ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS
Mitsubishi makes a real difference in Kenya
Mitsubishi Electric has donated solar panels to the Akamba Children Education Fund (ACEF) for installation on the Brainhouse Academy, in Kenya. Situated in Nairobi amidst one of the world’s largest slums, the school was set to advance the education and well-being of over 900 vulnerable children in the area. Staff at the school are delighted with the gift and have described the installation of the panels as a dream come true. “The school relies entirely upon donations of funds and equipment and the addition of the solar panels will generate enough electricity to
power a much needed pump to draw up water from a borehole in the ground,” Liz Formby, of ACEF says. “They will also supply two security lights to deter trespassers, and enough light to allow the children to continue their studies at night and on cloudy days, offering them the best chance possible to build a better life for themselves and their communities. Mitsubishi’s company mission statement - making a world of difference to peoples’ lives by helping them heat, cool, ventilate and power their environments through the use of advanced technology - has been made a reality.” For more information telephone 01236 312 451.
Discrete solar panels a world first
Thermalite manual
Hanson UK has produced a comprehensive guide to Thermalite aircrete blocks, which is
set to become the leading reference source for the specifier. This technical manual details Thermalite’s sustainability credentials and product performance highlighting how the range can help meet all current Building Regulations and legislation such as the Code for Sustainable Homes (CfSH) and Part L. Thermalite blocks contain up to 80 percent recycled content and can be used in a wide variety of applications from foundations, floors and partitions to separating and external walls. They feature millions of tiny pockets of trapped air giving them high thermal performance and sound insulation, good compressive strength, lightness for handling, moisture resistance and thermal mass. For more information telephone 01628 774100.
INSULATING WALL TIES
Ancon’s range of low thermal conductivity wall ties minimise heat loss through thermal bridging, improving the energy efficiency of a masonry cavity wall. The use of these ties can reduce insulation depth and wall footprint. In addition to a number
of stainless steel wire wall ties, the range includes the Ancon TeploTie which is manufactured from pultruded basalt fibres set in resin. This BBA- approved product is available exclusively from Ancon. It has a thermal conductivity of just 0.7W/mK, making it the most thermally efficient wall tie on the market. For more information, please visit
www.ancon.co.uk/LowConductor
With the housing market remaining stagnant in 2012, property owners are increasingly looking to update and increase the value of their existing home. Simultaneously, the ‘UK’s greenest government’ is keen for homeowners to take a role in using alternative sources of energy within their homes, such as solar panels. As a pollution-free and inexhaustible method of energy production, solar power allows savings on energy costs as well as helping to increase the value of properties. There are significant challenges for owners of traditional and listed buildings in installing such technology however. Planning constraints often prevent the installation of solar panels on older properties, and yet these property owners are often the people with the interest and the finances to embark on such a project. Solar Slate is the world’s first in-roof solar panel that combines the latest in photovoltaic technology with the aesthetic of traditional slate. It is in keeping with the look of a traditional property and has been installed on listed buildings, within conservation areas and in National Parks as a result. It has met full planning approval in each case with fantastic feedback from customers, installers and conservationists alike. For more information visit
www.solarslate-ltd.com
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