2016 May

Gooee sounds like a silly name - but it's bringing the Internet of Things to Buildings

Installers should be the central focus of future policymaking in the energy-efficiency retrofit market

Toshiba Air Conditioning has introduced a warranty scheme that is based on installer skills and competence. David Dunn, director and general manager, explains, ‘The industry’s approach to warranty cover has traditionally been based on how much a customer spends with the manufacturer. This is unhelpful and illogical, as in practical terms what matters for warranty purposes is the technical proficiency of the installer and how competent they are in carrying out installation, commissioning and on-going servicing of the equipment.’

Hoval’s ServeLine system for cooling data centres avoids the need for mechanical cooling for about 97% over overall operating times, in accordance with ASHRAE TC9.9 ‘Data center networking equipment — issues and best practices’. The ServeLine concept uses three forms of cooling, with mechanical cooling introduced only when required to meet unusually high cooling loads.

Viessmann now offers boilers with WiFi and Internet connectivity, enabling installers to respond promptly to automatic fault notifications, with the added convenience of remote performance monitoring and online service planning. Unlike previous connectivity technology, which linked end users’ smartphones with thermostats, this is said to be the first to connect directly with a domestic boiler and the first to remotely provide installers with comprehensive diagnostics data.

The replacement of existing CHP plant at Bedford Hospital includes boilers supplied by Mikrofill. The three Ethos boilers each have an output of 130 kW and will primarily serve the hospital’s HWS demand. They are configured to provide heat into the main system when hot-water requirements are at a minimum.

Investing in chemical water treatment for heating systems makes long-term financial sense — both to maximise energy efficiency and protect equipment, especially boilers. Neville Small of Potterton Commercial takes up the case.

Are you a devotee of wall-hung boilers or is floor-standing more your thing? With today’s boilers offering increased versatility and flexibility in system design, the modern plant room is benefitting from a major makeover. James Porter of Remeha Commercial, looks at the growing options to meet increased heat output demand within the tight constraints of the modern plant room.

Ideal Commercial Boilers has extended its range of Imax Xtra EL of floor-standing boilers with models offering outputs from 715 to 1240 kW. The range now comprises 10 models with outputs from 320 to 1240 kW. These new boilers expand the flexibility of the range while retaining a compact size that enables them to pass through standard doorways. The range outperforms the 2015 ErP requirements and offers very low NOx Class 6 performance for maximum BREEAM points.

ATAG Commercial’s Q Series range of boilers are designed for larger homes, commercial applications and properties with high hot-water demands. They have stainless-steel heat exchanger. There are three combination boilers with outputs of 25, 38 and 51 kW. There are also four system versions with outputs of 25, 38, 51 and 60 kW.

The Strathmore Hotel Group, which has hotels in northern England and Scotland, has installed wood pellet boilers to provide heating and hot water for seven hotels. The 36 BioWin Excel boilers from Windhager’s commercial range were installed by Green Guru of Newcastle to replace fossil-fuelled boilers.

Remeha Quinta Pro boilers contributed to a £3000 reduction in gas consumption in just four months at Sandbach School in Cheshire, despite having a greater heat output to meet its present-day requirements. Founded in 1677, it is now a free school with over 1300 students. The new boiler installation comprises six 115 kW boilers in cascade configuration.

Riello has introduced low-NOx (less than 80 mg/kWh) ‘blue-flame’ versions to all sizes of its RS range of burners. The use of a low-NOx combustion head ensures emissions conform to EN676 Class 3 in capacities from 3600 to 6260 kW.

Condensing boilers have been mandatory in the domestic market for over a decade, but it is only recently that the introduction of the Energy related Products (ErP) Directive has seen the commercial sector follow suit. Pete Mills of Bosch Commercial & Industrial Heating explains what the new requirements will mean for commercial boiler installations.

Stephen O’Neil of EOGB Energy Products looks at how significant efficiencies in heating systems can be delivered by optimising burner controls.

Stuart Turner of Hamworthy Heating looks at the replacement of boilers in commercial buildings and why a straight swap-in swap-out solution does not always present best value for money.

LED lighting is highly efficient, but it will still benefit from good control technology to support long-term operational efficiency, as Richard Holt of Trilux Lighting explains.

