July/August 2020

JULY/AUGUST 2020

PROMOTING ENERGY EFFICIENCY

www.eibi.co.uk

In this issue Monitoring & Metering Energy Efficiency & Well-being Combined Heat & Power CPD Module: Building Controls

CHP still has a role Low-energy retrofit solutions

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Simplicity is king A successful monitoring strategy

Energy and well-being Taking a holistic approach

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JULY/AUGUST 2020

PROMOTING ENERGY EFFICIENCY

www.eibi.co.uk

In this issue Monitoring & Metering Energy Efficiency & Well-being Combined Heat & Power CPD Module: Building Controls

CHP still has a role Low-energy retrofit solutions

Simplicity is king A successful monitoring strategy

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Contents

www.eibi.co.uk

Energy and well-being Taking a holistic approach

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JULY / AUGUST 2020

14

32

FEATURES

10 Monitoring & Metering

David Sing examines how connecting metering, monitoring, analytics and artificial intelligence will become the standard approach to building energy efficiency

A district heating scheme in Copenhagen is providing a prime example of creating flexibility in power consumption through sector coupling (28)

Real-time energy data is a key metric for an energy management program to be successful. With live data being collected, the question becomes how to organise and review it, says Janie Jefferies-Freer (12) Julian Grant looks at the benefits of power and energy loggers and how they provide a cost-effective solution to identifying inefficient electrical equipment (14)

Government statistics on UK energy production reveal that CHP continues to make an important contribution to the UK energy mix. Hugh Richmond explains (29)

Efficiency 30 Energy & Well-being

24 CHP & District Heating

Malcolm Youll examines the role of air conditioning in the prevention of viruses and bacteria. Optimal air hygiene can lead to better air quality well-being

Efficiency savings, lower cost electricity and improved energy security are just some of the benefits delivered by combined heat and power, says Mark Gibbons

Alan Macklin explores the issues associated with poorly ventilated working environments, and outlines the required approach to dealing with this problem (32)

Simon Lomax examines how new technology can overcome the often poor level of control and comfort provided by many domestic district heating systems (26)

Chris Wallis takes a look at how a holistic approach to building design and construction can pay dividends when it comes to occupier comfort (33)

REGULARS 06 News Update High-level global commission outlines strategies for urgent global action to boost energy efficiency while the European Parliament piles the pressure on UK government over EU:ETS

09 The Warren Report Twice Government has had the chance to ensure existing buildings are more thermally efficient. It now has a third chance which, in a climate emergency, it must grasp

16 Products in Action A communal heat network in west London feels the benefit of pipework insulation while a Swiss

church uses advanced monitoring to beat humidity problems

17 The Fundamental Series: CPD Learning Building controls are a fundamental part of an energy-saving strategy.

Adetunji Lawal gives a guide to choosing the most appropriate control for your application

22 ESTA Viewpoint Jes Rutter looks forward to what the UK must prioritise on the road to meeting its net-zero ambitions, including one overlooked sector

34 Talking Heads Facebook and Twitter say that at least half of their employees will work from home forever. News-grabbing headline or good business sense?, wonders Chris Hurcombe

21 New Products Energy managers should take note of a range of modules with phase change materials to help cool or heat buildings as well as a remote access feature for boiler control

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 2020 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | 03

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Editor’s Opinion

Follow us on @ twitter.com/energyzine and twitter.com/markthrower1

Over to the energy industry

T

www.eibi.co.uk

The EiBI Team Editorial

green jobs incentive in England for energy-

future it is sure to spark interest in energy saving. If I

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

saving improvements in homes and public

he Chancellor’s recent announcement (see page 6) that it would introduce a £3bn

and economic factors that affect our well-being.

With many more people working from home in the have to pay for my office energy then I’m going to have

Advertising

buildings has brought a very welcome shot in the

to look after it. And all the better if there is a financial

arm for the energy sector. It is finally recognition that

incentive for me to actually make those improvements.

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

energy efficiency can be good for the economy. A lot of

This is a wonderful opportunity for all suppliers

pressure has been brought to bear on the government

to the energy efficiency industry to take advantage

over the last couple of months from many trade

of this timely boost. In the Energy Institute’s Energy

bodies and business organisations. How this squares

Barometer annual survey, professionals cited energy

with Boris Johnson’s speech vowing to ‘build, build,

efficiency as the biggest missed opportunity of the last

build’ remains to be seen as the two policies seem to

decade. It is seen as the foremost option for plugging

be heading in different directions.

the emissions reduction gap for the 2030 target at

However, Business Secretary Alok Sharma said:

least cost, and more respondents singled out retrofits

“What [the scheme] ultimately means is lower bills

of existing housing stock than any other action for a

for households, hundreds of pounds off energy bills

resilient recovery.

every year, it’s supporting jobs and is very good news

This is probably a once in a very long time

for the environment.” There can be little doubt that the

opportunity to put energy efficiency on the map and to

ambition behind the scheme is to create jobs and help

make it rise from being worthy but boring to being an

kick-start one part of the economy.

essential part of the economic recovery. The ball really

But one benefit that doesn’t seem to have been

is in the court of the energy efficiency industry.

mentioned is that to our health. Social and economic

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

Classified sales

combined in determining our health. Any energy

MANAGING EDITOR

Sharon Nutter Tel: 01889 577222 Email: classified@eibi.co.uk

efficiency programme will address a variety of social

Mark Thrower

Circulation

factors are as powerful as behaviour and healthcare

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 Chris Wallis of Kingspan Insulated Panels takes a look at how a holistic approach to building design and construction can pay dividends when it comes to occupier comfort The concept of healthy buildings is one that has received considerable focus over the last decade. Numerous studies have demonstrated that optimising the conditions in our internal environments can have a significant positive impact on our physical and mental well-being in all kinds of settings. But it can often be a balancing act to create these beneficial spaces whilst also ensuring efficient and cost-effective energy management. One of the clearest examples of this is maintaining thermal comfort.

See page 33 for more details Cover photo courtesy of Kingspan Insulated Panels

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 2019 12,175

04 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | JULY / AUGUST 2020

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Chancellor boosts green homes UK homeowners will receive vouchers of up to £5,000 for energysaving home improvements, the chancellor has announced.

Rishi Sunak has set out a £2bn grant scheme in England for projects such as insulation as part of a wider £3bn plan to cut carbon emissions.

The Treasury said the grants could help to support more than 100,000 jobs.

Under the Green Homes Grant, the government will pay at least two-thirds of the cost of home improvements that save energy, the Treasury said.

The scheme will launch in September, with online applications for recommended energy efficiency measures, along with details of accredited local suppliers.

Once one of these suppliers has provided a quote and the work is approved, the voucher is issued.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Business Secretary Alok Sharma added that the poorest households could receive up to £10,000 towards costs, and that double glazing would also be covered by the scheme.

He continued: “What [the scheme] ultimately means is lower bills for households, hundreds of pounds off energy bills every year, it’s supporting jobs and is very good news for the environment.”

The government said about half of the fund - which is due to be spent in one financial year - will go to the poorest homeowners, who will not have to contribute anything to the cost. Better insulation could save some people £600 a year on energy bills, the Treasury said.

Sunak said the investment would also help to “kick-start our economy” by creating thousands of jobs and providing business for existing skilled workers, as the UK recovers from the economic shock of coronavirus.

“As Britain recovers from the outbreak, it’s vital we do everything in our power to support and protect livelihoods across the nation,” he said.

The grants are part of a wider £3bn “green investment” package due to be announced in the chancellor’s summer statement, to support efforts to rebuild the economy after the pandemic.

The plan aims to create tens of thousands of new jobs while helping the UK meet its 2050 target of achieving net zero carbon emissions.

COMMISSION OUTLINES POLICY ACTION

Strategies for ‘urgent global action’ The high-level global commission created to examine “new and stronger policy action” for energy efficiency (see EiBI Oct 2019) has published its conclusions. Chaired by (now former) Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar (right), it has presented the International Energy Agency with twelve specific strategies for urgent global action.

For each of the policies, Varadkar provides an overview of what is needed to realise that particular strategy: • net zero-energy, water, waste and carbon buildings and homes are an increasing trend in regulations for new buildings, but these cannot happen without proper support and building code updates; • home and building retrofits are very important, since most homes and commercial buildings that will be standing in 2050 have already been built; • cooling is the fastest-growing end use in buildings as its energy demand more than tripled between 1990 and 2018; • smart buildings and homes.

Sensors, automated controls, and other smart software can optimise

energy use; • in regions with substantial space and water heating loads, electrification of space and water heating can often reduce both energy use and emissions; • appliance and equipment standards deliver large savings.

These standards should be regularly updated and other countries should follow suit; • industrial efficiency. Overall manufacturing energy intensity could improve by 44 per cent between now and 2040 with 70 per cent of the energy savings potential in less energy-intensive manufacturing sectors; • vehicles have substantially

increased in energy efficiency in recent years, driven primarily by ambitious fuel economy standards; • reducing vehicle distance travelled; • the freight sector can save energy through mode switching, providing seamless transitions among various modes as well as the digitisation of logistics; • aviation efficiency and longdistance travel. In aviation, improved engines, operational efficiency by air traffic control, airlines and pilots, and reductions in the amount of travel can cut aviation energy use and emissions by about 50 per cent; and • new electric grid technologies can reduce power losses in the grid via better grid design, smart metering, integration of demand-side management and demand-response interventions and theft prevention efforts can further reduce large losses.

The IEA, which regularly describes energy efficiency as “the first fuel”, has pledged to ensure that each government is consistently alerted to these twelve priorities.

Landlord aims to transform property portfolio Property giant British Land is to transform the entire portfolio of its estate to net zero carbon – including developments – by 2030.

The company, which manages a property portfolio worth £14.8bn, will create a Transition Fund to drive operational progress and finance the retrofitting of the standing portfolio. It has also committed to roll-out the successful place-based approach to social contribution across the portfolio.

As part of the drive to a net-zero carbon portfolio – including development activity by 2030 – British Land will aim for a 50 per cent reduction target in embodied carbon and a further 75 per cent reduction in operational carbon intensity against new 2019 baselines. In addition, from this year all developments delivered to be net zero embodied carbon.

The company intends to prioritise retrofit over new build by means of a bespoke Transition Fund resourced by an internal fee of £60 per tonne of carbon, levied on new developments Claimed to be the first of its kind, the fund will accelerate the path to net zero by driving innovation in development, financing the retrofit of the standing portfolio, and supporting customers in transforming their own space to reduce emissions

The strategy follows the conclusion of a successful fiveyear programme for British Land, achieving a 55 per cent reduction in energy intensity and 73 per cent reduction in carbon intensity versus its 2009 baselines, in addition to a 16 per cent reduction in embodied carbon emissions.

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

URGENT STEPS NEEDED FOR POST-COVID-19 RECOVERY

IN BRIEF

CCC details investment priorities

PV potential for London borough

In its latest Annual Report to Parliament, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has for the first time set out recommendations to each government department detailing what will be required from them to achieve a net-zero carbon society by 2050.

This details the urgent steps that must be taken in the months ahead to initiate a green, resilient COVID-19 recovery, to be delivered through strong coordination across Whitehall. “Doing so will propel the UK towards more rapid climate progress and position the country as an international climate leader ahead of the pivotal COP26 climate summit in Glasgow next year,” states the CCC. The Committee’s new analysis highlights five clear investment priorities in the months ahead.

The majority of these emphasise heavily the role of energy efficiency, particularly in buildings.

Above all, the CCC is seeking “lowcarbon retrofits and buildings that

A south London council has identified 40,000 sites as suitable for photovoltaic panels as it works towards a carbon neutral goal in 2030.

Energeo, a specialist provider of data that helps organisations accelerate decarbonisation, has analysed the built environment across the London Borough of Lambeth to enable the council to prioritise its investment in sites for solar PV. Energeo’s data has given Lambeth Council an accurate visualisation of where it can most effectively deploy solar. The council is one of hundreds in the UK to have declared a climate emergency.

are fit for the future.” There are “vital new employment and re-skilling opportunities across the country, if Government supports a national plan to renovate buildings and construct new housing to the highest standards of energy and water efficiency, to begin the shift to low-carbon heating systems.”

The Committee proposes a “rollout of ‘green passports’ for buildings and local area energy plans to begin immediately.” A ‘green passport’ is a digital passport providing detailed guidance on the actions required – and already undertaken – to improve a building’s energy efficiency and

comfort, based on building fabric and operational data.

“The CCC sees a role for these passports to include recommendations on low carbon heat alongside this, and for the platform to be expanded to cover issues such as indoor air quality, flood resilience, water efficiency and overheating.” Passports would be transferable between building owners and help to maintain sight of long-term decarbonisation/ resilience goals. They would capture Energy Performance Certificate data digitally, and augment it with other data over time.

Chairman Lord Deben (above), the former Conservative environment secretary, stated that “in the immediate term, bringing forward funding for renovating public sector buildings can set an important standard and cut public energy bills.

Targeted support for SMEs to improve energy efficiency can help boost productivity.”

‘Progressive’ nations still lag in emissions cuts New research, focusing on the UK and Sweden, demonstrates just how far even ‘climate progressive’ nations are from meeting our international commitments to avoid dangerous climate change.

The researchers from the University of Manchester concluded that despite the UK and Sweden claiming to have world-leading climate legislation, their planned reductions in emissions will still be two to three times greater than their fair share of a Paris-compliant global carbon budget.

The annual rate that emissions are expected to be cut is less than half of that required, with the scientists suggesting a minimum for the UK of 10 per cent each

year, starting in 2020. Similarly, the date of achieving a fully zero-carbon energy system should be around 2035, rather than the UK’s current ‘net-zero’ by 2050 legislation.

The study, led by Professor Kevin Anderson (pictured) from The University of Manchester, is published in the journal Climate Policy. The team of climate scientists asked how close these countries are to meeting the UN’s climate commitments if the ‘safe’ quantity of emissions, the global carbon budget, is shared fairly between ‘developing’ and ‘developed’ countries.

