FLOATING SOLUTIONS

MEYER Group, the leading shipbuilding consortium with three modern, large-scale shipyards in Europe, has joined forces with ADMARES Marine, global leader in floating real estate, to form a new joint venture. The new company, headquartered in Turku, Finland, is named MEYER Floating Solutions, and is focused on developing and manufacturing high quality floating real estate.

“MEYER Group had recognized great potential in the floating solutions business and identified ADMARES Marine as the market leader in this developing industry. At the same time, ADMARES Marine was looking for a strategic partner to strengthen its capabilities and maximize its potential in the market. The new venture combines the strengths of both companies and allows us to compete for the mega projects that are being built on the water”, says Kaj Casén, CEO at MEYER Floating Solutions.

“We are happy to enter additional business areas and use our unique know-how to create floating solutions for housing, tourism, infrastructure and many more. MEYER Floating Solutions is a natural addition to our current product portfolio and with ADMARES we have a great and experienced partner at our side”, says Bernard Meyer, Chairman of MEYER Group.

The industry of building real estate on water is expected to grow exponentially, as it offers a whole new opportunity to develop high quality property in valuable locations. It has become even more valuable to build on water than by water.

For MEYER Group, the joint venture means natural additional business to its core business of shipbuilding. The new company will continue to provide products manufactured and commissioned offsite in a controlled factory environment. Compared to conventional construction work, the company’s advanced production methods enable shorter delivery times and minimized environmental impact since traditional construction sites can be completely avoided.

“Traditional construction industry is a slow adopter of new technologies. With the two companies’ strengths combined, the joint venture accumulates unprecedented expertise in the field of developing and manufacturing floating solutions”, Casén says.

 

 

MEYER Floating Solutions offers a variety of floating real estate from private villas up to the world’s largest overwater installations

The new company will inherit ADMARES Marine’s product portfolio and patents. Thanks to ADMARES Marine’s significant R&D investments and pioneering expertise on overwater solutions, the new company can already offer market-ready concepts. The company has a selection of standard floating villas and hotels but also serves clients who are after fully customized overwater solutions.

MEYER Floating Solutions will continue to serve clients globally by providing turnkey services including design, manufacturing, transportation, and final installation at destination.

 

Joint mission to supply sustainable lifestyle opportunities on water

MEYER Group has recently set a goal to develop a climate-neutral cruise ship concept by 2025, and to achieve carbon neutral shipbuilding by 2030. The newly formed MEYER Floating Solutions will follow this path and has defined sustainability as one of their core values.

“The floating real estate solutions are by standard not seagoing vessels and require energy for moving and maneuvering. Therefore, there’s a great potential in going into fully energy neutral solutions, where electricity is generated by solar panels and heat pumps use water body to ensure both heating during winter and cooling during summer”, says Casén.

The entire lifecycle of the products is designed to minimize environmental impact. Overwater buildings are designed with sustainable materials and manufactured in controlled manufacturing facilities. According to studies, this can reduce waste by over 70% and provides significant cost benefits as well as sustainability compared to traditional construction completed on site.

The company expects to have a busy year ahead with multiple exciting overwater projects in sight.

“We are constantly looking for talents to be part of our team, creating something truly unique on water”, says Casén.

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CLICK HERE to email Mr Kaj Casén, CEO

 

 

 

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SMARTROOF PROMOTES THREE KEY STAFF

The UK’s leading manufacturer of offsite, panelised ‘room in roof’ systems Smartroof is delighted to announce some key appointments within its rapidly expanding UK team with Tom Wright as Design and Technical Director, Jamie Bremner as Head of Contracts and Matthew Horwood as Contracts Manager. Tom brings 8 years experience in panelised roofs and Jamie has 5 years behind him.

 

Tom Wright, Jamie Bremner and Matthew Horwood have taken up their new positions following the busiest 12 months in the company’s history. The promotions demonstrate Smartroof’s continued commitment to support and invest in its people and expertise as it continues its growing presence across the UK.

Commenting on Tom’s appointment, Ian Dean, Operations Director at Smartroof said: “Tom has been a very steady hand on the tiller of our design department for 16 months now. During this very challenging period he has seen a whole host of changes to both our design infrastructure and personnel, ensuring we remain in a comfortable position throughout these transitions. He has also willingly taken on various other responsibilities such as championing our sustainability pledge.”

