NuScale Power has announced a 25% increase in power output for its NuScale Power Module small modular reactor, which it says will lead to significant cost savings. It has also announced options for smaller four-module and six-module plant sizes in addition to its flagship 12-module plant.

The NuScale Power Module is a pressurised water reactor with all the components for steam generation and heat exchange incorporated into a single integrated unit. The company said yesterday that, following value engineering efforts using advanced testing and modelling tools, it has now concluded that the unit can generate 77 MWe (gross) per module, or about 924 MWe for a 12-module power plant. The increased power output comes without any major changes to the NPM technology.

The increase in generating capacity lowers the overnight capital cost of a 12-module facility from an expected USD3600 per kilowatt to about USD2850, the company said. “Furthermore, the scalable, 12-module power plant will now approach a size that makes it a true competitor for the gigawatt-size market,” it added.

The smaller four and six-module power plant solutions will give customers more options in terms of size, power output, operational flexibility and cost, NuScale said, with a smaller footprint and a focus on simplifying construction, reducing construction duration and lowering costs. “This new solution allows NuScale to support a larger cross-section of customer needs including power for small grids such as for island nations; remote off-grid communities; industrial and government facilities; and coal power replacements that require less power and help customers meet clean air mandates,” the company said.

 

 

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in September issued a standard design approval for a 50 MWe-per-module version of NuScale’s SMR, allowing that design to be referenced in applications for construction, operating and manufacturing licences and permits in the USA. NuScale had previously indicated plans to apply for standard design approval of a 60 MWe version, requiring additional NRC review. It has now said the power uprate will be reviewed by the NRC as part of that application, which it expects to submit in 2022.

 

Source: World Nuclear News

 

Costa Rica is widely celebrated as one of the most environmentally progressive countries in the world, pledging in 2015 to become a carbon-neutral country by 2021. Naturally, in order to uphold that pledge, Úbáli Tropical Living, a Costa Rican architecture firm committed to sustainable hotel tourism, designs eco-friendly modular cabins for various terrains that have been conceived and constructed in order to decrease carbon footprints typically caused by tourism.

Úbáli, which means chameleon in Bribri, designed their first modular cabin, called Kabëk, specifically to befit mountain living. The first model for the Úbáli Tropical Living’s eco-tourism initiative dons an inclined roof, which allows the modular house to tuck right into mountainous terrains and offers travelers the chance to fully immerse themselves and their stays in the quiet of the wood. The modular cabin has a simple design layout of four walls that enclose a bedroom, living room, kitchen, bathroom, and dining room. The construction process also promotes frugality in regard to both time and money in that its modularity and simple layout caters to the prospect of easy and relatively affordable replication. Prepared for the most extreme of climates, Kabëk is assembled using industrial zinc, an extremely durable material that reforms nicks and blemishes thanks to its own hydroxyl carbonate protective layer. Additionally, industrial zinc’s levels of low toxicity are ideal for modular homes situated in natural settings. Industrial zinc is recyclable, durable, and an eco-conscious option for roofs. For example, rainwater that flows off Kabëk’s roof does not collect any hazardous waste on its way to the ground’s soil. Kabëk’s transportability is inherently green as the construction process preserves the natural settings on which Kabëk is situated. Furthermore, the materials used to build the modular home – industrial zinc, gypsum, and Densglass – form an ecologically sound structure that can withstand irregular changes in weather.

Once buyers attain land and construction permits, the building process takes just about two months to reach completion. In addition to the environmentally sustainable qualities and money-conscious design concept, Kabëk comes with installed septic tanks and the properly outfitted facilities needed for longer stays. The home is equipped with essential lifestyle products and tools in order to maintain convenience for a trip that otherwise brings you one on one with the mountain’s bare, albeit restorative, necessities.

 

Source: Yanko Design

 

 

Mhome Group a leading Chinese real estate developer headquartered in Wuhan, was the centre of attention at the recent 19th China International Exposition of Housing Industry & Products and Equipment of Building Industrialization (“China Housing Expo”), as it unveiled its latest prefabricated construction products and services, which included a groundbreaking new Composite Shear Wall Technology system and smart factory.

As the first smart housing developer in the industry to realize prefabricated homes, Mhome Group’s ongoing achievements contribute to the industry’s progress towards high-quality, eco-friendly construction developments.

