The message that we need to make greater use of rainwater is certainly one that gardeners are embracing – witness the fact that water butts are selling fast, and that demand for water butts is exceeding supply in some areas.
But what is good for the garden is not necessarily an easy option for the gardener!

Carrying a watering can backwards and forwards is physically very demanding; when full, a 10 litre watering can weighs 10kg, or 1.5 stone. And of course the weight is carried to one-side – the unevenness adding to the strain they create. Perhaps that is one reason why, when records of accidents were last recorded back in 2002, watering cans accounted for 718 incidents (source: RoSPA).

The other issue, of course, is the time it takes using a watering can to water the garden – not ideal for those who have to juggle multiple demands in addition to their garden.

For all these reasons, the latest product advance in rainwater storage is expected to come as welcome news – a rainwater harvesting tank that now connects to a hosepipe.

The Rainstore, from Kingspan Water, the UK’s leading manufacturer of rainwater harvesting systems, has an integral pump and hosepipe connection.

The largest of the Rainstore range – the 1000 litre tank – holds the equivalent of 100 watering cans. This would be a lot of watering cans to carry (the equivalent of a tonne in weight!) however the hosepipe makes it easy,
Rainstore will also be welcomed by those who need a bigger butt – those who currently link multiple water butts together to collect enough water for their plot. The tanks come in 700 and 1000 litre sizes – the 1000 litre size is the equivalent of five standard water butts, which is more than enough for most gardens.

“Carrying heavy watering cans can be difficult, irksome and slow so this should be a major advance for many – particularly in the east and central areas of the country – who want to water their gardens, and wash their cars or patios this summer,” says Adrian Gatford, national sales manager for Kingspan Water.

He continues: “As the effects of global warming continue to manifest themselves, the water crisis is expected to deepen. Drought is now interspersed with a trend for short, sharp bursts of rain that overwhelm our Victorian sewers, as well as causing soil erosion and flooding, but the downpours do little to fill our resevoirs. Reducing our reliance on domestic treated water and making better use of rainwater are two of the most significant ways we can all adapt to changes invoked by rising global temperatures.”

Kingspan Water has been leading the way in rainwater harvesting systems for many years. Its Envireau system captures water from the roof and recycles it for widespread use within the home, including flushing WCs, and washing clothes, as well as of course for use irrigating the garden.

For more information, call 0800 0234 325, visit www.rainwaterharvestingshop.co.uk, or email info@rainwaterharvestingshop.co.uk

Cafédirect carried out a study to identify the environmental impact of its products; it might surprise you that the biggest impact doesn’t come from shipping or even growing. It’s in fact in the consumption and particularly in cafes and venues that serve coffee. It might be the electrical energy required by the espresso machines or the amount of water used to flush customer toilets.

As Cafédirect doesn’t own the outlets, this was an area they could not directly control, so instead they created an EcoToolkit which would help venues identify simple ways they can reduce their environmental impacts. The toolkit covers Water, Waste, Energy and Procurement. The water section gives advice and actions, many of which also help save the venue money. The recommendations range from suggestions such as fixing leaks to installing one of our above ground rainwater harvesting systems.

If you run a venue that serves hot drinks, see what more you can do to reduce your water consumption and help save money on water bills by taking advantage of our free feasibility survey.

We are also offering venues that use the EcoToolkit a 10% discount on a suitable rainwater harvesting system.

Contact Information:
Tel: 028 3836 4477
e-mail: enquiry@kingspanwater.com

The 5th April was the first day of a hosepipe ban, under the Water Industry Act 1991, following the declaration of drought across parts of central and eastern England. The long-predicted changes brought about by global warming, changes to weather patterns, rising population densities, and greater abstraction levels from rivers have all contributed to severe water shortages – and given the severity of the situation, no one can predict how long the ban will be in place.

In response, Kingspan Water, the UK’s leading manufacturer of rainwater harvesting products, has introduced some new and innovative water butts, particularly suited to those with larger gardens and ponds.
Rainstore is a range of water butts featuring built-in pumps and hosepipe connections.

The Rainstore range includes 700 litre tanks – the equivalent of 70 watering cans full – and 1000 litre tanks, and are ideally suited for bigger garden plots, removing the need for multiple smaller water butts. What’s more the handy pump and hosepipe connector means no more traipsing up and down the garden, carrying a heavy watering can – saving time (if not the chiropractor’s bill!).

