The growing life sciences sector is leading to more office space being repurposed as research laboratories for cutting-edge firms, including a former BBC building in West London. Andy Pearson reports
Author: Alex Smith
Heart of the matter: calculating embodied carbon using TM65
Embodied carbon in MEP equipment makes up a large proportion of building emissions, but is hard to measure. Elementa Consulting’s Louise Hamot and Clara Bagenal George explain how CIBSE’s TM65 methodology estimates components’ environmental impact
Highlights from Build2Perform 2020
Achieving net-zero carbon was one of the key themes at the CIBSE Build2Perform online conference, alongside building safety, Brexit and minimising the risk of Covid-19. Alex Smith, Liza Young and Phil Lattimore hear how engineers are responding to a changing landscape
Thriving in the fourth industrial revolution
Automation of simple M&E tasks will free up engineers to develop innovative zero carbon designs, argue CIBSE’s Carl Collins and Jagannatha Reddy
Engineers respond to the climate emergency
As more and more organisations signup to Building Services Engineers Declare Climate and Biodiversity Emergency, seven signatories explain the movement’s significance
Business studies: adapting commercial offices for universities
With office occupation in central London not expected to return to pre-Covid levels, Andy Pearson finds out how space has been repurposed for university students at two major developments
Research on indoor air quality for homeworkers
Millions of people now work from home because of Covid-19 restrictions, but are they working in a healthy environment? Researchers have assessed the impact on indoor air quality in eight homes. Anastasia Mylona reports
The ambient lighting manifesto
Leading lighting academics Peter Boyce, Kit Cuttle, Kevin Kelly and Peter Raynham are calling for a fundamental change to lighting practice
One vision: integrating intelligent HVAC
Integrating intelligent HVAC controls could resolve systems conflicts and give facilities managers a powerful online tool to manage their portfolios. Aecom’s Mary-Ann Clarke MCIBSE reports from a CIBSE HVAC Group webinar on implementing smart HVAC systems
Water quality: Locked-down buildings’ ticking time bomb
Water-quality tests reveal deteriorating water conditions in commercial buildings under lockdown. Guardian Water Treatment’s Tom O’ Sullivan says action is needed in underused facilities to avoid HVAC breakdowns and the risk of legionella