Tyrone Timberframes

Small and medium sized companies are the lifeblood of Northern Ireland industry, so it stands to reason the health of this sector will give an indication of how the rest of the economy is performing. Symon Ross hears how four companies are coping in the post-recessionary period.

Very few businesses, large or small, have completely avoided the effects of the recession.

But while many of Northern Ireland’s biggest firms have announced huge cuts to staff levels and production, it has been in the SME sector where the changing dynamics of the economy have often been most acutely felt.

While the wider economy is now showing signs of life, the Federation of Small Business’s policy chair Wilfred Mitchell notes that for many small firms, recovery from such a prolonged downturn will not happen overnight.

“Evidence and statistics gathered by the FSB over the last 18 months or so clearly indicates that small business owners in Northern Ireland are feeling the impact of the economic recession more than their counterparts in the rest of the UK,” he said.

1. Read full Story

• Source: Ulster Business

According to the organisation behind a £5 million social housing project that is due for construction in East Belfast, Northern Ireland, the prospective new homes will be so energy efficient that central heating will become completely redundant.

Indeed, Habitat for Humanity Northern Ireland is keen to stress the environmentally friendly aspects of its project, which is scheduled for completion in the next three years.

Specifically, the houses will be constructed using advanced technologies from Tyrone Timberframes, which is a local firm that specialises in domestic energy efficiency. In fact, each house in the project is expected to offer 75% more energy efficiency than the average home.

1. Read full Story
• Source: Home Heating Guide

A new housing project in Northern Ireland will include homes that are so energy efficient they will have no need for central heating.

More than 50 social housing properties will be built over the next three years in the scheme which is led by Habitat for Humanity Northern Ireland, which said each house will be 75% more energy efficient than average and will use advanced technology from local firm Tyrone Timberframes.

The properties will be made air-tight and will be fitted with triple-glazed windows and contain a “whole house ventilation” system from Villavent, which will recover at least 80% of the heat from stale air in the home and redistribute it into a supply of fresh filtered air.

1. Read full Story

• Source: Builders Merchants Journal

Dozens of new homes will be so energy efficient that they are to be built without central heating systems, those behind a new venture have announced.

More than 50 social housing properties will be constructed over the next three years in the scheme which is led by Habitat for Humanity Northern Ireland.

They said each house will be 75% more energy efficient than average as it will be built using advanced technology from local firm Tyrone Timberframes.

The first phase begins in east Belfast.

1. Read full Story

• Source: BBC

1. Read full story

• Source: Belfast Telegraph

It has been revealed the UK and Ireland’s first publicly-funded houses without a central heating system are to be built in east Belfast.

More than 50 social homes costing around £100,000 each will be constructed over the next three years.

Triple-glazed windows and airtight construction will trap heated air. Heat exchange technology will capture energy from the bathroom or cooker while there could be limited use of a wood-burning stove or solar panels.

Developer Habitat for Humanity Northern Ireland executive director Peter Farquharson said the project would be completed by 2012.

1. Read full Story

• Source: UTV