Sontay, which specialises in control peripheral products, has introduced online tracking of orders, an auto-update initiative to improve project management and information flow for customers and an enhanced web site.

Five buildings in Longford Centre development being built at Feltham in Middlesex are having control systems installed by Integrated Control Systems in a £100 000 contract.

Singapore Management University has used Echelon LonWorks technology in its new city campus as the foundation for its state-of-the-art intelligent building-management system. Multiple building-automation sub-systems are integrated to enable the university to significantly reduce energy consumption and costs and increase student comfort.

Achieving intelligent buildings requires the infrastructure to enable systems to communicate with one another and systems that can communicate. Integrated Systems is the key to the future of intelligent buildings. JULIAN JOWITT and BILL McCONNELLL explain how this is being made possible for air conditioning.

Total integration of building systems in the £330 million Westfield Shopping Centre development in Derby is being achieved using Honeywell’s Enterprise Building Integrator (EBI) interface. It is bringing together building-management and life-safety systems, along with security and access control.

Existing network infrastructure can be used by Merlin Gerin’s PowerLogic EGX400 Ethernet gateway to provide direct access to utility consumption and other energy-management information. It is operated via a web browser.

The chronic lack of a long-term vision to tackle energy use means domestic buildings could soon pull away from industrial and commercial equivalents. The BMS industry must stop thinking in the short-term and start shouting about the impact it can make for decades to come, according to RICHARD STROD.

In response to growing demand for interoperability and open systems, Priva Building Intelligence has released an update of its Top Control software, TC 6.0. This new software supports many more protocols and standards. It is compatible with XML, BACnet, Echelon/LonMark, KNX/EIB, ModBus, M-bus, ODBC, SQL and OPC.

The first meeting of the recently formed Intelligent Buildings Group of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers is on 19 October at the Royal Society in London.

Tailored solutions for intelligent metering, energy monitoring, remote data retrieval using automatic meter reading from PRI provide the information required to help control the use of energy and its associated costs.

Among the many benefits of intelligent, or integrated, buildings is a lower first cost. IAN STORRAR has the full story.

In comparing the life-cycle costs of boilers, combustion efficiencies are only part of the equation. KEVIN STONES takes an holistic view.

Changes to Building Regulations have made the move towards condensing technology for commercial applications inevitable, GRAHAM WILLIAMSON discusses the issues affecting specifiers and identifies what they need to know when considering a condensing boiler in a replacement application.

It has been clear for some years that the UK commercial boiler market has far more potential than the number of installations taking place each year indicate. JOHN BAILEY believes that its prospects have never been better.

The efficiency of boiler plant serving a housing development in Newcastle has been more than doubled following the replacement of the old plant with a system comprising two Ideal Super Plus boilers and two Imax Plus appliances on the one system. It provides 1530 kW of heat at an average efficiency of 95%, compared with 34% before.

Glow-worm’s Flexicon cx boiler is said to be the only high-efficiency combi on the UK market with a direct rear-flue option and small enough to be fitted inside a kitchen wall cupboard.

Vokera’s Condexa Pro range of wall-hung condensing boilers have three circuits for domestic hot water, high-temperature heating and low-temperature heating such as underfloor.

Vokera has extended its Autostop control to prevent domestic boilers being used for more than 12 months without being serviced to its Mynute HE range of high-efficiency system boilers and the new Unica HE combi range.

Stokvis Energy Systems has minimised emissions of NOx, CO and CO2 from its recently expanded Econoflame range of boilers by incorporating pre-mix burners, multiple-pass heat exchangers and the latest electronic controls.

PETE MILLS comments on the latest changes to Part L and their effects on commercial boiler specification, with particular reference to the application of controls in refurbishment projects.

Domestic hot water for homes with up to five bathrooms in a development in Salford is provided by packaged equipment specially designed and made by Elson. The development at Broughton Green is a partnership of the City of Salford and Taylor Woodrow, with the houses and apartments for sale. Heating and plumbing contractor George Birchall of Stoke worked with Elson to provide a prefabricated solution for the key parts of the system.

Dimplex has expanded its popular SU and SUTP ranges of unvented storage water heaters with the introduction of a larger storage vessel. These ranges are now available in sizes from a compact undersink 7 litres to a mid-range 75 litres.

Baxi Commercial boilers are included in the Energy Technology List, so that they qualify for Enhanced Capital Allowances. All the company’s commercial condensing boilers appear on the list.

