Fall arrest is the term used when working at height with a system which doesn’t prevent you from accessing a fall risk, unlike fall restraint. Instead of preventing you from going into these places, fall[…]
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Tag: opinion piece
Building the cities of the future
Martin Fahey reports from MIPIM, the global property event where sustainability was top of the agenda Having just spent four days in the south of France meeting some of the most influential and important people[…]
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3 steps to planning ahead with F-Gas
As we continue to talk about the important industry topic of changes in F-Gas Regulation, Carl Dickinson looks at 3 steps aimed at encouraging those in building services to gather information before making an informed[…]
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Liquid waterproofing the fastest growing sector in flat roofing
The liquid-applied roofing sector has grown by more than 30 per cent since 2013 – making it the fastest growing part of the flat roofing market, according to research undertaken by the Liquid Roofing and[…]
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The benefits of timber as a building material
Jeremy English, Sales Director at Södra – Sweden’s largest forest-owner association – explains how timber is perfectly placed to meet the needs of the UK construction industry. With its clean, cost effective, attractive and efficient[…]
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Energy efficient help for SMEs
With business looking for ways to reduce operating costs, Scott McGavin looks at how even small adjustments to a building’s HVAC systems can make a significant difference to bills. Did you know for every 1ºC[…]
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18 Things you need to know about R32 in 2018
As the market sees R410A refrigerant increase in cost by over 600%, Deane Flint looks at 18 reasons you need to be thinking and talking to your customers about the move to R32-ready air conditioning[…]
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Antibacterial Protection For Worksurfaces Better Than Wetwipes
It’s well known that a kitchen dishcloth is a breeding ground for bugs – leading to increases in sales of anti-bacterial wipes. The trouble with wipes is that a recent feature on BBC’s Trust Me[…]
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What’s in a number? The search for true capacity
Max Halliwell looks at what can be deduced from heat pump manufacturers’ performance figures when the temperature drops below zero. Many of my colleagues have recently made the switch to hybrid, plug-in vehicles but they[…]
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18 Things you need to know about F-Gas in 2018
As industries using refrigerants continue to discuss changes related to the F-Gas Regulations, Deane Flint looks at 18 important details you need to undertake and plan for now. In March 2014 the European Parliament passed regulation on[…]
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Love your home: The power of the positive
Can positive energy really affect happiness, well-being and love for your home? Ellina Webb investigates the three lifestyle concepts of Feng Shui, Hygge and Minimalism. Over the past year on the Hub, we have posted[…]
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Top of the class: The smarty pants office building
Ellina Webb looks at the smart solutions that can help building owners comply with legislation and improve both the energy rating and the graded class of their office space. Retrofitting smart technology to commercial buildings[…]
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The 18 things you need to know about MEES in 2018
With big changes soon to affect commercial buildings in England and Wales, Deane Flint looks at 18 important details regarding MEES (Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards) and the changes landlords might need to make to their[…]
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Can we now breathe in deeply and celebrate air quality?
As London manages not to exceed legal limits, ventilation expert, Janvi Patel ponders on air quality News last week on the BBC website that London’s air quality has not exceeded legal limits in mid-January for the[…]
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25 year plan to tackle environmental issues
Has the government done enough with the publication of its environmental plan? On the 11th of January, the Prime Minister, Theresa May, announced a 25 year plan to “nurture” the environment, referring to it as a[…]
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The solar revolution: 3 everyday items you didn’t realise were solar powered
As we look towards a positive growth in solar and renewables, Ellina Webb looks backwards and forwards at the solar revolution. Solar power was the fastest-growing source of new energy worldwide last year, and with[…]
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New guidelines call for homes for people and wildlife
Why and how to build nature-friendly housing developments New guidelines published by The Wildlife Trusts today show how new housing developments can be built in a way that provides people with greener, inspirational homes which[…]
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Are we driving towards an electric future for heating?
Russell Jones finds parallels between news of electric car sales and renewable heating. The news last Friday was full of reports about the drop in UK car sales with a 17% decline in diesel in particular focusing[…]
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Fossil Fuels: Beyond global warming and beyond the UK
Ellina Webb examines how burning fossil fuels causes damage to the world we live in. We all know the wider implications of burning fossil fuels, not only do they use up our limited supply of[…]
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Top tips for limescale removal
Limescale is incredibly common, and it’s likely that you will have it on your taps at some point in your life. Your taps will look significantly nicer without limescale on them as you will be[…]
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Can you make a commitment to conscious shopping?
