SE Controls passes 100th employee landmark

The appointment of four new trainees sees international smoke and natural ventilation solutions specialist, SE Controls pass the 100^th employee landmark, as the company continues to grow to meet sustained demand for its products in UK and overseas markets.

The four new recruits are aged between 19 and 22 with George Geary, Josh Nolan and Danny Scotcher joining SE Controls as Trainee Window Fitters in its Northern and Southern regions, while Chelsea Beard takes on her new role as Business Apprentice at the company’s head office near Lichfield.

SE Controls’ Managing Director Will Perkins, explained: “To be successful, it’s not just about developing innovative products, expanding into new markets and clear strategic thinking, it’s also about having the right people with the right skills and committing to invest in those individuals. I’m convinced that much of our success is down to our approach of supporting our products services with high quality people that can deliver beyond expectations.”

He added: “We have a firm commitment to formal apprenticeship schemes as well as recruiting trainee’s in a range of positions at SE Controls. This not only helps us develop, design and deliver our smoke & natural ventilation solutions now, but allows us the opportunity to invest in the future success of our business. Passing the 100 employee mark is a major achievement and the fact that we have achieved it with four new trainee and apprentice roles underlines our commitment to the future of our business and the development of our team.”

SE Controls specialises in the design, project management and installation of advanced smoke ventilation and natural ventilation solutions to meet the needs of architects, contractors, building services engineers and facilities managers worldwide. Further information on SE Controls’ products, solutions and projects can be obtained by visiting www.secontrols.com or calling +44 (0) 1543 443060.

SE Controls solves corridor overheating in multi-storey buildings

SE Controls solves corridor overheating in multi-storey buildings

An effective solution to overheated corridors and communal spaces in multi-storey residential buildings has been developed by SE Controls, which exploits the versatility and performance of the company’s smoke ventilation systems, allowing the controlled ventilation of hot air to maintain comfort for residents.

With the increasing focus on energy efficiency, the use of centralised boilers and distributed heating are common solutions in many multi-storey buildings for both new build and refurbishment projects. While routing hot water pipe work through corridors provides a simple method of distribution to feed individual apartments, it can make the corridors uncomfortably hot for residents as well as service and maintenance teams working within the building.

To combat this issue, SE Controls has designed a solution, which allows its smoke ventilation systems to also operate as a precisely controlled passive or mechanically assisted natural ventilation system to help maintain comfortable temperatures and energy efficiency.

By using sensors to monitor the temperature on each floor, the smoke ventilation system’s control panels automatically manage the proportional opening of end of corridor vents, smoke shaft doors and roof vents, which allows the controlled venting of hot air to cool the corridors.

SE Controls’ combined smoke ventilation and natural ventilation solution not only enables the integrity of the fire safety system to be maintained, but also provides an effective answer to corridor overheating, which has already been proven on a number of new build and refurbishment projects.

Kevin Deane, SE Controls’ Maintenance and Supply Commercial Manager, explained: “As most multi-storey buildings with more than three floors require smoke ventilation to aid escape, our systems exploit the automatic ventilation capabilities to control the cumulative thermal gain. In new build projects, we’re finding that consulting engineers, architects and developers are well aware of this issue and are incorporating this solution into building designs.”

He added: “However, one of the main advantages of the system is that it can be retro-fitted to existing smoke ventilation installations. This also enables residential managing agents to address concerns from residents and service teams over high corridor temperatures, which can often reach 30^OC, by providing an effective automatically managed solution.”

SE Controls specialises in the design, project management and installation of advanced smoke ventilation and natural ventilation solutions to meet the needs of architects, contractors, building services engineers and facilities managers worldwide. Further information on SE Controls’ products, solutions and projects can be obtained by visiting www.secontrols.comor calling +44 (0) 1543 443060.

Innovative solution for natural ventilation in schools control launched by SE Controls

The need to maintain precise control over carbon dioxide (CO₂), temperature and energy consumption is essential to create quality learning environments in classrooms and educational buildings and SE Controls’ new compact NVLogiQ room controller provides an innovative solution to meet these demands.