Contact Information:
Kingspan Environmental Ltd
Tel: +44(0) 28 3836 4400
e-mail: enquiry@kingspanenv.com

Fuel and oil prices are steadily rising, which is pushing an increasing number of people into fuel poverty and making home heating oil and diesel fuel into “liquid gold” and a prime target for thieves. So what can be done to safeguard your home or business?

Last week, BBC One’s The One Show was the first to bring this issue into mainstream national media. Farmers and homeowners have two concerns; how they safeguard their fuel supply and how they cope with rising fuel prices. They discussed various preventative measures for combating oil theft including; locking vehicles in a secure building overnight, installing security cameras on the premises, deterring thieves using a guard dog and even the “smart option” of a “Sonic Sensor” or Sonic Signalman as it is correctly known, an electronic fuel monitor.

Earlier this week, there was a feature on oil theft on BBC Radio Gloucestershire’s breakfast show, which included an interview with local businessman and security expert Roman Cooper from Allcooper. Again, the discussion highlighted, among other things, the value of using electronic wireless system for remotely monitoring fuel levels.

First alert for oil theft

In both programmes, it was clear that those interviewed had no knowledge of the theft of their oil until long after the event. Initially, their concerns had been raised when the radiators did not work – which led to the immediate and reasonable assumption that the boiler was broken and a plumber was called out. Of course, the boiler was fine but the oil tank was empty. The message here is check your oil and fuel levels regularly

The cost of oil/fuel theft

The cost can be high. Not only will the tank probably have to be replaced, as well as the oil, but there is also the cost of cleaning up. Sadly, oil theft may not be covered by home insurance There is also an environmental cost, which can be high as oil leaks not only pollute the ground, they can also leach into groundwater.

How Oil Tank Alarms Work

There are various oil tank gauges or oil tank alarms currently available. The latest technology or Sonic Signalman as we refer to it, can monitor the levels of either diesel in a fuel storage and dispensing tank, or kerosene in a bunded heating oil tank. It has GSM capability that can send text alerts to the owner if there is a drop in fuel or oil levels. This notifies of a potential fuel theft in real time. In other words, it provides a means for the owner to monitor, constantly, their oil tank supplies. The wireless electronic monitor is suitable for any existing or new oil tank installation, whether it’s a bunded heating oil tank or a single skin oil tank.

You may want to know if your oil tank is suitable for this technology. The simple answer is yes, any plastic or steel oil tank can be suitable, depending on the condition of the oil tank- in other words as long as there are no leaks or the tank is showing signs of wear or tear due to age.

Servicing and Maintaining Your Oil Tank

Clearly, with oil being such a precious commodity (and of course any losses can be devastating) it is more important than ever that your oil tank is in good condition and your oil boiler is working efficiently. With regular maintenance both will run more efficiently and cheaply. What’s more regular maintenance will prolong the life of the overall heating system. Through our Titan Accredited Installer Network we are offering a FREE, NO OBLIGATION survey of where your oil tank is situated and advise, if necessary, on oil tank replacements to help secure your oil supply.

To find out more about the free survey and the latest innovation in oil tank security, including oil alarm functionality and SMS text alerts, please contact Kingspan Environmental and talk to a member of our team email: enquiry@kingspanenv.com or call +44(0) 28 3836 4400

The innovative technology developed by Kingspan Environmental will be installed by Carillion Energy, in 20 oil tanks in homes in Dungannon, Camlough and Newcastle for a period of three months in a “pay as you go” pilot scheme to help homeowners budget for oil fills.

Charles Burns, Commercial Director, said, “We are delighted that we can road test our Fuelserv solution in our own back yard and that people in Northern Ireland could be the first in the world to see the benefits.

Buying the oil is a very simple process – you buy however much you want to use and Fuelserv then releases this amount from your tank.

All this is monitored by a small wall mounted unit inside your home, which will allow you to keep track of how much you’ve spent and how much you’ve used. For the householder’s peace of mind, there are also a number of anti-theft alerts and alarms built into Fuelserv, that we will also be testing.”

Jillian Ferris, Client and Stakeholder Director at Carillion Energy Services said, “We decided to team up with Kingspan Environmental to find a pay as you go method that works for people in fuel poverty as well as for those householders who want more control over their energy usage.”

Visiting the home of Tracey Doherty from Dungannon, where the technology is being tested, Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland, said, “Pay as you go systems for gas and electricity have been around for some time and it is very exciting that the world’s first pay as you go oil metering system has been produced here and will be piloted in Northern Ireland.

