Ever wondered if your conservatory roof has been constructed correctly or if it’s been built to last? Specialist roofing company Force 8 has constructed a full scale roof model in its Altrincham showroom so you can examine up close the sections and intricacies involved – and check for yourself if your roof is fit to weather the weather.
Plus, if you do find you need help or advice, the team at Force 8 can provide the perfect solution to suit your individual needs and budget. As the roof is the part of the conservatory most exposed to the elements, it is most likely to deteriorate first. So having a new conservatory roof fitted or just replacing old conservatory panels can make a dramatic difference to your home, safety and comfort.
Touch of glass Glass conservatories are most people’s preference as they provide clearer views than using alternative materials, and self-cleaning glass is ideal for those hard to reach places that need cleaning regularly. For new glass conservatory roofs Force 8 uses energy efficient glass from leading manufacturers Pilkington. And Pilkington Active Blue provides improved solar control and is more energy efficient.
Alternative options
At Force 8, however, new conservatory roofs are available in both glass and polycarbonate. And new polycarbonate roofs with multi-chambered polycarbonate can give u-value as low as 0.5 w/(m²-k) and are available in a range of colours and depths.
Whether you want to replace conservatory panels, just the components, or maybe you’d like a bespoke roof designed to fit your conservatory precisely, Force 8 can accommodate all your requirements. Plus, all its bespoke conservatory roofs are produced by leading conservatory roof manufacturers Ultraframe, so quality is assured.
STAR Concrete Pumping Company is pleased to announce the promotion of Mr. Barclay Branch from Regional Sales Manager to General Manager. Mr. Branch is a native Houstonian with 22 years of experience in the concrete industry providing STAR with a wealth of practical experience as it continues its expansion into new and challenging markets. The responsibilities of the highly coveted leadership position include strategic planning, corporate team building, equipment delivery logistics, and organizational accountability, while focusing on improving company services, growth, and sustained profitability.
Since its acquisition by Abacus Financial [http://www.Abacus-Financial.net] in early 2011, STAR Concrete Pumping continues its pursuit as a national leader in the concrete delivery and placement services industry. Mr. Branch will champion the company’s rapid growth while continuing its transition into new industry technologies. STAR Concrete Pumping is the 3rd largest concrete delivery and placement service in the United States.
At STAR Concrete Pumping, Mr. Branch has served various leadership positions in sales, operations, and management, excelling in every field throughout the entire organization.
Upon acceptance of his new position, Mr. Branch stated, “I am humbled to have been selected to this leadership position of trust. It is my personal goal to further organize and develop STAR into America’s single source concrete placement provider, while pursuing the highest levels of professionalism and technology within the concrete pumping industry.†With Mr. Branch’s years of experience, leadership, and talents, STARmay now focus on capitalizing and sustaining its vertical growth success.
His passion for the industry started while working part time for his father Clair Branch at Hydro Conduit during summers throughout high school and college. In 1989, he relocated to Delaware to assist with the construction of Middletown Concrete Products and managed production of the small bore machine. He returned to Houston in 1993 and held various positions with increasing responsibility and developed a specialty in the concrete pumping industry. In 1998 he started Branch Concrete Pumping, LLC with Gary Nichols and Rusty Hicks and served as managing partner and General Manager until 2005.
Mr. Branch maintains strong ties with the local community, devoting personal time and precious resources to a variety of needed charities. He is a lifetime member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, a Vice Chairman on the Breeders Greeters Committee and Committeeman on the Speakers Committee with his wife Lauri. He is an avid horseman and enjoys riding with his daughter Shelby Claire.
Have your dreams of letting the sun shine in on your house been dimmed? Does the light level in your conservatory make it seem more like a cellar than a greenhouse?
If so, then one look up should reveal the source of your problems. It’s likely that your conservatory roof is past its prime, and needs replacing.
And at Force 8 Windows and Doors, we’re ready to put the light back into your life by substituting your old and discoloured glass with sparkling, new, state-of-the-art panes which will actively repel the dirt, and make your conservatory a bright spot once again.
A new conservatory roof, or just new panels fitted with the latest Pilkington Active Blue glass won’t just improve the look of your conservatory or garden room – they’ll make it feel like a completely new room.
And the latest self-cleaning glass now available from Force 8 Windows and Doors will mean no more clambering to get to those awkward to reach areas to keep them sparkling.
A glass roof is provides much greater sound insulation inside your home than traditional polycarbonate. As one of our delighted customers told us after having a replacement conservatory roof installed: “I can now hear the television in my conservatory since Force 8 replaced my old polycarbonate roof for a glass one.”
If you don’t want to be able to see the sky and the stars through your conservatory roof, but you still want to be sure of having the best possible protection from the elements, then Force 8 can also fit a bespoke new polycarbonate roof, from leading manufacturer Ultraframe.
