REALITY CHECK
Plain truths about how buildings perform are obscured by spin and greenwash. But engineers are ideally placed to counter this misinformation, argues CIBSE’s new President in his inaugural address. Report by Mike Sewell
‘It is time to be normal.’ This was the call from incoming CIBSE President David Fisk as he urged engineers in the UK to rethink fundamentals – by reasserting normal engineering values and challenging spin. Presenting the annual presidential address, which he called ‘Reality Check’, at Imperial College, London, Professor Fisk said he was ‘haunted’ by the list of countries now outperforming the UK economy. ‘It is not that they are doing what we do, only better,’ he argued. On the contrary, ‘most are doing something different: being normal’.
Above and on facing page: David Fisk gives his inaugural presidential address
So what does ‘normal engineering’ mean? Fisk said it was about measuring and learning from the performance of real buildings. ‘If we knew how to deliver what we promised we would be much
more likely to be able to insist on promising something real. That must mean making a real effort to support benchmarking of occupied buildings.’
There was more work to be done to improve benchmarking processes, he said. ‘We hope to work with our fellow institution ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning) in bringing benchmarking and labelling to the fore wherever high performance buildings are required in any part of the world.’
Fisk, who is director of the Laing O’Rourke Centre for Systems Engineering and Innovation at Imperial, was previously Chief Scientifi c Adviser to the Offi ce of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Department of the Environment.
Calling all Building Services Engineers Why choose the new e3co Crown energy recovery unit over typical medium efficiency units? 3
• Thermal efficiency up to 95% = Reducing your heating demand • SFP levels as low as 0.67 w/l/s = Meeting Part L • Low breakout levels = Compliant with BB93 • Save 20% on SBEM = Reduce your renewables • Payback as little as *2.6 years
• Reduce your carbon emissions by *25 tonnes • Pre-wired controls and sensors with BMS interface
• Air volume to 1.6m3/s, with heating and cooling options available • EC motors 2015 ErP directive compliant
3
CPD available on High Efficiency Energy Recovery Units Vs Medium Efficiency email
marketing.uk@
flaktwoods.com and quote CIBSE0612 for more information
* Based on independent study, for more information please contact
marketing.uk@
flaktwoods.com Integrated Exchanger
Fläkt Woods Limited Axial Way, Colchester, Essex, CO4 5ZD
Tel: 01206 222 555 Fax: 01206 222 777 email:
marketing.uk@
flaktwoods.com
website:
www.flaktwoods.co.uk
CIBSE Half Page dps June 2012
v2.indd 1
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68