For those limited in their choice of fuel, this technology has the potential to offer a means to budget for spend on oil and a chance to avoid the high costs of emergency drums. I am very keen to see the results of this pilot, and, if successful, will be looking at the possibilities for incorporating this kind of innovation into future energy efficiency schemes”.

Contact Information:
Kingspan Environmental Ltd
E-mail: enquiry@kingspanenv.com
Tel: +44 (0) 28 3836 4400

Sonic Signalman sends text alerts if oil or fuel levels drop, suggesting a theft may be occurring

Whether you live in a city or in the country, there is no getting away from worries about the rising cost of fuel and oil.

The cost and supply of fuel at the moment is of concern with possible fuel-tanker strikes looming in the UK. The government are advising the public to top up their tanks, and, according to news reports, petrol demand has risen by 172% and diesel demand has risen by 77%. Everyone is panic buying petrol and diesel in the event that supplies run low.

The rising cost of fuel and oil can make both appear more attractive to thieves.   In fact, there are a rising number of fuel and oil thefts being reported across the country, not only by home-owners but also by farmers and rural businesses.

Last night, Thursday 29th March, BBC’s The One Show discussed the impact this situation is having on rural communities across the country. It is clearly having a major effect on many farmers, who are now faced with two issues: how they secure their fuel supply and how they cope with rising fuel prices.

The One Show featured our latest innovation in fuel level management, referred to in the programme as “Sonic Sensor”.

The “Sonic Sensor”, or Sonic Signalman as it is correctly known, can monitor the levels of either diesel in a fuel storage and dispensing tank, or kerosene in a heating oil tank.   If the device detects a sudden drop in the level of fuel or oil – suggesting there may be a leak or someone is stealing the fuel – it sends an immediate text alert to the owner of the property. In other words, it provides a means for the owner to monitor, constantly, their oil or fuel stocks.

To watch the programme simply click on the link to the BBC i-player or copy and paste into a new web browser. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01f4zjj/The_One_Show_29_03_2012/

Of particular interest was our new Rainstore which was launched at Ecobuild. Rainstore collects rain from the roof, via the existing downpipe as usual, but it has an above ground tank which means that for the first time, you can buy a rainwater harvesting system today and fit tomorrow.

For those who wanted to know how it all worked, we ran seminars with working demos of an Envireau system.  They proved very very popular – standing room only for many!

And we even found comedian Alistair McGowan sitting on one of our demo loos!

Roll on Ecobuild 2013!!

Adrian Gatford Kingspan Water's National Sales Manager talks to hundreds of installers about rainwater harvesting Ecobuild 2012

Try before you buy??!

The brand website http://www.titanenv.com has been entirely redesigned and aims to provide a one-stop-shop of both expert advice and product information across the Titan range of environmental containers.

For the trade, the site offers a huge repository of information on oil tanks including an oil tank product selector guide and links to industry regulations as well as sections covering FAQ’s and downloadable installation instructions, plus an online tank guarantee form.

Meanwhile to end-users, both domestic and commercial, can gain access via the website to free site surveys, designed to make key decisions about installing a new oil tank or replacing an old. What’s more – appreciating that every UK home and bsuiness owner is now sensitive to the price of oil – the site also contains information about reducing oil heating costs and saving money through the installation of the SonicSignalman, an intelligent oil monitoring system. The SonicSignalman not only helps consumers with the painless management of their heating oil supplies, it will also allow their oil company to send them marketing text messages regarding special offers, allowing end-users to make infromed decisions as to when and how to purchase their oil.

The line, which was opened in 1876, was threatened with closure in the 1980s, but was saved following a campaign led by the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line.

Of the eight original water towers that were dotted along the 72-mile route and used to feed the passing steam trains, only one remains. It is now being converted into a character-filled two-bed, three-storey, home by Mark Rand and his wife.

Mark, who is also Chair of the Friends of Settle to Carlisle Line, describes the state earlier this year of the Grade II listed building as, “superficially poor, but structurally sound. It was there, and unloved, and there was only one sensible use for it.”

Sustainability has been embraced by Mark and architect Stuart Green as a major part of their vision for the build. Along with rainwater harvesting, which was included following a recommendation from plumber, Les Hobson, the Water Tower will also benefit from heat-recovery ventilation and a lot of insulation.