Letting the sun and the natural light into your home is one of the great joys of having a conservatory. But you also want your house to be protected from the worst the weather can throw at it. So whether you have a conservatory, or might just be thinking about having one fitted, you can weatherproof your house, and keep it safe as well as beautiful, with the latest composite doors, stable doors or fire doors from Force 8.
The new stable door from Force 8 is revolutionary in design; the finish on the door makes it hard to distinguish it from a traditional timber door.
The Stable Door is made in two parts either the whole stable door or just the top leaf can be opened. In this way, the entire door can be shut to retain heat in the winter, or in warmer weather, the top leaf can be left open to let in light and air whilst maintaining a degree of privacy and keeping in small children or pets.
What makes the new Force 8 stable door different is that it’s fabricated in two complete half’s, with the rebate for the join built into the slab. This means there are no extra fittings needed, just the high security locking system, which include leaves with metal edges and five point locking system and two hooks. The stable doors come with adjustable hinges; the doors can be aligned horizontally and vertically so a perfect fit can be assured, particularly across the join of the two halves.
The finish offers a stunning modern take on the traditional tongue and groove design, and like all Force 8Â composite doors, they are constructed to the new building regulations, which require new doors to have a U-Value of 1.8w/m2k (1.6w/m2k in Scotland) or less!
With this latest product Force 8 have establish themselves as one of the leading suppliers of composites doors in the country, and a force to be reckoned with. Part of their range includes a composite Fire Door, one of the first of its kind. The new series of doors has been designed and tested to the highest specifications (BS: 476 part 22: 1987) at the Warrington Fire Research Centre. The fire doors have been specialty designed for situations such as flats, shared entrances, or in domestic dwellings between the garage and house, where building regulations require an approved FD30 fire door. This gives the customer peace of mind, and specifiers a greater choice without having to compromise on style, and the new doors come with a full ten-year guarantee.
Abacus Financial a private equity firm based in Los Angeles CA, announces the completed acquisition of STAR Concrete Pumping Company [Houston, Texas] creating a leading force in concrete pumping delivery services throughout the United States, Canada, and the northern part of South America.
With this acquisition, Abacus Financial has one of the concrete sector’s broadest portfolios of products, services and end-to-end solutions. The combined offerings are focused on helping clients accelerate growth, mitigate risks and lower costs.
The acquisition is the largest in the concrete sector for 2011. “This is a historic day for Abacus Financial & STAR Concrete Pumping Company, and for the clients we serve,†said the Chairman of Abacus Financial. “Independently, each company is a respected industry leader. Together, we are a continental leader, with the capability to serve our clients – whatever their size, location or industry – with one of the most comprehensive and competitive portfolios.â€
STAR Concrete Pumping Company serves a wide variety of concrete professionals ranging from local concrete finishers, to regional and national ready-mix companies, to the largest national and international general contractors and construction managers. STAR Concrete Pumping Company will extend their national leadership role with the ability to provide complete lifecycle capabilities in the completion of refineries, chemical plants, bridges, highways, airports, smelters, power plants, high-rise structures, residential developments and a wide array of other projects throughout the United States, Canada, and the northern parts of South America.
“Today marks the beginning of an exciting new era,†said Jason Smith, Vice President and General Manager of STAR Pumping. “Our clients will benefit from the breadth and depth of our solutions, our newly installed technologies, and our commitment to unsurpassed quality and our ability to provide truly national concrete service delivery. With the resources of Abacus Financial, we have an opportunity to truly redefine the North American concrete services market.â€
The Chairman of STAR Concrete Pumping Company stated “Each of these changes collectively will result in a leaner, more responsive and cost effective end product coupled with greater management oversight resulting in a superior state of the art concrete placement and delivery service with exacting predictability and a better end product for our customers and clientsâ€.
Floor System, the combination of Modulo and formwork block, makes it possible to pour the foundation and the ground slab in a single operation, creating a monolithic structure that won’t crack. A ventilated and monolithic foundation grants high stability and load-bearing capacity, significantly reducing the risks of damage in the case of earthquakes.
A VENTILATED MONOLITHIC foundation is the solution that combines the advantages of a bloc structure and a ventilated one. The load is distributed uniformly and remains under the breaking limit. The greater distance from the point of force application decreases steel and slab stress
The 1st plastic formwork for round columns
Is the first reusable plastic formwork for round concrete columns A new concept versus disposable formworks1systems made of cardboard or other material: stripping is made quick and easy since no releasing agents are required, and it can be used over and over again, column after column. Is a complete formwork system for circular columns in any building type?
The forms can be carried by hand by a single person without the aid of a crane or of heavy lifting equipment. formwork1systems is a reusable formwork.
