Sound advice

Noise and vibration from HVAC systems such as large heat pumps can have a huge impact on occupant comfort. KP Acoustics Group’s Kyriakos Papanagiotou and Mason UK’s Adam Fox say CIBSE’s Guide B4, and early engagement with acoustic specialists, will give peace of mind

Placemaking and performance: Chobham Manor housing POE

Chobham Manor development is a legacy of the London 2012 Olympics and now its performance is being assessed in a post-occupancy evaluation that’s likely to be adopted across the industry. Buro Happold’s Dr Mark Dowson FCIBSE describes the process and reveals the results

On the same page: New Library at Magdalene College

the distinctive appearance of the Stirling Prize-winning New Library at Magdalene College was inspired by Cambridge University’s historic buildings and Max Fordham’s ventilation strategy. Alex Smith reports on the melding of form and function in Níall McLaughlin Architects’ elegant design

Boxing clever: retrofits in Ireland

With Dublin planners now requiring that building re-use is considered over demolition, innovative office retrofits will soon become the norm. Andy Pearson looks at two: Tom Johnson House and the Tropical Fruit Warehouse

The big picture: embodied energy at 100 Gray’s Inn Road

With a new development at 100 Gray’s Inn Road, in central London, set to become the UK’s largest full-timber, net zero carbon office building, Phil Lattimore finds out how the building’s whole life-cycle carbon impact has been assessed

Case study: Comberton Village College heat network

The installation of a new heat network at Comberton Village College is set to significantly reduce the heating bill and save 248 tonnes of CO2. Andy Pearson speaks to Bouygues Energies & Services about how two 500kW ground source heat pumps replaced oil-fired boilers scattered across 16 plantrooms

Volumetric’s award-winning Modulhaus housing for the homeless

Recognised by the CIBSE Building Performance Awards, the Volumetric Modulhaus project revolutionises temporary housing solutions for the homeless through a unique blend of innovation, sustainability, and societal concern. Andy Pearson reports

Global attraction: delivering net zero in the desert climate

The UAE has a fast-paced, dynamic working environment, with some of the most ambitious building projects on Earth. Alex Smith speaks to regional chair Farah Naz FCIBSE about how CIBSE UAE Region is helping to deliver net zero projects in the desert climate