“China’s construction industry is facing rising labor costs, inefficient practices, adverse environmental effects and poor interdepartmental coordination. As a result, prefabricated buildings are growing in popularity and green construction are the main focus for future developments. Smart housing manufacturing supports sustainable practices and promotes positive development in the construction industry,” said He Fei, CEO of MHome Group.

Mhome Group’s Composite Shear Wall Technology is composed of two prefabricated reinforced concrete slabs that are connected by trusses to form a wall panel with a middle cavity, which is then formed with concrete after the panels are installed. This ‘sandwich’ style of insulation supports convenient construction, boasts excellent earthquake resistance and waterproof performance — guaranteeing high-quality, low cost, rapid construction projects that are more durable and sustainable.

The developer also exhibited a to-scale 3D smart factory display, where visitors gained an inside look at the design, production, transportation and construction of digitally driven prefabrication components.

Mhome Group’s unique integrated smart housing manufacturing model adheres to its business policy of “High Satisfaction, Low Cost, Fast Speed, Low Profit Margins, Wide-scale Operations and Diverse Services”, with the Composite Shear Wall Technology system as its core product. Mhome Group’s complete housing solution improves efficiency across the entire manufacturing chain from planning and design to check-in.

Beyond its integrated model, the developer has made significant strides in the field of digitalization. Mhome Group has built an innovative smart cloud management platform with BIM technology, which allows the developer to oversee and manage the entire prefabrication construction process. In addition, real-time information dissemination improves process transparency; realizes lean production; ensures precise procurement and optimized warehousing; provides digital support for the expansion of prefabricated construction; and ultimately realizes Mhome Group’s mission to allow more people to live a better life through beautiful, easy-to-use and affordable housing.

 

 

About Mhome Group

Established in 1989, Mhome Group is a developer of residential and urban homes properties and provider of urban and rural construction services. Headquartered in Wuhan, China, Mhome is a listed company with a prominent presence in multiple industries including smart housing manufacturing, modern agriculture and industrial revitalization of small towns.

About China Housing Expo

The 19th China Housing Expo was held between November 5 to 7 at the Chinese International Exhibition Center in Beijing. Taking place annually, China Housing Expo promotes the transformation, upgrade and sustainable development of China’s construction sector.

 

Source: PR NEWSWIRE

 

Modern Methods of Construction have been highlighted by Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State as the way forward to help resolve the housing crisis and urged Housing Associations and Local Councils to embrace new technology and methods of working.  However, the log jam to completion of new build projects can be connection of the water supply.  Surface mounted meters allowing ‘plug and play’ style installation can be the solution.

The recent change in lifestyle forced upon us by the COVID 19 pandemic has identified the importance of home and local community environment. In the Secretary of State’s speech to the Chartered Institute of Housing, 10th September 2020, Robert Jenrick, highlighted the impact the period of lockdown had on those with poor housing and the homeless.
The slow-down in new home build that resulted from the COVID 19 restrictions needs to be reversed and Jenrick has made MMC ‘central to the delivery of the new Affordable Homes Programme’ and set a minimum target for the use of MMC1.  His aim is for ‘…the UK to be a leader in MMC, driving new jobs, better skills, as well as faster delivery of homes, and those homes, in turn, being better quality and more energy efficient, with all of the benefits of society and social justice that comes with that.’1
Jenrick urged rapid progress on Social and Affordable Housing.  However, utility connections can often be the weakest link in the improved efficiency the MMC provides.
Water supply is perhaps the most important item within the critical path of construction and is probably the most difficult to achieve. Imagine a situation where your services can be fully installed prior to moving on site, with surface mounted meters allowing ‘plug and play’ style installation.

 

