2016 August

Heads up for steep rises in costs, says Lord Redesdale - CEO Of the Energy Manager's Association

DMTouch, the powerful control system front-end from Resource Data Management (RDM), is now available with energy-monitoring software tools for due diligence at a local level, without the need for additional software solutions.

ServerCool, part of Eaton Williams, has developed a rear-door heat exchanger for server cabinets in data centres. ServerCool removes heat from air leaving the server and discharges it to a chilled-water system via a cooling distribution unit. ServerCool has no thermal impact on the white space and minimal footprint.

Preventing boiler dry cycling at the King’s Cross Hospital in Dundee has achieved average fuel savings of 7% with a payback of 1.8 years. Sabien Technology verified the savings for its M2G boiler-load optimisation controls for NHS Tayside.

Chillers are tried, tested and trusted products with a stable market — but face challenges from new technologies. Seb Desmottes of Mitsubishi Electric explores how they must evolve.

Renovating lighting in its national distribution centre is achieving energy savings of over £150 000 a year for distributor Wolseley UK. The savings come from an overhaul of lighting infrastructure inside and outside its main warehouse in Leamington Spa and surrounding offices. Supported by FM company Cloudfm, the quality and quantity of lighting was assessed to look for alternatives to reduce energy use and maintenance.

Following research revealing that commercial buildings in the UK may be producing 3.8 times more carbon than estimated at their design stage, Gary Stoddart of SenerTec, explains how to avoid CHP contributing to the problem.

Modern boilers are very efficient, but that efficiency can be compromised by poor system design and control. Paul Sands of Stokvis Energy Systems considers the options for improving boiler efficiency in new and refurbishment situations.

The 2016 Olympic Games and the ultimate in performance aimed for by the athletes prompts Paul Wightman of Albion Valves to apply the same philosophy to buildings and their services.

EcoPowerad fan convectors from Smith’s have been paired with an air-source heat pump for a new heating system to replace an oil-fired boiler and radiators in a home in Norfolk. The fan convectors have been installed in downstairs rooms, with traditional radiators upstairs in the bedrooms.

Micronic flowmeters have been used at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 4 to survey energy usage in the heating system. The facilities staff at the terminal have a 5-year plan running to 2019, entitled Quinquennium 6, which includes the redesign of the medium-temperature hot-water system, which previously ran at 120°C. The requirement was to run the system at a lower temperature to be more cost effective, more environmentally friend and — crucially — safer.

The EC (electronically commutated) motors in Advanced Air’s horizontal fan deck have a chip developed by Nailor, the company’s American parent, which gives a pressure-independent unit and makes the fan-coil self balancing so that no commissioning is required on the air side.

Lindab’s Solus chilled-beam system was chosen to deliver energy-efficient climate control for a landmark building in Sweden — the Round House in the Munksjöstaden district. Pairing Solus with renewable-energy sources such as free cooling and ground-source heat pumps can achieve energy savings of up to 45%. The system includes nearly 600 Solus chilled beams and the entire ducting system. Pascal VAV system are being used in areas where the heating load can change very quickly, such as conference rooms.

With boilers hitting the ceiling of achievable efficiencies, Gavin Watson of Elco Heating Solutions, discusses the importance of a solid controls strategy, the careful consideration of the heat-exchanger material, plus the ongoing refinements in commercial boiler design.

Carefully-specified building-management systems can have a dramatic impact on the energy efficiency of modern buildings — and the good news is that an increasing number of businesses are now catching on to the benefits, writes Gavin Holvey of Priva UK.

Rinnai’s continuous-flow water-heating solutions can work with renewable-energy sources such as solar-thermal and air-source heat pumps. The concept is that the water heater tops up the temperature of stored water heated using renewable energy — but only when required.

EcoCooling’s evaporative-cooling systems use 90% less energy than mechanical cooling systems and have been widely installed in industrial, commercial, data-centre and manufacturing applications. The company has been supplying and distributing evaporative coolers for 15 years and has over 3000 installations worldwide.

Following an assessment by Grundfos Pumps of the current pump set-up and associated energy usage at a 700-plus-bed hospital in the north west of England, a programme of pump replacement indicated energy savings of nearly 430 MWh a year. The recommendation was to replace a number of end-suction and in-line pumps with more efficient models.

The replacement of existing CHP plant at Bedford Hospital includes boilers supplied by Mikrofill. The three Ethos boilers each have an output of 130 kW and will primarily serve the hospital’s HWS demand. They are configured to provide heat into the main system when hot-water requirements are at a minimum.

