Game Changing Technology for Rooftop Renewable Energy

Aeromine’s patented innovative solution generates up

to 50% more power than other sustainable

energy options at the same or lower cost.

 

Why the World needs a New Wind Energy Solution

Renewable energy is crucial to mitigating climate change and creating a path to energy independence.  Yet current rooftop options, such as solar panels and legacy small wind turbines, are limited in how much energy they can produce, require large footprints, and have relatively short life cycles.

Aeromine’s innovative solution generates up to 50% more power than equivalent solar solutions harvesting the best performing renewable energy source available.

Aeromine performs under the most extreme weather conditions and produces power when energy demand is greatest.

The Aeromine Difference

Aeromine’s patented aerodynamic design captures and amplifies building airflow in wind speeds as low as 5 m.p.h., similar to the airfoils on a race car. Unlike turbines that require rotating rotor blades and many moving parts, making them prone to maintenance issues, the motionless and durable Aeromine solution generates more energy in less space.

Aeromine is designed for installation on buildings with large flat rooftops such as :

  • Warehouses and Distribution Centers

  • Manufacturing Facilities

  • Office Buildings

  • Multi-Family Residential Developments

  • Big Box Retail

Designed to integrate seamlessly with existing solar solutions,

Aeromine is sleek, silent, and easy to install, making it a cost-effective

and space-efficient renewable on-site energy solution.

A single Aeromine unit provides the same amount of power as up to 16 solar panels.

 

Creating a Better Way to Harvest the Power of Wind

 

Understanding the untapped potential of wind energy and limitations of existing rooftop energy options to capture it, Aeromine’s founders envisioned a better solution that would be much more productive. After significant research and development, they created the patented airfoil technology behind Aeromine.

The technology is a major leap forward from legacy distributed wind turbines that are ill-suited for most rooftop applications. Aeromine’s founders have created a much more effective way to harness even moderate wind to create energy for large, flat rooftop buildings such as warehouses, data centers, office, and apartment buildings.

 

www.aerominetechnologies.com

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Uponor supply pipework for the offsite construction of a £60m hotel built in just 12 weeks

Uponor has supplied high performance multi-layered composite (MLC) piping to offsite building solutions specialist, Elements Europe, as part of the manufacture of 329-bathroom pods for the new Manchester city centre £60m Clayton Hotel development.

Situated in the prime location of Portland Street in the centre of Manchester, the luxurious four-star hotel replaced a 50-year-old office block and is now operated by the Dalata Hotel Group, Ireland’s largest hotel group which is currently expanding its presence into the UK.

Opting to manufacture bathroom pods offsite meant that the main phases of the hotel could be built rapidly. Uponor worked closely with the Elements Europe’s M&E manager and design team to engineer a new solution that required fewer fittings than a traditional system, maximising efficiencies by saving on both cost and installation time.

Uponor’s MLC (Multi-layer Composite) pipe system was used in the construction of the pods as it offers many installation benefits that were crucial for the fast delivery even of a hotel to this scale.

Consisting of an aluminium core layered inside and outside with temperature resistant polyethylene, the MLC system offers all the benefits of a traditional metal system, such as strength and form stability, combined with the best performance features of modern plastic polymers, such as corrosion resistance and flexibility. With such a wide range of fittings available, the MLC system offers the engineers complete design freedom so they can optimise the end product for their customers.

This unique seamless pipe construction means that the flexibility of the pipe is unmatched and bends were formed by hand, removing the need for elbow joints or additional fittings. By requiring minimal fittings and joints, MLC pipe helps to eliminate the risk of connection failures and leaks, which improves the integrity of the system. Adequate water pressure, as well as minimised risk of connection failures, are also critically important for taller more extensive structures, such as Clayton Hotel, that have demanding water requirements.

 

Paul Whittall, Territory Sales Manager at Uponor, said, “With a successful working relationship spanning 10 years, we were able to work closely with Elements Europe’s M&E manager and design team to engineer a solution that required fewer fittings than a traditional system, maximising efficiencies and saving on both cost and installation time. The MLC pipe was an essential part of the Elements Europe specification for the bathroom pods in this prestigious Clayton Hotel project due to its flexibility, speedy installation and superior insulation qualities.”