Prof. Anderson, concludes: “Academics have done an excellent job in understanding and communicating climate science, but the same cannot be said in relation to reducing emissions.”

Renewables hit new record high in winter period Almost half of the UK’s electricity was supplied by renewables in the first three months of this year, according figures from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Renewables generated 47 per cent of the UK’s electricity from January to March, beating the previous record of 38.9 per cent set in the third quarter of 2019. The Government said this was mostly due to increased capacity and higher wind speeds in February.

Wind generated 30 per cent of

the UK’s power in Q1 (14.7 per cent from onshore wind, 15.2 per cent from offshore), beating the previous record of 22.3 per cent set in Q4 of 2019. When other low-carbon forms of generation, including biomass and nuclear, are added, the proportion rises to 62.1 per cent, up from the previous record of 51.8 per cent.

Renewable electricity generation was a record 40.8TWh in Q1, beating the previous record of 32.5TWh set in Q4 2019. Wind generated 26TWh, outperforming the previous high

of 19.4TWh in Q4 2019. Onshore wind provided 12.8TWh, beating 9.8TWh set in Q1 2019, offshore wind provided 13.2TWh, beating 10.2TWh in Q4 2019.

Low carbon generation (renewables and nuclear) reached a record high at 62.1 per cent, with fossil fuel generation reaching a record low at 35.4 per cent with a sharp fall in gas generation. BEIS noted that this was achieved despite a fall in nuclear generation caused by maintenance outages.

Plans for Hants waste to energy Veolia has submitted its planning application for an Advanced Energy Recovery Facility near Alton, which will save 65,000 tonnes of carbon emissions a year compared with sending the waste to landfill. This is part of an overall strategy in the area to recycle more and recover more energy from waste.

This planning application is for a state of the art advanced technology which will utilise non recyclable ‘residual’ waste to produce power for the National Grid. The facility will provide enough electricity for 75,000 Hampshire homes, and create over 300 jobs during construction, plus 40 permanent roles once operational.

Continuously monitored by the Environment Agency, the 30MW plant is sized for residual Hampshire waste that is currently landfilled in the county, or exported elsewhere.

Global gas demand set to plummet The Covid-19 crisis and an exceptionally mild winter in the northern hemisphere have put global demand for natural gas on course for its largest annual decline in history.

This is one of the findings of the International Energy Agency in a recently released report. Global gas demand is expected to fall by 4 per cent, twice the size of the drop following the 2008 global financial crisis.

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Demand for EPCs sees little growth Companies offering energy performance contracts are experiencing very minimal growth in demand. A survey of energy service providers in 15 European countries, including the UK, revealed that 31 per cent had seen “little change ”in activity during 2019, and 28 per cent had seen it actually decline.

Lack of trust in the industry, plus the high managerial costs of projects, are perceived as the main factors hampering growth.

Energy performance contracts commit service providers to the delivery of agreed energy savings over a set period of time. The main advantage of these contracts is that they offer guaranteed savings to occupiers of premises being improved, without the need for upfront capital. If agreed energysaving objectives are not met, the service provider must reimburse the client or carry out additional work.

Throughout this century the European Commission has been seeking to remove market barriers to the expansion of the energy performance market. In 2001 it funded the (now defunct) UK Association for the Conservation of Energy to employ lawyers to establish standard contracts applicable in each European country, so as to minimise continuing legal costs.

More recently, it put together the QualitEE project, aiming to develop a standardised set of quality criteria that can be applied across the energy services industry. The most successful companies are felt to be those that undertake preliminary energy audits for their clients, accompanied by clear measurement and verification of energy savings to achieve the expected outcomes.

One option being considered is to create a quality assurance scheme that will provide reassurance for prospective clients. EC officials are considering including such a scheme in a future revision of the Energy Efficiency Directive by strengthening its Article 16. This specifically deals with qualification, accreditation and certification schemes.

However, the costs associated with creating and policing such a quality assurance scheme are acknowledged to be considerable. Such schemes can be used to create market barriers that deter new entrants to the energy services market.

POST-BREXIT TRADE AGREEMENT

UK ‘must match EU on carbon pricing’ The European Parliament (EP) has adopted a report stressing that acceptance of any post-Brexit trade agreement between the EU and the UK will be conditional on the UK enforcing carbon pricing measures at least as stringent as the EU Emissions Trading System.

Before implementation, a new trade agreement must obtain EP approval.

MEPs are stressing that Britain’s carbon pricing measures should already be “set and in place” ahead of their vote on whether to give consent to any draft agreement between the UK and the EU. The UK should also implement a system of carbon pricing of “at least the same scope and effectiveness” as the EU ETS, the Parliament agreed. And by the end of the continuing Brexit transition period, due on Dec. 31, the UK must be

applying the same principles as the EU for use of carbon offsets.

The EP has also backed its environment committee’s call for the UK to “fully” align itself with the EU’s current and future climate policy framework, including revised binding 2030 targets, 2040 targets, and trajectories to climate neutrality by 2050.

• Meanwhile, the European Commission’s official economic analysis for its Green New Deal

estimates an extra €185bn per year is needed to make Europe’s buildings energy efficient. On the funding side, the Commission plans to launch a “European Renovation Financing Facility”, tentatively financed with €91bn per annum and blended with other sources of funding to reach €350bn in investment per year.

Priority will go first to public sector buildings, especially hospitals and schools, as well as social housing and other forms of low-income dwellings.

For private residential buildings, the facility will support the supply of green mortgages.

To further support renovation, the Commission also plans to revise its relevant state aid rules, in order to “provide an enabling framework for public authorities to support high quality renovation.”

Engineering giant to offer end-to-end solution Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxx “Our smart energy solutions are specifically tailored Engineering giant Siemens has launched a new business in the UK to help large energy users reduce costs while increasing productivity, efficiency and resilience.

Energy Solutions is offering an endto-end, technology-agnostic service to manufacturing sites, commercial buildings, universities, business parks and municipalities, from design and installation through to service and maintenance.

The Energy Solutions Team is led by Faye Bowser (above), who joined Siemens as a mechanical engineering technical apprentice in 2003, served ten years in engineering focussed roles and then moved into international contracts management for customers.

“Energy Solutions is driven by sustainability, innovation, and empowering energy users to be part of, and benefit from, the energy transition,” said Bowser.

to the individual requirements of each customer – depending on their kind of business, market, energy situation and strategic objectives for supply and usage. From initial assessment to remote services, we ensure ‘first time right’ success based on our unique combination of digitalisation expertise, such as simulation tools and a digital twin approach, and in-depth understanding of both the supply side and demand side of energy. Siemens is also able to finance the whole or a portion of the project in a variety of different ways.”

Energy Solutions officially formed in January, but has already carried out projects including tackling energy efficiency and on-site generation for the Siemens showcase factory at Congleton that has played a role in supporting the UK government’s fight against COVID19. Another example is the Smart Energy Network Demonstrator (SEND) Living Lab at Keele University.

CBI joins chorus of demands for green recovery The Confederation of British Industry has become the latest organisation to join the calls for a green recovery in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, CBI director-general, Dame Carolyn Fairbairn (above), outlined a threepoint plan to recovery, all of which had sustainability at their heart. She called for a national programme to make every home a green home, starting with social housing; bringing forward funds committed to green

infrastructure, like electric vehicle charging points; and accelerating the gigabit broadband roll-out in all parts of the country including rural areas.

In addition, a future skills fund should be established to support areas with high job potential such as digital, low carbon and health.

Finally, among the measures required to kick-start consumer demand and unleash competitiveness she proposed a time-limited scrappage scheme to incentivise the take up of electric vehicles.

“Amidst all the uncertainty, one thing is clear: the UK will only

build back fast and better through a market-driven plan that supports sustainable growth,” Fairbairn stated.

“Dynamic enterprise is the only way to unleash the potential of our country and get ahead.

“Time is of the essence. Smart, fast policy is needed now to accelerate the process to minimise the human cost and in particular protect the futures of our young people. Together with our members and in consultation with the unions, the CBI has developed simple, implementable proposals that can be acted on now to create the best possible recovery.”

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07/08.20

THE WARREN REPORT

Andrew Warren is chairman of the British Energy Efficiency Federation

Government must not bottle it again Twice Government had the chance to ensure existing buildings are more thermally efficient. It now has a third chance which, in a climate emergency, it must grasp

T

hroughout this century, each government initiative has been accompanied by an economic impact assessment.

The objective is simple. It demonstrates that what is being proposed is good value for money.

This exercise is undertaken before formal decisions are taken by the Cabinet to proceed with a public consultation on the policy. Ideally, that consultation should provide useful suggestions on how to tweak the policy to improve it. And while not plebiscites, it is always worth establishing whether there is a broad consensus behind the proposals from participants.

Overall, this practice offers a key definition of how participatory democracy should work. And so it does.

Mostly. But this autumn the Government is set to consult on a topic that it has sought to establish public support for on three previous occasions. It has garnered that support. But then bottled the subsequent decision.

The UK is committed to become a net-zero-emissions society within 30 years. Approaching 40 per cent of carbon emissions come from the buildings we live and work in. The majority of homes likely to be occupied in 2050 have already been built.

So the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government is set to issue a public consultation into how best to ensure such existing buildings are made more thermally efficient.

The three policy options available have long been established. It becomes a matter of providing a) financial incentives to persuade householders to improve the

energy efficiency of their homes. It is also a question of b) establishing when making such improvements should be mandatory.

The often neglected (c) is making people aware of what you are doing, and why you are doing it.

Essentially these options can be described as offering carrots, sticks and tambourines. They operate best when working in parallel. And by coinciding with the time when building work is most likely to be done to homes.

The first of these times is when people move into a home. The other, by definition, is whenever existing occupiers decide to improve that home.

Current building regulations All additions - extending upwards, downwards or sideways are automatically required to meet the energy standards of the current building regulations: these are also set to be upgraded, to net zero carbon.

But as of now, even though a building’s carbon footprint is being expanded, there remains absolutely no requirement to do anything simultaneously to ensure that the original home is anything like up to contemporary energy standards.

This is not through want of trying.

When the energy parts of the building regs were improved in 2006, in 2010 and again in 2013, there were proposals put forward to include such “consequential improvements” within the package. On each occasion, these were agreed by the then Cabinet.

In both the earliest and latest exercise, the concept was actually included in the public consultation; positive reactions were received from 80 per cent, and then

‘We must trust that the realities of the climate emergency will ensure that this time round, sanity will at last prevail’

84 per cent of respondents.

On the middle occasion, just one day before the consultation started, the new Minister (John Healey) decided to exclude any references to consequential improvements. Doing so required bowdlerising the obligatory economic impact assessment, cutting out any references to the viability of consequential improvements. Healey maintained subsequently that “the benefits didn’t justify the costs.”

A year later, after Healey had left office, the Freedom of Information Commissioner eventually extracted the truth. It was that “consequential improvements” would have given the greatest proportional benefits to each household, with subsequent energy savings 2.3 times greater than any initial capital costs.

The most recent public consultation, held in 2012 under Eric Pickles, did include the “consequential improvements” concept, together with its impact assessment. This identified well over £11bn in benefits to the overall economy from “consequential improvements”. Plus the accrual of over 130m tonnes of lifetime carbon dioxide savings. And, with the government’s then flagship policy set to be launched that autumn, some 2.2m more Green Deal contracts.

Sadly, well after the consultation had concluded, consequential improvements fell foul of the Daily Mail. Dubbing it a “conservatory tax” (although it wasn’t a tax, and didn’t include the vast majority of conservatories), this high profile venal campaign persuaded Pickles to reverse his previous position, and reject the entire concept. Thus ensuring all the benefits, ecological and financial, that he had earlier championed, still continue to be lost.

In a sane world, we would be sending the bill for the benefits forgone to these former ministers - whose determination to place personal prejudice before practical evidence is even now leading to more emissions and higher fuel bills.

Instead we must trust that, in 2020, the realities of the climate emergency and the upcoming recession will ensure that this time round, sanity will at last prevail.

Expanding an existing building will require consequential improvements to the original. 

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Monitoring & Metering For further information on Energy Assets visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 125

David Sing is group managing director (assets), Energy Assets

The measure of sustainability David Sing examines how connecting metering, monitoring, analytics and artificial intelligence will become the standard approach to building energy efficiency

T

he Chancellor has taken the first tentative steps towards a green industrial revolution to reskill the economy for a net zero future – and among the key areas of focus will be green buildings, including those in industrial and commercial settings.

Energy managers will be at the forefront of using advanced energy metering, monitoring and intuitive data analytics in this transition to a low-carbon economy in line with the government’s net zero commitment. For industrial and commercial businesses - and public sector organisations – this will mean adopting emerging digital tools – notably artificial intelligence – to take control of energy and optimise the associated financial and environmental benefit.

To date, one of the biggest challenges facing energy managers has been making sense of the sheer volume of half-hourly consumption data delivered automatically by advanced meters.

Now though, through energy

Skills for tomorrow: energy managers will be at the forefront of using advanced energy metering

monitoring portals such as WebAnalyser and the application of artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as AMR DNA, both of which are within the Energy Assets portfolio, managers can cut through this information overload to bring clarity where there was fog and automated action where there was human interpretation.

Connecting metering, monitoring,

analytics and artificial intelligence as a holistic data trail will become the standard approach to building energy efficiency in the green industrial revolution. Automated meter reading already delivers the data in half hourly bites and sophisticated online dashboard monitoring and analytics delivers customised reports on energy performance linked to parameters and event exceptions.

London borough chooses AI to cut energy The London Borough of Merton identified energy waste valued at £25,000 within 15 minutes of employing a new artificial intelligence tool.

Using consumption data for councilrun schools, algorithms applied by AMR DNA, an Energy Assets service, quickly flagged unnecessary energy use outside normal operating hours.

