AIR CONDITIONING & AIR QUALITY Small tech to effect big change


As we move ever closer to Government’s net zero commitment in 2050, the subject of energy eciency in our buildings will connue to be a dominant issue


W


hile last year’s report by the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Select Committee into energy efficiency standards, especially in new homes,


was fairly critical it didn’t address the energy efficiency in new non-domestic buildings, or indeed the existing building stock across the country. Russell Armstrong, managing director of RA Tech UK Ltd, discusses how small tech may be the answer to greater efficiencies across the board.


Think small to act big


When facing a challenge as great as getting the UK to net zero in 2050, it can be easy to look for big solutions to the big problem. However, as children we learn that the path to truly significant progress is often travelled with small steps. Modern technology comes in increasingly small packages but has big potential to help us create more efficient buildings.


SMART technology gives us greater control of our home and work environments and in return can provide data about our usage and habits.


Capabilities such as geofencing so that a heating system is only on when an individual is in the building, or being able to control the lights while travelling, provide simple steps to increased energy efficiency. However, what they don’t always tell us is when something is wrong.


Technology to protect


Using technology to alert us to danger has the potential to optimise and safeguard heating and hot water systems in both domestic and commercial buildings.


This was something at the forefront of our design process when developing hotun detect®. Our original hotun dry-trap tundish has already initiated a huge industry change in the routing of relief valve discharge to drain. By taking it safely and compliantly via the waste pipe, it avoids the need for awkwardly routed external termination points or routing to gullies in a basement service area.


Building on the time and material-saving benefits of fitting hotun in the installation phase of the building, it felt like a natural progression to look to provide water and energy savings as part of future product development.


We were also aware that while relief valve discharge is a sign that something isn’t working as intended with either a boiler or unvented cylinder, it is a warning sign which can be hard to notice and is often unheeded. Early and blatant alerts enable quicker diagnosis of faults, preventing minor issues becoming major breakdowns. By incorporating both a visual and audible alarm, the hotun detect acts decisively to bring the condition to immediate attention and raise the red flag to the occupier, building services engineer or facilities manager when something goes wrong. The benefits of early detection go beyond preventative maintenance. Both boilers and unvented cylinders will vent water through a relief valve to avoid the system going over pressure or temperature in the event of a system fault. While cutting carbon emissions is a primary target for industry, protecting resources as precious as water is still critical. Identifying faults early and fixing the issues that have caused the PRV to run prevents the waste of water that would be dumped to drain if the system’s failsafe is activated, as well as saving the energy needed to heat the water.


Solution for old and new


uLayers of limescale buildup on a tundish are a sign of volumes of water being routed to drain because of relief valve acvaon


Many of the ‘big’ solutions are also restricted to use in new installations. Designing new buildings to the height of efficiency is all well and good but with some 80%1


of existing building stock expected


to still be in use in 2050, it’s crucial that solutions can be adopted in all installations. Through its clip- on design, the hotun detect is compatible and retrofittable to any existing hotun install. Turning


BSEE


the dry-trap tundish from a passive safety device to an active alarm is now a simple and cost- effective process.


While the drive for low carbon energy solutions is initiating big changes, we shouldn’t forget that making small and incremental improvements also add up to make a big difference, saving energy and resources now and in the future. The simple step of fitting an active alarm to detect relief valve discharge can alert the occupier, engineer or facilities manager to an issue and motivate them to fix it before they are literally pouring water and energy down the drain.


Simplifying previously complicated installations is why the hotun dry-trap tundish concept has become a hugely useful product for engineers and installers. The focus on compliant installation is also why its officially accepted for use with boilers, water heaters and cylinders from the UK’s leading manufacturers. With the addition of small but powerful technology, hotun detect creates a simple, compliant and energy-saving solution that can contribute towards greater and greener ambitions.


1 https://www.ukgbc.org/climate-change/


Read the latest at: www.bsee.co.uk


BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER MAY 2020 11


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