was a really interesting project to work on,”
Over three quarters of company’s UK sales of RAC and PAC technologies in February 2019 were for R32 systems, reflecting a market shift towards the lower GWP product Mitsubishi Electric has said that UK demand for RAC and PAC systems has dramatically shifted within the last two years away from
The joy of getting up and enjoying a shower in the morning cannot be overstated. However, the horror of stepping into that blissful shower to discover that your hot water cylinder is delivering nothing, but icy cold water is not the rude awakening you want. So, what causes a household
Within the UK, the construction sector loses £400 million per year on average due to theft of site equipment and other crimes. According to research into construction site crime held by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), around 92% of site managers report facing issues with theft on a weekly,
A major M&E contract at Leeds Beckett University has been landed by SES for a new £45 million sports hub. Delivered by contractor Galliford Try, the project will involve building a new state-of-the-art Carnegie Teaching and Research Building, which will house the Carnegie School of Sport, located at the Headingley campus. SES
GBE Converge have been appointed by SES (Engineering Services) to design and install the Security systems for the new £40m York Community Stadium and Leisure Complex. The scheme is an exciting public and private funded mixed-use destination for York and will provide a new 8,000 capacity home for York City
Leading supplier AEI Cables is highlighting the need for the highest quality of cabling for use in sprinkler systems increasingly being specified for use in new modern buildings. This follows a call from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) to make the installation of sprinklers mandatory in all residential buildings, hotels, hospitals, schools and care homes taller than 11 metres. The same organisations have also called for sprinklers to be retrofitted where possible. Graham Turner, of AEI Cables, said the issue of providing continuous power to sprinkler systems is a key component of improving fire safety in buildings nationwide. He added: “Buildings such as tower blocks, hospitals, schools, shopping malls, airports and those areas with large numbers of people moving about need cabling which will continue to operate in a fire and provide power for the highest fire protection of 120 minutes. “This ensure fire and rescue services can safely evacuate people and that sprinklers will continue to operate in the event of a fire.” The Hackitt Review into the Grenfell disaster sets out a series of proposals to make tower blocks safer to live in but stops short of recommending a mandatory requirement for sprinklers to be fitted. The new generation AEI Cables’ fire performance cabling ensures critical fire-safety circuits can continue to operate in the event of a fire from 30 minutes up to 120 minutes. Using the very latest in technology and science, the Firetec Total Fire Solutions range from AEI Cables offers enhanced fire performance cabling, accessories and technical support from one source. All AEI Cables’ products are supplied with approvals from independent bodies including BASEC and LPCB covering design, manufacture and supply. It also holds approvals from organisations including Lloyds, the MoD, Network Rail and LUL and works to international standards around the world.
In a move designed to enhance levels of efficiency, sustainability and quality, mechanical and electrical services specialists Mitton Group have entered into a new partnering agreement with modular and portable building company Enviro Building Solutions. The agreement will see Mitton provide mechanical and electrical services for buildings designed and constructed by Enviro Building Solutions across the UK. Enviro Building Solutions have been designing and constructing modular buildings for over 30 years, serving sectors including healthcare, education, retail and commercial. With the business seeing significant growth and projects becoming larger and more complex, the company was looking to partner with an established and responsive M&E specialist capable of designing and installing high quality, sustainable mechanical and electrical services to match customer requirements. Bespoke modular building solutions are continuing to increase in popularity, particularly for applications and environments where short lead times are an important consideration. They provide a real alternative to more traditional building methods, offering not just significant cost savings but also real benefits in terms of reduced time to occupation, minimal on-site disruption, a safer working environment and sustainability. The two companies are also geographically close, with Enviro Building Solutions operating as modular building manufacturers from their base in Halifax, West Yorkshire, and Mitton Group headquartered in Bradford. First fix will be completed in Halifax before Mitton teams attend on site to complete and commission each individual project. “Partnering with Mitton Group ensures we and our clients have access to the highest quality M&E services. The proximity of their head office to our manufacturing site is an added bonus, whilst we will benefit from the convenience of their operational depots across the UK when completing work on site,” stated Jonathan Collins for Enviro Building Solutions. “Our new partners produce a premium quality product designed to provide answers for a range of accommodation requirements. Their professional approach matches our own commitment to quality and performance at every stage of the project,” said Mitton director Jonny Knowles. PHOTOGRAPH ATTACHED Picture shows (left to right) Craig Ready and Jonathan Collins, Directors, Enviro Building Solutions, Jonny Knowles, Director, Mitton Group and Richard Shannon, Director, Enviro Building Solutions. For further information, please contact:- Mitton Mechanical Services Ltd info@mittongroup.com T: 01274 691177 (Editorial) Ann Horan pr@dmddesign.uk T: 01422 371633
