2019 May

Renu Chopra considers the impact of social media on retail property.

Renu Chopra reports on an interview with the author of a book that looks at the future of our workplaces, and puts people at the heart of design and engineering

A new labour market report on the electrotechnical industry has estimated that between 12,500 and 15,000 additional skilled electricians will be needed over the next five years to accommodate forecasted growth.

Figures from sales-lead specialist Glenigan show that in spite of a subdued economy, there are areas of demand for specialist contractors.

Karen Fletcher explores the new landscape of refrigerants as phase down kicks in

The construction industry is characterised by risk, uncertainty and complexity according to a new report form The Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and Wales (ICAEW). 

The Electrical Contractors Association (ECA) has welcomed the new Common Prequalification Assessment Standard (CAS).

Market research by BSRIA has identified district heating as a major growth sector over the next few years, in Europe and the rest of the world. 

A roundtable of industry experts and legal specialists calls for regulations on air quality in our cities. 

Government has announced a Sector Deal for the offshore wind industry. The aim is that a third of British electricity will be produced by offshore turbines by 2030.

Andy Green outlines the current legislative requirements to reduce NOx emissions and how the commercial HVAC sector should continue to implement change.

Drew Clough explains why contractors should be changing their business model to accommodate offsite construction and in doing so improve the efficiency and productivity of their business.

Maximising use of on-board and cost-effective optional controls is a simple step that can enhance both boiler and system performance, says Paul Arnold

As long as renewable power generation sources are weather-dependent, the UK will need to ensure sufficient back-up from other sources. Beata Blachut explains the importance of ‘prosumer’ buildings, ideally alongside 4G heat networks

Jon Belfield, president of the BCIA, compares a well-designed smart building argues it’s not the quantity of technology implemented that makes a building truly smart, it’s about choosing the right technology for the right system.

Smart buildings can deliver a whole host of benefits for any business and open up a wealth of opportunities. Daniel Lilley explains

Reliable, clear and effective lighting in hospitals plays a key role in all aspects of operational effectiveness, patient recovery as well as staff productivity. Nathan Cole explains the benefits of lighting control.

Our cover this month refers to buildings as sources of productivity for occupants. A well-designed, engineered and constructed building enhances the performance of people in it, as a number of our expert writers explain.

Cistermiser’s new website, dedicated to IoT water temperature and flow monitoring, www.linkthru.com provides full details on the many practical advantages that are delivered by this technology.

Evinox has unveiled its latest range of ModuSat XR Smart Heat Interface Units. The HIUs offer smaller, more compact dimensions but can deliver high-performance and other benefits at low primary flow temperatures. The Smart HIUs also offer TCP/IP communications connectivity.

With stacks of experience under its belt, the Grundfos MAGNA family has been on an evolutionary journey since its 2001 launch as the range offering is constantly revisited. This is to ensure that it continues to fully encompass the increasing demands that are required from a modern circulator.

Waterloo Air Products, UK manufacturers of ventilation grilles, diffusers, weather louvres and VAV systems, has developed a programme to strengthen its supply arrangements to reduce the possible disruption as the UK plans to leave the EU.

ELCO Heating Solutions has launched the new Trigon XXL range of floor-standing gas condensing boilers.

Titon has launched a new website, showcasing its full range of products, across both the company’s Ventilation Systems and Window & Door Hardware divisions. The site can be accessed at www.titon.com and has been designed with end users and customer support in mind.

Panasonic has received an iF Design Award for its residential Floor Console Air Conditioner. The iF Design Award, presented by the International Forum Design, celebrates outstanding design amongst designers and manufacturers, providing a gold standard for pioneering products. Judges consider everything from environmental impact, functionality and cosmetic appearance.

Reznor offers an ErP-compliant range of products, including its PREEVA EC heating and ventilation unit. This provides combined heating and ventilation, with optional cooling.

Desigo control point is the new embedded building management station from Siemens. It consists of touch panels in several sizes and of web servers that enable remote control of buildings from any smart device.

The Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) has announced that it now has a total of 100 members. The recent addition of Kernow Controls has enabled the BCIA to celebrate this important milestone.

BSRIA is offering a series of free Topic Guides, which are available to download from its website - non-members will also be able to access the information free.

Briggs & Forrester Living is installing services including heating, cooling and lighting protection for the new mixed use Kampus development in Manchester.

M&E specialist JS Wright has secured a contract over £1.3 million for student accommodation in Exeter. The project includes mechanical and electrical services for a new 120-bed scheme on the site of an old pub, the Honiton Inn in the city. The project is due for completion in December 2019.

The Dyson School of Design Engineering has selected the easy-to-use BEG lighting control system which allows the building’s maintenance team to use their smartphones as the interface with the system.

The Mechanical Contractor Innovation Air Conditioning and Building Services Ltd based in Croydon has selected the Hattersley Hook-Up Elite Prime manifold assemblies for the heating and air conditioning system of an international investment group campus building.

Following a 2-year restoration, the Fife Arms Hotel in Braemar a very popular hotel - originally built in the 19th century - recently reopened its doors. With its 46 individually designed rooms and a wonderful eclectic collection of 12,000 pieces of carefully sourced local artefacts, historical objects and artwork, this hotel may be located in the coldest part of Scotland, but the impact on visitors is warm and inviting.

Coolair Equipment has made a cool contribution to the fine dining experience at Birmingham’s new Tattu Restaurant. The company’s Cannock office designed and installed the state-of-the-art comfort cooling system for the luxury Chinese-inspired eatery, which opened in February in the city’s historic Grand Hotel.

After securing a long lease on an old factory that made mirrors and wooden frames, the Big House Theatre Company relocated to new headquarters in North London. The £300,000 renovation has transformed the building into a facility to support marginalised young people. The newly refurbished building includes performance and rehearsal spaces as well as counselling rooms and offices.

The role of every FM varies – dependent on industry sector and the demands of the working environment.

When building occupants think of wellbeing and how to improve their surroundings, HVAC systems may not be at the top of their list.

The habit of stealing time out of the commissioning period to make up for delays earlier in a project regularly undermines the overall design intent, says Lochinvar’s Paul Mitchell.