NVLogiQ constantly monitors indoor air quality, temperature and humidity and uses innovative algorithms, developed in conjunction with Loughborough University’s Building Energy Research Group, to control the automatic operation of windows, vents and heating to improve learning and comfort while saving energy. A manual over-ride option is also incorporated to provide additional versatility and direct control.

Capable of being used as a stand-alone classroom controller or networked throughout schools and educational buildings, NVLogiQ’s also incorporates integrated data logging to allow detailed analysis against pre-defined design and performance criteria on both new build and school refurbishment projects.

This ability also presents a range of opportunities for consultants, contractors and facilities mangers to not only verify a school’s natural ventilation (NV) design and performance, but also to enable accurate ongoing system evaluation to be easily undertaken.

As NVLogiQ has a compact and unobtrusive, with a footprint of just 160mm x 105mm, it can be located close to desks and work areas, allowing the precise monitoring of carbon dioxide (CO₂), temperature and humidity to maintain good indoor air quality and comfort levels.

SE Controls’ Natural Ventilation Division Manager, Nick Hudleston, explained: “There are clear guidelines of the volume of fresh air to be introduced into school classrooms, lecture theatres and other educational facilities to ensure that learning is not impeded by high CO₂ levels as well as elevated temperatures. NVLogiQ provides a simple, compact and powerful method of monitoring these parameters and automatically controlling the natural ventilation system to maintain a productive learning environment.”

He added: “For consultants, contractors and those responsible for managing educational buildings, the data logging facility can be used for detailed ongoing analysis, allowing the NV strategy to be ‘tailored’ precisely to the needs of the students and teaching staff, while optimising energy efficiency and comfort.”

CO₂ temperature and relative humidity readings are continuously displayed on NVLogiQ’s integral LCD screen while a red, amber and green ‘traffic light’ display gives a constant indication of indoor air quality. A manual over-ride capability is also built in to the room controller, allowing staff to temporarily open or close windows, louvres or other ventilation devices.

NVLogiQ’s versatile and powerful control structure has been designed to enable it to be used in a range natural ventilation strategies including cross ventilation and single sided ventilation as well as managing passive ventilation and night purging.

“From the outset, we designed NVLogiQ to provide an unrivalled mix of features, control and precision to help take indoor air quality, comfort and energy management of natural ventilation systems in education to the next level,” continued Nick Hudleston. “The innovative operating algorithms, integral data logging and the unobtrusive design, enables it to address a range of NV control and educational building management requirements in a highly versatile package.”

SE Controls specialises in the design, project management and installation of advanced smoke ventilation and natural ventilation solutions to meet the needs of architects, contractors, building services engineers and facilities managers worldwide. Further information on SE Controls’ products, solutions and projects can be obtained by visiting www.secontrols.com or by calling +44 (0) 1543 443060.

Innovative smoke and natural ventilation from SE Controls at Building Services show

Innovative smoke ventilation and natural ventilation control solutions form the primary focus of the SE Controls’ stand at this year’s CIBSE Conference and Exhibition.

A fully working model of SE Controls’ SHEVTEC® Extended Travel Distance System is integrated into the exhibition stand design to demonstrate the highly effective smoke ventilation solution, which received full Registered Detail Certification from the LABC (Local Authority Building Control) earlier this year.

The fully compliant and CE marked system gives local building control officers (BCO’s) the confidence to accept the SHEVTEC Extended Travel Distance System knowing that it has already been rigorously evaluated and tested. It also incorporates a range of additional features that enable specifiers, designers and developers to achieve a more cost effective solution without compromising safety, including the ability to reduce the size of smoke shafts to less than half of the 1.5m² required by an Approved Document B compliant natural ventilation system.

SE Controls is also launching an innovative new natural ventilation control solution, NVLogiQ, at the show, which is designed to maintain precise control over indoor air quality, temperature and energy consumption as a compact stand alone unit or as a networked system.

Using new control and performance algorithms developed in conjunction with Loughborough University’s Building Energy Research Group, NVLogiQ not only provides advanced monitoring and control of NV systems in individual rooms or zones, but also combines integrated data logging for detailed building performance and environment analysis.