The smooth finish of the formwor1systems forms leaves a very good concrete finish. As the plastic surface does not require releasing agents, it leaves no blemishes or discoloring on the concrete.
After the pour clean the formwork from any concrete with a water jet, and after dismantling just cleanse the forming face with water. The forming parts are locked together by high-strength nylon fixing handles. A ventilated foundation is the only solution for ground moisture the soil is a heterogeneous blend of solid elements, water and air. Water is the element naturally most subject to fluctuations due to variable rainfall patterns, changes in water table level, evaporation and deep infiltration. Groundwater in direct contact with traditional foundations creates unhealthy conditions in the building: infiltrations, moisture, condensation and moulds and fungi; in extreme cases it can lead to the decay of timber structural elements.
AccessDiscounts.com, the web’s leading online retailer of commercial lighting, grow lights and home lighting, is proud to offer a wide variety of home lighting just in time for the summer home improvement season. May it be for the bathroom, kitchen, bedroom or foyer, AccessDisounts.com has everything you need to give your home some hip new style.
“With the temperatures warming up and the rain and snow distant memories, summer is the perfect time to break out the hammer and get all those home improvement’s you’ve been putting off during the rainy season done,†said Christina Roush, spokesperson for Access Discounts. “To help our customers breath some new life into their abode, AccessDisounts.com is offering stylish lighting options to help accent almost any decor theme, style or color. We even have a fine selection of chandeliers and fountains for those who are looking to make a real statement. Add in the fact that we have some of the best prices on the market, AccessDisounts.com is the perfect place to start your journey to a better looking home.â€
Offering the best prices and stellar customer service, AccessDisounts.com stocks the highest quality home lighting available for those looking for everything f r o m a basic lamp or ceiling fixture, to an elegant and state of the art lighting piece that can be both a lighting source and a conversation piece.
Ken’s Yard, a new nationwide building supplies website selling over 30,000 well known branded products on-line has now gone live.
Behind Ken’s Yard are three experienced and respected traders in timber and building products, Charles McLeish, Joe McConville – previous owners of MGM Timber, and Ken McLelland – former Regional Director of Buildbase (see notes to editors). The board has been strengthened further by the addition of Charles Shaw, Chairman of the hugely successful 5pm.co.uk and former Chief Executive of Invergordon Distillers plc and Andrew Sutherland former UK Financial Controller and Company Secretary of Keyline Builders Merchants.
Aimed at the ‘serial’ project builder, self-builder and small building contractor in the UK and beyond, Ken’s Yard now provides the most comprehensive and competitive range of building supplies currently available on-line. These are supported by easily accessible advice from some of the supply industry’s most experienced, knowledgeable and professional experts.
Ken’s Yard is now part of the vanguard of suppliers changing the way building supplies are purchased and brings several ‘firsts’ to the market:
– Ken’s Yard currently sells 30,000 products which will rise to an estimated 45,000 in Phase 2.
– Ken’s Yard sells the full HOPPE door furniture range from Germany, one of only a few suppliers to do so, and is the first to sell the complete Carron Phoenix range of kitchen sinks, taps and accessories. It also supplies the complete range of Kahrs hardwood flooring products. Other well-known brand names are already in the pipeline and will be added in Phase 2. This includes the full JELD-WEN joinery products catalogue and the full Velux catalogue.
A unique building estimates service for extensions, refurbishments and new-build projects. This provides a massive timesaving for building professionals and enables them to get jobs costed quickly and accurately. This will initially be offered free as a launch ‘special’ to customers who spend £500 or more.
– Ken’s Yard is the only UK based website where customers can upload a drawing, or enter measurements to obtain a quote. Ken’s Yard handles the entire ordering process and items like roof trusses will be delivered direct to site within 14 days.
About Ken’s Yard:
Ken’s Yard is an independent on-line building products company founded after extensive research by an experienced team who care about service.
Lonsdale Metal Company Limited has secured a deal with Network Rail to provide roof glazing at more than 40 UK railway stations.
The North London based company has previously installed glass roofs for many Network Rail properties. Major work undertaken so far includes a 16,500 sq/m roof at Liverpool Lime Street, a 28,500 sq/m roof at Waterloo and an intricate canopy at St Pancras as well as glass roofs at a number of other stations including Carlisle, York and Derby.
While Lonsdale will be manufacturing the roof glazing, the company’s strategically located dealers throughout the UK will be installing the roofs.
Lonsdale’s sales director Richard Burgess commented on the deal, saying: “It’s really a question of the right product for the job at the right price. You only have to look up at most rail stations to see evidence of patent glazing from years gone by in various states of repair all over the country. The modern systems Lonsdale supply can be installed 60-70% cheaper than sloped curtain walling and at half the price of cassette style, linking panel type systems.”
