EIBI July/August 2021

JULY/AUGUST 2021

PROMOTING ENERGY EFFICIENCY

www.eibi.co.uk

In this issue CHP & District Heating Metering & Monitoring Energy Efficiency & Wellbeing CPD Module: Refrigeration

Moving to net zero Decarbonisation of heat networks

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Joining up the dots Linking data and energy saving

Safeguarding employees First steps in wellbeing

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JULY/AUGUST 2021

PROMOTING ENERGY EFFICIENCY

www.eibi.co.uk

In this issue CHP & District Heating Metering & Monitoring Energy Efficiency & Wellbeing CPD Module: Refrigeration

Moving to net zero Decarbonisation of heat networks

Joining up the dots Linking data and energy saving

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Contents

www.eibi.co.uk

Safeguarding employees First steps in wellbeing

07/07/2021 11:40

JULY/AUGUST 2021

14

34

FEATURES

11

CHP & District Heating Ian Allan discusses proven strategies heat suppliers can use to improve decarbonisation performance on both existing and new heat networks and how to mitigate risk in the transition to net zero You might know your CHP is saving you money. But how do you answer the question of how much? Sebastian Gray offers some answers (12) Wayne Davies looks at how CHP plants, conventional generators and fast-reacting battery storage all have the potential to provide flexible capacity for grid balancing (14) A Remeha CHP system has been selected to meet the heating and hot water requirements at a BREEAMaccredited Chester care home, while designers working with the Hysopt simulation software are now able to select SWEP heat exchangers within their digital model (16)

22 Monitoring & Metering

No longer just bricks and mortar, today’s buildings are increasingly intuitive, adaptable and responsive. Peter Burbidge examines the key trends in monitoring in years to come

Janie Jefferies-Freer examines the correlation between data and energy saving targets. The key lies in utilising the right metrics to focus on the data that provides added reporting value (24) ISO 50001 enables organisations of any size to systematically optimise energy performance and promote more efficient energy management. David Goodfellow explains how companies can get the best from this standard (26)

Efficiency 29 Energy & Wellbeing Susan Cassells explores how organisations can improve indoor air quality on their premises to safeguard employees’ wellbeing and health A building that is not airtight cannot be properly mechanically ventilated. Bernard Hornung examines the rapid pace of change the pandemic is bringing (30) Despite increasing demand for particle sensors Stacey Lucas and Phil Berry from Sontay say everybody could benefit from extra education around invisible particulate pollution (32)

REGULARS 06 News Update Committee on Climate Change condemns Government for “repeated failures” while Switzerland referendum defeats carbon tax proposal

examines how you can reduce your expenditure on cooling

33 New Products

09 The Warren Report With some of the worst levels of energy efficiency in Europe our housing stock is in urgent need of a plan to encompass consumer wishes, grants to alleviate fuel poverty as well as installer training

17 The Fundamental Series: CPD Learning Mechanical cooling contributes a significant proportion of energy use and will only increase. John Pooley

as normality re-emerges and why there has been no sight of the Government’s Heat and Buildings strategy

21 Products in Action An air handling unit used to protect Brunel’s SS Great Britain is given an upgrade while variable speed drives are now being used at a desalination plant on Jersey

28 ESTA Viewpoint Mervyn Pilley examines the challenges ESTA members are facing

New to the market this month is an airto-water, glycol-free chiller for outdoor installation. And listen to a new series of podcasts from Mitsubishi in which experts shine a light on zero-carbon and legislative issues

34 Talking Heads Businesses will play a key role in balancing grid demand in the coming years by providing demand flexibility.

But they need the consumer-focused products to be able to participate, says Chris Curry

Follow us, ‘like us’ or visit us online to keep up to date with all the latest energy news and events www.eibi.co.uk JULY/AUGUST 2021 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | 03

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Editor’s Opinion

Follow us on @ twitter.com/eibi and twitter.com/eibi_magazine

Selling net zero to us all

A

t the beginning of the year what was

The revenues generated by the extra charges

claimed to be the biggest ever opinion

would have been largely returned to Swiss citizens

poll on climate change took place.

through health insurance rebates, and a large

The UN Development Programme

chunk would also have been used to fund green

questioned 1.2m people across 50 countries. It found that two thirds believe that it to be a global

technologies.

The Swiss pro campaigners clearly failed to

emergency. While younger people showed the

make the case for the benefits of increased climate

greatest concern, with 69 per cent of those aged

action whether it is on the jobs it can create, the

14-18 saying there is a climate emergency, 58 per

better health, and ultimately lower household

cent of those over 60 agreed, suggesting there is

energy costs.

not a huge generational divide.

What was not clear from that huge cross section

What would happen if the same referendum were carried out in the UK? I suspect the result

of the earth’s population was how much sacrifice

would be similar. The Swiss result should carry a

each person would be prepared to give in the

health warning for the UK. If there is the slightest

name of mitigating climate change. Judging by

chance that we will all be worse off through higher

the recent result of the referendum in Switzerland

taxation then public opinion will turn. The biggest

(see page 8) the answer would be very little.

challenge will be to ensure that nobody is paying

Switzerland emits roughly the same amount of

more for their energy in the net-zero transition.

carbon dioxide as Ireland, and a new plan put

If we are to get anywhere near our 2050 net zero

to a public vote recently aimed to scrub more

target it is going to be absolutely crucial that the

emissions from the environmental accounting

Government, energy suppliers, and in fact anyone

books. But the Swiss were having none of it and

involved in the energy industry, ensures that this

nearly 52 per cent said ‘no’, ‘non’ and ‘nein’ to a

message gets across clearly.

government-backed proposal under which airline tickets would have been subject to additional charges and local carbon taxes on petrol, diesel,

MANAGING EDITOR

heating oil and fossil gas could have been set up.

Mark Thrower

www.eibi.co.uk

The EiBI Team Editorial Managing Editor Mark Thrower tel: 01483 452854 Email: editor@eibi.co.uk Address: P. O. Box 825, Guildford GU4 8WQ

Advertising Sales Managers Chris Evans tel: 01889 577222 fax: 01889 579177 Email: chris@eibi.co.uk Address: 16-18 Hawkesyard Hall, Armitage Park, Rugeley, Staffordshire WS15 1PU Russ Jackson tel: 01704 501090 fax: 01704 531090 Email: russ@eibi.co.uk Address: Argyle Business Centre, 8 Leicester Street, Southport, Lancashire PR9 0EZ Nathan Wood tel 01525 716 143 fax 01525 715 316 Email nathan@eibi.co.uk Address: 1b, Station Square Flitwick, Bedfordshire MK45 1DP

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Circulation Sue Bethell Tel: 01889 577222 Email: circulation@eibi.co.uk

Administration/ production Fran Critchlow Tel: 01889 577222 Email: info@eibi.co.uk

THIS MONTH’S COVER STORY Munters recently completed a pioneering upgrade of the dry dock air handling unit (AHU) at Brunel’s SS Great Britain. The upgrade ensures long term protection against corrosion, while reducing AHU fan energy consumption by 25-30 per cent.

With the belt driven fan coming to the end of its expected life, Munters has upgraded the AHU with three EC direct drive plug fans from ebm papst.

Munters designed a bespoke bulk head so the new fans that could be brought in flat packed, in component form, and retrofitted in a fan wall configuration and digitally integrated into the ship’s control system.

See page 21 for more details Cover photo courtesy of Munters Ltd

Publishing Directors Chris Evans Russ Jackson Magazine Designer Tim Plummer For overseas readers or UK readers not qualifying for a free copy, annual subscription rates are £85 UK; £105 Europe airmail; £120 RoW. Single copies £10 each.

Published by: Pinede Publishing Ltd 16-18 Hawkesyard Hall, Armitage Park, Nr. Rugeley, Staffordshire WS15 1PU ISSN 0969 885X This issue includes photographs provided and paid for by suppliers

Printed by Precision Colour Printing Origination by Design and Media Solutions ABC Audited Circulation Jan-Dec 2020 11,721

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News Update

For all the latest news stories visit www.eibi.co.uk

Demand-side benefits at domestic scale

A pilot project aiming to demonstrate the viability of a demand-side approach to energy management at domestic level has demonstrated a substantial reduction in both consumer bills and carbon emissions.

The Government-funded FLATLINE research project sought to demonstrate how, using batteries in conjunction with smart energy management systems, demand from homes could be ‘time-shifted’ to better align with energy generation.

The trial’s 20 new-build homes in Wales were installed with solar panels, battery storage, hot water tanks and ground source heat pumps, along with the resident facing interface developed by Sero Homes and the background energy management systems developed by Passiv UK. Residents entered their lifestyle and behavioural preferences into a bespoke ‘Sero Life’ app, enabling the energy system’s software to forecast and demand-shift.

The systems then intelligently drew, discharged and anticipated energy demands, almost completely avoiding the National Grid at peak times, keeping carbon intensity to a minimum. The system also reduced energy expenses through a combination of buying energy at cheaper times and opening up the benefits of grid balancing payments.

COMMITTEE ON CLIMATE CHANGE

CCC launches stinging attack on policies The Government’s official Committee on Climate Change (CCC) is condemning the Johnson government for its “repeated failures” to introduce policies that would ensure that the official climate change targets - of reducing emissions by 78 per cent between 1990 and 2030 - would be met.

Chief executive Chris Stark (right) is no longer pulling punches. In his annual report press briefing, he emphasised that any government strategy needed the full support of the Treasury. But with its longpromised net-zero review – originally due in autumn 2020 – he said its silence was “really noticeable. We have had procrastination from our finance and economics ministry on this, despite the promised turnaround in their thinking on climate,” he warned.

The CCC has emphasised the low price tag attached to net-zero, previously estimating costs of 1 per cent of GDP and a potential economic boost of 2 per cent of GDP within a decade. But aggregate costs are “now well below 1 per cent of GDP in our central estimates.”

However, starting with the former chancellor Philip Hammond, there has been consistent commentary within the media and among

“The committee also urged leaders to take the “oncein-a-lifetime” chance to invest in a” green recovery” offered by Covid-19” politicians about what they perceived as high costs associated with the target. Stark emphasises the need to fill the “vacuum” left by the Treasury on this. By the CCC’s estimate, meeting the net-zero target would only delay reaching the GDP level otherwise expected in 2050 by four months, even assuming a cost associated with net-zero rather than an economic boost.

His concern is that the Treasury

Free-to-attend event returns to London

Smart Buildings Show, the UK’s cornerstone commercial smart buildings event, has announced its 2021 event has now opened for registration. The free-to-attend conference and exhibition takes place at the London ExCel on the 6-7th October 2021, featuring some of the leading names including Priva UK, Trend, ABB and Siemens Smart Infrastructure.

The conference theatres include Connected - Management, which will look at how smart buildings are managed and how the workplace has changed post-covid; The Connected - Controls Theatre, which will look at physical devices in smart buildings; The Connected - Spaces & Infrastructure Theatre, which will focus on smart buildings, wellbeing, networks, connectivity and power; and the Training Theatre, which will offer visitors the chance to enhance their industry credentials via CPDaccredited presentations.

Biden administration targets buildings energy efficiency in new programme US President Joe Biden’s administration has announced a major programme aimed at making buildings energy efficient, including new “performance standards” for federal buildings, arguing that “this administration believes in leading

by example.”

These standards will “establish metrics, targets, and tracking methods to reach federal carbon emissions goals.” Meanwhile, the administration is also creating new Energy Star rating standards for heat pumps, central air

is focusing more on the costs themselves rather than the “real challenge”, which is ensuring both costs and benefits are spread fairly. This is particularly true for decarbonising buildings and industry – homes and jobs – he says: “If the Treasury is not stepping in to say what they are going to do about those issues, then you create a space for the bad faith actors to fill.”

Last year, Stark admitted he had been willing to cut the government “a bit of slack” during the pandemic, but the committee also urged leaders to take the “once-in-a-lifetime” chance to invest in a” green recovery” offered by Covid-19. Last July, the government did make some spending announcements, touting them as part of its green recovery plans.

However, not only were these pledges dwarfed by those offered by other European governments, the main stimulus package – the £2bn “green homes grant” – was cancelled after reaching less than 10 per cent of the 600,000 homes it was meant to benefit (see EiBI April 2021).

The CCC concludes that “while fiscal pressures remain, overall UK investment continues to be low.

More can be done to boost private investment and increase tax revenues while accelerating decarbonisation.” conditioners, and electric water heaters. Energy Star standards are government-backed indicators of energy efficiency for consumer products.

There is an additional investment of $30m in workforce development and training to help fund job creation in skills such as constructing, upgrading and electrifying buildings.

The Energy Department will also put $10m toward accelerating adoption of heat pump technology.

Energy secretary, Jennifer Granholm said: “These systems use electricity to strategically transfer heat to make spaces cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. They are a cleaner and more cost-effective alternative to gaspowered furnaces and standard air conditioners.”

President Biden has previously expressed support for making buildings more energy efficient, calling for investing $213bn in retrofitting more than 2m homes in his infrastructure plan.

06 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | JULY/AUGUST 2021

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News Update

For all the latest news stories visit www.eibi.co.uk

OVERSTATED GREEN CREDENTIALS

Regulatory guidance for ESG performance The global financial securities watchdog will publish this summer its first regulatory guidance for “voluntary” raters of corporate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance.

This is intended to stem growing concern among asset managers about overstated green credentials: there are simply far too many conflicting ways of measuring different responses, including improvements in company energy intensity.

