Ant Wilson FCIBSE has been at the forefront of building services innovation for 40 years, helping to change how engineers design buildings. After his retirement from Aecom, Alex Smith looks back at a prolific career
Category: General
Opening the loop – CP3 guide
Open-loop groundwater source heat pumps are poorly understood and little used in the UK. A new code of practice, CP3, aims to raise standards, say Phil Jones and Bean Beanland
Force of nature – naturally ventilating Amsterdam’s Breeze Hotel
The 11-storey Breeze Hotel in Amsterdam has a unique natural ventilation system that uses solar chimneys and water droplets sprayed into a shaft to move air around the building. Andy Pearson speaks to the academic behind the concept, Dr Ben Bronsema, and looks at how his ‘earth, wind and fire’ theory became reality
In plane sight: ultra-high-resolution thermal imaging
Ultra-high-resolution thermal imaging technology is giving researchers much more detail on how cities are affected by high temperatures. James Richards explains how a land-temperature sensing project, led by King’s College London, could help assess urban overheating risk and model ventilation strategies
An engineer first – interview with new CIBSE President Lynne Jack
The new President of CIBSE, Professor Lynne Jack, is the first woman to hold the position. Here, she tells Alex Smith that the notion of women reaching senior positions in building services now needs to be considered the norm
Prime example – How industry can promote diversity in engineering
After the inauguration of the first female CIBSE President, Liza Young finds out why inclusivity and female role models benefit engineering organisations and looks at what industry is doing to boost diversity
Towering savings – water conservation in cooling towers
Big cuts in building water consumption can be achieved by using non-potable water in cooling towers, says Hilson Moran’s Andrew Russell, who considers what water treatment solutions make the best savings
Leaner machines – using data analytics to reduce oversizing in building systems
Data-driven design can reduce energy consumption by reducing the oversizing of plant. Ramboll’s Andrew Henderson shares building performance data that suggests 30% of heating and cooling plant capacity will never be required
Heightened awareness: Avoiding cold draughts in offices with exposed ceilings
The trend for exposed ceilings in offices can have serious consequences for occupant comfort if designers don’t take into account the impact they have on air movement. Gilbert’s Roy Jones explains how draughts and cold spots can be avoided by using special plates added to diffusers
How audio visualisation can drive the natural ventilation of buildings
Acoustics and ventilation should be designed in tandem to ensure optimal performance in naturally ventilated buildings, says Mach’s Ze Nunes, who shares research on software that visualises noise to give designers a sound basis for their decision-making