Because the building was little more than a shell when work started, with nothing in the way of internal plumbing or electrics, Les was able to install a fully-integrated rainwater harvesting system, to supply a range of non-potable appliances within the Water Tower. Kingspan Water’s Envireau system will be providing rainwater to flush WCs, supply the washing machine, and feed outside taps for watering the one-third of an acre garden, as well as for washing vehicles.

The property is metered so the amount of mains water saved is expected to realise significant
financial savings as well.

The majority of the rainwater will be captured within the building’s enormous 43,000 gallon roof-top water tank. The tank has now been fully restored and will pass the water through the Water Tower’s original downpipe, into the Envireau’s underground storage tank. Additional rainwater will be gathered from the subsidiary roof of a newly-built annex, from where it, too, will pass into the storage tank.

The water will then be pumped to a header tank and used to feed the washing machine, WCs etc. If rainwater supplies are exhausted, or if electrical power is interrupted, mains water back-up will feed the applications.

The system was sized by Kingspan Water’ technical team in line with the British Standard for
Rainwater Harvesting, BS 8515, which takes into account a range of factors, including the number of appliances to be fed, occupancy, roof size, rainfall levels and the risk of flooding.

Mark says: ”The Envireau has been easy to install and a Kingspan Water representative has been a regular visitor to site over the last few months to advise and check on progress. I’m very pleased with the trouble-free way things have progressed so far, and how responsive and supportive the company has been during the build.”

Adrian Gatford, National Account Manager for Kingspan Water, adds: “It’s nice to see such an important part of Britain’s railway heritage being sympathetically restored and given a new lease of life. Rainwater of course, has always been an important element of this building’s historical employment and it’s somehow fitting that it’s going to be an integral part of its future use.

He adds: “Being brought on board very early in project planning has allowed us as a manufacturer to help design and configure the system to best meet the project’s needs. Unfortunately, all too often this consultation only happens when the plumbing is already part-complete – and this can mean costly rebuilding work to reconfigure the system.”

The restoration work is being closely followed by Channel 4, for their Restoration Man programme, to be aired in February 2012.

Particular excitement and interest is expected to be generated by the company’s new retro-fitted systems which are attracting enormous interest from schools, retailers, government buildings.

The advance of retro-fit is an important milestone for the industry, despite the fact that it has not yet become viable for domestic settings.

Until now, harvesting rainwater has been mainly the preserve of new build developments, largely due to the need for extensive groundworks. Now, the advent of above-ground tanks alleviates the need for any groundworking, thus providing buildings and facilities with relatively quick access to recycled water. The potential is such, that it is now attracting serious interest from water companies.

Another important development for the industry has been the recommendation within the government’s recent white paper, ‘Water for Life’, identifying rainwater harvesting as a key part of a wider strategic approach to alleviate predicted drought conditions across the country. Taken as a whole, it is clear that our attitudes to water are likely to change sooner rather than later.

“It seems the floodgates have finally opened for this technology,” says Adrian Gatford, Kingspan Water’s National Sales Manager.

“Concerns about severe water stress across the UK caused by global warming and rising population pressures, have proved how important it is to reduce our reliance on mains water. Our leading portfolio of rainwater harvesting systems provides some of the most advanced products on the market, above and below ground, for commercial and domestic applications. It’s a relatively low-cost, but very versatile technology and as a consequence we are now finding ourselves specifying systems for a wide variety of applications – from aircraft hangers to offices, schools, and now into the high street.”

For the second year running, a working model of a Kingspan Water rainwater harvesting system will also be on display at the Practical Installer demonstration area.

Adrian continues: “Our experts will be on hand at EcoBuild to talk through our full range of systems. We are delighted to have been invited to once again demonstrate our systems in their Practical Installation demonstration area. Come along and find out how easy it is to install and commission our systems!”

To support the growing demand for its technology, we have partnerships with many UK training colleges to develop the next generation of confident and certified installers. Architects and specifiers, meanwhile, have the chance to sign up for the company’s Continuous Professional Development (CPD) sessions.

What’s more, anyone who brings their building plans to our stand can get an on-the-spot system specification from one of our experts. We can advise on the type of system to employ, the size of the tank, and advise about the installation and maintenance of the system.

Ecobuild 2012, takes place at the ExCel centre in London, 20-22 March 2012. Kingspan Water will be located both on Stand N2565 and on the Practical Installer Stand. For further details call Kingspan Water Technical Advisory Service on +44 (0) 28 3836 4477, or visit our website http://www.kingspanwater.com.