Optimising the existing building-management system in an iconic London business location reduced gas consumption by £15 000 in the third quarter of last year. There was a need to update the Schneider Electric BMS as it had not been updated in response to changes in building occupants and their usage.

Harting Church of England Primary School now has a building-management system. The Eclypse IP-based system from Distech controls the existing plant and is expandable to allow for alterations and additions to the plant. It will also be able to integrate with any future BMS if it is upgraded or changed.

Beckhoff Automation has opened the doors of its new technical training centre and offers an extensive range of courses for controls engineers interested in learning about its innovative approach to BEMS and controls. The Beckhoff Technical Centre in Huntingdon offers industry professional world-class training and application-development courses in the second week of each month, which can be booked online.

The seamless integration of building energy management systems (BEMS) and lighting control brings together the two largest consumers of electrical energy in a building (lighting and HVAC) and allows them to be controlled from a single common interface. Neil Garland of Ex-Or explains how such integration drives energy efficiency and supports the creation of environments with enhanced comfort and productivity.

Aimteq’s installation of WEMS wireless BEMS technology in Go-Ahead’s bus depots has achieved significant reductions in gas consumption, with average savings of 30% and a payback on the investment within two years. Go-Ahead is one of the of the UK’s largest bus operators and has a fleet of around 4600 buses that are boarded by nearly two million passengers every day.

Timeguard’s ZV900 makes it possible to control LED and CFL lighting with smart switches without flicker or glow or prematurely burning out the switches. The device controls the switch load across a whole switching circuit. Once connected, it slips neatly through a standard 50 mm ceiling aperture.

The latest addition to Trend Control Systems’ range of IQ4 controllers is the IQ4E Slims range. Trend continues to reduce the footprint of its controllers, and a 70 mm IQ4E Slim compares to the 105 mm of a standard IQ4E I/O module. In addition, vertical connectors mean trunking can be situated immediately alongside a controller, saving even more space.

Hoval’s TopTronic system controller for Hoval boilers, calorifiers, heat pumps and other heat sources can control one or more multiple conventional and low-carbon heat sources with a single unit or in cascades of up to eight units. It eliminates the inconvenience and risk of trying to work with different controls for different appliances and system configurations.

Buildings frequently change use and are refurbished for new occupants, and businesses often reconfigure their workplaces as demands change. Kevin Sheldrake of Carlo Gavazzi UK, argues the case for a building-controls solution with flexibility to meet whatever the future brings.

A complete range of sensors to control and monitor chilled beams is available from Sontay. These water-based cooling systems are environmentally friendly and unobtrusive, making them a popular choice for commercial buildings such as offices, hotels and hospitals.

Schneider Electric’s Built Environment Training Academy at Ashby-de-la-Zouch has been acknowledged in the 2016 awards of the Building Controls Industry Association for its contribution to training. The academy houses a live complex low-voltage distribution system, low-temperature-hot-water distribution system and ventilation system with VAV and fan-coil-unit applications. It delivers courses for the company’s own engineers and the wider controls industry — including customers and end users.

Occupancy detection and daylight response to control lighting at the Royal Hospital School in Suffolk is expected to see a return on its investment within a year by achieving energy savings of up to 80%. The Luxomat system installed by building-automation specialist B.E.G. uses a motion detector designed specifically for ceiling mounting and has an optical system covering 360°.

AET Flexible Space’s FlexTouch mountable controller provides easy adjustment of the temperature and fanspeed of fantile units in its underfloor air-conditioning system. The traditional way of controlling the fantile units is via a hatch in the grille that covers the recessed fantile. The FlexTouch controller provides control without having to access the control in the fantile itself.

Viessmann now offers boilers with WiFi and Internet connectivity, enabling installers to respond promptly to automatic fault notifications, with the added convenience of remote performance monitoring and online service planning. Unlike previous connectivity technology, which linked end users’ smartphones with thermostats, this is said to be the first to connect directly with a domestic boiler and the first to remotely provide installers with comprehensive diagnostics data.

The control of energy in buildings is generally poor, despite the availability of a range of tried and tested systems, with guidance perceived to be over complicated explains Andy Lewry of the Building Research Establishment.

Dave Lister of Beckhoff Automation explains how lighting control and the BMS can work in harmony to provide buildings that are more energy efficient and easier to operate in the long-term.