Patent glazing can have a life span of up to 40 years, with very little maintenance required during that time, as well as an excellent safety record. Burgess added: “When you are suspending glass over the heads of thousands of members of the public who flow through these stations, you have to be sure everything stays put. At Waterloo, for example, there is over 264 tonnes of glass sitting up there. It is not the time to be specifying questionably inferior products and our systems are tried and tested.”
Key considerations for safety in roofing include regulations regarding non-fragility. Safety glass that stays in place even when broken and ensuring the system can cope not only with the usual design wind and snow loads, but also exceptional forces such as the vortex caused by express trains travelling through stations at speeds in excess of 100mph.
Burgess said: “I think our expertise in providing good, reliable technical information and the ability to perform structural and impact testing to comply with the latest regulations, gives engineers and designers the confidence they need and know they are dealing with the right people”.
Network Rail has committed to spending £2bn in a refurbishment programme across the UK.
About Lonsdale:
Established in 1946, Lonsdale Metal is the UK’s market leader for aluminium patent glazing and rooflight systems. Lonsdale has been responsible for recent installations at 10 Downing Street, Buckingham Palace and Legoland.
In line with Optima Products’ corporate responsibility and environmental awareness policies, the innovative glass partitions company has come up with a new, eco-friendly way of getting vital information to its clients.
Optima Products is now using an ingenious and eco-friendly alternative to the heavy paper version of their Designer’s Guide.
The Designer’s Guide contains in-depth information on office partitioning and other architectural and construction issues spread out over 100 pages of A4. In previous years Optima Products printed in excess of 1000 copies of the Designer’s Guide for its glass partition customers and associates. To bring the production of this year’s Designer’s Guide in line with the glass partition company’s energy efficiency and waste minimisation policies, Optima Products will be providing this fantastic portfolio of information on a small and stylish USB storage device.
This new system will save thousands upon thousands of sheets of paper, not to mention large envelopes, as well as cutting down on the huge postage costs that come with sending out bulky paper packages. This, in turn, cuts down on the amount of fuel used for delivery of the Guides, reducing Optima Products’ overall carbon footprint.
Shaped to resemble a capsule pill, the new USB format Guide will help thousands of Optima Products clients by ‘taking the pain out of detailing.’ It includes:
• The full Designer’s Guide
• 3D interactive Explore-a-Product technical specifications
• Detailed CAD drawings (.dwg files) for designers and architects
• Optima’s Project Photo Galleries
• 3D animations of the Deflection head and Nebula joint solutions
• In-depth case studies of Optima’s latest projects
• Links to Optima’s highly popular Optiman game
The new USB format Designer’s Guide is the latest in a long line of ingenious ideas from the glass partitions specialist to curtail the environmental impact of Optima Products business activities.
Managing Director, Nigel Westray said, “Our products are installed in the offices of some of the most prestigious companies in the UK, companies who are totally committed to Environmental Management, and it is only right that we meet or exceed their standards of environmental best practiceâ€.
Optima Systems’ environmentally ethical practices recently earned the company IS014001 accreditation for its Environmental Management System and the glass partition company has also drawn up plans to make further emissions reductions across all sectors.
Paper copies of the Designer’s Guide will still be available this year by request; however Optima Products aims to faze them out entirely over the coming years.
To find out more about Optima’s eco friendly glass partition systems and services or to learn more about the Designer’s Guide, please visit: http://www.optimasystems.com.
Optima Systems’ team of technical engineers have come up with two exciting new products to add to the Optima range.
The two new glass doors are designed to glide smoothly open, saving precious office space and creating a sophisticated and sleek office aesthetic.
The two new products, the Framed Sliding Door and the Pocket Sliding Door, are very different and can be used in conjunction with different Optima glazing systems.
Traditionally, sliding doors and acoustic performance do not go hand in hand, but Optima’s new Framed Sliding Door ensures that this design dilemma is a thing of the past.
The minimal aluminium frame of the Framed Sliding Door incorporates full length brush seals at the head and base and compressible seals on the vertical ‘door stop’ edge for an enhanced acoustic performance.
The door is operated by pull handles which run on Optima’s ever popular Kinetic dual trolley rolling system. The base detail incorporates a discreet anodised channel to fully control the door’s travel, thus eliminating the potential for leading edge drift and ensuring a light yet solid operating feel.
Optima’s Framed Sliding Door is the perfect way to form a space efficient office entrance within Optima’s 117 single glazed partition system, without compromising on acoustic performance.
Optima’s Pocket Sliding Door provides an attractive solution where minimal detailing, space efficiency and acoustic performance are important considerations.
The door was designed as an addition to our popular Revolution 97 double glazed mullion-free partition system. The 12mm glass leaf door is suspended from Optima’s highly popular and proven Kinetic operating system which enables the door to glide effortlessly into the double glazed screen.
