www.binfo.co.uk
magazine
40
Remote control desk
saves energy
FG technology is promoting its PC remote
control technology as an energy-saving
product that can help a business shrink
its carbon footprint and create a more
comfortable working environment. Embedded
within a desk’s work surface, it duplicates
the key controls of a PC so that the user’s
computer can be stored in another room.
As an average PC gives off 500 watts of heat,
this signifcantly reduces the heat output in
offces, reducing the air conditioning burden.
According to FG technology, part of the Frem
Group, the remote can save as much as 1100
KW per PC per annum. The carbon saving of
500 kilos per annum is signifcantly greater
than the 100 kilos that FG claims is emitted in
the manufacturing stage.
www.fgtechnology.co.uk
Storagewall achieves
Gold standard
Offce storage provider Anco Storage
has been awarded FIRA Gold Product
Certifcation for its Freewall storagewall.
FIRA certifcation indicates that the
product is of a high quality and produced
to a consistently high standard.
The award was made following an in-
depth assessment of Anco Storage’s factory
in Billingshurst,West Sussex and Freewall’s
own properties, including workmanship,
ergonomics, strength, stability and aesthetics.
Offering foor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall
storage, Freewall units come in a range
of styles to suit any offce and include a
selection of products such as room dividing
units and pass-through doors.
FIRA Gold Product Certifcation is backed
by an ongoing re-audit and re-test programme
to ensure that having achieved FIRA Gold
Certifcation, the standard is maintained.
www.fra.co.uk
Trea is a new conference/guest chair from
Humanscale due to be launched early next
year. Complementing the company’s Freedom,
Liberty and Diffrient World task chairs, Trea’s
name is derived from the Latin for three – a
reference to the chair’s three components: seat,
back and frame. A key feature is the ‘solid state’
recline mechanism hidden at the junction of
the seat and backrest, which discretely mimics
the hips’ natural movement during recline to
provide easy postural changes, enhanced upper
body support and unusual comfort for this
class of chair. Trea is made of 30% recycled and
99.5% recyclable content.
www.humanscale.com
Atmos Consulting is urging developers of
new and renovated properties to consider
installing green roofs as evidence of their
environmental benefts grows and payback
periods become shorter.
The environmental planning consultancy
argues that green roofs partially or completely
covered in vegetation planted in substrate over
a waterproof membrane provide numerous
benefts to businesses and the wider community.
Based on its analysis of recent research,
Atmos Consulting argues that green roofs:
4
Insulate buildings, slashing energy costs.
Recent studies show green roofs save
2 litres of fuel oil/m² per year;
4
Cut the rate of heat absorption through the
roof of a building by up to 84%, reducing
its temperature and the need for cooling.
This leads to further energy savings;
4
Can be expected to last between 2.5 to
3.5 times longer than roofs made from
standard materials, slashing roof repair and
replacement costs;
4
Reduce urban pollution levels. 1m² of
grass roof can remove 0.2kg of airborne
particulates every year. They can also store
chemicals and pollutants in rainfall that
would otherwise go directly into drainage
systems;
4
Help companies and organisations manage
excess water in storms by retaining 50-
60% of the total annual run-off volume
in an average development, and alleviate
fooding issues by retaining 90-100% of
the critical frst hour of heavy rainfall. This
reduces drainage costs;
4
Provide excellent habitation areas for
insects, birds and other wildlife, increasing
local ecology/biodiversity;
4
Contribute towards government-set
sustainability targets (e.g. BREEAM
assessments); and
4
Generate lots of positive publicity in the
local press and trade magazines.
There are two main types of green roof. The
frst uses rolls of Sedum, a hardy plant, which
can be easily applied to fat and slanted roofng.
Sedum green roofs are cost effcient and the
plants produce pretty fowers and require little
moisture, making them easy to maintain.
The other type – biodiversity/brown roofs –
aim to provide habitats for species living on the
rooftop. They can contain fowers; ponds; wildlife
towers for insects and animals to live in; and
even trees.
According to Atmos Consulting, biodiversity/
brown roofs look brilliant and make great social/
work spaces but their development and long-
term maintenance costs are higher. They can also
be very heavy, which can require load-bearing
adjustments to building structures.
Benefts of
green roofs
keep growing
offce
The Sedum roof at Atmos Consulting’s award-
winning and BREEAM-accredited offces in Mold,
NorthWales
Make yourself comfortable