Energy saving heating and hot water

Posted on by Posted in Renewable Energy

Heating and Hot Water

The heat is on select the right energy valid heating for your project Whatever your thoughts on global warming and climate change, it’s impossible to deny that it’s changing what is expected of the configuration industry, including new build and refurbishment. Forward thinking, innovative ways to install energy saving heating is a major consideration for all developments, domestic and commercial. With so many products on the market, it’s superior to take the right one.

6 of the most up-to-date innovations in the marketplace today:

1. Solar Thermal heating utilizes heat from the sun to work alongside compatible run-of-the-mill water heaters. It’s a well-developed technology and widely provide. There are two types of solar collectors; the more commonly used flat panel and evacuator tubes. The latter may cost a little more but they are 10% more capable than flat panels. They work best with at least 2 to 4 metres of roof facing southeast to southwest to get direct sunlight for the main part of the day. Compatibility with existing or new boilers is imperative and they generally come with a 10-year guarantee.

Sustainability score: The universal domestic system reduces carbon emissions by around 400kg per year. They can supply virtually all of the hot water required during summer and about 60% year round.

2. Ground Source Heat pumps, an established technology, this type of heating in most commonly found in fridges and air conditioning. By transferring heat from the ground, heat pumps provide space heating, and in some cases pre-heat domestic hot water. For each unit of electricity used to pump the heat, 3 to 4 units of heat are produced. As well as ground source heat pumps, air source and water pumps can also be used for domestic or commercial purposes. Underfloor heating is generally required to pick out advantage of the water which is at a lower temperature than is run-of-the-mill in “traditional” wet central heating systems.

Sustainability score: Heat pumps are low carbon, even though electricity is required for the pump and compressor. Measured by the coefficient of performance (CoP), the ratio of units of heat output for every unit of electricity. characteristic CoPs range from 2.5 to 4.

3. Combined Heat and Power or CHP, is also sometimes referred to as cogeneration. CHP systems provide a source of heat from the so-called “waste heat” of the electrical generating process. available for commercial units only currently, domestic units are expected to be on the market in around 18 months. filth heat from biomass, solar thermal, coal and diesel can be used. Of all the above, only diesel can be used in gas turbines or reciprocating engines.

Sustainability score: Only a third of the heat content from generate-only systems reaches the consumer, but CHP systems typically adapt up to 90% heat from the same energy source, developing the overall energy content utilisation of fuels.

4. Biomass Boilers, often called “bioenergy” or “biofuels”, these biomass fuels are produced from organic materials, either from plants or commercial, domestic and industrial products. Mostly proper for domestic properties in a rural setting, they can be used for providing space heating for rooms or have a boiler connected to the central heating and hot water systems. A key issue when considering a biomass installation is the proximaty of a local, affordable fuel source.

Sustainability score: Biomass boilers are clearly a sustainable choice for providing heat for domestic use as they run on fully natural products. However, they are not appropriate for every development and work best in a rural setting with the right materials ready available.

5. Condensing Boilers, all up-to-the-minute boilers sold in the united kingdom are now condensing boilers. Providing much improved efficiency, the consumer can expect to pay a little more for a unit and installation but it’s expected they would save as much within 4 years of installation.

Sustainability score: Efficient, sustainable and expenditure effective, they are the method forward for all household boilers.

6. Underfloor heating is a system of flexible and durable PEX pipes installed underneath the floor, turning virtually any type of floor into a large and gentle radiator. Easy to install, they help the utilise of low temperature heat sources.

Sustainability score: The best way of delivering heating generated by heat pump technologies.

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Making school washrooms child friendly and safe

Posted on by Posted in Sanitaryware, Useful Resources

School toilets have long been a place children endured or avoided and have contributed to many pupils ill health.
For a child, visiting a school toilet can be an intimidating experience. Broken facilities, fear of bullying or restriction of use can cause health problems, the lack of privacy can lead to phobias that may follow children into adult life.
With these problems and more facing our schools, what ways can we help improve the situation?

One very good way is locating washrooms within the heart of the school. This sends a message that appropriate standards of behaviour still apply within the toilet. Also the maintenance of clear sight lines and an open plan design approach will promote an atmosphere of natural peer-to-peer surveillance and protection.
In addition a school washroom should not just rely on a cleaning regime for its hygiene performance. Room design and product selection play a key role.  In the instance above, specifying a seat with a lid and vandal resistant steel hinge
is a simple way to significantly improve the hygiene of the school toilet.

There is no doubt that this is a very big problem in schools and has gone unnoticed by the government, launching The Bog Standard Campaign in 2004 by Education and Resources for improving childhood Continence (ERIC), in partnership with Schools Council UK and backed by Westminster, the Bog Standard campaign aims to improve standards in school toilets throughout the UK and ensure children have access to them when they need them.
This campaign is working to change school’s obligation regarding the number of sanitary items required in school washrooms, promoting vastly improved standards, enforced by legislation, that will ensure school toilets are age appropriate, always available, cleaned and well maintained.

For a more detailed information on commercial sanitaryware visit mytub.co.uk

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Can you figure these out?

Posted on by Posted in Humour

Came across these whilst out on a night out! double take for sure.

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Making hospital sanitary facilities water efficient

Posted on by Posted in Useful Resources

A typical hospital will use 1,460 litres of water each year for every square meter of floor space, almost 55% of water used within a hospital will be used in sanitary facilities. Saving water therefore makes good sense for both environmental and financial reasons. The Environmental Agency estimates that most buildings in the UK can easily reduce water consumption and their water bills, by around 40%. For a hospital this is obviously a massive benefit and one that can be realised without compromising hygiene, infection control and patient care.

Almost 25% of all water used in a typical hospital washroom comes out of taps and mixers. A tap with a flow of 12 litres per minute which is used  a 100 times a day for 20 seconds each time will use close to 400 litres of water each day. By specifying a tap with a flow rate regulator the Environment Agency has measures up to an 80% reduction in this figure. Alternatively, electronic sensor taps or timed shut-off push taps may be used to reduce water use by 15% and prevent wastage.

The installation of urinals instead of WC’s in male washrooms will immediately save water compared with the same number of WC’s. Despite thus, urinals still account for over 10% of water usage in the most hospital sanitary facilities. Recent developments in waterless urinal technology can reduce this figure to virtually zero- A urinal that does not flush simply does not use water!

Click here for water saving commercial sanitaryware

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How big a problem is infection control in hospitals

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Healthcare Acquired Infection(HCAI) is nothing new. The Royal London Hospital was established in 1740 and the minutes of early management meetings included concerns about controlling infection. Eva Luckes, a matron at the Royal London in the late 19th centruy, wrote ‘nurses can scarcely lay too much stress upon necessity for absolute cleanliness’.

So if we understoo the problem of, and the answer to, infection control over 100 years ago, what has gone wrong? What have we forgotten? The Department of Health has ignored the lessons of history;proven infection countermeasures have not been performed regularly or properly at the majority of UK hospitals. Also, the the bugs are getting tougher; the increasing resistance of bacteria to antibiotics makes many infections extremely difficult to treat effectively. It is estimated that one in ten patients will acquire an infection. The cost to the NHS is £1billion per year.

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