With Groundbreaker water management system, you have exactly that ‘plug and play’ option – no need to imagine.
The only system of its type, it is designed to be installed at any time during the construction period.  Fully compliant with Water Regulations, it provides an accessible, safe and secure location for the water meter and controls to a specific property.
The concept is simple.  Water services are connected to an externally mounted, pre-installed water service control.  The pre-installation and certification of plumbing can facilitate early approval of water services to a plot.  This allows flexibility in the management and scheduling of a connection to the water mains supply.
There is no need for boundary boxes or meter housings in the footpath, and this simplification of the connection allows for improved efficiency and reduces the time required for highway closures.  An added benefit of removing meter housing from the footpath is that there is no disruption to the footpath, so no reinstatement costs.
Using Technology to Future Proof Housing stock
It is good to see that Jenrick has recognised the need to embrace new technology, to future proof housing stock. Utility companies have not been slow in recognising the benefits of a ‘Smart Home’.  The ability to interrogate and manage energy usage at any given time of day or night has been recognised as an effective way for householders to reduce usage and manage costs
Gas and electricity meters located on external building walls have enabled easy upgrades and introduction of countrywide ‘Smart Meter’ programmes.  However, the traditional location of a water meter in a metal-covered hole in the public highway is not conducive to this new way of thinking. A ‘Smart Water Meter’ located in such a situation is exceedingly poor in transmitting a signal even to a local pick up. With Groundbreaker water management system, ‘Smart Water Meter’ technology can be easily installed, as it is introduced across the UK.  Recent field trials of Groundbreaker have proven that the range of such meters can be over 3Km (2 miles) allowing for remote access and the ability to mange the carbon footprint.

www.groundbreaker.co.uk

1.  www.gov.uk/government/speeches/robert-jenricks-speech-to-chartered-institute-of-housing-cih-2020

The Combi-SC – a good move for Autovol

Increasing space availability, improving safety and speeding up the transportation of products onsite can be a challenge for modular construction companies, particularly in light of the extremely oversized and bulky loads that the sector typically deals with.

A new US company has solved this issue by using a Combi-SC Straddle Carrier from the Irish handling specialist Combilift. Idaho-based Autovol Inc. is breaking new ground as the first fully automated volumetric modular factory in the USA, and the most advanced of its kind across the globe.

Merrick Macomber, EA to CEO and Co-Founder of Autovol says: “For decades, our industry has traditionally used a combination of a tractor unit and a custom built lifting chassis to move modules,” said Merrick, “but we decided to take an updated approach to handling procedures. Since we started production a few months ago, the Combi-SC has proved to do everything the manufacturers promised. Out of all of the new equipment we bought for our new factory, it was by far our best investment. It has substantially cut loading times, reduced the risk of product damage and improved the deployment of the labour force.”

 

Autovol’s Combi-SC is diesel powered with a lift capacity of 45 tonnes, with a 1.8m telescopic facility and .5m side shift. Compared to the tractor/chassis method the time savings are impressive: navigating a modular from the factory to trailer previously involved four to six personnel and took up to two hours. This can now be done in a maximum of 20 minutes and requires just one operative to steer the Combi-SC using the wireless remote-control facility. Various lift points on each side of the fixed frame attachment enable drop chains to be fixed in the most suitable position for each individual load, allowing easy configuration for the different sizes of modules that Autovol produce – which can be up to 30.5m long and almost 5m wide.

“Our Combi-SC has made a significant contribution to enabling our breakthroughs in construction cost, productivity, and quality”, said Merrick.

www.combilft.com

https://autovol.com

Nick Gander, founder of Energy Carbon, explains why low-carbon far-infrared heating perfectly complements sustainable modular construction.

When it comes to housing, the UK has its work cut out.

It’s estimated the country needs to be building nearly 350,000 homes every year to meet rising demand – which is a huge step up from where we are at the moment.
We need more housing, more quickly – and that requires the construction sector to become a lot more productive.  But if that wasn’t challenging enough, we have to achieve all that while drastically reducing the built environment’s ecological impact too – both in terms of the construction process, and buildings’ carbon footprints over their lifetime.  That might sound like an impossible square to circle, especially given the rapidly shortening time we have to do it in. It’s only thirty years until 2050, by which time the UK’s committed to reaching net zero.  But it’s possible we’ve been looking the solution in the face for decades and not realised it.

Modular construction
Modular construction is nothing new. Millions of British people, in fact, grew up in prefabricated housing built after the Second World War.
But thanks to enormous advances in technology, modern modular buildings are a world away from the flimsy prefabs of the past – and offer a quicker, cheaper and much more sustainable alternative to conventional brick-built construction.
Modular construction is green because it tends to produce much less waste, and also because whole buildings can be disassembled and used again if necessary.
However, many modular buildings still aren’t as green as they could be – and that’s because very often how they’re heated gets overlooked.
How green are the green alternatives?
If you take a sustainably-constructed building, then fit it with a heating system that’s not environmentally friendly, you’ve not got a sustainable building any more.
In the decade ahead, we’re likely to see a drastic reduction in the use of worst-offending power sources like coal, oil and gas, and the old-fashioned heating systems that use them.
However, some alternatives that look very green on the surface aren’t anywhere near as sustainable as they seem once you start digging a little deeper.
Air-source heat pump technology is often presented as the future of heating, but it’s got significant downsides – they’re very expensive, require specialist technicians to install and maintain, have short lifespans, and in some cases the refrigerant they use can itself contribute to global warming.

