SPONSOR CPD PROGRAMME Reducing fit-out waste and the carbon footprint of fan coil unit installations Continuing professional development (CPD) is the regular maintenance, improvement and broadening of your knowledge and skills, to maintain professional competence. It is a requirement of CIBSE and other professional bodies. This Journal CPD programme can be used to meet your CPD requirements. Study the module and answer the questions on the final page. Each successfully completed module is equivalent to 1.5 hours of CPD. Modules are also available at www.cibsejournal.com/cpd This module explores the fit-out process for FCUs and how to improve the environmental and financial impacts of satisfying new tenant needs As a new tenant takes over a section of a commercial building, whether a new construction or an existing tenanted premises, it is very likely that their specific requirements will require a reconfiguration and refitting of the space to suit their particular needs. This process, known as a fit-out, can result in significant expense both financially and environmentally, as hardware such as partitions, furnishings, fixings, lighting, IT, and environmental systems that were previously useful assets to the previous tenant are variously altered, removed or replaced. One common element that contributes to this potentially profligate process is the fan coil unit (FCU) (see boxout AHU or traditional FCU?). This CPD will consider the fitout process, and assess some options that may improve the environmental and financial impacts of fitting out commercial buildings to satisfy tenant needs. According to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS),1 around 11% of total construction expenditure in the UK is allocated to fit-outs. RICS suggests that buildings may undergo as many as 30 to 40 fit-outs over their life-cycle. For a new building shell, or one that has been completely refurbished, the Cat A fit-out will typically include essential elements necessary for occupancy but still provide a blank canvas ready for the tenant to individualise it. It would normally encompass elements including basic (infrastructure) electrical, plumbing and mechanical services, raised access flooring, finished wall coverings and suspended ceilings, and encompass the provision of hallways, staircases, lifts, and toilet facilities. Air conditioning may be included during this phase. In the commercial sector, there are several heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) solutions available, but FCUs are a common choice because of their ability to offer tenants zoned control over the indoor temperature. During this stage, open-plan areas are typically extensive and require the selection of large and powerful FCUs to meet the demand for conditioned air. FCUs serving areas near glazing around the buildings perimeter are sized to handle both heating and cooling requirements. In central areas where heat loss is minimal, FCUs are often specified for cooling purposes only. After the property space has been leased, the Cat B fit-out customises the area to suit the specific needs of the tenants. This involves reconfiguring the interior layout to create working spaces, reception areas, kitchen facilities and meeting rooms. It also includes the installation of all the necessary IT, audio-visual equipment and lighting systems. These alterations can have an impact on the heating and cooling requirements, and it is common for the original placement of the FCUs from the Cat A fit-out to no longer be optimal for serving the requirements of the new layout. The larger FCUs originally installed may now be inappropriate to condition the air in what is likely to be collection of smaller spaces. Most FCUs are typically selected to operate at about half fan speed to allow some variation above and below to cope with fluctuations in demand. However, FCUs do not operate most effectively at low speeds, so with prolonged www.cibsejournal.com December 2023 57 CIBSE Dec 23 pp57-60 CPD Module 227.indd 57 24/11/2023 16:13