“Overall, our strong partnership with Elements Europe, combined with the meticulous offsite construction process, meant that installation ran smoothly, the project kept to timelines, and the high design and quality standards expected of the Clayton Hotel brand were maintained.”

 

CLICK HERE to find out more

 

 

 

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PRAGUE: New Modular Research Centre

Following their first collaboration in 2007, CHYBIK + KRISTOF and KOMA Modular conclude their collective work on the Modular Research Centre, showcasing an innovative use of modular structures by altering conventional systems. Pushing the boundaries of standard modular architecture, the new research centre creates transparency and openness within the local community while serving as a think-tank presenting new concepts and possibilities of modular buildings.

CHYBIK + KRISTOF (CHK) announce the completion of the newly designed Modular Research Centre with KOMA Modular, a Czech module manufacturer, located in Vizovice, Czech Republic. Latest in a series of collaborations, the recently completed 170 m² research centre acts as a think-tank – an innovative space to challenge and expand on existing notions of modular construction. Situated at the edge of the KOMA complex, the new research centre carefully integrates the factory into its surrounding environment while creating a large semi-public social gathering square contributing to the employees’ liveliness and progressive working culture. The one-story building allows passers-by to view the factory from the street level, further enhancing an accessible, transparent, barrier-free area.

The partnership between CHK and KOMA began in 2014 by creating a master plan for the entrance and public area consisting of three modular buildings. The master plan demonstrates a strategic configuration design of the factory’s entrance, expanding on public space, in which each structure unveils modular versatility. Following the completion of the Modular Cafeteria in May 2014, CHK designed the Czech pavilion at EXPO 2015 in Milan, which was later converted into an office building for KOMA. The newly completed research centre (2022) presents the third and final modular design, rooted in the concept of rotated containers functioning as columns, enabling an architectural malleable space to further expand on the notions of modular architecture.

Set to become an innovation hub for the factory complex to develop and explore new undiscovered building methods with modules, the research centre forms an adaptable system that can meet multi­purpose needs. Acting as an idea generator, the building is an important meeting place for all professionals to create innovative and special products, consequently becoming a default gathering point and evolution center for the future of modularity. Keeping in mind the structure’s principal function, it is further underlying the vital element of transparency reflected in its building. Creating a complex that is open and welcoming to the local community confidently reflects on the principle of new concepts envisioned to form inside the rotated containers of the building.

Created as a prototype of a new and adaptable modular system, the research center underlines the studio’s dedication to expanding the limitations of modular architecture and engaging in supporting local communities. Putting the focus on crafting new shapes offering unrestrained modularity and showcasing an innovative system of multifunctional modular shapes, the studio is purposely shifting old paradigms and expanding on the typical rectangular construction to foster a transparent working environment. Bypassing the restriction of the customary use of right-angled units placed side by side, the research centre varies from a standard model in the basic re-imagination of the use of modular structures, making it a user-friendly model for the future of modular architecture.

Containing three main module elements, the floor, the container, and the roof units, the composed space creates a new unique system – spatial units containing the facilities are leveled onto the planar flooring modules, which are anchored to the foundation, functioning as columns. Placed in between the containers and the roof, vast window surfaces draw in an abundance of light, keeping the workplace open and connected to the exterior space.

The juxtaposition of the main modules and glass surfaces forms an all-inclusive spacious open area dedicated to horizontal and vertical working spaces. The area itself is entirely flexible, avoiding negative aspects of large open space offices, and can be readjusted to meet the specific needs of any project, forming multiple adaptable and individual workstations. As a natural continuation of the modularity concept, the furniture design allows the office equipment to be supplemented, changed, and adapted to new needs over time – pieces of equipment can be customized simply by re-connecting the elements. Building materials further aid in reflecting and understanding the innovative modular concept of the research centre, with its perforated surface and visible details used to the maximum extent in their natural form. As a material that KOMA manufactures and uses daily, aluminum was a clear choice for the complex, aiding the understanding of modular build principles easily.

