The Engine Shed in Scotland was named Building Performance Champion because sustainability was embedded at every stage of the project, from the briefing workshop to building aftercare. Andy Pearson speaks to Max Fordham about the design process behind the exemplar scheme
Tag: Ventilation
Opening remarks: guidance on ventilation openings
Designing adequately sized windows for natural ventilation while ensuring occupants’ safety is a challenge. Benjamin Jones, Patrick Sharpe and Chris Iddon offer guidance ahead of CIBSE’s Applications Manual 10 update
Force of nature – naturally ventilating Amsterdam’s Breeze Hotel
The 11-storey Breeze Hotel in Amsterdam has a unique natural ventilation system that uses solar chimneys and water droplets sprayed into a shaft to move air around the building. Andy Pearson speaks to the academic behind the concept, Dr Ben Bronsema, and looks at how his ‘earth, wind and fire’ theory became reality
How audio visualisation can drive the natural ventilation of buildings
Acoustics and ventilation should be designed in tandem to ensure optimal performance in naturally ventilated buildings, says Mach’s Ze Nunes, who shares research on software that visualises noise to give designers a sound basis for their decision-making
Lessons from history
Bill Bordass warns about the ‘forgetting curve’ and looks again at the benefits of the 2+1 window
Closing the gaps: creating a joined up approach for ventilation and energy regulations
Guidance on energy and ventilation regulations must be more integrated, say researchers, after their study of UK airtightness tests showed air permeability is often too high for MVHR systems to work optimally. Alex Smith reports
Making sense of complexity – Build2Perform Live coverage
Build2Perform Live tackled the issues that will change the way we design and deliver buildings for the next 30 years as the industry strives for zero carbon. Alex Smith reports
Roundtable – key issues around smoke control regulation after Grenfell
Fire safety issues flagged by Dame Judith Hackitt after Grenfell were tackled by smoke control experts at a recent roundtable sponsored by Colt. Liza Young follows an in-depth debate on competency, guidance and whole life fire strategy
What’s cooking – measuring PM2.5
To ensure indoor air quality measurements in homes are accurate and repeatable, we need standards that clearly define sensor types, calibration methods, sampling frequency, averaging periods and measurement locations, says the University of Nottingham’s Benjamin Jones
How catalysts in AHUs can improve indoor air quality
Electrostatic precipitators can stop PM2.5 dust particles from entering buildings, but could create dangerous levels of ozone. Catalysts in AHUs may be the answer, says Staffordshire University’s Derek Wardle