2007 October
Understanding the route to truly open control systems
14 October, 2007
Ron Bernstein reflects on what he perceives as the open-systems myth and provides a perspective on marketplace confusion in the quest for truly open systems.
Traditional engineering is the key to sustainability
14 October, 2007
Growing demand for sustainable buildings is creating increased demand for traditional building services skills, says John Miller, president of the Heating & Ventilating Contractors’ Association.
Lumicom scheme makes light work of recycling luminaires
14 October, 2007
Gateshead has become the first local authority in the UK to recycle its redundant lighting equipment since the introduction of the WEEE Directive (Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment) in July.
Pilkington delivers higher energy efficiency for windows
14 October, 2007
Pilkington has developed an insulating glass unit for windows that can be used with most frame materials to achieve a Window Energy Rating of at least C and easily exceed the requirement for compliance with Part L of the Building Regulations.
Lighting management built in at start in City refurbishment
14 October, 2007
Helping companies moving into an office development at 15 Fetter Lane in the City of London reduce their carbon emissions is a lighting-management system from Ex-Or.
Solar thermal as a source of renewable energy
14 October, 2007
In a building with the right energy balance, using solar energy to produce domestic hot water can meet the 10% renewable requirement. Yan Evans gives practical advice how to get the best from this technology.
IES Consulting worked closely with consulting engineers King Shaw Associates (KSA) to provide independent validation of the design for the building that has achieved the highest-ever BREEAM score. The Green Office project at Thorpe Park, Leeds, has achieved a BREEAM score of 87.55%. The design was validated before construction began.
A changing climate for thermal mass
14 October, 2007
Exploiting thermal mass within a building can eliminate the need for air conditioning. Tom De Saulles explains how.
14 October, 2007
DAB Pumps’ Aquaprof collects rainwater and uses it for purposes such as flushing toilets, washing machines, garden irrigation and vehicle washing. This water is delivered at mains pressure. If there is not enough stored rain water, the Aquaprof switches to an integral back-up tank containing mains water.
GSHP provides central services for Cornish development
14 October, 2007
Two ground-source heat pumps provide heating and hot water for a development of 12 apartments and two penthouses on the Clipper Cove development at Praa Sands on the south coast of Cornwall.
Priva helps Dublin school go greener
14 October, 2007
Monitored energy results for the first year of operation of the Archbishop Ryan School in Dublin indicate that its energy performance is twice as good as that of a school constructed to meet the good-practice targets outlined in CIBSE Guide F. Energy consumption was monitored by the Priva control system installed by Temperature Control Systems to optimise the operation of lighting and heating systems in response to the benefits of passive solar gain, daylight and natural ventilation.
OFTEC takes steps to establish a standard for biofuel
14 October, 2007
OFTEC has brought together leading manufacturers and several industry bodies to research and define a clear British standard for liquid biofuel for the heating sector.
Glow-worm introduces range of solar thermal products
14 October, 2007
Glow-worm is entering the solar market with a range of products branded Clearly Solar. There are four products in the range.
Nu-Way moves into larger biomass boilers
14 October, 2007
Nu-Way’s EcoMass 75 range of biomass boilers is designed for commercial and industrial use, with five models providing outputs from 100 to 750 kW.
Green is here to stay, but is it putting down roots?
14 October, 2007
Keith Melton reflects on the thinking that is needed to deliver sustainable buildings.
14 October, 2007
Natural-ventilation systems that can respond fully to ever-changing outdoor conditions are much more effective than systems with limited response capability. Richard Arnott explains.
NG Bailey commits itself to a future based on sustainability
14 October, 2007
One of the UK’s largest building-services providers has launched its first sustainability report detailing its approach to social, economic and environmental sustainability.
AutoCAD MEP software helps bring problem project back on track
14 October, 2007
Having become involved in a working project that was suffering co-ordination problems, Fulcro Engineering Services was able to use AutoCAD software to help put things right quickly.
Grundfos energy project enters its third phase
13 October, 2007
Grundfos is moving into the third phase of its project to increase awareness of how using efficient circulators can significantly reduce carbon-dioxide emissions. The project started in 2005 with the launch of the world’s first A-rated domestic circulator — the Alpha Pro.
BACnet-capable drives speed commissioning at Blackburn Hospital
13 October, 2007
Over a hundred HVAC drives with native BACnet capability have been installed in the new Blackburn Hospital to control water pumps and motors for air-handling units. One of the key benefits was a significant time saving during commissioning.
