2017 December

Ever since records began, the DATA Heat Interface Unit has held the number one position in independent testing as the world’s most efficient system for communal and district heating. Many have tried to match it, but none have succeeded.

More stringent regulations for space heating are on their way as the next phase of Ecodesign requirements come into effect in 2018 under the Energy-related Products Directive (ErP).

Several building services and electrical associations moved to co-locate in a new London headquarters in early November. The ECA and BESA are joined by BEAMA, the Electrical Distributors’ Association, SEC Group, GAMBICA, the Electrical Industries Charity, and Voltimum.

The Commissioning Specialists Association (CSA) Awards 2018 are now open for entries, with a deadline of 27th March 2018. The online entry form can be found at the link below.

Aecom, commissioned by the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) has researched and set out eight route maps that could save the UK £30 billion on delivering district heat networks.

In October 2017, the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) recognised hydraulic balancing in domestic heating systems as key to delivering optimal water distribution and cost savings to householders.

A report from Centrica Business Solutions shows that many UK businesses are not prepared for energy failures within the next 12 months, even though more than half expect such problems to arise.

The Electrical Contractors Association (ECA) and Building Engineering Specialists Association (BESA) have expressed concern that the government is once more consulting on the problem of retentions, rather than taking action.

ECEX has introduced a new service to provide a wide range of services including fire stopping of walls, floors and risers; fire barriers; structural fire protection; fire-rated ductwork and air sealing. Products used are designed to provide optimum fire safety for personnel and buildings. Materials used include Vicuclad non-combustible board for fire protection of ductwork; and Nullifire spray system that can provide up to 120 minutes’ fire protection to structural steel sections. ECEX also offers a FREE site survey and detailed report and quote from experienced personnel. All ECEX operatives hold relevant, nationally-recognised qualifications.

Warm air heaters are subject to Lot 21 of the directive and radiant heaters Lot 20. Minimum efficiencies for warm air is now 72% and radiant heaters is now 74%. Crucially, these minimum criteria are applicable for both new installations and when replacing existing products. As a result, customers can be assured that the heating equipment they are purchasing is highly energy efficient and emissions of harmful environmental pollutants are constrained.

Alumline is the next step in Zehnder’s innovative approach, providing a high-performance economical alternative for commercial projects.

Lochinvar has extended its Amicus range of air source heat pumps (ASHPs) by launching five higher capacity models.

The Grundfos Product Center is an online selection tool that will help you to size and specify pumps for any need. Launched two years ago, it has continued the tradition of offering a leading-edge pump selection tool to a range of professionals who need to specify pumps .

CIAT announces the launch of its new Hydrociat range of highly efficient, compact and flexible water-cooled chillers and heat pumps. This new generation is designed to meet a broad range of heating and cooling requirements while ensuring easy installation and commissioning and offering excellent energy efficiency.

Viega has extended its unique range of Megapress press connections with an innovation engineered for larger thick walled steel pipework. The new cold applied Megapress XL system is safer, cleaner and delivers time savings of up to 80% when compared with welding.

There has long been an issue about the claimed performance of heat exchangers compared to what they deliver in practice. They are often oversized or deliver heat loads lower than specified, leading to frustration and disappointment on the part of the customer.

Aspen Pumps has won the RAC Cooling Industry award for its Green XL range from Storm Chemicals. Aspen scooped the ‘Air Conditioning Product of the Year - Components and peripherals’ award for 2017.

A leading district heating pipe manufacturer has launched an innovative new range of flexible pre-insulated pipe systems with reinforced polymer service pipes that improve thermal efficiency and provide higher factors of safety.

Panasonic has once again been awarded an iF Design Award for its Etherea range, having previously been successful with this product range in 2013. The award recognises the high-quality design of Etherea and its advances in technology. Established in 1953, the iF judges follow strict criteria and consider everything from environmental impact and cosmetic appearance, to functionality.

Suspension-system specialist Gripple has added a new trapeze bracket to its range. Fast Trak is designed for even faster and easier installation of many mechanical and electrical services, particularly where ceiling space is limited.

Viessmann boilers have been specified for the revamped Postal Museum, which has recently opened its doors to visitors after a major £26 million redevelopment supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The Museum’s home, Calthorpe House in Farringdon, is now equipped with six 49 kW Vitodens 200-W gas condensing boilers combined in a cascade for a total maximum output of 294 kW. These provide warmth to the Museum’s new, 500 square-metre exhibition space, which is divided into six zones.

Sympathetically designed, the new Bloomberg HQ it is situated on a 3.2-acre prominent site in the heart of the City of London. It provides 1.1 million sq. ft. of sustainable office, public and retail space as well an innovative museum experience. Achieving the highest ever design stage BREAAM score of 98.5%, is no accident for this global information and technology company, who put sustainability at their core.

