The soaring price of refrigerant gas is leading to an outbreak of unsafe and illegal practices, writes Ewen Rose
Category: Technical
Practicing perfect commissioning for air conditioning systems
Air conditioning offers benefits in terms of cooling and heating, but only if systems are commissioned correctly before they are put into use. Fujitsu’s Martyn Ives explains
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
Why gas CHP still measures up
Despite the rapid decarbonisation of the UK electricity grid and lower wholesale prices, properly sized combined heat and power with thermal storage still offers an economic, lower-carbon energy option, explains director of Carbon Alternatives Martin Crane
Post-occupancy evaluation of hybrid ventilation in schools
Temperature and air quality in classrooms are known to affect learning, but new schools are often built on tight budgets and with low carbon ambitions. Post-occupancy evaluation is adding to the evidence for local hybrid ventilation systems, says BAM Construct UK’s Paula Morgenstern
Innovative ventilation at the Simon Sainsbury Centre
Arup’s innovative ventilation strategy not only preserved the aesthetic of the Simon Sainsbury Centre in Cambridge, but also exploited the building’s thermal mass. Arup’s Joshua Bird explains
Technical due diligence in commercial property
Robust technical advice given by an M&E engineer can benefit property landlords, investors and occupants – so, asks Tuffin Ferraby Taylor’s Marc Hill, why do so few consultants offer expert transactional services?
Using CFD to predict flows in chilled beams
Computational Fluid Dynamics can be used to gauge flow predictions for chilled beams, according to Abdullah Karimi’s paper presented at the ASHRAE 2018 Winter Conference. Tim Dwyer reports
How to achieve nearly zero carbon emissions with evaporative cooling
In many climates, comfort cooling with zero carbon emissions can be achieved through a combination of evaporative cooling, renewables and a more relaxed dress code in the summer, says John Hammond
Thermal labyrinth offers comfort at Canadian hospital
A new emergency department at a Canadian hospital enabled designers to use a basement void to install a thermal labyrinth and find their way to healthy energy savings. Tim Dwyer reports