2020 April

Energy bills for most organisations will rise following further big increases in Climate Change Levy (CCL) rates on natural gas, says Hugh Richmond, CEO of Edina.

Kevin Pocock of Mitsubishi Electric discusses the drivers for universities to achieve zero carbon in their built environment – and the challenges.

On 17th March, chief Treasury secretary Steve Barclay announced that introduction of the proposed IR35 tax reforms would be delayed until 6th April 2021.

Indoor environment specialist Swegon has acquired the well-known grilles and difussers manufacturer Waterloo Air Products.

The Mayor of London has launched a £3.6m programme to improve energy efficiency in social housing across the capital, including replacing heating systems.

The Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE) has received approval to become a licensed member of the Engineering Council. This paves the way for CABE members to be formally eligible for Chartered Engineering status.

The training arm of the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has appointed Helen Yeulet as its new director following the departure of Tony Howard.

The Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) has appointed Terry Sharp as its new president. He takes over from Jon Belfield who has held the role for the past two years.

First, I hope all our readers are well. And that your businesses are functioning as effectively as possible in these unprecedented times.

The Association of Tank and Cistern Manufacturers (ATCM) considers the use of combined cisterns and tanks for firefighting and domestic use.

Valves and actuators are largely unseen elements of a building services system, but as Neil Gibson explains, they can have a significant impact on system performance, occupant comfort and energy efficiency.

Expansion vessels are an essential element in any commercial heating system but ensuring you have the right one requires complicated calculations. Here, Rob Jacques discusses the complexities of this ‘simple’ technology and offers guidance on making the right choice. 

Scott James discusses the key aspects that need to be considered when designing pipework for complex buildings and the benefits of using a press connection method.

The world’s most famous teenager is inspiring millions of young people to look for careers combating climate change. This is a great opportunity to promote building engineering to a newly motivated generation, says BESA President John Norfolk.

Karen Fletcher looks at what was in the recent Budget and considers what it might mean for the building services sector.

The issue of professional competency across the construction industry in the post-Grenfell era has never been more important than it is now.

Use of offsite fabricated heating solutions is on the up in residential developments with communal heat networks. But early engagement is key if the maximum benefits are to be reaped, says Ian Lock.

John Austin shares his experience of offsite methods and explains the benefits of packaged plant for building services design and installation.

The £170 million redevelopment of Glan Clwyd Hospital in North Wales has seen Waterloo Air Products provide a wide range of air terminal devices which met the exacting hygiene standards of a healthcare facility whilst ensuring the wellbeing and optimum comfort of patients.

Sauter Automation has completed the design, installation and commissioning of the controls package for the buildings known as One and Two Southbank Place in London. This is a mixed-use development with the signature Shell Centre Tower building at the heart of it. The project is a joint venture by developers Canary Wharf Group plc (CWG) and Qatari Diar, working together to revitalise the area with high quality architecture and much improved public spaces.

Following a £500,000.00 investment Four Pure Brewing opened a new taproom based in London which was set to ‘blow people away’. The new facility includes a bespoke horseshoe bar with 43 taps, a reception room, brewery shop, meetings areas and a live music area.

In the heart of Edinburgh and with the biggest capacity in Scotland, the BT Murrayfield Stadium is not just home to Scottish rugby, but also regularly hosts an array of other musical and sporting events.

In partnership with M&E specialist Promech Services, Viega has supplied its Megapress press connection system for thick-walled steel tube to the redevelopment of the former Britannia Music offices in Ilford, East London.

London’s Strand Palace Hotel has upgraded its cooling with an innovative hybrid VRF (HVRF) system from Mitsubishi Electric.

Intelligent washroom controls and water efficiency specialist Cistermiser has launched a new CPD learning module entitled: “Using the Internet of Things for Water Temperature Monitoring to Help Reduce Risk of Legionella”.

Building control and monitoring specialist Resource Data Management (RDM), announced a major software launch for DMTouch, its control and monitoring system head-end.

Daikin Applied UK (DAPUK) has unveiled a new generation of its water-cooled centrifugal compressor chiller range, which boasts improved energy efficiency thanks to the inclusion of a new type of refrigerant cooled inverter drive.

Geoff Egginton, director at Advance Appliances look to the possibilities of a hybrid system that can utilise more than one fuel input in helping reducing the UK’s reliance on gas.

Valve specialist Albion Valves (UKK, has introduced Building Information Modelling (BIM) components for its core product range.

ATAG Commercial has launched a brand new range of boilers – the QR Series. Boasting a stainless steel heat exchanger, a new burner control unit with LCD display, built-in pump and an integrated zone management system for up to three central heating zones, the new boilers replace the existing Q Series range. Each boiler benefits from multiple cascade configurations, as well as numerous flue options suitable for a wide range of applications.

Conex Bänninger has further increased its support for plumbing and heating installers by introducing a Certified Installer scheme.

AHU and chiller manufacturer Aermec UK is working with building services contractor T Clarke to offer witness testing by video link.

Rehau has developed the new NEA Smart 2.0 underfloor heating smart control for use in new or refurbishment projects.

ABB has launched MegaFlex, a compact uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system. It is targeting the IEC and UL market with power ranges of up to 1.5MW and 1.6MW respectively.

Temporary power, heating and cooling solutions provider Aggreko has been certified to the Carbon Trust Standard and achieved the ISO 50001:2018 international standard for energy management.

Glasgow-based building energy performance company, Arbnco, has launched a new smart building tool that is able to benchmark, track and forecast energy consumption, providing a level of data analysis and building control previously unattainable for the UK commercial property market.

With over 300,000 existing heat network connections in the UK that still require a fit-for-purpose metering and billing system, and regulations due to be updated soon, now is a good time for building owners to assess their housing stock and source the best service provider to meet their needs.

The latest quarterly sector-wide Building Engineering Business Survey, sponsored by Scolmore, shows that payment conditions in the industry remain poor, with the majority of public sector work being paid for after more than 30 days

After careful consideration, and in light of recent recommendations from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Public Heath England around the risks of Coronavirus, the Commissioning Management Association CSA) Management Committee has made the difficult decision to postpone the CSA’s 'Making Buildings Work' Conference, scheduled for March 31st at The Crystal, London.

Baxi Heating is calling on the Government to mandate hydrogen-ready boilers for all new gas boiler installations by 2025.

MPs and the Specialist Engineering Contractors Group (SEC Group) are trying to ensure that proposed changes to retentions legislation is not overlooked during a time of national crisis.

The March 2020 Budget was delivered against the backdrop of the global outbreak of COVID-19. Its main thrust therefore was to support UK business through uncertainty and instability.