Building Management - News

The owner of an acclaimed new Cotswolds hotel has showered building services company - Campbell West with praise for its role in transforming the former 16th-century coaching house. Matthew Freud, one of the public relations industry’s pioneering figures, paid tribute to the Berkshire-based firm for “outstanding professionalism” following the opening of ‘Bull - A Coaching Inn’ in Burford, Oxfordshire. transforming the property He enlisted their services after set...

Design of buildings and spaces needs to remove barriers to inclusivity - including age, disability, ethnicity, gender, and neuro-divergence. As the world mark’s the UN’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) announces new guidance, Inclusive design for structural engineers. Aimed at all professions in the built environment, the guidance challenges perceptions that inclusive design is expensive and costs more. Collective ex...

ABM, a pioneering provider of facility services, infrastructure and eMobility solutions, announced the initiation of an Energy Performance Contracting program for Orange County Public Schools (“OCPS”), in central Virginia, USA. This marks the third energy savings project for OCPS by ABM. This new project creates an additional $6.7 million in projected energy and operating cost savings over a twenty-year period and includes an extensive upgrade to a critical HVAC mechanical system an...

According to a survey of U.S. homeowners conducted by Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US (METUS), 63% of American homeowners have heard of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and 54% ranked government incentive (such as a tax credit or rebate) as one of their top three reasons why they would consider installing a heat pump. These findings, among others, were uncovered by the METUS 2023 Heat Pumps & Homeowners Index. The survey explored American homeowners’ attitudes toward the IRA a...

Release of the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Energy Efficiency 2023 report shows that not enough progress is being made on energy efficiency. The report reveals a slowing in global improvements in energy intensity-the IEA’s primary measure of energy efficiency–and, in response, Danfoss President and CEO, Kim Fausing is calling on governments to commit to doubling the rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030 at COP28 to limit global warming to 1.5°C. Keys to me...

Baltimore Aircoil Company (BAC) announces enhancements to the Vertex® Evaporative Condenser, where peak reliability meets easy maintenance. For models with the EC Fan System, enhanced controls are now available including a user interface and integral pump control which maximizes uptime and reliability. “In 2018, when we launched the Vertex evaporative condenser, we began our innovation process by seeking to understand what our customers really need and want from us. After that launch,...

Baxi’s Parent company - BDR Thermea Group announced the appointment of Tjarko Bouman as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Tjarko Bouman will join BDR Thermea Group from 1 February 2024, as successor to Bertrand Schmitt, who is stepping down, as announced earlier this week. Refined new strategy Tjarko Bouman is currently CEO of NTS Group, a global company that develops, produces, assembles, and tests complex (opto) mechatronic systems and mechanical modules for high-tech OEMs in sem...

Trane Technologies, a climate innovator, will underscore the critical need for the adoption of new and existing solutions at scale, accelerated climate policy and transparent emissions reporting during COP28 in Dubai, November 30–December 12. As the window for limiting global warming to 1.5°C continues to narrow, Trane Technologies steadfastly encourages bolder accountability in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals–including Gender Equality (SDG5), Affo...

Daikin Europe N.V. is launching Stand By Me – Certified Partner, a unique Europe-wide support program for heat pump installers. The program allows the installer community to manage Daikin’s residential heat pump technologies and is open for all installers to join. It builds on Daikin’s tradition of assuring a strong, pan-European network of highly skilled installers and technicians for the Daikin heat pumps. Daikin is enhancing its support for all installers, ensuring the mark...

Fiona Hodgson, Chief Executive of the Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers Federation (SNIPEF), has expressed frustration over the Scottish Government's decision to delay the banning of gas boilers, highlighting the significant impact on the plumbing and heating industry and public confidence. Author's quote "SNIPEF has consistently questioned the government's unrealistic targets for phasing out fossil fuel boilers," Hodgson stated. "This delay, although not entirely unexpected aft...