Now, the council is applying the technology across its real estate portfolio, not only to prevent energy waste, but also to leverage continuous data analytics to ensure each building management system ‘learns’ what best energy performance looks like.

“We have been collecting consumption data for many years through automated meter reading, and it has been very useful in identifying the root cause of specific energyrelated problems,” said Richard Neil of

Merton Council. “We understood the value inherent in the data but analysing the entire portfolio in near real-time would have needed an army of analysts. Now we can accomplish this and more through AMR DNA.” The building management industry faces the huge challenge of making best use of existing resources, including data. The approach Merton has taken shows it is possible to embrace these challenges to help meet climate change commitments.

George Catto, AMR DNA client services director, commented: “Over half of all London boroughs have now declared a climate change

emergency and they, like local authorities all around the country, will likely face challenges around reducing waste energy. AI is set to play a key role in developing the data-driven actions needed to optimise energy consumption in buildings and to help councils move towards carbon neutral operations.”

AMR DNA, which is powered by kWIQly architecture, uses AI-driven processes to interrogate energy data, find patterns of energy waste often hiding in plain sight and then provide tailored recommendations. Thereafter, AI tracks the impact of changes, provides an audit trail of projects, monitors day-to-day consumption and automatically flags corrective actions that need to be taken. And because analysis is continuous, the best consumption profile for each building is progressively ‘learned’.

As a result, it’s possible to interface consumption data, down to individual meter points, with KPIs to monitor, for example, energy usage per square meter, with results automatically emailed to managers to communicate ranking and any performance issues.

Now though, digitalisation is ushering in a new era of artificial intelligence capable of modelling this data to redraw what optimal energy efficiency looks like.

For example, our AI data analytics platform – AMR DNA - is enabling complex, multisite organisations, such as retailers, local authorities and universities to analyse years of half hourly consumption data and identify patterns of energy waste that it would take an army of analysts years to find.

In one project, the Central England Co-operative generated a 206 per cent return on investment by identifying and eradicating energy waste and implementing evidencebased efficiency strategies.

The core value of this AI system is its ability to assimilate meter data into a performance model and measure this profile against key criteria to identify waste, which could result from something as simple as leaving lighting on overnight or, more critically, failing to adapt heating schedules to a change to British Summer Time.

Over time, the AI platform ‘learns’ what best performance looks like for each building and produces a ‘to-do’ list to optimise efficiency.

It is by combining automated meter reading with advanced monitoring and AI that energy managers can spot the trends and automate actions that will inform the best ways to save energy. The only way to accurately understand energy consumption and building efficiency is to look at data historically and apply it to models for the future.

More than ever as we move into a lower carbon era, metering, monitoring and analytics, coupled with AI, will be the measure of sustainability – and energy managers have a vital role to play. 

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Real-time energy data allows companies to measure their immediate impact

Let’s keep it real Real-time energy data is a key metric for an energy management program to be successful. With live data being collected, the question becomes how to organise and review it, says Janie Jefferies-Freer

B

eing able to monitor energy data in real time provides an understanding of energy consumption and performance across separate operations units. This is especially critical for organisations that are balancing a variety of business operations.

For example, an organisation might only capture energy usage data on a weekly or monthly basis. While this gives them a good idea of overall consumption across the business, it provides no daily breakdown of energy usage (making it hard to identify trends and spikes) or daily energy usage per business unit (making it difficult to isolate energy eaters). Real-time energy data and monitoring solves this by providing up-to-date information across the enterprise on a regular basis.

Monitoring real-time energy data also provides energy managers with better insights into cost per unit of energy. This metric helps organisations to reduce costs in

demand or power factor, as well as utilise rebates to improve return on investment (ROI) on energy products and energy procurement.

Furthermore, by using real-time energy data and monitoring, energy managers can identify and manage energy spikes throughout the day.

By reviewing energy trends and spikes over the course of the day, they can determine best practice methods to reduce equipment energy consumption, as well as determine the most efficient scheduling to reduce energy consumption when spikes occur.

Reactive energy management In most cases, energy managers reactively manage their utilities whenever they receive their utility bill. Utility bills give some basic information on usage and cost, but they cannot directly tell you what you’re paying for and why last month’s bill might be drastically different than this month. Subsequently, utility bills

do not provide energy managers the appropriate statistics and conclusions they need to make datadriven decisions.

However, by utilising real-time energy data and monitoring software, energy managers can proactively measure spikes in consumption, reduce base loads, evaluate peak hours, identify irregularities, optimise operational scheduling and track energy-saving targets and goals more accurately.

Having real-time energy data improves awareness of energy usage and consumption across an entire organisation. It will also improve employee engagement in corporate sustainability goals, encourages employees to reduce energy consumption and energy costs, and helps communicate large amounts of data to a variety of audiences.

Particularly where the communication of data is concerned, real-time energy data and monitoring will show energy consumption across all business

Janie Jefferies-Freer is CEO, eSight Energy

units (including daily breakdowns), as well as how much it has cost the enterprise. But the real value in having this kind of analytics in place is that it helps businesses to make informed decisions.

For example, C-level executives and directors will want to understand top-level metrics – costs, overall energy consumption and how energy reductions have contributed to monies saved.

Energy managers, on the other hand, will be principally concerned with energy consumption per business unit (on a daily, weekly and monthly basis) as well as energy trends, spikes, and other more granular information. Having a solution in place to show this kind of information will help organisations to rapidly reduce energy consumption, save costs and improve energy efficiency overall.

Real-time energy data and monitoring software also allows employees to measure the impact their individual sector has on the overall energy consumption across the company. Having the ability to report on sector specific energy usage can serve as a wake-up call to employees that their day-to-day activities directly affect the business’ bottom line. The more informed an employee becomes in terms of energy awareness, the more inclined they will be to do their part.

The impact of employee awareness in regard to energy consumption can be felt across all levels within the business. From C-level executives requiring insights into ROI for future energy management programs, energy managers looking to improve operational efficiency, and plant operators who work with equipment daily. Real-time energy data and monitoring are a necessity to raise energy awareness and keep all employees on the right track towards corporate sustainability goals.

With the goal of making datadriven energy management decisions, real-time energy data and monitoring solutions provide the clearest picture on what authoritative metrics to analyse across your building or sites. Real-time energy data provides the information to plan actionable goals, calculate return on investment on energy projects and drive company-wide engagement. 

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Monitoring & Metering

Julian Grant is general manager Chauvin Arnoux UK

For further information on Chauvin Arnoux UK visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 127

A flexible monitoring solution Julian Grant looks at the benefits of power and energy loggers and how they provide a cost-effective solution to identifying inefficient electrical equipment

W

e all know that we need to measure and monitor our energy use, and for a variety of reasons.

Rising energy costs are more and more justifying the savings that can be made by identifying inefficient equipment and out-of-hours use.

Then there is our own desire to improve our green credentials by reducing emissions. Alongside there are edicts like the imminent Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) regulations to make sure we do.

Studies by the Carbon Trust show savings of up to 20 per cent can be achieved through energy efficiency measures. Monitoring energy used 24 hours a day can identify out-ofhours usage, which accounts for 46 per cent of energy consumption in UK SMEs, according to a recent British Gas smart meter survey.

Office equipment plays a significant role in the energy consumption of a small business, and turning off non-essential equipment at the end of the day can achieve savings of 12 per cent. Office equipment left on standby during Bank Holidays and weekends will cost the average SME up to £6,000 per year. Up to 40 per cent of a building’s electricity use is accounted for by lighting, and installation of occupancy sensors, daylight sensors or photocells, and

A power and energy logger will enable a company to monitor energy use at different points in a facility

replacing existing lighting with LED modules, can reduce electricity costs by between 30 and 80 per cent.

Once you decide to take the plunge to look at your electrical usage you would be best served to hire or buy a power and energy logger (PEL). This will allow you to move it around the facility, monitoring electricity usage at various locations, and enable you to identify and measure the savings to be made. Only by monitoring and measuring will before-and-after energy use figures become available.

Then it is possible to accurately calculate these savings and justify any necessary expenditure.

Permanently installed system There is also a good argument to say that any decent-sized business should then continuously measure its energy usage with a permanently installed system. It can then chart consumption over time, identifying out-of-hours and seasonal usage, and monitor power factor degradation and power quality parameters such as harmonics.

A logger can chart consumption over time, identifying outof-hours and seasonal usage

Modern installations may already have such monitoring systems fitted, but there are often issues with retrofitting to an older installation.

In addition, the cost in equipment and labour of the installation of a permanent system, and the associated disruption, including switching off the power and cutting holes in panels to fit meters, make it a somewhat daunting prospect.

Thankfully, nowadays you can purchase a PEL to perform whatever logging you need around the installation, and then semipermanently and non-intrusively install it in the distribution cabinet for continuous monitoring.

Modern PELs are designed to be so slim that they can be magnetically stuck to the inside of the cabinet door, or another convenient space, and left semi-permanently installed, while being safely locked away.

Rogowski coil current sensors, and magnetic voltage probes that can simply be stuck onto MCB screw heads, or permanently wired if preferred, enable an entirely nonintrusive connection to the supply.

There’s no need for a competent trained electrician to have to switch off the power while the PEL is being installed.

These PELs can be self-powered from the installation to which they are connected, and plugged into the computer network for remote monitoring. Or just interrogated regularly through a tablet or smartphone.

Quite simply, you could deploy a PEL around the site when you want to monitor certain pieces of equipment or departments, and then literally stick it in back in the distribution cabinet afterwards, and monitor on an ongoing basis. As and when you want to use it somewhere else, you can move it, use it, put it back again, and so on. This is probably the most cost-effective way to obtain a temporary and semi-permanent logging solution to reduce your energy use. 

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Pipe insulation helps put plan into Acton

Monitoring helps control church humidity

Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation has been installed as part of a communal heating network on an ambitious mixed-tenure regeneration scheme in Acton, west London, helping to minimise heat loss from pipework across the development.

Acton Gardens is an urban village in west London forming part of a long-term regeneration designed to reshape the lives of residents by providing 3,400 new homes and establishing a thriving community hub. A communal heat distribution network has been used instead of installing individual boilers within each property.

To reduce heat distribution losses across this network, Mendick Waring Limited specified Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation for heating and water service pipework.

With an aged thermal conductivity as low as 0.025 W/m·K (at +10°C mean), Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation is one of the most thermally efficient pipe insulation products on the market. This excellent performance allowed pipework to be effectively insulated with a slimmer insulation thickness than would otherwise have been possible. The product was installed in a 50 mm thickness on the heat distribution pipework, allowing it to achieve a level of performance exceeding the requirements within current industry standards in the UK. Minimising the risk of summer overheating was also seen as a priority across the development to ensure that homes are adapted to climate change and remain comfortable to occupy in the future. The specification of Kingspan Kooltherm Pipe Insulation supported this approach.

Continuous monitoring of temperature and humidity is helping to beat mould in a 500-year-old church in Switzerland.

The church in Mönchaltdorf is heated on the day before mass. Before the service, the church opens its doors to visitors and cold air alike.

Although the worshippers warm up the church again quickly, their respiration, perspiration and wet clothes also introduce moisture into the room. This is not only a problem for the late Gothic ceiling carvings and paintings, but also for the wooden seating and the gallery including organ. To clarify the origin of the problem, the church turned to Rotronic, a company known for its measurement technology.

Four mini loggers were installed to continuously monitor temperature and humidity and to obtain up-to-date data to enable timely adjustments. The online humidity and temperature loggers were placed on the gallery and its ceiling, on the ceiling of the nave as well as at the pulpit in order to record room and ceiling measurements.

The data can be viewed at any time and from anywhere via the Internet. Should the values rise above pre-defined limits, the system triggers an alarm for the property manager who can then take measures to regulate the humidity.

It soon became clear that the humidity throughout the church rises well above 65 per cent or even up to 75 per cent in the summer. These high values promote the growth of mould. A measure was needed here to protect the valuable ceiling and gallery. The church has been ventilated optimally ever since the RMS monitoring system was installed. A dehumidification unit was also purchased. It starts work at a relative humidity of 65 per cent.

ONLINE ENQUIRY 104

ONLINE ENQUIRY 103

Drives cut costs at AHU production line Commercial HVAC product manufacturer, Air Handlers (Northern) has reduced the cost of assembling a fresh air supply unit and halved the overall footprint size of their units by installing ABB’s ACH580 variable speed drives’ (VSDs).

The drives’ integrated control functions remove the need for external components, which saves space and reduces installation time. They also improve the reliability and energy efficiency of the company’s equipment by providing the correct air flow via regulated fan motor speed. VSDs adapt their speed to the actual requirements of a motor at any given time. In this way, up to 50 per cent energy is expected to be saved.

“ABB explained that many of the control functions performed by our hardware, such as timers and lamps, could be performed by the drive. We needed to fully utilise what we already had,” said Mark Higgitt, commercial director at Air Handlers (Northern).

ABB optimised the engineering of the units removing a warning lamp, used to signal dirty or blocked filters or air duct blockages. This was achieved by transferring the wiring directly into the VSD’s I/O, ensuring that any warnings are now shown directly on the keypad. The VSD also features adaptive programming software.

ABB also rewired a frost thermostat into the VSD. If the external temperature falls below a predetermined level, the VSD’s PID function sends signals to slow down the fan motor, close the damper and open the heating valve. The VSD will only speed up the motor once a safe temperature is reached, thereby ONLINE ENQUIRY 106 protecting the motor from frost damage.

Hampshire hospital upgrades its A/C Royal South Hants Hospital in Southampton has upgraded its air conditioning and ventilation system with the installation of top-of-the-range ClimaCIAT Airtech Air Handling Units (AHUs).

Eight of the premium ClimaCIAT Airtech units were specified by consultant GLJ Design and installed by electrical and mechanical contracting firm Lowe & Oliver to provide high quality conditioned air to wards, clinical areas, the pharmacy and audiology department as part of a major refurbishment programme at the community hospital. Ageing CIAT Ozonair units were replaced, which had come to the end of their operational lives.