NVLogiQ constantly monitors indoor air quality, temperature and humidity and via separate PSU’s (power supply units) and actuators, automatically manages the operation of windows, louvres and vents within a building’s natural ventilation (NV) system, as well as controlling the heating.

With a footprint of just 160mm x 105mm, NVLogiQ can be located almost anywhere within a building in close proximity to desks and work areas, allowing the precise monitoring of carbon dioxide (CO₂), temperature and humidity to maintain indoor air quality and comfort levels.

NVLogiQ’s integral data logging capability presents a range of opportunities for consultants, contractors and facilities mangers to not only verify a building’s NV design and performance, but to also enable accurate post occupancy evaluation to be easily undertaken.

Further information on NVLogiQ, SHEVTEC and SE Controls’ full range of smoke and natural ventilation solutions can be obtained at the exhibition in addition to visiting www.secontrols.com or by calling +44 (0) 1543 443060.

SE Controls delivers ‘Gold’ standard natural ventilation at Olympic Velodrome

The London 2012 Olympic Velodrome, which has been the centre of attention for Team GB’s cycling medal haul at this year’s games, is using window automation and controls systems from SE Controls as part of its sophisticated natural ventilation solution.

Designed by Hopkins Architects, the iconic 6,000 capacity stadium has already won three major awards itself, being named the ‘people’s poll’ winner at the RIBA Stirling Prize, as well as winning the Supreme Award from the Institute of Structural Engineers and the ‘Design of the Year’ Award for Architecture in April 2012.

From the outset, the building was conceived to be a highly sustainable, low energy structure, which not only influenced the final ‘double curvature’ shape, materials selection and construction methods, but also the decision to incorporate natural ventilation into the design, developed by environmental services consultants BDSP Partnership.

The natural ventilation solution was driven by the specific needs of competitive cycling where the optimal environment is a hot and humid 28°C on the track, which reduces air density and increases race speeds as cyclist move through the air with less resistance and drag.

Under race conditions, the track temperature is maintained at these elevate levels, but the natural ventilation strategy allows fresh air to enter the building through lower level under-seat ducts, which maintains the spectator areas in the stadium at a more comfortable 18 to 26°C, before the air is exhausted through high level vents.

To provide additional ventilation, vertical vents are fitted within the velodrome’s extensive perimeter glazing, which are automatically opened and closed by 196 SE Controls 24 Volt SECO chain actuators with a 835mm stroke length. The actuators were controlled by the Lichfield based company’s OS2 controllers, which also integrated seamlessly with the velodrome’s Building Management System. SE Controls, were able to draw on their experience as specialist contractors to supply, installed and commission their system on the project.

The velodrome’s natural ventilation system monitors temperature and CO₂ levels to maintain a comfortable environment. The system also includes ten sophisticated air handling units to maintain airflow and supplementary heating, which is used to increase the air temperatures during cooler seasons.

As there is no air conditioning used within the velodrome to cool the environment and relies solely on the advanced natural ventilation system, this has helped it achieve some outstanding energy figures, having been ranked as the most energy efficient building on the Olympic Park operating at more than 30% below the requirements of Part L of the Building Regulations.

SE Controls’ Managing Director, Will Perkins, commented: “The velodrome is one of the permanent legacy facilities of the London 2012 games and is certainly one of the most advanced sporting venues ever been created. Its form not only embodies and reflects the dynamics of high speed track cycling, but also uses a combination of innovative materials, construction methods and environmental management technologies to deliver an outstanding solution. Naturally, we’re delighted and proud to have played a part in the velodrome and it was fantastic to see so many world records broken and medals for Team GB at the venue.”

SE Controls specialises in the design, project management and installation of advanced smoke ventilation and natural ventilation solutions to meet the needs of architects, contractors, building services engineers and facilities managers worldwide. Further information on SE Controls’ products, solutions and projects can be obtained by visiting www.secontrols.com or calling +44 (0) 1543 443060.

SE Controls wins ‘historic’ award from The National Archive

A major project to replace and upgrade the glazed roof at The National Archive (TNA) in Kew has resulted in SE Controls’ smoke ventilation solutions being recognised within TNA’s Team Awards, which have been awarded collectively to the internal departments, external partners and contractors involved in the successful completion of the project.