Carlo Gavazzi has extended its VMUC-EM platform with the VMU-D module to connect a USB dongle to provide 3G and 4G Internet connection. The result is a comprehensive energy-monitoring system that can be remotely managed by the 3G or 4G mobile network.

Why should organisations and businesses be embracing cloud-based energy management tools? Tim Holman of Team shares his views.

Products of Siemens Building Technologies that use the open KNX control protocol are now available through the My KNX Store. Ian Ellis, UK marketing manager with Siemens Building Technologies, explains, ‘We believe that making our KNX products available through My KNX Store will ensure our products are easily available and that installers are getting excellent support and advice while using them.

Energy savings of up to 50% are claimed for Airbloc air curtains and controllers for retail applications. The benefits of air curtains are well established, with an open-door policy increasing trade by 40%. Energy lost through open doors can be reduced by up to 80% with an air curtain.

AET Flexible Space’s FlexTouch mountable controller provides easy adjustment of the temperature and fanspeed of fantile units in its underfloor air-conditioning system. The traditional way of controlling the fantile units is via a hatch in the grille that covers the recessed fantile. The FlexTouch controller provides control without having to access the control in the fantile itself.

WEMS (Wireless Energy Management Systems Ltd) has reported its largest-ever order. It is for a company in Mexico and was placed by its newest value-added reseller PointVerde, based in Mexico City. The order is seen as a major step forward in the development of the WEMS business in the Latin American region.

Energy costs for an Australian operator of premium leisure assets have been reduced by 20% following the installation of RDM control and monitoring solutions in a number of locations across its division. Ardent Leisure’s portfolio consists of 52 bowling centres and amusement arcades, 77 health clubs, three theme parks and seven marinas.

The DXR range of BACnet controllers from Siemens Building Technologies offers robust control for various widely used terminal units. The controls are easy to install, saving money at the outset. They can support the efficient use of energy by occupants with the help of the Green Leaf programme. If there is a green leaf on the display, the system is operating efficiently. If the leaf turns red, simply pushing a button restores the system to its most energy-efficient setting. Calculations based on BS EN 15232 show that Green Leaf can save up to 25% of energy use.

Rinnai continuous-flow water heaters can be fully connected with building-management systems across multiple platforms — including popular protocols such as Modbus and BACnet. No longer need water heaters be isolated in lonely plant rooms.

Siemens Building Technologies has added four controllers for VAV (variable air volume) systems to its OpenAir range, along with a robust handheld operating unit. The new products are aimed firmly at the VAV market and support all major communications protocols — including KNX, BACnet and Modbus. They therefore integrate seamlessly into any application and system, including those from third-party vendors.

Lowering utility bills and being more sustainable are high on the agenda for most organisations, yet boilers across the nation continue to be inefficiently operated. Yasar Butt of Trend Control Systems, explains how anti dry-cycling measures can achieve significant energy savings when introduced into a Building energy management system (BEMS).

Not only can a modern and well managed HVAC infrastructure in hospitals improve patients care, but it can also dramatically reduce energy costs. Chris Needham of Schneider Electric shares his experiences.

The energy-efficiency capabilities of LED lighting in the 1800 m2 facility of Southampton Freight Services (SFS) are maximised by a control system devised by BEG. The new facility includes two warehouses. One is fully racked for bonded storage, and the other is designed to accommodate the fast-moving ‘in-transit’ operation.

The latest addition to Trend Control Systems’ range of IQ4 controllers is the IQ4E Slims range. Trend continues to reduce the footprint of its controllers, and a 70 mm IQ4E Slim compares to the 105 mm of a standard IQ4E I/O module. In addition, vertical connectors mean trunking can be situated immediately alongside a controller, saving even more space.

The LiveLink light-management system is the result of co-operation between lighting-technology company Trilux and sensor specialist Steinel. The system is based on the DALI standard and offers optimally matched hardware components and intelligent, intuitively operated software tools.

Beckhoff Automation offers a single, compact system that can be used to monitor and manage all aspects of a building — from lighting to heating, cooling and shading. The company describes its technology as open and holistic. Its controls allow numerous protocols to be used, but linked to a single building

With lighting everywhere but often very few people, lighting control in warehouses can pay rich dividends — as Rob Crookes of CP Electronics explains.

Effective control of HVAC systems can bring energy savings of 20 to 40%. Graham Martin of the EnOcean Alliance looks at how such substantial savings can be achieved with minimal disruption to the operation of a building.