Due to logistics challenges on site, some of the CIAT units were disassembled and supplied flat-packed, enabling CIAT’s on-site team to move individual components into position, before reassembling them into complete units for installation by the contractor.

To ensure conditioned air continued to flow to wards and operating theatres during the refit, a temporary rental AHU was stationed on site and connected to each circuit as individual AHUs were taken offline and replaced. Work was also carried out on weekends to meet the project’s ONLINE ENQUIRY 105 strict timescale.

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SERIES 18 | MODULE 02 | BUILDING CONTROLS

Choose the correct building controls

By Adetunji Lawal, Associate at BSSEC

M

ost buildings are designed to provide comfortable conditions to the occupants in an energy-efficient manner. To achieve functionality and comfort requires careful control and trade off in order to maintain efficient operation of the systems in the building.

Smaller buildings may have localised independent controls for energy systems, whereas larger or more complex buildings employ integrated building energy management systems (BEMS), that allow for the control of varied multiple lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) plant with automation.

The global buildings automation market was estimated to be worth $10bn in 2019 and is expected to grow rapidly due to the rise of wireless sensor technology, internet backed software, and security requirements. The growing deployment of building automation systems in large shopping complexes, sports facilities, office buildings, airports and railway stations are key to driving the market growth for commercial applications.

Some of the key players in this industry include Siemens, Schneider Electric, Trend, Honeywell, ABB and Johnson Controls.

Individual isolated lighting, heating, ventilation and airconditioning controls dominate much of the commercial buildings space. They typically include: • time switches that turn services on and off in response to programmed time settings; these include 24-hour or seven-day timers; • room thermostats that are switches operated by sensors, such as thermometers and thermistors, the electrical resistance of which changes in response to temperature, thus causing the thermostat to

switch an HVAC unit on or off; • photocell control is a resistor that changes resistance depending on the amount of light incident on it.

They are commonly used for lighting control; • passive infrared sensors (PIRs) detect occupancy and at a basic level will switch artificial lighting on/off.

Where luminaires are dimmable, they can offer greater control by dimming lighting down to pre-set background levels; • optimum start controls switch HVAC systems on at the right time, to bring a building to the correct temperature for occupancy. They provide around 10 per cent energy savings; and • weather compensation heating systems use an outdoor sensor to automatically adjust heating systems by compensating for changes in outdoor temperature. They enable heating plant to run consistently which is more efficient, as energy is fed into the building gradually.

Key target of a BEMS For larger and more complex buildings BEMS are often found.

However, the presence of a BEMS does not mean that a building will operate efficiently. The purpose of BEMS is to collect information,

understand energy use and effect control of equipment for efficient energy consumption. As the name suggests, energy management is the key target of a BEMS, as opposed to building management systems (BMS) that can be used to control a wide range of building systems.

BEMS ensure that a comfortable building environment is maintained, energy consumption is reduced and equipment can operate without interruption.

A well-specified and comprehensive BEMS will typically have the following functional requirements: • gather information from multiple sources such as sensors, meters, submeters and external data sources (e.g. weather forecast); • integrate and store data to allow a common analysis, presentation and control medium; • analyse data to optimise control of the building for internal comfort and energy efficiency; and make real time corrective changes to control strategies and equipment operation; • generate control strategies from gathered data; • facility to prioritise load balancing between multiple energy sources if present such as local generation and Produced in Association with

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grid supplied; • provide alerts on out of range operation, energy waste, failed inputs or failed components; • have the facility to switch between automatic and manual operation; • have a user-friendly display interface for interaction with real time data, energy use profiles, historical data, energy use charts and graphs, alarms and alerts; • provide details of conflict within the building operation, i.e. heating and cooling operating simultaneously and be able to implement changes to prevent this; and • include software for data and sensor output gathering, sensors, network (hard wired or wireless), communications protocol, and output devices that carry out commands from the controller.

Controls standard The principle controls standards include CIBSE publications and BS EN 15232.

CIBSE Guide H, Building Control Systems, discusses the controls that are essential for the safe and efficient operation of a modern building and is a useful guidance for setting up a control strategy.

BS EN 15232:2017: Energy Performance of Buildings – Impact of Building Automation, Controls, and Building Management sets out energy performance classes for building automation and control as seen in Fig. 1.

To meet an A Class rating, the installation would typically have to include: • heating / cooling - individual room control with communication between controllers, indoor temperature control of distribution network water temperature, and total interlock between heating and cooling; • ventilation/air conditioning – demand or presence dependent airflow control at room level, variable set point with load dependent compensation of supply temperature control, room or exhaust or supply air humidity control; • lighting – automatic daylight control, automatic occupancy detection manual on/auto off; manual on/dimmed, auto on/auto off; auto on/dimmed; and • sun protection - combined light, blind, and HVAC control.

Class D installation describes those with no automatic control of heating, whereas Class C incorporates

Fig 1 : BS EN 15232:2017 BACS Energy Performance Classes

individual room control by thermostats/electronic controllers, but partial interlock between heating and cooling systems.

BS EN 15232 recommends demand control as an important strategy for managing use of building services, which in effect means controls are set up to run building services only when occupants require it.

An aspect of BEMS is the concept of ‘open protocols’. These are the most common ‘languages’ used in programming building controls and they allow different types of equipment to communicate more efficiently.

There are several open protocols in use, including BACnet, LonWorks, KNX, Modbus and MBus. BACnet was developed specifically for buildings with a focus on HVAC, fire control panels and security access. LonWorks is similar to BACnet whereas Modbus enables communication between devices connected to the same network, for example, a system that measures temperature and humidity and communicates the results to a Fig 2 : IoT allows data exchange

computer. KNX is focused on lighting systems, shading (automated blinds), room climate, security and BMS. Meters-Bus (MBus) – MBus was developed specifically for remote reading of meters.

It is important to verify if equipment can communicate with one of the open protocols; as the BEMS should be able to manage these protocols concurrently, enabling a seamless and joined-up approach towards operating the full complement of the building services.

These protocols are now more or less interoperable, particularly BACnet, LonWorks and Modbus, using gateways. An example is the Anybus Modbus to BACnet gateway which allows Modbus slave devices to communicate on a BACnet network.

Collect and exchange data Systems within buildings are traditionally independently maintained and run with attendant cost. However, web technology has enabled the internet of things (IoT), which is a network of physical objects that are embedded with electronics, software, sensors and network connectivity, which allows these objects to collect and exchange data.

IoT allows devices on closed private internet connections (i.e. at building level) to communicate with others, bringing those networks together (see Fig. 2). It gives the opportunity for devices to communicate not only within close silos, but also across different networking types and creates a much more connected environment.

IoT enables interconnecting of systems and controls via the internet, reducing hard wiring thus creating an efficient network. This

works well with BEMS, allowing single individuals to manage and control systems covering multiple buildings, from a single location. It also enables demand management, which is where less critical plant can be quickly shut down at periods of stress i.e. when exceeding mains grid capacity.

IoT technology is instinctive and compliments BEMS, as it can bring visibility to data and provide an insight into performance and operation.

There is now greater integration of HVAC controls with other building controls, particularly advanced lighting. For example, a sensor in an office might be used to control the lighting in that space, as well as operation of the room’s unit ventilator.

The correct controls philosophy is a function of the building type, occupancy and critical variables. For example, a building with periodic occupancy such as offices, or variable activity levels such as leisure centres create operating conditions which run the risk of high levels of wasted energy due to services running when not occupied. BEMS within such buildings may offer greater potential for savings than buildings requiring more constant 24/7 activity or occupancy levels such as care homes or hospital wards.

Whether an entirely new installation or upgrade of an existing system, it is likely that a significant financial commitment is required to implement a BEMS project. It is therefore important to ensure that the BEMS is properly designed and specified. The design and specification should consider existing controls, irrespective of how basic, to avoid conflict.

The accuracy of controls is critical to achieving energy savings, as it is inappropriate to provide systems that operate with a degree of accuracy i.e. temperatures or Lux settings, to which plant in the building are unable to respond to.

Doing so will not achieve desired energy savings. In several cases, BEMS in buildings fail because the designers are too optimistic, systems are complicated, and have limited consideration for the operators.

According to BSEN 15232, energy reductions of up to 30 per cent in heating energy consumption can be realised for a well-designed BEMS, maintained to specification and optimally operated, compared with

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Fig 3 : Control principles

a poorly performing system using basic radiator thermostatic valves.

The commissioning of buildings is important for safe and energyefficient operation of services.

Commissioning is the process of bringing equipment into operation and ensuring that it works correctly and to its specified requirements.

Building owners must ensure compliance with the requirements of the Building Regulations, one of which is the commissioning of mechanical plant.

Correct commissioning CIBSE has published a set of guides for those who commission buildings, outlining what steps must be followed in the process, to ensure that services are commissioned in a proper and timely manner.

Activities that take place during commissioning tend to include pre-commissioning, testing and

checking equipment performance, the components and electronics, balancing and regulating equipment.

Other equally important activities include setting equipment to work which means switching them on to check their operation, obtaining statutory and insurance approvals, ensuring clients receive appropriate training and demonstrations and the preparation of reports and documentation of the commissioning process.

Commissioning is deemed as complete when the final report is issued to the building owner, on completion of all the necessary checks, tests and regulatory requirements.

Once commissioning is complete, site handover to the client takes place, which is when works defined in the contract are complete. During handover, the client or occupant is issued with all the relevant

information and documentation from the commissioning process to ensure that they understand the purpose of the mechanical plant, how its control systems work and how it should be operated.

The handover documents should provide a record for operation and maintenance, and create a benchmark for future testing, maintenance as well as re-commissioning.

Existing system audit For existing buildings, prior to considering a BEMS retrofit project, an existing systems audit should be commissioned, which should seek to establish the following: • location and characteristics of existing controls such as sensor and actuator integrity; • installed plant and are they connected, providing feedback and have there been software

Table 1 Some common issues and failure scenarios with BEMS BEMS Issue

Consequences

Avoidance/Corrective Measures

Complex building services/ controls

Misunderstanding, misuse, abuse and system conflict

Keep designs simple, train operators and develop a building logbook

Poor operator understanding of BEMS capability

Energy wasted in poor control

Re-train operational staff

Over-reliance on maintenance contractor

Energy wasted as systems operating in manual mode 24/7, pending contractor attendance

Re-commission BEMS and include on-site operators

Over-centralisation of controls through BEMS

Poor comfort and in-turn energy waste

Provide more user input with simple interfaces

Poorly set-up BEMS

Energy wasted in poor control

Re-commission BEMS. Check settings against occupant requirements

Lack of monitoring.

Energy waste not being picked up.

Introduce monitoring procedures with regular summary reporting

Out of range sensor feedback

Energy waste and occupant discomfort

Review sensors accuracy and re-commissions BEMS. Avoid rushed commissioning

Systems mismatch ‘tail wags dog’ effect i.e. large plant for small load

Large central systems operating to supply a small local need, with possible energy waste

Supply small load separately or introduce good zone controls

Partial handover and no test trials

System operates poorly from start and may never recover. Unlikely to deliver intended energy savings

Avoid rushed commissioning or handover & involve designers in trials

BEMS disconnected or by-passed out of frustration

Heating, cooling and ventilation systems in conflict, significant energy waste

Review with operators and designer, then re-commission BEMS

updates against manufacturers recommended schedules?; • is there central control to any aspects?; • are the controls suitable for the building/room use?; • have there been changes in operations since installation/ commissioning?; • are there current communication links and protocols, for example, Ethernet or dedicated wired transmission?; Financial payback of less than two years is common for retrofit projects. However, there are key considerations prior to committing to an investment which include: • can the investment be justified compared to the energy saving potential?; • are existing standalone controls able to integrate with the BEMS? Establish age, condition and reliability to help prioritising which systems are redundant.

• is the technology likely to affect the customer experience? This is important for retail and leisure buildings; • can the installation fit into the background, to avoid distraction or disruption?; • will it be a wireless or wired solution, as challenging building fabric and distance could impact on quality of wireless signals?; • if adopting a wireless system, could the frequency interfere with office or retail equipment?; • will the building undergo significant changes in the short to medium term, resulting in a redesign? Will the BEMS be robust enough to manage redesign of spaces? and • system standardisation: where an organisation already occupies buildings with a model, multiple systems could result in higher operating costs, therefore consider standardising.

The impact of appropriate, responsive and dynamic controls systems cannot be underestimated in the quest for achieving energy efficiency savings and drive carbon reductions. Advances in technology, particularly via web connected systems and IoT will support the growth of BEMS. As systems become easier and more cost effective to deploy, sustained growth of BEMS will require technically skilled personnel, to install, service and maintain, otherwise the life span of systems may be impaired and energy savings not achieved.

For details on how to obtain your Energy Institute CPD Certificate, see entry form and details on page 20 JULY / AUGUST 2020 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | 19

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SERIES JULY / AUGUST SERIES18 17 | MODULE 02 09 | MARCH 2020 2020

ENTRY FORM

BUILDING CONTROLS SPACE HEATING

Please mark your answers below by placing a cross in the box. Don't forget that some 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 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 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.

QUESTIONS QUESTIONS

1. What is a recognised standard for 1. Which is the most common heating media in building automation and controls? wetISO90001 systems?

■

High hot water ENtemperature 16247 ■ BS ■ Steam ■ ISO50001 ■ Low hot water ENtemperature 15232 ■ BS ■ ■ Cold water 2. What would be recognised as an open protocol in relation to BEMS? 2. What is the most common space heating Modbus ■ fuel in the UK? Microsoft 365 ■ Fuel oil ■ VOIP ■ Electricity ■ Skype ■ ■ Natural gas 3.

Coal of the following are steps taken ■ Which during BEMS commissioning?

Screen ■ 3. What is afitting typical dry bulb space temperature training ■ forClient a home?