Prepare to embark on a journey of innovation and exploration at the Cold Chain Exhibition 2024, set to take place on July 10-12, 2024, at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre (BITEC), in Bangkok, Thailand. As the foremost international exhibition and conference on refrigeration and temperature-controlled logistics in Asia, this event is a pivotal platform for addressing critical challenges faced by the cold chain sector.  About the Event The Cold Chain Exhibition (CCE) i...

The New Flat Rate, the No. 1 price-generating software for home service contractors, has announced the launch of HVAC Lite, their new pricing menu that helps limit technician resistance by providing a straightforward language for HVAC tasks. Different from the fully-featured version of The New Flat Rate’s pricing menus, HVAC Lite removes the verbal packaging component and replaces it with tasks that are written in everyday language. HVAC Lite “The New Flat Rate was designed to do...

The fourth edition of UL 60335-2-40, the Standard for Household and Similar Electrical Appliances - Safety - Part 2-40: Particular Requirements for Electrical Heat Pumps, Air-Conditioners and Dehumidifiers, was published on December 15, 2022. This bi-national standard includes the following updates:   Updated definition and test method for releasable charge with relation of refrigerant leaks into the occupiable space Refinement of leak detection system requirements to accommodate variou...

Johnson Controls, the pioneer for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, has been named to the Newsweek Excellence 1000 Index. The index recognizes companies that exemplify corporate excellence and commitment to best practices in business and financial growth while serving customers, stakeholders and communities with a dedication to social responsibility and ethical standards. Best business practices Newsweek partnered with the Best Practice Institute (BPI) to identify companies that upho...

Full-scale testing of the EnergiVault cold thermal energy storage system from Organic Heat Exchangers (O-Hx) has seen performance exceed expectations in areas including peak load support, resilience, and reliability.  Benefits A 650kWh commercial demonstration unit with a cloud dashboard and integration to a building management system was installed at the Alnwick facility of drug development and manufacturing accelerator Quotient Sciences earlier in 2023, with benefits to date i...

Following the launch of the Construction Inclusion Coalition in September, founder member Baxi hosted a roundtable discussion at RIBA, The Royal Institute of British Architects, focused on addressing gender imbalance and other equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) considerations in the construction industry. The roundtable was hosted by Karen Boswell OBE, who was joined by 10 experienced leaders from around the sector, including from Wolseley, AtkinsRéalis, Builders Merchants Federatio...

Trane Technologies, a global climate innovator, has announced a significant milestone for its industry-renowned, sustainable climate solutions – with more than one million HVAC units with low-carbon steel shipped to homeowners and commercial customers across the U.S. Less than one year after Trane Technologies established ground-breaking purchase agreements with two major U.S. steel manufacturers, the company’s low-carbon steel products – which include high-efficiency heat pum...

Johnson Controls, the pioneer for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, has been awarded a $33 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains to help increase domestic production of electric heat pumps by expanding three U.S.-based manufacturing sites. Combined, these facilities will be able to produce approximately 200,000 electric heat pumps per year, representing a nearly 200% production increase. This substantial volume wi...

To recognize the sacrifices made by Veterans and their families, Air Pros USA honored eight Veterans in eight cities by surprising them with new air conditioning units. Employees helped select deserving recipients through Air Pros USA’s annual Veterans initiatives and exclusive partnerships. After a careful vetting process, the company installed brand new HVAC units free of charge for Veterans in LaGrange, Georgia; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Fort Myers, Florida; Gainesville, Fl...

Two Danish powerhouses partner to continue strategic collaboration to enhance energy efficiency and reduce overall energy consumption in multifamily buildings.  HOFOR, the pioneering district heating utility in Denmark, will utilize the Leanheat® solution from Danfoss. The software solution combines cutting-edge technology, data analytics, and artificial intelligence to optimize energy consumption and improve operational efficiency. This st...

