2018 January

Danny Packham says installers and end-users need to be aware of ErP.

Wieland Electric has supplied a wide range of its popular gst electrical connectors for the new €85 million LinkedIn international headquarters development in Wilton Place, Dublin. The electrical system for the project was designed and locally supplied by Core Electrical, Wieland’s exclusive distributor across Ireland, utilising Wieland connectors to provide a fast, hassle-free installation that would reduce installation costs and future-proof the building.

A survey by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) shows that 61% of the engineering and technical workforce see the problems in recruitment of engineering and technical staff with the right skills as a barrier to achieving business objectives.

Two prominent members of the electrotechnical industry have been among the first to sign up for the new ECS Registered Electrician status. ECA president Mike Smith (below left), bid director at SES Engineering, and Kevin Snowdon, owner of NES Electrical, applied after meeting the criteria and agreeing to the Code of Professional Practice.

Modern Building Services magazine has launched MBStv, a new video channel that will bring news and interviews to its website visitors.

Duncan Lewis, managing director of Xylem Water Solutions UK, has been appointed president of the British Pump Manufacturers Association.

The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) has launched an HVAC Systems Group to support and encourage the efficient design, installation and operation of HVAC systems.

On January 9th at the Houses of Parliament, Peter Aldous MP will introduce the first reading of a Ten Minute Rule Bill that seeks to amend the 1996 Construction Act and ensure that retentions within construction are held in a third party trust scheme.

The government announced a £600 billion investment for the UK’s infrastructure in early December. As well as improving infrastructure the investment is also viewed as a route to boosting construction productivity – saving £15 billion per year.

At the end of November 2017, business secretary Greg Clark MP announced a flagship deal for the UK construction sector that aims to modernise the industry and recruit the next generation of highly-skilled construction workers.

A group of MPs are lending their support to proposed new legislation that could provide a welcome boost to the finances of thousands of SMEs working in construction related sectors.

UK independent air movement specialist, Gilberts, developed an advanced draught-free solution for the refurbishment of Uber’s European Centre of Excellence in Limerick.

Luminaires from Thorn Lighting have played an important role in the refurbishment of one of Newcastle’s best-loved historic buildings, The Old Post Office. The project involves upgrading the 3,350m2 headquarters for NBS which spearheaded the multimillion-pound refurbishment and regeneration of the Grade II-listed building and has been housed there for a number of years.

Edinburgh University admitted its first students as far back as 1583. This makes it the 6th oldest English-speaking university in the world. Over the centuries it has produced a litany of impressive alumni that have included Robert Louis Stevenson, Charles Darwin and JM Barrie, to name but a few.

Warwickshire Rural Housing Association (WRHA) is currently developing a ground-breaking Passivhaus scheme in Wootton Wawen, in partnership with Waterloo Housing Group and developer Bouygues UK. The development is due for completion in 2018.

The already-iconic White Collar Factory in London’s Old Street is now open for business – but key to the contemporary work spaces is the creation of a comfortable working environment. That is why more than 150km of Rehau’s Thermally Activated Building Structure (TABS) system was installed to provide low energy passive cooling – almost enough piping to run entirely round the M25.

Leading insulation manufacturer, Kingspan Insulation Ltd, has announced it is investing €17 million in two state-of-the-art, low waste production lines at its facilities in Derbyshire and North Yorkshire, further enhancing its portfolio of construction and mechanical engineering insulation products.

Panasonic’s latest generation of ceiling-mounted PACi and ECOi 90x90 indoor cassette units have been developed to satisfy customer demands for an air conditioning system that provides energy savings, maximum comfort and healthier air.

One of University College London’s (UCL) main buildings has been equipped with a new R32 air conditioning system from Mitsubishi Electric.

Warm air heaters are subject to Lot 21 of the directive and radiant heaters to Lot 20. Minimum efficiencies for warm air is now 72% and radiant heaters is now 74%.

Fernox has opened its new chemical water treatment manufacturing facility in Wantage, Oxfordshire. Bringing employment opportunities to the local area and supply chain benefits, the new facility has increased production capacity and flexibility.

