2007 July

Alan Beresford explores the energy-saving and environmental benefits of evaporative cooling for reducing temperatures in buildings.

Cal Bailey shares his hard experience of the benefits of off-site manufacture — especially for pipework.

Microflex preinsulated pipework is available in the UK through Watts Industries. It is composed of thermal insulation around carrier pipe(s) and covered by a double-skinned closed chamber jacket. These pipes can be used for distributing water for heating, cooling and hot and cold water supply services.

The commissioning of piped services inevitably faces time and budget constraints. Peter Rees considers how these challenges can be addressed.

Peter Rose reminds us of the very real, but avoidable, risks posed by legionella bacteria.

The time taken to power flush central-heating systems can be halved using Adey’s VibraClean radiator agitator.

The ECOflo range of high-efficiency gas-fired condensing water heaters from Andrews comprises seven models with heat outputs from 35 to 79 kW and recovery rates of up to 1400 l/h through 50 K. They have storage capacities of 230 or 380 l.

Using Kingspan Tarec phenolic insulation on cold and chilled-water pipework in Coventry’s new University Hospital have solved the problem of space restrictions and helped the hospital meet stringent targets for carbon-dioxide emissions.

Keraflo’s KP float-valve kits can be used with large water-storage tanks served by pipes in five sizes from 50 to 200 mm in diameters to provide full flexibility in the level of stored water. This feature is said to be particularly important in buildings with seasonal occupancy — such as universities and colleges, football stadia etc.

AquaTech pressurisation units for heating and chilled-water systems provide back-pressure and back-siphonage protection to fluid category 5, as required by the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations of 1999.

As part of the refitting of the Millennium Dome into the O2 venue for music entertainment and sports, Grundfos worked with M E Engineers to develop pumping solutions that used 36 pumps to provide the full range of M&E services, nine pressurisation units and two booster sets.

BSS has added a new product to its range of BOSS White jointing compounds.

Nu-Heat has made it easier for installers to direct underfloor heating tube back to the main manifold with the introduction of a 25 mm polystyrene tray.

Said to offer major advantages over steel for supplying oil to heating appliances is the Universal Petro Pipe range of polyethylene pipes distributed in Britain by Hytek. This lightweight and flexible pipe comes with a 15 year manufacturer’s guarantee.

Grundfos now offers a UK-specific disc of its WinCAPS CD-based electronic product catalogue and selection tool. It allows the user to select from product catalogues, size the most suitable pumps, choose the best replacement for a Grundfos or non-Grundfos pump and choose accessories and/or spare parts.

Simple pumping less water round a heating system at times of reduced demand can save significant amounts of energy. Britta Frank explains how.

A potential saving in installation time of up to 67% is claimed using Tectite Sprint push-fit fittings in plumbing and heating systems by Pegler Yorkshire.

The key to maximising the benefits of prefabricated valve assemblies is to adopt a flexible approach with a high level of inherent configurability — according to Marflow Hydronics.

CIBSE president John Armstrong believes that the wealth of knowledge owned by facilities managers is vital to meeting Government targets to reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions.

To address the skills shortage that is posing a threat to the future of the facilities-management industry, GSH is stepping up its recruitment programme for apprentices. The company already employs 65 apprentices and is planning a substantial increase.

Two long-term contracts won by PME, the building-maintenance and facilities-services arm of Carillion are worth over £2.5 million.

The benefits of a partnership between facilities managers and building-services specialists has never been more valuable than it is today, says HVCA president Mike McCloskey.

Ian Fielder of the British Institute of Facilities Managers argues that the experience of facilities managers in operating buildings day by day has a key role to play in designing sustainability into new and refurbished buildings and delivering corporate social responsibility.

EWS is warning about the likelihood of air-conditioning systems failing during what is predicted to be a long, hot summer — unless companies take preventive action.

The major maintenance contract of Honeywell with the head office and operations centre of Wessex Water has been extended, and Wessex Water has also contracted with Honeywell to manage 12 other buildings.

Mitsubishi Electric’s LES division is moving on from debating climate change to identifying and promoting how to reduce carbon emissions with the launch of its ‘Green gateway initiative’.Just as the designers of buildings and their services are changing their perspective in response to growing pressures to reduce carbon emissions and, in particular, Part L, so manufacturers are changing their product offering and the way they go to market.

Just as the industry might have believed that high-density computing equipment was moving out of the ability of chilled water to cool, Eaton-Williams has tackled the problem — and is already moving on to the next stage.

Nick Till explains why it is so important for the expertise of commissioning engineers to be brought in at the very start of a project.