On Jamie Bremner’s promotion to Head of Contracts, Ian Dean said “Jamie has been a Senior Contracts Manager within our Contracts department for 16 months and during this time he has fulfilled his day-to-day duties whilst managing other senior manager responsibilities, such as the recruiting and training of new recruits. This change of title is intended to properly reflect on these duties and provide structure and clarity to Jamie’s role and standing within the Contracts Department.”

The final promotion sees Matthew Horwood taking up the role of Contracts Manager

having joined the company 13 months ago as contracts supervisor within the Contracts Department.

Jamie Bremner, Head of Contracts at Smartroof said “In the last year, Matthew has continued to show great aptitude in the role, completing both his SMSTS and CPCS appointed person training while gaining the necessary experience to step up to his new position.”

“These promotions are tremendous news for our business and our clients. I would like to congratulate all three on a deserved recognition of their invaluable contribution to the business’s success,” added Ian Dean.

 

To find out more download the Smartroof brochure or contact info@smartroof.co.uk

 

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OFFSITE IN STEVANAGE- Delivering Sustainable New Homes

On Monday 7 March 2022, the Leader of Stevenage Borough Council – Cllr Sharon Taylor, Mayor of Stevenage – Cllr Sandra Barr and Cllr Jeannette Thomas visited the development site at Dunn Close to see the plot before any works started. Construction will soon begin to build 21, one, two and three bed apartments, with six further, one bed apartments in an adjacent building that will be for independent living. These works form part of Stevenage Borough Council’s commitment to providing homes to those most in need.

This scheme, alongside the development in Longmeadow of 11, one bedroom supported living bungalows, will help to ensure that there is high quality accommodation with the necessary support elements in place. The Longmeadow scheme will see the homes built off site, before being delivered fully constructed with the expectation that the properties will be completed by April 2022. Through offsite construction techniques, we are better able to deliver environmentally sustainable new homes and make use of renewable energy sources to heat and power the homes. This in turn makes them more affordable for the residents to live in.

Both schemes will make use of a range of environmental enhancements, with air source heat pumps being used, while solar panels and heat recovery systems will be installed at Dunn Close. A fabric first approach to the design and build of the schemes ensures that the properties benefit from enhanced insulation, meaning that the properties will be cheaper to heat for the residents living there.

Cllr Jeannette Thomas, Executive Member for Housing, Health and Older People at Stevenage Borough Council, said: “Supporting the most in need is a housing priority for us at the council. We are working hard to build more social and affordable homes so everyone in Stevenage can live comfortably.”

Cllr Sharon Taylor, Leader of Stevenage Borough Council, said: “I am so proud of all of our developments across the town giving residents the much needed housing they require. Here on Dunn Close, I look forward to this starting later this year and delivering an amazing development of homes and supported living accommodation.“This development and Longmeadow will provide a total of 37 high quality homes, and with the support that is provided alongside these accommodations, it gives our residents the best opportunity to thrive.”

We know the demand for more affordable and social homes in Stevenage is high, so we are working hard to deliver more housing across every part of the town. In addition to building hundreds of new homes in Stevenage, we are also generating local prosperity by creating new jobs on the development sites and offering professional training.

Source: Stevanage Borough Council

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COLLABORATING TO MAXIMISE THE USE OF MMC

Housebuilder and for-profit provider will collaborate to maximise use of MMC and explore growing markets

Developer Lovell Partnerships and for-profit housing association L&G Affordable Homes (LGAH) have announced plans to build 3,000 homes over five years through a ‘partnership’

Under a loose agreement to collaborate, LGAH will deliver homes of affordable tenures while Lovell, the housebuilding arm of giant construction firm Morgan Sindall, will bring its ‘open market and build expertise across all tenures’, a spokesperson said. The financing arrangements will differ on a scheme-by-scheme basis.

The pair are looking at opportunities to build suburban build to rent units, as well as later living accommodation and want to maximise the use of modern methods of construction.

Mary Parsons, regeneration & partnerships director for Lovell Partnerships, said: “Our work with Legal & General will mean sites are identified quickly with a combined pool of knowledge to then offer the optimum mix of tenures to drive both commercial and social value. Our aim is to invest for the long term and create not just the highest quality homes, but great places to live.”

