Chris Goggin reviews the recent decision to reverse renewable investments in favour of increasing fossil fuel opportunities. BP is the latest global energy company to reduce investments in clean power projects and what this means for the direction of international and UK NetZero objectives.

Colin Moss, Car Park and Smoke Control Manager at Elta, discusses the advantages of prefabricated ventilation solutions and their role in transforming the construction industry.

As Birmingham intensifies its efforts to combat air pollution with initiatives like the Clean Air Zone (CAZ), businesses
are under growing pressure to meet stringent emissions regulations. Graham Barker, Sales & Service Director at Riello Burners UK, highlights the importance of understanding these rules and investing in the right technologies to avoid costly fines, reduce emissions and support the city’s climate goals.

Andrew Gaskell, Chairman of the Chilled Beams and Ceilings Association, highlights the various environmental and wellbeing benefits of installing a chilled beam system.

Chris Goggin of Rinnai provides an overview of plans to devolve regional energy decision making to local authorities. What this action could mean for wider national NetZero objectives and what potential effects on local fuel options will be explored. This article will pose questions as to this - will the introduction of a new decentralised system will be successful or not?

The collapse of ISG just two weeks after the publication of the Grenfell public inquiry report was a tragic illustration of why industry reform remains a distant prospect, writes David Frise – CEO of BESA.

Increasing water scarcity in the UK has dramatically ramped up the need for inventive water management solutions. One potential answer to the dilemma is blue roofs, which provide a sustainable method to manage stormwater and mitigate sewer system stress. Here, Neill Robinson-Welsh, Consultant at ACO Building Drainage, analyses the impact of blue roofs on tackling water shortages.

Chris Goggin provides an overview of plans to devolve regional energy decision making to local authorities. What this action could mean for wider national NetZero objectives and what potential effects on local fuel options will be explored. This article will pose questions as to this - will the introduction of a new decentralised system will be successful or not?

Chris Goggin observes how the UK procures its energy and the complexity in which it is then distributed and reacquired. As the UK progresses towards NetZero Rinnai looks to assist the industry in understanding what roles specific energies will fulfill and what approach the UK utilizes towards both the national and international energy markets.  

Ben Whitelam, Director of Data & Metering Services and Commercial at npower Business Solutions, discusses the potential impact of the Market-wide Half-Hourly Settlement reform and what it means for businesses.

Rinnai’s Chris Goggin looks at the potential impact of the new American President, Donald Trump, may have on international energy issues. This objective analysis on the global energy transition will cover carbon emissions, energy options and all climate issues relating to Net Zero. There is no conclusion but many questions.

Andrew Steel, Managing Director at Airmec Essential Services, highlights the importance of accurate testing of local exhaust ventilation systems.

The concept: no fossil fuels…  the reality: Rinnai, Toyota, BMW and the hydrogen cartridge breakthrough

High value infrastructure projects offer more to local communities than ever before. Gone are the days of residential development delivery only consisting
of housing stock and we are now seeing the need for community facilities increasing. Ensuring the delivery of these elements is of optimal importance, and with constrained budgets and inconsistent spending that development phases can bring, developers need to utilise cashflow experts to ensure success. Tom Mascari, Executive Director at construction consultancy Bentley, discusses.

Iain Cox, Chair of the Business Sprinkler Alliance, highlights a serious knowledge gap amongst professionals responsible for the implementation of sprinkler systems.

Rinnai has released another whitepaper - “Optimizing Domestic Hot Water Systems for Archetype Care Homes: A Value Engineering Approach” which, within the main body of the analysis, is a case study demonstrating the optimal solution for DHW provision in an archetype care home with specific requirements including a 20% reduction in carbon footprint, OPEX considerations and available space for only 2 heat pumps.

Passivent has been providing natural and hybrid ventilation solutions for over 40 years. Its product range can help deliver many benefits, including improved energy efficiency and air quality, natural daylight and moisture removal in order to create healthier, more comfortable environments.

David Stonehouse, Technical Director at NG Bailey IT Services, explains what building managers need to know about the PSTN switch off.

Chris Goggin explains how “Kaizen” and “Kanban” methodologies provide insight to the high standards of production values that globally renowned Japanese brands embed into the totality of the manufacturing practices.

According to the latest government data, the UK has around 380,000 listed buildings. While owners have the benefit of living or working in property deemed to have special architectural or historical interest and, in some cases, being of national importance, renovating these prestigious buildings in a way that preserves their heritage can be a highly complex process. Tony Pollard, Contracts Manager at Nu Construction, explores the  complexities of renovating listed buildings and the benefits of working with a trusted and established heritage construction specialist.

Stephanie Trotter, OBE, President & Director of CO-Gas Safety, answers some vital questions around carbon monoxide in buildings.

Rinnai’s Tony Gittings looks at the future demand and effects of air cooling on domestic and commercial properties across the UK and Europe. As global temperatures increase, air conditioning units will likely become a requirement for UK and European domiciles and the built environment. What will the effect of air cooling be upon the national electrical grid and UK/ European NetZero ambitions?

Rinnai and Naked Energy have collaborated to introduce a whitepaper as a precursor to a CIBSE certified CPD, the paper entitled Sustainable Synergy: Integrating Heat Pumps and Solar Thermal to Satisfy the Hot Water Needs of an archetype hotel. This paper and CPD can be preregistered for at https://www.rinnai-uk.co.uk/contact-us/Solar-thermal-and-heat-pump.

