Letters
BIM too costly for most of us also a very strong need to invest in nuclear Many argue vociferously for a nuclear
Building information modelling (BIM) will energy so as to meet the country’s energy solution, but I am yet to see evidence
not be the panacea that your articles suggest, demands by 2023 when most of the reactors convincing me that it offers the best solution.
(‘Model activity’, page 48, ‘2020 Vision’, page might have been decommissioned. The UK History and future uncertainties must propel
28, Journal, January 2010). For a start, the nuclear power generation at the moment us towards energy efficiency, renewables and
total cost of ownership is high, with software stands at about 20 per cent of the total energy low carbon. Firm decisions must be made
licensing and staff training. After users are generation. since the closer we get to the anticipated
trained, they need to use it a lot to stay ‘fresh’. Meeting the nation’s energy needs in the energy crisis, the harder it will become to
BIM can pay its way on large projects – in the next decade is a big challenge to engineers justify a radical change in direction away
same way that CAD brought improvements. and other professionals in the industry. from centralised supply.
However, the overhead is often not justified There is an urgent need to embark on Robert Shaw
on the smaller ones. Small to medium
companies definitely can’t justify these Unsubstantiated claims....
costs. While the intent of your reply to my
In all the complexity of what engineering letter in the December Journal (page
has become, we need some simplicity. 16) was noble, it overlooks an important
The 2D drawing probably remains the
January 2010
point. Many authors state hoped-for
most effective tool to communicate design results such as significant energy
intent between different disciplines and reductions or comfort improvements as
2020 VISION
contractors. And what’s more, you can use
Low carbon will
be fi rmly with us accomplishments rather than as goals,
a pen to revise it!
CASE STUDY
Post-occupancy
without showing if or how those goals
data report
Chris Yates, C Eng MCIBSE
SOFTWARE
are actually achieved. That is unfair to
What BIM can
Associate, Zero Energy Design
do for you
your members and readers. I believe that
INTERVIEW
Lighting guru's the author, and if necessary, the editor,
vision for sector
Get off climate gravy train has the responsibility to remove or not
I received my January 2010 CIBSE Journal publish unsubstantiated assertions.
with a great deal of disappointment. It Eur Ing Int PE Larry Spielvogel, PE,
is filled with items on climate change CEng, FASHRAE, FCIBSE, FSLL
and sustainability, despite the fact that
the science has never been proved
Bling
....And questions to answer
beyond reasonable doubt and not one It was instructive to read your
sceptical voice was raised. The content, as
or bust?
sustainability case study on the KPMG
organisations clamour to mount the gravy building (December, page 32) in the
train, boarders upon hysteria. I expect
Does micro-generation work?
context of the letter from Larry Spielvogel
CIBSE, through its technical publications,
www.cibsejournal.com
in the same issue (page 16). But if the
to present an engineering and scientific CIBSEjan10 cover.indd 1 18/12/09 12:33:34 occupied footprint is 37,000 sq m, can
approach with reasoned arguments. intensive education of our young engineers the installed cooling load really be 8189kw
The political view of CHP is a case in and engineering students in renewable (221w/sq m)? Or, if cooling towers have
point (‘Politicians back combined heat and energy technology. The government needs been used very sensibly to achieve optimum
power’, News, page 6). To be efficient, CHP to invest hugely in renewable energy as well performance from the chillers, why not utilise
depends upon a balance of electrical and low as nuclear engineering, not only to meet the tower water to provide cooling through
grade heat output. When the domestic heat the energy target but to also create the more the beams without chiller operation, since
requirement is satisfied in summer, does needed employment now as we go through the temperatures are ideal for this purpose?
one stop generating or throw the heat away? this painful recession. Eric Innes, FCIBSE
Why is maintenance and infrastructure Chiedozie Ukaigwe MSc, C Eng, MCIBSE
configuration ignored in most cases? Why CIBSE Journal welcomes article proposals from
are ‘savings’ for low-energy lamps generally Yet to be convinced on nuclear
any reader, wherever you are – whether it be
letters, longer opinion pieces, news stories,
overstated and power factor and harmonics The prospect of a new generation of nuclear
people or events listings, humorous items, or any
ignored? Payback period figures are often power stations has once again raised its ideas for possible articles.
unrealistic. divisive head. The battle is on two fronts: the
Please send all letters and any other items for
Peter Lawson-Smith OBE, FCIBSE need for serious and sustained reductions in
possible publication to: bcervi@cibsejournal.
CO2 emissions and an impending energy
com, or write to Bob Cervi, Editor, CIBSE Journal,
Nuclear is a key renewable gap. The answer, the UK government now
Cambridge Publishers Ltd, 275 Newmarket Road,
Cambridge, CB5 8JE, UK. We reserve the right to
While the UK government’s plan to increase tells us, has to be nuclear despite us being led
edit all letters. Please indicate how you wish your
its energy from renewable sources from one to believe in a White Paper only a few years
letter to be attributed, and whether you wish to
to 15 per cent by 2020 is laudable, there is ago that it was firmly off the agenda.
have your contact details included.
26 CIBSE Journal March 2010 www.cibsejournal.com
CIBSEmar10 pp26 letters.indd 26 25/2/10 15:51:09
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