The first scheme delivered will be a 234-home project in Oldbury, west Midlands called ‘the junction’ on the site of a former foundry.

Source: Housing Today

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new appointment for CoreHaus

Senior appointment for County Durham modular housebuilder

 

Steel-framed modular housebuilder CoreHaus has appointed a new commercial manager as it presses ahead with its ambitious growth plans.

CoreHaus, based from a state-of-art manufacturing facility on Jade Business Park, Murton, near Seaham in County Durham, has appointed Shane Murray to spearhead its commercial team as it continues to expand.

With over 25 years of experience in the construction sector, Shane has extensive practice and knowledge in leading large scale projects, from public buildings and commercial complexes to residential and social housing developments. He has specialist skills in leadership and change management and has delivered a wide range of projects on time and to budget.

At CoreHaus, his main role will be focused on driving the company’s business development pipeline, identifying new business opportunities, negotiating new contracts and onboarding new clients. Shane will also be involved in the development of marketing and growth strategy campaigns.

Scott Bibby, managing director of CoreHaus, said: “We’re about to face a period of rapid growth and now is the right time to create a specific role and bring in a senior manager with the experience and expertise we need to push on with our growth plan.

“Shane is a perfect fit for us, his values align perfectly to the business and he is extremely driven and talented. I am confident that he will quickly become an asset to CoreHaus.”

 

Shane Murray said: “Working across a varied range of housing development projects has enabled me to acquire a diverse set of skills in leadership, commercial contract management and client excellence. These skills complement the CoreHaus team perfectly and strengthens our position as a fast-growing, innovative modular housebuilder.

“Our ambitious five-year strategy and company values were the driving force behind me joining the team and I am excited and privileged to be part of the journey.”

CoreHaus is a modular housebuilder which differs from traditional construction. By adopting modern methods of construction (MMC), CoreHaus homes are built faster, to high quality and are more sustainable and energy-efficient. As part of a five-year plan, the business will focus on building 1,000 modular homes per year, resulting in a 300 + strong workforce across the UK.

CoreHaus is a joint-venture company between Carlton & Co Group, the parent company behind North East based Homes by Carlton, and national social enterprise Fusion21, specialists in public procurement for the built environment.

 

To find out more about CoreHaus, visit: www.corehaus.co.uk

 

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PLANNING APPROVAL FOR UK SPACEPORT CRITICAL

Construction of the UK’s first vertical spaceport is scheduled to begin later this month after it received planning approval from the local authority, Shetland Islands Council in Scotland.

The approval provides Scottish Ministers with a 28-day window to review the application by SaxaVord UK Spaceport. Should Scottish Ministers choose not to call the application in for review, or call it in and agree that the project should proceed, construction of the £43m spaceport can begin.

The privately-funded spaceport will consist of three launchpads at the Lamba Ness peninsula in Unst, allowing for the launch of small satellites into either polar or sun-synchronous, low-earth orbits.

With the ambition of achieving 30 launch events per year, the site will support launches by a range of launch service providers (LSPs) supporting industries and services including telecommunications, media, weather and defence.

Timelines are tight with the target of delivering the first orbital launch from UK soil after the third quarter of this year.

Longer-term, the spaceport is projected to be the catalyst to significant social and economic benefits to Unst in particular, and more widely across Shetland in terms of inward investment and job creation.

Planning approval is the critical first step not only in constructing the UK’s first commercial spaceport. It is also monumental in supporting the UK’s ambitions of becoming a global science superpower and establishing the UK as the European hub for commercial spaceflight.

SaxaVord Spaceport CEO Frank Strang said, “We have been working on bringing the space economy to Shetland for five years, so it is fantastic that the economic benefits are already being felt. We will spend upwards of £43 million [US$57 million] over the next 18 months, rising to £100 million [US$133 million] in the next five years.

“We have already started blasting and crushing stone. Our team will collectively do everything in its power to ensure we can deliver this historic mission for Shetland, Scotland, and the UK.”

“Only the other week, with the Under Secretary of State for Scotland, we hosted several engineers from Edinburgh-based launch company Skyrora, who are committed to launching from our site on Shetland in the next few years.”

 

Source: Aerospace Testing International

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Contractors wanted for modular role on H3AT fusion facility

The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has opened up an engagement process for suppliers to create modular skid mounted assemblies for its Hydrogen-3 Advanced Technology (H3AT) fusion energy facility.