 

Far-infrared
A much better solution – and one that’s very in keeping with the speed and ease of modular construction – is far-infrared.
Infrared radiation is produced by the sun. It’s measured in microns, with ‘near’ infrared sitting between 0.76 and 1.56 microns, ‘mid’ infrared measuring between 1.5 and 4 microns, and anything above 4 microns classed as far-infrared.
Between 8 and 10 microns, to be precise, is the most beneficial to the human body – and it’s exactly this sort of infra-red radiation that the products we supply at Energy Carbon provide.
Fit it … Forget it
Traditional heating systems work on a convection system. Radiators or electric storage heaters draw cold air from the floor, and heat it so that it rises to the ceiling, where it cools, falls to the floor and the process continues in a loop – which can result in poor air quality, as dust particles rise.
Convection can be slow, expensive, and, often, totally ineffective – all you have to do is open the front door, and the heat escapes, taking you right back to square one.  This mix of hot and cold air can also create moisture that causes mould and mildew, and, more importantly, health issues for occupants.
Far-infrared heating is different. Far-infrared does not create moisture as it is not heating the air. The radiant heat warms objects in the room instead of the air itself.
The objects in turn release their own heat, and the room is kept at a far more even, comfortable temperature. With no convection roll, you get a dramatic drop in the amount of dust particles and or mould, which can alleviate allergen-induced asthma.
Additionally, occupants ‘feel’ the energy themselves, much the same as they feel the warmth from the sun. This feeling of warmth allows the heating to run at around 1-2 degrees lower than conventional heating, thus saving further energy.
The far-infrared solution Energy Carbon provides was originally developed by students at the University of Stuttgart.
They had worked for six years trying to create an energy-efficient heating system which was effective, easy to install, and completely safe.
Using industry waste materials, the students engineered a far-infrared heating system which is sustainable, had great carbon-reducing credentials, and produced radiant heat which could travel up to three and a half metres.
The technology is now widely used across Germany, and over 100,000 linear metres of it have been fitted to date.

What’s more, where alternatives need extra skilled trades and engineers to install and maintain, our heating products are incredibly simple to install into the walls or ceilings of a room, using existing trades and requiring no ongoing yearly maintenance.
Fit it … Forget it.

In short, we think far-infrared is the future of heating in modular construction – and if you’d like to learn more, get in touch with Energy Carbon today.

Call 0203 507 1659,

or email hello@energycarbon.co.uk

www.energycarbon.co.uk

How to build a timber construction on a point-supported flat slab.

Timber, one of the oldest construction materials, in the last two centuries has been surpassed by more technologically advanced materials: it is time for it to restore its former glory.
In recent years a new sensitivity towards environmental issues has led to a rediscovery of timber material, characterized by a very low ecological footprint. In addition, a “technological revolution” of the entire timber supply chain has made it possible to make a quantum leap, with the construction of small 24-storey skyscrapers with height up to 85 m. Today a material that was once reserved to small structures only can aim to replace steel and reinforced concrete, even for buildings of considerable size and complexity.
In particular there is new exciting opportunity risen within this technological revolution: the SPIDER connector, a fixing system developed and certified by Rothoblaas in collaboration with the University of Innsbruck (Austria).
The research project
When the academic world and industry combine their skills to translate a brilliant intuition into a tangible and practical solution, it is often a sure success. This is, indeed, how the SPIDER project has started in 2016. The Arbeitsbereich für Holzbau (Department of Timber Construction) at the University of Innsbruck envisioned its innovative concept and proposed the development primacy to two companies. Rothoblaas saw the potential and therefore accepted the challenge, sharing its technical know-how and collaborating with the University to bring this visionary system to life.

