Jaga Heating Products Ltd

Ready, set…EPC

Building Products Index Ltd February 26, 2018 Heating, Radiators Leave a Comment

EPC Ratings, why does this matter? The government estimates that almost one-in-five commercial properties currently hold the lowest ratings of F or G. EPCs are legally required for all public and private buildings and assign an efficiency rating from A to G. So, are you ready for the new rules?

The built environment has been identified by government as a major contributor to Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, contributing around 34 per cent of the UK total.

Non-domestic buildings account for nearly 25 per cent of the UK’s overall carbon emissions and heat in buildings accounts for a substantial proportion of this. As more are built and refurbished, the installation of energy efficient, cost-effective products must be a top priority – especially if the UK is to meet the ambitious carbon reduction targets for 2020 and 2050.

So, are you ready for the new rules?

The regulations will first apply to new domestic and non-domestic lettings and lease renewals from April 2018, to be followed by all existing non-domestic leases by 1st April 2023.

However, savvy building managers are taking steps to not only meet this minimum standard but to exceed it in preparation for a likely future tightening of the regulations.

Here we take a look at the steps you can take to upgrade to your heating system and boost building energy efficiency ratings in the process.

New tech

The latest heating technology can help you achieve some easy wins when it comes to energy efficiency and heat emitters should be a first port of call. When compared to other heating upgrades, such as replacing an old boiler, switching your radiators to more efficient models is relatively low cost and can be done fairly quickly. Low-mass, low water content radiators contain a tenth of the water compared to a standard steel panel radiator, resulting in a faster response time and providing up to a 16 per cent reduction in energy costs. Buildings which are fitted with this technology also produce much lower carbon emissions due to the reduced energy used, helping designers and engineers meet their carbon reduction targets.

Another innovative radiator technology is fan assisted DBE (Dynamic Boost Effect).

This improves airflow and boosts heat output, allowing Jaga radiators to work efficiently with sustainable low-flow temperature systems, such as heat pumps.

Heat pumps are estimated to reduce electricity use (and cost) for heating by around 50 per cent compared to electric resistance heaters. They are extremely efficient and, when utilised properly, can also provide excellent thermal comfort. With added support from the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) tariff payments for ground source and air source heat pumps, it seems inevitable that the uptake of these technologies will continue to grow steadily.

Taking action now

It can often be a challenge to keep on top of the latest energy efficiency regulations but the April deadline for MEES should be seen as a priority. Civil penalties of up to £5,000 will be imposed for breaches, with local authorities also serving compliance notices to ensure properties are brought up to standard.

Investment in a heading system upgrade will not only ensure your building remains compliant but can deliver energy cost savings that will last for years to come.

How to choose the right glazed façade heating system

Building Products Index Ltd June 21, 2016 Heating Leave a Comment

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I don’t believe any other building material has seen such a huge increase in use over the last few decades, as glass. Today, it seems like every new build uses glass as the preferred choice for the façades – and with good reason. Glass is a fantastic way to utilise natural light which reduces electricity consumption, it harnesses the solar comfort of the sun and insulates interiors from noise pollution. Not to mention the pleasing appearance of clean glass lines.

However, glass is notoriously bad at heat retention and buildings that are made up of glazed façades can experience high levels of heat loss – making warming the building a challenge. Additionally, glazed façades are extremely vulnerable to condensation build up. In order to control and prevent condensation and heat loss, the heating and ventilation in the areas where glazed façades are used, needs to be thoroughly considered.

What is the purpose for the façade heating?

When selecting your façade heating system, an important aspect of design that needs to be considered is the purpose of the façade heater.

Façade heating systems can be used for different heating purposes. They can be designed to provide effective spacing heating, mitigate heat loss, eliminate condensation or can provide cooling and ventilation – or even be used for a combination of all of them. The intention of use will affect the preferred solution and will need to be considered at early design stages.

What are the solutions?

It is generally considered that trench heating is the ideal solution for façade heating. There is a certain amount of truth to this as it is a “hidden” solution that is the most versatile and can provide all preferred heating abilities – including glazed façade and space heating.

Whether it is the range of heights, widths and lengths, the option of grilles, or even cooling and ventilation, you will almost certainly be able to find a trench heater to give you the right solution. And of course one of the biggest

advantages of trench heating in that it doesn’t take up wall space and can therefore be easily installed in front of full height (floor-to-ceiling) glazing, with no impact on visibility.

