Building services engineers at 2 Finsbury Avenue have taken a part-load approach to reflect the reality of flexible working. Andy Pearson finds out how Ramboll has engineered a system that aims to optimise efficiency whether the building is hosting a full house of 7,000 or a core team of 70
Tag: Retrofit
Heritage first: net zero audit of Hamilton House
The office retrofit of Hamilton House shows how thoughtful refurbishment, strong operational performance and targeted optimisation can position historic buildings for ‘net zero carbon aligned’ status, says Greengage Environmental’s Apeksha Gupta
Redefining with retrofit: CIBSE’s Building Performance Champion
The University of Auckland’s B201 is one of the world’s most sustainable academic buildings. Andy Pearson explores how CIBSE’s 2026 Building Performance Champion used deep retrofit and building services engineering to transform the 1970s campus
Building Performance Award winners 2026
The projects, products and people setting the benchmarks for excellence in building services engineering
A match made in heritage: heat pumps in historic buildings
Large heat pumps can perform well in historical properties, but only if designers understand the context of the setting and its use, says a new report from Historic England. Alex Smith highlights lessons learned
Retrofit reality: achieving a 5.5 Star NABERS UK rating
The star performer in the NABERS UK ratings scheme is not a gleaming new office scheme, but the 1960s office of consultant engineer Watkins Payne, which has a forensic approach to energy efficiency. Alex Smith highlights its approach
Setting the standard for social housing
Social housing retrofits can meet the upcoming UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard, but the costs are high, says ECD Architects’ Loreana Padron, based on a 48-homes Cambridge City Council pilot delivered by the practice
Piloting the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard
The highly anticipated UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard is set to launch in early 2026, after a year of feedback from more than 200 pilot projects. At a recent CIBSE conference, engineers shared the lessons that have been instrumental to defining the Standard’s final version. Molly Tooher-Rudd reports
The next industrial revolution: refurbishing the Power Hall
An innovative low carbon heating system – designed by Max Fordham and centred on water source heat pumps and an electric steam boiler — now powers a collection of Victorian steam engines at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester. Andy Pearson reports
Holy electric: Lambeth Palace’s £40m net zero retrofit
Balancing history and innovation, the £40m retrofit of Lambeth Palace demonstrates how a holistic approach can secure a low carbon future for historic estates. Andy Pearson reports