Clare Adamson, Convener of Holyrood’s Cross Party Group on Accident Prevention and Safety has become the latest member of the Scottish Parliament to back the campaign to regulate electricians and supports SELECT, the electrotechnical trade association, for raising awareness by campaigning for recognition of Electricians as a Profession. Clare, who is the MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, has added her name to the Wall of Support, a striking graphic representation of the ever-growing numbers of organisations and individuals backing the campaign. Clare said: “I am very aware of the importance of Electrical Safety. Consumers deserve the assurance that when they engage the services of an electrician that the person is qualified and accredited to complete the work safely and to the highest industry standard. SELECT’s campaign to have the trade of Electrician recognised as a profession has shone a light on this issue and I support the progress being made in regulation of this industry to ensure that my constituents are protected and can have confidence going forward.” Ms Adamson’s endorsement of the campaign adds to widespread backing across the construction industry for the move which is also backed by the Scottish Joint Industry Board (SJIB) and Unite the Union. The Wall of Support illustrates vividly the strength of feeling across a huge range of disciplines that being an electrician is a highly-skilled and professional occupation and that those who practise it must be suitably qualified. Alan Wilson, Acting Managing Director at SELECT, said: ““The Wall shows in a dramatic fashion the strength of feeling that exists within the construction sector about the issue of professional recognition. We would like to thank Clare for backing us in such a public manner. Our aim is that in future no one in Scotland should have to tolerate the anxiety and upset to which she and her family have been exposed. Bodies which have contributed a brick in the Wall include: Electrical Safety First, The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS); the Scottish Association of Landlords; the Specialist Engineering Contractors’ Group; the Association of Electrical Safety Managers; Energy Action Scotland; BAM Construction; the Scottish Building Federation; the Federation of Master Builders; and the Energy Saving Trust. For more information please contact Alan Wilson, Acting Managing Director at SELECT, the Electrical Contractors’ Association of Scotland, The Walled Garden, Bush Estate, Midlothian, EH26 0SB. T: 0131 445 5577. F: 0131 445 5548. E: admin@select.org.uk. W: www.select.org.uk Twitter: http://twitter.com/updates_select https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWJVjt14CvIig8bIKwidVug
Mechanical and electrical engineering consultancy McCann and Partners completed the MEP design for a £5M state of the art fire station at Bristol Airport, which has now been handed over. This is the latest in a series of developments that McCann and Partners have and will be undertaking at Bristol Airport, which has planning approvals in place to handle 10 million passengers per annum. “Bristol Airport is going through such an exciting period of growth at the moment and we are delighted to have been involved in its expansion over the past few years. The airport team are continually investing in sustainable, low carbon systems and we’ve been working closely with them throughout 2018 to ensure that this building is extremely energy efficient. Working on this state of the art development has been a huge opportunity for us at McCann and Partners, and we look forward to expanding on this in the coming months,” said Jeff Price, Mechanical Director at McCann and Partners. As well as the new fire station, which is located next to the runway and the existing fire training ground, the upcoming developments will include an immigration hall and new airline building, the first of which has recently commenced. “We are currently completing a variety of development projects at the airport to meet the growth in passenger numbers. Sustainability and energy efficiencies are key factors and decision drivers for all projects and it is great to work with a business like McCann and Partners, who share the same approach in promoting state-of-the-art technology and design in development,” commented Andrew Goodenough, Development Director at Bristol Airport. McCann and Partners specialise in providing the full range of building services associated with mechanical, electrical and public health engineering systems – developing innovative and bespoke design solutions. Working across multiple sectors, its commitment is to developing exemplary, sustainable buildings through a collaborative approach to design.
A building in London’s Tech-City has been redeveloped in order to create 75,000 sq ft of new stand-out office and retail space. The work was delivered on Arnold House by Gilbert-Ash, with mechanical and electrical works completed by Irwin M&E. “Arnold House was a really interesting project to work on,” said Matthew Bowden, Irwin M&E Contracts Manager. “Delivered under a Design and Build contract, we used 3D Autocad to design the duct work which was prefabricated off site. This allowed us to implement just-in-time delivery to site, which was important as it is located on a very busy street with restricted access. This in turn meant a quicker turnaround and installation, with no bottlenecks on supplies. It was also preferable from a Health, Safety and Quality perspective as the duct work was prefabricated in a controlled factory environment and meant that a Hot Works permit was not required on site.” Adding to the company’s success in delivering technologically advanced buildings, the project benefited from several sustainable technologies, incorporated by Arnold House. It also attained a BREEAM Very Good certification and a WiredScore Gold Certification. “The project architect BuckleyGrayYeoman, incorporated traditional-style industrial lighting fixtures which acknowledged the building’s industrial past. We procured these high-bay lights from a recycling yard and installed them as impressive feature lighting in the building’s reception,” added Matthew Bowden. Irwin M&E worked with Shoreditch Council, while also employing two apprentices on site, one Mechanical the other Electrical, for the duration of the project. The company has previously worked on the new Innovation Centre for 5G Technology at the University of Surrey.
