Letters
Biodiesel is far from outstanding for use in BREEAM ratings Regarding your July issue article entitled ‘“Outstanding” challenge’ (page 26), which discusses the details of how a standard office building in London has been adapted to achieve the ‘highest sustainability standard for offices’, it strikes me that there is something very wrong in the way this has been assessed. The fabric of the building consists of
standard full-height double glazing with (some) fixed external blinds that cover less than 20% of the glazing at peak solar gain. As a result, this building would fail to pass the standard building regulations Part L 2010. How, then, has this building been deemed to be so environmentally outstanding? For the large part, the answer is that the building relies heavily on the installation of diesel generators that are intended to run on biodiesel. I have yet to meet any engineering colleagues who think that taking biodiesel away from road use and using it in a building (in a city that already has one of the worst air qualities in Europe) is a good idea. Why is BRE encouraging the use of this valuable, limited resource in a building? We should not be encouraging its use in buildings – it is simply not sustainable. PricewaterhouseCoopers should
be applauded for aiming for a high sustainable standard in its new offices. But BRE should revise its policy on biodiesel as soon as possible to ensure that there are no more buildings employing this tactic to achieve high BREEAM ratings. James Thonger PhD BSc CEng MIMechE
Major institutions should take the lead for engineering profession The past 30 years have demonstrated to me that engineers hunger after public acknowledgement to an enormous extent. The most constant feature of my postbag over the years has been the accusation that the professional engineering institutions (PEIs) or the Engineering Council (usually both) are involved in a conspiracy to suppress statutory regulation of the profession and other forms of public recognition of engineers. Countless inquiries, reviews and reports have had professional recognition as a theme.
18 CIBSE Journal August 2010 My personal view is that this will never
change. Notwithstanding the views of my correspondents, the lack of acknowledgement is probably inevitable. The first president of the Institution of
Civil Engineers, Thomas Telford, wrote: ‘It is unnecessary to remark to you on the business of an Engineer; all admit the difficulties of it, and the indefinite character of it; and that by the want of definition its respectability is less than its due, that public confidence
Any lack of a coherent voice for engineering
must be placed fairly and squarely on the leadership of the major institutions, the Royal Academy and the Engineering Council. Andrew Ramsay, Retiring chief executive, Engineering Council
Don’t leave out chilled ceilings I read with interest your article in the July issue on the topic of fan coils and chilled beams (‘When the fan fits’, page 46). I feel that at some point chilled ceilings should have been included as they offer benefits from both sides of the discussion. Chilled ceilings are manufactured with a copper element bonded into the rear of a metal ceiling tile, resulting in a flush finish and opportunity to reconfigure space providing flexible partitioning locations, appealing to both property developer and future tenant. As with fan coils, building zones
can be individually controlled, allowing unoccupied areas to be isolated and shut down. They also have the advantages of chilled beams as they are more energy efficient than fan coil units, are quieter as they have no moving parts, and require little maintenance. In addition, and unlike fan coils,
chilled ceilings can be installed within a 100mm ceiling void, which, for refurbishment projects, brings comfort cooling to properties with minimal floor to ceiling heights. With the acknowledgement of chilled ceilings the line between
which is indispensable is much weakened by the presumption of unskilful and illiterate persons taking upon themselves the name.’ The number of PEIs has reinforced a view
that the effectiveness of the profession has been hindered by the existence of multiple bodies with overlapping claims to expertise and influence. The Engineering Council currently
licenses 36 PEIs. Engineering will generate further new societies as new technologies and economic engines emerge. Our current structure of 30 plus licensed bodies, 20 professional affiliate societies, and, probably, 30 more aspiring societies seems fairly stable and allows for growth and redistribution of emphasis as time goes by.
advantages and disadvantages becomes somewhat blurred. Malcolm Stamper Marketing manager, SAS International
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