■ Infra-red sensor procurement ■ 160C ■ Weather Protection ■ 190C 220Chappens after commissioning is ■ What 4.

240C ■ complete?

■ Client Handover Balancing and regulation ■ 4. What is currently the most common construction for panel Equipmentmaterial can be set up radiators?

■ ■ Cast ironof fire drill ■ Initiation Pressed steel ■ The 5.

BS EN 15232:2017 standard sets Cast aluminium ■ out energy performance classes for?

Copper automation and control on an ■ Building ■ A+ basis 5. Which of these is a keyand component Building automation control of onaan A ■ mechanical to G basisventilation system?

■ A fan automation and control on an A ■ Building basis ■ toAnD atrium automation and control on an ad ■ A chimney ■ Building hoc basis ■ Opening windows

6. What does IoT mean in relation to BEMS? 6. Which is the ‘delivery end’ of a vapour Internet of Technologies ■ compression heat pump system?

■ Internal operating Techniques The evaporator ■ Intuitive over Time ■ The condenser ■ Internet of Things ■ ■ The compressor 7. of the following issues should The slinky ■ Which inform the planning stages of a retrofit BEMSof project?

7. Which these factors is used by a weather Rising utilitycontrol pricessystem?

■ compensation ■ Poor weather ■ Building thermal inertia ■ Systems conflict ■ Time of day conversion factors ■ Energy ■ Outside air temperature Date ■ 8. Which of the following is not a critical function of a well specific building energy management 8. Which of thesesystem? factors is used by an optimum start control system?

Able to gather information from multiple ■ sensors Level of and building occupancy ■ sources & store data to allow a common ■ Outside air temperature ■ Integrate analysis, presentation and control ■ Boiler capacity Provide alerts on out of range operation, ■ ■ Boiler flow temperature energy waste and failed inputs ■ Convert energy use into real time cost 9. Which types of space heating system can building systems be used to control?

9.

Whichmanagement of the following parameter may not measured within a BEMS? Any ■ be ■ Wet systems ■ Time ■ Air handling plantcompatibility ■ Electromagnetic ■ Boilers ■ Temperature ■ Humidity 10. What is a thermostat?

Q10. What could lead to failure of a BEMS? A temperature sensitive ■ Annual software updatesswitch ■ A temperature sensor ■ Installer only training ■ A proportional control device ■ Temperature exceeding 30OC ■ A digital display device ■ ■ Incomplete commissioning

Please Pleasecomplete completeyour yourdetails detailsbelow belowin inblock blockcapitals capitals Name Name......................................................................................................................................................................... .........................................................................................................................................................................(Mr. (Mr.Mrs, Mrs,Ms) Ms).................................... ....................................

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How to obtain a CPD accreditation from the Energy Institute Energy Energyin inBuildings Buildingsand andIndustry Industryand andthe theEnergy EnergyInstitute Instituteare aredelighted delightedto to have haveteamed teamedup upto tobring bringyou youthis thisContinuing ContinuingProfessional ProfessionalDevelopment Development initiative. initiative.

This module the eighteenth series and focuses on Space Building Thisis isthe thesecond ninth module inin the seventeenth Controls. isaccompanied accompaniedby byaaset setof ofmultiple-choice multiple-choicequestions. questions.

Heating. ItItis To Toqualify qualifyfor foraaCPD CPDcertificate certificatereaders readersmust mustsubmit submitat atleast leasteight eightof ofthe the ten tensets setsof ofquestions questionsfrom fromthis thisseries seriesof ofmodules modulesto toEiBI EiBIfor forthe theEnergy Energy Institute Instituteto tomark. mark.Anyone Anyoneachieving achievingat atleast leasteight eightout outof often tencorrect correctanswers answerson on eight eightseparate separatearticles articlesqualifies qualifiesfor foran anEnergy EnergyInstitute InstituteCPD CPDcertificate. certificate.This Thiscan canbe be obtained, obtained,on onsuccessful successfulcompletion completionof ofthe thecourse courseand andnotification notificationby bythe theEnergy Energy Institute, Institute,free freeof ofcharge chargefor forboth bothEnergy EnergyInstitute Institutemembers membersand andnon-members. non-members.

The Thearticles, articles,written writtenby byaaqualified qualifiedmember memberof ofthe theEnergy EnergyInstitute, Institute,will willappeal appeal to tothose thosenew newto toenergy energymanagement managementand andthose thosewith withmore moreexperience experienceof ofthe the subject. subject.

Modules Modulesfrom fromthe thepast past16 16series seriescan canbe beobtained obtainedfree freeof ofcharge. charge.Send Send your yourrequest requestto toeditor@eibi.co.uk. editor@eibi.co.uk.Alternatively, Alternatively,they theycan canbe bedownloaded downloaded from fromthe theEiBI EiBIwebsite: website:www.eibi.co.uk www.eibi.co.uk

SERIES SERIES17 16

SERIES SERIES18 17

MAY MAY2019 2018--APR APR2020 2019

MAY JUNE- APR 20202020 - MAY 2021 MAY/2019

11 Batteries BEMS & Storage 22 Energy as a Service Refrigeration 33 Water Management LED Technology 44 Demand Side Response District Heating 55 Drives & Motors Air Conditioning 66 Blockchain Technology Behaviour Change 77 Compressed Air Thermal Imaging 88 Energy Purchasing Solar Thermal 99 Space SmartHeating Buildings 10 Centre Management 10 Data Biomass Boilers

11 Energy Efficiency Legislation Batteries & Storage 22 Building Controls Energy as a Service 33 Smart Water Grids* Management 44 Lighting DemandTechnology* Side Response 55 Heat Pumps* Drives & Motors 66 Metering & Monitoring* Blockchain Technology 77 Air Conditioning* Compressed Air 88 Boilers Burners* Energy&Purchasing 99 Behaviour Change* Space Heating 10 Heat & Power* 10 Combined Data Centre Management*

**ONLY ONLYavailable availableto todownload downloadfrom fromthe thewebsite websiteafter afterpublication publicationdate date

Terms: Terms:in insubmitting submittingyour yourcompleted completedanswers answersyou youare areindicating indicatingconsent consentto toEiBI’s EiBI’s holding holdingand andprocessing processingthe thepersonal personaldata datayou youhave haveprovided providedto tous, us,in inaccordance accordance with withlegal legalbases basesset setout outunder underdata dataprotection protectionlaw. law.Further Furtherto tothis, this,EiBI EiBIwill willshare share your yourdetails detailswith withthe theEnergy EnergyInstitute Institute(EI) (EI)with withwhom whomthis thisCPD CPDseries seriesis isrun runin in contractual contractualpartnership. partnership.The TheEI EIwill willprocess processyour yourdetails detailsfor forthe thepurposes purposesof ofmarking marking your youranswers answersand andissuing issuingyour yourCPD CPDcertificate. certificate.Your Yourdetails detailswill willbe bekept keptsecurely securelyat at all alltimes timesand andin inaamanner mannercomplaint complaintwith withall allrelevant relevantdata dataprotection protectionlaws. laws. For Forfull full details detailson onthe theEI’s EI’sprivacy privacypolicy policyplease pleasevisit visitwww.energyinst.org/privacy. www.energyinst.org/privacy.

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Completed Completedanswers answersshould shouldbe bemailed mailedto: to: The TheEducation EducationDepartment, Department,Energy Energyin inBuildings Buildings& & Industry, Industry,P.O. P.O.Box Box 825, 825,GUILDFORD, GUILDFORD,GU4 GU48WQ. 8WQ.Or Orscan scanand and e-mail e-mailto toeditor@eibi.co.uk. editor@eibi.co.uk.All All modules moduleswill willthen thenbe besupplied suppliedto tothe theEnergy EnergyInstitute Institutefor formarking marking

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20 / AUGUST 24 | ENERGY IN BUILDINGS & INDUSTRY | JULY MARCH 2020 2020

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New Products For further information on products and services visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter the appropriate online enquiry number

Modules offer natural alternative for cooling and heating in buildings PCM Products has introduced a range of modules as a natural alternative to reducing cooling and heating in buildings.

Based on phase change materials (PCMs), ThinICE modules can be installed at high levels so that when heat goes , it doesn’t come back down. This cooling effect can provide relief to building inhabitants or for electronic equipment.

If the site is located in a region where there are large day-night temperature swings, then it is possible to provide free cooling by ventilating the room at night to freeze the PCM modules by the morning. The size of the cooling machinery could then be greatly reduced leading to lower emissions, reduced maintenance costs and reduced operational costs.

PCMs can be selected so that they freeze and melt at the appropriate temperature to ensure that the building doesn’t overheat or overcool. By introducing PCM into the building envelope it is possible to vastly increase the thermal mass of a building, helping ensure that rooms are maintained within the thermal comfort zone.

As the PCM module is a static system with no moving parts the passive cooling concept is considered to be a maintenance- and energy-free option for improving the internal conditions of any built environment applications.

For a standard 595 x 595mm ceiling tile, two ThinICE modules can be installed offering up to 0.96 kWh/m2 of energy storage. At an installed weight of up to 24kg/m2, most suspended ceilings are capable of handling this additional load. These are ideally fitted above a perforated ONLINE ENQUIRY 102 metallic suspended ceiling.

Remote access feature helps beat repairs and emergency call outs in social housing Vericon Systems has added a new remote access feature to its connected boiler control system.

BCM:Connect prevents housing associations and social housing providers from having to make costly emergency call outs and repairs, and provide a better and more proactive service to their tenants.

The intelligent system not only monitors a boiler’s condition in real time, but also predicts when it might fail thanks to its core machine learning engine. It enables landlords and M&E providers to plan forward maintenance and/or increase the likelihood of a first-time fix should an engineer be needed on site, while avoiding costly and unexpected failures.

BCM:Connect can also service limit and reset the boiler off-site, and even change the heating temperature.

Performance data can be recorded and analysed (through a dedicated portal VS:Connect) to predict and identify common failures such as low pressure, loss of gas and even a frozen condensate pipe. Through integration with external sensors the device can also report environmental concerns such as damp and mould.

Vericon Systems is currently offering housing associations and social housing providers the opportunity to trial BCM:Connect for 90 days at no cost. The 90-day trial includes five BCM:Connect devices, unlimited access to the VS:Connect Portal, and full product training and support for the duration.

ONLINE ENQUIRY 101

Controls offer advanced connectivity Trend Control Systems has enhanced its intelligent building offering with the addition of IQ X (pictured) and IQ VISION v2.4 to its portfolio of building energy management systems. The solutions are purpose-built for connected buildings, giving customers advanced data management and integration capabilities.

IQ X gives users actionable insights from data, with simple and rich visualisation of the entire system, advanced connectivity, as well as IT networking and resilience. Every IQ X controller uses the Niagara framework, giving a consistent engineering environment, integration and analytic capabilities from the edge to management layer. The IQ X system includes native and secure connectivity to the Honeywell Forge enterprise performance management platform, which helps building owners to better manage their buildings.

Key benefits of IQ X include: • rich data insights enable efficient buildings and optimised environments whatever the application; • simple and rich visualisation at all levels of the system means reduced engineering input, simplified supervision and access to data anytime, anywhere; • extensive connectivity to ensure building-wide integration in a robust, cybersecure environment; and • resilient networking capability, compliant with latest IT specification and a futureproof network design Trend has also upgraded the software of its IQ VISION building energy management system (BEMS) interface. The upgraded ONLINE ENQUIRY 107 interface supports the IQ X system.

Catalogue details 2020 HVAC solutions Mitsubishi Electric is making available its 2020 Product Catalogue highlighting its range of solutions to cool, heat and ventilate the nation’s commercial and domestic buildings.

The 2020 product Catalogue hosts Mitsubishi Electric’s extensive range of air conditioning units, chillers, IT cooling, heating, ventilation and control systems, all designed to reduce energy consumption and running costs, whilst providing complete, controllable comfort.

The company has led the market in developing a full range air conditioning units using lower Global Warming Potential R32 including the unique R32 VRF and Hybrid VRF systems.

It is a pioneer in the renewable heating sector with the award-winning and Ultra Quiet Ecodan range and offers an advanced range of commercial heat pumps.

Also included is the complete range of modular and traditional chillers along with the advanced line up of IT cooling products, designed specifically for critical IT and telephony. And, with indoor air quality always in the news, the comprehensive line up of Lossnay heat recovery ventilation systems and air handling units offer energy efficient, fresh air solutions.

ONLINE ENQUIRY 108

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ESTA VIEWPOINT

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

COVID-19 can offer hope for change Never flinch, never weary, never despair.* Jes Rutter looks forward to what the UK must prioritise on the road to meeting its net-zero ambitions, including one overlooked sector

M

y time as chair of ESTA’s Independent Energy Consultants group (IECg) has been far from dull.

At times rewarding, demanding, frustrating and exciting – and sometimes all at once. My four-year term comes to an end shortly in challenging circumstances that are very much in mind as I consider a future in which I know that organisations such as ESTA will continue to play a crucial role.

I would first like to thank everyone who has supported me in my role for the last four years! Particular thanks go to Andrew Park who has been vice chair during this time. Though four years is the maximum time to serve as chair, I have been asked to remain in post until the ESTA AGM that has been delayed to 3rd September due to COVID-19.

The good news is that during this time IECg has seen an increase in membership by 35 per cent. This was one of 15 objectives set in June 2016 of which almost 90 per cent have been achieved, with two on-going.

The bad news is that this period has coincided with the four hottest years on record (not my fault). I do worry for the future of our planet, more so about resource depletion and clean air (and waters) than the often cited ‘climate change.’ The world will survive climate change, it’s just that we might not! If we do, the world for our future generations will be very different as they will have to adapt.