13 October, 2007
Lee Tebbatt explains how variable-speed pumps very quickly repay their extra capital cost in vastly reduced running costs.
The world’s most efficient circulator?
13 October, 2007
The Wilo-Stratos ECO high-efficiency pump has been given an 'excellent' rating by the German consumers’ association Stiftung Warentest. It came top in tests as the best in energy efficiency and ratio of price to performance compared to all other small circulating pumps.
Smedegaard enhances the efficiency of circulators
13 October, 2007
Smedegaard has developed a range of electronic energy-saving circulators that use up to 60% less energy than a standard pump.
Delivering energy-efficient pumps
13 October, 2007
Designing systems with duty and standby pumps that can both meet maximum demand is must not efficient. Wayne Rose explores other approaches.
How Grundfos aids pump selection
13 October, 2007
To help customers decide which pumps would best suit their needs, regardless of the application, Grundfos provides a range of selection tools —which have become industry standards. These aids are constantly reviewed and updated to keep them relevant.
Wilo shows the way to reduce pumping costs
13 October, 2007
Replacing pumps in 12 plantrooms at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth with equivalent pumps from Wilo’s energy-efficient range will reduce energy consumption by £70 000 a year — a useful dent on the electricity bill of over £1 million a year.
13 October, 2007
It is over 60 years since a death was recorded in the UK in a building with a working sprinkler system. Glynn Williams cuts through the complexities of using pumps to protect against the risk of fire.
The role of pumps in delivering energy savings
13 October, 2007
There is very little to be gain by improving the efficiency of pumps to reduce their energy consumption. Much more can be saved — about half — using speed control and the better design of systems, as John Veness explains.
08 October, 2007
Nearly a third of construction refurbishment sites inspected by the Health & Safety Executive put the lives of workers at risk — according to the HSE’s head of construction, Stephen Williams.
Fair payment in public sector gets off to a flying start
08 October, 2007
Leading bodies in the construction industry have endorsed the Office of Government Commerce’s Fair Payment Charter, which commits public-sector clients and their principal contractors and supply-chain members to formally adopt fair-payment principles in future construction projects.
Andrews receives its Queen’s Award for Enterprise
08 October, 2007
During his visit to the new premises of Andrews Water Heaters at Erdington, Her Majesty’s Deputy Lieutenant for the West Midlands, Colonel Anthony George, MBE, presented the company with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the Innovation Category and Grant of Appointment for development of the MAXxflow condensing water heater. He also opened the company’s commercial-heating training academy.
HVCA brings benefits of its services to a wider market
08 October, 2007
To promote the wide range of services available from the HVCA group of companies, the Heating & Ventilating Contractors’ Association has launched HVCA Business Plus. This initiative is aimed at building-services-engineering contractors.
North-west contractors combine expertise to offer clients a single point of contact
08 October, 2007
Kimpton Building Services in The Wirral in north west England has teamed up to with a building contractor and an electrical contractor to pool the expertise of each company and offer clients a single point of contact across the three trades. The consortium is called TKR, and its single point of contact eliminates the involvement and costs of using sub-contracted operatives. The other members of the consortium are building contractor The Trustland Group and electrical contractor The Rosebery Group.
Ellen MacArthur launches CIBSE’s 100 days campaign
08 October, 2007
Dame Ellen MacArthur, the record-breaking round-the-world yachtswoman, launched CIBSE’s 100 days of carbon clean-up campaign at the Energy Event last month. She has become a champion of the campaign, thanks to her on-going partnership with the campaign sponsors E.ON, represented in the picture by Tim Pyke (right), head of climate change at E.ON.
Air-conditioning contractors complete Cannonball Run
08 October, 2007
National air-conditioning distributor Oceanair UK teamed up with Sanyo Air Conditioner to sponsor Lee Jackson and Glen Raven of Lee Jackson Air Conditioning in the 2007 Cannonball Run Europe rally. They drove their Porsche turbo cabriolet through 11 European countries, starting from Sandown Race Course in Surrey. Stops included Lake Garda in Italy, Slovakia, Budapest, Berlin and Antwerp — to finish in the UK in 18th position in a 60-strong field.
Solar power takes to the water
08 October, 2007
The new Serpentine Solar Shuttle operated by BlueBird Boats in London’s Hyde Park is entirely powered by solar energy. On the canopy of this 14.3 m catamaran, which can carry 40 passengers, are solar cells that can generate up to 2 kW of power and which are used to charge batteries. The batteries supply two 3-phase drives via an inverter system. These drives have a total output of 20 kW, enabling the boat to reach 15 km/h.