The juxtaposition of the main modules and glass surfaces forms an all-inclusive spacious open area dedicated to horizontal and vertical working spaces. The area itself is entirely flexible, avoiding negative aspects of large open space offices, and can be readjusted to meet the specific needs of any project, forming multiple adaptable and individual workstations. As a natural continuation of the modularity concept, the furniture design allows the office equipment to be supplemented, changed, and adapted to new needs over time – pieces of equipment can be customized simply by re-connecting the elements. Building materials further aid in reflecting and understanding the innovative modular concept of the research centre, with its perforated surface and visible details used to the maximum extent in their natural form. As a material that KOMA manufactures and uses daily, aluminum was a clear choice for the complex, aiding the understanding of modular build principles easily.

chybik-kristof.com

koma-modular.cz

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Offsite production means quicker, less disruptive renovation of East London tower block   

Polypipe Building Services has provided a complex drainage solution for the refurbishment of an ageing tower block with minimal disruption by manufacturing bespoke drainage stacks offsite.

Collaborating with contractors Mulalley and consultants John Rowan & Partners, the Kent-based drainage system company provided prefabricated products adapted to meet the challenges of this 50-year-old building which had been subject to several adaptations over the years.

The combination of expert planning and offsite manufacturing which allows drainage systems to be replaced quickly and efficiently floor by floor, meant the installation team could progress at a rate of two floors faster per day than estimated and allowed residents to remain in their homes.

 

Polypipe Building Services Project Development Manager Graham Hicks said: “Our site visit revealed there were different layouts across the 91 flats, with some having a different bathroom configuration to others within the building which meant creating separate sets of drawings.

“This meant adaptation work was needed which included designing soil stacks with very tight waste connections, providing additional piping connections on the lower floors and a vent pipe for pressure compensation which was needed on the lower floors.”

 

Polypipe’s Terrain FUZE drainage system was chosen because it has been used in more than 300 high-rise buildings for Live stack replacement due to the benefits to residents and contractors working to tight project timelines.

 

Ciaran O’Donnell, contracts manager at Mulalley said: “We have worked with Polypipe Building Services for some time, and value both their expertise in finding the right solution and the efficiency savings of using their Advantage service to produce prefabricated stacks that are easier to fit on site.

“In the case of Henniker Point, Polypipe’s team was a great help in making sure we could

plan for the unique layout of the building.

“The ease of installation meant our team could progress faster because they were not assembling loose materials onsite which means less disruption for residents and a more efficient project schedule for the client.”

 

For more information about Live Stack replacement and the Advantage Service from Polypipe Building Services go to www.polypipe.com/polypipeadvantage

 

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PROMATECT®-H: Maximising the fire resistance of concrete structures

Leading fire protection specialist, Promat, has launched PROMATECT®-H, a high-performance fire-resistant

calcium silicate board, which  can protect concrete elements

for up to 240 minutes.

 

Many building materials, such as concrete, have an element of natural resistance to fire. However, in the event of a fire, exposed concrete can experience both mechanical and chemical changes such as explosive spalling and external cracking, both of which can cause it to progressively lose its strength, resulting in potential structural failure.

PROMATECT®-H ensures concrete columns, walls, beams, and slabs comply with UK fire and building regulations and prevents structural failure in the event of a fire. In addition, it is classified as A1 non-combustible when tested and classified in accordance with EN13501-1, making it easy to specify with confidence.

The fire protection board offers architects, main contractors, sub-contractors, and specifiers the option to upgrade structural elements of a building, creating a more flexible approach to internal fit outs or refurbishment projects. Ceilings and partitions can be easily produced using the boards. As an added advantage, they have a smooth surface leaving a great finish when painted and used alongside standard joint fillers.

Wit a high resistance to water, PROMATECT®-H will not deteriorate when used in damp or humid conditions. This enables the board to be installed and left semi-exposed so it can be brought into the construction schedule at an early stage, helping to streamline building processes in line with project timelines.