According to the latest government data, the UK has around 380,000 listed buildings. While owners have the benefit of living or working in property deemed to have special architectural or historical interest and, in some cases, being of national importance, renovating these prestigious buildings in a way that preserves their heritage can be a highly complex process. Tony Pollard, Contracts Manager at Nu Construction, explores the  complexities of renovating listed buildings and the benefits of working with a trusted and established heritage construction specialist.

Peter Wilson, Technical Director at Echo Barrier, and Dusan Durdevic, Associate Director at Urban Thinking, address the dangers of noise pollution, its effect on public health both physically and mentally, and how construction firms need to take noise abatement seriously to avoid disruption to the communities they are developing, or face heavy fines and negative publicity.

Des Duddy, Joint Managing Director at Protrade, analyses the data that indicate Gen Z’s opinion of the construction industry and looks at what needs to happen if construction is to avoid a widening skills gap crisis in the near future.

Following a rising demand for prefabricated building services to reduce issues associated with system compliance and compatibility, Elta is now leading the charge in the ventilation sector with its innovative ‘Prefabricated Solutions’. The new service enables decision makers for ventilation services to create bespoke ventilation units from Elta’s wide range of fans and ancillaries, including its certified smoke range.

In 2020-2021 it was hard to turn a corner without bumping into a freshly ‘qualified’ indoor air quality expert with a magic box supposedly ready to solve all your air quality problems. Customers were willing to listen at the time, even if they didn’t quite get their wallet out.

This new year marks the start of a new era for Elta as it celebrates 50 years in business and accelerates its agenda to move the dial on indoor air quality.

With energy prices continuing to remain volatile, a free service from ABB can help to identify the easiest opportunities to reduce outgoings, as ABB’s Carl Turbitt, HVAC Drives UK Sales Manager, explains.

Clever Coupler is a patent-protected system for use with 22mm and 28mm compression valves and equipment of all types within the HVAC sector. It is being echoed as a game changer.

Upgrading school and college buildings to meet challenging Net Zero goals can go hand-in-hand with making these buildings better places to work and learn. Mike Egan, Business Development Manager, Corporate Solutions for Mitsubishi Electric LES looks at the options.

Variable speed drives (VSDs) are not generally designed to be exposed to the elements of nature and so for a drive operating outdoors we frequently see the highest rated drives specified. However, protection against ingress of dust and water alone is not enough to keep a drive running optimally in all weather, as ABB’s Oliver Woolley explains.

In HVAC applications, integrated pumps are promoted as an efficient and low cost alternative to VSD/ motor configurations, however there’s more to the debate than there might seem, according to Carl Turbitt, HVAC Drives – UK Sales Manager, ABB.

Mark Isles, Sales Director – Build at EnviroVent, discusses the changes the ventilation industry has gone through in the past year and how EnviroVent has enhanced its support package for specifiers and housebuilders to ensure they can meet and exceed the updated building regulations around ventilation.  

Variable speed drives are known culprits for the increasingly widespread problem of harmonics. However, according to ABB’s Chris Plumb, HVAC Drives Key Account Manager UK, new innovations in drive technology have now made them part of the solution.

The team at CMD are excited to inform you that we are moving to a new showroom in London.  After 18 years at 99 Charterhouse Street, Clerkenwell, our last day will be Friday 17 March, and the doors to our new showroom, located at London House, 115 Golden Lane, London, EC1Y 0TJ, will open on Wednesday 29th March.  

MBS is pleased to carry a link to the CSA Index - the Commissioning Specialists Association newsletter - several times a year. If you didn't get a print edition of the magazine you can read it here in PDF form. 

Pete Mills, Commercial Technical Operations Manager for Bosch Commercial & Industrial, outlines why the company has made CO sensors mandatory on cascade systems.

EC fans are promoted as a more energy efficient solution for cooling in facilities such as data centres, but the reality might be more complicated, as Carl Turbitt explains.

HVAC systems comprise an estimated 50 percent of the energy used in buildings. With energy prices spiralling, a free service from ABB can help to identify the easiest opportunities to reduce outgoings, as Carl Turbitt, HVAC Drives UK Sales Manager, explains.

The latest generation of Toshiba’s flagship Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) system, SHRM Advance, operates on lower Global Warming Potential (GWP) R-32 refrigerant. The combination of R-32’s lower GWP and reduced refrigerant charge enables SHRM Advance to deliver a significant reduction of up to 80%* in equivalent carbon emissions. 

ABB’s Chris Plumb explores some of the hidden functionality that can help users of variable speed drives (VSDs) to further optimise their HVAC processes, as well as save energy.

The demands on our office buildings have changed over the last few years: flexibility, digitalisation and energy efficiency are what’s important. At the same time, these buildings should create a comfortable, healthy and safe environment for employees.

Are you a low carbon, sustainability, or building-services professional, willing to volunteer to help the Church of England with the challenge of Net Zero Carbon? Or an ecologist, able to input on the management of our precious churchyard habitats?

ABB’s Chris Plumb explores some of the hidden functionality that can help users of variable speed drives (VSDs) to further optimise their HVAC processes, as well as save energy.

We are currently looking for an individual to join our vibrant and dynamic Projects and Small works Teams who is self-motivated and proactive, can work independently and as part of a team and can work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders.

Data centres consume huge amounts of energy, much of which goes into cooling. Carl Turbitt, HVAC Drives – UK Sales Manager, ABB, explains how, when it comes to achieving sustainability, variable speed drives (VSDs) are the best-performing technology available.

SAV Systems is proud to announce that the AirMaster AM 1000 has been awarded Passivhaus Component certification in conjunction with their Danish partner, Airmaster A/S. 

Belimo, the leading manufacturer of damper actuators, control valves and sensors for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning technology, brings the worlds of “energy control” and “certified energy measurement and billing” together.