What to specify: Residential

Emulsion paint
Johnstone’s Trade has launched an emulsion paint, which it says offers a durable wall cover solution for high-traffic areas requiring frequent cleaning. The Cleanable Matt prevents stains from setting into the paint film and has ISO 11998 class 1 scrub rating. The product can be used in both commercial and domestic environments that receive high footfall.
Johnstone’s Trade
www.johnstonestrade.com

Tile backer board
Cembrit has launched Unipan, a versatile tile backing board suited for internal “wet” applications such as bathrooms, en-suites and shower rooms. The boards are manufactured from a mix of cement and aggregate, and also contain polystyrene beading, which reduces the weight of the board. The surfaces of the board are strengthened with glass fibre mesh. Unipan has been tested to the dedicated fire resistance standard EN 13501-1 and is classified to A1, S1-d0. The board has also been tested in accordance with BS 476 parts 6 & 7 class 0, thereby ensuring high fire resistance.
Cembrit
www.cembrit.co.uk

Acoustic plaster system
Armourcoat has introduced a new Acoustic Plaster system designed to optimise the acoustics of interior spaces at home. The product has a mineral surface that can be applied over both flat and curved surfaces. Comprising a mineral wool composite panel that is bonded onto the substrate, the Armourcoat Acoustic Plaster System offers a marble-based plaster finish while allowing sound energy to pass through the surface. The zero VOC system, which consists of 80% recycled material, achieves class 0 fire rating and a class A Noise Reduction Coefficient rating.
Armourcoat
www.armourcoat.com

Digital showering collection
Crosswater has launched a digital showering collection. The products have a built-in thermistor, which checks every tenth of a second to ensure the water stays as close as possible to the set temperature. The digital shower processor closely monitors the temperature of the shower or bath to ensure it stays as set, even if someone is using water elsewhere in the house. The digital range also includes both high- and low-pressure systems, as well as single and dual outlet valves for multifunctional shower and bath control.
Crosswater
www.crosswater.co.uk

Fibre cement slates
Fibre cement slates, cladding and profiled sheeting from Marley Eternit were chosen for a low-carbon housing development in Sheffield. The fibre cement Profiled Sheeting, EQUITONE and Thrutone were chosen because the client wanted to achieve a specific urban aesthetic with low-maintenance and durable products. The fibre cement slates and profiled sheeting have various sustainability credentials, such as a “very good” BES 6001 responsible sourcing accreditation and the ability to achieve an A+ rating in the BRE Green Guide.
Marley Eternit
www.marleyeternit.co.uk

External wall insulation
External Wall Insulation from Saint-Gobain Weber has been specified for homes in the property upgrade programme by Stevenage council in Hertfordshire. The products were chosen for their thermal qualities, and have already seen the U-values decrease to 0.30W/m²K, down from the original 1.98 W/m²K rating. The specified webertherm XM external wall insulation and meshcloth reinforced polymer render system provides efficient thermal insulation for these refurbishments, with the render coat and surface finish delivering water shedding capabilities to protect the building fabric.
Saint-Gobain Weber
www.weber.ie

Below-ground drainage
A range of Hunter Plastics’ below-ground drainage products, including its Quantum sewer pipes, have been installed to provide drainage to a block of 29 apartments in Swansea. The products were chosen for their ease of installation. Hunter’s PVCu underground system was used throughout the project. In addition, the structured wall sewer pipes are said to be a cost effective, modern alternative to clay or concrete.
Hunter Plastics
www.hunterplastics.co.uk

Wall-mounted combination boilers
Alpha Heating Innovation’s Intec 30GS boilers have been specified for a housing development on the Isle of Wight. The Alpha InTec 30GS is a wall-mounted, high-efficiency condensing combination boiler with an in-built passive flue gas heat recovery device called Alpha’s GasSaver. The compact unit extracts heat from waste gases that are normally expelled into the atmosphere through the boiler flue. This is then used to preheat cold mains water before entering the boiler. According to the company, this improves the dwelling emission rate on overall building efficiency.
Alpha Heating Innovation
www.alpha-innovation.co.uk