As demand for AI pushes data centre rack power from 20kW to 130kW, the industry is hitting the physical limits of air cooling. Experts at a recent CIBSE Journal roundtable, held in collaboration with Tate, discuss how Nvidia’s new Blackwell chips are forcing a rapid transition to liquid cooling – and why engineers must design for a high-density future
Category: Technical
Heat Pump Research Symposium: From performance to practice
What is really limiting heat pump deployment? Tim Dwyer looks at barriers and opportunities after considering research and evidence presented at the government’s recent heat pump symposium
AM 10 Natural ventilation: from feasibility to physics
The latest update of CIBSE AM10 provides a framework to ensure that natural ventilation is applied appropriately, taking into account overheating risk, urban constraints and increasingly complex systems. Co-authors Chris Iddon and Dr Benjamin Jones provide a summary
Rewiring the future: closing the data centre knowledge gap
As data centre demand surges, engineers are racing to redesign power, cooling and infrastructure systems. Molly Tooher-Rudd finds out how CIBSE’s Data Centre Special Interest Group is tackling these challenges
Redefining with retrofit: CIBSE’s Building Performance Champion
The University of Auckland’s B201 is one of the world’s most sustainable academic buildings. Andy Pearson explores how CIBSE’s 2026 Building Performance Champion used deep retrofit and building services engineering to transform the 1970s campus
Storing up trouble: flexible technologies closing energy peak gaps
The UK’s net zero transition depends on solving the ‘five peaks challenge’ to balance energy supply and demand, according to a new report. Alex Smith discovers how flexibility and thermal storage could help unlock a low-cost, decarbonised Grid
A match made in heritage: heat pumps in historic buildings
Large heat pumps can perform well in historical properties, but only if designers understand the context of the setting and its use, says a new report from Historic England. Alex Smith highlights lessons learned
Stopping the rot: addressing ventilation failures
Poorly installed insulation without adequate ventilation has caused damage to thousands of homes. Molly Tooher-Rudd looks at how the industry is tackling the spread of mould and damp
Why proven heat pumps still struggle to scale
The successful adoption of heat pumps is affected by complexity, compatibility and user experience, according to UC Davis research. Tim Dwyer looks at how consumer uncertainty threatens the rollout of heat pumps into the mainstream
Setting the standard for social housing
Social housing retrofits can meet the upcoming UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard, but the costs are high, says ECD Architects’ Loreana Padron, based on a 48-homes Cambridge City Council pilot delivered by the practice