Though not quite yet accomplished, one of the IECg’s significant achievements has been around behaviour change, with the creation of the Energy Conscious Organisation initiative, EnCO. Not least has been the significant work showing that as a contribution to fighting climate change, technology alone can only achieve 50 per cent of the savings potential required. A massive world-changing 50 per cent that needs to be addressed is

‘The Covid-19 lockdown has given us an immensely powerful real-life case study of the positive changes that can result when people’s behaviour changes’ from people/behaviour change/EnCO, a fact that is largely being ignored, certainly

by Government where the strategy of pumping money into technology solutions alone is flawed. While technology solutions get 99.9 per cent of Government funding, we have been struggling for the last two years to get any funding to support end user organisations to implement EnCO behaviour change projects.

There is also the need to train energy specialists in how to deliver EnCO projects and to build the skill sets required to deliver projects where skills and techniques other than energy expertise are vital. ESTA member courses start on 2nd July with the first of four modules, but the intention is to then roll this out beyond ESTA to interested parties.

The mantra also used by EnCO, ‘LeanClean-Green’ as the hierarchy to prioritise the tackling of climate change has never

Jes Rutter is outgoing chair of ESTA’s Independent Energy Consultants group (IECg) and Managing Director of JRP Solutions

been truer than now and energy efficiency (i.e. non-consumption) of which behaviour is a major part, must be prioritised by Government.

The COVID-19 lockdown has given us an immensely powerful real-life case study of the positive changes that can result when people’s behaviour changes. I believe that the post COVID-19 opportunity to put energy efficiency first is, literally, a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity.

The Government has declared its intentions by becoming the first major economy in the world to pass laws to end its contribution to global warming by 2050, but this is only the beginning and so much more needs to be done by Government if we are to achieve our net zero GHG emissions targets. It is critical to get the initial planning right, so while starting now is important, rushing in with ill-conceived targets is counterproductive.

Looking forward to the next four years, to get the groundwork right to achieve Net Zero GHG by 2050, there are some significant changes that I would like to see: • ESOS (UK) having teeth with legislation driving implementation of all energy reduction projects with simple paybacks of less than two years; • eligibility for the new UK ETS organisations to require ISO 50001 certification; • all organisations to be obliged to have a net-zero strategy with an implementation plan; • all net-zero strategies and implementation plans to include behaviour change (EnCO); and • an expansion of the Paris Agreement to include more countries, including the superpowers, and the re-commitment to an environmental agenda by the USA. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as IECg Chair, and I wish my successor good fortune. Fortitude will certainly be a key skill required. I intend to continue as EnCO lead and continue the battle to get behaviour accepted as a major contributor to achieving net zero until good sense is confirmed and progress made.  * “The day may dawn when fair play, love for one’s fellow-men, respect for justice and freedom, will enable tormented generations to march forth serene and triumphant from the hideous epoch in which we have to dwell.

Meanwhile, never flinch, never weary, never despair.” Sir Winston Churchill’s last great speech to the House of Commons.

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The natural alternative to reduce cooling and heating energy by taking advantage of the temperature swing caused by day and night.

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eibi.co.uk/enquiries Enter 13

eibi.co.uk/enquiries Enter 14

eibi.co.uk/enquiries Enter 15

CHP & District Heating For further information on Baxi Heating visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 128

Why CHP still adds up Efficiency savings, lower-cost electricity and improved energy security are just some of the benefits delivered by combined heat and power, says Mark Gibbons

A

s businesses and organisations start planning for the new normal maximising building efficiency will be high on the agenda to meet environmental commitments.

Yet one of the fastest approaches to unlock savings is often overlooked: retrofit. Retrofit holds the key to significantly reduced emissions in buildings and, as such, plays a vital part in supporting the drive to net zero. When it comes to heat, the challenge is to identify the most appropriate heating solution that will meet each project’s unique requirements and budget.

Where CHP replaces old or inefficient plant in existing buildings, it can typically reduce a building’s energy bills by 30 per cent and carbon emissions by up to 20 per cent compared with conventional heating plant and electricity supplied solely from the grid.

Classified as a low-carbon technology, most natural gas CHP engines nowadays will emit almost zero CO² due to the set-up of the engine and lambda sensors.

Advanced CHP units are also low NOx. Operating in conjunction with a boiler or water heater in a well-designed system, a CHP could reduce NOx by up to 75 per cent compared with a boiler or water heater alone.

But while CHP can deliver considerable environmental benefits, the main driver for this technology is commercial.

As we slowly emerge from the COVID-19 crisis, energy managers must balance environmental and financial concerns.

Aside from improving efficiency, CHP is able to generate lower carbon on-site electricity at lower gas prices, increasing the savings still further.

The operating cost benefit of CHP will depend on the difference in gas and electricity prices. This is often referred to as the ‘spark gap’ or ‘spark spread’ – the wider the spark

Combined heat and power can typically reduce a building’s energy bills by 30 per cent

spread, the greater the return.

Currently, gas prices are at around a quarter the price of electricity, a trend that is predicted to continue (Source: BEIS). As such, CHP offers an attractive economic option, one that is capable of delivering payback within three years in a well-designed, wellmaintained system.

‘Lower-cost CHP electricity could be used to power air source heat pumps’

Offset price fluctuations Onsite generation also offers energy managers the opportunity to offset fluctuations of wholesale energy prices, ensuring greater resilience and control over energy costs.

But with the electricity grid decarbonising rapidly, will this impact on the role of CHP? Not necessarily. In a hybrid system, lower-cost CHP electricity could be used to power air source heat pumps, multiplying the efficiency of the system while neutralising the carbon emissions and reducing electricity costs.

There’s also the future opportunity to switch to a greener fuel. The feasibility of repurposing the existing gas grid to transport green gas is being explored to offer a low-disruption solution

towards decarbonising our older building stock. Moving forward, CHP plants could also be adapted or produced to operate on alternatives to natural gas, such as hydrogen and bio-methane, reducing or eliminating carbon emissions at the point of use.

Additionally, CHP can also be seen as a useful tool in encouraging the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, a move considered by many as key to achieving net-zero carbon emissions. Organisations have the option to use this lower-cost electricity to provide electric charging points for their customers. Providing access to electric charging points in councilowned leisure centre car parks, for example, would support the

Mark Gibbons is national sales manager at Baxi Heating

national drive to carbon neutrality while helping bolster the local authority’s coffers.

Then there’s the Climate Change Levy (CCL). This government tax on electricity, gas, LPG and solid fuels supplied to businesses and organisations is intended as a stick to encourage greater energy efficiency.

CHP schemes that are registered and meet ‘Good Quality CHP’ status are exempt from CCL payments on the gas they use to generate electricity, helping reduce environmental tax bills and mitigate energy costs. The exemption applies when the CHP is registered with the Combined Heat and Power Quality Assurance (CHPQA) standard.

As an estimated 85 per cent of reported CHP faults can be corrected and reset remotely, remote monitoring largely removes the need for a site visit. Heat and engine temperatures, for example, can be adjusted or fine-tuned remotely for maximum CHP efficiency.

If a technician should need to visit site, the ability to pre-diagnose and trouble shoot will enable any maintenance or repair work to be carried out swiftly and efficiently.

This will minimise both the number of visits to site and the time spent on site, making it easier to adhere to safety requirements.

As lockdown eases and energy managers strive to make their buildings safer and more sustainable, energy efficiency is more important than ever.

Driving down energy consumption and waste in buildings is fundamental to achieving this. Retrofitting CHP offers a real, achievable opportunity to do just that in the immediate term, with the opportunity for additional future proofing. Of course, accurate sizing and a well-considered design are key to achieving the full benefits along with good maintenance and routine servicing. But with early engagement between design engineers, specifiers and contractors, and the support of experienced suppliers who can provide technical input and insight, the financial case for CHP is still compelling. 

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CHP & District Heating For further information on Kensa Group visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 130

Simon Lomax is CEO at Kensa Group

Moving to a new generation Simon Lomax examines how new technology can overcome the often poor level of control and comfort provided by many domestic district heating systems

G

overnment promotes district heating relentlessly. Why? Officials seem to think district heating systems are more efficient and automatically deliver lower cost and lower carbon heat. The simple reality is there is no guarantee that the traditional central plant system architecture, featuring appliances of any flavour, will deliver any of these outcomes particularly with many of the current funding models.

Indeed, there are plenty of examples where the level of comfort and control provided by such systems has left householders thoroughly underwhelmed. Often the heat is delivered at high cost too with householders trapped into long-term contracts with monopoly suppliers who are frequently managing unreliable plant which can create poor service levels. Without doubt, it is rarely a solution that considers the needs of the householder sympathetically.

Almost certainly, developers would benefit from a different approach for many projects.

With this in mind, some pioneers in the ground source heat pump (GSHP) sector have focussed on an alternative system architecture that mimics long-established arrangements in the gas sector. A small heat pump (and hot water cylinder or heat battery) is installed in each dwelling and linked to a fifth generation ambient loop (shared ground loop array) that can take heat from the ground and/or any other local source, including waste heat.

A shared ground loop array is connected to a small heat pump in each dwelling

- a 600 x 600mm airing cupboard is ideal. It also frees up the central plant room for more lucrative uses. These smaller heat pumps are slightly less efficient than the larger models characteristic of central plant set-ups but, crucially, there is no loss of heat between the plant and the dwellings.

For this reason, the overall system efficiency is higher which results in lower emissions.

Typically, entities fund these loops via any available subsidy and/or an annual connection fee which means the cost is divorced from the housebuilder. In most cases, householders own the heat pump, and the associated hot water cylinder, and are free to purchase electricity from their own preferred supplier. Time-of-use tariffs ensure running costs are around 30-40 per cent lower than a conventional flat-rate tariff. This saving typically covers the annual connection fee.

Funders want to own ambient

loop assets. They are great assets.

They are hidden from view so are entirely acceptable to the local community. They are durable and long lasting and have a modest and predictable maintenance cost. In most cases, funders delegate the maintenance to the installation contractor so they are exposed to minimal on-going risk. They simply have to collect the annual connection fee and pay the maintenance charge.

Funding ground arrays is seen as an excellent opportunity to establish a relationship with the householder so is especially attractive to electricity suppliers. Water utilities are also spotting the opportunity.

Householder responsibility Responsibility for maintaining the heat pump rests with the householder. This is usually regarded as an advantage by any funder as this cost is less predictable.

Eliminating costs Raising the temperature at the heat pump (close to the point of use) is technically elegant and eliminates all the costs and issues associated with the distribution of heat (in heavily insulated pipes) away from a central plant. And the miniaturisation of the heat pump and the increasing use of space-saving heat batteries means this solution requires minimal space

Raising the temperature close to the point of use eliminates distribution costs from a centralised plant

Helpfully, most householders also prefer to have control over the appliance delivering heat into their home. This set-up means householders are usually just replacing a gas boiler connected to underground infrastructure with a heat pump connected to underground infrastructure. It is simple to understand, it is simple to operate and it gives them freedom and control.

The specification of GSHPs will simplify compliance strategies and help reduce other build costs.

And, remarkably, what was once regarded as the most expensive choice – thanks to the cost of the ground array - will soon become the lowest-cost option once that cost has been removed.

In most cases away from urban centres, shared ground loops will provide the heat, typically via drilled borehole arrays. With this arrangement, it is straightforward to provide passive cooling simply by moving the coolth in the ground to the dwelling and distributing via fan coils in the major living spaces. This cooling will take several degrees off the room temperature and is an appealing feature, which can be delivered at minimal additional capital and operational cost. In fact, rejecting the heat back into the ground will enhance system efficiencies during the subsequent heating season.

This system architecture suits all types of development provided there is sufficient heat to serve the ambient loop. For suburban developments, drilled arrays are nearly always possible. For city centre high-rise developments, with limited footprints, there is a greater likelihood that waste heat can be utilised. In its absence, there would be a need to drill to greater depths and components and techniques are being introduced to permit deeper boreholes. Obviously, surface and underground water can be used, where available, in order to reduce costs. 

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Transformer Technology For further information on Wilson Power Solutions visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 129

Don’t depend on 1950s technology The average age of a transformer in the UK is 63 years. Perhaps it’s time for energy managers to look at how energy-efficient replacements can begin to make savings in costs and energy

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ccording to a freedom of information request we made to OFGEM, the average ground-mounted distribution transformer in the UK was installed in the 1950s.

That was when cars like Chevrolet Corvette, BMC Mini and Chevrolet Bel Air first hit the roads. But would people consider a 1950s car as their main means of transport these days?

It was staggering to learn that distribution transformers live over double their design life in the UK. Does this mean that they are not functional? No, transformers, just like most electrical equipment survive way longer than anticipated.

But they do not do that efficiently.

Energy efficiency in electrical equipment and appliances has been heavily regulated in the past two decades to avoid wasting energy.

The first regulation for transformer losses came out in 2015.

Since then, all new transformers being placed in the market in the UK has had to strictly comply with the EU Eco Design Tier 1 lowered losses to minimise energy waste. Tier 2 is an even tougher regulation coming into force on the 1st of July 2021.

However, these two regulations do not tackle replacing old energyguzzling transformers.

Wilson Power Solutions introduced e3 Ultra Low Loss Amorphous metal transformers

eibi.co.uk/enquiries Enter 11

that far exceed Tier 2 requirements and set the bar for Tier 3. Many multinational organisations have invested in upgrading to Wilson e3 for the massive carbon, energy and financial savings they achieve.

Replacing a 1950s 1000kVA transformer with a Wilson e3 helps save 15 tonnes of CO2 and 60MWh of electricity annually. At the end of a 30-year lifetime of a transformer, one simple infrastructure decision accumulatively saves 455 tCO2, 1.8GWh and £350,000. This is equivalent to installing a 57kWp of solar photovoltaics for only 20 per cent of the cost.

• www.wilsonpowersolutions. co.uk

CHP & District Heating For further information on Danfoss Drives visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 132

Flexible savings ahead

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istrict heating plays an important role in Copenhagen’s ambitious goal of becoming a CO2-neutral city by 2025.

The FlexHeat demonstration plant, at the city’s Nordhavn harbour, shows just how far you can get with electrification and sector coupling.

