From carbon monoxide detection to light switches of distinction, the latest appliances, gadgets and systems to raise your social housing project above the rest.

Four-gang light switch
Hager has added a four gang light switch to its Ashley New Look range. The distinctive wide rockers have been designed for ease of use. Installation is claimed to be equally easy, with clearly identified terminals and large clamps for positive clamping of the conductors. The range also includes one, two and three-gang options and is installed into a standard 25 mm deep back box.
Hager
www.hager.co.uk
www.building.co.uk/enquiries 301

Multi-point locking system for doors
Security specialist Yale has added two products to its range aimed at social housing specifiers. The G2000 multipoint locking system is a door lock that meets the police’s Secured by Design criteria for security products. Two versions are available: one for PVCu or aluminium doors, the other for timber or composite doors. The company has also launched a fully reversible window hinge called 2475.
Yale
www.yale.co.uk
www.building.co.uk/enquiries 302

Soffit board for ventilating roof space
Plastic building products specialist Freefoam has added a soffit board with twice the ventilation capacity of the company’s existing product. Called GPBDV, it is a 10 mm thick PVCu board for fitting at the roofline and is said to eliminate the need for additional soffit ventilators in the roof space.
Freefoam
www.freefoam.com
www.building.co.uk/enquiries 303

Bespoke joists with pre-cut holes
Engineered joist maker Boise is now offering its BCI joists with pre-cut holes to speed up installation of underfloor service runs. The holes and joists are cut to the desired size in the company’s factory according to the designer’s specification. The joists are then delivered to site as a kit. The holes typically measure up to 125 mm high and 300 mm long and are in addition to the standard knock-out holes in the joists.
Boise
www.bc.com/uk
www.building.co.uk/enquiries 304

Kitchens for social housing
Grovewood Kitchens has launched a range of kitchens aimed at the social housing market. The company says the kitchens have been designed to meet the criteria set by local authorities and housing associations. The kitchens are available ready built or flat packed and can be delivered direct to site or through a local merchant.
Grovewood Kitchens
www.building.co.uk/enquiries 306

Improved care for wood
Paint manufacturer Akzo Nobel Decorative Coatings has reformulated and extended its Crown Trade Woodcare range. The company says the range is suitable for interior and exterior use and now includes both water- and solvent-based products. There are eight products in the range, including traditional and quick-drying varnishes, woodstains and coatings for protecting preservative treated garden timber.
Azko Nobel
www.crowntrade.co.uk
www.building.co.uk/enquiries 305


Carbon monoxide detector
Fire detection specialist Kidde Fyrnetics has launched a battery-powered carbon monoxide detector intended for the social housing market. Called 900-0146UK, it has a digital display that provides a permanent readout of carbon monoxide levels. A “recall” facility displays the highest carbon monoxide level recorded since the memory was last cleared, and the unit emits an 85 dB alarm signal when high levels of carbon monoxide are detected. The alarm automatically shuts down at the end of its seven-year life.
Kidde Fyrnetics
www.smoke-alarms.co.uk
www.building.co.uk/enquiries 307

Kitchen and bathroom pods
Timber-frame maker Pace Timber Systems has launched a kitchen and bathroom pod manufacturing operation. The company says that Space Pods are aimed at the social and private housing, hotel and student accommodation sectors. The pods have either lightweight steel or timber frames and are supplied fully fitted out ready for craning into position. The pods are available as stand-alone units for use with any framing system or as part of the company’s off-site housing solution Optima Homes.
Pace Timber Systems
www.pacetimber.co.uk
www.building.co.uk/enquiries 308

Kitchen appliances hit the market
Kitchen appliances distributor and installer On Site has launched its own range of appliances. The Prima range includes cookers, fridges, dishwashers, splashbacks and washing machines and is said to be competitively priced. The range is available in white or stainless steel.
On Site
www.pjh.co.uk
www.building.co.uk/enquiries 309

Self-tapping screws
Fastener specialist SEAC has launched a self-tapping screw suitable for fixing steel or wood to masonry without the need for anchors or plugs. The company says the product saves time on large projects as it eliminates the need to drill a pilot hole. The screws are made from mild steel and are zinc coated for corrosion resistance. They are 7.5 mm in diameter and are available in five lengths ranging from 60 mm to 150 mm. The screws are supplied in boxes of 100 complete.
SEAC
www.seac.uk.com
www.building.co.uk/enquiries 310

Movers and makers

  • BRE has developed a database called Library of Housing Construction Packages to help housebuilders adopt different methods of construction. It enables housebuilders to examine and compare different methods of construction for key elements of a home including groundworks, shell and fit out. The data includes 200 packages from 14 different projects, the amount of labour needed for each method, process maps, issues that affect the construction process and photographs of the packages. It is available at http://projects.bre.co.uk/library and will be constantly updated.

  • Maker and installer of PVCu doors and windows the Anglian Windows Group has invested £4m in a 5300 m2 factory dedicated to manufacturing products solely for the new-build housing market. The company said the factory was producing 2000 units a week on a single shift with the capacity to double that if necessary.

  • The NHBC has launched a service called Quality Management Services intended to help housebuilders raise the construction standards of homes. It is a bespoke inspection and auditing service that trouble-shoots problem areas and targets build elements or processes. Three versions of the service are available: the first includes a range of site audit options; the second has an additional key stage inspection; and the third is dedicated to the pre-handover stage of a home and is intended to reduce snagging and problems after occupation.

  • Construction research body CIRIA has launched a portal for contaminated land information that aims to bring together all the published information on the subject. The portal, available at www.contaminated-land.org is a database of more than 200 technical, standards and guidance publications from organisations including CIRIA, the Environment Agency, the NHBC and the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. It also has a list of commonly used software packages, a glossary of terms and links to other land contamination websites.

  • Insurance and risk management specialist Building LifePlans has launched a Housing Corporation-funded resource called Construction Durability Database. Registered social landlords can use it for free to predict the life of housing components, reduce the risk of defects, work out whole-life costing and develop maintenance plans and asset management strategies. It is available at www.componentlife.com

Social housing