When the time comes to choose a generator, there are quite a number of possibilities for both the home owner and the business operator: so many, actually, that it can be very confusing to the uninitiated. What source of fuel do you prefer - diesel or petrol? Is your requirement for a small “emergency” generator for use in the home, or one with plenty of power to act as a back up when the mains electricity is not working in your business? If you don’t have much knowledge as to how portable generator work, you will find it difficult to select one.

How then, do you make a selection? Firstly, you should investigate for what exact purpose you will require the generator, as this will assist you in determining the capacity. If you need a generator for around the home, it would not make sense to choose a heavy duty industrial generator, as it would supply more power than you actually need. Similarly, if your requirement is to run machinery, a generator with a low output of power will not be enough as it is guaranteed to fail when you need it most.

Both diesel and petrol generators have similar power delivery. Diesel electrical generators are quite often found in agricultural environments, on construction sites and in factories and warehouses: in fact, anywhere there is a need for a portable and reliable source of energy. This can be due to the absence of mains power (as with construction sites) or the mains power is unreliable (such as with agricultural areas and factories).

When you are working out your generator needs, you need to select the most efficient model. The size of the portable generators is determined by the output and speed given by the manufacturer: it is usually the case that, a more powerful generator has a higher output and speed. The majority of generators can be categorised between an output of 5KVA (kilovolt-ampere units) and 2500KVA. The lower KVA generators are suitable for home use, whereas the the higher ones are more than ample for most industrial applications.

The model’s efficiency is the first step: however, it is also necessary to calculate the load you have to supply. To do this, you simply have to calculate the power demand, whether this be for home or business use, during normal operating conditions. The level of power that the generator is able to provide will indicate whether it is powerful enough to meet the needs of your home or business: the capacity of the fuel tank only determines how long the generator will operate between refueling.You should always choose a generator that can give a little more power than you really need, thus minimising the possibility of overloading.

Another important aspect you may have to consider is the noise output of the portable generators. Will you be required to run the generator during the night in the home? If so, you should choose a silent diesel generator as the noise level of these is considerably much reduced when compared to than traditional diesel generators. It is also a good idea to choose a silent diesel generator with a large fuel tank, to guarantee that it runs overnight, so you don’t have to be worried about refueling in the wee small hours. The noise level is not such an important factor if it is used in an industrial situation, or during the day.

If you only need to use the generator occasionally, it makes sense to buy a good quality used generator, as this will cost far less.

Having a diesel generator available for emergency situations, such as natural disasters or power outages, or perhaps when there is no mains electricity (camping is one such example) is a brilliant idea. However, you should to do your homework and carefully choose a generator that best suits your individual needs.

Introduction

Taking down old buildings and replacing them with new is a process that has been going on for thousands of years. The destruction of buildings might have occurred during battles or attacks on villages; or due to natural disturbances such as earthquakes or volcanic activity. The resultant ruins would need to be removed and rebuilt. So the idea of demolition would have come about where a population wished to re-inhabit a specific area or site. (One famous example is the Holy Temple in Jerusalem which was deliberately destroyed by the Assyrians around 586 BCE. After 50 years of occupation the Jews returned to Jerusalem and began the re-construction of the second temple which took seventy years to complete.)

However the actual word to demolish only came into being in 1570, and was used from then on to mean the deliberate taking down or destroying of a building or structure.

Preserving the past - preparing the future.

In a country like Britain with very dense populations per square mile, there is a limited amount of land available for construction. The land between built up areas of the villages and towns is known as Green Belt and is protected from development to preserve the agricultural and natural heritage which is vital to the economy of the country.

The outcome of this policy is that there is a constant shortage of land for housing and industry, so the developers have to be more creative when providing structures for the population. One of the ways of doing this is to find places where the buildings are no longer commercially viable or have been abandoned, and re-use the area for different purposes. These areas are known as brownfield, or greyfield sites. In some cities, particularly Leeds and Manchester, the old warehouses or factories have been converted into apartments, retaining the original shell and reconfiguring the internal dimensions into modern living accommodation.

Brownfield sites are disused industrial and commercial facilities where the land may be contaminated with hazardous waste or pollution. They are potentially valuable for significant redevelopment once they have been cleaned up. Greyfield sites are urban properties that have been underutilised or abandoned, but do not have the environmental issues of brownfield sites. They were termed greyfield sites because of large areas of asphalt that covered the land. These sites are valuable because they already have the infrastructure such as water, sewage, electricity and gas in place and do not need remedial work to develop the site.

When a structure is to be removed there are different ways of approaching the task. The size and construction of the building, the new use of the site and whether there are valuable elements suitable for re-use, will all determine how it is to be demolished.

Traditional Demolition

Traditionally, once all the services were disconnected, the machinery and men would go in and just knock down the walls which caused the roof to collapse and then drag all the debris away. Any concrete hard standing would be broken up ready for removal. The site would be cleared of rubbish and disposed of in landfill sites. However modern demolition practices are very controlled and are subject to strict planning, safety and monitoring regulations.