The door is designed to be operated by pull handles, providing the benefit of upgrading to floor deployment lockable handles if necessary.
About Optima: Optima offers the highest quality service and innovative design to secure consumer satisfaction, ensuring that their extensive range of partitioning systems are able to meet customers’ exacting specifications, supported by technical expertise to achieve successful project completion.
Selecting the correct kind of conservatory blind raises a number of complex issues which do not normally apply to blinds elsewhere in the house. Conservatory blinds are also more costly especially in large structures so it pays to make the correct choice in order to avoid the buyer´s remorse! In this article we will be focusing on the key issues.
It might be obvious but sometimes conservatory owners overlook the most common questions which are simply, “Why do I need conservatory blinds” Do I even want them at all? And if I install them will they do what I need them to do. Ask yourself, “Do I know what I want them to achieve?” If your answer is, “To keep the sun out” Take a look at the wider picture.
1. Reflect huge amounts of solar heat. South facing conservatories or those on bungalows where there is no top storey to offer shade need them.
2. Dissipate the excesses of solar radiation. Structures that face all directions but north usually need blinds that tackle the issue of heat.
3. Reduce uncomfortable areas of direct sunlight. A conservatory that has direct sun light is likely to have uncomfortable levels of heat even in winter on sunny days.
4. Protects furniture and plants
5. Provides privacy and protection
6. Gives the conservatory thermal insulation. In winter even a double glazed conservatory looses lots of heat as it radiates through the glass on those dark evenings. Blinds reduce radiated heat loss.
7. Resistance to dust, moisture and insects especially in rural areas.
8. Reflects light back to the conservatory on dark cold evenings. Conservatory lighting often struggles to illuminate a conservatory without blinds as the light radiates outwards into the night instead of returning into the conservatory.
Both these kinds of conservatory blinds have been around for a while so both can be said to look traditional yet both can be contemporary, this is to do with your choice of fabric. For roof blinds the main drawback with roller blinds is that when the blind is retracted the collection of dust that inevitably builds up gets transferred onto the front side of the fabric as the roller rolls the clean face on the dirt. With pleated blinds all dirt is kept on the protected side of the conservatory blind. Conservatories attract a lot of insects in the summer when doors and windows are open this should to be taken seriously rather than treated as a ´small issue´
Most pleated conservatory blinds can be operated by an extension pole and in most cases it is unnecessary to have lots of control cords. This is not the case with roller blinds.
Roller conservatory blinds offer no particular advantage over pleated blinds and are usually picked for their appearance.
Oakhust Conservatory Blinds are offering a 20% discount on all purchases before the end of May
On May16th, from 7pm to 9:30pm Harmony in the Garden, will be held at the St. Augustine Water and Stone Gallery. The event is hosted by businesses that offer top of the line products and services for homes and gardens. This evening offers discerning homeowners the chance to view ideas for their homes while in a luxurious setting with live music, wine, and cocktails, tastes of “Galanga†Fine Cuisine as well as door prizes from the Jacksonville area business hosts. Homeowners will also be able to enjoy renowned artists’ works displayed in a beautiful Zen garden. Collette Vale is reservations by phone at 904-808-8784. More information about the Water and Stone Gallery and their distinguished artists can be found at www.waterandstonegallery.com.
NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Jacksonville provides the latest in energy efficient LED lighting technology, custom lighting design, professional installation, and outdoor lighting repair. NiteLites outdoor lighting fixtures are weather resistant as they are made of copper and brass and are acid-etched for a durable design.
