Upgrading school and college buildings to meet challenging Net Zero goals can go hand-in-hand with making these buildings better places to work and learn. Mike Egan, Business Development Manager, Corporate Solutions for Mitsubishi Electric LES looks at the options.

Variable speed drives (VSDs) are not generally designed to be exposed to the elements of nature and so for a drive operating outdoors we frequently see the highest rated drives specified. However, protection against ingress of dust and water alone is not enough to keep a drive running optimally in all weather, as ABB’s Oliver Woolley explains.

In HVAC applications, integrated pumps are promoted as an efficient and low cost alternative to VSD/ motor configurations, however there’s more to the debate than there might seem, according to Carl Turbitt, HVAC Drives – UK Sales Manager, ABB.

Mark Isles, Sales Director – Build at EnviroVent, discusses the changes the ventilation industry has gone through in the past year and how EnviroVent has enhanced its support package for specifiers and housebuilders to ensure they can meet and exceed the updated building regulations around ventilation.  

Variable speed drives are known culprits for the increasingly widespread problem of harmonics. However, according to ABB’s Chris Plumb, HVAC Drives Key Account Manager UK, new innovations in drive technology have now made them part of the solution.

The team at CMD are excited to inform you that we are moving to a new showroom in London.  After 18 years at 99 Charterhouse Street, Clerkenwell, our last day will be Friday 17 March, and the doors to our new showroom, located at London House, 115 Golden Lane, London, EC1Y 0TJ, will open on Wednesday 29th March.  

MBS is pleased to carry a link to the CSA Index - the Commissioning Specialists Association newsletter - several times a year. If you didn't get a print edition of the magazine you can read it here in PDF form. 

Pete Mills, Commercial Technical Operations Manager for Bosch Commercial & Industrial, outlines why the company has made CO sensors mandatory on cascade systems.

EC fans are promoted as a more energy efficient solution for cooling in facilities such as data centres, but the reality might be more complicated, as Carl Turbitt explains.

HVAC systems comprise an estimated 50 percent of the energy used in buildings. With energy prices spiralling, a free service from ABB can help to identify the easiest opportunities to reduce outgoings, as Carl Turbitt, HVAC Drives UK Sales Manager, explains.

The latest generation of Toshiba’s flagship Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) system, SHRM Advance, operates on lower Global Warming Potential (GWP) R-32 refrigerant. The combination of R-32’s lower GWP and reduced refrigerant charge enables SHRM Advance to deliver a significant reduction of up to 80%* in equivalent carbon emissions. 

ABB’s Chris Plumb explores some of the hidden functionality that can help users of variable speed drives (VSDs) to further optimise their HVAC processes, as well as save energy.

The demands on our office buildings have changed over the last few years: flexibility, digitalisation and energy efficiency are what’s important. At the same time, these buildings should create a comfortable, healthy and safe environment for employees.

Are you a low carbon, sustainability, or building-services professional, willing to volunteer to help the Church of England with the challenge of Net Zero Carbon? Or an ecologist, able to input on the management of our precious churchyard habitats?

ABB’s Chris Plumb explores some of the hidden functionality that can help users of variable speed drives (VSDs) to further optimise their HVAC processes, as well as save energy.

We are currently looking for an individual to join our vibrant and dynamic Projects and Small works Teams who is self-motivated and proactive, can work independently and as part of a team and can work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders.

Data centres consume huge amounts of energy, much of which goes into cooling. Carl Turbitt, HVAC Drives – UK Sales Manager, ABB, explains how, when it comes to achieving sustainability, variable speed drives (VSDs) are the best-performing technology available.

SAV Systems is proud to announce that the AirMaster AM 1000 has been awarded Passivhaus Component certification in conjunction with their Danish partner, Airmaster A/S. 

Belimo, the leading manufacturer of damper actuators, control valves and sensors for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning technology, brings the worlds of “energy control” and “certified energy measurement and billing” together. 

The Altecnic SATK32107 Heat Interface Unit (HIU) records industry beating results during rigorous ‘UK Standard for Heat Interface Units’ test, coordinated by the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA).

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) “Air pollution from both outdoor and indoor sources represents the single largest environmental risk to health globally,” and causes seven million deaths a year, worldwide.

