Pro Installer May 2017 - Issue 50 | Page 13

MAY 2017 | 13 News Read online at www.proinstaller.co.uk REASONS FOR ROOF LIGHTS With days longer and lighter, householders want to let more of that light into their homes. Roof lights can be fitted in difficult places where traditional windows just won’t go – and can even add value to a home. Sky light manufacturer Roof Maker says roof lights can have a positive effect. 1.Natural light Roof lights can provide up to three times more natural light than standard windows, so cutting down on the need for artifi- cial lighting. With less need for Tenants opt for small units lamps and other standard light- ing, householders can notice a reduction in their electricity bills. Natural light is also clinically prov- en to increase focus, reduce stress levels and even improve sleeping patterns. 2. Keeping heat in and out Passive heat or solar heat gain is a natural by-product of roof lights. This natural heat gain ensures there’s less need for using cen- tral heating or other heaters that keep monthly costs up. Ventilating sky lights are also available that open outwardly at the bottom and Upward pressure is predicted release unwanted hot air that nat- urally accumulates near the ceiling – great for summer. 3. Eco-friendly Research has shown that when roof lights are covering roughly 15-20% of a total roof area, they dramatically cut energy consump- tion compared to buildings with- out roof lights. The National Association of Rooflight manufacturers, found that the total CO2 emissions asso- ciated with operating a building without roof lights can be 50% higher than for a building with them. https://roof-maker.co.uk/ NEW ANGLE ON SKYPOD Eurocell is launching its lat- est model, Skypod Acute. Building upon the success of the Skypod range of PVCu skylights, the new addition fea- tures a steeper pitch - 350 in fact, a full 150 more than the current design. The 350 pitch is visually very differ- ent to the standard 200, making it suitable for more commercial appli- cations such as schools, colleges, hospitals and offices, where this pitch degree is better suited to larger, multi-storey buildings. This market tends to be dominated by aluminium products, so the arrival of the new Skypod provides an aesthetically pleasing and cost-ef- fective alternative for the install- er. Skypod Acute sports the same stylish, narrow glazing bars and generous sightlines for residen- tial properties as the rest of the Skypod range. Its square format now fits an even smaller aperture, allowing even more light into parts of the home that previous- ly was not possible. No sidebars are needed on sizes up to 1.5m x 2.75m, so further improving sight- lines and letting in more natural light. Installation is quick and straight- forward. Everything needed is supplied ‘out of the box’ and the screw holes are pre-drilled for accuracy and convenience. Skypod Acute is supplied with self-cleaning, temperature con- trolled glass in blue, neutral, bronze and clear as standard, with a U-value of 1.0W/m²K achieva- ble. in March how they interact with their customers and it’s obvious that their combination of great customer service and top notch products is the perfect formula for repeat business.” Modular Homes Ltd has found a way to help solve the housing crisis by building affordable new homes on urban car parks. With a multi-million pound scheme already underway in Scunthorpe town centre, Pulse is currently working with a number of local authorities on similar schemes to transform town and city car parks into affordable accommodation us- ing fast-track offsite modular con- struction to speed up delivery. Research from JLL Residential Research has identified almost 10,500 urban car parks in the UK as being suitable for accommo- dating 400,000 homes - enough to house around one million people. More than half of these car parks are in public ownership where local authorities could quickly initiate the construction of 200,000 new homes and in many cases without the loss of any parking spaces. [email protected] www.pulsemodular.com www.eurocell.co.uk Huge Success with greenteQ Bi-Folds Trade fabricator TWR Trade Frames is enjoying huge success with aluminium bi-fold doors. Produced from Smarts Vi- sofold profile the bi-folds are geared using the greenteQ Clear- span hardware system from VBH that includes adjustable roller assemblies to help with quick and easy installation. TWR’s Managing Director Terry Richardson was presented with a certificate to mark TWR’s commitment to produce bi-fold doors to the Clearspan BSI ‘PAS 24 spec’. VBH Area Sales Manager Des Turnbull is delighted to have TWR as a customer: “The management at TWR is forward thinking and customer driven. I was amazed to see from my records recently that they have manufactured over 3500 bi-folds since starting with greenteQ. I saw for myself at their open day to continue in the rental market, as landlords seek to recoup increased entry and running costs. This is in part due to the additional Stamp Rate duty and a reduction in mortgage relief. Stock, however, is likely to remain high which may curtail the level of rental increases achievable. Naomi Heaton, chief executive of property advisor London Central Portfolio said: “With a greater level of availability, tenants can shop around and are increasingly attract- ed to newly refurbished properties (new-lets). They are very budget conscious and look for good value. They will therefore opt for small units and prioritise location over size to get what they want.” www.londoncentralportfolio.com Car parks could provide homes Specialist developer Pulse