Ashley Alder, chair of the International. Organisation of Securities Commissioners (IOSCO) that groups securities regulators from the US, Europe, and Asia, is concerned that countries simply have no agreed rules for ESG ratings. “Many on the buy and sell side have signalled very clearly how confusing the multiplicity of different ESG ratings choices can be, again raising serious questions about relevance, about reliability and about greenwashing,” he said.

“We are now working on ways to ensure better transparency and clearer definitions,” he added.

“Our work is likely to involve guidance to service providers and

Industry veteran is awarded OBE

ratings agencies, together with recommendations for regulators on how to deal with potential conflicts of interest.”

The watchdog also wants asset managers to incorporate more meaningful climate-related considerations like energy efficiency into their risk management, as the companies in which they invest face more stringent ESG disclosure rules.

• Meanwhile, the European Union’s banking watchdog is warning its banks they must have a ten-year plan spelling out how they will deal with ESG risks to their bottom line.

A new report from the European Banking Authority (EBA) set out recommendations for banks and their supervisors for approaching ESG risks, intended to help the EU meet its goals of cutting emissions by 2050.

Banks should plan strategically over a period of at least 10 years to show their resilience to different scenarios, disclose strategic ESG objectives, and assess the need to develop sustainable products, EBA said. Climate risks can include “physical” or weather-related events like floods, and “transition” risks from sudden changes in asset values, including profligate fuel use.

First verification scheme to monitor domestic retrofits

The National Energy Foundation has launched the UK’s first verification scheme which independently measures the outcome of domestic energy saving retrofits.

The SuperHomes Network and Rating Scheme has been redeveloped as part of NEF’s mission to promote sustainable housing and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from existing UK properties.

NEF is aiming to create 1m SuperHomes by 2030, to influence and inspire others in their journey to improve energy efficiency, health and comfort through home renovation.

To achieve this mission, the SuperHomes team has developed a network of individuals, organisations and partners to work alongside property owners to reach SuperHomes status.

The SuperHomes Network has been redeveloped to give members access to knowledge about domestic retrofit, energy efficiency, renewable energy and home comfort as well as access to free events and workshops.

Members will be able share retrofit knowledge, resources and best practice to deliver high-performing homes

In Brief

Mike Nankivell has been awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to the UK Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry.

With almost 50 years of experience in the HVACR industry, Nankivell has served as president of the Heat Pump Association (HPA), president of HEVAC and as chairman of Federation of Environmental Trade Associations (FETA) during its 30th anniversary year.

In the wider industry he is also a fellow and former trustee of the Institute of Refrigeration (IoR) and has served as a director of the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Industry Board (ACRIB).

Heat pumps to join boiler range in UK

Vaillant Industrial UK will begin manufacturing heat pumps alongside its UK range of high efficiency boilers from 2022 at its site in Belper, Derbyshire.

Vaillant currently makes around 500,000 natural gas and liquified petroleum gas (LPG) appliances at the Belper plant for the UK market.

From 2022, the capacity will be increased to include the aroTHERM plus air-to-water heat pump.

Vaillant believes that no one single technology will address the decarbonisation challenge. A combination of hydrogen gas boilers, heat pumps and hybrid systems along with controls and internet connected solutions will be key to meeting the Government’s targets.

Lighting giant moves into smart cities

whether they be a homeowner, landlord, professional or supplier to the industry.

The newly developed SuperHomes Rating Scheme monitors and evaluates homes against three criteria – carbon dioxide emissions per square metre, residual (regulated) carbon dioxide emissions and health

and comfort.

After 12 months of monitoring, homes are awarded a star rating of between one to five, with five being a zero-carbon retrofit. Funding for the redevelopment of the SuperHomes Rating Scheme was provided by the MCS Charitable Foundation and Innovate UK.

Lighting company Signify has acquired Telensa Holdings Ltd, a UK-based expert in wireless monitoring and control systems for smart cities.

Signify and Telensa will be able to service the many towns and cities around the world which want to reap the benefits of connected lighting in a cost-efficient way, and bring them into a smart city central management system.

Telensa, headquartered in Cambridge, UK, was founded in 2005 and employs 58 people.

The company’s preliminary sales amounted to approximately £11m for the year ending March 2021.

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News Update

For all the latest news stories visit www.eibi.co.uk

Letter to the Editor Dear Sir, Re: June Issue Talking Heads with Paul Atherton The heat pump sector expects to compete with other technologies to decarbonise homes, but it’s vital that inaccurate statements about heat pump performance are called out so that the wider heating industry, developers and the consumer can make well-informed choices.

Developers, rather than purchasers, will select the heating products of tomorrow. Electrification with heat pumps is set to become the option of choice because innovative funding routes will make it attractive, as will the potential to provide cost-effective cooling in light of the rise of overheating risks.

A 2008 Delta-EE report for DBEIS concluded that 82 per cent of off-gas homes were suitable for at least one heat pump architype with no additional insulation improvements, rising to over 85% with loft insulation.

Retrofitting homes for heat pumps is proving to be rather less problematic than forecast. In many situations, radiators are already oversized to accommodate intermittent heating strategies, and new and efficient high temperature heat pumps are increasingly available.

All heating technologies are more efficient in newer, well-insulated or passive properties. This is not a preserve of heat pumps. Older properties may require higher capacity from any technology and some will require higher flow temperatures, but these can now be delivered with almost no impact on annual efficiency.

It is perfectly safe to run a hot water sterilisation cycle for Legionella protection on a weekly basis, using an immersion to increase the storage temperature as required at a cost of around £20/annum for the average household.

Heat pumps already offer the lowest achievable carbon emissions and government has the tools available to make heat pump technology affordable for the public and private sectors over the long term. No other approach is currently financially nor technically proven, and the environmental and monetary cost of failing to deliver Net Zero will be orders of magnitude higher.

Yours sincerely, Bean Beanland Director for Growth & External Affairs For the Heat Pump Federation

REFERENDUM DEALS BLOW TO CLIMATE CAMPAIGNERS

Swiss say no to tax on carbon emissions A Swiss law that would have taxed polluters for their carbon emissions, using the revenue to fund climate solutions, has been defeated in a binding national referendum. This is the first time a carbon tax has ever been put to a public vote in any western country. Its fate has already been dubbed a cautionary tale for all policymakers around the world looking to implement carbon pricing policies.

Urban Swiss regions including Geneva, Basel, and Zurich voted in favour of the so-called CO2 law. But 21 of 26 of the country’s more rural regions struck down the proposal.

Switzerland has long cherished a reputation for being among the most environmentally aware countries.

Environment minister, Simonetta Sommaruga (above), said the defeat of the law would make it “very difficult” to achieve the country’s goal of slashing its greenhouse gases to half their 1990 levels by 2030. “This ‘no’ has repercussions,” she said.

The proposed law would have hiked taxes on petrol and diesel fuels, as well as heating oil and natural gas, and then used the funds to reduce public health insurance premiums and fund green technologies and building efficiency improvements.

Opponents to the law, which included the country’s far-right Swiss People’s Party, the oil lobby, car associations, and the country’s catering sector, had argued the policy would hurt the economy and disproportionately impact lower

income households already battling to recover from the economic impacts of the Covid-19 crisis. The ‘No to CO2 law’ campaign also argued the landlocked Alpine nation was responsible for just 0.1 per cent of global emissions, and as such claimed the policy would have negligible impact on efforts to curb climate breakdown.

Switzerland puts all modifications to its federal laws that are questioned by more than 100,000 citizens, to a binding vote under its system of direct democracy.

Potential energy savings from the UK’s historic buildings ‘could be vast’

Historic buildings can help tackle the climate crisis, according to a new report published today by property company Grosvenor Britain & Ireland. Produced with a group of consultative partners including the National Trust, Historic England, Peabody, Southern Housing Group and The Crown Estate, and written with Donald Insall Associates, Heritage & Carbon argues for a decisive reformulation of planning policy in the run-up to COP26.

Around 500,000 buildings in England alone are protected by statutory listing and hundreds of thousands more are situated in conservation areas. They cover many building types from stately homes to public buildings, terraced streets and blocks of social housing.

The potential carbon savings from making these buildings more energy efficient could be vast. A study commissioned by Grosvenor estimates that fabric improvements to listed buildings in England and Wales, combined with unlisted historic dwellings in conservation areas, could deliver operational carbon savings equivalent to 5 per cent of the UK’s carbon emissions associated with all buildings in 2019.

Tor Burrows, executive director, Sustainability and Innovation, Grosvenor Britain & Ireland and a COP26 Built Environment Ambassador commented: “The UK is a world leader in heritage protection. Time and again we have proved that our nation’s historic assets can be sensitively adapted to changing times and new uses. But ambiguous policy, inadequate funding and a major skills gap are stalling our ability to help them adapt once more – this time against the climate emergency.

“In 2021, we have a unique chance to protect our

heritage and the environment. Nobody intended COP26 to arrive alongside planning reform but it creates an amazing impetus. The potential prize is equivalent to a 5 per cent reduction in UK emissions associated with buildings and a substantial contribution to the sixth carbon budget. We just need the bravery to act and the place to start is getting policy right.”

This summer, Grosvenor argues, Government should commit publicly to align heritage protection and environmental sustainability much more closely in the NPPF and include appropriate policies for carbon reduction in relation to all designated heritage assets, excluding scheduled ancient monuments.

That should be combined with other measures including funding for non-profit organisations to retrofit historic buildings, equalisation of VAT on alterations and repairs with those for new build, an overhaul of Energy Performance Certificates and support for expert guidance and training.

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THE WARREN REPORT

07/8.21 Andrew Warren is chairman of the British Energy Efficiency Federation

Time to devise a cunning plan With some of the worst levels of energy efficiency in Europe our housing stock is in urgent need of a plan to encompass consumer wishes, grants to alleviate fuel poverty as well as installer training

I

t is universally acknowledged that Britain needs urgently to improve the energy efficiency of its housing stock, long deemed among the worst in western Europe. This needs to be done for ecological reasons.

For health reasons. For levelling up reasons. For climate proofing reasons. For infrastructure reasons. For comfort and well-being reasons.

After the debacle of the Green Homes Grant scheme, and the earlier Green Deal scheme, the question remains: precisely how? Here is how.

First, we need a truly cunning plan. A long-term, ambitious and transformational plan for energy efficiency action in buildings needs to be set in place to provide much needed certainty for the energy efficiency industry. Reducing energy demand at scale is an absolute prerequisite to support the Government’s stated shift to the electrification of heating and transport.

A failure to secure demand reduction through energy efficiency action in the first instance will place unaffordable demands on future infrastructure for electrification.

Building on the Heating and Building Strategy (HABS), Government must publish a UK buildings retrofit plan, with policies and programmes running to at least 2030. It requires realistic timescales for implementation at the heart of policy design, placing energy efficiency as the first priority of the UK’s Net Zero target.

Government has successfully achieved close collaboration with industry to secure transformational change in the energy supply sector – most notably for offshore windpower. A similar plan is now needed to retrofit our buildings. In the run up to COP26 in November, we need a new Buildings and Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme Board that will work with Government to build a competitive and innovative UK building retrofit sector that delivers at scale.

The Government has made a significant £9.3bn pledge to fund energy efficiency retrofitting of buildings in England alone by 2024. To date, some £2bn of this funding has been allocated. The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) reckon achieving Net Zero requires £55bn of investment in home energy efficiency. BEIS’s own published estimate of £35-£65bn to achieve the energy performance certificate (EPC) C standard implies a broadly consistent level of ambition.

Funding needs to be focused on those in fuel poverty, but with grant subsidy for householders installing certain energy-saving products as an initial catalyst to the market. Some financial incentives are required to stimulate action in the able-to-pay sector, creating a more sustainable market for energy efficiency and so reducing the overall subsidy required.

Above all, Government needs to ensure that all future energy efficiency initiatives are based upon a whole house approach to retrofit, followed by an EPC to confirm and demonstrate real, in-use performance improvement.

themselves. So Government needs to set out a clear and viable long-term timeline on the certification and competency required to install energy efficient measures into homes. Installers/companies will require financial support and accredited training to achieve set levels of competence, with grants payable to trainees (along the lines of current grants to trainee teachers).

Use of proven Competent Person Schemes where applicable should be included as part of the delivery option.

Installations should be inspected by a company that already operates within the Competent Person Schemes’ structure.

All future retrofit schemes must include a strong programme of public engagement.

There need to be trusted, effective Prepare, train and resource effectively mechanisms in place to advise households.

Future retrofit programmes need suitable lead-in times so It is notable that Scotland and Wales participants can prepare, train and resource effectively. The timeline have independent and joined-up energy must be long enough to provide confidence to invest as schemes efficiency advice facilities in place. While grow. Programmes need to ensure that contractors are confident of England does not. Some households will funding, and getting paid in a timely way, especially where multiface much higher costs than others – rural measures from different installers are involved. off gas grid homes being a prime example Each scheme should focus on delivering renewable and zero – and they will need appropriate solutions carbon technologies for heating and reducing energy use and instilling confidence that options available heat loss via fabric improvements. But what is required is far are cost effective. more realism than the Green Homes Grant scheme about what Crucially, Government must ensure the consumer considers important when seeking to improve the much closer collaboration with local comfort and energy efficiency of their homes. As such, incentives to authorities to explore routes for areadrive action in more conventional areas such as glazing and lighting wide retrofit. Approaches need to reflect improvements, and older boiler replacements should be allowed – differences in housing stock, climatic but with a clear signal that such initiatives will be phased out over conditions, and local income levels. Because time. Instead of an arbitrary range of primary/secondary measures, local authorities are closer to the point of households must be able to use the full set of recommendations set delivery, they have a greater understanding out in their EPC. of a locality’s particular needs. This At application, participants will require an up-to-date EPC summer’s initiative to provide funding to (maximum two years old) and require a follow up EPC to develop capacity to ensure compliance with show compliance. This will demonstrate the energy efficiency private sector MEEES regulations is very improvement in terms of EPC rating and carbon emission reduction. welcome, and should be monitored closely This data will measure the success of each scheme in reducing to enable further developments. energy usage and carbon emission.

