Harrods’ entrance hall has been refurbished in time for the new-year sales. Liza Young finds out how modern services fit with the store’s heritage
Tag: Electrical
Food for thought – power by cooking oil
Used cooking oil from London restaurants is powering two PwC office buildings. It is a pioneering approach to sustainability, but threw up challenges that required innovative thinking and strict maintenance. ChapmanBDSP’s Darren Coppins explains
Staying power – demand-system response
In an emerging electricity market, bidders can offer various services to the grid to help balance the network, says Hoare Lea’s Nick Cullen
A National Grid without coal means heating without gas
As the National Grid’s carbon intensity continues to fall, the future looks electric, says Nigel Banks
Above and beyond – innovation in building photovoltaics
As the 2020 ‘nearly zero’ energy buildings target approaches, Liza Young explores Swansea University’s pioneering research into building-integrated photovoltaics, as well as its unique ways of storing heat for use all year round
The home of graphene
The first big breakthrough in graphene took place in Manchester, and now the city has a £61m facility aimed at developing the material for everyday use. CH2M Hill’s Ian MacAskill describes the challenge of designing services for the extraordinarily complex National Graphene Institute
For those about to dock
The installation of PV panels means more UK homes are moving from AC to DC generation. This makes electrical distribution more efficient, says Ian Billington, since most electricity demand in households – such as LEDs, digital devices and, in future, electric cars – are DC loads
Tesla’s power shift is a smart move
The announcement that Tesla has developed a domestic battery gives smart grid technology a high-profile boost, says ECA’s Bill Wright, who calculates payback rates of about 8-10 years