The UKAEA’s notice says it is looking to engage with contractors, SMEs, fabricators and assemblers for the fabrication, assembly and testing of five to 10 modular skid mounted assemblies. These assemblies will make up a number of sub-systems that will form the Tritium Plant at the UKAEA’s under-construction H3AT facility at its Culham site.

The contract is valued at £8.75M. The scope and quantity is to be confirmed at the invitation to tender and is subject to preliminary and detailed engineering design phases.

The units will comprise equipment, valves, instrumentation and interconnecting pipework mounted into containment skids. These skids will be required to accommodate equipment and piping in various sizes, approximate footprints of 0.5×0.5m up to 2.8×1.5m and heights 0.5-2.1m (to be confirmed).

Through this process the UKAEA is looking to open engagement with suppliers with the aim of ensuring there is sufficient production capability and capacity to meet the project’s timeline and design requirements. Following the engagement exercise, the UKAEA will issue tenders to procure services for design and provision of equipment through competitively tendered contracts.

UKAEA head of H3AT Damian Brennan said: “The skid manufacturer will bring all components of the H3AT sub system together.  It is a really significant step in the delivery of the H3AT plant.”

The H3AT facility will provide access to scientists and researchers to inform tritium processes for future fusion programmes.

In April last year, Atkins was appointed by the UKAEA to help design the centre, which will contribute to the ITER, DEMO power plant and Step facility.

It will also allow academic and industrial users to research how to process, store and recycle tritium.

Atkins – supported by supply chain partners including Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Ansaldo Nuclear, and FlexProcess – will deliver the preliminary and detailed design of the H3AT tritium recycling loop, comprising storage beds, a distribution system, impurity processing system, and systems to detritiate water and air.

Designed to facilitate the handling, testing and validation of tritium, the loop will allow a range of tests and experiments to be carried out safely and efficiently.

Source: New Civil Engineer

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BREAKTHROUGH FOR BATTERY TECHNOLOGY

A potential breakthrough for production of superior battery technology

 

Micro supercapacitors could revolutionise the way we use batteries by increasing their lifespan and enabling extremely fast charging. Manufacturers of everything from smartphones to electric cars are therefore investing heavily into research and development of these electronic components. Now, researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have developed a method that represents a breakthrough for how such supercapacitors can be produced.

“When discussing new technologies, it is easy to forget how important the manufacturing method is, so that they can actually be commercially produced and be impactful in society. Here, we have developed methods that can really work in production,” explains Agin Vyas, doctoral student at the Department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience at Chalmers University of Technology and lead author of the article.

Supercapacitors consist of two electrical conductors separated by an insulating layer. They can store electrical energy and have many positive properties compared to a normal battery, such as much more rapid charging, more efficient energy distribution, and a much greater lifespan without loss of performance, with regards to the charge and discharge cycle. When a supercapacitor is combined with a battery in an electrically powered product, the battery life can be extended many times –up to 4 times for commercial electric vehicles. And whether for personal electronic devices or industrial technologies, the benefits for the end consumer could be huge.

“It would of course be very convenient to be able to quickly charge, for example, an electric car or not have to change or charge batteries as often as we currently do in our smartphones. But it would also represent a great environmental benefit and be much more sustainable, if batteries had a longer lifespan and did not need to be recycled in complicated processes,” says Agin Vyas.

Manufacturing a big challenge

But in practice, today’s supercapacitors are too large for many applications where they could be useful. They need to be about the same size as the battery they are connected to, which is an obstacle to integrating them in mobile phones or electric cars. Therefore, a large part of today’s research and development of supercapacitors is about making them smaller – significantly so.

Agin Vyas and his colleagues have been working with developing ‘micro’ supercapacitors. These are so small that they can fit on the system circuits which control various functions in mobile phones, computers, electric motors and almost all electronics we use today. This solution is also called ‘system-on-a-chip’.

One of the most important challenges is that the minimal units need to be manufactured in such a way that they become compatible with other components in a system circuit and can easily be tailored for different areas of use. The new paper demonstrates a manufacturing process in which micro-supercapacitors are integrated with the most common way of manufacturing system circuits (known as CMOS).

