Scott James, director at Viega, looks at why thick-walled steel tube continues to be a common choice and how press connection technology helps overcome many of the traditional installation issues
Category: Technical
Plants as a building service
Plants are proven to remove pollutants and improve air quality, but which species should be considered? Researchers from the University of Birmingham and the RHS review the latest research looking for answers
Evaluating dynamic lighting
Dynamic ‘circadian’ lighting varies in colour and intensity during the day, but does it improve alertness and help people sleep? BRE’s Paul Littlefair and Cosmin Ticleanu describe an experiment that aims to find out
Case study: Lark Rise, the UK’s first Passivhaus Plus
A Passivhaus Plus home in the Chiltern Hills establishes the ‘building as a power station’ concept and shows the viability of an electrical grid powered by renewable energy. Andy Pearson reports
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
Take me higher: A’DAM Tower lift strategy
The lift configuration in the newly refurbished A’DAM tower in Amsterdam has been radically redesigned to accommodate a huge increase in traffic. Jochem Wit explains how this was achieved through a combination of technical, architectural and organisational measure
In the hot seat: Interview with Dave Pearson
Large heat pump installations could change the way heat is generated in the UK and help decarbonise existing buildings in cities, says Star Renewable Energy’s David Pearson, who speaks to our journalist Andy Pearson
Intranets for heat: Introducing BEN networks
The balanced energy network at London South Bank University has been part-funded by Innovate UK to help accelerate the creation of smart heat-sharing networks. These balance the heating and cooling needs of different buildings and act as a virtual energy store to help the National Grid match supply and demand. Andy Pearson reports
Unlocking the Grid
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