The latest Building Regulations emphasise the importance of commissioning in creating a heating system that is compliant with the regulations, energy efficient and cost effective. STEVE HILLS says that unless commissioning is completed correctly, the chances are the system will not be performing to its design specification.

All boilers are Charterhouse School are progressively being replaced with modern and more efficient systems from Clyde Energy Solutions.

Andrews Water Heating has developed a packaged approach to applying solar energy to the commercial water-heating market.

Andrews Water Heating has developed a packaged approach to applying solar energy to the commercial water-heating market.

Hot water is being generated at an efficiency of up to 96% (net) for poultry company Moy Park Ltd at its factory in Derbyshire by a Lochinvar installation. The equipment comprises a Power-fin gas-fired water heater and an LST 250 storage tank with a capacity of 115 litres to provide a hot-water supply for the factory’s washdown facility.

When the whole project team agrees on who does what, uncertainty, duplication of effort and confusion are reduced — so that projects are delivered more efficiently. DAVID CHURCHER explains how BSRIA is helping the process.

PROF. PETER BOYCE explores why so much lighting in commercial buildings in the UK is indifferent and what can be done about it.

Different Government departments have very different perspectives on the use of cooling towers for rejecting heat from air-conditioning systems. ROBERT MacLEOD-SMITH gives his perspective.

An expert witness in the recent re-trial of Gillian Beckingham, GREG DAVIS, considers the lessons needing to be learnt from this landmark case.

Underfloor heating has always been a highly effective method of delivering comfort, especially in large spaces. Changes in the last two editions of the Building Regulations have so improved its cost basis that the benefits can be more widely enjoyed.

The formal launch of the register of low-carbon consultants by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers marks an important step forward in implementing the spirit of the new Building Regulations.

The Olympic Delivery Authority for the 2012 Olympic Games in London has announced that the CLM consortium has been selected as the preferred bidder for the role of delivery partner. CLM consists of CH2M HILL, Laing O’Rourke and Mace. The delivery partner will support the ODA in project managing the delivery programme for the venues and infrastructure for the 2012 Olympic Games.

BSS Industrial claims to have created the largest stock holding of stainless-steel and API pipework in the UK with a £500 000 investment in stock. As a result of the investment, an additional 500 t of API and stainless-steel tube is held at BSS’s national logistics centre at Magna Park, Leicestershire. An additional £200 000 has been invested in stock at key branches where the demand is particularly high. The combined investment gives customers of any of the company’s 62 branches access to 750 t of carbon, stainless steel and API — for immediate or next-day delivery.

LG Air Conditioning has announced a big expansion of roadshows and events for the Autumn.

The recovery of the ozone layer in the stratosphere is so well established that it should be restored to 1980 levels by the middle of the century. Eun-Su Yang of the Georgia Institute of Technology says that 25 years of data confirm that the Montreal Protocol of 1987 and subsequent regulations have prevented further depletion of the ozone layer. Scientists agree that the thinning of the ozone layer stopped in 1997.

Sustainable solutions for the future has been adopted as the theme for the exhibition H&V07 at the NEC from 27 February to 1 March 2007. Over 70% of available space has already been sold for this event, which will be held against a backdrop of wasted energy costing UK businesses £570 million this Summer alone, soaring fuel costs and tightening legislation.

Keraflo, which specialises in delayed-action float valves for water tanks in commercial applications, has been bought by Davidson Holdings. Davidson also owns Cistermiser, which specialises in flush controls for urinals.

The second quarter of 2006 saw construction orders in the private-commercial sector surge by 26% compared with the previous 12 months, according for figures from the Department of Trade & Industry.

Building-services company Shouksmiths has bought KEDA Plumbing of Bolton as part of Shouksmith’s expansion strategy to give a permanent base in the north west.

The system for third-party inspection and assessment of members of the Heating & Ventilating Contractors’ Association has been described as ‘second to none’ by an independent accreditation body.

Pump manufacturer KSB, based in Loughborough, is sponsoring Formula 4 powerboat racing with support of Kevin Marshall and his Buildbase boat in year’s races starting on the Isle of Man.

Visits to showcase combined-heat-and-power projects across the UK are being organised by CIBSE’s CHP group, with funding from The Carbon Trust.

Robertson Group, based in north-east Scotland reports turnover up by 13% to £159 million and an increase in operating profit of 61% to £9.5 million. Executive chairman Bill Robertson believes the group is reaping the reward of a 5-year strategy that has seen it evolve into separate companies. The result cover the year to 30 November 2005.