 

For more information, CLICK HERE to get in touch with the Promat team.

 

 

 

 

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British Scientists ‘Capturing Carbon’

Material scientists Barney Shanks and Sam Draper are lauded for their efforts in helping eliminate carbon emissions from the building and construction industry.

On October 06, 2022, Copenhagen-based Henrik Frode Obel Foundation announced material technology company Seratech as the winner of Obel Award 2022. The architecture award recognised the efforts of the company’s material scientists and London’s Imperial College PhD students Barney Shanks and Sam Draper in creating a solution against the alarming carbon footprint generated by the building and construction industry. The duo have created a carbon-neutral concrete through an efficient, low-cost process using materials that are naturally available all over the globe. The technology, according to Obel Award jury, best represents the 2022 theme of the award – ‘Embodied Emissions’ – referring to the irreversible and unremedied amount of CO2 that’s released in the construction of concrete architecture, and the need to sequester the problem at source.

Seratech’s solution is about capturing carbon from various industrial production processes to create a 100 per cent carbon neutral product that serves to potentially reduce embodied emissions. Though still at the ‘lab level’, the company hopes to scale up the concrete’s production in the near future to help achieve low carbon constructions.

Through this year’s thematic and the corresponding winner, the OBEL Award jury highlights the need for innovative and flexible cross-disciplinary solutions to combat climate change. Lauding Seratech’s endeavour, the jury shared that “it is necessary to encourage ambitious, cross disciplinary ideas that do not just provide a temporary or a small scale fix nor an unrealistic shift in the current practices.” The jury consisted of Martha Schwartz, as Chair (Founder, Martha Schwartz Partners, USA), Kjetil Trædal Thorsen (Co-founder, Snöhetta, Norway), Louis Becker (Design Principal and Partner, Henning Larsen, Denmark), Dr Wilhelm Vossenkuhl (Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, Germany), and XU Tiantian (Founding Principal, DnA, Beijing, China).

The fourth honouree to have received the annual prize that “recognises exceptional architectural contributions to human development”, Seratech’s winning new age concrete is preceded by Professor Carlos Menos’ urban design proposal 15-miuute city (2021), German architect Anna Herringer’s multi-layered building Anandaloy (2020) from northern Bangladesh, and Japanese architect Junya Ishigami’s Water Garden as the 2019 winner.

Shanks and Draper discuss the idea behind the technology produced at Seratech Video: Courtesy of Obel Award

So how is this concrete actually produced? Co-founders Shanks and Draper have mechanised a chemical process of capturing and storing C02 to create an alternative to Portland cement in the concrete composition.

“We found a way to take the world’s most abundant waste product, CO2, and react it with the world’s most abundant mineral, magnesium silicate. In doing this, we produce two things: magnesium carbonate and silica,” says Shanks. “But the really exciting bit is the silica. We use this as a cement replacement material, and if this is scaled globally, not only does it cut Portland cement production by 30 per cent, but also sequesters the emissions from the remaining 70 per cent, resulting in carbon-neutral concrete,” Draper, the company’s CEO adds.

A private limited company comprising a team of scientists, engineers and business leaders, Seratech’s technology has been in development since late 2020 and is currently working on the design of a pilot plant to model the process at a large scale. Following acceptance into the climate-tech accelerator Greenhouse in August 2021, the company has also received two grants totalling £212k to hire more researchers in its team, in addition to being featured as a case study in The Green Construction Board’s ‘Low Carbon Concrete Routemap’.

“The overall idea with this project,” according to Seratech’s Chief Technical Officer Barney Shanks, “is essentially where finding a way to reduce the carbon emissions associated with cement and concrete is zero but without impacting the properties of cement and concrete itself. If it is fully adopted, this technology eliminates three billion tonnes of CO2 being released in the atmosphere every year.”

