The Aerstad being fitted on a new build
You may have heard of the ‘fabric first approach’ – when building new it’s vital to get the insulation and airtightness right in the first instance, and only then build upon this base with additional energy saving components. In other words, it is counterintuitive to have a highly efficient heating and ventilation system in place if the house is losing energy through uncontrolled air leaks or cold bridges, which is heat loss around insulation points. In fact draughts can occur in places you might not imagine, including at the junction between the vertical and horizontal elements of the house. A new product on the market to help you minimise one such cold bridge, where the floor and walls meet, is the Aerstad developed by Atlantic Air. Designed to prevent air flow from the cavity walls passing through the floor and into the house, the Aerstad wraps around your precast concrete floor or joist to create an uninterrupted seal. The system consists of an end cap made of plastic into which the floor support is inserted; it’s then sealed in place with airtightness tape on all sides. According to a study by Queens University Belfast, the product can improve performance by up to 20% and the company says the typical payback period is less than three years. To get a supply and fit quote send your plans to info@atlanticairtesting.com Atlantic Air, 101 Dunamore Road, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, BT80 9PF, tel. 8675 1025, www.aerstad.com
Floor ace
Modular or prefabricated building products offer many benefits – cost, speed of delivery, manufacturing in quality controlled conditions. (As a case in point, see our article on kit houses starting page 70.) New in this exciting and rapidly expanding realm of products is the Spantherm by Creagh Concrete, a thermally efficient structural flooring alternative to the traditional methods of forming the ground floor. The prefabricated insulated floor, replete with reinforced concrete, EPS insulation and services voids, boasts U-values as low as 0.12 W/sqmK (there is a choice of three performance options). Cold bridging at the wall and floor junctions is also kept to a minimum thanks to its integrated design which significantly boosts its performance within SAP calculations. The slabs are all 375mm deep, 400mm to 1200mm wide with varying lengths (dependent on the project), bonded together with a structural concrete grout. A levelling compound is added on top, or alternatively a concrete screed can be specified for underfloor heating. Speed is another benefit; a typical 90 sqm ground floor can be installed in just 90 minutes, ready to be fully loaded after just 72 hours. There is no waste or products to store on site and build programmes can be reduced by up to one week compared to traditional wet pour, or beam and block systems. Creagh Concrete will supply the thermal calculations as well as the design drawings; the system is fully compatible with both masonry and timber frame construction. They can also fit the product for you or simply deliver it on site. Find out more from Creagh Concrete Products Limited, 38 Blackpark Road, Toomebridge, Co Antrim, BT41 3SL, tel. 7965 0500, www.creaghconcrete.com
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Seal the deal
Plug and play When it comes to innovative products, solutions that reduce cost and complexity come in time. In the world of home automation Hager has just launched the KNX easy for new builds, taking the programming headache out of hardwired installations. At its core is a compact configuration server that can easily be connected to your switchboard by your registered electrician. This interface then communicates with your KNX installation. Hager supplies compatible Berker products, including a GPS weather control unit for your blinds, which can readily be linked to the server. But if you already have KNX supported products, these can be used also. To make it all work, you need to add the EasyLink app to your tablet, phone or PC; the software will walk you through all the steps, and at the end, act as your control panel. With prices starting at approx. €18 per switching channel, whoever said home automation had to be a luxury? Find out more from Hager Ireland, Unit M2 Furry Park Industrial Estate, Santry, Dublin 9, D09 NY19, tel. 01 8835844, www.hager.ie ROI calling NI: prefix with 048 NI calling ROI: prefix with 00353(0) www.SelfBuild.ie
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