Danfoss Drives has joined the Greater Copenhagen Utility’s (HOFOR) green journey regulating the facility’s heating capacity according to flexible demand, with their VLT AQUA Drives ensuring optimal use of energy.

To reach global targets for CO2 emission reductions, most of the future electricity supply will come from renewable sources such as sun and wind. Denmark already has a head start on the production of environmentally friendly electricity, and the challenge is more a matter of using the green energy when it is available. One way of creating flexibility in power consumption is through sector coupling, where excess electricity is stored in other energy systems. One example of this is the district heating supply, where heat pumps with thermal storage use the power when it is plentiful and therefore inexpensive; and avoid using it in periods with peak loads in the system, for example, late afternoon. HOFOR’s FlexHeat project in Copenhagen’s Nordhavn is

a prime example of this type of sector coupling. The thermal energy storage corresponds to a virtual battery of 4MWh. HOFOR’s district heating plant was established in 2018 as a demonstration project to supply three cruise ship terminals and the nearby UNICEF warehouse. These buildings are too far from the city centre to warrant connecting to Copenhagen’s district heating grid.

Until recently they received their heat from two oil-powered heating plants, which the FlexHeat plant has now replaced.

Temperature raised in two steps The FlexHeat plant is a heat pump based on ground water that is retrieved from a 150m deep well.

The saline 10.5°C water is pumped through a heat exchanger with ammonia as a refrigerant. The temperature is raised in two steps via two compressors, and in a heat exchanger, the heat from the condensed ammonia is transferred to the district heating water; which then leads into a storage tank and is pumped out to consumers at the three cruise ship terminals and the UNICEF building. The FlexHeat plant also has two electric heaters, which are used in special circumstances to increase the temperature of the outgoing supply to the consumers.

The FlexHeat plant is a heat pump based on ground water that is pumped from a 150m well

PHOTO: OLE MALLING

A district heating scheme in Copenhagen is providing a prime example of creating flexibility in power consumption through sector coupling

The FlexHeat plant is part of Copenhagen’s drive to be CO2 neutral by 2025

The heat pump has a heat output of 800kW, and the two electric boilers have a total output of 200kW. Altogether, the FlexHeat facility has a heating capacity of 1MW. According to the supply agreement, the water must, as a minimum, have a temperature of 65°C when it reaches the last customer or building. As the heat loss in the system can be significant depending on the outdoor temperature, the plant sends approximately 70°C water out into the system. Approximately 40°C water is returned to the plant, where it is then heated again.

The FlexHeat plant can operate in six different modes (where the sixth is not used in daily operation).

Intelligent switching between these modes ensures that the plant runs as effectively and economically as possible in relation to electricity prices. Modes one and three are the same, just with slightly different settings. The principle in these two modes is that the heat pump delivers heating to customers while storing excess heat in the tank. That is the mode of operation when electricity prices are low.

Mode two offers the possibility of boosting the heating water that is pumped out to customers up to a higher temperature, using an electric heater. This can be useful when the weather is particularly cold, and the output temperature therefore needs to be higher.

In the fourth mode, the storage tank supplies the heat to customers.

However, if the water at the top of the tank is a little too cold, the system can switch to mode five, which allows the water to be heated by means of the electric boiler instead of starting the groundwater heating pump inopportunely. This is important for the system’s flexibility, as the heat pump does not respond well to being turned on and off at short intervals - and therefore needs to operate for longer stretches of time. The electric boiler, regulated by Danfoss VLT AQUA Drives, allows for a small boost in temperature, so the plant can quickly provide heat to customers from the storage tank in periods when electricity prices are highest.

The heating facility operating mode is determined partly by the weather forecast, and additionally by electricity prices, which also reflect the local power supply situation.

When wind turbines are harvesting at full power, prices are low and the FlexHeat facility can contribute to a higher coefficient of exploitation of green energy. The challenge is that the purchase of electricity has to be determined a day in advance, before the market closes.

It is difficult to say exactly just how big the savings are on the electricity bill, for operation of the district heating system in Nordhavn.

HOFOR’s simulations show that, with smart operation, FlexHeat will save 8.9 per cent on the electricity bill in 2022, because the highest electricity prices can be avoided due to flexible power consumption. 

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CHP & District Heating

Hugh Richmond is CEO of Edina

For further information on Edina visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 136

CHP drives UK energy savings Government statistics on UK energy production reveal that CHP continues to make an important contribution to the UK energy mix. Hugh Richmond explains

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or suitable sites, particularly those with an extended heat demand, high efficiency combined heat and power can generate energy cost savings of 30-40 per cent compared to grid supplied power and heat from boilers. This can often deliver a payback on investment within two to three years.

In addition, CHP provides sustainability benefits and can also bolster energy resilience by creating an off-grid power supply.

The Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES) for 2018 provides a detailed breakdown of the contribution of CHP. The figures reveal that CHP accounted for 6.9 per cent of all electricity supplied in the UK in 2018 – across 2,473 schemes. CHP capacity increased by 66MWe and the proportion of ‘good quality’ electricity produced increased by 5 per cent in 2018.

Cost saving is the fundamental driver of CHP uptake, with businesses of all types and sizes investing in cogeneration to reduce

As gas prices have continued to fall, cogeneration has become a more attractive proposition

heat and electricity bills.

New generation CHP engines can achieve extremely high efficiencies of 85 per cent – 90 per cent, almost twice as efficient as taking electrical energy from the grid and thermal energy from onsite boilers. This yields significant savings on utilities costs.

The positive ‘spark spread’ also determines the economic success

of CHP, which is a calculation that compares the price of energy with the cost of fuel used to generate that energy.

Given that most CHP units are fuelled by natural gas, which over recent years has been significantly cheaper than grid electricity, there is a spark spread price advantage. In the last decade the spark spread value for natural gas has been consistently

CHP plays its part in the UK’s circular dairy economy Edina supplied innovative natural gas and biogas CHP technology as part of Arla Foods’ long-term growth and environmental strategy to develop the world’s first zerocarbon milk processing facility at Aylesbury.

The ambitious £150m project uses cutting edge renewable energy and CHP technology to create a zero carbon vision.

The biogas is created on site using anaerobic digestion, which utilises production waste from the dairy.

Arla has established a three-company circular economy model involving McDonald’s, and neighbouring cooking oil recycling company Olleco. Food waste from McDonald’s is converted to energy by Olleco and used to power Arla’s site, which in turn produces organic milk for McDonald’s.

CHP presented an ideal solution for the dairy as the excess heat created as part of the power generation process is captured and re-used in processes like pasteurisation, homogenisation and cleaning circuits.

Engineering, IT and facilities services company, NG Bailey, awarded Edina the contract to supply, install and maintain two MWM TCG 2020 V20 gas engines capable of generating an electrical output of 2MW each and 1.9MW thermal output.

The MWM engines are fuelled by natural gas together with biogas, produced from anaerobic digestion. Edina supplied

and designed the natural gas and biogas mixing chamber and integration system.

The CHP system is designed to work in island mode operation, In the event of a power outage on-site, the CHP is configured to hold all essential loads until power is re-established.

Commissioned in September 2013, the dairy is the most technological advanced and efficient of its kind and achieves zero waste to landfill. This ‘mega dairy’ sets a new benchmark in environmental standards on a global scale.

positive. It reached a peak of 5.2 in the third quarter of 2016 and has since fluctuated just below this mark.

As gas prices have continued to fall, cogeneration has become a more attractive proposition.

According to Ofgem, the spark spread peaked in January 2019 at 8.75 and was 5.41 in June.

A range of government initiatives further enhances the cost returns of CHP and policies designed to incentivise the uptake of Good Quality CHP in the UK. These include: • partial exemption from the Climate Change Levy (CCL) for Good Quality CHP for onsite consumption; • eligibility for Enhanced Capital Allowances for Good Quality CHP plant and machinery; and • business rates reduction for CHP power generation plant and machinery.

Natural gas remains the fuel of choice for most CHP generators, driving 69 per cent of the total CHP production in 2018 and accounting for 7.3 per cent of the UK’s total gas demand. The proportion of electricity and heat generated through CHP using renewable fuels did increase slightly between 2017 and 2018 to 17.4 per cent.

Cogeneration provides a more efficient and cleaner solution to conventional gas power stations, which continue to make an important contribution to the UK power mix. ‘Good quality’ CHP schemes make at least a 10 per cent primary energy saving compared to the separate production of heat and electricity. By generating heat and power onsite, organisations prevent the substantial transmission losses that occur from transporting electricity from remote power stations.

Government figures on the absolute carbon savings of installed CHP relative to fossil-fuel power stations in the UK show that there was a slight increase in the carbon savings, from 10.28MtCO2 in 2017 to 10.33MtCO2 in 2018. 

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Energy Efficiency & Well-being For further information on Weiss Technik UK Ltd visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 133

Malcolm Youll is managing director, Weiss Technik UK Ltd

Well-being in a time of pandemic Malcolm Youll examines the role of air conditioning in the prevention of viruses and bacteria. Optimal air hygiene can lead to better air quality and well-being for building occupants

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lot has changed since the UK’s first two patients tested positive for COVID-19 at the end of January. Six weeks later, the prime minister announced a nationwide lockdown.

As transmission rates decline, Britain will begin to emerge from its lockdown. Shops, markets and schools will open up again. But, understandably, many employees are reluctant to go back to work, and to use public transport to get there.

Retail workers, teachers and office workers will want to know that they and their families are as safe as possible from infection. Employers have a key role to play in this process, ensuring that their organisation is well run and everything is done to prevent transmission.

Viruses are of course nothing new. But COVID-19 presents a new challenge. It has already changed the way we work and forced us to focus more on health, hygiene, and general wellbeing. It also means we won’t go back to how things were before the pandemic. The “new normal” will involve behavioural changes, physical distancing (e.g. placing workstations further apart), more frequent sanitising of surfaces, and installing screens in front of service counters.

As COVID-19 may not be the last time we face a pandemic, we should perhaps consider it as an opportunity to make lasting changes to improve general health and wellbeing at work. Hygienic room climate issues, ventilation and air-conditioning systems are an important aspect of that. If planned poorly or not serviced properly, air conditioning units can quickly turn into transmitters of disease-causing germs.

Ventilation doesn’t just provide thermal comfort, it also aides the dilution and control of airborne pathogenic material. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is the core legislation that applies to ventilation installations. As these installations are intended to prevent contamination, closely

HEPA filters, UV lamps and antimicrobial interior coatings can be used with Weiss’ Vindur Top system to prevent the spread of bacteria in hospitals

control the environment, dilute contaminants or contain hazards, their very presence indicates that potential risks to health have been identified. The dilution of internal air is aimed at reducing the risk of airborne viral transmission by reducing the time during which people are exposed to any airborne viral aerosols, and at reducing the chance for these aerosols to settle on surfaces. Evidence shows that virus (including COVID-19) can survive on some surfaces for at least 72 hours, so any action to limit surface contamination is beneficial.

While airborne transmission is not assumed to be the primary route of infection for Coronavirus, there is a growing body of evidence that it can also be spread through the air, particularly in poorly ventilated indoor spaces. The airborne route of COVID-19 transmission – infection through exposure to droplet nuclei particles – has been acknowledged by the WHO for hospital procedures, and indirectly through the guidance to increase ventilation. Following the precautionary principle, it would be prudent to ensure ventilation is operating appropriately. Engineering controls targeting airborne transmission may be warranted as part of an overall strategy to limit

the risk of infection indoors. In combination with other measures, such as physical distancing, effective ventilation, further improved by particle filtration and air disinfection, this could at least contribute to infection control goals, helping to protect staff and the general public from infection.

Prevent spread of bacteria As a technology provider, Weiss is developing ways to prevent the growth and spread of bacteria, mould and viruses in air-conditioning systems. The company’s new Vindur Top system was developed for use in hospitals, on wards and in examination rooms, but also for public and industrial buildings, be it universities, schools, nurseries, hotels or office buildings, as well as trains and planes. The system is often used as a supplementary or retrofit solution if the existing primary building climate equipment is no longer sufficient and additional cooling is required.

Hygienic air-cooling units are recirculating air systems which are often used as supplementary or retrofit solutions if the primary building climate equipment is not dimensioned sufficiently for all rooms, or if additional cooling is

required. As air cools, condensate can form, providing a breeding ground for bacteria and mould. These develop in particular while the unit is not running, and can be spread to all rooms when the equipment is put back into operation. To prevent this, Vindur Top is equipped with a two-level filter. Air quantity and temperature can be controlled easily and comfortably via a control with web visualisation, using a room control panel or touch display.

In addition to HEPA filters, UV lamps and antimicrobial interior coating, Vindur Top can be equipped with optional thermal disinfection.

This newly developed method effectively prevents the growth of micro-organisms such as bacteria and mould in the air-conditioning unit.

Clean air is a corner stone of good hygiene and health. Viruses, germs and bacteria are almost everywhere. They spread particularly easy in rooms with many people, especially sick ones. Therefore it is very important to ensure optimal air hygiene and to ensure this even in times of large waves of infection.

This won’t just help to stop the Coronavirus, but will lead to better air quality, improved well being, reduced infection rates among staff, and ultimately higher productivity. 

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Energy Efficiency & Well-being

Alan Macklin is group technical director at Elta Group

For further information on Elta Group visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 134

Why air quality should be a top priority Alan Macklin explores the issues associated with poorly ventilated working environments, and outlines the required approach to dealing with this problem

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e spend 90 per cent of our lives indoors1. It’s a fact that is often brought up in conversations surrounding indoor air quality (IAQ) and correctly highlights the importance of focusing efforts on improving the air inside our homes.

However, it is critical that this level of scrutiny is extended to places of work, especially considering the large proportion of the day we dedicate to our professional life.