Air-conditioning specialist Mitsubishi Electric has been acknowledged as one of the top-10 ‘green’ companies of the year in the Portfolio 21 survey of Global Mutual Fund, which invests in companies helping the move towards a sustainable society. The survey links financial performance to corporate environmental performance.

Over a hundred professionals have passed the qualification examination for the register of low-carbon consultants run by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers. The register was officially launched on 1 September.

Multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy hurleypalmerflatt has moved its Canary Wharf office to larger premises at West India Quay. 25 staff have been moved to the new office, which doubles capacity for future recruitment and on-going expansion.

A further four contracts to remodel Marks & Spencer stores are worth £4.5 million to Balfour Kilpatrick, the multi-services and power-systems business of Balfour Beatty.

Share ownership of contractor Briggs & Forrester Group has been extended to include all directors of the four operating companies and other members of the management team. Group chairman Mike Stanton explains that this group has collectively purchased 25% of the group.

Birmingham-based Inviron has won a 3-year contract worth £200  000 to continue maintaining mechanical and electrical services on sites operated by Fluor Ltd. Its scope includes Fluor’s UK headquarters at Camberley in Surrey and various tenanted buildings throughout Greater London.

Cooling for mission-critical blade servers at London’s Imperial College is provided by Trox’s carbon-dioxide cooling system. 15 CO2OLrac units each provide 20 kW of cooling for the server cabinets in the E-Science computer suite.

A bespoke lighting-support system for Terminal 5B at Heathrow Airport has been designed by Cablofil based on its wire-mesh cable tray. Working with Crown House Technologies, Cablofil devised a system that was simple to install and secures more than 400 lights to the curved ceiling of the terminal building, carrying power and digital control signals to each fitting.

Parkersell’s electrical testing and inspection unit (ETI) has secured significant contracts in the retail sectors. New contracts include shoe retailer Clarks and bookmaker Corals. Existing contracts that have been reinstated include Kwik-Fit and women’s fashion brands Viyella and Jaeger.

Free cooling is reducing running costs at the call centre of Yorkshire Building Society in Bradford following the replacement of a chiller with new Airedale equipment.

Among a wide range of Oventrop valves chosen by Kershaw Mechanical Services for St Crispin’s Retirement Village in Duston, Northampton, are 238 of its new Cocon 4-port valves. They ensure that comfort conditions are maintained in the 258 apartments and 12 bungalows. A cooling system for selected common areas also uses Oventrop valves.

The installation of ABB variable-speed drives to control pumps at the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth is reducing electricity bills by over £15 000 a year. A saving of £2900 a year is being achieved with one 11 kW pump alone.

To comply with DfES guidelines for ventilation in educational premises and help meet BREEAM environmental standards, a new school in Leicestershire is making use of passive natural ventilation.

Cablofil has supplied standard and modified wire-mesh cable tray and accessories for 26 km of baggage-handling conveyors in Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport. Materials-handling specialist Vanderlande Industries chose the product because it was suitable for the flat cables and flexible busbar used throughout the system and it was easy to make tap-offs at any point.

By enabling the fan in VAV air-distribution system to be controlled to deliver the required air volume rather than maintain a constant pressure in the duct, Belimo's MP-Bus system makes possible considerable improvements in energy efficiency. An installation in Switzerland monitored during the winter is said to have reduced fan energy consumption by 40%.

Powrmatic gas-fired unit heaters and destratification units have transformed the heating performance and reduced energy costs in two buildings of Numatic International, which makes commercial and industrial cleaning and maintenance equipment.

The energy efficiency of new luxury apartments in Poole has been raised above the SAP rating (BRE Standard Assessment Procedure) by providing heating and DHW services from central plant via an SAV heat-exchange module in each apartment.

A contract to upgrade 36 Mammoth packaged air-handling units has been awarded to Eton Associates by Canary Wharf Management. These units serve two buildings occupied by Barclays Capital, and the project is expected to reduce electricity consumption by 30%.

A colt impulse ventilation has been installed in the car park of the Emirates Stadium in London to control smoke in the event of a fire. This approach to smoke control avoids the need for the extensive ductwork that would be required for a traditional system.