However, as versatile as a trench radiator can be there are still times where trench heating will not be viable for certain applications. These include when floor voids are either too shallow for trench heating or are completely solid, or where construction costs for creating trench channels are prohibitive.

In these instances, low-level freestanding perimeter heating is the ideal solution to provide effective, glazed façade and space heating, and can even meet LST requirements.

What is the best approach?

The use of glass façades for commercial and domestic projects is only going to increase. It is important at the very beginning of the design stages, to consider how these façades, and the space they enclose, are going to be heated.

Working closely with your heating systems provider will ensure the most effective solution is installed. On numerous occasions we have been able to offer much appreciated advice on how to design in mitred corners or curved trenches for best possible aesthetic effect and heat output. Or offer recommendations where trench heating is preferable to low level perimeter heating and vice versa, or how to make a trench system part of a building’s cooling as well as heating strategy.

For more information about how to choose the perfect glazed façade heating system for your project, download our free Façade Heating eGuide.

Jaga also offers a comprehensive RIBA and CIBSE approved CPD seminar looking at façade heating techniques, challenges and appropriate solutions, download full details here

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Smarter Ventilation in Schools – Making IAQ Part of Sustainable Architecture

Building Products Index Ltd March 14, 2016 Ventilation Leave a Comment

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Phil Mangnall, Sales Manager at Jaga Heating Products UK, discusses how through the careful specification of a ventilation system, schools can reap the benefits of energy and cost efficiency, whilst providing an ideal internal environment for their students and staff.

There are approximately 10 million students currently in schools across the UK today. These children and young adults spend almost a third of their entire childhood at school, with around 70% of that time being spent indoors. It is a staggering statistic.

So, given the amount of time spent in these buildings, it is reasonable to expect them to be environments that help students thrive. Not only that, as a fundamental influence on the minds of future generations, surely they should be pillars of the environmental path that the construction sector is being encouraged to walk?

Architects are constantly being challenged to make efficiency gains. One area that allows this, whilst dramatically improving the internal environment for students, is ventilation.

Quite simply, we need to start taking ventilation seriously. It is more than just another facet of school building design; it is a rare opportunity to improve the health and well-being of staff and students in an environmentally friendly, cost efficient way.

Identifying the best ventilation system for any educational application can be complex – particularly given the need to factor in the three-pronged problem of indoor air quality (IAQ), energy-efficiency and sustainability that are underwritten by legislation and regulations for educational new builds.

But there is a logical solution that boosts all three without compromising an architect’s vision for a building: integrating dynamic Demand Controlled Ventilation (DCV) into a school’s heating system. It provides intelligent ventilation that satisfies regulatory requirements, stays within a project’s budget, and ensures the best possible learning environment for the students.

DCV is a modular, scalable solution that constantly monitors the IAQ on room by room basis, fully programmable and flexible enough to respond to differing demands. A CO2 sensor constantly monitors a classroom’s IAQ, processing the information and refreshing the air before excessively high levels of CO2 are reached. Essentially, extracting stale contaminated air and replacing it with fresh air from outside.

The intelligence to only vent fresh air as and when it is required is a highly efficient means of maintaining an optimal indoor environment – as high as 28% more efficient than natural ventilation, in fact, whilst eliminating the draughts, stuffiness and security risks that result from this alternative.

Furthermore, because it can be integrated within a school’s heating system – with the flexibility to have centralised, stand-alone or linked controls – it means that temperatures can be optimally regulated at all times, ensuring the right level of warmth according to a school’s preferences without wasting energy unnecessarily – a common trait in busy educational establishments.

By getting smarter about ventilation, schools can become examples of how to operate in an effective way that is aligned with social and environmental responsibilities. And there are options out there that can be specified in a bespoke way to satisfy architects’ requirements.

At Jaga, we call our Demand Controlled Ventilation system ‘Oxygen’, and it is fully compatible with the majority of our Low-H₂O radiators. Both Oxygen and our Low-H₂O Radiators have been certified for their energy-efficiency by KIWA. Oxygen has been recognised by the Educational Funding Agency (EFA) as a suitable solution on the Priority Schools Building Programme.

We immerse ourselves in every project, supporting both on site and with our dedicated technical team, providing genuinely tailored heating and ventilation systems. If you would like to learn more about Jaga Oxygen DCV, you can download our Ventilation in Schools Interactive Guide, or visit www.jagaoxygen.co.uk

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