In this time of aggressive urbanisation where the need for concrete and cement is seeing a continual rise, and which is only expected to increase in the future, Seratech’s sustainable endeavour brings a ray of hope in significantly decarbonising the construction industry. Draper and Shanks will receive a prize sum of EUR 100,000 and an artwork by Barcelona-based artist Tomás Saraceno at the Obel Award official ceremony, to be hosted at the Utzon Centre in Aalborg, Denmark, on October 25, 2022.

Source: STIRworld

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‘STACKABLE’ HOMES IN WOKINGHAM

Work on putting together more than 20 ‘stackable’ houses for homeless families in Wokingham is nearly complete. The units at Grovelands Park, Winnersh, will provide accommodation for people as they wait for a more permanent arrangement, avoiding the need to use bed and breakfast places.

Installation at Grovelands Park started this spring, led by Wokingham Borough Council. Twenty of the 23 units are already in place and are being furnished ready for families to move in next year, when construction finishes.

The timber-clad homes are modular, meaning they’re built offsite and craned into place. The 50 sq m, double-stacked homes each have their own toilet and bathroom plus an open-plan lounge, dining room and kitchen.

One will remain single-storey and will be adapted for people with disabilities. The stackable houses should last for more than 50 years, says the council, which is replacing 12 old prefabricated mobile units which had “reached the end of their natural life and were no longer economical to repair.”

The new homes have modern heating and rooftop solar panels as well as double glazing to reduce energy costs. They also have misting systems, an advanced type of sprinkler which can target the exact location of a fire.

Some homes will also trial air source heat pumps, a system that draws warmth from outside into the home. Grovelands Park itself will be upgraded with improved parking and drains as well as two electric vehicle charging points.

Councillor Stephen Conway, the authority’s deputy leader and executive member for housing, said: “Given the rising cost of living and our announcements about the need for savings, we know many residents may be feeling anxious about the future. We hope this investment, which will more than pay off in the long run, shows we’re still here to protect them and keep families together at times of adversity.”

He added: “As well as being good for the planet and cutting unnecessary costs, providing high-quality temporary housing will help homeless local families to feel safe and well at an uncertain and distressing time. It will reduce our reliance on expensive bed and breakfasts, saving money at a time of unprecedented financial pressure and allowing people to remain closer to their schools, jobs, friends and relatives. People usually become homeless through circumstances outside their control and they shouldn’t become isolated from these important support networks as a result.”

Rollalong, a modular construction specialist which is one of three partners on the project, has just been named a finalist in the Off-Site Innovation of the Year category of this year’s London Construction Awards. The council’s other two partners are architect Edgington Spink + Hyne and procurement specialists LHC.

Source: Berkshire Live

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MODULAR UNIT TO AID BLACKPOOL PATIENTS

Work has started on a new gastroenterology facility which will ensure endoscopy patients at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals have a shorter waiting time for procedures.

The new modular unit is being installed at Blackpool Sports Centre in Stanley Park and is the next phase of a partnership between the local hospital Trust and Remedy Healthcare Solutions.

The collaboration will see the project undertake in the region of 6,900 endoscopy procedures when the unit opens in late November.

The partnership has already seen additional endoscopy activity. With the Remedy team working in collaboration with the Trust to open a fifth room in the Gastroenterology Unit at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, allowing for an additional 452 patients to be seen since the start of August.

Construction of the modular unit will take place over the next eight weeks. The highly sustainable and environmentally friendly approach uses offsite construction techniques and will only see the loss of nine car parking spaces at the sports centre once the unit is open for business.

Speaking as the construction of the modular unit got underway, Gareth Hobson, Deputy Chief Operating Officer at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, said: “This partnership will allow us to more quickly treat our patients who have been waiting for endoscopy procedures.

“Our Trust colleagues are already working together with Remedy as ‘one team’ within the hospital, increasing our capacity, and relieving some of the pressure on our service. We look forward to seeing the new unit take shape on Stanley Park, and are excited about what this collaboration will achieve over the next 15 months.”Matt Marshall, CEO, Remedy Healthcare Solutions, said: “We are immensely proud to be working in partnership with Blackpool Teaching Hospitals on this project. The success of what has been achieved thus far is down to engagement and dedication of both teams who are eager to achieve the best possible outcomes and experiences for patients while creating solutions that really make an impact on waiting times. We could not be more excited about the launch of the modular unit and to keep the momentum going.”

