If electric vehicles and batteries are to herald an all-electric future for homes, smart tech must be developed and tested to ensure there is always available energy to match household demand. Andy Pearson reports
Author: Alex Smith
Best practice for lower-GWP refrigerants: installation, commissioning and servicing
Daikin’s Martin Passingham explains how new refrigerants meeting the F-Gas Regulation can be safely installed and maintained
Tackling NOx from CHPs
Policies encouraging gas-fired CHPs in London are going into reverse. David Blackman looks at how new air pollution policies will affect the future of heat in the capital
Industry wakes up to reality at Futurebuild
At the conference formerly known as Ecobuild, there was a large focus on housing and monitoring performance, as well as debates on the future of heat and integration of electric vehicles. Alex Smith and Andy Pearson report
Silent treatment: acoustic design in an open plan school
The design brief for Trumpington Community College was for open teaching spaces overlooking a large, airy atrium. The challenge for Max Fordham’s acoustic engineers was ensuring teachers were not disturbed by noise from neighbouring spaces. Andy Pearson reports
Measuring beyond energy in a school POE
Evidence gathered from a school campus in London shows the lessons that can be learned from a holistic approach to building design and operation, which improves energy performance while ensuring indoor environment quality. By lead author Nishesh Jain, Dr Esfand Burman and Dr Craig Robertson
Materials for potable water
Careful specification of the materials for drinking water applications will ensure the quality of the supply within a building is maintained. Here, Scott James, Director at Viega discusses the factors that engineers and installers need to consider
Key changes in the updated Heat Networks Code of Practice
A major update to the Heat Networks Code of Practice includes key performance outputs that allow clients to check their networks are performing as designed. Here, the authors highlight the major revisions
Hays Salary Survey 2019: Bridge over troubled water
Uncertainty over Brexit has not dented the confidence of the building services sector. Above-average pay rises and a continuing skills shortage mean adventurous engineers still have many opportunities to explore. David Blackman reports
SAP 10: Other factors to consider
Lower carbon factors for grid electricity, in draft SAP 10, will profoundly affect how designers provide heat and power to buildings. Remeha’s general manager, Mike Hefford, puts the case for monthly intensity calculations