ABB’s Carl Turbitt explains how harmonic currents can impact HVAC systems – and what can be done about them.

A thoughtful insight on women within building technology provided by Newcastle College

With more modern technologies at their disposal, building services professionals now have the ability to dramatically reduce CO2 emissions across light commercial and residential air-conditioning installations. Recent innovations, such as Daikin’s VRV 5 system are helping to forge new ground in the area. The leading solution is able to deliver powerful results, alongside strong sustainable performance.

Carl Turbitt, HVAC Drives – UK Sales Manager, ABB, explains why when it comes to deciding between EC fans and a variable speed drive and motor solutions, comparing efficiency alone will not provide the full picture.

James Cooper, Product Manager at ebm-papst UK looks at how to improve BMS Solutions

ABB’s Carl Turbitt explains how it’s never been easier to quickly and cost-effectively plug the knowledge gaps in your organisation – all it needs is an hour of your time.

Steve Bratt, CEO of ECA – Electrical and Engineering Services, a Director of Actuate UK and a member of the Construction Leadership Council Task Force Group expands on the four key strategic areas on Actuate UK’s agenda   

We heard from builder-turned-architect Peter Watson, about the challenges of making sustainability sustainable

Steve Bird, C ENg, CIBSE, ASHRAE, got in touch

The Chancellor's Summer Statement indicates the government has heard the calls of the renewables industry. Max Halliwell asks: What next?

Making the transition to net zero operations is an important priority for every business, says Kirti Rudra of ENGIE

The UK Green Building Council has released their framework for net zero carbon buildings. Beverley Quinn of TUV SUD talks us through it. 

Mervyn Pilley of the Energy Systems and Technology Association (ESTA) is not mincing his words. 

What will the post-Covid employment and skills landscape look like?

As we head towards the new normal, many businesses will be returning to work in offices and workspaces that may have been closed for up to three months. Colin Swanick of Kimpton presents a checklist to consider. 

 As lockdowns ease, the challenge of safely bringing buildings back into use emerges. Lee Hargreaves of Buro Happold looks at what will be needed. 

First, I hope all our readers are well. And that your businesses are functioning as effectively as possible in these unprecedented times.

This month, MBS has been talking to the industry about meeting the challenge to lower carbon emissions from the built environment.

As anyone who has ever worked in the construction industry knows, every construction project has its own specific risks, and without accurate risk management, profitability suffers.

Maximising the actual holding capacity of any cistern or tank has to be beneficial both in space saving and overall cost. Bellmouth Overflow and Raised Float Valve Housing fittings are important add on features available to the tank designer to assist in achieving this goal..

Cable management is an integral part of the specification process. When it comes to specifying cable management systems, there are a number of key areas to consider in addition to cost per unit and installation time.

In a traditional industry such as water engineering and supply one might think nothing much changes when viewed from a consumer aspect. Water still flows out of the tap on demand.

However the last ten years have seen considerable activity behind the scenes, resulting in a safer, more efficient water product.

The answer is obvious. Everyone. The provision of clean, wholesome water at the turn of a tap is second nature, or so we would like to think.

The experience that your friend or colleague complaining that they are cold when you feel comfortable or even hot is a common phenomenon and there are many reasons why two people might experience the same temperature differently.

When a project has a particularly long timescale it is essential to rethink the HVAC strategy. District energy schemes, for example, are typically rolled-out gradually, linking additional buildings to the network over an extended period (years rather than months.

Protesting about climate change should be encouraged, although sticking yourself (or parts of your anatomy) to the CEO’s door, window or car is not. The immediacy and importance of the debate could help you change your organisation’s policy in this area.

Following the enactment of the BS 7671:2018 18th Edition of the IET Wiring Regulations at the beginning of this year, Mark Williams, lead marketing manager for cable management at Legrand UK, focuses on one element of the changes and what it means for building managers.

As Leonardo da Vinci wrote: “Water is the driving force of all nature”. That’s why the Association of Tank and Cistern Manufacturers (ATCM) was established to help our members provide quality products and services to the built environment sector.

Smart home and smart building applications are raising expectations for home owners and building administrators, and for good reason. The smart technology available on the market has the potential to make our lives more convenient and more efficient. This technology is also being implemented in the HVAC market and improving the effectiveness and value of our HVAC systems.