Source: The Gazette

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KICKSTARTING THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Designed by Fletcher Priest Architects and now under construction in the City of London, the 94,000 sq ft Edenica office development at 100 Fetter Lane is on track to set a “significant” sustainability precedent for UK commercial buildings, Waterman says.

Sustainability consultancy company, Waterman says this scheme for BauMont Real Estate Capital and YardNine is harnessing the latest design techniques to optimise operational energy efficiency and slash embodied carbon.

As part of the development’s “unique” approach to cutting whole-life carbon and creating a robust platform for material circularity, Waterman says its Sustainability Team is pioneering the use of Materials Passports on the project.

Waterman describes Materials Passports as digital data sets which describe characteristics of materials and components in products and systems, giving them “value for present use, recovery and future reuse”.

Our philosophy when it comes to development and refurbishment projects is to take a ‘use less, waste less’ approach.

Edenica will act as a pilot project for their implementation and is the first scheme within the City of London to be designed as a storage bank where materials are held for future reuse, the sustainability consultancy company says.

Working alongside the project manager, Third London Wall, Waterman says its Sustainability team has set out the pathway for procurement to ensure the Materials Passports contain key characteristics of selected building materials held in a centralised database.

This can be used to provide reports on maintenance and potential future reuse over the life of the building and beyond, maximising both material life and whole life value, Waterman says.

Just as a regular passport provides personal details of an individual’s identity, Waterman says Edenica’s Materials Passports will become a snapshot of the building elements’ credentials, providing records of the materials, products, and components that have been used.

The company says that the records will enable the reuse of materials during the building’s operation or at the end of its life, turning the used materials into valuable resources instead of waste.

The scheme’s Materials Passports will facilitate the reuse of materials in the coming years by future owners, design teams, manufacturers and contractors, Waterman says.

It is hugely important that we continually try to advance and innovate to help tackle the climate emergency

BauMont Real Estate Capital’s Managing Director, Natalie Harrison, said: “Our philosophy when it comes to development and refurbishment projects is to take a ‘use less, waste less’ approach.

“We engage sustainability specialists at the outset of our projects to ensure our desire to deliver buildings with best-in-class ESG credentials is taken into account in the early stages of design.

“This leads to better collaboration and promotes innovation, a good example of this being Waterman’s Material Passports initiative being delivered at Edenica, which looks beyond policy, setting a new precedent for London.”

Waterman’s Sustainability Associate, Anastasia Stella, who led the development of Materials Passports at Edenica, said: “It is hugely important that, as construction professionals, we continually try to advance and innovate to help tackle the climate emergency.

“Our Materials Passport initiative shows how even the simplest of concepts can create the potential for a significant reduction in whole-life carbon and optimise re-purposing of materials in the future.”

 

Source: Circular Online

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UK’S PROTOTYPE FUSION ENERGY PLANT

The government has announced that the West Burton power station site in Nottinghamshire has been selected as the home for ‘STEP’ (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production), the UK’s prototype fusion energy plant which aims to be built by 2040.

Fusion is based on the same physical reactions that power the sun and stars, and is the process by which 2 light atomic nuclei combine while releasing large amounts of energy. This technology has significant potential to deliver safe, sustainable, low carbon energy for future generations.

The government-backed STEP programme will create thousands of highly skilled jobs during construction and operations, as well as attracting other high tech industries to the region, and furthering the development of science and technology capabilities nationally.

The ambitious programme will also commit immediately to the development of apprenticeship schemes in the region, building on the success of the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s (UKAEA) Oxfordshire Advanced Skills centre in Culham. Conversations with local providers and employers have already begun, with schemes to start as soon as possible.

The UK government is providing £220 million of funding for the first phase of STEP, which will see the UK Atomic Energy Authority produce a concept design by 2024.

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