 

The ambitious research project, co-financed by the Österreichische Forschungsförderungsgesellschaft (Austrian Research Promotion Agency), led to the development of a metal connector for the construction of point supported flat CLT floors, for the first time in the world. After 4 intense years of work and many tests and trials the project was finally marked successful with the marketing of the notable, CE marked SPIDER connector.

The SPIDER connector
The connector consists of several steel components, fixed to the timber elements with fully threaded screws.
The SPIDER connector performs three distinct tasks:
1.   Load transmission from the upper to the lower column, without compressing the CLT floor (green arrows);
2.   Suspension of the floor: the floor is not simply resting on the column, but is “suspended” from the six steel arms of the SPIDER by means of full threaded screws, which work in traction (blue arrows);
3.  Shear reinforcement: all vertical loads applied to the floor are concentrated in a small portion of the panel around the column. This causes high shear forces in the floor, which can result in rolling shear failures. The inclined screws also act as reinforcement, “sewing” the various layers of the panel.

Now, the obvious question is: at what distance can the columns be positioned using the SPIDER connector? In principle, a 7 m x 7 m mesh can be indicated as the maximum limit that a SPIDER connector can support. It is possible to install the floors with two different configurations, to create a real flat slab floor or a cross-panelled floor.
Just to make it clear, it will be possible to construct buildings with the same structural mesh as the U.B.C. Brock Commons in BC, Canada but 50 storeys high!
Spider has been officially launched in Spring 2020 and is featured in the new plates and connectors catalogue by Rothoblaas.

 

Join the challenge!
Timber construction is still in an initial phase of rediscovery and deserves full attention and consideration. After decades where steel and reinforced concrete have ruled undisturbed, now timber construction is becoming more mature, getting some popularity for its sustainable and biophilic nature. However, to withstand a credible and competitive advantage it needs to borrow some of standard construction’s strengths.
SPIDER is a clear step forward for buildings made of wood and unlocks paths to possibilities that now also timber, over reinforced concrete, can have the luxury to dare to.
The challenge of innovation has just started, now it’s up to both designers and manufacturers to believe in it and seize this new opportunity!

www.rothoblaas.com

Totally Modular Recruitment Needs Continue To Boom

After securing a significant pipeline of factory built homes, many of which will be delivered to housing associations across the nation, Midlands based housing manufacturer Totally Modular are leading the way in job creation enhancing the continued prominence of MMC whilst creating a new generation of skilled, volumetric housing professionals.

Despite all the gloom surrounding the current pandemic and uncertainty from Brexit, Totally Modular have bucked the trend and continue to prosper whilst increasing the number of staff employed, and continue to create opportunities for individuals who seek a career in a new vibrant technology sector.
Totally Modular, are a manufacturer of residential housing solutions who can achieve carbon zero build standards which meets the need for future proof affordable houses. The homes are manufactured on a production line and commence the process as a robust hybrid steel structure which are fully assembled and constructed within a controlled factory environment before despatch and can achieve a completion state of up to 95%.
Having established partnerships with local colleges, universities, schools and military associations, Totally Modular aim to bring a wide range of new talent to the company in a bid to create a new generation of housebuilders. These partnerships with a range of organisations will facilitate the scope to offer jobs to a range of individuals, from unskilled to skilled, veterans or apprentices, school leavers or mature individuals who are interested in participating in the innovative, future proof, modular construction industry. Familiarising themselves with the latest construction technologies, driving forward innovation, digital integration and accelerated delivery of housing. The ambition is to deliver a new generation of high quality, energy efficient housing for all tenures produced by a new generation of house builders.

 

