Check-box ‘sustainability’ does not always lead to the best design solution, says Mark Skelly
Tag: Cooling
Guaranteed performance – Somerset House’s risk-free services retrofit
London’s Somerset House comes to life in winter. Its illuminated neoclassical façades form a sparkling backdrop to the open-air ice-rink that, each year, attracts thousands of pre-Christmas revellers. Until the end of the 20th century, it was a more austere place, housing many government departments, including the Inland Revenue. That changed in the 1990s, when […]
The home of graphene
The first big breakthrough in graphene took place in Manchester, and now the city has a £61m facility aimed at developing the material for everyday use. CH2M Hill’s Ian MacAskill describes the challenge of designing services for the extraordinarily complex National Graphene Institute
Hall of fame – Liverpool’s St George’s Hall
Neil Sturrock, from CIBSE Heritage Group, explains why Liverpool’s St George’s Hall was the first air-conditioned building
A higher authority – upgrading valves at Chiswick Park
Pressure independent control valves can offer extensive energy benefits according to manufactures. Frese has fitted 1,060 units to an office building at Chiswick Park, so Tim Dwyer spoke to managing director Stephen Hart to find out more
Build tight – ventilate right?
Indoor air quality in housing is being compromised because ventilation scenarios in Building Regulations are not realistic, says Strathclyde University’s Stirling Howieson, who co-wrote the paper that won the 2015 Napier Shaw Bronze Medal
No compromise – Passivhaus Enterprise Centre in Norwich
In aiming for Passivhaus the project team at the Enterprise Centre worked to the tightest of parameters leading to the use of 70% bio-based materials, a super-airtight envelope and minimal plug loads. Andy Pearson reports on the challenges involved
Back to basics
With some way to go before natural ventilation is completely accepted as a viable alternative to mechanical systems, Andrew Acred shares a simple model for implementing it effectively in atria buildings
Light at the end of the tunnel
Endless corridors, dingy waiting rooms and basement treatment rooms will be a thing of the past at Guy’s new Cancer Centre when it opens in 2016. Liza Young finds out how innovative service design has helped to create a blueprint for modern cancer care buildings
Guide A – CIBSE’s essential guide to environmental design explained
Our three-part series highlights the most important changes to CIBSE Guide A. Tim Dwyer explains the changes on a chapter-by-chapter basis. Part one looks at design stages, use of data and thermal comfort