NiteLites is national outdoor lighting franchise and offers additional information about landscape and architectural lighting online at http://www.NiteLites.com. Throughout the U.S. there NiteLites outdoor lighting locations in over 40 cities including: NiteLites Outdoor Lights of Asheville, Greenville, SC 29601, 29602, 29603, 29605, 29607, 29609, 29611, 29615, 29616, and 29617. NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Atlanta 30305, 30319, 30327, Alpharetta 30004, 30005, 30022, 30305, 30319, Duluth, GA 30097, Marietta 30062, Roswell 30075, and Aiken 29801. NiteLites Architectural Lighting of Augusta, SC, Blythewood, SC 29016, Chapin 29036, Columbia 29290, Elgin 29045, Irmo 29063, Leesville 29070, Lexington 29072, and West Columbia 29169. NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Charleston 29401, 29403, 29407, 29412, 29414, 29419, 29492, Daniel Island 29445, Goose Creek 29445, Hanahan 29410, Isle of Palms 29451, Johns Island 29455, Kiawah Island 29455, Moncks Corner 29461, Mt. Pleasant 29464, North Charleston 29405, Sullivans Island 29482, Summerville 29483, 29485, Wadmalaw Island 29487, and Wando 29492. Arlington 60004, Bradenton 34209, Bernardsville 07924, Brentwood 37027, Bridgewater 08807, Branchburg 08876, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Boca Raton 33433, Bonita Springs 34135, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Central New Jersey 08857, Cape Coral 33914, Centerville 45458, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Charleston 29412, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Charlotte 28269, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Chicago 60604, Chicagoland 60004, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Cincinnati 45243, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Clearwater 33755, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Columbia 29212, NiteLites Landscape Lighting of Columbus 43230, Covington 41011, East Brunswick 08816, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Dayton 45423, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Delaware 19898, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Fort Myers 33908, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Fort Lauderdale 33326, Franklin 37064, Greenville 29601, Hilliard 43026 , NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Houston 77095, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Indianapolis 46032, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach 32240, Jupiter 33458, Katy 77450, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Lima 45805, Livingston 27391, Lynchburg 24083, Madison 53707, Maryland 20854, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Middle Tennessee 37075, Millburn 07041, Morristown 07962, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Mt. Pleasant 29464, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Myrtle Beach 29597, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Naples 34109, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Nashville 37221, Newport 41076, New Providence 07974, North Augusta 29841, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Northern Kentucky 41012, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Northern Virginia 22124, Novi 48377, Oxford 45056, Philadelphia 19118, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Roanoke 24018, Sanibel 33957, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Sarasota 34243, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Southeast Michigan 48380, Spartanburg 29304, Springboro 45066, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of St. Louis 63005, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of St. Petersburg 33715, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Toledo 43699, NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of Tampa 33647, Valrico 33594, Venice 34293, Wilmington 19808, Washington, DC 20510, Watchung 08089, West Caldwell 07006, West Orange 07052, Westerville 43081, and NiteLites Outdoor Lighting of West Palm Beach 33414.
Heading for the exit is now more energy efficient and eco-friendly with the new Glo Brite® Eco Exit™ signs available to owners of commercial buildings, stores, living centers, manufacturing sites and healthcare facilities.
Unlike the old lighted exit signs, the Eco Exit signs need no electricity, wiring, bulbs or battery backup to point the way out of a building during a blackout, smoky conditions or at night. The Eco Exit signs utilize the latest photo luminescent technology to absorb and store ambient light, becoming immediately visible in dark conditions from up to 50 feet away.
Eco Exit signs consume zero energy, have zero operating costs and zero maintenance and disposal costs, while reducing the carbon footprint of the facility. They also are a safer alternative to signs using radioactive tritium technology.
A building with 100 Glo Brite Eco Exit signs can save as much as $3,500 a year in energy cost and reduce air pollution by almost a half million pounds of carbon dioxide compared with electrical signs over the 25 year life expectancy of the product.
These innovative emergency signs are available in steel or plastic models and are easy to install. They use standard brackets and may be surface, flag or ceiling mounted in new or retrofit construction.
“These Eco Exit signs are a huge improvement over traditional exit signs,†stated Dan Ruminski, president of Martinson-Nicholls, Inc, Willoughby, OH, a master distributor of the product. “They are environmentally friendly, with cost and energy savings all in one maintenance-free product that provides immediate return on investment.â€
Eco Exit signs are UL 924 listed and meet all current building codes and NFPA Life Safety Code 101 and OSHA requirements.
HHW, an electrical copper building wire, is proving to be a favorite over the more standard THHN building wire by many electrical contractors and installers.
XHHW stands for Cross-Linked High Heat Water Resistant Insulated Wire. Today’s XHHW is manufactured to XHHW-2 standard meaning it is rated in wet and dry environments up to 90C. XHHW is found both in stranded and solid constructions and various jacket colors.
THHN stands for Thermoplastic High Heat-resistant Nylon-coated. THHN is also found in both stranded and solid copper conductors but uses a nylon coating for mechanical and protection for gas and oil.
The key difference between the two building wires is XHHW utilizes cross-linked polyethylene (XPLE) and THHN uses a poly-vinyl chloride (PVC) as the insulation over the conductor. XHHW performs better in the low temperature environments and has a higher K Value, or better electrical properties.
“We continue to see more and more customers request XHHW over THHN now that copper prices have dropped again. XHHW has better current carrying capacity giving it the ability to withstand meltdown better, and even with its marginal price increase, many customers make it their choice over THNN,†remarked Bryce Huett, President of Distributor Wire & Cable in Denver, Colorado.
XHHW typically cost 10-20% more than THHN but that gap is closing as cross-linked polyethylene becomes more and more available. It is worth noting that the nylon coating on THHN wire makes it stiffer than its building wire counter part. Installers always prefer a more pliable product when trying to pull their runs throughout a structure.
