CONSULTANTS HOLD THE KEY TO SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
 Speaking at the recent M&E Building Services Event, a panel of
leading manufacturers and suppliers of air conditioning and control
systems has called on architects and specifiers to drive through the
incorporation of sustainable building services in the commercial
buildings of the future.
Chaired by David Pollock, of the Electrical Contractors Association,
the training session on energy efficient cooling in today’s
buildings looked at the most efficient means of air conditioning
but, more so, the role that effective specification can play in
reducing a building’s carbon footprint over the course of years to
come.
Representatives of Advanced Ergonomic Technologies, Colt, CoSaf,
Eaton Williams and Space Environments covered a range of topics,
including the role that legislation can play in greening buildings,
the impact of EPCs and the range of technologies available but its
conclusion was that joined up thinking between the design team,
developer and potential tenant is paramount.
As Glan Blake Thomas, managing director at AET and member of the
panel, points out, paying close attention to energy efficiency and
the reduction of embedded energy at planning stage is wasted if the
building has no metering to monitor performance and the panel agreed
that metering will have to become far more common place:
“How many times have consulting engineers spent months designing the
most efficient cooling systems only for the contractor, keen to cut
costs, to strip out some vital components and thereby defeat the
original design intent? Consultants have a responsibility to help
the developer look past the immediate bottom line and, in the
interest of world consumption, if for no other reason, resist design
change unless it brings about increased performance. Otherwise one
must question the purpose of employing a design consultant in the
first place!”
As Glan adds, “Systems exist that provide increased flexibility for
an ever swifter change of end-user, allowing ease of maintenance and
monitoring, as well as being energy efficient and economical to run
whilst actually saving initial construction cost. Such systems can
only serve to add both fiscal and utility value to the project in
the long term.”
Accepting that forced ventilation is still an asset demanded by
occupiers, air conditioning is certainly a key area of building
services that has a role to play in adding value to a commercial
building, be it a newbuild or – increasingly given the current
climate – refurbishment projects and recent studies by DLE have
cited a number of projects that combine both good design in terms of
energy and cost efficiency. Office complexes at BAA Gatwick and
Stansted, for example, have shown that the adoption of underfloor
air conditioning offers considerable savings in initial construction
cost and DTZ found ongoing energy savings when compared to VAV or
Fancoils.
Sustainable design need not come at a price and, as Glan concludes,
developers are beginning to realise the merits of a comprehensive
approach to its specification:
“Supply of office space has begun to outstrip demand and it stands
to reason that a potential tenant will opt for the space that is the
most energy and space efficient, rather than that which offers an
inadequate building services provision, with all the associated
hidden costs of upgrade and operation.”
Without doubt, the rising cost of energy has pushed sustainability
right to the top of the agenda and sustainability is a far reaching
subject of which operational energy is only part.
Careful selection of materials and services, for example, is an
obvious way of reducing the resources required to construct a
building and, thereby, reducing embodied and transportation energy.
Aside from the green issue, this resultant drop in cost of
construction may lead to consultants finding it increasingly easier
to persuade a developer and stand by the designs proposed.
Still, if developer attitudes are to evolve, to stand by a design
must come with some form of guarantee from the consultant and, if
Part L is to succeed the panel was of the view that engineers should
sign up to support their buildings for life. However, it is a two
way deal - only when the consultant can insist on his design being
implemented can we expect the consultant to take ownership of the
performance result and support the buildings over their lifetime to
the advantage of all.