The ‘contagion effect’ of local projects We must improve skills and installer competence. Greater should not be underestimated. Property industry engagement is needed in the development of programmes owners and residents will learn of local to help ensure an adequate installation base and levels of campaigns, and aspire for the same competency, allowing sufficient time for all participants to prepare benefits of comfort and warmth. A new social norm for building energy efficiency will be driven by seeing and hearing real life examples of the benefits. The cunning plan will be working. 

‘Government needs to ensure that all future retrofit energy efficiency initiatives are based on whole house approach’

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CHP & District Heating

Ian Allan is head of market strategy for Switch2 Energy

Moving heat networks to net zero Ian Allan discusses proven strategies heat suppliers can use to improve decarbonisation performance on both existing and new heat networks and how to mitigate risk in the transition to net zero

T

he race to net zero is shaking up the UK residential heat network sector – driving the need for much higher levels of energy and operational efficiency on the journey to affordable decarbonisation.

Heat networks are a proven and cost-effective method of reducing the carbon intensity of UK heating.

With rapid decarbonisation of the UK electricity grid, the carbon saving benefits of many of the existing natural gas CHP heat schemes are reducing. There’s a need to shift to lower carbon alternatives, such as heat pumps, waste heat and potentially hydrogen. But it’s difficult to balance financial viability with environmental benefits because natural gas is relatively cheap.

The Heat Market Framework will bring formal regulation to the heat sector. This will mandate new technical, environmental and customer service standards to raise sustainability performance and underpin rapid industry growth.

It is widely expected that the ADE CIBSE CP1 Heat Networks Code of Practice will provide a compulsory best practice manual for future decarbonisation success.

Dense heat demand One of the key components of the new regulation, currently under consultation, is zoning. In areas of dense heat demand within cities, it is likely that buildings will be required to connect to a heat network – to export their own surplus heat, or to consume heat from the network. Zoning has already been adopted in Scotland.

The planning system is also driving sustainability improvements. This includes The Future Homes Standard, to be introduced in 2025, which will ensure that new networks supplying new buildings will be run on lower carbon heating.

It’s not enough to focus on future

An improvement plan for a heat network scheme begins with assessing performance against best practice

design and build standards of next generation networks. The UK’s 17,000 legacy heat schemes must also be future-proofed to raise cost and environmental performance and prepare to run on lower carbon fuels and technologies when commercially viable.

How do you dramatically improve the efficiency those heat schemes that have been built over the past five decades? Many run at high temperatures and low efficiencies, with poor insulation, poor plant room and network commissioning, and lack of energy control and visibility. A more intelligent approach is required and this can yield major benefits.

Your improvement plan starts with assessing your scheme against best practice – defined by the CIBSE CP1 technical standard. It’s important to find out what the gap is between your scheme and an acceptable industry benchmark.

Capturing and analysing relevant data is key to this task, which relies on gaining full real-time visibility of performance across the entire heat network. This can be achieved by combining complex data analytics from heat metering, building energy management

‘The UK’s 17,000 legacy heat schemes must be future proofed’

systems (BEMS), sensors and other measurement points.

Switch2’s (AI) enabled Optimise technology uses big data and remote connectivity to gain complete visibility of heat network performance and achieve dramatic efficiency improvements that are delivering average 35 per cent savings on existing networks.

Building efficiency into renewable heat schemes at the design and planning phases is critical to minimising costs and maximising environmental performance to deliver long term value. Our Optimise technology is also critical in shaping the efficient, low carbon design and build of new generation heat networks.

Involve at design stage It is important to involve operators at the design stages or, preferably, to

partner with a heat network Design, Build and Operation specialist. In this way, you can ensure that your heat scheme provides long term value and delivers on its cost and carbon saving potential.

Selecting an ESCo partner will minimise risk, or you could use an energy performance contract to mitigate the risk of using a separate operator to run the network long term.

Procurement begins with a sustainability statement, setting out how the developer will satisfy ‘lean, green and clean’ planning criteria. The choices made at this stage are critical to long term performance and meeting the triple energy challenge of minimising carbon emissions, balancing costs and improving resilience.

A successful smart heat metering strategy is also key to the efficiency, compliance, and transparency of any project. Smart metering is helping to deliver major performance improvements and will ensure compliance with new requirements for final customer meters under the Heat Network Billing and Metering Regulations.

To deliver greener heat networks cost effectively for residents it’s important to mitigate higher costs of transitioning away from gas to renewable heat schemes. One way is to integrate on-site solar generation into projects. This means you can reduce the cost of powering heat pumps with your own low-cost energy supply. You can also stack revenues by selling electricity to heat network customers. Another option is to use thermal stores for more cost-effective heat use.

Change is here and there’s much to think about in delivering greener, affordable, dependable heat schemes. Working with specialists who can mitigate risk and can take a coordinated approach to balance low capital costs with long-term value is critical to success. 

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CHP & District Heating Are you really saving money?

You might know your CHP is saving you money. But how do you answer the question of how much? Sebastian Gray offers some answers

Sebastian Gray is director of consultant 2EA

Climate Change Levy – Electricity: £0.00811/kWh Total Electricity Price (Day): £0.08811/kWh Therefore, the total cost to import the equivalent electricity from the grid would be: • Total Cost Equivalent Grid: 52,700 kWh x £0.08811/kWh = £4,643.40 We must also take into account the heat supplied by the CHP unit. If this were not available then the heat would have to be supplied by the site’s boiler(s), which would use gas to generate it. Assuming that the boiler has a heat efficiency of 85 per cent, then the quantity of gas used to generate the equivalent heat would be: Equivalent Boiler Gas: 79,050 kWh/0.85 = 93,000kWh As the gas used in the boiler is not subject to any CCL exemption, then the CCL rate for gas needs to be included in the price of the gas.

So the price of the boiler gas would be: Gas price: £0.02000/kWh; Climate Change Levy – Gas: £0.00406/kWh Total gas price: £0.02406/kWh Therefore the total cost of the boiler gas used to replace the equivalent heat from the CHP would be: • Total Boiler Gas Cost: 93,000kWh x £0.02406/ kWh = £2,237.58

W

hen you ask CHP owners why they’re operating a CHP unit, they most often answer “because it saves us money”.

But how do you know your CHP is making you the savings you expect?

But let’s have a look at how to calculate the savings on a monthly basis. To calculate CHP savings there are two major requirements: • you will need to obtain your electricity day & night rate prices, gas price, maintenance cost1 and the Climate Change Levy (CCL) gas and electricity rates; and • you will need the CHP hours run, the CHP gas used, the CHP electricity generated and CHP useful heat supplied for the period. You will also require details of the heat efficiency of the gas fired back-up boiler(s) to the CHP unit. Once you have the above data you can start to calculate your CHP savings.

For these calculations we are going to make some assumptions with regards to the CHP operation and the utility prices. Let’s say the CHP unit has the following specification: • electrical output: 100kW; • heat output: 150kW; • gas input: 300kW; and • daily run hours: 17 – the CHP unit does not run during the ‘night’ period.

Taking the month of January 2021 as an example, the CHP unit would have operated for 527 hours and generated/consumed the following: • electricity generated in period: 52,700kWh; • heat supplied in period: 79,050 kWh; and • gas consumed in period: 158,100 kWh.

Before we can start calculating the CHP savings, we must know if the CHP unit is registered under the CHPQA Programme. We will, for this example, assume that the CHP unit is registered and certified as good quality.

Also, for this example we will assume the following utility prices and apply the CCL rates as of January 2021: • electricity day rate price: £0.08000/kWh; • electricity night rate price: £0.04000/kWh; • gas price: £0.02000/kWh; • maintenance cost: £0.03000/kWh; • Climate Change Levy – gas: £0.00406/kWh; and • Climate Change Levy – electricity: £0.00811/kWh. We will also assume that the gas fired back-up boiler heat efficiency is 85 per cent.

We now have all the data we need to calculate the CHP savings. The first step is to calculate the CHP costs. Effectively, the total cost to operate the CHP is the cost of the gas consumed and the cost of the maintenance to operate it. So we have: Cost of CHP Gas: 158,100 kWh x £0.02/kWh = £3,162.00; Cost of CHP Maintenance: 52,700 kWh x £0.03/ kWh = £1,581.00 • Total CHP Operational Cost: = £4,743.00 If there was no CHP unit operating on site, then the electricity generated by the CHP unit would have to be imported from the grid and this would include the cost of CCL. So the cost of importing the equivalent electricity from the grid would be: Electricity Day Rate Price: £0.08000/kWh

So this an effective saving, as this gas does not have to be purchased to generate the heat that is being supplied by the CHP unit. Therefore the total savings by operating the CHP unit are as follows: Total Electricity Saving: £4,643.40; Total Heat Saving: £2,237.58; Total Energy Cost Saving: £6,880.98 From this we must deduct the total CHP operational cost.

Total CHP operational cost: £4,743.00 • This gives us a total nett monthly saving of: £2,137.98 The above example is based on the optimum performance of the CHP. To calculate your actual CHP savings metered values for CHP electricity generated, heat supplied and gas consumed must be used.

Key takeaways when considering a CHP unit: 1. Ensure that your CHP unit is correctly sized for the site on which it is to operate.

2. For maximum efficiency, the CHP scheme should be heat led.

3. Register you CHP unit with the CHPQA Programme.

4. Complete HMRC forms PP10 and PP11 to obtain your CCL exemption.

5. Carry out annual CCL reconciliation. 

Reference 1) This is normally a rate charged by the CHP maintainer based on the electricity generated by the CHP unit. This is also known as the CHP electricity price and in most cases does not vary if the CHP operates during the day or the night.

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CHP & District Heating

Digital flexibility drives the transition Wayne Davies looks at how CHP plants, conventional generators and fast-reacting battery storage all have the potential to provide flexible capacity for grid balancing

D

uring January 2021, the UK’s market price for electricity reached a new record of almost £1,500/ MWh after several power plant outages coincided with low levels of renewable generation.

The fundamental drivers for electricity prices are changing.

Wholesale prices used to be linked to the cost of gas and coal but now there is stronger correlation to carbon pricing. Gas price is increasingly sensitive to demand because of the lack of gas storage in the UK. And with the growth of intermittent renewable energy generation on the grid we are seeing increased volatility with many more peaks in electricity prices – including negative prices.

Network costs and energy levies will continue to change as increased adoption and integration of electric vehicles, heat electrification and renewables put more strain on the grid. We are also seeing extreme weather events become a fundamental driver of pricing as it affects both demand and renewable supply generation. Many businesses are now pondering how they can best navigate this new energy economy and how they can leverage energy assets such as CHP to take advantage of, or insulate themselves from, fluctuations in energy pricing.

The transformation of energy grids is driven by the need to decarbonise power systems, leveraging cleaner – but more intermittent – sources like wind and solar.

Businesses that can optimise and move assets, including CHP, between electricity market products will find themselves able to access the most valuable markets

In addition to the pressures of these regulatory targets, markets are moving closer to real-time procurement as energy traders aim to gain a competitive edge over new entrants in the market.

Businesses that can optimise and move assets, including CHP, between electricity market products will find themselves able to access the most valuable markets and take advantage of the best prices when trading capacity.

The design of energy pricing and demand-side flexibility programmes in the UK enable the use of embedded generation assets to benefit from the increasing energy price volatility that comes with the evolution of the new energy economy.

“Traditional” demand side response programmes such as the Capacity

Figure 1: Electricity pricing volatility during a single week in January 2021

Market, Short Term Operating Reserve (STOR), Frequency Response and soonto-be-scrapped TRIAD peak-charging mechanism, are some of the many ways that commercial and industrial sites across the UK can reduce their energy bills and earn payments through dynamic management of their energy assets.

Supporting the National Grid These programmes predominantly exist to support National Grid and DNOs by providing the flexibility they need to ultimately ensure that we can continue to connect more cleaner energy generation assets to the system. Used in the right way, these programmes allow C&I sites to create value from pricing volatility while improving grid stability when it is needed most.

Wayne Davies is energy markets programme manager at Enel X UK

The future of demand response, however, is a digitally enabled one, that encompasses multiple assets deployed across multiple markets, with optimisation in real time. CHP plants, conventional generators and fast-reacting battery storage, whether stand alone or integrated in an uninterrupted power supply, all have the potential to provide flexible capacity for grid balancing and maximise value to the energy consumer.

A look at daily average day-ahead pricing charts will show that there are peaks and valleys created by the lack of, or abundance of, renewable energy on the grid. While there are many variables that determine energy prices, such a chart will show a direct connection between the emissions factor of the grid and pricing. When pricing is high, emissions are high due to low wind resources and possibly unseasonal temperatures.

While you may have hedged against energy import price for the next year, there is still an opportunity to support the grid and capture these price spikes. Reviewing embedded energy generation assets such as batteries, CHPs and heat pumps will reveal if you have the flexibility to export spare megawatts to the grid when they are needed most.

Figure 1 focuses on one week in particular in January where pricing spikes set new records. The chart shows power import in red, power export in green and the day ahead energy price as the blue line. This customer has a 5MW CHP that was not being used for operational purposes during part of the day and was therefore able to export those megawatts on the grid during the peak pricing hours to earn over £40,000 in the 7-day period. While this particular week provides a graphic illustration of energy price volatility and how sites with behind the meter generation can participate, price volatility is a growing trend – as are the sizes of the peaks and troughs.

