Case study: targeting UK’s highest Nabers rating in Pimlico

The Belgrave Road office development in London is the first to receive a Nabers UK 5.5 target rating for its carefully considered design. Andy Pearson finds out how the rating scheme’s independent design review process drove down operational energy use on the hybrid ambient loop/variable refrigerant flow scheme

Commercial heat pumps: ‘The default solution’

While heat pumps are becoming more common in many building sectors, there are still issues to overcome before they become mainstream in the UK. Amanda Birch reports on CIBSE Journal’s latest roundtable, which considers the benefits and barriers of widescale adoption of heat pumps in commercial buildings

Bundles of energy: the platform approach to decarbonising schools

The Department for Education is exploring how it can apply platform construction principles to create an innovative retrofit solution that can decarbonise schools and colleges, and facilities in other sectors. Andy Pearson reports on the energy pod concept

The dash from gas: converting schools from gas to heat pumps

With the need to switch from fossil fuels to renewables becoming ever more pressing, one heat pump retrofit schools project in Yorkshire could be the example to follow. Phil Lattimore looks at the project funded by the government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme

Case study: St John’s College, Oxford, Library and Study Centre

Max Fordham’s design for the Library and Study Centre at St John’s College, Oxford, is a worthy winner of the CIBSE Champion of Champions title. Andy Pearson looks at an all-electric services design that provides comfort while targeting net zero emissions

Radical departure? Retrofitting for heat pumps

With the pressure on homeowners to replace domestic gas boilers with heat pumps, it is essential that engineers ensure that existing radiators and pipework are suitable for the lower-temperature heat source. David Palmer looks at the key considerations when upgrading a heating system