Totally Modular have identified that they can bring in an amount of an unskilled workforce, and train individuals in the skills required to produce volumetric modular housing. For them to facilitate this, they have partnered with the National Housing Academy and Dudley College as a training provider being within 3 miles of their factory. Dudley College are sat in a unique position as they have both experience from a construction perspective from an onsite element but also have cutting edge training programmes that support offsite technology from a technical perspective, incorporating design, green technologies and innovative products.
This trail blazing apprenticeship scheme, will see Totally Modulars apprentices sent to college for a formal NVQ, BTEC apprenticeship over a period of 2-3 years, where at the end of it, they will have a formal qualification in Volumetric Modular Assembly, either as a crafts person or as a technician having transferable skills allowing individuals to be deployed throughout the UK and beyond. Totally Modular have also signed The Armed Forces Covenant, which demonstrates their commitment to support the armed forces community and individuals in their employment search. They have since been awarded the Bronze Award as part of the Employer Recognition Scheme which acknowledges that they have provided exceptional support to the armed forces by going above and beyond their covenant pledges.
Overall, Totally Modular are committed to be recognised as a leader in diversity and inclusion. By encouraging individuals from all backgrounds to join their team whilst enabling and supporting them to achieve their individual goals, this strategy will in turn help to bridge the skills gap our industry continues to face.
Being in the enviable position of hosting Prime Minister, Boris Johnson inside their prototype show home positioned in Dudley college recently, Totally Modular are leading the way in meeting the challenge set by him in building greener, faster and better homes which he stated as an aim within his recent ‘Build Back Better’ address.
Totally Modular offer a range of housing solutions; housing, apartments, airspace and temporary accommodation, whilst always aiming for A+ energy efficiency. The homes can be delivered as a full turnkey solution from design all the way to delivery. These homes can provide higher quality solutions with lower risk and greater speed, cost-effectiveness and consistency.
Totally Modular have carefully designed a variety of standard house types that cover the most popular house sizes within the market today. Using the TM volumetric build system they can offer vast customisation and adapt their standard house types to suit, or create a custom volumetric design. Totally Modular have standard layouts for Affordable Housing (NdSS compliant), Private Rented Sector, and Market Sale. As well as their standardised housing product, they are also developing an enhanced Future Homes solution.
Totally Modular have gone through an extensive certification process to ensure that all their Modular Homes are mortgageable with various comprehensive warranties available. Totally Modular have also secured a plethora of accreditations (ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, SSIP, Considerate Constructors) which shows their dedication towards assurance, providing a healthier & safer workplace, where their processes are streamlined therefore maximising productivity and minimising risk.

www.totallymodular.co.uk   

 Safe, Sustainable Fibreboard by Sundeala

Independent tests performed by an ISO 17025 compliant laboratory show that Sundeala FR board is 100% free from viable virus within 5 minutes of infection with human coronavirus.

Sundeala fibreboard has helped Britain face its share of national emergencies. Sundeala board was used in the construction of the very first ‘Nightingale Hospital’ comprised of hundreds of Red Cross Huts behind Netley Hospital during the First World War and, in 2020, it has joined the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sundeala FR is an inherently fire-resistant fibreboard comprised of recycled paper fibres and natural metallic minerals.
Studies indicate that coronavirus remains viable on porous surfaces and in the presence of some metallic minerals for far shorter periods than hard, smooth surfaces and that the presence of some metallic minerals has a destructive effect on virus particulates.
Sundeala Ltd approached Indoor Biotechnologies – a global immunodiagnostics and biotechnology company, specialising in the development of innovative products and services in the areas of Immunological and Environmental Sciences. Indoor Biotechnologies formulated a methodology designed to robustly test both the surface and fibres of Sundeala FR to determine how long coronavirus was detectable after the point of infection.

 

 

The Test
ISO 17025 compliant methodology was used to test multiple separate samples of Sundeala FR board. Tests were done on multiple days and with multiple sets of samples to ensure the testing was scientifically meaningful.
Testing was performed with Human Coronavirus 229E as the closest in behaviour to SARS CoV-2 as well as being the strain proven in previous studies to have the longest persistence on surfaces and be the most difficult to destroy. Virus samples were cultured in cells derived from human lung tissue.
Testing was performed both on the board surface and within the board itself to test the point at which it became safe to touch as well as when it became safe to cut or sand.
The Results
After tests performed at 4 hours and 1 hour showed that no viable virus remained on the board samples, further tests were carried out at 5, 15, and 30-minute time points.
The results were conclusive: within 5 minutes of infection with a large viral load, there was zero viable virus persisting either on the surface or within the Sundeala FR board itself.
The Impact
As the economy struggles for recovery amidst local lockdowns, the construction industry is being called on to navigate the waters of the ‘new normal’ with a new set of safety considerations around reducing the transmission of coronavirus.
A new study from Australia shows that coronavirus can persist on some non-porous surfaces, such as glass and stainless steel, for as long as 28 days, raising serious concern about high-touch surfaces such as metal door plates.
The efficacy of Sundeala FR against potential viral transmission is game changing for public health where Sundeala FR is being used throughout schools, universities and offices as door push-plates, social distancing screens and wall cladding in high-footfall circulation spaces. It also a welcome antidote to the ‘Plastic Pandemic’ that has seen the use of imported virgin plastic escalate on a previously unimaginable scale during Covid-19. Sundeala FR is manufactured in the UK from 100% UK sourced ‘waste’ cellulose fibres that would otherwise end up in landfill.
The need for fast, disruption free and, above all, safe construction has never been more pressing. Sundeala FR is manufactured in the UK and can be delivered on a ‘just in time’ basis to be installed during offsite fabrication, either as 2400 x 1200mm sheets or cut to size as required.
Benefits:
•  100% free from human coronavirus within 5 minutes of infection both on the surface and inside the board itself.
• Fully circular product manufactured from recycled waste materials and able to be endlessly re-manufactured into new board at the end of life.
•  Made from natural cellulose fibres and metallic minerals.
•  Wet-process fibreboard utilising hydrocarbon bonding for strength. Zero use of chemical binders or VOCs in the production process.
•  BS EN 13501-1 Class B Fire Rated: suitable for use as a wall lining in circulation spaces, corridors, and high-risk rooms such as science labs and kitchens.
• 25-year surface warranty