The key to unlocking the flexibility value of such assets is the use of intelligent software to combine knowledge of operating parameters with grid signals and market indicators, such as energy market price information. Using algorithms to identify opportunities to trade flexible capacity in the most appropriate markets can generate significant value for C&I businesses. Digital flexibility will be a foundation for success in the new energy economy. 

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CHP & District Heating Economical solution for BREEAM-accredited care home A Remeha Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system has been selected as the most efficient and economical solution to meet the heating and hot water requirements at a BREEAM-accredited Chester care home.

Deewater Grange opened in February 2020 to provide an extensive range of care services for up to 58 older residents. As with all care homes, the property has high, constant demand for heating and hot water.

M&E contractors GasTech Ltd recommended installing a Remeha CHP system to comply with Part L of Building Regulations, satisfy the heat provision, and achieve good energy performance for lower running costs. Three Remeha Quinta Ace 115 wall hung condensing boilers were selected to work alongside the CHP to meet peak heat demand.

The CHP unit selected, which provides a thermal output of up to 14.7kW and an electrical output of 5.5kWe, is engineered to match demand accurately. The unit, which supplies heat into the main low-pressure hot water return, is controlled according to the heat demand, while the internal microprocessor controller tracks the electrical output to match the thermal output.

Once the plant had been craned into the

basement plant room, the installation went smoothly, said Liam Stott, project manager at

GasTech. “The CHP was easy to position and we installed the boilers using the manufacturer cascade kit with a low loss header,” he said. “This approach hugely simplified installation and saved us a lot of time.”

Commissioning and set up of the CHP was carried out by the Remeha CHP technical team.

The CHP has been performing well since it was installed eighteen months ago.

“The CHP is ticking over nicely, operating nonstop, 24 hours a day,” said Jordan Carrington, maintenance manager at Deewater Grange. “The CHP is supplying all the heat and doing all the work, which will reduce our carbon footprint and energy costs,” he continued.

CHP’s ability to generate lower carbon on-site electricity at lower gas prices further boosts the efficiency gains at the care home – with gas prices currently at around a quarter the price of electricity.

Like all technologies, CHP requires regular maintenance to ensure optimum performance.

To support this, a remote CHP monitoring service has been set up at Deewater Grange.

This enables any faults to be corrected and reset remotely, reducing downtime, inconvenience and unnecessary costs. 

Simulation software selects the optimum heat exchanger Designers working with the Hysopt simulation software are now able to select SWEP heat exchangers within their digital model with the software automatically selecting the optimum heat exchanger and hydraulic components for a district heating system.

Hysopt, a spin-off from the University of Antwerp, has evolved over the past six years to a powerful simulation software tool for the design and optimisation of HVAC and district heating and cooling installations. Now, selecting the best heat exchanger in the design phase, will not only help customers to design energy-efficient installations with optimised design volume flow, return temperature and pressure drop performance, but will also yield long-term benefits and reduced capital expenditure and operating expenses.

The components are automatically included in the item

list, including item numbers and optimum pre-configurations. With the SWEP catalogue a selection can be made from the desired range by using intuitive filtering.

When integrating manufacturerspecific components, the correct physical parameters are pre-

programmed into the Hysopt model.

For each part in the SWEP catalogue the unique pressure drop, heat transfer coefficient, capacitance and thermal losses are implemented for optimum component selection and partial load analysis using dynamic simulations.

“Having our brazed plate heat exchangers in the Hysopt software will help our customers to design energy-efficient installations with minimal investment cost, in order to achieve increased sustainability and extend the life cycle of our installations,” said Christer Frennfelt, business development manager at SWEP. “By using digital design tools such as Hysopt that transparently display the performance of a system at the design stage, we can work with our customers to create a complete system that performs optimally and delivers maximum CO2 savings.”

With dynamic simulation, the Hysopt software can predict the dynamic behaviour of this installation in partial load such that the performance of a system becomes predictable and measurable, even before it is being installed. 

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Refrigeration

Keep cool, keep efficient

by John Pooley BSc, CEng, CMC, FIE, FIC

T

here are four main uses of energy, heating, lighting, motive power and cooling.

While energy use for heating and lighting has a long history it is only in relatively recent times that energy has been used for cooling.

Early cooling was by way of ice.

In winter, ice was cut and stored to provide cooling in the summer months. Scientific work from 1755 paved the way for mechanical cooling but it was not until the 20th century that it became commonplace. For the purposes of this module, we have defined refrigeration as the process of mechanically cooling or reducing the temperature of a space, a product or a process.

Today mechanical cooling is a significant proportion of total energy

Figure 1: A typical refrigeration cycle

For details on how to obtain your Energy Institute CPD Certificate, see ENTRY FORM and details on page 20

use and current estimates are for it to continue to increase. According to the IEA the use of energy for space cooling is growing faster than any other end use in buildings – more than tripling between 1990 and 2016. It also estimated that in 2016 electricity for space cooling amounted to nearly 10 per cent of global electricity use.

The IEA also suggests that more than 50 per cent of peak electricity demand in hot climates results from cooling requirements. If we include other refrigeration uses the electricity used globally is 17 per cent accounting for 11.8 per cent of GHG emissions.

Looking at the commercial & industrial use of refrigeration, the Carbon Trust estimates that for cold storage facilities 90 per cent of the

total energy use for refrigeration; with 70 per cent in small shops, 50 per cent in supermarkets and 50 per cent in food processing. This overview illustrates why energy efficiency in refrigeration is an aspect that needs to be addressed.

Classify refrigeration

It is appropriate to classify refrigeration by its end uses: • unitary air conditioning – split units, ducted units for commercial/ residential; • chillers – air conditioning, process, data centres, etc; • commercial refrigeration – supermarkets, standalone equipment; • industrial refrigeration – centralised systems, standalone systems, cold stores, processing; • heat pumps – see EiBI CPD Series 18 Module 05; • domestic refrigeration – fridges & freezers; • mobile AC – cars and large vehicles; • transport refrigeration – refrigerated trucks/trailers.

This module focuses on the first four of these categories, although the principles reviewed apply to the other uses.

There is a range of technologies for mechanical cooling. The majority of systems are based on the vapour compression cycle. In simple terms this cycle involves the circulation of Produced in Association with

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Refrigeration a refrigerant which by evaporating (boiling) absorbs large amounts of heat and then gives this up when condensing. This cycle is illustrated in Figure 1.

The key components of the system are: • evaporator – this is a heat exchanger which absorbs the heat to be removed.

One side of the exchanger will be refrigerant with the other either being air (e.g., an air conditioner, cold store) or a liquid (e.g., a water chiller); • condenser - again a heat exchanger - this exchanger rejects the heat removed. Condensers can be air cooled or water cooled. When water cooled the cooling water can be linked to an open or closed cooling tower; • compressor – this compresses the low-pressure vapour from the evaporator and passes it at high pressure to the condenser; • expansion valve/device – this is a restrictor that allows the high-pressure fluid to expand when it enters the evaporator.

Compressor motive power

The main energy input is the motive power for the compressor. This is normally an electric motor, although other motive power units can be used.

(For example, for passenger car AC the motive power is from the vehicle’s engine). Ancillary equipment also uses energy. On the evaporator side - this could be a fan (for a cold store or AC application) or a pump (chilled water).

On the condenser side, motive power will be required to move the air or a fluid that carries the reject heat (fans, cooling towers, etc.). In some systems energy is also required to defrost the evaporator.

As the quantity of heat moved by a refrigeration system exceeds the motive power input, a Coefficient of Performance (CoP) is normally used.

A system has two coefficients. COP (Coefficient of Performance) which is calculated using only the power input to the compressor and COSP (Coefficient of System Performance) which takes account of the power input of the compressor and ancillaries. Both coefficients should be considered when reviewing a system.

COSP = Cooling capacity(kW) Power Input (kW) In practice, COPs are typically in the range of 2 to 5 for refrigeration systems – which is about a tenth of the theoretical maximum, which suggests that there is scope for future improvements in the technology.

When looking at the performance of a refrigeration system it is important

Fig. 2: Like lifting a load, the greater the temperature lift, the more energy input required

to understand the impact of what is called the temperature lift. This is the ∆T of the system where the relevant temperatures are the evaporating and condensing temperatures. Put simply, the greater the temperature lift the more energy input is required. To fully understand the energy requirement this needs to be coupled with the size of the cooling load. An analogy often used is that of lifting a weight. The larger the weight and the higher the lift, the more energy required. See Figure 2.

There are two pathways for reducing cooling energy use. First is to reduce the cooling load, second is to improve the performance of the system. These pathways are not mutually exclusive and for the optimum outcome both need to be addressed.

The starting point must be to reduce the amount of cooling required. For an air conditioned space it will be about limiting the amount of heat gain, this might be addressed by insulation, solar shading, etc. Equally, designing out cooling by use of building design, natural ventilation is valid.

In the retail environment load reduction could be by using doors/ covers on display cabinets. For cold stores LED lighting will reduce the load.

Some aspects of load reduction are available at the design stage, others are operational issues. For example, keeping cold store doors closed as much as possible.

The next aspect is addressing the temperature lift. This is achieved by looking at both the evaporating and condensing conditions. The most obvious is the cooling set point. In air conditioning users should aim for as high a space temperature as

“There are two pathways for reducing energy cooling use”

acceptable. Likewise for data centres.

For cold storage it’s best to avoid over cooling that results from setting temperatures lower than needed for product quality/safety.

Adjusting the set point for cooling may be obvious, but less attention is often paid to the condensing conditions. High condensing temperatures can arise from fouling of the heat exchanger and/or poor placement of the outdoor unit giving restricted airflow.

Improving performance

So how do you improve performance of each part of a system?

• compressors - can be reciprocating, screw, scroll and centrifugal. The size and type of system normally dictates the type of compressor. But as with all equipment some models are more energy efficient than others. When selecting new equipment look for compressors that have good part load efficiency. In practice, systems operate more time at part load than at full load.

A low-cost improvement can be the use of ‘floating head pressure control’.

Most refrigeration systems operate at a higher pressure than necessary.

Systems are available that allow head pressure and therefore condensing temperatures to float relative to ambient conditions. This typically requires a technician to implement and can save between 2-4 per cent of compressor power for every 1ºC reduction.

• condensers – for air-cooling, select a unit with wide fin spacing to minimise blockage and keep it clean. Savings of 5 per cent can come from cleaning while increasing the condenser size by 30 per cent might realise 10 per cent savings. Typically, an increased size condenser, at design stage, will pay for itself in about two years. Another aspect for air-cooled condensers is the fan(s). A typical upgrade is to fit EC fan units. Water-cooled condensers are typically used on larger chilled water and process systems. As with aircooled systems uprating the unit may be beneficial. Water-cooled systems can be susceptible to fouling if the correct water treatment is not used.

Unlike the fouling of an air-cooled unit it can be harder to detect. Evaporative cooling (cooling towers) can be energy efficient, but the system does require adequate controls on Legionella.

• evaporators – as with condensers upsizing can be beneficial. While condensers can become blocked with debris, for evaporators the issue can be icing up. Where de-frosting is part of the system operation ensuring ‘defrost on demand’ as opposed to defrost on a fixed cycle time can lead to savings.

• expansion valves/devices – ‘smart’ devices can be used on larger systems where they are economically viable. Typically for a large system an electronic expansion valve might have a payback of 1-2 years.

• heat recovery – given a refrigeration system needs to reject heat, finding a use for that heat will improve overall performance. The issue with all heat recovery is the time and quality match between the waste heat and the potential use. Refrigeration systems can provide around 10 per cent high grade heat (at 50-60ºC via a de-superheater) and low-grade heat at 20-30ºC. Recovered heat can be used to pre-heat hot water – this could be cost effective in a food processing environment where there is a regular demand for hot water.

• refrigerant charge – a refrigeration system can operate with a reduced charge and this may not be noticeable, until the system needs to operate at full capacity. However, operating with a reduced change is inefficient. Systems typically become under charged as a result of refrigerant leakage. Many refrigerants are powerful GHGs adding to the impact of system inefficiency and reduced capacity.

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Refrigeration

• system monitoring – while a domestic fridge is pretty much fit and forget, the same is not true of larger systems.

System monitoring and control can be used to optimise performance and identify operational issues in advance of failure.

• insulation – this is often overlooked, but poor quality or poor condition insulation can have a significant impact on system performance. Lowtemperature insulation needs to be airtight as well as having good thermal performance. External insulation needs to be weather protected, otherwise it will breakdown over time.

Where there is chilled water pipework poor performing insulation will add to the system load.

Most efficient products

The Government’s Energy Technology List has a range of refrigeration equipment listed that is within the top 25 per cent of most efficient products in the marketplace. This includes absorption systems, condensers, chillers, cellar cooling equipment, refrigerated storage and display cabinets, accessories for refrigerated display cabinets, compressors, leakage detection and system controls. When designing a system, it makes sense to review these products as part of the equipment selection process.

Fluorinated greenhouse gases (F gases) used as refrigerants are known to cause significant environmental damage. In particular, some have very high Global Warming Potential (GWP).

These can be as much as 3,000 times greater than CO – which can also be used as a refrigerant. Arguably, with a sealed system leakage should not be a significant problem. However, it was estimated in 2008 that the average leakage rate was 20 per cent leading to an 11 per cent reduction in efficiency.

Fluorinated greenhouse gases (F gases) include hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) For this reason, the F-gas regulations were introduced. These regulations place a responsibility on system operators to prevent leakage from their equipment and for contractors to share that responsibility.

