Interview with Paul Flatt – why engineers must add value

Building services consultants risk obsolescence unless they use their engineering expertise to extract value for clients, warns Hurley Palmer Flatt’s CEO, Paul Flatt. He tells Alex Smith that employee training programmes are key to creating the calibre of engineer necessary for his firm to succeed in an increasingly competitive market

A class apart – students design school for Africa

Students at King Ecgbert School in Sheffield have won a challenge to design a community school in Uganda, by focusing on the needs of the local children. Andy Pearson explains how the industry-backed Class of Your Own initiative ignited a passion for building design and engineering among 13- and 14-year-olds

In concert – reducing energy in data centres

A new data centre in Stockholm is reducing energy use dramatically by employing an algorithm that integrates separate control systems to reduce infrastructure energy load. Andy Pearson reports

Call to action – Ecobuild coverage

Speakers at this year’s Ecobuild exhorted delegates to make a difference and work towards cutting carbon and improving wellbeing in homes, offices and the wider built environment. Alex Smith and Liza Young report

Peace of mind – CIBSE Guide B4

CIBSE has published a new version of its guidance covering noise and vibration in building services. The Guide B4 steering committee and its chair, Bob Peters, summarise the contents, focusing on chillers and noise from waterflow systems