Distributor Wire & Cable is a nationwide electrical wholesaler for all types of wire and cable including XHHW and THHN building wire. For more information on their products and services, call 888-439-2947 or visit www.distributorwire.com.
Reasor Products, Inc., of Duluth, Minnesota, introduces a new product to the construction industry from its line of warming bags, a Caulk Warming Bag. This unique patented bag will solve an age old problem in the building trades of keeping items warm in cold weather with a light weight economical heat source.
The Caulk Warmer has been awarded a Bronze Medal in recognition of the invention of the Caulk Warmer, at the Minnesota Inventors Congress 51st Annual Invention Show in Redwood Falls, MN. The Caulk Warmer is a heavy duty canvas bag with an enclosed heating element that keeps caulk and other items warm in colder temperatures. This allows caulk to flow more freely in cold weather; speeding up application time, relieving strain on users arms and hands and providing better sealing and appearance. The bag has a backstrap with a “quick disconnect†for looping over railings, plugs into 120V AC, and has a convenient cord storage pouch on the front. There is a convenient on/off switch and the internal temperature is thermostatically controlled and requires only 50 watts of power, due to its patented flexible heat reflecting shield that retains heat. A 12V DC lighter adapter is also available. Suggested retail is $79.95 and is available in stores and on line at www.caulkwarmer.com.
The Minnesota Inventors Congress (MIC) is a private, non profit organization established to further the inventor’s products that originate in Minnesota. MIC is also one of the originators of the Minnesota Inventors Convention held in Redwood Falls, MN every June.
Just the right air
We have just shopped around on the internet and found a new site JUST THE RIGHT AIR and found them to be as fair as anyone with price. Not only is the price fair but our tank is shipped out the same day. So if you would like to save money on a new tankless water heater go to instantaneouswaterheaters Demand (tankless or instantaneous) water heaters provide hot water only as it is needed. They don’t produce the standby energy losses associated with storage water heaters, which can save you money. Here you’ll find basic information about how they work, whether a demand water heater might be right for your home, and what criteria to use when selecting the right model. Just click here for pricing on several different models available at tankless water heaters and if you do not see what you want just call and you can get a price on any Tankless available today.
How They Work
Demand water heaters heat water directly without the use of a storage tank. Therefore, they avoid the standby heat losses associated with storage tanks. When a hot water tap is turned on, cold water travels through a pipe into the unit. Either a gas burner or an electric element heats the water. As a result, demand water heaters deliver a constant supply of hot water. You don’t need to wait for a storage tank to fill up with enough hot water. However, a demand water heater’s output limits the flow rate.
Typically, demand water heaters provide hot water at a rate of 2–5 gallons (7.6–15.2 liters) per minute. Gas-fired demand water heaters produce higher flow rates than electric ones. Sometimes, however, even the largest, gas-fired model cannot supply enough hot water for simultaneous, multiple uses in large households. For example, taking a shower and running the dishwasher at the same time can stretch a demand water heater to its limit. So even though you could have endless hot water, you can only produce so many gallons a minute. To overcome this problem, you can install two or more demand water heaters, connected in parallel for simultaneous demands of hot water. You can also install separate demand water heaters for appliances—such as a clothes washer or dishwater—that use a lot of hot water in your home. The ideas are endless like the hot water. The folks at justtherightair.com are there to help they have special articles and are available by phone to answer any questions you may have. Just contact Roger or Ryan Findley at 866-989-0789 with any help f r o m what to purchase to what is needed and how to install one You could also email them at rogfin@comcast.net or write them Just Right Heating & Cooling 1055 Foxwood Ct White Lake Mi 48383.
The advanced drywall and office partitioning supplier triumphed at the Construction Marketing Awards 2008, taking home the coveted prize for Best Use of a Website.
Optima Systems beat off stiff competition from four other fantastic web presences including Warwickshire County Council & Carillion plc and Harris Associates on behalf of Watson Batty Architects.
The judging panel were won over by Optima Systems’ use of simple and easy to understand flash animations to convey important and complex information about the inner workings of each office partitions system, as well as the impeccable overall site presentation.
The website was created to showcase Optima Systems’ wide range of office partitioning, advanced drywall, frameless doors and architectural glass through detailed photography, product details, downloadable guides and 3D animations. The website also features a CRM dashboard where Optima Systems can moderate architect logins that control which technical document each architect sees.
The website was created by award-winning London design agency, Cyber-Duck. Danny Bluestone the managing director of Cyber-Duck received the award on the night alongside Optima’s website and marketing project manager Christian Mabey.
Danny noted, “It is a privilege to win this prestigious award with Optima Group. We were privileged to work with Christian Mabey from who had the vision and foresight to take Optima’s branding and marketing to the next level by carefully crafting a successful user experience with Cyber-Duckâ€.
