Lower carbon factors for grid electricity, in draft SAP 10, will profoundly affect how designers provide heat and power to buildings. Remeha’s general manager, Mike Hefford, puts the case for monthly intensity calculations
Category: Opinion
Building a safer future
Hywel Davies assesses the implications of the government’s fire safety implementation plan
Pump assemblers must step up to the mark
Mechanical and electrical consultants risk breaking the law unless they ensure packaged plant systems – and not just individual components – are CE Marked, says Gary Wilde, of the British Pump Manufacturers’ Association
Skills for the future
Digital construction and zero carbon buildings are changing how the building services industry develops its engineers, says Hywel Davies
Highlighting the line of duty on building designs
Engineers have a duty to act with reasonable skill and care, but that doesn’t necessarily mean their designs are fit for purpose under the law, says CNS Consult’s Vincent Fogarty, who summarises designers’ legal obligations
Carbon’s X factor
The mass uptake of heat pumps and widespread comfort cooling could be the consequence of lower carbon factors, says WSP’s Mark Grace
EPCs – call for evidence
CIBSE wants better enforcement and detailed recommendation reports, says Sara Kassam
Coming together – CIBSE and RIBA collaborate on sustainability overlay
There are regular calls for more collaboration in the built environment to make a coherent case to clients and deliver better buildings. Julie Godefroy reports on work by CIBSE and RIBA on the latter’s sustainability overlay
Regulations review: how much, how soon?
CIBSE believes substantial changes to Building Regulations Part L are required to achieve real and significant energy and carbon savings, says the Institution’s Julie Godefroy
Time to act – the consequences of not limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C
The IPCC’s Special Report 15 considers the consequences of not limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C – and they’re not good, says Hywel Davies