BuroHappold won two categories at the CIBSE Building Performance Awards, and was shortlisted for a third. Alex Smith visits the company that measures success in terms of optimum building performance
Category: General
Site test – testing heat networks before handover
Acceptance testing allows developers to see if heat networks are working before handover. The tool is being used across 20 developments, says FairHeat’s Gareth Jones, enabling issues that could lead to poor operation to be identified
Spiritual dome: lighting design and fire protection at The Macallan distillery
Half submerged in the Scottish hills, The Macallan distillery is a dramatic visual representation of the distilling process. Andy Pearson looks at how Speirs + Major’s lighting design bought the process to life and how Arup dealt with the fire hazard
What went wrong with smoke ventilation at Grenfell Tower
The Grenfell Tower fire-safety investigation report found faults with the building’s smoke-extract system, among other failures. Liza Young finds out what went wrong, and what the industry can do to prevent a similar disaster
Energiesprong – the Dutch system that could rescue Britain’s social housing
Energiesprong is a Dutch housing process that encourages developers to consider real-world performance. Alex Smith looks at the first UK pilot and Melius Homes’ strategy for guaranteeing outcomes in a retrofit
What electric vehicle charging means for building services design
With electric vehicles set to replace diesel and petrol cars by 2040, Ramboll’s Adam Selvey says engineers must act now to ensure buildings can deal with the unprecedented demand for electricity
How pollution affects indoor air quality in buildings
The quality of the air people breathe is vital for their health and wellbeing. CIBSE Journal looks at two reports focusing on how outdoor pollution affects indoor air quality in schools and commercial premises based in and around London
Interview: new CIBSE President Stephen Lisk
The built environment is on the cusp of dramatic change, and CIBSE must be agile to keep up. Liza Young speaks to the Institution’s new President about the year ahead
A radical rethink: key points from the Hackitt review
Dame Judith Hackitt’s review of Building Regulations and fire safety, in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire, calls for a complete overhaul of how we construct and regulate buildings. Andrew Pearson looks at the implications for building services engineers
Harvesting data from an underground farm to understand plants’ impact on air quality
A micro greens farm below Clapham is helping researchers understand the impact of plants on their surroundings. The University of Cambridge’s Rebecca Ward reports on a project that aims to quantify the benefits