Small structures such as two or three storey houses can be dismantled quite easily with hydraulic excavators and bulldozers using an undermining process. The walls are undermined at the base, in order to topple the structure; at the same time the manner and direction of the fall is controlled. Clean-up and safety issues are also taken into account when choosing how the building will be undermined and demolished.

Larger buildings such as tower blocks and chimneys require more specialist techniques, and are outlined below.

Deconstruction

A new approach to demolishing buildings is deconstruction - a green approach. The aim is to minimise the amount of waste going to landfill sites by carefully preserving valuable materials for reuse. The work may be a painstaking task of dismantling by hand - brick by brick - or beam by beam. The reclaimed materials are then recycled or re-used for future buildings. The results of deconstruction can save in excess of 90% waste from going to a landfill site. When the farmer opposite to my house sold his farm yard with barns for housing, the builder demolished the barns, cleaned up the bricks and reused them for the perimeter wall of the farmhouse. At the time I was looking for some rubble as a base for a path and the builder let me take several barrow loads off his pile.

Recycling

Historically when old buildings were ruined from disuse or war damage the local people would gradually remove the stone and use it to build their new structures such as houses or barns. Hadrian’s wall between Carlisle and Newcastle has mostly disappeared because after the Romans left, the local population made off with the beautifully dressed stone the Roman craftsmen had used in the building of the wall. So even in those days people understood the value of recycling because it was much cheaper than having to quarry and dress the stone themselves.

At one time the rubble resulting from a demolished building would be taken to a landfill site for disposal. Now however concrete can be rapidly broken up with the latest machine called a guillotine and the resultant rubble can be crushed and used as sub-base material for the foundation of the new building which is to replace the old, or sent to other construction sites. These days this crushed rubble is called 6f2 crushed stone or 6f2 crushed material.

Modern machinery and techniques allows the demolition companies to efficiently segregate waste types on or off-site. Wherever possible construction materials are recycled and re-used in the new structure. Recycling of waste contributes to a considerable savings in project costs and is good for the environment.

When we renovated our bungalow 20 years ago the builder, who was a bell ringer, found an old beam from a bell tower that was being renovated, and after carefully treating it, installed it in the kitchen. It gave the room some badly needed character and has never needed any further treatment.

Copper pipes, wiring, roof tiles or slates, floor tiles and doors, and wood panelling are some of the valuable items that are saved for recycling and re-use. There are specialist yards in many towns where reclaimed old or antique artefacts are available for purchase.

Tall Buildings 

The demolition of tall buildings requires skilled techniques. In some cases a wrecking ball on a crane may be used to demolish the top part of a tall building until it is down to a manageable height. However this process is rarely used due to the uncontrollable factor of the swinging ball and the proximity of other buildings.

Other methods of demolition of tall buildings are by implosion using explosives, controlled collapse and piecemeal. Also ‘High Reach’ demolition excavators are used where explosives are not appropriate. Once the building is down to a more manageable height demolition continues in the usual way. 

The steeplejack Fred Dibnah became famous in the late 1970’s for his work on demolishing tall chimneys without the need for explosives. He would cut an ingress at the base of the chimney, use wooden props to support the brickwork and then burn the props so that the chimney toppled hopefully in the right direction.

The tallest building to be lawfully demolished was the Singer Building of New York in 1967/8. More recently the collapse of the World Trade Centre after the 9/11 attack in 2001 shows the terrible devastation that could occur if the demolition is not controlled and very carefully contained.

In the demolishing of tall buildings and large structures water hoses and spray equipment is used to control the dust and would is termed a wet demolition.

Explosions 

What comes to mind for many people when they think about demolition would be the dramatic collapse of a tall building using explosives. However it is usually the process of implosion, using explosives, that brings down a tall building so that it does as little damage as possible to the surrounding environment. Implosion is essential for dense urban areas and is very fast, the collapse taking only seconds, with the building dropping inwards into its own footprint.

Using explosives is specialist work and is a very skilled process and getting it wrong can be disastrous. If an implosion is not prepared correctly the danger may be damage to neighbouring structures or even killing onlookers from flying debris. Even more dangerous is a partial collapse of a building where the remaining structure is unstable and there are still primed explosives that failed to go off. Workers are in great danger if or when continuing the demolition.

Other risks of working with explosives occurs when the atmospheric pressure from low cloud above the implosion site will cause the shockwave to spread outwards instead of upwards. The wave of energy and sound created will break windows and cause other damage to the surrounding buildings.

Because of the dangers of working with explosives, implosion will only be used when other methods are too costly or impractical.

Health and Safety

Demolition of any building is highly dangerous and is a much more complicated and technical process than most people would realise. Experienced and skilled operators are essential to ensure safety for both workers and public alike. The stability of any structure is reliant on the interdependence of its component parts, so an incorrect sequence of dismantling could result in an unplanned collapse.