There are estimated to be 20 000 unfilled jobs in the consultancy and engineers sector, according to a new report by the Association for Consultancy & Engineering (ACE).
Major education project for White Young Green
08 October, 2007
The Manchester office of consultants White Young Green has been selected to act as M&E consultant for an innovative £58 million project for St Helens College in Merseyside.
Biggest-ever chiller order for Johnson Controls
08 October, 2007
Johnson Controls has reported its biggest-ever order for York chillers. 46 water-cooled chillers are destined for a project in Pearl Island, Qatar to cool 15 000 residential and commercial units. These chillers will deliver over 130 000 t of chilled water each day. Each has a cooling capacity of 8.8 MW and uses R134a.
Briggs & Forrester wins project on Cambridge Science Park
08 October, 2007
Briggs & Forrester has been awarded a £2.7 million contract to design and install the M&E for building 101 on Cambridge Science Park, with Shepherd Construction.
CCL Veloduct name changes to Lindab
08 October, 2007
Following the recent merger of CCL Veloduct and Lindab, the company is to be known simply as Lindab. The name change marks the last step in a programme begun a year ago with the acquisition of CCL Veloduct by the Lindab Group of Sweden in a £27 million deal to create a major company in ventilation and air movement.
Axair changes name to Walter Meier
08 October, 2007
Axair Climate is changing its name to Walter Meier (Climate Solutions) Ltd. The change takes effect on 1 January 2008 and is the new name for all companies in the Walter Meier Holdings Group. The move is intended to provide greater recognition of the complementary areas of expertise within the group and the synergies between them.
HVCA president John Miller has challenged the Government to enforce important changes introduced last year to Part L of the Building Regulations.
Mitsubishi increases commitment to lower-carbon technology
08 October, 2007
Building on its Green Gateway Initiative launched earlier this year, Mitsubishi Electric Living Environmental System UK is no longer promoting cooling-only air-conditioning products in the UK — and is phasing out all existing models from its stock.
AMEC sells facilities-services business
08 October, 2007
AMEC has sold its building and facilities-services business (BFS) to SPIE SA for a cash consideration of £117 million.
Argent continues success in further education
06 October, 2007
Continuing a relationship with St Dominic’s Sixth Form College in Harrow, Argent is now responsible for ongoing maintenance of all the building’s services. The scope of the contract includes biannual servicing of the college and chapel boilers, visual inspection of all plant and 24/7 emergency call-out.
Hospital heating is hygienic and space saving
06 October, 2007
The installation of HCP ceiling-mounted radiant-heating panels in the new £60 million cardiothoracic centre at Basildon Hospital maximises the use of floor space and provides a heating solution that is easy to clean.
Fan-coil units for Land Securities meet a demanding specification
06 October, 2007
Trox UK has supplied fan-coil units for a Land Securities development in London. The contract is worth around £2 million and is for airside FCUs for New Street Square mixed-use estate on a prominent site in New Fetter Lane.
Alarm system is successful feature of Priva BMS
06 October, 2007
At the heart of the building-management system in the new headquarters of Chevron in Aberdeen is the ability to contact security staff anywhere on site to immediately advise them of any critical alarms. It uses SMS (short messaging service) to contact security staff via their mobile telephones while they patrol the site. That message provides sufficient information for them to take immediate remedial action or contact the site’s provider of service and maintenance.
Buderus chosen for long service in Derby ‘jail’
06 October, 2007
Heating and hot water for the separate areas of old City of Derby jail complex that has been completely refurbished as a destination venue is provided by a range of Buderus boilers.
Natural ventilation is part of Luton’s Innovation & Business Base
06 October, 2007
Controlled natural ventilation using the WindowMaster ventilation system and Windcatcher units from sister company Monodraught is part of the environmental strategy for the Innovation & Business Base in Luton.
More refrigerant bans possible, says government
The government could tighten up the rules that restrict the use of global warming refrigerant gases including speeding up phase-out programmes and introducing new bans, according to a spokesman from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
Baxi research suggests schools strongly support heat decarbonisation
A survey conducted by Baxi of 200 state school estates managers, consultant engineers and M&E contractors has found that while enthusiasm for Net Zero and support for low carbon heating systems in schools is thriving, persistent barriers remain.