The lower limit for using air conditioning to cool buildings in China has been set as 26°C by the government as part of a plan to cut energy consumption by 20%.

Legrand has published a catalogue containing its entire range of BTicino door-entry systems and technologies, include Axolute and Pivot.

The Heating & Ventilating Contractors’ Association has launched a new-look commerce site and a new-look catalogue showcasing all its publications. These publications are widely respected in the HVACR industry as definitive guides to legislation, regulations and best practice. Many contain advice designed to help the profitability of a business.

CIBSE has published its much anticipated ‘Sustainability toolkit’, complete with a searchable online database of good-practice guidance.

The latest edition of Cooper Lighting & Security’s A5 buyers’ guide includes essential details of the company’s most popular product lines. Its 116 pages cover Crompton Lighting’s range of mains luminaires and the Menvier and JSB ranges of emergency-lighting and fire-detection systems.

Daikin’s ‘Pocket guide to air conditioning’ is a reference tool to help installers and specifiers promote the benefits of air conditioning and heat pumps to customers. Whether an end user is considering upgrading an existing system or installing a new energy-efficient system, the guide gives an overview of air conditioning, the solutions available and key considerations prior to installing a system.

Subject to completion of a legal agreement, the London Borough of Hillingdon and the Mayor of London have agreed to grant planning permission for the Heathrow East terminal.

The questions of people at board level responsible for controlling energy costs as part of their wider job role will be addressed at a conference at The Energy Event 20077 on 12 and 13 September at the National Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham.

White Young Green has been appointed one of only two framework partners providing M&E engineering design services for KPMG LLP. This agreement covers KPMG’s property portfolio throughout the UK and is initially for three years, with the possibility of a 2-year extensions.

Kimpton Building Services has completed a new installation to provide comfort cooling and ventilation at the Merseyside site of News International, designing and installing a new air-conditioning system as part of a new production office suite.

Building-services contractor Briggs & Forrester has completed the first phase of the £6 million Wavendon Towers Project in Milton Keynes and is now completing the separate fit-out works to the buildings, which are due for completion in April 2008.

Following the success of last year’s 100 days of carbon clean up campaign, the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers is launching a new carbon-reduction project for 2007. This initiative is designed to help participants realise the carbon-saving potential of their workplaces.

Inviron and ISS Coflex have been awarded a 5-year facilities-management contract with Anglian Water. Inviron is a leading building-services and facilities-management provider, and ISS Coflex is one of the world’s largest facility service groups.

Sharp Corporation is planning to double production capacity for solar photo-voltaic modules at its factory in Wales, taking its potential output up to 220 MW. The investment is worth nearly £9 million and is due for completion by February 2007.

Amtech, which specialises in software for electrical design and test and inspection, has acquired Estimation, one of the market leaders in software for building-services estimating, accounting and contract management.

Continuing advances in health and safety have led to SES receiving the International Safety Award by the British Safety Council for the 11th year running. This provider of building services also had to demonstrate a consistently high quality of safety policies and plans.

Buderus has helped equip a purpose-designed training centre at Lincoln College to provide high-quality facilities for installers and service engineers in the east of England.

The British Property Federation is producing a new solution for measuring, benchmarking and reducing the energy use of tenants in commercial buildings, with the support of a £140 000 award from the Carbon Trust.

Vent-Axia is once again sponsoring the Stobart Motorsport British Superbike Championship Team for 2007. The company is now the team’s official second sponsor, so the team will be renamed the Stobart Vent-Axia Superbike Team.

SummitSkills, the sector skills council for building-services engineering, has begun a major review of the sector’s National Occupations Standards qualifications and assessment principles at operative level. These standards describe the skills, knowledge and understanding needed to undertake particular jobs to a nationally recognised level of competence and form the basis of qualifications such as NVQs and SVQs.

Two major contracting associations have agreed to work together fully in the vital area of sustainability . The commitment signed by the Heating & Ventilating Contractors’ Association and the Electrical Contractors’ Association recognises the considerable benefits of a joint approach to sustainability in terms of industry representation and the provision of practical and expert advice to members and clients.

Hoare Lea Consulting Engineers has been appointed to provide M&E design services and specialist sustainability advice, including BREEAM assessment, for a new research complex at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory at Harwell. The appointment is by the Science & Technology Facilities Council.

Honeywell, a global leader in energy services, joined former US president Bill Clinton and mayors of the world’s largest cities in New York recently to announce that the company has joined the Clinton Climate Initiative in a global effort to help cities around the world improve the energy efficiency of buildings and decrease greenhouse-gas emissions.