HEATING, VENTILATION & ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Juggler or expert – there are common factors
Dave Harding, sales & marketing director at Gilberts Blackpool, looks at the changing face of HVAC
W
e face a predicament in building services: to become jugglers or to become experts. According to data, commercial construction
is continuing to grow(1) with the emphasis in healthcare, education, offices and data centres. Each has very specific and very different HVAC requirement and regulations. So, do you become a juggler, a jack of all trades, or a master in a specific field? I would say that regardless of which route,
there are certain common features that prevail. Reduced energy consumption is now a given. Aesthetics are increasingly playing a part, where form is as important as function. The key to your success is balancing those common features with the specifics of each project and working with people who are like-minded- there to deliver the best end result.
Reduced energy consumption
Heat recovery is now taken as a given. More clients are asking for demand-controlled, decentralised systems. It’s logical: why pay to heat and cool areas that are little used? If we are clever about the design of the HVAC, in the choice of air delivery units, we can further enhance the outcome. Manufacturers are very aware of the forces at work and are constantly striving to deliver even better performance. A perfect example is hybrid systems that
predominantly focus on natural ventilation and include heat recovery. As stand-alone units, they offer the ultimate in decentralised, demand controlled, energy efficient HVAC. It’s an evolving sector, so capabilities change: whereas only a couple of years ago 45% heat recovery was the norm, today it is 65%, and may yet improve further….
Hybrid ventilation systems also have a specific place: they’re great for schools and low-rise offices but cannot cope with the high demands of data centres. In data centres, where the priority is removal of the heat generated from the racks of servers, extraction of that heat is key, hence the growth in façade ventilation louvres that let that excess/ surplus heat out without allowing harmful dust and debris in, and all without any energy usage. For more general build projects, which at the end of the day are the bread and butter for most of us, it still pays to stay in touch with component developments. Thermally-sensitive diffusers are the latest element to become a consideration in energy reduction. Historically,
your choice was limited to swirls. Now, linear slot diffusers and drum louvres are available, giving you greater scope in variety of interior spaces where modulation of the air temperature can be demand-controlled without using any additional energy. Intelligent components within the diffuser activate when the internal temperature varies from the preset to adjust the airflow direction depending on whether heating or isothermal conditions need to be altered.
The aesthetic consideration
Commercial interiors today are moving away from stark functionality into more human-centric flexible spaces that blend sustainability with high tech functionality. From a HVAC perspective, this means clean lines, more use of colour alongside the conventional white, and components that complement the décor- whether that is blending into it or being a stand-out part of the overall scheme. To optimise the ability of the air delivery units to blend in and retain the clean lines of the design, we’re seeing increasing specification of plaster-in options(2). They mean the lines of the design aesthetic are maintained, and installation and finish is simplified for the contractors involved.
By contrast, some designers are making the grilles and diffusers a stand-out element. Our
8 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER JULY 2026
bespoke capabilities mean we’ve produced face plates that highlight the corporate identity, and that we can personalise the finish to suit. It’s not just a question of RAL colour, it is now possible to specify your grilles and diffusers in metallics or mineral/stone/marble effect. Ceilings are figuring in the architecture too, where they are now being treated as a central layer to the design(3). Plaster-in options again serve a valuable purpose here, giving a clean line across the surface, concealing them whilst still providing access if needed. Where building services are exposed, the ceiling-mounted swirls are being made a feature, either by the faceplate design or the colour. The end result is that whether you as a consultant or contractor choose to be a juggler or an expert, there are certain consistencies in your decisions.
The key to the success of each project depends on the niceties of how you deliver, and that includes working with like-minded people who work with you to achieve the best end objective.
References: 1.
https://www.statista.com/topics/3797/ construction-industry-in-the-uk/
2.
www.barbour-abi.com 3.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ interior-design-trends-shaping- commercial-spaces-glogc/
Read the latest at:
www.bsee.co.uk
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
