PBC Today continues our preview of the Building Innovation Awards, which will take place on 23 October at The Midland Hotel in Manchester, with a look at the shortlist for the Most Innovative New Product (Hardware)
The award for the Most Innovative New Product (Hardware) will celebrate originality and ingenuity in the use of technology to solve problems or address a key issue in construction.
The nominees for Most Innovative New Product (Hardware) are:
AJC Trailers
The Ecosmart ZERO site welfare unit, is powered by large roof-mounted solar panels with a back-up hydrogen fuel cell. ZERO local emissions. ZERO fuel potential, powered up to 100% by the sun on long summer days. Ecosmart ZERO has the same user-friendly operation as standard Ecosmart welfare unit. Power for the heating, sockets, kettle and microwave comes instantly from the batteries. The batteries are constantly fed by the hydrogen fuel cell and solar panels.
Beresford’s Flooring
Drilling into concrete soffits has always been a dangerous task. Operatives are continually exposed to hazards. Traditionally holes are drilled by an operative working on tower scaffolds. Although this is safer than working from a ladder there are still risks associated with working at height. This innovated concept totally removes the dangers of working at height and reduces the risk of health problems associated with HAVS, noise, electric shocks, corrosive water and silica dust.
Forbo Flooring Systems
Forbo Flooring Systems’ Modul’up TE offers two solutions in one floor covering: the benefits of a completely loose lay vinyl, combined with the possibility for installation over a damp subfloor with up to 97% RH. Requiring no adhesive, tackifier or double-sided tape, not only can it be installed quickly, but also it can be walked on immediately after installation with no waiting or drying time involved, reducing downtime and minimising impact on daily operations.
Free Running Buildings
Free Running Buildings has developed FREECOOL a passive ventilation stack terminal that integrates cooling technology that can reduce incoming air temperatures by up to 15°C. Designed to provide ventilation guideline rates, while reducing reliance on mechanical air-conditioning systems, FREECOOL has been developed from desktop simulation through to full scale on-site testing. Free Running Buildings is a technology spin-out company from the University of Leeds, developing low energy building technologies to reduce end user energy demand.
Genquip Groundhog
Genquip Groundhog continually work with their rental clients to ensure that they provide environmental products whilst retaining ease of use, robust design and longevity providing a great RoI to rental businesses and end-users alike.
Kelda Technology
Kelda Technology has created the world’s most efficient water-saving shower designed and manufactured in the UK. Against a backdrop of global water scarcity and water-stressed regions in every continent of the world, Kelda Technology is the pioneer of water-in-air shower systems that are independently proven to reduce water consumption, energy consumption and carbon emissions by at least 50% compared to traditional showers – without compromising shower experience.
Lumi-Plugin
The Lumi-Plugin is the perfect product for developers to save on costs and reduce ceiling space conflict. For homeowners, it streamlines and declutters ceilings and ensures their home is stylish as well as safe.
Midland Steel Reinforcement Supplies
Midland Steel prefabricates Double Skin Slab Reinforcement panels for the Irish and UK construction markets. This offsite prefabrication saves up to 75% of time when compared to the traditional on-site method of steel fixing. With a distinct increase in quality and time saving advantage over the traditional method the prefabricated solution requires as little as two steel fixers for installation. This product has reduced some programs by three weeks while significantly reducing prelims costs.
Topcon Positioning Group
Real-time construction verification has been a distant dream for the construction industry in need of better technology and processes to reduce reworks. The new GTL-1000 from Topcon is helping to make that dream a reality. A combined traditional robotic total station with a high-quality laser scanner, there’s no compromise on performance and accuracy. Alongside powerful software, the GTL-1000 is the final piece of the jigsaw in a verification process closer to real-time than ever before.
The winner of the Most Innovative New Product (Hardware) will be announced at the Building Innovation Awards gala dinner at The Midland, Manchester, on 23 October.
