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FEBRUARY 07 - ASSISTING MODERN BUILD TECHNIQUES

Innovative construction techniques and materials are helping Redrow Homes create a unique apartment development in rural Lincolnshire.

The Lindum Point venture is externally designed so each of the two three-storey apartment blocks blends in with the surroundings but internally features ultra modern living. The steel frame construction has accelerated build time, and facilitated incorporation of innovative facilities into the open plan design of each flat, including assisted ventilation from Passivent.

Explains Mike Bury, technical director for Redrow Homes (Midlands), “Redrow has a policy of including natural ventilation as far as possible within its homes. Lindum Point is our first apartment development of its type, and we needed to design a ventilation scheme that would ensure proper ventilation with minimal energy consumption. We worked closely with Passivent- even to the extent of mocking up a floor plan of the apartments at Passivent’s factory- to ensure the system would function correctly. The steel floor joists at Lindum Point incorporate a service penetration, so provide a ready-made route for the ventilation ducting, and the system design meant we could connect several ducts to one airbrick outlet on the exterior façade, minimising the number of external ventilation penetrations and maintaining the overall building aesthetics.”

The Lindum Point ventilation is based round a Passivent fan/flat assisted ventilation scheme. A discreet continuously running, but silent, low energy fan for each flat extracts damp, moisture laden air from “wet” rooms of kitchens, bathrooms and en-suites without creating draughts. Humidity sensitive extracts open progressively as moisture levels increase, thereby automatically controlling ventilation. Strategically located inlets ensure a constant, gentle flow of background trickle ventilation into the apartment. As only one low power fan/flat is used, energy consumption is reduced, and with only one external exhaust point per flat, penetrations through the building fabric are reduced.

Passivent is the only natural ventilation and energy efficient supplier to offer an optional design and product 12 years guarantee, insurance backed, with the added comfort of independent BBA certification proven in use for over 20 years, It supplies a comprehensive range of ventilation systems, including PSV (Passive Stack Ventilation) and AV (Assisted Ventilation) systems, the innovative Flair system that links an AV system to the cooker extractor hood, plus through window and through wall trickle ventilators, with or without acoustic options. Passivent is part of the Building Product Design Group which specialises in developing innovative yet practical ventilation and roofing products in line with changing market requirements.

For further information on Redrow Homes, visit www.redrow.co.uk

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