On the 1st of January 2021, the EU regulations for F Gas and ozone depleting substances (ODS) ceased to apply in GB (Northern Ireland needs to still comply with EU regulations). Most requirements contained within the EU regulations have now transferred across to the GB legislation and it expected that GB will continue to restrict ODS and phase down HFCs (Hydrofluorocarbons – the most common F Gas). NetRegs provides

extensive guidance on the regulations.

Part of the process is the banning of certain gasses for new equipment and for re-gassing. The EU intention is that by 2030 the use of HFCs will have reduced by 79 per cent from the average between 2009 and 2012.

This will be achieved by a progressive tightening of restrictions on use.

With effect from 1 January 2020 there is ban on F-gasses where the gas has a GWP that is greater than 2,500, and its COe is greater than 40 tonnes of CO. Equipment used for military purposes & equipment used to cool products below -50ºC is exempted.

This ban does not mean that existing equipment has to be replaced – just that it cannot be recharged with virgin F-gas.

The banning of gases does provide an opportunity to consider an upgrade or replacement of the system. Another option is the use of a so-called ‘drop in’ gas – however, these may have an impact on system performance.

Other refrigerants include: • ammonia - NH3 (R717) is a ‘natural fluid’ with zero ODP and GWP. However, its toxicity, corrosiveness and explosiveness mean it is a niche

refrigerant. Typically, it is used in large, industrial refrigeration systems.

• carbon dioxide - CO (R744) is also a natural fluid with zero ODP and GWP=1, but without the negative effects of some other natural fluids. CO is now being widely used in retail refrigeration systems.

Obligations to maintain

The Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations 2012, as amended in 2020 (the EPB regulations) place obligations on anyone who manages or controls an air conditioning system. The main requirement is for a regular inspection (every five years) of air conditioning systems with an effective rated output of more than 12kW. TM44 is the accepted guidance for the UK for assessing the efficiency of airconditioning units. The inspection must be carried out by an accredited assessor. The assessor’s report will tell you about the current efficiency of your equipment; suggestions for improving the efficiency of your equipment; any faults and suggested actions and suggestions on how to reduce your air conditioning use.

The difference between the vapour compression cycle and the absorption cycle is that the compressor in the vapour compression cycle is replaced by a chemical absorption process and generator, with a pump to provide the circulation and pressure change.

The absorption cycle is referred to as a heat-operated cycle because most of the energy required to operate the cycle is heat energy. As it uses a compressor the vapour compression cycle is described as a work-operated cycle.

Absorption chilling is a relatively small part of the total refrigeration market. At the smaller end of the market there are absorption fridges/ freezers powered by LPG for mobile applications. Where larger scale units come into play there is an available waste or low-cost heat stream.

Possible applications include: new CHP plant; existing CHP with spare heat; applications where waste heat is available (e.g., exhaust steam); where a low-cost source of heat is available (e.g., landfill gas, geothermal); and where solar energy can be harnessed.

Absorption chillers can be part of a so-called tri generation system – which generate electricity, provide heat and provide cooling.

There are various types of absorption chillers, but they all work on a similar principle. An absorption fluid is evaporated, removing heat from the chilled water. A heat source such as steam, exhaust gas or hot water is then used to regenerate the absorption solution. Typical absorption solutions are lithium bromide and water and ammonia and water.

Looking at refrigeration equipment itself, there are two potential future pathways. One is advanced vapour compression systems with low or ultralow GWP refrigerants the other nontraditional technologies.

However, better management and operation of existing systems has a potential that can be exploited today.

The Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program suggests that optimisation, monitoring & maintenance alone can reduce total cooling GHG emissions by 13 per cent with 20 per cent electricity savings.

This is a significant saving, but it could be offset by increasing demand unless that issue is addressed. ■

REFERENCES • • • • •

The Future of Cooling, International Energy Agency, 2018 A Cool World, University of Birmingham, 2018 CTV076 Refrigeration, Carbon Trust, 2019 https://etl.beis.gov.uk/ https://www.netregs.org.uk/environmental-topics/airpollution/fluorinated-gases-f-gases/ • https://www.k-cep.org/

JULY�AUGUST 2021 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | 19

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SERIES 19 / Module 02

“Energy in Buildings and Industry and the Energy Institute are delighted to have teamed up to bring you this Continuing Professional Development initiative”

Refrigeration

ENTRY FORM

MARK THROWER Managing Editor

Please mark your answers below by placing a cross in the box. Don't forget that some questions might have more than one correct answer. You may find it helpful to mark the answers in pencil first before filling in the final answers in ink. Once you have completed the answer sheet, return it to the address below. Photocopies are acceptable.

Questions

6) What is a typical range for COP? 1) Refrigeration accounts for what percentage of total global electricity use. □ 1-3 18 SERIES SEPTEMBER SERIES 17 | MODULE 03 09 | MARCH 20202020 □ 10 per cent □ 1-4 □ 14 per cent □ 2-5 3-10 □ 17 per cent SMART GRIDS□ SPACE HEATING □ 19 per cent Please mark your answers below by placing a cross in the box. Don't forget that some Please mark your answers7) below by placing a cross the box.

Don't forget that some Which of these isinnot a type refrigeration questions might have more than one correct answer.

You may find itof helpful to mark the questions might have more than one correct answer. You may find it helpful to mark the answers in pencil first before filling in the final answers in ink. Once you have completed compressor?

2) What percentage of a supermarket’s energy answers in pencil first before filling in the final answers in ink. Once you have completed the answer sheet, return it to the address below. Photocopies are acceptable. the answer sheet, return it□ to the address below. Photocopies are acceptable. use is accounted for by refrigeration?

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15 per cent 10) □ Coefficient of Specific Performance 5) Castof aluminium ■ Cost ■ Air handling plant implementation□ ■ Geometry Turbochargers ■ Copper Boilers ■ Cyber □ Coefficient of Specific Pressure □ 20 per cent ■ Variable attacks ■ designed to allow the effective aspect

ENTRY FORM

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How to obtain a CPD accreditation from the Energy Institute This is the second module in the nineteenth series and focuses on Refrigeration. It is accompanied by a set of multiple-choice questions.

To qualify for a CPD certificate readers must submit at least eight of the ten sets of questions from this series of modules to EiBI for the Energy Institute to mark. Anyone achieving at least eight out of ten correct answers on eight separate articles qualifies for an Energy Institute CPD certificate. This can be obtained, on successful completion of the course and notification by the Energy Institute, FREE OF CHARGE for both Energy Institute members and non-members.

The articles, written by a qualified member of the Energy Institute, will appeal to those new energy management and to Energy in and and the Energy Institute are Energy inBuildings Buildings andIndustry Industry and theto Energy Institute aredelighted delighted to with more experience of the subject. have teamed up you Professional havethose teamed upto tobring bring youthis thisContinuing Continuing ProfessionalDevelopment Development initiative.

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11 Batteries 11 Energy Efficiency Legislation BEMS & Storage Batteries & Storage 22 Energy as a Service 22 Building Controls Refrigeration Energy as a Service 33 Water Management 33 Smart LED Technology Water Grids Management 44 Demand Side Response 44 Lighting District Heating DemandTechnology* Side Response 55 Drives & Motors 55 Heat Pumps* Air Conditioning Drives & Motors 66 Blockchain Technology 66 Metering & Monitoring* Behaviour Change Blockchain Technology 77 Compressed Air 77 Air Conditioning* Thermal Imaging Compressed Air 88 Energy Purchasing 88 Boilers Burners* Solar Thermal Energy&Purchasing Terms: in submitting your completed youChange* are indicating 99 Space Heating 99 answers Behaviour Smart Buildings Space Heating consent to Management EiBI’s holding and processing the personal data 10 Data Centre 10 Combined Heat & Power* 10 Biomass Boilers 10 Data Centre Management* you have provided to us, in accordance with legal bases set out

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Completed answers should be mailed to: should be to: The Education Department, Energy inCompleted Buildingsanswers & Industry, Box 825, Completed answers shouldP.O. bemailed mailed to: Guildford, GU4 8WQ. The TheEducation EducationDepartment, Department,Energy Energyin inBuildings Buildings& & Industry, Industry,P.O. P.O.Box Box Or scan and e-mail to: editor@eibi.co.uk.

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20 24 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | SEPTEMBER MARCH 20202020

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Products in Action Injection of safety for dental practices

Upgrade keeps historic liner ship shape Munters recently completed a pioneering upgrade of the dry dock air handling unit (AHU) at Brunel’s SS Great Britain. The upgrade, which was carried out in just one day, ensures long term protection against corrosion, while reducing AHU fan energy consumption by 25-30 per cent.

The SS Great Britain was the world’s first iron hulled, screw propeller-driven, steam-powered passenger liner. In the early 2000s, Munters was part of a wider project to preserve the iron hull, which included the installation of a specially designed air handling unit (AHU), with Munters desiccant rotor technology, in the dry dock.

“By ensuring the air around the ship

is kept at 20 per cent relative humidity, we can stop the ship from rusting,” said Nicola Grahamslaw, ship’s conservation engineer for Brunel’s SS Great Britain.

“This keeps her structurally safe for many years to come.”

More than 15 years on and with the belt driven fan coming to the end of its expected life, Munters has upgraded the AHU with three electronically commutated (EC) direct drive plug fans from ebm papst. Munters designed a bespoke bulk head so the new fans that could be brought in flat packed, in component form, and retrofitted in a fan wall configuration and digitally integrated into the ship’s control system.

A network of 27 dental practices operating mainly in Yorkshire and the North East has started a programme to install Panasonic’s nanoe X technology to enhance protection for patients and staff whenever new air conditioning units are required or where units need to be replaced.

Nanoe X is a technology that is helping to improve protection and inhibit the growth of certain viruses – including SARS CoV-2.

Riverdale Healthcare was established in 2018, acquiring Alpha Dental Group which has a long-standing relationship with Sub-Zero Climate Control, who have installed and maintained air conditioning through the dental practice network.

Through discussions with Craig Brooke, managing director of SubZero, Riverdale Healthcare took the step of updating two of its practices with enhanced air conditioning and plan to expand this throughout their dental network.

Sub Zero came to the rescue by recommending the Etherea range of air conditioners which come with Panasonic’s proven nanoe X technology built in. Nanoe X technology collects invisible moisture in the air and applies a high voltage to it to generate hydroxyl radicals contained in water. Hydroxyl radicals (nature’s detergent) inhibit the growth of certain viruses, bacteria and allergens. Contained in tiny water particles, nanoe X generates particles that have a long lifespan and can spread over long distances.

Recent, independent testing shows that nanoe X can inhibit certain types of bacteria and viruses, meaning the new air conditioning system can help protect patients and staff alike.

Drives help boost island's water supply As part of a major upgrade to its La Rosière desalination plant, Jersey Water chose VLT AQUA Drives from Danfoss.

The current desalination plant is the second on the La Rosière site and opened in 1999 as a replacement for an earlier plant that had reached the end of its life. The growing need for water, due to population growth and climate change, led to a major upgrade.

This would increase the plant’s capacity from 6 Ml/day to 10.8 Ml/day, which would meet around half of the island’s daily demand for water.

The upgrade involved the installation of many new pumps, with almost all needed to be controlled by AC variable speed drives. Jersey Water decided that the Danfoss VLT AQUA Drives were the most suitable.

The largest of the new drives were required to control two high-pressure pumps with 600kW motors operating at 690V, which are fed from a custom 11kV/690V transformer. For these, 630kW VLT AQUA Drives were chosen.

Other drives operate from 400V supplies and include three with 160kW ratings and nine with ratings between 55kW and 18.5kW. In addition, Danfoss supplied two 110kW VLT MCD-series energy-saving soft start units for the seawater intake submersible pumps.

“Commissioning the new drives was fast and straightforward. The upgraded plant has been in service for many months, and the drives have fully lived up to expectations for performance and reliability. They are also making a big contribution to the enhanced energy efficiency of the plant, which has increased by between 36 and 38 per cent since the upgrade,” said Malcolm Berridge, chief engineer and water supply manager for Jersey Water.

Flowmeter measures groundwater A provider of a wide range of pumps throughout London and the Home Counties is using a Micronics U1000 flowmeter in a system at the Blavatnik Building, Oxford University. Thames Water needed to know how much groundwater was being released into the foul mains.

The existing flowmeter was a magnetic one, which was causing a build-up of calcium scale which in turn blocked the pipework.

The company called on SI Pumps of Oxford to advise them on an alternative. Nick Dunn, SI’s chief engineer and service manager had hired a U1000 for a biomass project at London Heathrow airport.

Dunn has been satisfied with the performance of High Wycombebased Micronics, which has been providing reliable flow measurement solutions since 1985. “Micronics meters are far quicker and much more cost-effective to install,” commented Dunn. “This is because you don’t need to cut into pipes which means that fitting costs are minimal as the system does not need to be drained down or pipes cut into. Because it is configured for pipe size there is only nominal configuration on site.

The data we have gathered has been very accurate.”

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Metering & Monitoring

degradation and faults, and forecast maintenance.

Emerging technology can now even turn legacy ‘dumb’ meters into smart meters by monitoring the pulse output from meters, machinery and equipment.

This in turn can transform the way building owners automate and manage their maintenance.

This type of maintenance based on reactive needs rather than scheduled intervals has been shown to significantly save time and costs.

• Safety and security - getting a full view of what’s happening in a building at any time is a key part of safety and security considerations, whether it’s an unexpected presence in a room or a broken door lock.