“We used a method known as spin coating, a cornerstone technique in many manufacturing processes. This allows us to choose different electrode materials. We also use alkylamine chains in reduced graphene oxide, to show how that leads to a higher charging and storage capacity,” explains Agin Vyas.

“Our method is scalable and would involve reduced costs for the manufacturing process. It represents a great step forward in production technology and an important step towards the practical application of micro-supercapacitors in both everyday electronics and industrial applications.”

A method has also been developed for producing micro-supercapacitors of up to ten different materials in one unified manufacturing process, which means that properties can be easily tailored to suit several different end applications.

Caption: Micro supercapacitors can increase the lifespan of batteries and reduce their charging time in products like smartphones and electric cars. The image shows a 2 inch wide silicon wafer with integrated micro supercapacitors, manufactured using the CMOS-compatible process developed by Chalmers’ researchers. The wafer can be upscaled to a diameter of 8 inches to fit even more supercapacitor units.
Illustration: Yen Strandqvist

CLICK HERE TO Read the full study

 

The research has been funded by: EU Horizon 2020 (GreEnergy), Vinnova, SAAB.

For more information, please contact:

Agin Vyas, Department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience

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FINLAND – Conflict in Ukraine Halts Hanhikivi Nuclear Plant Construction

Hanhikivi-1-site-November-2021

Finland’s Minister for Economic Affairs Mika Lintila told the country’s parliament that he would not be granting a building permit for the Hanhikivi nuclear plant as things stand.

“It’s quite clear that as a consequence of this conflict this project will at least be significantly delayed,” Lintilä told the STT newswire on Thursday.

Fennovoima, the company behind the planned nuclear power plant which will have a Russian reactor and is one third owned by a Finnish subsidiary of Russia’s Rosatom, said it “acknowledges that the ongoing conflict situation may have impacts on the Hanhikivi 1 project”.

It said the “Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the counter measures by EU and western countries as a consequence, pose a major risk for the Hanhikivi 1 project.

“We are very sad about the developments and the situation in Ukraine. There are a lot of people close to our employees in the area and our thoughts are with them.”

According to Finland’s STT news agency, Fennovoima is now waiting to hear what sanctions the EU will impose on Russia before speculating on the project’s future.

Last month licensing work for the Hanhikivi 1 nuclear power plant was said to have reached the “homestretch” with Fennovoima expecting to submit its final licensing materials to the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority by the end of February, with the goal of gaining a construction licence this year.

Fennovoima signed the plant supply contract for Hanhikivi with Rusatom Overseas – Rosatom’s nuclear power plant exports subsidiary – in December 2013. Rosatom offered to build a plant using a 1200 MWe AES-2006 VVER under a fixed-price contract. The Hanhikivi project is owned by Fennovoima, in which a 34% stake is held by RAOS Voima Oy, the Finnish subsidiary set up in 2014 by Rosatom for the purpose of buying a share in the company.

Fennovoima submitted its 250-page construction licence application to Finland’s Ministry of Employment and the Economy for the Hanhikivi plant in June 2015. The government’s decision to issue a construction licence would require a positive assessment of the application by STUK.

Sweden’s Vattenfall halts deliveries from Russia

The state-owned energy giant Vattenfall announced on Thursday that it was “deeply concerned by the serious security situation in Europe and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine” and “we have therefore decided that no planned deliveries from Russia to our nuclear power plants will take place until further notice”.

It said it would not place any new orders from Russia for its nuclear power plants until further notice.

What about the situation in Ukraine?

The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine’s update at 09:00 local time (07:00 GMT) on Friday 25 February reported that there were “no violations of NPP safe operation limits and conditions. Radioactive situation meets established norms … NPP security divisions and physical protection services are on high alert”.

It also gave an update on the Chernobyl exclusion zone – near the Belarus border in the north of the country – which Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said was under Russian control, according to the TASS news agency. TASS quoted Konashenkov as saying NPP personnel continued to service the facilities and saying that “the radiation level in the area of the nuclear power plant did not exceed the natural background”.

The Ukraine nuclear regulator said that data from the automated radiation monitoring system of the Chernobyl exclusion zone indicated “control levels of gamma radiation dose rate in the exclusion zone were exceeded”. The reason for this, it said, appeared to be connected to the disturbance of the top layer of soil from the movement of heavy military machinery through the exclusion zone, increasing air pollution.