One of the key challenges in addressing air quality in workplaces is the variety of locations this encompasses. Even discounting occupations that are primarily outdoors, there is a range of buildings that can be considered ‘places of work’, and it is impossible to address all of these specifically. Broadly speaking, we can look at three types of workplaces – offices, industrial locations, and education buildings – but above all it is important to note that the most effective way to manage IAQ is to take it on a case-bycase basis.

Offices have traditionally been associated with drab and sterile conditions, to the point where in 1990s the negative impact this had on employee health was given a name. Sick building syndrome describes a condition that afflicts building occupants with headaches and respiratory problems, and while this was largely thought to be a thing of the past, a recent survey highlighted that it is making a comeback2.

Well-being and quality of air There is strong evidence that employee well-being is closely linked with the quality of air inside a building, and as our structures have become increasingly well insulated, the lack of natural air circulation is having a damaging effect. Poor

We’ve alluded to the impact of poor IAQ on concentration levels, and education buildings are particularly vulnerable to this.

Schools, universities, and any building focused on education have to ensure the internal atmosphere is conducive to learning. When CO2 levels are high, there is a noticeable drop in concentration, which makes it crucial to take steps that address this issue4.

Empty educational buildings

Industrial buildings vary in layout and design thus posing a problem for design of ventilation

air quality can also be linked with drowsiness and lethargy, which has consequences for productivity levels.

The health and productivity of a workforce should be the top priority for business owners and facilities managers, and providing an effective ventilation system is critical to this. It should be seen as an investment that will enhance an employee’s ability to undertake their work efficiently and healthily, preventing the concerning re-emergence of sick building syndrome.

Providing effective ventilation in industrial buildings presents a unique challenge, since it must create an environment that is healthy for both staff and machinery.

This often means removing airborne contaminants, toxins, flammable vapours, and large amounts of heat, which industrial processes and machines invariably produce.

Alongside the direct health implications of working in bad atmospheric conditions, there is also evidence to suggest a link between air quality and concentration.

When you consider the dangerous machinery that employees are often operating in industrial premises,

it is critical that they are as alert as possible.

A major issue is that industrial buildings vary significantly in layout and design, which means the type of ventilation required is dependent on the specific application3.

For example, in factories where contaminant sources are weak or of low toxicity, satisfactory ambient conditions can be achieved by dilution. Distribution depots present a different challenge, as vast storage areas and high ceilings dictate a solution that is equipped to deal with these factors.

There is no one-size-fits all solution to IAQ in industrial settings, with the vast majority of buildings in this environment requiring a specialist solution. To ensure optimum health of employees and maximise productivity, it is important that businesses open a dialogue with air movement specialists. Elta Fans, for example, has a range of products specially designed to meet industrial requirements, and in cases where something more advanced is required, its Applied Technology division is able to provide bespoke solutions.

The other major challenge associated with education buildings is the length of time they can often sit empty for, particularly during the summer months. Those tasked with delivering a cost-effective air management solution must negotiate the extended periods of unoccupied time in a building, as well as ensuring ambient temperature is maintained.

Mechanical ventilation which incorporates easy-to-use controls is the most effective way to maximise IAQ in education buildings. CO2 sensors detect changes in pollution levels, automatically adjusting fan speed to ensure that air quality is reliably controlled, and drowsiness doesn’t set in. Plus, the rate of ventilation can be reduced when the number of occupants is lower, such as at weekends or during summer holidays.

Although we’ve outlined the importance of good IAQ in some of the main places of work, there are countless other locations that require a considered approach to ventilation.

Any building that requires occupants to spend extended periods of time inside, including home offices, needs to make adequate air circulation provision.

Taking a case-by-case approach will ensure that our workplaces are healthy environments, ultimately improving the wellbeing and productivity of our workforce. 

References 1) https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng149 2) https://www.remark-group.co.uk/videosand-literature/literature/air-quality-andwellbeing-at-work-results-2019 3) https://www.eltafans.com/applications/ industrial-buildings/ 4) https://www.eltafans.com/5-reasons-whymechanical-ventilation-is-ideal-for-schools/

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Chris Wallis is business development manager, Kingspan Insulated Panels

Energy Efficiency & Well-being For further information on Kingspan Insulated Panels visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter ENQUIRY No. 135

Energy saving and well-being in harmony Chris Wallis takes a look at how a holistic approach to building design and construction can pay dividends when it comes to occupier comfort

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he concept of healthy buildings is one that has received considerable focus over the last decade.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that optimising the conditions in our internal environments can have a significant positive impact on our physical and mental well-being in all kinds of settings. This can lead to higher levels of productivity and cognitive performance in workspaces1, better student attainment in schools,2 and even improve customer experience and sales in retail places.3 But it can often be a balancing act to create these beneficial spaces whilst also ensuring efficient and cost-effective energy management. One of the clearest examples of this is maintaining thermal comfort.

Research has shown that room temperature can have a notable effect on our mood and function. A study by the Institute of Education, University College London found that student’s cognitive performance improved by 6 per cent to 8 per cent where thermal comfort was enhanced in their learning environments.4 In addition, the World Green Building Council reports that office staff performance can fall by 6 per cent if offices are too hot and 4 per cent if they are too cold.5 While our perception of temperature can be affected by a wide range of personal and environmental factors, from our health and clothing to our position in the room, maintaining a constant comfortable air temperature is key.

However, space heating and cooling account for the largest proportion of in-operation energy consumption in non-residential buildings in the UK, amounting to around half of the total use.6 Heating is the dominant consumer in almost all sectors, including retail, offices, education, industrial and health. In addition to increasing energy costs, heavy

Insulated panel systems can incorporate roof lights lowering energy consumption from both heat and light

reliance on these systems contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. Operational energy in buildings is responsible for 28 per cent of the world’s energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. One third of this is used for space heating7 while energy demand from space cooling systems has risen by more than a third in the last eight years.

To allow for better temperature control and optimised conditions for occupants without compromising on energy efficiency, it is therefore vital to take both into account as part of a holistic approach to building design, starting with the building envelope.

By ensuring a building is well insulated, it is possible to limit the leakage of heated or cooled air in or out of a building. This can boost the effectiveness of temperature control systems, reducing in-use energy demand and costs while helping to provide a comfortable environment.

Simple and effective solution Panelised roof and wall systems offer a simple and effective way to achieve high levels of thermal performance and airtightness on both new and refurbishment projects. The panels comprise a metal façade, insulation and waterproofing in a single

‘Progress will need to be made on the energy performance of all buildings’ component. Their highly insulated core and engineered jointing can greatly reduce heat demand and, when combined with an effective ventilation scheme, allow greater control of thermal conditions. The three-in-one panel construction also allows fast track installations and simplifies detailing around junctions, reducing the risk of heat loss or gain through poor installation.

Additionally, systems that use modern closed-cell insulation core technology can achieve thermal conductivities as low as 0.018 W/ mK. This enables a highly efficient building envelope to be created using slimmer panels, increasing internal space. It also means that the depth of window reveals can be reduced, potentially allowing for more natural light to enter the building through windows. What’s more, this thermal performance can be guaranteed for up to 40 years, ensuring a continually comfortable internal environment throughout the lifetime of the building.

Insulated panel systems can also be specified to include integrated ancillary products, such as roof and wall lights. In addition to lowering energy consumption from artificial lighting, introducing daylight into internal spaces is proven to have a positive impact on occupant’s health and well-being in a number of ways.

Not only does natural light provide better visual acuity, but it also plays an important role in supporting our circadian rhythms which regulate our sleep and wake cycle. For example, one study found that workers who receive no natural daylight sleep on average 46 minutes less than their light-receiving counterparts,8 which can increase the likelihood of illness or errors.

Through the use of Building Energy Modelling (BEM), designers can fine-tune the specification of these passive measures and their interaction with a range of active solutions, including building services and energy generation solutions.

This approach should help to ensure these technologies are appropriate for the project, avoiding wasted energy from overpowered systems, maintaining thermal comfort while also minimising operational costs and carbon footprint.

With the various legislative changes set to happen over the next decade, significant progress will need to be made on the energy performance of all buildings. By thinking holistically and capitalising on the multiple benefits offered by modern building systems, it is possible to create buildings that achieve high levels of energy efficiency without compromising on the health and wellbeing of the people that use them. 

References 1) https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2017/05/ cognitive-benefits-of-healthy-buildings 2) https://www.worldgbc.org/better-placespeople/green-healthy-schools 3) https://www.worldgbc.org/news-media/ health-wellbeing-and-productivity-retail-impactgreen-buildings-people-and-profit 4) https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/environmentaldesign/sites/bartlett/files/migrated-files/ cognitiveperformance-1_1.pdf 5) https://www.worldgbc.org/better-placespeople/green-healthy-work-spaces 6) https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/nextsteps-for-uk-heat-policy/ 7) https://www.worldgbc.org/news-media/2019global-status-report-buildings-and-construction 8) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/ PMC4031400/

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TALKING HEADS Chris Hurcombe

Towards a streamlined new normal Facebook and Twitter say that at least half of their employees will work from home forever. News-grabbing headline or good for business?, wonders Chris Hurcombe

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hile the Governmentenforced lockdown has required offices to close, digital platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Hangout were there to open up virtual offices instantly. Businesses, over the last three months have embraced these digital platforms and formed new ways of working. Could COVID-19 be the trigger to change our current working routine and status quo? Could bringing digitisation of processes, systems and communication channels to the fore become the new normal?

Many businesses already had home working measures in place with digital platforms for voice and video communications as well as secure infrastructure for remote virtual private networks. However, it wasn’t the norm across the board, but since the Government lockdown it was forced upon us all and it has quickly become an embedded culture. But will this culture stick?

Pre-COVID-19, some businesses were reluctant to change and embrace new technologies. We believe that not only will COVID-19 fundamentally change the way in which we do business but it will also change the way we manage energy consumption. Innovative software as a service (SaaS) platforms and IoT devices have been on the radar for businesses for the last few years, but not all businesses were keen to change current processes or adopt them due to financial constraints or a lack of understanding of the actual business benefits from embracing these digital platforms.

Previously, some businesses and staff would shun new solutions as a fear for job security, but COVID-19 has flipped this – we now embrace tech more than ever.

Technology and digital platforms could help us to do our job better, faster and sometimes without the need to leave our workstations.

Energy procurement, bill validation and energy management are prime examples.

Hurcombe: 'could COVID19 be the trigger to change our current working routine and status quo?'

‘Digital technology is helping businesses do more than keep teams communicating while working from home’ All three activities rely on a number of departments, colleagues and third-party suppliers providing intelligent energy solutions.

Procurement requires the sign off of the finance manager and the procurement team to place the order while the energy manager and TPI/broker forecast and identify the best procurement deal(s) for the business. Bill validation is similar but with the requirement of an extra third party bill validation provider. Energy management adds in the FM and maintenance teams, the staff who can influence how a building operates, the IoT providers, and SaaS analytics platform providers.

The need to manage communications For all three activities there is a great deal of ‘people’ power not to mention the need to manage the communications with all third parties.

This is one area that can be digitised. There are SaaS platforms that provide all this functionality and the EaaSi platform is one such example.

It is important to realise that digital platforms can aid businesses in their management of energy consumption and costs, procurement practices as well as ease cash flow.

Let’s start with procurement. A digital platform will consume your energy bills and allow you to forecast consumption based on previous use and a deviation as advised, then automatically put the contract online for suppliers to bid for some or all of your

Chris Hurcombe is CEO of EaaSi (Energy as a Service Interactive) and Catalyst Commercial Service

energy supply (gas, water, electricity, HH, NHH etc) needs. The TPI/broker is removed from the equation and all the calculation of identifying the best deal is done programmatically and delivered to the energy manager and finance manager in a report that is easily understood. It splits out commodity and non-commodity costs for ease of reference.

Next comes bill validation. A digital platform will seek the data direct from the supplier without any human involvement.

This database-to-database process reduces time to collect data and cuts the number of paper bills. The latter would require the energy manager or office manager to attend site and collect and scan something staff don’t wish to do in the new normal if they’re working from home.

The digital platform normalises the bills programmatically and any missing data or anomalies are instantly found. For example, the platform sends a request to the supplier’s database for missing data. Digital platforms remove the need for a third-party bill validation provider whose primary role is to process bills manually before inputting the data into their software platform. This could eradicate paper bills, so no need for the postal delivery either.

Finally, there is energy management.

This is not a simple process to digitise but with AMR and smart meters the data flow removes any need for someone to attend site and undertake a meter reading.

With IoT devices and intelligent BMS for example, data from building activities can sit alongside meter data. Digital platforms can interpret and deliver actionable insights from which maintenance teams or remote facilities management teams can make changes to building system operations for energy efficiency improvements. With all the data in a database, these digital platforms can deliver reports on compliance against efficiency standards and, in the new normal, air-quality and maintenance reports to ensure the building is COVID-secure.

In the new (office) normal, digital technology is helping businesses do more than keep teams communicating while working from home. Digital technology can dramatically improve the processes and functions for business. For energy managers, energy procurement and finance teams this means a streamlined, data-driven process to procure, validate, manage and monitor energy consumption and spend digitally and programmatically. 

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DIRECTORY CONTACTS

To advertise in this section contact classified sales on Tel: 01889 577222 Email: classified@eibi.co.uk www.eibi.co.uk

Air Conditioning

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TURNKEYaM&T Meter and monitoring any utility. In house designed hardware and software.

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SME’s, City Wide Projects, Large Organisations. Pulse, Modbus, Mbus. www.energymeteringtechnology.com enquiries@energymeteringtechnology.com Tel: 01628 664056

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METERING DOCTORS LET US SOLVE YOUR METERING PROBLEMS

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EMT resolve issues with meters and aM&T systems that have been badly fitted and are inappropriate or wrongly installed, systems that have never functioned properly and unsuitable or wrongly configured software.

We have considerable knowledge and can help assess, recommission or replace any aM&T system to render them as useful tools for your utility management needs.

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For more information on how we can help, Tel: 01628 664056 Email: enquiries@meteringtech.com www.energymeteringtechnology.com

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