A packed CIBSE briefing looked at how heat pumps can be applied effectively in commercial buildings. Speakers explored design quality, retrofit challenges and the policy drivers needed to unlock the market. Molly Tooher-Rudd reports
Author: mollytooherrudd
Could waste heat hold the key to decarbonisation?
Seven heat networks based around waste-heat sources could supply up to 6% of London’s heat needs, according to a Waste Heat Study for the GLA by Buro Happold. Bill Wilson reports
Holy electric: Lambeth Palace’s £40m net zero retrofit
Balancing history and innovation, the £40m retrofit of Lambeth Palace demonstrates how a holistic approach can secure a low carbon future for historic estates. Andy Pearson reports
Moving with the times: CIBSE updates Guide D Transportation in Buildings
The latest update to Guide D Transportation in Buildings coincided with the launch of the Society of Vertical Transportation, which gives its members greater professional recognition for their work in the sector
Optimising a new nature-first hotel through digital design
Parametric optimisation and real-time modelling guided early design choices at a new luxury hotel in Spain, cutting embodied and operational carbon. Aecom’s Inés Idzikowski Pérez on how performance, cost and client aspirations were aligned
Engineering a sustainable stay: how net zero impacts hotel design
With 24/7 operation, intensive energy demands and frequent refurbishments, hotels are among the toughest buildings to decarbonise. Given that the upcoming UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard has sector carbon limits, Molly Tooher-Rudd looks at the challenges of achieving net zero hotels
Making sure homes are really decent: updates to the DHS
Proposed reforms to the Decent Homes Standard are broadly welcome, but CIBSE believes more attention must be paid to ventilation and air quality, electrical standards and overheating, says Julie Godefroy
Removing the blind spots: hybridised pipework
Hybridised construction products, such as polyethylene pre-insulated MLCP pipes, are slipping through the regulatory gaps. Chris Ridge, from the Thermal Insulation Contractors Association, believes informed specification and rigorous scrutiny may be the only safeguard against performance shortfalls and hidden compliance risks
The water in Mallorca: reducing water waste in the leisure sector
Water scarcity is one of the biggest challenges facing the Hotel sector. Anthony Hume, Director at Aecom, Hospitality Sector Lead explores how hotels can cut water use without compromising guest experience
30 under 30 2025
CIBSE Global YEN introduces its 30 under 30 for 2025, showcasing the the best and brightest young engineers