Over three quarters of company’s UK sales of RAC and PAC technologies in February 2019 were for R32 systems, reflecting a market shift towards the lower GWP product Mitsubishi Electric has said that UK demand for RAC and PAC systems has dramatically shifted within the last two years away from use of R410A towards lower GWP R32 refrigerant. The manufacturer has said that 80 per cent of sales in these segments last month was for technology designed for R32, a product that has a lower level of flammability. During the same time last year, R32 represented 30 per cent of its RAC and PAC sales, according to Mark Grayston, product marketing manager with Mitsubishi Electric Living Environmental Systems UK. Ongoing quota restrictions on the amount of CO2 equivalent that manufacturers such as Mitsubishi Electric are able to import to the UK under EU F-Gas regulation has been a key driver in pushing the market towards lower GWP products. This has proven to be the case even with the low levels of flammability and the subsequent handling challenges that these newer refrigerant products pose that is not present in higher GWP gas. Mr Grayston said that Mitsubishi Electric’s main focus for R32 products at present was the company’s HVRF technology, where it was in the process of expanding the capacity of outdoor units to between 22kW and 56kW. He added, “We have already moved the majority of our split systems (between 1.5kW and 14kW) to R32, with further R32 releases to come in 2019.” Mr Graytson said that changes introduced in the 6th edition of IEC regulation 60335-2-40 would widening the usage envelope for low flammability refrigerant such as R32. However, he argued that the EN378 safety and environmental standard has not been amended to pick up these changes, meaning some of the challenges to expanding use of the lower flammability refrigerant remained in place. Mr Graytson said, “With good design and following the manufacturers and regulation guidelines high capacity R32 systems can be designed and installed in most commercial applications. Currently R32 HVRF allows for higher capacity systems to be installed because water is run to each fan coil and therefore we don’t need to deal with refrigerant into the occupied spaces.” “As consultants and air conditioning installers gain more experience of A2L refrigerants the wider the scope will be for bigger high capacity systems to be released into the UK and European markets.”
The joy of getting up and enjoying a shower in the morning cannot be overstated. However, the horror of stepping into that blissful shower to discover that your hot water cylinder is delivering nothing, but icy cold water is not the rude awakening you want. So, what causes a household to run out of hot water? More importantly, what can be done about it? I once lived in a rental apartment which had a hot water cylinder so small that in order for me to wash and condition my hair required a two-part shower. I’d wash my hair, add the conditioner, turn the shower off and wait for the hot water cylinder to heat up again, then wash my conditioner out. This was great if you wanted a really deep conditioning treatment, not so great if you were running late for work. In order to make sure that you and your household don’t go without hot water, there are a few tips and tricks you can look at. What Type of Cylinder Do You Have? Although continuous gas hot water cylinders are becoming more popular (continuous cylinders are regularly installed overseas), in Australia one of the primary types of cylinder that has been installed in houses and apartments for years is the standard storage tank. These come in a range of sizes and work by filling the cylinder with cold water and heating the water, often with an electrical element. This type of cylinder is prone to providing cold showers, because once the heated water has been drained from the tank, it refills with cold water and needs to be reheated. Sometimes the problem is caused by the household having a hot water cylinder that is simply too small for it’s needs, so it is quickly drained (although it also quickly refills and reheats). However, a larger tank may not always be the solution. One person having a luxurious long bath may completely drain the tank, leaving no hot water for an hour or more. Hot water for everyone If you have the storage tank type of hot water cylinder, your first option to making sure that there is enough hot water to go around is to have a discussion about anti-social behaviour and hogging all the hot water. From there, your next option is to work out if you have the right sized tank for your needs. It has been suggested that the average person uses 35l of hot water a day – obviously this is an estimate and will be subject to seasonal fluctuation as well. If there are two of you in a 1-bedroom apartment, a 50l storage cylinder may work. If you are a family of 6, this is unlikely to provide anyone with a warm shower. The South Australian government has provided a calculator that helps you work out how much hot water you need and looks at your options for hot water supply: https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/energy-and-environment/using-saving-energy/water-heaters/water-heater-calculator. This can provide you a great starting point but talk to your hot water installation professional before making your final decision, as they may have suggestions or advice that fits your specific location and needs; the online calculator is great, but may not think about access, sunlight/shade or a multitude of other considerations that an experienced installer will notice immediately. Hot Water, All the Time Once you start looking at options for hot water supply, the idea of instantaneous hot water starts to develop huge appeal. Particularly if you are the one regularly getting a cold shower. Having a gas system can provide a continuous supply of hot water, but people may think they are unable to use this system because there is no natural gas line available in their area. However, these systems can be installed using gas bottles as well as directly to a supply line, so the only issue comes with how easy it is to access the gas bottle to exchange it when it runs out. Free Hot Water Another tempting option is using a solar heater (click here) – either purely solar or solar as a boost to an electrical system. Although not actually free, using a solar hot water solution can bring down the costs of heating your water.