The National Archive is the central repository for all UK historic and government records covering almost 10 centuries of information going back to the Domesday Book of 1085. As a result, while the safety of the building’s staff and visitors is the critical concern in the event of a fire, it is also vital that the archive is protected from damage.

By replacing the existing roof glazing, which had begun to leak in a number of places, TNA took the opportunity to improve the overall quality of the glazing, as well as bringing the smoke ventilation and actuation system up to the latest regulatory standards to ensure compliance with the relevant fire safety and building legislation.

The previous pneumatically controlled smoke vent and window automation system was replaced with a new integrated window and actuator solution, which is fully compliant to the latest EN12101-2 standard and is linked to SE Controls’ smoke and environmental control panels within the building’s eight smoke control zones.

HTP Architects designed the new glazed roof and Structura UK was the principal contractor on the project, with both companies also being part of the collective award from TNA. Throughout the project, the entire upgrading was undertaken while the building was occupied and provided full access to the public to ensure no disruption was caused.

SE Controls specialises in the design, project management and installation of advanced smoke ventilation and natural ventilation solutions to meet the needs of architects, contractors, building services engineers and facilities managers worldwide. Further information on SE Controls’ products, solutions and projects can be obtained by visiting www.secontrols.com or calling +44 (0) 1543 443060.

SE Controls provides a creative environment at new university design centre

Students at Loughborough University’s recently completed East Park Design School building are being helped in their studies by an integrated natural ventilation system from SE Controls, which ensures that carbon dioxide (CO₂) and is kept in check and indoor air quality levels are maintained.

Designed by Burwell Deakins Architects, the £14.7 million building uses informal design themes and layouts to create an ‘inspirational environment’ as well as providing practical work spaces, design studios, lecture theatres and workshops.

As with all learning environments, one of the key considerations for the design school was ensuring that levels remained within the appropriate limits to ensure that students’ abilities are not impaired by poor indoor air quality. Also, the building was conceived form the outset as a low carbon structure with minimum emissions, so utilises a range of energy efficient technologies including solar shading, insulated glazing and SE Controls’ natural ventilation solution.

The extensive natural ventilation control and actuation system was designed and installed by SE Controls to not only manage the CO₂ levels, but also ensure the temperature within the building is maintained within comfortable limits by using precise incremental control over the entire natural ventilation system.

To achieve these key goals, SE Controls installed over 400 chain actuators over the ground, first and second floors to control high level vertical vents in laboratories, offices and study areas, as well as the design school’s workshops and computer room.

Automatic louvres are also installed in ground floor public areas and meeting rooms, to allow fresh air to enter the building, while a further 48 chain and linear actuators in the building’s extensive glazed atrium vents provide ventilation to the atrium space below.

The entire system is controlled by a series of SE Controls’ OS2 networked control units and an OS2 modular panel for the atrium vents, which are seamlessly linked into the buildings BMS. This not only monitors CO₂ and temperature, but also signals the actuation of the vents and louvres to maintain the levels within the system’s upper and lower set points.

Darren Wainwright, SE Controls’ project leader on the East Park installation, explained: “The close relationship between CO₂ levels and the performance of students in schools and other educational establishments is already well documented, so it’s vital that good indoor air quality is maintained. However, it’s equally important that heat losses are minimised during ventilation to avoid unnecessary use of energy to re-heat the building, which is why the operating algorithms and ventilation strategy deployed minimise energy consumption while maintaining excellent indoor air quality and comfortable temperatures.”

Loughborough University has also been closely involved with the development of SE Controls’ new ‘NVLogiQ’ compact natural ventilation control solution through a highly active knowledge transfer partnership (KTP) programme. The ongoing relationship, which has already been in place for more than two years, has enabled SE Controls to develop advanced energy saving operating algorithms to the current design standards and accepted best practice for its new generation of controllers, of which NVLogiQ is the first.

SE Controls specialises in the design, project management installation and maintenance of advanced smoke ventilation and natural ventilation solutions to meet the needs of architects, contractors, building services engineers and facilities managers worldwide. Further information on SE Controls’ products, solutions and projects can be obtained by visiting www.secontrols.com or calling +44 (0) 1543 443060.