In response to popular demand, from January 1, 2018, the standard colour finish for the best-selling Dunham-Bush Series ASM, CM, UH, Ocelot and Finvector ranges of fan convectors will be white (RAL 9010 semi-matt).

The online learning platform Grundfos Ecademy has been around for over 10 years and was traditionally aimed at plumbers and merchants working within the domestic pump arena. This was the case until recently, when a host of new topics aimed at consultants and specifiers working on larger commercial projects was added to the curriculum.

Panasonic’s new warranty scheme is now in place, with Standard, Extended and Extended+ options for its heating & cooling products purchased within the UK.

Cable cleat manufacturer, Ellis, has once again demonstrated its innovative approach to product development with the launch of the twist-foot Vulcan+.

Johnson Controls is launching its EasyParts online chiller and air conditioning spares platform in Germany, following successful roll-outs of the award-winning Amazon-style system in the UK, Middle-East and northern Europe.

Trox has announced the launch of a major new fancoil range – the Trox PWX Series – which brings to the market a 25% to 35% energy efficiency improvement over alternative models, with outstanding acoustic performance, and BACnet-enabled integrated controls packages as standard.

Atag Commercial has reported a significant 68% increase in sales of its Q Series range of boilers over the last 12 months. The robust manufacture and efficient operation are two key reasons for the product’s popularity with specifiers.

Siemens Building Technologies has added to its range of ball valves, and now offers a selection of internally and externally threaded valves from 15mm to 50mm. This means that Siemens now offers a complete range of ball valves, suitable for applications in cold- and hot-water systems.

Dave Lancaster discusses why commissioning of pipework is so important, and shares his insights on the best approaches to this vital process.

Ideal Commercial Boilers has announced the launch of its free commissioning offer. All Evomax, Imax Xtra, Imax Xtra EL and Evomod boilers installed after 1 January 2018 will be eligible for the offer, that could be worth up to £233 per boiler.

James Townley explains why commissioning is so important for closed heating or cooling systems, and offers advice on the approaches that can help ensure effective long-term operation right from the start.

Mark Todd of the Commissioning Specialists Association calls for new ways of working to match the new technologies now available to the construction industry – and to help achieve better buildings for the future

The energy-efficiency clock is ticking for private rented sector landlords as MEES looms. Chris Meir discusses the potential impact and says now is the time to look for some quick wins in energy-using areas such as heating.

Andrew Slater explains why the details of building services equipment efficiency are more important now that EPCs carry so much weight. His advice is to take a look at the finer points to make the most of today’s technology.

Dr Andrew Geens explains how building managers can help to ensure their EPC is accurate – and why that’s so important to update your EPC with MEES on the horizon.

Toshiba has introduced the Estia 5 series air-to-water heat pump solutions. With best-in-class COP ratings throughout a broad range that covers split solutions from 4 to 16kW and Monobloc from 16 to 21kW, the new Estia air-to-water heat pump will bring highly efficient and low-cost space heating, hot water and summertime cooling to new homes or renovations as well as small-commercial properties.

John Forster, product manager at Heatrae Sadia, explains why, with so many water heating solutions out there, it’s important that businesses find the right fit for their needs.

Rinnai UK is offering a new concept for economic and efficient hot water delivery that brings together all the components of a system in one handy, bespoke designed pack for any kind of business, large or small.

Sentinel Commercial’s water treatment chemicals now have more than triple the power in protection of commercial heating systems, with each drum able to dose systems over three times larger. The new ‘Triple Power’ formulations of Sentinel X100 Inhibitor, X300 Cleaner (for new systems), and X400 Cleaner (for older systems) mean smaller or fewer drums are required for bigger jobs, a development which saves significant costs, waste and storage space, and makes for easier transportation, handling and dosing.

Paul Sands explains why district heating is becoming popular once more with the social housing sector, and what benefits it brings to the landlord and tenant.

Installing efficient heating equipment isn’t enough to achieve better energy use, says Ian McGregor. Designers and installers must consider the system as a whole including fluctuations in demand and then apply controls technology to minimise waste and ensure occupant comfort.

Installing and commissioning a water heater is a very different process to the one you would carry out for a boiler. Dan Martindale has put together a guide to the key stages of commissioning a water heater.