The efficiency and reliability of the heating and cooling systems within a hospital are crucial – just a couple of hours’ downtime can impact on the comfort of patients and staff unless there is a fallback position. However, if a cooling system fails, then this could have a major impact on such devices as an MRI scanner. Steve Simmonds, Spirotech’s Special Projects Engineer, outlines the key areas that need to be considered to ensure an HVAC system works efficiently and reliably.

Ross Giles, UK Equipment Leader at Trane, discusses the profound change in the way that hospitals manage their requirements for heating and cooling. 

Gavin Statham and Mike Robinson of BES Ltd discuss Building information modelling (BIM) being used for all publicly funded projects, including healthcare facilities. 

Andy Green, Technical Director at Baxi Commercial Solutions, looks at the challenges and opportunities to drive down emissions associated with hot water generation for hospitals and healthcare premises while prioritising a safe and reliable supply 

Fear of automation is nothing new. When William Lee threatened to revolutionise Britain’s textile industry with an automated knitting machine in 1589, Queen Elizabeth refused the patent, arguing: “thou aimest high, Master Lee. Consider thou what the invention could do to my poor subjects. It would assuredly bring to them ruin by depriving them of employment, thus making them beggars.”

Architects are increasingly specifying industrial protection equipment for warehouses and distribution centres. Paul Roehricht of Brandsafe provides guidance on best practice.

Slough’s new dual-branded hotel development has been designed to score high on comfort and low on environmental impact. Neville Small, Key Accounts Director at Baxi Heating, looks at the clever combination of renewable and high-efficiency heating and hot water technologies that is contributing to its environmental success.

As the industry begins to recover from reduced bookings throughout the pandemic, hotel construction must now meet guest’s changing expectations around comfort and hygiene.  Steve Richmond, Head of Marketing and Technical at REHAU Building Solutions, explores how the concept of ‘designing healthy’ will help building services engineers select suitable solutions to deliver futureproof hotels.

Barry Richards, Senior Projects Manager, Artic Building Services Ltd delves into how air quality in lecture theatres can be achieved.

Heritage assets have a huge role to play in regeneration but can result in many construction challenges, especially for mechanical and electrical contractors. Implementing modern services into an historic building, especially one that is listed, is challenging both in terms of design and installation. Each project will present its own set of hurdles depending on the type of building and its future use, so there is a wide range of factors to consider.

Glasgow Life turned to IES Consulting to address issues concerning operational performance at the Riverside Museum, which is the city’s award-winning transport museum. It houses over 3,000 objects – from skateboards to locomotives, paintings to prams and cars to a Stormtrooper.

Fan coil units are a popular choice for engineers when selecting a reliable and efficient source of heating and cooling for a building. They do not require a large central plant to function and with simple proven, controllable technology and installation flexibility, they meet the demands of most commercial applications.

Located on the River Great Ouse in Ely, the new Cambridge University Boathouse is a state-of-the-art facility that acts as a centre of excellence for rowing. It aims to use energy as efficiently as possible and maintain perfect comfort conditions for occupants and users.

With investment in leisure centres growing, M&E contractors must shape up to take on the challenges presented by increasingly complex facilities. Toby Buckley shares his insights from the M&E contractor’s point of view.

Craig Riley explains why modular buildings are a popular solution for today’s education market, and how the prefabricated buildings provide usable, sustainable classrooms.

Specifiers face a series of unique challenges when it comes to upgrading heating systems in historic buildings such as churches. Steven Evans highlights what needs to be considered to ensure projects go smoothly.