Using data to analyse performance of a heat network enabled The Guinness Partnership to cut annual energy bills by £65 per dwelling in one pilot project. This convinced it to create strict performance requirements for future projects, as Alex Smith found out
Category: Case Studies
Shades of the past – a low carbon masterplan for Oman city
Madinat Al Irfan, in Oman, is set to redefine sustainable design in the Middle East. Alex Smith talks to the masterplanners behind a city aiming to halve energy and water use by allying smart building with traditional Omani design principles
Battery packs a punch – Europe’s largest community energy battery
Europe’s largest community energy battery installation at the Trent Basin housing development in Nottingham will be a demonstrator project for the UK. Andy Pearson explains the concept and the challenges behind it
Designing a natural ventilation strategy for Bloomberg’s central London HQ
Bloomberg’s new European HQ sets high standards for large-scale sustainable office design. The ambitious services strategy features a petal-shaped chilled ceiling and innovative vacuum drainage, which aims to reduce energy use by 33% and water by 73%. Andy Pearson reports
National Gallery of Ireland’s hidden services
Refurbishment of the National Gallery of Ireland required tight environmental control in the galleries, but there was minimal space to make this happen, writes Chris Croly
Film noir: Avoiding sky glow in the South Downs
Lights, curtain calls and lofty ambitions were thrown into the spotlight when an old brewery was converted into a cinema in Sussex– but awards soon followed, writes Daniel Howes
Greenwich hotel opens door to district heating
The InterContinental Hotel at the O2 was linked to the local heat network after designers convinced the developer of its resilience. Phil Lattimore describes Aecom’s low-carbon strategy
Art of restoration: The Mackintosh Building
Timber-lined ventilation ducts helped spread the fire that destroyed large parts of Glasgow’s Mackintosh Building – but those very same ducts have been given a key role in the building services of the refurbished landmark, says Andy Pearson
Winning formula: Net zero carbon office for DPR Construction in San Francisco
DPR Construction was adamant that the refurbishment of its 50-year-old, industrial-style San Francisco office had to achieve net-positive energy status. Andy Pearson explains how Elementa Consulting’s simple all-electric design helped the firm achieve its goal
Efficiency drive – Jaguar Land Rover’s new engine factory
Jaguar Land Rover’s new engine-manufacturing facility won Project of the Year: Commercial/Industrial at the CIBSE Building Performance Awards 2017. Andy Pearson explains why it deserves the accolade