Email:
sales@flexiblespace.com
3M graphic solutions commercial applications News 031108
Kingspan Insulation Thermal Insulation Cavity Wall News 031108
Bagley Wall Finishes Plaster Lining News 031108
CAT Solar power systems Renewable energy News 031108
Cesar Pelli Exhibition Architectural Landmark Project Development News 031108
Jewers Door Opening And Closing 031108
Kingfisher Lighting External Flood Lighting Amenity Lighting News 031108
Marley Eternit Roofing Clay Tiles Concerete Tiles News 031108
Resdev Renders Floor Screeds Floor Resins News 031108
Whitegoods Lighting Internal Architectural Feature Lighting News 031108
Sarnafil Acoustic Roofing Suspended Ceiling News 031108
3M graphic solutions commercial applications News 041108
Cummins Diesel Generation Standby Gas Generation News 041108
Dunsfold Park Ltd project development redevelopment community property developing News 041108
Formica laminate sheeting Wall linings partitions News 041108
Freeland Rees Roberts Architects Historic Buildings & Conservation News 041108
Gleeds International Management Construction Consultancy News 041108
Greenled Low Energy Lighting LED Lighting News 041108
Lancaster University Development of student residential accommodation News 041108
Nova-Flo Flood Prevention Plumbing News 041108
Reckli formliners mould making model making News 041108
Redland Roofing Range Roof Tiles Roofing Systems News 041108
SAS International Architectural Steelwork Acoustic Ceilings News 041108
Trend Control Systems Dampers Actuators Controls News 041108
ABB Busbars Cast Resin Transformers Power Distribution Units News 051108
ASP Construction Management Contracting News 051108
Balfour Beatty Contractual Architecture Industrial Construction News 051108
BSI Group Building Development Construction News 051108
CABE Sustainable community development construction News 051108
John Crane Power transmission coupling Bearing technology News 051108
Marley Eternit Roofing Clay Tiles Concrete Tiles News 051108
Marshall-Tufflex Cable Management Floor Boxes News 051108
Merebrook Consulting Ltd Design engineering consultancy News 051108
Miller Group Construction Property Development News 051108
NorDan Public Sector Windows Doors Curtain Walling News 051108
Pick Everard Architecture planning and development News 051108
Redland Roofing Range Roof Tiles Roofing Systems News 051108
Accsys Technologies Wood Fibre Softwoods Hardwoods News 061108
Arval Construction steel roof support systems News 061108
Bosch High Speed Positioning System IP Network News 061108
Cembrit Natural and fibre-cement slates News 061108
CME Sanitary Systems Plumbing News 061108
H+H Aircrete Aircrete Masonry Aircrete Products News 061108
ISG Jackson Construction Services Specialists News 061108
Jones Lang LaSalle Architecture planning development News 061108
Marshall-Tufflex Cable Management Floor Boxes News 061108
Purcell Miller Tritton Architects Building Consultants News 061108
Sanyo Air conditioners Gas heat pump News 061108
York House Construction Management Building Development Management News 061108
Council Roofing Range Roof Tiles Roofing Systems News 061108
Armstrong Integrated Systems Manufacturer Plant Room Installation News 071108
DHF Door Hardware Shutter Accessories News 071108
Dimplex Water Heaters Geothermal Heating 071108
Gleeds Management and Construction Consultancy News 071108
Kingspan Insulation Insulation Sound Proofing News 071108
Laidlaw Solutions Stairs Ramps Handrails Balustrades News 071108
Luxo Architectural Feature Lighting Emergency Lighting News 071108
Miller Construction Company Property Development News 071108
Monodraught Natural Daylighting Sundomes Natural Ventilation News 071108
Passivent Lighting Control Management Systems Dimming News 071108
RIBA Construction industry building future News 071108
Thomas Robinson Architecture Planning Development News 071108
WRTL Exterior Lighting Exterior lighting News 071108
Eaton Williams Dehumidification Humidification Packaged Plantrooms News 071008
Crabtree Fuse Switches Consumer units News 071108
AET Underfloor Air Conditioning Systems Office Interior Specialists Raised Flooring News 101108
BES Construction consulting and business services group News 101108
BSIF Health and Safety Site Safety Safety Equipment Safety Training News 101108
