Hoare Lea’s Living Lab is exploring how data can be used to optimise buildings for both energy use and the comfort of occupants. Alex Smith takes a glimpse into a smarter future
Category: Technical
Train of thought – Elizabeth line lighting concept
GIA Equation’s Keith Miller explains the overarching principles behind the lighting concept for the Elizabeth line, Europe’s largest infrastructure project
Sensor sensibility: Newcastle University’s Urban Sciences Building
Newcastle University’s Urban Sciences Building has 4,000 sensors to help optimise user comfort and energy performance. Andy Pearson reports
Natural selection – measuring the effects of the Biophilic Office
A major BRE study on biophilic office design will focus on how lighting impacts on the wellbeing of occupants. BRE’s Flavie Lowres describes the aims of the project
High streetwise – SLL’s guide to retail lighting
The SLL has published its first guide to retail lighting. Jill Entwistle talks to author Simon Robinson about why it was needed and what it covers
Judicial renew – replacing heating and cooling at the Old Bailey
Fifty-year-old boilers at the Old Bailey are being replaced under the watchful eye of Lady Justice, in a major 10-year refurbishment. Andy Pearson speaks to the project team about the challenge of replacing heating and cooling without interrupting proceedings in 18 law courts
Reach for the stars – taking a lift into space
An elevator that takes passengers into space may sound like the stuff of fiction, but Dr Bryan E Laubscher’s keynote at the 9th Symposium on Lift and Escalator Technologies reveals that interplanetary travel by lift is rooted in scientific reality
Paradise forged – Heating and cooling at Center Parcs Longford Forest resort
Center Parcs Longford Forest resort required renewable energy generation, ventilation that didn’t harm tropical plants and a new €4.5m, 27km gas main. Andy Pearson reports
Object lessons – workshop on creating product objects for BIM
Ahead of the launch of a new competency scheme for manufacturers creating product data, CIBSE and the Society of Digital Engineering hosted a workshop that shone a light on the issues around creating product objects for BIM. Alex Smith reports
Chipping away at the data – optimising biomass plant at St Andrews University
A biomass district heating scheme is key to the University of St Andrews’ goal of being energy carbon neutral. Vital Energi’s David Wilkinson says operational data analysis is optimising carbon savings and ensuring a return on the £25m investment