Editorial Coverage

Monodraught SunPipes have been a huge success in the UK but have also been a great success overseas. In Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Bahrain, SunPipes have been particulary successful and although here in the UK, we always assume that countries in the Middle East have unlimited energy, they are in fact very concerned about their energy use and are very keen to use SunPipes to reduce the amount of dependence on electric power.

The EcoHouse, a flagship project in Leicester, is based on as ethos of energy efficiency, involving the use of several Monodraught solutions.

The application of SunPipes - for energy free light has been a huge success in the UK, with more than 2,000 systems a month now being sold.

Two major PFI hospitals in Bristol have opted for Monodraught natural daylight SunPipes and natural ventilation systems as a way of meeting the government requirement for 20% reduction in energy consumption.

Professor Terry Payne, Chairman and Managing Director of Monodraught, who produces the SunPipe system explains the background and unique benefits of this energy free daylighting system.

The refurbishment of the Pavilion theatre at Cromer pier in North Norfolk forms part of a major seafront enhancement scheme by architects Purcell Miller Tritton.Due to be completed in the Autumn, this ambitious EU-funded programme includes re-landscaping the existing promenade and building the new Rocket house lifeboat museum. Click Here to read more.

In September last year the then Secretary of State for Education, Charles Clarke, told the House of Commons that by 2007-08 capital investment in schools will have increased by £750 million to £6.3 billion. But the money comes with strings attached because the Government is committed to implementing the climate change programme. Click Here to read more.

Thirteen 'top down' Monodraught WindCatcher natural ventilation systems have been installed in a major extension to Addey and Stanhope School; providing an eye-catching focal point to the roofscape of the new Maths and Science block. Click Here to read more.

More than 130 SunPipes installed to the School of Architecture at the University of Manchester have completely transformed this 1960's building, giving an abundance of natural daylight without any of the associated problems of glare, solar gain in summer months, or heat loss in the winter.

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When Kent County Constabulary commissioned a new prestigious Call Centre at Maidstone , they adopted a natural ventilation system. Try Accord undertook the project on a design and build basis with their designers working closely with Monodraught to incorporate a total of ten of their WindCatcher natural ventilation systems, three of which formed imposing 1500mm square feature ventilation turrets at ridge level serving the mezzanine floor and a further six Monodraught WindCatcher 1200mm square systems serving the main Call Centre area below. Click Here to read more.

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BMW Group Plant Oxford, which is home to the production of the exciting and innovative new MINI , has undergone refurbishment of the Quality and Engineering Centre at Cowley, the original home of Rover cars and before that Morris, where a total of 26 Monodraught WindCatcher and SunCatcher systems have been installed. Click Here to read more.

Founded in 1981 the Ecology Building Society is the UK¹s youngest building society but already has assets in excess of £55 million. This forward thinking mutual organisation uses money deposited by savers to grant mortgages on properties and projects throughout the UK that help the environment. It is dedicated to promoting sustainable housing and sustainable communities and, as such, offers lending on energy efficient housing, ecological renovation, derelict and dilapidated properties and woodland conservation projects to individuals, charities and housing associations/co-operatives.

For the last two and a half years the Sands End Community Centre, Fulham, has been undergoing a major refurbishment programme, at a cost of over £2 million. Architects from the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, headed by Steve Bateman, have designed and overseen this large community project, over five different phases, with funding from a number of adult education trusts including the Learning Skills Council, Nottingdales and Sure Staff.

Forming part of the DfES' Excellence in cities (EiC) programme, the City Learning Centre at Menzies high school in West Bromwich includes state of the art video and sound recording studios, a 100 seat performance space and three flexible learning areas. The brief to Bryant Priest Newman Architects was for landmark building that would not only be architecturally inspiring, but also practical, robust and good value for money.

Creative Planet is the working title for an exciting groundbreaking project about sustainable global resources. The National Museum of Science and Industry is the official body transforming the 561-acre site of a disused airfield near Swindon into a working and interactive museum for sustainable development.

Every Little Helps!

So many people have a dark landing or hallway, kitchen or bathroom, or even where lights have to be kept on all day long, even when it is bright sunshine outside! The ability to pipe in natural daylight and sunshine into virtually any part of your home has been incredibly popular over the last five years by utilising SunPipes.

Throughout the summer of 2004, the newly appointed Facilities Manager, Phil Evans, at Imperial College London had been fighting with the problem of how to overcome the severe overheating problem that plagued the College’s Library for the last 10 years. After several visits to Monodraught’s offices, where Windcatchers are installed in an office environment, Phil Evans instructed Monodraught to install 10N° of their 1000mm square Windcatcher systems to the Library.