2026 June

The North's leading Net Zero Carbon Buildings Forum
The University of Manchester, University Place, 176 Oxford Rd, Manchester M13 9PL
September 17th 2026. 

Geopolitical strife and military conflicts in the Ukraine and the Middle East theatre continue to impact global energy costs, so what alternative gaseous fuels can fill the void that fossil fuels previously inhabited? 

Rinnai’s Pete Seddon reviews the benefits of purchasing a low carbon hybrid heating and hot water system and provides a detailed exposition of the separate energies that can power a hybrid system.

We are seeing significant progress towards wider adoption of the building safety agenda but if we are to fully transform the sector, clients will need to take a more active role, according to BESA’s Director of Specialist Knowledge, Rachel Davidson.

As the retail landscape evolves, supermarkets are leading the charge towards smarter, more sustainable energy use. Real-time energy management systems, especially when integrated with solar PV solutions, are changing the game, helping retailers cut costs and reduce carbon emissions in tandem. 
In this feature, Hark Systems CEO Jordan Appleson discusses the benefits, challenges and transformative potential of real-time energy management in the supermarket sector.

According to a recent survey, 38% of facility maintenance (FM) professionals do not update their asset registers or do not know how frequently they are updated. 

The Commissioning Specialists Association (CSA) has announced that nominations are now open for the 2026 CSA Awards.

CIBSE has received a landmark donation of £1.2 million from The Manly Trust to support the development of its new Skills Hub at its headquarters in central London, now officially named The Manly Trust Skills Hub. 

At the CABE presidential inauguration on 8th May, the Association was delighted to present two new awards for 2026 alongside its Honorary Fellowship for this year.

BSRIA has released its latest analysis of the global cooling sector. The BSRIA Worldwide Air Conditioning and Heat Pump reports reveal a complex and diverging global cooling market.

With heat networks now officially under Ofgem’s regulatory oversight as of January 2026, the industry has moved from ‘best practice’ to ‘statutory obligation’. Alan Rocker, Field Operations Manager at Insite Energy, explores what this shift means for engineering teams.

The owners of the landmark 70,000sqft Omnibus Reigate office block have future-proofed the building by installing renewable heat pump technology and air handling units from Mitsubishi Electric.

A detached two-bedroom farm building in rural South Shropshire has been successfully upgraded using a Panasonic Aquarea M Series Monobloc air-to-water heat pump.

Paul Worsley, Chief Services Officer at Kingdom Systems, discusses how construction sites can improve their health and safety processes through technology and AI.

Maintenance of fire dampers in ventilation systems has been in the news following an awareness campaign about the risks of incorrectly installed units. Building owners and managers can be left in no doubt of the need to inspect and test dampers and rectify installation faults – but it may not be straightforward to do so. In this article, Andrew Steel, Managing Director at Airmec, describes a risk based, pragmatic approach.

Offering a more energy efficient alternative to gas boilers, heat pumps are rapidly becoming popular with developers, specifiers and architects keen to achieve the government’s Net Zero targets. However, there is some confusion in regards to the most suitable heat pumps and how and where they should be installed. Dean Loizou, Design Director at Whitecode Consulting, highlights the importance of correct specification, detailing common mistakes that lead to costly reworks in the future.

Chris Goggin explains the relevance and value of rDME for sustaining rural businesses. r-DME offers operational and ecological benefits as an alternative fuel source for off-grid businesses that require practical, economical and technically feasibility heating and hot water solutions.

Rinnai Director Chris Goggin looks at current domestic energy policy and the undertaken UK direction towards widespread electrification. He looks at how commercial sites will benefit from the installation of a heat pump once the UK electrical grid becomes fully decarbonised.

A hybrid commercial heating system from Ideal Commercial Heating, featuring ECOMOD heat pumps and Evomax 2 boilers, has been installed at Hawthorn Primary School, providing a reliable, lower carbon solution designed to improve comfort and efficiency across the site’s multiple buildings.

A pioneering use of prefabrication has enabled the rapid delivery of Sky Gardens Leeds, one of Leeds’ tallest residential towers, through installation methods that reduced on-site work, improved safety and minimised environmental impact.

Ariston has supplied the Climate Innovation District in Leeds (CITU) with the first of many air source heat pump (ASHP) water heaters for a range of new-build properties designed and built in line with key Passivhaus principles.

As part of the major refurbishment of 1 Basinghall Avenue, Equation Lighting has designed a lighting scheme that helps redefine how global bank Standard Chartered’s London headquarters is experienced, transforming key client and workplace areas into a series of connected, people-focused environments that support collaboration, wellbeing and flexibility.

A recent pump system upgrade at a major UK stadium has demonstrated how targeted improvements to building services can deliver significant energy savings while maintaining reliable performance under variable, high-demand conditions.

Elite Control Services (ECS) was appointed by Park Lighting Design to provide specialist lighting controls commissioning for a new installation at Teesside University.

Thorn Lighting and its sister brand Zumtobel, both lighting brands of the Zumtobel Group, have delivered a design-led workplace lighting scheme for NG Bailey’s new 25,230sqft flagship head office at White Rose Office Park.

Alpesh Trivedi, Director at Magnetic, outlines five steps to optimising heating water in closed-loop systems – without chemical dosing.

Chris Newman, Zero Carbon Design Manager at Mitsubishi Electric, explains why decarbonising commercial buildings is the missing piece in the UK’s Net Zero puzzle.

A commercial kitchen fire doesn’t always start at the hob. Grease accumulation in extract ductwork is a significant and frequently underestimated fire risk, one that can spread rapidly and silently through a building’s ventilation system before anyone realises the danger. Gary Nicholls, Managing Director of Swift Fire Compliance and co-author of BESA TR19® Grease, explains how contractors and dutyholders can ensure compliance and safety.

Endorsing its position as a versatile service and supply partner for the ESS sector, Veloris, formerly Ecobat Battery, is highlighting the fact that within its comprehensive range are options from Contemporary Nebula Technology Energy (CNTE) that provide fully off grid and back-up ready solutions for efficient commercial and industrial power storage.

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