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
Category: General
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
Tunnel vision: the challenge of cooling the London Underground
It carries five million passengers a day and is integral to the smooth running of the capital – but could the Tube also allow developers to tap a huge secondary heat source? Andy Pearson investigates
Using cloud-based BIM to design London’s Royal Wharf development
Online-based BIM collaboration is helping to deliver the Royal Wharf development in London’s Docklands, as Phil Lattimore reports
Setting the standard – new BIM guides on security and health and safety
As the layers of BIM standards get more and more complex, it is important to identify the most useful protocols. CIBSE’s Carl Collins examines two new guides on security and health and safety
Architype’s Jonathan Hines on perfecting Passivhaus
With two Passivhaus buildings winning 2018 CIBSE Building Performance Awards, Andy Pearson speaks to architect Jonathan Hines about the rise in popularity of the accredition system and why he thinks it may one day become mandatory in the UK
Inform, challenge and entertain – highlights from the 2018 CIBSE Technical Symposium
Indoor air quality, circadian lighting and decarbonisation of the Grid were among the topics at last month’s CIBSE Technical Symposium at London South Bank University. Alex Smith and Liza Young highlight some standout papers
Motorway services – controlling external noise in naturally ventilated homes
A desire for naturally ventilated homes on the North West Cambridge development was threatened by noise from the M11. Apex Acoustics’ Nick Conlan explains how an attenuated system ensured a good night’s sleep for all
Rising from the ashes – the revamped renewable heat incentive
The Northern Irish version contributed to bringing down a government and the entire scheme has been branded a waste of taxpayers’ money, but it looks as if the Renewable Heat Incentive is here to stay… and offering guaranteed returns for investors, writes Ewen Rose
CIBSE guidance: TM60 Good practice in the design of homes
CIBSE’s new guidance promotes integration of building services engineers in the design, construction and operation of high-quality homes, as Aecom’s Tom Lelyveld highlights