Facilities managers can take advantage of a smart building’s capacity for data analysis

Monitoring in the future No longer just bricks and mortar, today’s buildings are increasingly intuitive, adaptable and responsive. Peter Burbidge examines the key trends in monitoring in years to come

W

ith more employers now understanding that the health and comfort of their employees is a key factor in productivity and retention, it’s a trend that’s set to grow... and grow. The building industry will see an increase in human-centred buildings — focused on the safety, comfort and security of occupants, at the same time as being ultraenergy efficient. These ‘healthy’ buildings will monitor internal conditions such as temperature, humidity and occupancy, keeping levels to an optimum and introducing automation and alerts if conditions move beyond established parameters.

There are some key monitoring areas which some forward-thinking companies have already adopted, and these are likely to accelerate as more businesses realise the potential opportunities and savings this data could bring.

Future trends to watch There are five future monitoring trends to watch: • Air quality - the pandemic has highlighted the importance of air quality, and as organisations begin to welcome workers back on site it’s become clear this is a key area

Peter Burbidge is managing director, Pressac

of focus. Increasingly, buildings will be equipped with wireless sensors to monitor air quality such as CO2 levels and harmful airborne small particles. The data these sensors gather can help set automated levels for ventilation adjustment as needed.

In the future, we’re also likely to see more buildings — in particular those in areas of high pollution — monitoring the outdoor air that enters via the ventilation. Smart systems can then alert when filters need replacing, or turn off the system if the outside air quality becomes unacceptable.

• Occupancy - another area of importance emphasised by the pandemic is monitoring the number of occupants in a building. While in the post-Covid days this is necessary for distancing and restrictions, it also plays a key part in managing comfort levels and energy use.

Future smart buildings will give more control to their existing occupants, enabling them to create a bespoke environment for their comfort. People will more closely interact with a building by adjusting everything to their precise needs, from zone temperature, sound levels, desk and meeting room spaces, and specific lighting.

This type of monitoring can

have huge energy saving benefits, too. For example, ventilation can automatically switch off when nobody is inside, or based on a room’s CO2 and humidity levels.

Whole floors and zones can also be adjusted depending on desk bookings and required use, helping to manage space optimally.

• Lighting - this can make a big difference to the comfort of occupants and the productivity of workers. One of the biggest monitoring trends we can expect to see is smart lighting that adjusts to the preferences of occupants.

For example, brighter lights in an office during the afternoon may help workers focus better, while soft lights later in the day might be more relaxing.

• Equipment and machines - smart technology enables companies to completely change the way they manage their equipment and machinery, by switching from reactive to predictive maintenance.

In the future, smart sensors will more frequently be clipped to machinery to measure and detect equipment usage — helping to understand where there is unnecessary energy consumption — or detect changes in normal operating conditions to detect

Capacity or data analysis As the uptake in smart technology increases, facilities mangers can also take advantage of a smart building’s capacity for data analysis. A single facility could have hundreds of smart sensors which can collect a continuous — and anonymous — stream of data on occupancy, traffic flow, peak times and anomalous behaviour. This data can be collected and overseen by a single control room or central monitoring point, with a focus on protecting the safety and security of occupants.

Although many of these systems and sensors have been around for a while, they were often fragmented and independently operated.

We’re likely to see more cases of comprehensive use throughout a building. Occupancy monitoring is complemented by air quality monitoring which is complemented by energy use monitoring... and so on. Separately, each element is useful. Together, they make a powerful transformative tool to ensure occupant wellbeing and energy efficiency on a scale never seen before.

With this abundance of highly accurate, real-time data, building and facilities managers can make informed decisions about building use and automation, as well as plan strategies for future use.

What we’re seeing is the emergence of next-generation smart building monitoring systems, which build on previous systems and take them to the next level. 

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Metering & Monitoring Comparing energy consumption increases in complexity if you have multiple sites

Select the data you need Janie Jefferies-Freer examines the correlation between data and energy saving targets.

The key lies in utilising the right metrics to focus on the data that provides reporting value

R

eporting on your energy saving targets is a vital part of any effort to increase energy efficiency in your business.

The process involves collecting and analysing large amounts of data to uncover actionable steps to decrease energy consumption.

Bridging the gap between data and understanding is a difficult task.

Without a centralised dashboard detailing your commercial building’s energy consumption and associated costs, meeting energy saving targets, reducing energy usage and improving overall energy efficiency becomes complicated and difficult to navigate.

To tell your energy story, you need to collect the right data and organise it effectively. The key lies in utilising the right metrics to focus on the data that provides reporting value.

Good reporting relies on collecting real-time, reliable, and accurate data.

Measurement of energy performance across a building is the backbone of any meaningful energy reduction strategy.

Smart metering and monitoring tools, for example, are essential for both measurement and efficient energy management. In a single office building, an effective metering and monitoring system can often generate an immediate energy

saving of 10 per cent and up to 30 per cent once building operations are enhanced over time.

Continuous automatic metering systems use dynamic energy dashboards to display building operation and energy consumption data. Tables, graphs and images are used to illustrate energy information in ways that facilitate informed decision-making.

For example, an energy dashboard may display that a building’s aeration system is consuming more energy than it should. Once informed of this fact, the operator can reduce energy consumption incrementally to reach energy saving targets without negatively impacting performance.

A building automation system monitors the performance of equipment at a high-level and concerns the building as a whole.

A BAS can automate controls for things like elevators, metering, airhandling units, heat pumps, lighting systems and more. A newer BAS can maximise the energy efficiency of all the things it controls, as well as monitor fire and flood safety.

While a BAS does not generally offer advanced analytics, it can be leveraged in combination with energy management software to extract key data for reporting.

When it comes to collecting data over time, using 15-minute intervals strikes the right balance. As an energy manager, you want to reduce noise in the data to produce a clear picture of how your building and equipment within the building are operating. If you were to review data at 10, 5 or even 1-minute intervals, you would notice more scattering of the data, making it difficult to understand what is actually happening in the equipment.

With 15-minute intervals, energy usage patterns can become clearer and more easily interpreted, making reporting on energy saving targets more effective.

Different types of data When it comes to interpreting energy data, it’s important to understand and account for different types of data. Comparing total or average energy use in one sector against another will lead to skewed data.

For example, manufacturing plants often have long operating hours and heavy machinery which requires a lot of energy to cool. So, comparing it against a distribution centre based on total or average energy used will provide an uneven representation of total energy usage.

Janie Jefferies-Freer is CEO, eSight Energy

It’s imperative that data is normalized in order to interpret it correctly and for reporting on energy saving targets.

Take degree days for instance.

Degree days are a measure of the severity and duration of cold weather. It’s a vital metric because extreme outdoor air temperature will require more energy to stabilise setpoint temperature in the building. Therefore, to avoid misleading statistics, you should also normalise against active hours and normalized occupancy. Once the data is normalised, you can look at it to determine the priority area of focus.

Most organisations have data loggers and systems across their commercial buildings to capture energy usage, performance and consumption data but, instead of filtering the information and refining the most actionable parts, it is all compiled into a single large and very complex report.

Instead of a single large and complex report, those organisations could normalise their data and establish priority areas of focus to understand data trends, leverage the right metrics and make data-driven decisions.

For example, with this approach, an energy manager can compare packaging across all the business’ plants and clearly see which are more efficient than others. The manager can then review the efficient plants to determine best practices to improve energy consumption consistently across the enterprise in line with energy saving targets.

If you have multiple sites, comparing energy consumption increases in complexity as your organisation may be balancing a variety of business operations.

Normalising energy data facilitates effective comparison to help you to clearly understand your energy consumption patterns and performance across separate business units.

When you’re able to obtain a high-level overview of energy consumption, using the right metrics turns that raw data into insight, giving you the ability to make data-driven decisions for your business and to take real and consistent steps towards your energy saving targets. 

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Accelerating investment and decarbonisation of the public sector estate

Co-owned by the Greater London Authority and Local Partnerships, Re:fit is the framework of choice for the public sector. It enables change to be delivered at scale and pace, supporting you with the preparation and implementation of programmes of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. This helps reduce carbon emissions, create income and improve the operational performance of your buildings, whilst helping accelerate the journey towards achieving net-zero.

To find out how Rachel and her team can help call on 07825 963 218 or email rachel.toresen-owuor@localpartnerships.gov.uk If you’re based in London please contact retrofitaccelerator@london.gov.uk

@LP_localgov I localpartnerships.org.uk

Metering & Monitoring

Control energy costs with ISO 50001

ISO 50001 enables organisations to systematically optimise energy performance and promote more efficient energy management. David Goodfellow explains

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he ISO 50001 energy management system (EnMS) framework can improve bottom lines through systematic, data-driven and fact-based processes that improve energy efficiency and environmental performance.

A revised edition of ISO 50001 standard was released in 2018.

Following a three-year transition period, from 20 August 2021 ISO 50001:2011 certificates will no longer be valid. The good news for those businesses already certified under ISO 50001: 2011 is that conversion to ISO 50001: 2018 can take place as part of a repeat audit or a scheduled surveillance audit.

ISO 50001:2018 provides a framework of requirements for organisations to: • develop a policy for more efficient use of energy; • fix targets and objectives to meet the policy; • identify, measure, monitor and analyse the key characteristics of operations affecting energy performance; • facilitate data-based analysis and decisions about energy use; • measure the results; • review how well the policy works; and • continually improve energy performance and energy management system.

The updated ISO 50001 includes a greater emphasis on the responsibilities of top management and highlights the importance of instilling a cultural change in the organisation. The ISO 50001:2018’s requirements are described in clauses 4 – 10.

• Clause 4 – context of the organisation - ISO 50001 requires that internal and external issues are considered as part of the organisation’s energy planning process. This includes understanding the relevant needs and expectations of interested parties (those impacted by the organisation) in relation to energy performance and the EnMS.

• Clause 5 – Leadership - ISO 50001 demands greater commitment from senior management. It must ensure the formation of an energy management team, and that roles, responsibilities and authorities are assigned and communicated. They must also ensure that the EnMS’s requirements are integrated across business processes and that it is compatible with the wider strategic direction. This responsibility can no longer be delegated.

• Clause 6 – Planning - The energy planning and review process will help to identify the activities and processes that impact energy performance, and how this can be continually improved.

Opportunities and risks must be identified, with the plan covering how they will be addressed, as well as their integration and implementation within the EnMS, and how effectiveness can be evaluated. This should include the establishment of objectives and energy targets, as well as conducting an energy review which must be updated regularly and in response to any major changes.

The organisation must also determine the energy performance indicators (EnPIs) that measure energy performance, so that improvements can be monitored. Data should include relevant variables for significant energy uses (SEUs); energy consumption related to SEUs and the organisation; operational criteria related to SEUs; static factors; and data specified in action plans.

• Clause 7 – Support - the appropriate resources must be available to establish, implement, maintain and continually improve

energy performance and the EnMS. The EnMS must also be actioned by competent people. There is a requirement to retain evidence of workers’ competence, while ensuring appropriate education and training, as well as awareness raising about energy performance issues. There must also be a process for communicating information relevant to the EnMS, both internally and externally, as well as documented evidence of these practices.

• Clause 8 – Operation - This covers the planning, implementation and control of the processes related to the SEUs identified in the energy review, and what is required to implement the actions during the objectives setting phase.

To achieve this, a process criteria must include the effective operation and maintenance of facilities, equipment, systems and energy-using processes, where their absence can lead to a significant deviation from intended energy performance. These criteria must be communicated to the relevant people that are under the control of the organisation. The organisation must also ensure that the processes are controlled, as laid out

David Goodfellow is UK business assurance manager at TÜV SÜD

in the criteria. Documented evidence must also be kept, to show that the processes have been carried out in accordance with the plan.

During the design of facilities, equipment, systems and energy-using processes, the organisation must consider if there will be any significant impacts on energy performance over the operating lifetime, to identify improvement opportunities and operational control. It must also establish criteria for evaluating the energy performance for any energyconsuming products, equipment and services that are procured, if this is expected to have a significant impact on the organisation’s energy performance.

• Clause 9 – Performance evaluation - Organisations must ascertain what must be measured and monitored, by whom and with what frequency, to give an indication of how the energy management system is performing. This must include internal audits of the EnMS at planned intervals. Documented evidence must be retained - the standard gives indepth detail about what such a review should include.

• Clause 10 Improvement - Key to the success of an ISO 50001 management system is the ability to demonstrate continual energy performance improvement.

Opportunities for improvement must be identified, appropriate action taken and non-conformities reported.

In most cases it is advisable to integrate the EnMS into an existing ISO 14001 environmental management system, or an ISO 9001 quality management system, so that synergies can be exploited and the organisation can leverage existing management system compliance investments.

For those transitioning between ISO 50001:2011 and ISO 50001:2018, an audit will enable organisations to focus on the key areas that require action. A gap analysis will identify non-conformities and differences, as well as weaknesses in terms of the requirements of the new standard.

With the increasing cost of energy, organisations need to objectively evaluate their energy consumption, to maintain or reduce costs and lessen the negative impact on the environment. ISO 50001 provides every type and size of organisation with a systematic approach to monitor and reduce energy consumption, helping them to increase energy efficiency and improve profitability. 

26 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | JULY/AUGUST 2021

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Planning for Net Zero

Raghav Singh is Head of Large Business at EDF

Electric vehicles – a Net Zero opportunity Ready to make your next step towards Net Zero? Raghav Singh examines how organisations should begin planning for the UK’s revolution in transport

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lacing Net Zero at the heart of business decisions is no longer a choice.

Organisations across the world are already committing to Net Zero, knowing it is better for people, for the planet and for profit. The time to go Net Zero is now.

