Buildings Offices
Grundy
Highlights Some key
additions to the guide
Securities/Paul
Land
Lifts:
The new guide provides comparable performance
parameters for both conventional and destination
control lift systems, based on the quality of service
as measured by average waiting times. BCO believes
this has not been done before, because each
manufacturer had been creating its own performance
standards for destination control systems.
Most of the major lift suppliers active in the UK
were consulted on the approach taken to normalise
the definition of performance standards, and
agreed that they would be able to comply with the
benchmark standards for both passenger handling
performance and ride quality standards.
The guide specifies, also for the first time, ride
quality standards. It also offers advice on lift planning,
goods lift provision and firefighting requirements.
Lighting:
The guide provides advice on both daylighting and
artificial lighting in the office environment.
For artificial lighting, the previous recommended
range of acceptable lighting design levels has been
retained, but the impact of adopting different levels
Dashwood House, London. > the UK. While carrying out retrospective electrical
within the range on the occupiers fit out of the
The guide contains new load measurements in occupied office buildings is
space is fully explained.
advice on lift systems challenging and expensive to do, the research found
Also provided is more detail on what should
no evidence that small power loads are falling from the
be achieved in a Cat A design and what level of
levels specified in previous guides. Although desktop
enhancement should be left to the occupier Cat B
equipment has become more efficient in recent times,
works. More emphasis has been placed on lighting
the combination of increasing occupier density and
control, and for the first time an annual target
a growing number of devices per workspace have, it
energy use parameter has been included.
seems, effectively cancelled each other out.
Therefore, after long debate in the services working Internal air quality:
group, the recommended design allowance of 25W per Poor air quality leads to poor performance in the
sq m has been retained in the new guide. workplace due to distraction by odour, sensory
More work is required in this area. Hopefully the irritation, allergic reaction or direct toxicological
improved metering in buildings driven by Part L of the effects. The guide recommends standards of
Building Regulations, as well as the need to report on energy outdoor air above the statutory minimum of 10
performance driven by the European Energy Performance L/s/sq m. It includes a table to track the impact of
of Buildings Directive, will generate much more data in occupier densities on outdoor air allowances, and
this area on which to base our design advice. on the flexibility provided to the space through the
provision of good outdoor air allowances.
24-degree debate
The 24-degree debate is an industry challenge to
review its guidance on summertime internal design internal design temperature standard for climate-
temperatures in comfort-cooled and air-conditioned controlled office space. After considering some of the
buildings. The 2005 edition of the guide reflected the latest academic research and conducting field trials at a
The guide
conventional wisdom of the time and recommended major occupier’s offices during the summer of 2008, it
reflects the
internal design temperatures in a comfort-controlled was concluded that 24 deg C provides good comfort and
recognition that
office space be maintained at 22 deg C. However, in a productivity conditions for office occupiers and allows a
world of global warming, maintaining this temperature reduction in energy use because of reduced cooling. l
the ‘one size fits
internally, with increasing external temperatures,
all’ approach of
requires higher energy use.
Neil Pennell is a director of the BCO board of
the past is too
BCO has worked jointly with CoreNet and the Royal management, chairman of its technical affairs committee
Institute of British Architects to review the implications
and head of sustainability and engineering at Land
restrictive.
Securities Group plc
on workplace productivity and comfort of a more relaxed
38 CIBSE Journal June 2009 www.cibsejournal.com
CIBSEjun09 pp36-38 offices.indd 38 28/5/09 15:48:58
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