Ellina Webb challenges shoppers and encourages retailers to be environmentally conscious this 2018. As the New Year dawns, about 63% of people are waking up to – not only a hangover, but a commitment to a series[…]
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Keeping your HVAC airways clean
RICHARD BETTS, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF RABSCREEN, THE EXTERNAL FILTER SPECIALISTS, DISCUSSES THE IMPORTANCE OF AIRFLOW IN HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMS. Airflow is the single most critical element in the correct operation of all air heating[…]
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The future of heating is wireless
After a month without any gas heating, Russell Jones now looks towards a wireless future and online control If you read my last post ‘But baby it’s cold outside’ you will already know that I’ve[…]
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The smarty-pants home
As our homes head towards being “smart” and we are bombarded with a plethora of different home devices to add to our Christmas presents list, Ellina Webb looks into what’s on offer to help her[…]
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Key considerations for green roof specification
Stuart Hicks from cold-applied liquid waterproofing specialist, Kemper System, discusses the rise of green roof applications and specification best practice. The green roof market is quite literally growing – in 2017, the annual market growth[…]
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Key Drivers Forcing the Green Gateway Agenda
Growing awareness and evolving values are driving Government, businesses and individuals to demand greener, more affordable and socially acceptable energy technologies. As an essential part of both the challenge and the solution, it is up[…]
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Access to nature among top considerations when designing buildings for people with dementia
Buildings designed for people living with dementia must prioritise unrestricted access to nature, support for wayfinding and navigation, and the safety of the environment – new research has found. Academics at Birmingham City University have[…]
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The sky at night
As she struggles to see the night sky, Ellina Webb looks into the effect of light pollution on the world around us and why turning off your lights at night won’t just save you money[…]
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Greening the city, the community and your home
After recently becoming a homeowner, Ellina Webb has been actively pursuing ways to incorporate greenery into her home – which is easier said than done when your home is a city based apartment. Unfortunately the[…]
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Healthy, Happy Homes
Health and wellbeing is a hot topic, it’s affected by everything from lifestyle to the air we breathe and even noise levels in our environment. Recent research has highlighted the crucial importance of good indoor[…]
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Office fit-out with sustainability and wellbeing at its heart
Martin Fahey looks at how the refurbishment of a small city centre office has helped improve staff wellbeing and lower the organisation’s carbon footprint The UK Green Building Council (UK-GBC) recently refurbished its London headquarters,[…]
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A rational approach to alarms
Timely notification about any events concerning a building services infrastructure is vital. However, Steve Browning at Trend Control Systems, explains why the generation of too many individual alarms is deterring end users from configuring a[…]
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VR: from environmental awareness to product placement
Ellina Webb looks at the likely impact of virtual reality on our world. Last week my colleagues and I took a trip to the arctic to discover the melting polar caps and look in awe[…]
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SBEM – correct efficiency figures can reduce project costs
Richard Warry looks at why talking directly to the manufacturer rather than relying on SBEM calculations can reduce project costs. I read an article on LinkedIn entitled “SBEM isn’t a design tool” and this reminded[…]
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What is your local council doing to green the community?
Ellina Webb investigates what her local council of St Albans City & District is doing to combat climate change, be sustainable and green the community. I first became aware of the city’s influence on climate change when[…]
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Porcelain takes to the floor
Flooring needs to be extremely hard wearing and easy on the eye, but how can you ensure that all practical and aesthetic requirements are met? Simon Boocock, Managing Director or CRL Stone, looks at why[…]
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Air traffic control
Indoor air quality has a major influence on the health, comfort and wellbeing of a building’s occupants. Graeme Rees, marketing director at Trend Control Systems, explains how a Building Energy Management System (BEMS) can optimise[…]
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Be afraid, be very afraid
In ode to Halloween, Ellina Webb looks into the real threats that should be giving you the heebie-jeebies. Did you know, according to a 2017 survey by Chapman University in America, global warming and climate change[…]
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Preparing your new home for its first winter
As a first time homeowner, Ellina Webb looks into how to prepare a home for winter. In the past 10 years, house prices have continued rising year on year whilst the shortage of new homes[…]
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So, have we reached the future yet?
Russell Jones looks at an historic article from the 1960’s to see just how far we’ve come towards the future predicted. We’ve discovered a fantastic new website called StumbleUpon.com which throws up random web pages based on[…]
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