Plugging an electric vehicle into a home energy network could save homeowners £300 a year, according to a new study by the University of Salford in collaboration with Honda and two energy firms. Phil Lattimore looks at the challenge of integrating cars with all-electric homes
Category: Technical
Film studies – retrofitting window film
A BIM library for window film will allow the technology to be modelled accurately during design, says Andrew Cooper, of Evora Edge
Best practice for system maintenance
Scott James, Director at Viega, discusses the importance of ensuring building service systems are not only installed and commissioned correctly but also maintained appropriately to prevent contamination, corrosion and shortened lifespans of the pipework
Tuning into the body clock: spectrally tunable lighting systems
For the first time in a real office setting, a study has been carried out into the impact of a dynamic, spectrally tunable lighting system on the wellbeing of its occupants. Rohit Manudhane outlines the aims, methodology and initial conclusions of the research
Showcasing net-zero: Event Complex Aberdeen’s energy strategy
The Event Complex Aberdeen has a sophisticated energy strategy combining anaerobic digestion, hydrogen fuel cells and CHP plant. Andy Pearson talks to HDR | Hurley Palmer Flatt about the system design, which also produces hydrogen for a fleet of local buses
Alight and well: lighting for healthcare environments
Lighting of healthcare environments is moving beyond clinical necessity. Andrew Bissell examines the critical need to consider the non-visual, as well as the visual, aspects of illumination
Growing interest: using wastewater to heat Britain’s giant greenhouses
To minimise carbon emissions, developers behind two huge greenhouses in East Anglia are using heat from nearby wastewater treatment plants to provide perfect growing conditions. Phil Lattimore reports on the innovative engineering behind the facilities
What is the most efficient system for heating zero carbon homes?
What is the most effective way of heating our future zero carbon homes? Chris Twinn has been researching the issue for five years and has found that standalone ‘autonomous’ heat recovery systems offer the most benefits when considering high-density homes
A condensing guide to CHP efficiency
CHP can offer savings in applications with high, constant heat demand, but how designers integrate it will impact on the benefits. Remeha’s Ryan Kirkwood considers the options in the first of a two-part series
Level best: highlights from the 10th Symposium on Lift and Escalator Technologies
The 10th Symposium on Lift and Escalator Technologies covered simulation, connectivity and safety, as the Lift and Escalator Industry Association’s Nick Mellor reports