Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation has been used for many years to mitigate the spread of measles and tuberculosis. It can effectively inactivate the Covid-19 virus too, but a lack of guidelines makes modelling the equipment a complex task. Liza Young reports
Author: Alex Smith
Winter protection: version 4 of CIBSE’s Covid-19 Ventilation Guide
The cold season brings new challenges for building managers trying to minimise the Covid-19 risk while maintaining occupant comfort. Chris Iddon introduces the latest CIBSE guidance on optimum HVAC strategies for Covid-secure buildings
Emergency call: temporary Covid-19 hospitals
Arup’s modular emergency healthcare solution, CareBox, can be deployed rapidly wherever it’s needed. Phil Lattimore finds out how it works, and looks at how other designs have responded to increasing knowledge of how Covid-19 is transmitted
Oxford’s balancing act: city smart grid with ground source heat pumps
Oxford is building an intelligent local grid that will allow buildings’ heat pumps to be connected to a smart grid that is able to charge hundreds of electric vehicles, thanks to a large-scale battery technology. Andy Pearson reports
Sensible approach: specification advice for fan coil (terminal) units
Selecting the wrong fan coil (terminal) units can have disastrous consequences for occupant comfort, according to SSH’s Imran Shaikh at the CIBSE UAE Healthy Buildings Conference. Tim Dwyer took notes
Distance and dilution: Hoare Lea’s Covid-secure headquarters
Before Hoare Lea started offering advice to clients about making their offices Covid-secure it looked at how its own air handling units could be modified to make its King’s Cross headquarters safe and comfortable. Hoare Lea’s Steve Wisby explains
A question of competence
The draft Building Safety Bill sets out new requirements for professional competence. Hywel Davies considers proposals in the draft framework
Unwanted guests: bipolar ionisation in hotel rooms
Bipolar ionisation can improve air quality and remove odours from hotel rooms, says Spire Building Services’ Adam Taylor, who highlights research in Spain on its use to reduce the risk of Covid-19
Case study: retrofit of Fairfield Halls theatre
Fairfield Halls theatre in Croydon is a prime example of 1960s public architecture, so when Max Fordham was asked to devise a services strategy during a major refurbishment, it had to stay faithful to the original while maintaining 21st-century comfort and efficiency. Andy Pearson reports
Planning sticking points
More environmental rigour is needed to support the government’s rhetoric on deregulating planning while ensuring standards, says Julie Godefroy