Transport is one of the UK’s largest contributors to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and is a key area of focus for Net Zero initiatives. In November 2020, the government announced that sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles are set to end in 2030, and hybrid vehicles in 2035.

This decision to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) highlights the essential role they will play in helping the UK to meet its goal of being carbon neutral by 2050. As a result, many businesses are now looking at their own Net Zero initiatives and beginning the process of transitioning to electric vehicles.

Why EVs? EVs are a great opportunity for any business wishing to reduce their carbon footprint, as they produce zero emissions in use. So, you’ll be cutting your businesses carbon emissions and cutting down on pollution in your local area.

Besides the environmental benefit, switching to EVs will pay off for businesses, with significantly lower tax and running costs. Electricity costs much less than petrol or diesel, so you can travel further for less. With fewer moving parts than conventional vehicles, EVs typically also require fewer repairs, resulting in significantly lower servicing and maintenance costs.

Various financial incentives are available too, to encourage the switch to EVs. There’s the Benefit

your electricity use.

Depending on your business’ objectives, ambitions and capabilities there are a number of zero carbon options available.

If you’re looking for an option that’s quick and simple to agree, zero carbon supply backed by nuclear or renewable electricity could work for you. Both of these options allow you to report zero carbon emissions.

If your business is in a position to make a longer-term commitment, Corporate Power Purchase Agreements (CPPAs) provide an excellent option for showcasing credibility and authenticity in your commitment to zero carbon.

Onsite generation

in Kind and road tax exemptions on the vehicles. Then there’s also the Workplace Charging Scheme, which allows any business to claim a grant for every electric vehicle charge point they install at their workplace.

There are many benefits to transitioning to electric and with expert advice available, the move has never been simpler. The first step is to understand your fleet and infrastructure needs and then identify the easiest vehicles to switch to electric.

Net Zero approach to EVs For organisations considering their EV transition, it’s useful to look at the vehicles are part of a wider EV ecosystem, which not only includes the EV and charge points, but also gives wider consideration to crucial elements such as power supply and site capacity. All of these components play an important part in a businesses journey to Net Zero, and it should be understood how they link together and can be optimised as part of this transition.

Site capacity Once you’ve begun developing an EV strategy and identified

your requirements for a vehicle transition plan, you’ll also need to create a charging infrastructure plan. Mapping and overlaying your requirements onto vehicle leasing or procurement cycles will help to inform charging infrastructure requirements with charging speeds, energy contracts and capacity needs all factoring into the planning process.

Understanding your on-site charging requirements will, in turn, help to inform whether or not you have sufficient electrical capacity or whether you may need to consider workarounds. If there is enough capacity from the existing set up, your business can progress without network changes.

However, in some cases network reinforcement may be required and your local DNO will need to provide this.

Power supply It’s important to ensure you combine your EV with a zero carbon electricity supply. Choosing a zero carbon supply option will have a further positive impact on your business’ sustainability credentials, allowing you to report zero carbon emissions for all of

Of course, you could go a step further and harness solar power to generate your own renewable electricity on your premises. Using on-site generation like solar panels, to power your chargepoints could also be a solution to capacity constraints. This energy can then be used on-site, reducing the imported energy demand and/or earning revenues from selling excess generation. You’ll also reduce your exposure to the volatile energy market, helping manage price risk.

Ready to make a change?

For any fleet or energy manager looking to further explore the opportunities that EVs may present for their business, you don’t have to do it alone. Working with a reputable partner from an early stage will ensure you create a strategy built to meet the needs of your business, now and in the future.

At EDF, we can help your business define the best EV infrastructure option for your business and identify your site capacity requirements. We’ll help navigate your options and explore zero carbon supply opportunities to support your electric transition.

There’s never been a more urgent time to take action and accelerate your journey to Net Zero.  • Get in touch with us at letstalkpower@edfenergy.com

JULY/AUGUST | 2021 ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY 27

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ESTA VIEWPOINT

For further information on ESTA visit www.estaenergy.org.uk

Rhetoric is no longer an option Mervyn Pilley examines the challenges ESTA members are facing as we re-emerge from the pandemic and reflects on the Government’s overdue Heat and Buildings strategy

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here’s a feeling of being in ‘no mans’ land as far as many of our day-to-day operations are concerned. Similarly, it still appears to be a variable speed economy for our members. Some are rushed off their feet with work while others are just starting to reengage with clients.

The alien concept of people taking holidays seems to have resurfaced at the same time as face-to-face meetings have restarted. At the time of writing, I have started to put trips to London into the diary.

I cannot pretend that I am looking forward to returning to the London Underground so taxis may be needed instead.

So far this year I have been having frequent discussions with members around where members perceive they gain their most value from their ESTA membership.

I have not been too surprised to hear a common theme that many miss the physical events that for so long formed the bedrock of ESTA’s offering. I always knew that moving to virtual events was not going to be easy and while I am proud of having managed to get a number of virtual events of all types organised during the last fifteen months, we have not managed to replicate the human interactions and networking that many members have missed.

The good news is that plans are well

advanced for a return to physical meetings, albeit with a recognition that, certainly initially, we will want to have a live stream option, certainly until the issues about meeting room capacities and social distancing rules are resolved. One of the challenges for a national association has always been that wherever you hold a meeting or an event, many attendees will have had to travel long distances.

For an organisation like us where carbon reduction is part of our mission then offering attendees the chance to still play a part while not having to travel has to be worthwhile. Our AGM in October will be a hybrid event.

We are also planning to play a role at more trade shows going forward. This is part of our greater focus on collaboration among like-minded organisations. In reality, trying to just put on ESTA-only events has drained us of considerable resources in recent years and, in reality, the current challenges can be much better met by many groups working together. This collaboration with trade shows will start with the Smart Buildings Show in October and then EMEX in November this year. We are still having discussions about our input into these shows as well as some more events in 2022. Working with partners will also increase the value for our members as

Mervyn Pilley is executive director of ESTA (Energy Services and Technology Association)

they will have more potential interaction with potential customers. I hope to meet many EiBI readers at one of these shows.

From time-to-time readers of this column will pick up on my frustration at the lobbying aspect of our work as a trade association. Members rightly expect their trade association to be their voice/ mouthpiece with Government. Having spent 20 years working with various Government ministries I should by now be very used to fulfilling that part of the job.

When I received my usual reminder from the editor to write this column one of my reasons for delay was that I had entertained some hope that the Government would by now have issued the Heat and Buildings and Net Zero strategies. Certainly, the former document has been long promised. As I sit at my desk, I have just seen a report in the Times that suggests the Government is struggling to find the necessary Parliamentary time to publish the Heat and Buildings strategy.

As far as the Net Zero strategy is concerned Professor Sir Robert Watson – a former top scientific advisor to the UK Government and to the White House – is urging the Prime Minister that he must turn “rhetoric into action” if he is to successfully lead the world in tackling the climate and nature crises. The Government responded by saying: “We’re making tangible progress – in this year alone, we have set out the world’s first strategy for decarbonising heavy industry, agreed a landmark deal to transition the North Sea oil and gas sector, are investing millions of pounds into clean energy as well as cutting emissions from buildings and transport, and driving forward action to protect nature and improve biodiversity, including our historic new legally-binding species target for 2030.” The spokesperson added that government will set out its “overall strategy for achieving net-zero emissions… by the end of this year.”

And it is the last sentence that is of most concern to me. No clear commitment to publish the strategy in good time to allow organisations to reflect, consult with their stakeholders and respond prior to COP26.

I find it truly amazing that a Net Zero strategy may not be fully formed before one of the most important COPs for a long time is held with the UK taking the chair. It is very important that unlike the G7 meeting where photo opportunities seemed to be the order of the day, COP26 is built around a series of concrete actions being agreed. The time for rhetoric expired a long time ago and the time for policy action is now! 

28 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | JULY/AUGUST 2021

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Susan Cassells is business development manager for SOCOTEC’s Environment & Safety division

Energy Efficiency & Wellbeing

First steps in IAQ assessment Susan Cassells explores how organisations can improve indoor air quality on their premises to safeguard employees

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ssessing workplace air quality involves evaluating the conditions in which employees operate and identifying possible factors which can cause the quality of the air to deteriorate or be unsuitable. Air quality monitoring can determine a number of issues within a building, including thermal conditions, air exchange, airborne hazards, sources of microbiological contamination and overall hygiene.

Carbon monoxide, radon, indoor particulate matter and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) have been identified as the four major indoor air pollutants, with poor indoor air quality associated with occupational health risks such as sick building syndrome and heart/lung-related illnesses.

According to research by the US Environmental Protection Agency, the levels of indoor air pollutants are often two to five times higher than those outdoors. Given that we spend an average of 90 per cent of our days indoors, it is important that duty holders regularly monitor air quality in their buildings.

Ensuring good air quality is important when premises have been subject to a change in use or activities, particularly when they have been left unoccupied for a period of time. A number of technical checks can provide an indication as to the quality of indoor air, highlighting possible problem areas where ventilation rates are poor.

Currently, good ventilation rates are imperative to reducing the quantity of indoor air pollutants, as well as minimising the risk of transmission from COVID-19.

Government advice recognises the increased risk of viral transmission from mixing indoors and therefore recommends opening windows to ensure satisfactory rates of ventilation. In premises where ventilation is provided via air conditioning, it is essential that sufficient fresh air is added to any recirculated air and that ventilation rates are adequate to minimise the risk of transmission. As well as sufficient ventilation, keeping on top of your cleaning regime is important to help tackle the harmful effects

Ensuring good air quality is important when premises have been subject to change in use

of indoor pollution. It can also be worth investing in an air purifier or a dehumidifier to tackle particularly damp areas.

Presence of dampness To monitor levels of indoor air pollutants, samples can be taken onto agar plates and examined for the presence of Total Bacterial Viable colonies, yeasts and moulds. This can identify the presence of dampness or mould within a property, with further checks carried out to determine the extent of microbiological contamination on surfaces (including COVID-19) and assess the cleanliness and overall hygiene measures in place within a building.

Air exchange is essential to prevent the build-up of carbon dioxide

(CO2) gas, which is present in the atmosphere at levels between 400 and 500ppm. When a building is occupied, exhaled CO2 can increase in the atmosphere if the ventilation rates are poor. Increased CO2 can lead to lethargy and headaches, as well as complaints of stuffiness, with levels above 1,000ppm an indicator that ventilation rates are inadequate.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are harmful, carcinogenic pollutants which are present in many everyday chemicals, including air fresheners, deodorants, cleaners, paints and varnishes. Additionally, building fabrics such as carpets and furnishings can also release VOCs into the workplace. They can be defined as a group of compounds with high vapour pressure and

low water solubility. The overall amount of VOCs in a given space is known as the Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOCs) – this is a term that does not have a standardised definition given that the various groupings of TVOCs are subject to interpretation.

The health effects associated with VOCs depend largely on the concentration and level of pollutants in an indoor environment. Inhalation of high concentrations of VOC can lead to narcotic effects, including headache, lethargy, changes in perception and nausea. Exposure to levels which are likely to result in serious health effects is unlikely to occur except in industrial processes, whereby large quantities of solvent are being used with inadequate control. This can lead to irritation of the lungs, as well as damage to the kidneys, lungs and nervous system.

Lower levels of VOC are unlikely to result in any significant health effects, although they do provide a good indication of poor ventilation rates and allow for a gradual build-up of VOCs in the atmosphere. This can be confirmed by determining ventilation rates from supply and extract air systems, allowing for an estimate of total ventilation rates within any occupied area to be determined.

The Chartered Institute of Building Service Engineers (CIBSE) recommends a range of temperature and humidity levels to create comfortable conditions. However, if not correctly monitored and controlled, both temperature and humidity can lead to high TVOC levels, with high levels of humidity leading to mould growth and sensations of dampness.

Levels of fine particulates (dust) are also known to cause high TVOC levels. Present in varying concentrations within most workplaces, they can be generated by a number of activities or processes on site. It is essential for duty holders to minimise the presence of particulates in the workplace, as not only can they cause a visible impact on surfaces, they can also lead to respiratory issues if levels are elevated or employees are subject to continued exposure. 

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Energy Efficiency & Wellbeing

Pandemic pushes buildings to higher level A building that is not airtight cannot be properly mechanically ventilated.

Bernard Hornung examines the rapid pace of change the pandemic is bringing

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ntil the outbreak of this global pandemic there was plenty of frustration around the slow pace of technology adoption in the built environment.

While other industries had made good progress, teams of builders were struggling to meet minimum building performance standards.

Inefficient processes left much room for improvement. New homes often fail to meet low-energy targets, and to satisfy residents with fundamental issues such as ease of use, summer comfort and energy costs. There is far too little building performance evaluation (BPE) happening routinely on projects to close the performance gap.

The pandemic can be credited with pushing the construction industry in the right direction. Many processes have changed and there is no need to go back to the way it was. The technological advances that would have happened over the next few decades, have now been achieved, due to the pandemic’s dramatic acceleration of technology adoption.

Most buildings are tested for airtightness, air permeability, and air leaks with outdated and intrusive technology, making tests difficult, time consuming and expensive.

Yet it is critical to quickly locate and accurately quantify air leaks in rooms and buildings.

An example of how companies upped their game as the pandemic took hold is shown by Coltraco designing and manufacturing solutions to help to prevent infection spread in hospitals. The NHS plan was to contain the virus by maintaining negatively pressurised ICU Wards and ensuring their airtightness.

