We will emerge from lockdown to a sense of déjà vu. Covid-19 has not changed targets to cut carbon emissions by 2050 or the need to improve building safety. Hywel Davies considers how these ambitions interact
Tag: COVID
Air of authority: interview with Professor Catherine Noakes
Professor Catherine Noakes’ knowledge of ventilation and infection transmission has made her one of the government’s key scientific advisers on Covid-19. In recognition of her work, she was made an OBE last month. Alex Smith talks to her about the challenge of winter and the impact of infection control going mainstream
Leading light: ensuring effective use of UV technology in buildings
Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation has been used for many years to mitigate the spread of measles and tuberculosis. It can effectively inactivate the Covid-19 virus too, but a lack of guidelines makes modelling the equipment a complex task. Liza Young reports
Winter protection: version 4 of CIBSE’s Covid-19 Ventilation Guide
The cold season brings new challenges for building managers trying to minimise the Covid-19 risk while maintaining occupant comfort. Chris Iddon introduces the latest CIBSE guidance on optimum HVAC strategies for Covid-secure buildings
Emergency call: temporary Covid-19 hospitals
Arup’s modular emergency healthcare solution, CareBox, can be deployed rapidly wherever it’s needed. Phil Lattimore finds out how it works, and looks at how other designs have responded to increasing knowledge of how Covid-19 is transmitted
Knowledge transfer: Q&A with CIBSE Knowledge Management Committee chair
The Covid-19 crisis means this year’s Build2Perform is virtual, but Ted Pilbeam, chair of CIBSE’s Knowledge Management Committee, sees opportunities for online learning, which will influence how CIBSE disseminates information in the future
Distance and dilution: Hoare Lea’s Covid-secure headquarters
Before Hoare Lea started offering advice to clients about making their offices Covid-secure it looked at how its own air handling units could be modified to make its King’s Cross headquarters safe and comfortable. Hoare Lea’s Steve Wisby explains
Unwanted guests: bipolar ionisation in hotel rooms
Bipolar ionisation can improve air quality and remove odours from hotel rooms, says Spire Building Services’ Adam Taylor, who highlights research in Spain on its use to reduce the risk of Covid-19
Case study: retrofit of Fairfield Halls theatre
Fairfield Halls theatre in Croydon is a prime example of 1960s public architecture, so when Max Fordham was asked to devise a services strategy during a major refurbishment, it had to stay faithful to the original while maintaining 21st-century comfort and efficiency. Andy Pearson reports
Safety with numbers: using data to make workplaces Covid-secure
Data monitoring can help identify poorly ventilated office spaces at risk from Covid-19, as well as highlight poorly performing HVAC systems during lockdowns, says Carbon Intelligence’s Khasha Mohammadian