www.sundeala.co.uk

The global pandemic has forced us all to pay more attention to the air around us, whether in our home, office or outside. Maintaining high standards of indoor air quality (IAQ) is not only important to limit the potential spread of infectious diseases but also to prevent the build-up of indoor air pollutants, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can significantly impact the health of occupants. One of the simplest and most effective ways to achieve this is by specifying materials which are recognised as low emitters of VOCs under schemes such as the Eurofins Indoor Air Comfort standard.

Understanding VOCs
VOCs can be emitted by a number of materials found in a typical indoor environment, including everything from cleaning products to carpets and paints. The compounds are described as ‘volatile’ as they have a fairly low boiling point. This causes their molecules to become more active at room temperature, allowing them to spread into the surrounding air.
The compounds have been linked with a variety of health issues. Depending on the length and concentration of exposure, these can vary from relatively minor issues – such as dizziness and shortness of breath – to serious impacts including damage to internal organs and the central nervous system.
Whilst an effective ventilation strategy can help to reduce VOC concentrations, it is generally recommended that the first step should be to use materials which are identified as low emitters. The Eurofins Indoor Air Comfort (IAC) programme helps specifiers to quickly and easily identify products which meet these requirements.
Eurofins IAC
The Eurofins IAC has been created to harmonise the criteria within the various VOC emissions standards across Europe. It is split into two levels:
Standard Certification – Identifying that the product complies with minimum mandatory VOC emissions standards within European countries including France, Germany and Italy.
Gold Certification – This recognises the product is also compliant with many of the most demanding voluntary performance standards and can be recognised as being an outstanding material according to the VOC Indoor Air Quality emissions regulations. Eurofins IAC Gold certified products meet the compliance requirements for specifying low-VOC emission solutions within BREEAM, Well Building, LEED and SKA Rating.
In order to achieve Eurofins IAC Gold certification, production facilities are first assessed by an independent inspector who has been approved by Eurofins. The assessor looks at all factors which may affect emissions from the product, such as archival changes in a product’s formulation. During the inspection, samples of products are taken for emissions testing.
Once emissions testing is completed, the results are then sent to the manufacturer along with a detailed report from the inspection, allowing corrective action to be taken where necessary. If the test results suggest compliance and no issues are raised in the inspection report, then the product is issued with certification.

 

Critically, Eurofins requires manufacturers to engage in a process of continuous testing and auditing. Recently certified products are subjected to emission testing and production site inspections every year to ensure low emissions. As a result, installers and specifiers can have confidence that the performance and quality of certified products will be maintained over time.
A growing number of construction products are now certified under the Eurofins IAC Gold programme including Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation. In addition, work is also under way to consider VOC emissions within the harmonised European Standards for the CE Marking of products.
A healthier future
As we move towards a net zero carbon built environment, our buildings are set to become increasingly airtight. For this reason, the need to control VOC concentrations and to maintain high levels of IAQ is only expected to grow in the coming years. By specifying products which are low emitters, it should be possible to create healthier environments for occupants to live and work.

www.kingspantechnicalinsulation.co.uk