Following from this need to contain the spread of airborne diseases, Coltraco Ultrasonics saw the demand for this leak detection technology to be re-designed for the

built environment. Portascanner AIRTIGHT 520 is a new solution to ensure that buildings are airtight so that people can be confident that they are returning to “safe buildings” and “safe working” by properly ventilating them. This is to ensure that all ventilation systems are operating effectively, and thereby enhance indoor air quality (IAQ).

No alternative leak measuring technologies measure the leak size directly, but instead infer it from pressure differences of airflow measurements, which are assumed to be taken at constant temperature and pressure, something that, in reality, is never the case. This means that alternative technologies have inaccuracies that may be minimised, but not eliminated entirely, by highly skilled operators using manual calculators.

Accurate remedial action For the first time, with minimal training, the user can locate a leak, quantify the leak site, calculate the air flow rate through it, and generate an air permeability value for the room. You can then take accurate remedial action where necessary, and have full confidence in both the airtightness of your room, and the effectiveness of your ventilation in circulating clean air.

Human resources and facilities management teams are tasked with keeping buildings and spaces comfortable, sustainable, efficient, safe, healthy and well maintained, and this list keeps growing as buildings, including residential buildings are expected to deliver more. More can include addressing the effects of Climate Change by making a building more energy efficient. More after this pandemic will include a critical appraisal of indoor air quality.

Digitalisation has the power to evolve buildings from being fixed New technology to ensure buildings are airtight will promote occupier confidence

Bernard Hornung is head of operations, built environment, Coltraco Ultrasonics

passive structures into highly interactive and richly informative systems. Homes are becoming more autonomous, so that the mechanical components inside the spaces created can ensure that occupants are safer, healthier and more comfortable.

Air filtration has never been considered a hot topic, but reflecting on what we know now, perhaps it should have been. Air quality plays an important role in our physical and mental health, and with COVID-19 good air filtration could mean the difference between sick and healthy, and in some cases, life and death. A fundamental requirement for energy efficient mechanical ventilation and for effective air filtration is achieving a minimum level of air tightness in buildings. Air pollution is an increasing concern, as is maintaining an adequate level of Oxygen within the built environment.

The design choices being programmed into buildings right now will be with us for years to come. This is a good thing because of the increased emphasis being placed upon, “Build tight, ventilate right.” COVID-19 will not be the last pandemic disease we will suffer, but our spaces will be better prepared for when the next one strikes. Frequent, regular and periodic testing for air tightness, air permeability, and quickly locating and quantifying air leaks in buildings, so that immediate remedial action may be taken, is now possible. Indoor air quality is a key issue in building design for homes, offices, hospitals, schools and factories. Our living and workplaces, be they at our homes or elsewhere, are where we need to be safe and productive.

This pandemic has shown the true value of good ventilation systems in buildings. There is a newfound respect for a hitherto poorly understood area of building engineering services. As we move on from a Government rescue plan to a Government recovery plan, an essential component of “Build back better,” should include frequent, regular, and periodic, mandatory testing for air tightness in the built environment. 

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Stacey Lucas is commercial and marketing director and Phil Berry is southern area sales manager at Sontay Ltd

Energy Efficiency & Wellbeing

Facilities managers will need sensors to tell them of the dangers of particulates

The invisible danger around us Despite increasing demand for particle sensors Stacey Lucas and Phil Berry say everybody could still benefit from extra education around invisible particulate pollution

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ver the past year there has been significant focus on CO2 monitoring, as it was discovered as being a useful marker for unhealthy occupancy levels, something much-needed during the covid pandemic. But there is another case which needs to be moderated in buildings: PM 2.5/PM 10 levels, minute particles which can be a risk to human health.

Particulate matter refers to any aggregate of solid particles or liquid droplets that remain suspended in the air for a period of time and include dust and salt particles, water and sulphuric acid droplets. These droplets can have harmful impacts on respiratory health, with particles in the PM 2.5 size range able to travel deeply into the body, reaching the lungs.

Although there are many sources, PM 2.5 pollution tends to peak in the winter months. Wood burning, coal-fuelled stoves and open fires are large contributors to emissions of particulate matter both in the UK and across Europe.

A strong PM 2.5 agenda would, therefore, pay in dividends, assuring improved air quality and reducing carbon emissions in the process.

People living in highly polluted towns and cities are realising the impact of these particles. In areas such as London, harmful amounts of air pollution (in which PM 2.5 is the most concerning) has unfortunately proven to be fatal

in a minority of cases. And it isn’t just the outside environment that we should consider; we need to be mindful of the air we breathe inside. We spend around 90 per cent of our time indoors. To assure indoor air quality, the air we breathe has to be cleansed of the particulate matter that could enter the premises from outside through open windows.

But how do we ensure these levels are continually monitored so they don’t spiral out of control?

The sector has always measured the same variables to control temperature for occupancy comfort and energy efficiency. Up until very recently there hasn’t been a demand to create air quality sensors that detect particulate matter. Instead, the focus has been on measuring CO2 levels and VOCs, both of which can have negative effects if high levels are present.

Filter and clean the air There are systems available on the market to help treat the presence of indoor PM 2.5/PM 10 levels. A potential solution would be to filter and clean the air using a HEPA filter. This filter is hugely beneficial in situations where outdoor air cannot be brought in to cleanse the indoors. These filters will also help keep air clean when employees return to offices later on this year.

Yet, the perilous concern about PM 2.5/PM 10 levels is their invisibility. PM 2.5 is far smaller

than a strand of hair, meaning that for most of us these pollutants go unnoticed. But it shouldn’t be a case of ‘out of sight, out of mind’ as these particles can cause serious ill-health when people are exposed to them for long periods of time.

Make the invisible visible In order to keep an eye on these pollutants, monitoring PM 2.5 and 10 is key. Increasingly, facilities managers and building owners will need to have access to a solution which makes the invisible visible.

To keep the levels to an absolute minimum, it will be vital to utilise smart PM 2.5/PM 10 sensors. The sensors will have their sights on something we humans cannot see and will greatly help assure indoor occupant comfort when it is most needed. Installing a smart sensor on the wall – as part of a high-performance BMS system – is a crucial manoeuvre in the clamp down of particulate matter.

This demand for more sensors in general is being propelled by the London Mayor’s Breathe London strategy, which was launched in January 2019 and aims to provide residents in London with up-to-

‘Sensors have their sights set on something we humans cannot see’

date air pollution information, provided by sensor technology.

But we have also seen the EU introduce some new legislation on particulate matter and the levels deemed harmful. Clearly, sensor technology is in high demand, and over the past year architects and consultants have been specifying more, especially PM 2.5/PM 10.

Sontay has launched a PM 2.5/ PM 10 sensor and realises that the awareness of and approach to tackling particulate matter is holistic. Not only do the building controls have to be in place to monitor levels, occupants must be educated on what PM 2.5/PM 10 is, the dangers, and the measures they can adopt to assure indoor comfort is not jeopardised. In that sense, it will take a sizeable shift in perspective to really understand and grapple with the effects of PM 2.5/Pm 10 and what can be done to control it.

Sensors have the ability to monitor the invisible, ensuring our indoor environments are in the best condition for occupants as possible. It will now take some time for industries to educate people on the negative impacts of particulate matter, keeping them mindful of what they need to do to keep their health continually in check. Thankfully, the introduction of particulate matter sensors to the market will no doubt be an assurance to many, enabling us to breathe easy when at work or play. 

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New Products Air-to-water glycol free chiller Aermec’s new air-cooled Turbocor chiller, the TBA, is an air-to-water glycol free cooling chiller for outdoor installation.

Units range from 400kW-1.8MW with the option of more customised solutions depending on the application.

The TBA can be supplied with on-board, inverter-driven pumps, giving the installer plug and play capabilities, reducing install time and simplifying site installation. A fast re-start of 180-210 seconds (power maintained to the controller) means that space conditions can be brought back to design within a few minutes.

The range uses R134a, R1234ze or R513a (XP10) refrigerant, which is classified within the A1 safety group (ASHRAE 34-1997 standard). The design features of the TBA,

ensures refrigerant quantities are kept to a minimum so that it has one of the lowest refrigerant charges on the market.

Free cooling for buildings where elevated water temperatures can be used, opens up the opportunity to turn off compressors and use the integrated dry cooler system. This often means the introduction of glycol which reduces heat transfer when added to a system.

The TBA offers high efficiencies even at partial loads and features all aluminium micro channel condenser coils.

ASHRAE’s extended temperature and humidity guidelines in data centres, enables higher temperatures without impacting the internal hall conditions and IT reliability so that the TBA can operate using 220C/280C and maximum operating temperatures of 240C/300C for outlet and inlet water temperatures.

Aermec’s TBA glycol chiller can operate in three different modes: • total free-cooling; • mixed mode or hybrid free cooling; and • mechanical cooling.

Podcasts shed light on common issues Mitsubishi Electric has launched a series of podcasts which shine a light on the sustainable, zero-carbon and legislative issues affecting business today.

The ‘Ask ME’ podcasts cover a range of important topics, including corporate sustainability, decarbonising buildings, re-opening offices, new innovative HVAC technologies and how to improve indoor air quality, among many others.

The series, which is available to stream via Spotify or Apple Music, features interviews with special guests and industry experts, including The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) chairman, Nathan Wood, discussing the importance of indoor air quality. Listeners will hear first-hand about common problems that guests have experienced in their sectors and any changes they have had to make.

“We have a great line-up for our series and are thrilled to share these with the industry as we believe that open discussion around major topics can help increase understanding for everyone,” said Sharon Oliver, marketing manager at Mitsubishi Electric. “We will cover a broad range of the major issues with guests providing advice and support on how businesses can maximise efficiency and carbon reduction while minimising costs.”

• The first Ask ME podcasts can be streamed via Spotify https://spoti. fi/3bTJCwX or Apple https://apple.co/3fkij0P

TALKING HEADS Chris Curry

Chris Curry is head of flexibility, Bryt Energy

Get ready for the DSR evolution Businesses will play a key role in balancing grid demand in the coming years by providing demand flexibility.

But they need the consumer-focused products to be able to participate, says Chris Curry

A

s we continue to transition to a low-carbon energy system, responsible consumption requires more than simply using less energy; businesses’ time of use, and the way in which they will operate as citizens of a net zero system, are becoming equally important.

With a wave of heat pumps and electric vehicles expected to connect to the system over the coming years, electricity demand is set to rise rapidly. And as we come to rely more heavily on intermittent renewable generation, it will become increasingly complex for local and national network operators to balance our energy system. Businesses will therefore play a key role in achieving a net zero system by providing demand flexibility - but not as we know it. Businesses have been helping to balance the grid through flexibility services such as STOR (Short Term Operating Reserve) and peak avoidance for decades, but as our energy system transforms, these services are becoming outdated. Against a backdrop of rising demand and a more complex generation pattern, demand flexibility must be available to a far greater number of businesses (rather than simply those that can turn down at short notice) if it is to provide a reliable means of balancing the energy system and ensuring that system is affordable.

With businesses already facing challenges around how to evolve their energy operations to meet sustainability targets, an improvement in demand flexibility solutions is required. The market must deliver solutions that are designed with business needs at their core, delivering broad appeal. They must be consumer-focused, simple to manage, hold proven sustainability credentials and provide a financial advantage. In short, they must evolve to serve consumers at the same time as rewarding them for supporting a net zero system.

The Carbon Trust recently predicted that in order to operate an efficient net zero energy system by 2050,

Curry: 'there's no reason why demand flexibility services shouldn't evolve to meet business needs'

11GW of flexible demand must be found from commercial users. The benefits of increasing the level of uptake are clear.

First, if consumers can synchronise their consumption with renewable generators, our electricity system will be better able to adopt higher levels of renewable generation. Second, an ability to optimise their demand will help to reduce the anticipated increase in stress on networks (from electric heat and transportation) and minimise the need for expensive network infrastructure upgrades.

Consumer products are lagging behind Despite the clear importance of demand flexibility, the ongoing evolution of flexibility market mechanisms, and growth in other flexibility technologies (such as large batteries), the consumer products currently offered in this area are lagging behind. If we’re going to encourage uptake among a wider community of businesses and reach the 11GW of flexible demand required, we need more focus to go into developing consumer products with real appeal. This means creating products that are more consumer-centric, that work around business needs, and that aid them through the energy transition.

Existing flexibility services may deliver an additional revenue stream for businesses, but this can be limited, both in terms of the return and - more importantly - in terms of the number of

businesses able to participate. With many DSR schemes largely focused on red band periods, when demand is highest, they are only open to the relatively few businesses able to turn down their consumption during these limited periods. In any case, such services are focused on the needs of the system, as opposed to placing the consumer at the heart of the solution.

Today, the technology exists to develop solutions which can both help our energy system and provide benefits to a wider range of businesses. By combining the wealth of data collected through building management systems, monitoring platforms and smart metering solutions, it’s possible to understand, forecast and visualise building and asset behaviour under varying conditions. This data enables Energy Managers to make smart, accurate, business-focused decisions about how to optimise their business assets against live price and carbon data.

Putting this technological infrastructure in place and having access to the right data and modelling capability also makes it easier for businesses to transition their operations by adopting smart-ready devices such as electric vehicles, heat pumps, and batteries.

It enables organisations to build clear business cases for those assets and defines a clearer path to net zero operations.

These solutions bring together operational, price, network and carbon intelligence to enable energy professionals and building managers to work smarter, and to further demonstrate to stakeholders the value that they are bringing to their organisation.

With the technology and data that’s available to us today, there’s no reason why demand flexibility services shouldn’t evolve to meet business needs as well as the needs of the system. We know that many businesses are striving to practise good grid citizenship, and we have the power to make it easier for them to do so.

By working together, we can take a more efficient, affordable and practical route to net zero. 

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