To help the 171 m-high Beetham Tower in Manchester meet the carbon-emissions requirements of Part L of the Building Regulations, a Daikin water-cooled VRV air-conditioning system has been installed to serve the hotel occupying floors 5 to 23 of this 43-storey building. Using a 4-pipe fan-coil system would have required a major redesign of the building.

Metal ceiling systems supplied by SAS International for undercroft car parks serving Ikea stores give the impression of them being internal spaces and also incorporate thermal insulation to meet the requirements of the Building Regulations between a heated commercial space and an external car park. The ceilings have been used at the Ikea stores at Edmonton and Milton Keynes.

As part of the refurbishment of the largest office block on the Oasis Business Park outside Oxford, Carrier’s newest 3V variable-air-volume control system has made it possible to reduce energy bills, control the office environment more precisely and timetable chiller replacement to suit budgets.

The introduction of three medium CR multi-stage centrifugal pumps by Grundfos increases the number of flow sizes to 11. There are also hundreds of pressure ratings in the range and four basic materials.

Presence-controlled lighting can be provided using standard low-cost components with TridonicAtco’s corridorFUNCTION. Standard presence detectors and luminaires with PCA T5 ECO lp and PCA T5 EXCEL one4all lp control gear is all that is required to provide presence-controlled lighting, particularly in rooms with no daylight, such as underground garages and warehouses.

Vortice Tiracamino chimney extractor fans are designed to remove smoke from fireplaces in commercial premises such as hotels and restaurants and in dwellings with chimneys. These fans are primarily designed to improve the updraught in open-flued chimneys but can also be used as extractor fans when a fire is not lit.

The need to adjust flow rates in ventilation and air-conditioning systems is eliminated by an automatic controller from Trox (UK)

Cylon Controls’ UnitronUC32 building energy management system now complies with the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive, often referred to as the ‘lead-free directive’.

Apollo Fire Detectors has launched a new version of its XP95 and Discovery manual call points to comply with EN54-11:2001.

Sophisticated control for electric heating designed for social housing or private developers is provided by Creda’s Credanet II system, which provides Part L compliance for electric heating.

Eaton-Williams has launched a refurbish or renew service for facilities managers. These people often have to decide whether to renew existing air-handling or ventilation plant or refurbish it in situ. Space constraints, limited access, changing conditions in buildings, energy efficiency and environmental issues all have a bearing on the decision.

Extensive life testing by Aura of its Ultimate T8 long-life fluorescent lamps has enabled the company to redefine its service-life specification to 70 000 h — well over eight times longer than standard fluorescent lamps.

CCL Veloduct has introduced acoustic versions of its Tecflex flexible ducting for applications such as theatres, libraries and law courts. Tecsonic significantly reduces duct-borne noise between the main duct to VAV boxes and air terminal devices. Bends with a radius of half the diameter can be formed.

Lennox’s Ecolean range of packaged chillers use R410A scroll compressors and offer cooling capacities of 22 to 180 kW from 20 models.

Stiebel Eltron’s WPC range of heat pumps provides space heating and domestic hot water — and can also deliver chilled water to provide cooling via fan convectors and underfloor systems.

The Caddy Speed Link support system is based on wire ropes and is said to be a cost-effective alternative to chain, wire, threaded rod and associated hardware.

Control options for LG Air Conditioning’s VRF products enhance the level of control, particularly those installed in larger systems.

Vortice supplies its CA-Wall and CA-Roof fans with ready-constructed mounting plates for ease of installation.

Long-life LEDs are used in Menvier’s Briteway range of emergency-lighting luminaires to reduce maintenance.

LG now offers cased/uncased (chassis) floor-standing indoor units for VRF air-conditioning systems. They offer cooling capacities from 2.2 to 7.1 kW and heating from 2.5 to 8 kW. Units with casings come with decorative panels

The Alfa range of min air-handling units from JS Air Conditioners offers throughputs from 750 to 6500 m3/h and noises levels of 26 dB(A) on low settings and 58 dB(A) on the highest output.

Electric shower manufacturer Mira has teamed up with pump specialist Whale to develop a shower and waste-pump package that enables a shower to be installed virtually anywhere remote from a gravity drain.

TridonicAtco’s DALI-MSensor controls lighting according to the presence of people and ambient lighting level.

Airedale has introduced a range of high-efficiency liquid chillers with cooling capacities from 500 to 1100 kW. They can achieve an ESEER (seasonal energy-efficiency ratio) of 7.3 using optional Turbocor compressor technology. Turbocor compressors have a starting current of just 2 A.