CMS Acoustic Ceiling Wall Lining Acoustic Solutions News 101108
Danfoss Heat Pumps Invertor Drives Control Boilers News 101108
SIRAC Renewable Energy Sustainable Energy News 101108
Horbury Group Plasterboards Plasters Drylining News 101108
Levolux Solar Control External Louvres News 101108
RIBA Construction industry building future News 101108
Stormsaver Rainwater Recovery System News 101108
Stride Treglown Architectual practice News 101108
Bosch High Speed Positioning System IP Network News 111108
California Company Window shutters company News 111108
ISG Jackson Construction Services Specialists New Builds News 111108
Lawrence McPherson Associates Creative Design Attractive Buildings News 111108
Morgan Lovell Office Interior Design Fit Out Refurbishment News 111108
NorDan Public Sector Windows Doors Curtain Walling News 111108
OneSign Digital Signage Point of Purchase Displays News 111108
Pipe Center Modular Engineering Modular building construction installer news 111108
Polyflor Ltd Safety Flooring Flexible Covering News 111108
Sound Service Oxford Ltd Acoustic Membrane Soundproofing Noise Control News 111108
Sport & Play Sports Centre Servicing Sports Equipment Maintenance News 111108
Weatherite Air Handling Units News 111108
Accsys Technologies PLC Wood Fibre Softwoods Hardwoods News 121108
AET Underfloor Air Conditioning Systems Raised Flooring News 121108
Architecture Foundation Architecture Exhibitions Design Initiatives News 121108
BiGDUG Shelving racking storage solutions News 121108
Cabinco Log Cabins Lodges Summerhouses News 121108
Christchurch Harbour Hotel Property Development Renovation News 121108
Ecolution Renewable energy systems News 121108
Fuhr high security locking automatic locking solutions News 121008
Garden buildings UK traditional garden building News 121108
MK Electrical Accessories Cable Management News 121108
Pilkingtons Group Ceramic wall tiles Natural stone tiles News 121108
Rollins & Sons Machine Tools Tool Manufacturer News 121108
Active Sustainable Energy Air Conditioning Heat Pumps News 121108
Isover Thermal Insulation Acoustic Insulation News 121108
Marley Eternit Roofing Clay Tiles Concerete Tiles News 121108
Accsys Wood Fibre Softwoods Hardwoods News 131108
Bonar Flooring Acoustic High Performance Floor Finish News 131108
Bosch High Speed Positioning System IP Network News 131108
DEC House builders carbon emissions sustainability News 131108
Harbour Hotels Group Interior Exterior Renovation Refurbishment News 131108
Honeywell Valves Pipework Systems Motorised Valves News 131108
Icopal Roofs Finishes roofing materials membranes News 131108
ISG Jackson Construction Services Specialists New Builds News 131108
MPS Planning Consultants Construction Consultants News 131108
Rinnai Hot Water Heating Systems Flueless Hot Water News 131108
Roku Digital Signage Point of Purchase Displays News 131108
Surface Design Show Decorative interior and exterior surfaces show News 131108
Tyco Thermal Specialty Heating Floor Heating News 131108
Vistamatic Window Security Window Grilles News 131108
Flowcrete Floor Screeds Floor Resins News 131108
AET Underfloor Air Conditioning Systems Raised Flooring News 141108
Adams Rite Sound Absorbing Products Acoustic Insulating Materials News 141108
ARDEX Ceramic Adhesives Grouts Floor Screeds Resin Finish News 141108
Balfour Beatty Contractual Architecture Industrial Construction News 141108
CEDIA Home electronic systems intelligent building systems News 141108
Cemex Cement Ready-mixed concrete Aggregates News 141108
Coram Showers Enclosures Bathrooms Design News 141108
Costain Offsite Construction Civil Engineering News 141108
Dolmans Architecture planning development News 141108
Flowcrete Screeds Renders Floor Screeds Floor Resins News 141108
HBXL Architecture Consultant Strategic Planning News 141108
ISG Jackson Construction Services Specialist New Builds News 141108
TR Demolition Construction Recycling Demolition Town Planning News 141108
Arundel Jones Associates Ltd
Hill Farm, Linton Hill, Maidstone, Kent ME17 4AL
Tel : 01622 745333
news@buildingdesign.co.uk
Registered in England and Wales No.
07334149
copyright all rights reserved
News Categories : Underfloor Air
Conditioning Systems
Office Interior Specialists
Raised Flooring
|
Underfloor
Air Conditioning Systems