Malcolm Anson, president of the Building Controls Industry Association, says that we should focus on getting the basics right to see the full benefits of building controls and BEMS in the long-term.

Airedale International has launched an interactive 360° virtual tour of its new manufacturing facility at Rawdon, Leeds — which has a BREEAM ‘Very good’ rating. Managing director Clive Parkman explains, ‘We believe that openly showing people where and how units are made will make a lasting impression and continue to speak volumes about Airedale’s commitment to quality and craftsmanship in the most transparent way.’

Weatherite Service &Maintenance has been upgraded in its approved-installer status by Daikin Airconditioning UK for its range of air-conditioning systems and now has D1+ status. This scheme offers a range of advantages to the accredited installer and to the customer.

ISG has been awarded a £21 million fit-out project by HSL (Health Service Laboratories) to create its new London core laboratory. The work includes the installation of the building’s complex M&E infrastructure. The 12 400 m2 laboratory in the Halo building at One Mabledon Place in the emerging biosciences corridor in Kings Cross will see the consolidation of existing disparate pathology facilities from north-central London into what will become one of the largest pathology laboratories in Europe.

Combined heat and power (CHP) provides the biggest energy-saving opportunity for the NHS, amounting to £26.4 million a year, according to the ‘Securing healthy returns’ report, which analyses the financial value of key sustainability measures in the NHS.

Wago has invested over £200 000 building an engineering centre at its UK headquarters that is dedicated to designing pre-assembling, testing and distributing bespoke modular trunking systems for commercial and industrial new builds and upgrades . The centre is a world first for the company.

Multi-disciplinary consulting engineers Patrick Parsons continues to apply BIM level 2 by using Revit MEP capabilities to complete the M&E design of the £11.5 million Ysgol Awel Y Mynydd School in Llandudno Junction, north Wales. This new school is part of Conwy Council’s 21st century schools programme and is designed to achieve BREEAM ‘Very good’. It sees the merging of two existing local primary schools.

Local authorities in England have made significant progress in standardising the pre-qualification process for projects, helping to reduce the £1 billion a year it costs firms to needlessly fill in questionnaires and duplicate this exercise many times over. According to a survey by the Specialist Engineering Contractors’ (SEC) Group, 27% of local authorities are now using PAS 91 (the standard pre-qualification questionnaire) exclusively. Furthermore, over 36% are using the standard questionnaire published by the Crown Commercial Service.

LJJ has been awarded the M&E installation for a new assisted-living scheme in Oswestry. Developed by housing association Wrekin Housing Trust, the scheme comprises 53 apartments with one and two bedrooms, eight bungalows, communal lounge and cafe facilities, and warden support.

Skanska UK has reported a 24% increase in its construction business in the first six months of 2016 compared to the same period a year ago. Revenue was £836 million, with an operating income of £16.5 million equating to an operating margin of 2%.

Industry reaction to the closure of the DECC (Department of Energy & Climate Change) and its responsibilities being absorbed into the new Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy as part of the Cabinet reshuffle by new Prime Minister Theresa May, has been generally positive.

Sudlows has completed a £300 000 contract to deliver a state-of-the-art data centre for Stockport. It is reported to be the first in the UK to be fitted with an advanced cooling system developed by Airedale. Chris Dummett, commercial director at Sudlows, says, ‘This important project will not only allow for greater expansion of services and access for residents, but will also deliver a more environmental, reliable and energy-efficient system.”

Off-site manufacture of building-services equipment is enabling SES Engineering Services to turn around a 16-month school project in just six months. The Prism services is saving 1000 man hours on the site of Ingleby Manor Free School in Stockton, where SES is working on an £11 million scheme with main contractor BAM Construction.

Cooling in air-conditioning systems may account for about 10% of total electricity consumption in the UK according to a report from the BRE. The report also reveals that the proportion of buildings with air conditioning is increasing, estimating that in 2012 some 65% of UK office space and 30% of UK retail space was air conditioned.

Imtech’s technical facilities-management business Imtech Inviron has been awarded a 3-year contract to maintain the portfolio of cinema group Cineworld. Following competitive tender, the company was selected by GVA Acuity to provide planned and reactive maintenance, repair and installations for 80 cinemas in the UK and Ireland.

The president of the Building Engineering Services Association (the BESA) for 2016/17, Malcolm Thomson, has highlighted in his inaugural address the over-riding duty of the association as being to help its members to face up to present and future challenges.