The Construction Marketing Awards are globally recognised as a highly regarded mark of excellence in construction marketing and business development and recognise the creativity, innovation and effectiveness of a company’s marketing strategy. The black-tie awards dinner took place on 27th November in London’s trendy New Connaught Rooms.
About Optima Systems:
Optima offers the highest quality service and innovative design to secure consumer satisfaction and ensuring that their extensive range of partitioning systems are able to meet customers’ exacting specification supported by technical expertise to ensure successful project completion.
Cement Central announced today that in an aggressive move to combat the ever increasing cost of cement to Dubai, it has partnered with its current suppliers to offer cement starting as low as US$60MT, a major offset from the current price of US$90MT which seems to have become the norm.
From the Middle East to Russia, the cement industry is witnessing global robust growth amid a massive international construction boom. Cement & concrete companies are facing bigger challenges and higher demand by the day with companies continuing to invest in increasing capacity and sustainable technology.
With countries like Egypt & India suspending their cement exports the increasing demand is outpacing the supply from the UAE to Qatar to East Africa. In a region where $1.7 trillion worth of real estate is being constructed or being planned, price trends in the cement industry take on heightened significance.
The bad news for local property developers and contractors is that the price of cement in Dubai is constantly increasing according to figures published by Emirates Industrial Bank. This year alone, bills for bulk cement shot up by around 20 per cent – reaching more than Dh330 per tonne earlier this month, say cement buyers. While cement factories enjoy profitable times – some say they are taking advantage of high demand – the trend is putting strain on the construction industry.
Carlos Perez said “Even government projects are being affected†and quoted, Ebrahim Al Shehhi, director, UAE Ministry of Public Works as saying “As a ministry we are tendering two or three times for a project. Contractors are not coming forward because they don’t know what the price of steel, cement and electrical cable will be the next day.”
“A number of mega projects in infrastructure, tourism and real estate are currently in various stages — from designing, tendering to construction — and the same trend is likely to continue in the coming years and it will create regular demand for cement in the country,” said Carlos Perez, Managing Director of Cement Central. The massive scope of these projects and the fast pace of expansion is giving rise to high demand for various building and construction materials, especially cement. As local cement producers are unable to keep up with demand, more and more cement is being imported from other countries. This is where companies like Cement Central can aid with cement importing needs.
Cement imports have soared during the past three years as a result of the unprecedented construction activities here that accompanied the overall economic boom in the UAE and the region. The sharp increase in oil prices is a major reason for this boom.
A Cement Central client was quoted as saying “the shortage in cement had already caused an increase in operating costs, which had forced most companies to increase prices of concrete by an extra Dh40 per cubic metre and it was difficult to increase prices where contracts with clients exist, and that in such situations, ready-mix companies are taking on all the losses.†Being aware of the crisis facing contractors and builders in Dubai, Cement Central and its suppliers felt the need to step in and offer cement at competitive prices that wouldn’t break their budgets.
“Even though we distribute globally, our immediate focus is on emerging Middle Eastern and European markets†says Carlos Perez. We currently have a 60 million MT allocation geared towards helping the ever growing expansion in Dubai. Cement Central provides up to date pricing and procedures on its website www.CementCentral.com and welcomes broker inquiries. Our supplier’s contract will reflect their firm intent and ability to do business. We deal directly with large allocation holders and as a result, we pass along our competitive advantage and savings to you! Our clients and suppliers span the globe from the Americas to Europe and Asia and our extensive product and marketing knowledge make us the obvious choice.
EPR Construction News is a new blog, part of EPR Network, that is going to be focused on and will be covering the construction news and stories from press releases published on EPR Network.
EPR Network (EPR stands for express press release) is one of the nation’s largest press release distribution networks on Web. The EPR’s nationwide network includes 12 State based PR sites, one major PR forum and a number of industry specific PR blogs and what started as a hobby on Internet years ago turned out to be a rapidly growing business today. EPR Network is also known as one of the most trusted (human optimized, published, edited and monitored, spam/scam/low quality PR content free) PR sites on the web with more than 10,000 company and individual press releases distributed per month. EPR Network is putting your press releases on top of all major search engines’ results and is reaching thousands of individuals, companies, PR specialists, media professionals, bloggers and journalists every day.
EPR Network has thousands of clients around the world including global 500 corporations like Hilton Hotels, Barclays Bank, AXA Insurance, Tesco UK, eBay/Skype, Emirates, just to name a few. The network’s PR web sites are currently reaching from 150,000 to sometimes 500,000 unique visitors per month while our viral reach could possibly go to as much as 1M people per month through our presence across various social media sites. EPR Network was established in 2004 and as of May 2008 it had more than 800,000 press releases (pages) published on its network.