As National Grid looks more closely at demand-side energy-management techniques for electricity, and new legislation changes how many companies pay for energy, Malcolm Anson considers the implications for building controls and BEMS.

Adexsi UK has launched a specialist service and maintenance division to provide support for critical fire- and smoke-protection equipment. Adexsi Protect has been set up in response to growing demand from building owners and managers keen to ensure their smoke-ventilation equipment continues to work as designed, particularly when called upon in the event of a fire to save lives and minimise damage to property.

AmbiRad, part of Nortek Global HVAC (UK) Ltd, Europe’s leading developer and manufacturer of energy-efficient HVAC systems, has introduced the SmartCom3 intelligent energy-management controller to satisfy the growing need for higher efficiencies and complement the development of efficient heating systems.

Verano UK have developed a heated bench seat in two versions, 1.0 metres long, giving an output up to 1400 watts and the 1.5 metres, giving up to 2250 watts. During 2016, it is also expected in a fan-assisted version too.

Engineers can get hands-on experience and familiarise themselves with Rinnai’s comprehensive range of ErP-labelled A-rated continuous-flow water heaters from tailor-made, flexible training courses. Designed by Rinnai’s expert training team, the scope of the course ranges from system design and installation through to maintenance.

To help reduce the energy consumption and CO2 emissions associated with the use of pumps, Grundfos offers a range of diagnostic tools. They include an energy check or pump audit to help establish the performance of the current pump system.

Students studying architectural environment engineering at the University of Nottingham have benefitted from lectures on the role of natural ventilation from Roy Jones, technical director of air-movement specialist Gilberts (Blackpool) Ltd. The lectures for the 80 students were supplemented by video learning reviewing smoke and air-movement tests in Gilberts’ bespoke in-house test laboratory (pictured).

Heating and renewables specialist Rehau has produced a new version of its user-friendly Docs app, which enables specifiers, consultants and contractors to access product and technical information on smart phones and tablets. Users can personalise their library by tapping the relevant tab within the app to select their area of interest and choosing from Rehau’s many product areas, which includes district heating, ground-source energy solutions and sub-surface heating and cooling.

The Grundfos knowledge-based hub is aimed at engineers working across multi-disciplines — including commercial building services, process-industry applications or the water-supply and treatment industries. Designed by engineers for engineers, this hub was developed to be an evolving platform.

Evinox Energy’s free ‘Heat network design guide’ covers all the key factors to consider when planning, designing and delivering a communal- or district-heating projects. The company also offers a CIBSE-approved CPD seminar for communal- and district-heating systems.

The established Guntner App and its many functions on the air-conditioning and refrigeration technology now includes ‘The tutorial function’. This feature shows several functions of the company’s products in a concise and clearly arranged manner so that the user can learn how to operate Guntner units quickly and easily. The available subject areas are continuously being updated.

Sanha, a leading European manufacturer of press-fit plumbing systems, has updated its extensive product catalogue for 2016. It is available as a digital and printed version. The catalogue contains the company’s extensive range of piping systems, with comprehensive information on products detailing applications, properties of the system and operational conditions.

Waterloo Air Products has prepared a highly glossy brochure on residential ventilation systems. It is lavishly produced with high-quality photographs illustrating the high-end residential applications in which the company’s ventilation products are installed. To enhance the effect of this brochure, every photograph is laminated

BSRIA’s latest revision of is ‘Model format for building services specifications’ (BG56/2016) is a joint venture with CIBSE and BESA (Building Engineering Services Association). It provides a model format for building-services specifications that will aid efficiency and understanding for all parties involved in preparing and using specifications.

Mackwell has supplied power-over-Ethernet LED emergency lighting as part of the upgrade of Willmott Dixon Interiors in Farringdon Street London. This design-and-build project was carried out by intelligent-building-services specialist LMG. The project also included Mackwell’s low-voltage emergency lighting, a new Cat6 cabling infrastructure, Wi-Fi network, CCTV, access control and audiovisual systems.

Micronic flowmeters have been used at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 4 to survey energy usage in the heating system. The facilities staff at the terminal have a 5-year plan running to 2019, entitled Quinquennium 6, which includes the redesign of the medium-temperature hot-water system, which previously ran at 120°C. The requirement was to run the system at a lower temperature to be more cost effective, more environmentally friend and — crucially — safer.