Pipework from Durapipe UK has been used in the refurbishment of a luxury hotel in Ethiopia’s capital city, Addis Ababa.

Not only playing host to breathtaking views, Bowness-on-Windermere is also the home of The World of Beatrix Potter, an interactive museum dedicated to the life and work of the legendary children’s writer.

Briggs and Forrester Engineering Services have secured their fourth contract with Willmott Dixon Construction and the UK’s Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) at the Facility Support Building (FSB) project on the Harwell Campus.

Conex Bänninger, leading global manufacturer and supplier of fittings, valves and accessories, is celebrating 25 years of production excellence in Poland.

Spirotech vacuum degassers are helping Scotland’s oldest university with its ambition to become carbon neutral for energy usage.

With further legislation on energy efficiency heading towards us in 2018, Mark Bradley considers the options, and highlights one simple technology that offers a number of benefits for designers and clients alike.

The A325 ECX boiler from Atag Commercial boasts some of the highest efficiencies in Europe, thanks to its state-of-the-art design and control capabilities.

Panasonic has redesigned its Mini VRF heating and cooling units to produce the most compact, yet efficient Mini ECOi series ever – available from November 2017. The new Mini ECOi VRF models, designed for residential and light commercial applications, deliver a powerful performance for properties with limited outdoor space and boasts significant energy savings, easy installation and high efficiency.

Boilers are more efficient than ever, but there are simple enhancements which can deliver extra gains for smart users. Pete Mills explains how system rebalancing and weather compensation can be used to deliver exponential efficiency gains, even on older systems.

Correct sizing is a fundamental requirement for energy efficient systems. But with an array of products on the market, selecting the correct one is a challenge. Dan Martindale offers advice on finding and sizing the right water heater for your project.

Hoval has introduced two new models to its range of high efficiency, low NOx steel shell boilers; the Max-3 E and the Max-3 condens E. Each model is available in four sizes in outputs up to 6,800kW in gas and dual fuel options. Key features include return inlets with injection effect to ensure return water is heated evenly – avoiding condensation on the flue surface and extending service life.

When Grundfos introduced the MAGNA3 range five years ago, they hoped that consultants and contractors would embrace this flexible range of intelligent, high-efficiency circulators.

The search for energy efficient heating and cooling solutions needn’t take us towards new technologies. Established systems such as trench heating can offer the ideal solution for projects, as David Taylor explains.

All engineers face the challenge of maintaining a comfortable internal environment while also ensuring the building services are energy efficient. Paul Wightman considers how this can be achieved with modern heating systems.

Around 1.5 million UK homes have wood-burning stoves and they continue to grow in popularity. Mike Harvey of HETAS explains why good maintenance practice is vital, and why installers can take the lead in helping users choose the correct fuel and keep the installation in good working order.

Leading BMS specialist Trend Control Systems attended Education Estates 2017 in November, to showcase its latest energy-saving technologies suited to learning environments. The event highlighted how controls technology can make learning environments more resilient and sustainable, while ensuring high standards of comfort and wellbeing.

Ex-Or by Honeywell has launched its DALI-in-a-Room addressable lighting control system.

Colin Pearson shares his insights into an alternative to the traditional planned preventative maintenance method, and why it offers a way to think about maintenance planning that best suits each building, business and client.

The 1st January 2018 is fast approaching and it is an important date because, following the EU's new regulations on F-Gases, it is when the first significant cut in the supply of HFCs happens - a huge 37%.

Providing an inviting shop entrance and a comfortable working environment is a must for every business owner, and now thanks to Airbloc’s energy efficient air curtains and controller this can be achieved reducing power consumption and energy costs by up to 50%.

Protecting the health of building occupants isn’t rocket science, but it does need planning and competent people, says Kevin Kingaby of the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA).

More stringent regulations for space heating are on their way as the next phase of Ecodesign requirements come into effect next year under the Energy-related Products Directive (ErP). Chris Meir considers the implications for boiler manufacturers and the building services industry as a whole.

Peter Reynolds explains why hydraulic balancing offers benefits for heating system efficiency, and why he welcomes government policy that it should be ‘expected practice’ in domestic installations.

CentraLine took to the road last month for a series of product updates across the country, where CentraLine Partners had the opportunity to interact with the existing product range, and to find out more about the latest product offerings. The sessions took the form of live technical demonstrations and showcased the new, improved functionality within the CentraLine NX platform.

CentraLine announces latest version of ENERGY VISION NX - a software solution for professional building energy management.