An Aston University research project is to help improve living conditions in Ukraine by developing a warmer and greener system of heating homes. In Ukraine, many buildings have outdated and inefficient heating systems which not only waste energy but also limit the use of modern heating technologies. The project aims to change the lives of many Ukrainians by developing affordable cascade heat pumps. These will efficiently heat homes, even during the severe Ukrainian winter, during which temperat...

Airthings, a global pioneer in indoor air quality monitoring and energy-saving solutions has announced the launch of the newest device to join the Airthingsfor Business portfolio, Space Nano. Space Nano The product is capable of monitoring humidity, temperature, pressure, and lux, (a camera-free light level sensor), both indoor and outdoor. The device also has a virtual Mold Risk Indicator, and it offers expanded opportunities to monitor hard-to-reach and less accessible spaces within bui...

Water and energy efficiency company Cenergist has completed what it believes to be the UK’s first installation of high-temperature air source heat pumps in a domestic setting. The installations have delivered district heating systems for six Leeds City Council-owned residential tower blocks which comprise 497 homes. The project required the replacement of inefficient night storage heaters and hot water cylinders with high-temperature air source heat pump communal heating an...

BITZER, the refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump specialist, acquired Czech company BPOWER in late October 2023. This acquisition not only allows BITZER to offer components and Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) systems for generating power from waste heat, thus making an important contribution to decarbonization, but also enables system integration.  Efficient use of waste heat in the industry can go a long way in helping to make production more energy-efficient, reduce carbon emission...

Tradespeople will now be able to face the ongoing battle of complying with building regulations for mechanical ventilation as Elta Fans returns to the market via a new dedicated division, Elta Trade. With many people not realizing that residential ventilation systems must adhere to the building's regulations alongside needing to test its airflow rates, Elta Trade aims to help contractors ensure their setup is compliant. Damp and mold problems According to the 2021 English Housing Survey condu...

Heat pump commissioning through Benchmark Online and certification via the MCS Installations Database are set to be integrated. This will result in a single point of data entry for the first time to simplify the process for Benchmark installers employed by the nearly 1,700 MCS-certified heat pump contractors. Benchmark, a longstanding trusted name within the installer community, transformed its previous paper-based checklist into an easy-to-use app over two years ago. The addition of heat...

Mitsubishi Electric will be exhibiting at CIBSE Build2Perform Live 2023, from 5th to 6th December, 2023 at ExCeL, London, United Kingdom, showcasing the range of commercial heat pumps and Hybrid VRF air conditioning solutions, including the Ecodan QAHV commercial heat pump and the City Multi Vertical Hybrid Branch Controller (HBC). The Ecodan QAHV utilizes CO2 and is specifically designed for commercial sanitary hot water applications. It can deliver hot water up to 90°C, making it an ideal...

Pioneering UK heating and hot water solutions provider Baxi has held an inaugural graduation ceremony at the Coventry Building Society Arena to celebrate the successes of its first group of apprentices. The event recognised the outstanding achievements of Baxi’s first cohort of field engineer apprentices, its degree apprentices, and colleagues from departments across the company who have completed apprenticeships in the last twelve months to help further their career. A visit to the Engin...

Intelligent power management company - Eaton has announced the opening of its newest global Innovation Center near Montreal in Brossard, Quebec, Canada, following nearly four decades of developing cutting-edge software in the region. At the 35,000-square-foot space, Eaton will accelerate the research and development of distributed energy resource (DER) technologies enabling sustainable electricity for buildings, homes, industry and the electric grid. Eaton is bringing approximately 150 highly s...

Mitsubishi Electric has announced the launch of its Ecodan R290 heat pump, further contributing to the decarbonization of home heating. The new model, manufactured in its factory in Livingston, Scotland, results from Mitsubishi Electric's decades of experience in producing heat pumps. The launch of the Ecodan R290, with its low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerant, is a big step towards more sustainable home heating. Using a hydrocarbon refrigerant that can achieve high Coefficient of Per...