The condition of Chernobyl nuclear facilities  and other facilities was unchanged, it said.

The International Atomic Energy Agency

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it was following the situation in Ukraine “with grave concern” and was appealing for “maximum restraint to avoid any action that may put the country’s nuclear facilities at risk”.

Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said the IAEA was closely monitoring developments in Ukraine with a special focus on the safety and security of its nuclear power plants and other nuclear-related facilities.

He stressed that the IAEA General Conference adopted a decision in 2009 that “any armed attack on and threat against nuclear facilities devoted to peaceful purposes constitutes a violation of the principles of the United Nations Charter, international law and the Statute of the Agency”.

In a statement released on Friday 25 February the IAEA said it assesses that the readings in the Chernobyl area “reported by the regulator – of up to 9,46 microSieverts per hour – were low and remained within the operational range measured in the Exclusion Zone since it was established, and therefore do not pose any danger to the public”.

Source: WNN

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The Portascanner® AIRTIGHT 520: Complementing Essential Existing Technology for Airtightness Testing in the Built Environment

A new British invention, following the co-location of Coltraco Ultrasonics’ Physicists and Scientists at Durham University, a globally outstanding centre of teaching and research excellence, the handheld Portascanner® AIRTIGHT 520 is a completely unique technology able to compute air flow and air permeability, quantifying leak sites to complement an airtightness test. Designed during COVID-19 with support from UK Government COVID-19 Emergency Technology Funding and available for exporting globally now, the Portascanner® AIRTIGHT 520 builds on Coltraco’s long history in watertight integrity monitoring for the Royal Navy to deliver the Safeship™ at sea, applying our advanced understanding of fluid dynamics at sea to air flow dynamics to deliver the Safesite™ on land.

The unique ability to detect, locate and quantify air leaks, non-disruptively and without the need for any room pressurisation, in a complementary manner to existing Door Fan and Pulse Airtightness Testing, will enable users of the Portascanner® AIRTIGHT 520 to make sharper decisions, verify technical specifications, and reveal possible defects if design standards have not been met rapidly and reliably.

The Importance of Building Ventilation: Changing Standards in the Built Environment
Professor Catherine Noakes OBE, who sits on the UK Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) states that “if we do invest as a nation [in ventilation], there’s a potential big win,” with the “long-term payback [of] improved health and productivity, and lower energy use.”
COVID-19 is essentially an indoor air crisis. Whilst vaccinations are a crucially important tactical response, they must be complemented by longer term strategies. To ensure Human Air Hygiene, and safeguard that basic human right, a continuous and assured access to pure, fresh air, every public building must have a Ventilation Strategy.
In its most basic form, the challenge of building ventilation centres around increasing the number of air changes per hour. However, the integrity of air filtration, and or air purification, can only reasonably be assured if all unwanted air infiltration through gaps, is sealed. Air flow measurement devices, such as the Portascanner® AIRTIGHT 520, that allow for frequent and regular detection, location and quantification of unwanted air leaks must therefore be integrated alongside existing airtightness testing equipment, to ensure the success of building ventilation strategies.
In addition to Human Air Hygiene, Fire Suppression, Thermal Comfort, Acoustic Insulation, and Insect and Pest Control are all integral aspects of the Built Environment which require a certain level of airtightness to be maintained, either to deliver the minimum number of air changes per hour, restrict the supply of oxygen to extinguish a fire, or lower energy consumption and waste.
Indeed, in a post-COP26 global environment, addressing the effects of climate change and making buildings more energy efficient and environmentally responsible is driving the construction industry towards “Build Tight Ventilate Right.” Buildings are a significant producer of carbon emissions, accountable for 35% of total energy consumption.
Testing for air leaks and simultaneously testing for watertightness with the Portascanner® AIRTIGHT 520, as water ingress seriously damages buildings and destroys electrical equipment, will improve build qualities, and reduce the costs of operating and maintaining the Built Environment.