Health and safety is paramount in demolition work so personnel working in the industry have to be adequately trained. It is advisable for operatives to have gained a Certificate of Competence in Demolition to ensure they have the necessary skills and safety awareness. All demolition work is regulated by the Construction, Design and Management Regulations.

Sequence of Demolition

There has to be a sequence of actions before any demolition can take place. Each area council will have their own specific list for planning approval, but a typical order would be as follows:-

• Provision of Information
  The demolition company must provide information about the construction to be demolished, its previous use and the appropriate demolition method to be applied including disposal of hazardous substances.
• Survey of Demolition
  Identification of any structural problems as well as risks associated with hazardous or flammable substances will require a thorough survey of the site. (E.g. Where petrol has been stored, ie disused garage, precautions need to be taken to prevent a fire hazard).
• Preferred and Safe Method of Work
  A reputable company involved in demolition will be able to select the appropriate method of disposal. Planning and outlining the dismantling process is necessary for meticulous monitoring. A detailed statement outlining the safety process needs to be agreed by all parties involved before any demolition can take place.
• Preparation and Planning
  There is a lot of preparation to be done before starting work on demolishing the building itself. Issues such as asbestos abatement, disconnecting utilities, rodent baiting, dealing with hazardous substances and making safe any electric, gas or other services have to be resolved.
• Protection of the Public
  Where demolition is carried out in heavily populated areas the protection of the public is paramount. Safety cannot be compromised. Temporary services may need to be arranged, health hazards assessed and people affected will need to be informed.

Conclusion

The word ‘demolish’ is interpreted as the deliberate and controlled collapse of a structure. Demolition work is a very risky business and demolishing any building is a complex and skilled process. The aim in demolition is to remove an unwanted building as safely and quickly as possible, recycle or re-use most of the old material, and clear the site ready for the subsequent use.

In the centre of Nottingham over the last few years there has been a major reconstruction of what was an old car park into a brand new shopping development. While this was going on the public were only really aware of the boarding around the area, a change in traffic direction and maybe some big lorries going in and out of the site.

So the next time you see structures being demolished to make way for the new, give a thought to the company involved who’s team are daily working in a dangerous environment, adhering to all of the regulations and carefully and meticulously carrying out the project to bring us the modern conveniences we have come to expect and clearing the way for the future.

 

Soho - district in Manhattan noted for its old warehouses converted into restaurants, galleries and theaters.

So why Soho? It is like the fine wine of handbags or accessories rekindled in a way that only Coach could mime. These astounding and stylish mini bags and accessories are a magnificent choice for metropolitan living.

Soho’s are the seal of a woman’s exquisite elegant heart. That is why the Soho is so special. This line is the Jewel of the Nile. As in vintage, it comes from the finest line produced by Coach. It is the best of the past honoring the current styles. It represents the caliber of past skill and designs coupled with the diversity of today.

Soho’s are exquisite for any occasion. I use my multicolored patent leather Soho with chrome fasteners continuously because it fits well with almost everything in my wardrobe. I positively love this bag. I use it for just about everything from being lazy to throwing it around when I am feeling a little less than charming. You really cannot go wrong with a Soho.

Let’s chat about durability. The Soho is so extraordinarily reliable that it can withstand my toddler’s cataclysmic little hands. This bag did not become a classic because it was fastened with inadequate materials put together fecklessly. It is what it is because of Coach’s signature materials and vintage hobo design that are certified to outlast any trend, style or fad.

The tether on my handbag is little enough to be decently held without looking disorganized but expands enough to be featured under your arm if you need a another hand. My particular Soho is a zipper top bag, but I also adore the flip top design especially in tweed brown, blue and black. It is a little more standard then my Soho because it represents the fundamental styles of our yesteryears.

Look at the facts; 80’s fashions were not all that lovely. Hot colors such as bright orange were only fetching because they complimented the social trends to wonder from the expected way of life and journey into our unique personalities. The Baby Boom era reconditioned the way we do business by making goods faster and cheaper. However Coach acknowledges that trends of the past are destine to return, so they put a fascinating spin on the past style making Soho’s in tweed. Tweed was originally called twill because it was made of unfinished woolen fabric woven into a twill pattern instead of a ordinary one.

Have you ever noticed that products made with tweed have outlived the ones made with other fabrics? We all know that quality is better than quantity. So Coach produces products that will last. Tweed use to be a prized possession because of its moisture resistance and durability but became superseded because of our accelerating needs. So lots of tailors shifted to more cost effective goods such as cotton and polyester.

Coach’s can put a dent in your billfold but you can rest easy knowing it will last. Whatever your flavor happens to be: red, black, brown, orange, green, multi colored, small, large, mini purses, or wallets, Coach has a bag to satisfy your desires. You can be confident that the Soho line and hobo design will continue to conquer the accessory world making the crazes of today the classics of our future..

Like Audrey Hepburn, her beauty, image and majesty remain forever as a symbol of what it means to be an independent woman. The same can be said for the Soho. The heterogeneity, characters and style will continue dominating the accessory corporations making it a model for just about any event.

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