M&E - the building services event

THIS YEAR’S M&E – The Building Services Event at London’s Olympia promises to be bigger and better than ever with new features added to last year’s substantial experience.

The event is part of a larger project called Working Buildings 2009, which also includes two other shows at the venue – Total Workplace Management, which covers facilities management and estates, and Energy Solutions Expo, which gives the A to Z on energy management.

Training and seminars play a valuable role at M&E. This year there will be two dedicated seminar theatres offering concurrent educational programmes. The SummitSkills Training Academy will host the Sustainable Reality seminar series, which will cover such vital topics as:‘Can sustainability mean profitability for m&e?’;‘The business case for low-carbon projects’; and ‘Greening the building envelope’.

Contractors can get their CPD points tally up by visiting the CPD Theatre, where accredited exhibitors will explain the latest products and technical innovations.

The three feature areas will be worth a visit.‘Be2Camp at Working Buildings’ is a roll-off, roll-on informal seminar on Web 2.0 and the built environment. Contractors can suggest topics, speak themselves or nominate speakers.

Walk into tomorrow’s workplaces at the interactive ‘Workplace of the Future’, where you can view room builds for a reception area, plant room, office and school.

And don’t miss the AMPS – Power Pavilion, where you can find ready-made solutions to power requirements from experts and specialist companies.

Andrews Water Heaters/Potterton Commercial - Stand C120

Baxi Commercial Division will be exhibiting new and existing products under its two established brand names.

New from Andrews is the Ambiflow air-source (air-to-water) heat pump for commercial use. Designed for applications where it is not possible to site solar panels, the unit has a rated output of 20 kW, and Andrews claims a high coefficient of performance of 3.2 (air at 2oC, water at 35oC).

Recently introduced is the Neoflo condensing water heater. It has low internal resistance, which allows the heater to operate at pressures as low as 0.2 bar.

From Potterton, the Eurocondense cascade boiler range has been upgraded to Eurocondense three. There is a wider range of hydraulic accessories and a ‘room-sealed’ option. The internal layout has been redesigned so that the heat exchanger is sectional and has just one burner assembly.

Potterton has also applied ‘carbo condense’ technology to its Logo condense range of high-output, stainless-steel, pressure-jet, oil or dual-fuel boiler range.

Coolmation - Stand C104

Info on chiller and air-conditioning equipment hire, service and sales will be on offer from Coolmation.

Its Service4Chillers division has recently secured an agreement to supply and install the MO99 replacement refrigerant, an alternative to R22. The company will explain how this alternative can extend the lifespan of a R22 chiller and comply with legislation.

Details on its Chiller4Hire and Climate4Hire arms, which offer chiller and air-conditioning hire services for commercial, public and industrial applications, will be on hand.

Coolmation is also the exclusive distributor for Rhoss chillers, which include the high-efficiency TurboCor compressor chillers. Available in capacities from 150 kW to 2100 kW, these chillers are Eurovent-certified and feature a centrifugal, oil-free compressor.

CoSaf Environments - Stand B119

The environmental heating and cooling specialist is launching Seeley International’s new cooling product, Climate Wizard. The product incorporates a form of indirect evaporative cooling that can achieve comfort conditions equivalent to, or better than, conventional air conditioning, but with only the electricity consumption of an evaporative cooler, according to Coolmation.

One unit can effect reductions in emissions of up to six tonnes of CO2 per year, says the company. Climate Wizard incorporates a patented radial heat exchanger, the aim of which is to ensure that no moisture is added to the air entering the conditioned space.

EnOcean Alliance - Stand C105

The EnOcean Alliance – comprising Distech Controls, EnOcean, Ivory Egg and PEHA – will be demonstrating self-powered wireless products for intelligent building automation.

Distech Controls will display a fully integrated building automation solution for open-plan offices, central plant and air handling and terminal equipment control.

The firm’s programmable and application-specific controllers are fitted with an EnOcean wireless receiver, which allows data from the wireless, battery-less sensors and switches to be sent to an open LonWorks or EC-Net AX web-based, multi-protocol platform.

Ivory Egg will be showing the Synetica Energy DataStream web-based energy management device. It uses EnOcean sensors and switches to collect, store and transmit energy meter and environmental data. Built-in ethernet and optional wi-fi connectivity provides high-speed, real-time access to meter data via the internet or corporate IT network. A GSM/GPRS option is also available for remote sites.

The device has built-in energy profile graphs and assists with compliance of Building Regulations Part L.

PEHA’s service-free, energy-autonomous Sensolux system, enabled by EnOcean technology, will also be on show. The Sensolux solar presence detector enables control of demand-driven lighting and energy governed by the presence of users. The detector obtains its energy from powerful indoor solar cells. Sustainable energy savings are possible through a configuration or retrofit.

EnOcean will be exhibiting its new EDK 300 Dolphin Developers Kit, which offers both plug-and-play features and allows the design of complex hardware and software for self-powered devices based on EnOcean’s Dolphin platform. A key feature is energy harvesting and the enablement of bidirectional wireless sensors and actuators.

Keraflo - Stand B132

Keraflo will be exhibiting its Water Regulations Advisory Scheme-approved range of delayed-action float valves, designed to control the level of stored cold water in tanks.

The ‘K’ Type float valve is suitable for tanks without raised valve chambers. It can be set accurately in a number of positions, activating the valve at a predetermined difference in water level.

The ‘KB’ Type is a variable float valve that can be used for tanks with or without raised valve chambers. It is suitable for situations where water demand fluctuates due to seasonable requirements or where building occupancy varies, as it helps to reduce the risks associated with water being stored for long periods.

Vent-Axia - Stand C111

Vent-Axia will be showing off its new Lo-Carbon range of ventilation products.

First comes the Sentinel Kinetic MVHR (mechanical ventilation with heat recovery) system, which Vent-Axia claims is capable of 90% heat recovery (see photo right). The ducted residential system is SAP Appendix Q-listed and combines supply and extract ventilation in one unit.

Aided by its LoWatt DC motors, the Sentinel Kinetic boasts 0.72 W/l/s SFP.

The Sentinel Totus D-erv is a demand energy recovery ventilation system. It responds to the exact requirements of a room at any one time.

Vent-Axia’s multipurpose Lo-Carbon Quadra unitary fan is suitable for kitchens, bathrooms, toilets and utility rooms in new-builds and retrofits. It uses a ‘switch ‘n’ fit’ feature in the fan, and is SAP Appendix Q-listed.

VES - Stand B87

VES will be highlighting its Specialist Site Services, with which it can help repair, refurbish or replace faulty or ageing ventilation plant. VES can refurbish air-handling products with dampers, a filter section, upgrade heating and cooling coils, and replace fans and motors, controls and compressors. Case erosion can be removed and new framework and panelling fitted.

Although refurbishment is cheaper, a unit can be replaced, with VES building it on site if there are space constraints.

Specialist Site Services also offers help with noise problems created by ventilation equipment, and with kitchen ventilation. VES can build a range of fans to cope with hot, polluted air, and its specialist division can supply or extend existing hood systems, including canopies, plus offer odour control, supply control panels and advise on air make-up requirements.

VES Specialist Site Services covers the whole of the UK, with a head office in Chandlers Ford, Hampshire, and offices in Manchester and Glasgow.