The Portascanner® AIRTIGHT 520: Unique Technology to complement Existing Airtightness Testing
During Coltraco Ultrasonics’ long history in watertight integrity monitoring for the Royal Navy they learned that it was one thing to be able to identify large and microscopic leak sites, but that it was quite another to precisely locate and quantify the leak site through the structure concerned to determine the water flow rate. These are the crucial pieces of information required to assess the damage control risk overall in a ship’s watertight compartment, watertight door or watertight Multiple Cable Transit Area between bulkheads.
The Portascanner® AIRTIGHT 520 takes Coltraco Ultrasonics’ understanding of fluid dynamics at sea and applies it to air flow dynamics on land. They take the best ultrasonic technology in Coltraco’s hardware to identify leak sites with a microscopic level of accuracy and apply computer science to measure and quantify the leak-site by the Portascanner® AIRTIGHT 520’s algorithm, which also generates a value for the air flow rate through that leak and the building’s overall air permeability.
The ability to record and analyse these 4 factors makes the Portascanner® AIRTIGHT 520, a British lightweight, hand-held, and portable analytical instrument, a unique technology globally. The Portascanner® AIRTIGHT 520 has been invented to complement existing airtightness testing, typically achieved using a Door Fan Test or a Pulse Test, that is essential for measuring the integrity of the Built Environment.

Integrate Dynamically with Essential Existing Technologies to be Better-Faster-Cheaper: Testing the Portascanner® AIRTIGHT 520 at The Airtightness Testing and Measurement Association’s (ATTMA’s) Building Performance Hub
In January 2022, Coltraco Ultrasonics’ Daniel Dobrowolski (Senior Physicist) and Bernard Hornung (Head of Built Environment) joined Paul Jennings (Airtightness Specialist) and Dr Bill Bordass OBE (Building Scientist) to test the Portascanner® AIRTIGHT 520 in a full-sized house. Testing followed a Pulse Test and a Door Fan Blower Test, both of which the Portascanner® AIRTIGHT 520 is designed to complement.

The Portascanner® AIRTIGHT 520 performed outstandingly, being able to identify and quantify leaks that had been found with traditional basic methods of leak detection such as thermal cameras, smoke pencils and anemometers, but most importantly finding leaks that could not be found with any alternative method. A significant number of leaks were identified in window and door seals.

The Portascanner® AIRTIGHT 520 allows the ultrasonic quantification of leak sites in a depressurised environment, which has never been achieved before. Door Fan Testing or Pulse Testing can then be conducted at an appropriate moment, once detected leakage points have been identified and repaired. Uniquely, during these tests, the Portascanner® AIRTIGHT 520 allows the location and measurement of air leaks, facilitating remedial action that is precise, immediate, and often low-cost.

Furthermore, Buildings can be surveyed with a Portascanner® AIRTIGHT 520 before an air tightness test so that they have a better chance of passing and, if a building fails an airtightness test, the diagnosis as to why it has failed could include locating and quantifying air leaks with the Portascanner®.

These capabilities of the Portascanner® AIRTIGHT 520 are even more important when one situates the device within the increased world-wide emphasis on airtightness in the built environment as a result of the dual pressures of COVID-19 and climate change. In the UK, higher standards on airtightness in the Built Environment are being encouraged by institutions such as the Passivhaus Trust, which forms a part of the global Passivhaus movement, and is the UK affiliate of the International Passive House Association.

Passivhaus builds are approximately ten times more airtight than the standard required of new-build domestic dwellings in the UK, meaning special attention must be paid to identify potential leakage areas in the building fabric and offsite-manufactured components during the final stages of construction. There are about 65,000 buildings worldwide which have achieved Passivhaus standards of comfort, health, and low energy consumption, with many more in the planning process.

Being able to use ultrasound to detect, locate, and quantify air leaks, eliminates the need for pressurisation, negative or positive. Therefore, the Portascanner® AIRTIGHT 520 can test building components when they are manufactured, such as windows and doors, which is where most leaks manifest themselves, with the aim to eliminate leaks before installation. During the execution of a build programme, or in the case of offsite construction, during the assembly of building components, building control aimed at assuring a better build quality should include the frequent and periodic use of the Portascanner® AIRTIGHT 520.

Coltraco Ultrasonics’ technologies provide their users with the unprecedented visibility necessary to make sharp decisions and understand opaque issues. Integrating the Portascanner® AIRTIGHT 520 with essential existing Door Fan and Pulse airtightness testing will improve build quality, and reduce the costs of operating and maintaining the Built Environment, by improving Human Air Hygiene, Fire Suppression, Acoustic Insultation, Thermal Comfort, and decreasing water ingress and absenteeism.

www.coltraco.co.uk

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