The 11-storey Breeze Hotel in Amsterdam has a unique natural ventilation system that uses solar chimneys and water droplets sprayed into a shaft to move air around the building. Andy Pearson speaks to the academic behind the concept, Dr Ben Bronsema, and looks at how his ‘earth, wind and fire’ theory became reality
Tag: Cooling
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
The impact on system design
As older systems come to the end of their life, they are progressively being replaced with alternatives that use lower GWP refrigerants. Martin Passingham, product manager for DX at Daikin UK, looks at what this means for the design of existing systems
Going to any length – chilled beams at Lambeth Civic Centre
Limited space and the need for flexibility helped drive the specification of chilled beams at Lambeth Civic Centre. Frenger’s Michael Ainley explains
Recovery, recycling and reuse
Significantly reducing the demand for imported higher-GWP refrigerants before the next quota reduction in 2021 will be key to avoiding many supply and price issues experienced since late 2017, says Daikin’s Martin Passingham
Making sense of complexity – Build2Perform Live coverage
Build2Perform Live tackled the issues that will change the way we design and deliver buildings for the next 30 years as the industry strives for zero carbon. Alex Smith reports
Refrigerant choice
Despite the F-Gas phasedown that is taking place over the next 12 years, there is still a wide range of refrigerants available. Martin Passingham, product manager for DX at Daikin UK looks at the current landscape and the factors that inform the selection of refrigerants
The living lab: making data count
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
Sounding the alarm – flammable refrigerant gas safety concerns
Air conditioning and refrigeration firms are becoming increasingly worried about the amount of flammable refrigerant gas being used by engineers without suitable training, writes Ewen Rose
Fit for purpose – how best to keep cool in exercise spaces
Current design guidance for fitness spaces is not always optimised for comfort, according to Max Fordham’s Henry Pelly, who says people exercising keep cool more effectively when air movement is maximised