Within the UK, the construction sector loses £400 million per year on average due to theft of site equipment and other crimes. According to research into construction site crime held by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), around 92% of site managers report facing issues with theft on a weekly, monthly or yearly basis. Theft within construction is, therefore, a continuing problem, and smart site managers should be trying their best to address the issues and put the correct preventative measures in place to protect high-value plant and equipment. More often than not, theft is an opportunistic crime, which is why it is frequently carried out by onsite staff. Here, Millennium Security discusses several ways in which employee theft on construction sites can be minimised. Check certifications thoroughly Certified staff should be the only people able to work on a construction site, both for health and safety and security purposes. Carrying out frequent, full background checks will help ensure that every member of staff, contractor and supplier entering the premises has the correct accreditations to do so. Issuing smart CSCS cards guarantees that access is granted only to certified employees, and is an industry-recognised certification scheme within the construction sector. For added security purposes, many site managers choose to hire manned guards to watch over the site 24/7. If doing so, it is important to ensure they are correctly certified by the industry-known Security Industry Authority (SIA), which means they have been through proper training and can guard a site to the necessary standard. Report crimes promptly If a theft has taken place, it must be reported to the authorities as soon as possible, since the likelihood of finding stolen goods is higher when reported quickly. Moreover, reporting a theft is usually an obligatory step in the insurance claims process. Mark high-value plant and equipment Unsurprisingly, the recovery stats for stolen equipment are particularly low, and this is especially true where equipment is not easily identifiable. Characteristic values, therefore, enable police to better identify stolen goods. Marking equipment, noting down serial numbers and creating an on-site inventory, are all sensible ways to help identify and account for valuable tools and machinery. Moreover, there is now a central database which is run by the Construction Equipment and Registration Scheme (CESAR) and encourages site managers to tag all equipment and add it to the database, allowing for easier recovery when goods are stolen. By having identifiable features on all high-value equipment, you may also dissuade light-fingered employees from attempting to steal goods, as they may fear being caught. Restrict and monitor access Monitoring who is physically entering a construction site at all hours of the day is important, as it safeguards against unauthorised people gaining access. Manual checks can be time consuming and are often inefficient, particularly on large sites with a significant number of people coming in and out. As such, many site owners have now started investing in modern access control systems, which ensure that only the people who have authority to enter a site can do so. These systems are very advanced and also log how long a member of staff has remained on site, as well as whether a person is using an expired or fake CSCS card to try to enter. Other security systems which can be used to monitor staff access are CCTV and wireless video detection, both of which help maximise security and can assist in identifying crimes rapidly.
A major M&E contract at Leeds Beckett University has been landed by SES for a new £45 million sports hub. Delivered by contractor Galliford Try, the project will involve building a new state-of-the-art Carnegie Teaching and Research Building, which will house the Carnegie School of Sport, located at the Headingley campus. SES will design and install a full range of building services on the development, which will include a hypoxic laboratory, a health and wellbeing studio, an indoor 60m sprint track for performance training and analysis, a roof walker track and terrace, and an enhanced strength and conditioning space as well as changing and recovery facilities. “Having recently had the privilege of working with Galliford Try on a number of complex higher education facilities, such as the award-winning refurbishment of the University of Leeds’ world-class School of Chemical and Process Engineering, we have amassed a great deal of knowledge and experience of the sector,” said SES business director North and Scotland, Steve Joyce. “To be involved with such an innovative building as the Carnegie Teaching and Research Building further cements our excellent working relationship with the contractor. It also presents a further opportunity for SES to demonstrate its BIM Level 2 experience to great effect,” added Steve. The Carnegie Teaching and Research Building is scheduled for completion in Autumn 2019.
GBE Converge have been appointed by SES (Engineering Services) to design and install the Security systems for the new £40m York Community Stadium and Leisure Complex. The scheme is an exciting public and private funded mixed-use destination for York and will provide a new 8,000 capacity home for York City Football Club and York City Knights RLFC. It will also offer a swimming pool, fitness and active play facilities, as well as a new community hub providing health and wellbeing services and commercial leisure uses for the city and beyond. GBE Converge will be working with partners Honeywell for Intruder Detection Systems, HIK Vison for CCTV, and xPLAN for Access Control ensuring the facility has a fully integrated, bespoke and future-proofed security solution. GBE Converge are scheduled to complete their work in May 2019 with the complex opening during the summer. Andy Westgarth, GBE Converge’s Business Development Manager commented “We are delighted to be working with our long-standing client SES (Engineering Services) and to be part of this exciting project that will serve as a real asset to the York community”.
