NEWS In brief
GREEN LEASE TOOLKIT UPDATED The Better Building Partnership (BBP) has updated its guidance on the use of green leases for commercial property. BBP is a collaboration
between 17 of the UK’s leading commercial property owners. It sees green leases as a powerful mechanism to improve the environmental performance of commercial property, drive CO2
savings and foster
greater collaboration between landlords and tenants’. Their importance is likely to
grow as a result of an increasing amount of environmental legislation aimed at encouraging everyone involved with property to reduce the environmental impacts of their operations, a statement said. The fi rst toolkit was produced
in 2009 but changes in the marketplace and more practical experiences of BBP members, industry feedback and advice from legal advisers, has prompted the production of an update. ‘Green leases do not
automatically result in more environmentally effi cient or sustainable buildings if fi led away with the deeds to the property, never to be seen again,’ said Keith Bugden, BBP executive programme director. The new toolkit is free to download from www. betterbuildingspartnership.
co.uk
TEAMBUILD TAKES ON EDINBURGH SITE Teams are now being invited to enter the Teambuild 2013 competition. Held in November, the
event brings together young professionals, including architects, engineers and surveyors, and challenges them to improve communications and working relationships. Participants learn from each other while tackling a number of design, procurement and construction tasks. This year, Teambuild will be
working with Balfour Beatty and the University of Edinburgh on the Holyrood Student Accommodation project. To enter go to www.teambuilduk. com
10 CIBSE Journal September 2013 Heat pumps get field study boost
● Performance has improved since 2010 review
A second round of fi eld trials carried out by the Energy Saving Trust (EST) has concluded that heat pump performance is improving. Researchers returning to a number of installations that were at the heart of a damning trial in 2010 discovered that many of the problems were being addressed and that installers and users were getting to grips with the technology. It concluded that homes best suited for heat pump installations ‘could expect to earn savings and income of around £1,350 a year on air source heat pumps and around £3,000 a year on ground source heat pumps’.
Eighty per cent of participants in the trial said they were satisfi ed with their pump’s performance, while 77% said they would recommend one to a friend. The EST said the new trial had built upon the fi rst study, which ‘identifi ed recommendations for the industry and end-users to achieve better performance from the technology’. In the 2010 study, just 13% of installations met performance targets. In the second round, 32 of those were revisited and 20 of
those ‘achieved improvements in performance, with the remainder achieving similar or slightly lower performance’. Forty-four installations were studied overall. Jaryn Bradford, the EST’s senior technical manager, said: ‘Based on the results of the study, we are convinced that heat pumps can play a signifi cant role in providing an effective heating solution for homes and reducing carbon emissions. ‘From the study, it is clear that heat pumps are sensitive to design, commissioning and how the householder uses the system. However, the
performance monitoring trials have provided early indications that the introduction of improved installation standards, among other things, will lead to improved performance.’
The EST added that the
interventions carried out during the study were an early indication of the successes that ‘robust standards’ could achieve.
‘If heat pumps were installed today under the current installer guidelines, alongside further customer guidance on operating the system, they would achieve even better performances than indicated in the study.’
Report reveals chilled beams potential
The Chilled Beam and Ceiling Association (CBCA) has commissioned an independent study that shows a major energy benefi t for chilled beam technology over fan coil systems. The study, carried out by consultant Environmental Design Solutions (EDSL) using its government-approved Thermal Analysis Software (Tas), revealed the potential for energy savings of 17- 22% with chilled beam technology against VAV fan coil systems.
The study simulated the dynamic thermal performance of four differently-sized offi ce buildings, and compared the energy consumption, CO2 emissions and the running costs for three different HVAC systems: VAV fan coil with EC motors; passive chilled beams and active chilled beams. Results showed that for both the passive (17%) and active (22%) beams, energy consumption was
lower than that of the VAV fan coil system. CBCA chairman Andrew Jackson said: ‘As an industry it’s important we share knowledge to help get buildings to perform more effi ciently, and chilled beam technology offers a solution for offi ces and other property.’ Following
publication of the report, HEVAC’s Fan Coil Group has announced that it is to issue its own paper defi ning the advantages that it believes a fan coil system can offer. The CBCA Technical Fact Sheet 2 – EDSL Tas
Energy Study Summary Findings is available at:
www.feta.co.uk/hevac/specialist-groups/chilled- beams-ceiling-association
www.cibsejournal.com
CALEK / SHUTTERSTOCK
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