Honeywell released yesterday its predictions for emerging trends that will help shape building operations and technologies in 2023 and beyond. Top experts at Honeywell revealed insights on opportunities to make buildings more sustainable, safer and occupant focused. Honeywell’s predictions for 2023 include both ongoing and burgeoning trends: 1. The acceleration of
Land and property company Wain Estates has announced a new structure, splitting the company into two separate divisions; Development and Land Promotion. The change sees Wain Estates Development Director, Jack Brister, promoted to Managing Director of Development and former Urban Splash Land Director, Angela Heaney, appointed as Managing Director of
Andrew Ingram has been announced as the new Managing Director at leading heating, plumbing and air movement materials supplier TG Lynes. Long-serving Andrew has taken over the top job at the thriving Enfield-based business from Martin Hastings. Andrew has been with TG Lynes for almost 20 years having started out
Deanestor, one of the UK’s leading school fitout specialists, has been awarded its largest contract to date in the education sector – a £5m project for BAM to manufacture furniture and fit out the two high schools on the Dunfermline Learning Campus. The Deanestor team will supply and install more
City Plumbing has introduced a new digital tool to to help housing associations quickly and accurately diagnose heating system faults, identify replacement parts and improve the lives their tenants through better service. Using the industry’s most comprehensive and product-specific data, the national merchant’s FaultFinder equips housing associations and field service
A solar generator will be a wise investment if you’re looking for a backup power source for your home’s essential equipment during a blackout. In addition, those who prefer camping will find solar generators to be useful traveling companions. Because regular electricity isn’t always available on these trips, having a
BDC 319 : Aug 2024
Honeywell released yesterday its predictions for emerging trends that will help shape building operations and technologies in 2023 and beyond. Top experts at Honeywell revealed insights on opportunities to make buildings more sustainable, safer and occupant focused. Honeywell’s predictions for 2023 include both ongoing and burgeoning trends: 1. The acceleration of the ‘Electrify Everything’ movement. In May of 2022, the European Commission proposed the REPowerEU Plan[1] in part to rapidly reduce Europe’s dependence on Russian natural gas but also to fast-track the EU’s clean energy transition. To incentivise that transition, the EU has also this year granted €1.1 billion[1] to fund seven innovative, large-scale clean energy projects, using revenues from its Emissions Trading System. As building owners everywhere face increasing pressure from stakeholders and regulatory agencies to curb energy consumption and reduce their facilities’ carbon impact, the electrification trend will accelerate. “An all-electric building requires not just a viable sustainability plan but also a smart controls strategy, which starts with establishing realistic baselines of current energy performance and taking a hard look at existing infrastructure including supply and demand side power,” said Udaya Shrivastava, vice president and chief technology officer, Honeywell. “It also requires creative thinking, investment in ready now technologies and a holistic effort across the organisation. Making these changes may seem prohibitively expensive, but solutions exist that can measurably cut operating expenses and help reduce carbon emissions.” 2. Cybersecurity embedded and integrated into digital innovation. As the Internet of Things continues to merge operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) systems – and cyberattacks increase in frequency as well as sophistication[i] – advanced AI/ML-enabled cybersecurity will become foundational to the design of digitalised building technology systems. At the same time, the shortage of cybersecurity professionals[ii] will likely remain a challenge. “Generally, there still remains a lack of understanding on the importance of hardening OT infrastructure and having proper protocols in place in the case of an incident,” said Mirel Sehic, vice president and general manager, Buildings Cybersecurity, Honeywell. “Cybersecurity starts with technology development, as digitalisation continues, engineers and product development teams need to take a security and privacy by design approach.” 3. Dynamically responsive buildings will be possible. Building controls have traditionally used setpoints that operate on the assumption that every space is 100% occupied, which is no longer the norm due to an uptick in hybrid workforce. The 2022 Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction[iii] found that the building and construction sector accounted for 34% of energy demand and 37% of energy and process-related CO2 emissions in 2021. Building management systems will increasingly leverage AI/ML algorithms to optimise both energy efficiency and occupant well-being, which will no longer be viewed as mutually exclusive priorities. These algorithms can build sophisticated models that reveal hidden energy waste as they weigh conditions and demand against current occupancy, weather conditions and utility pricing. “It’s become imperative for building owners to make meaningful, near-term change in their carbon impact,” said Manish Sharma, vice president and general manager of Sustainable Buildings, Honeywell. “To do this, they need better data about their operations. Given the heightened awareness of, and investment in, sustainability, it’s critical for a company to know and communicate to stakeholders how its facilities are optimising energy baselines to ultimately reduce their carbon footprint, without impacting the occupant experience.” 4. Cities will look to build energy resilience into operational plans. As extreme climate and weather events occur more frequently,[iv] energy resilience will continue to gain attention. Cities and communities will need solutions that help them better respond to power outages, especially where they affect critical infrastructure such as hospitals and traffic control systems. Microgrids and battery energy storage systems that leverage real-time, adaptive control strategies will help cities continue to provide essential services in the wake of disasters. “In 2023, we can expect to see significant public investment in community resilience particularly in the United States, supported in part by the $1.2 trillion in federal funding[v] from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act,” said Matthew Britt, general manager, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Honeywell. “Communities that embed energy resilience programmes into their sustainable smart city initiatives, will be better prepared to mitigate power outages, improve their operating costs, while supporting their sustainability initiatives.” These trends collectively embody a common theme: technology is rapidly becoming integral to every facet of building operations. Whether it’s helping to help reduce carbon impact, defend against cyberattacks, optimise both energy performance and occupant well-being, or make communities more resilient in times of crisis, it can provide a competitive business advantage as well as help reduce operating expenses. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Land and property company Wain Estates has announced a new structure, splitting the company into two separate divisions; Development and Land Promotion. The change sees Wain Estates Development Director, Jack Brister, promoted to Managing Director of Development and former Urban Splash Land Director, Angela Heaney, appointed as Managing Director of Land Promotion. Wain Group Executive Chairman Will Ainscough, said: “The changes allow a fully dedicated team to focus on delivering the most important land asset within the Wain Group – Carrington Estate – with quality design and placemaking at its heart. “It also gives us an opportunity to build a land promotion team that can focus on third party landowners and operate independently from the Group’s other land interests. The separation will allow the division to become a fully-fledged land promoter selling all its opportunities to the open market.” Carrington Estate, the 1,665-acre former Shell Refinery site, is one of the largest regeneration projects in the UK with the potential to provide 3.5 million sq ft of employment space and up to 4,000 new homes. Planning permission has already been secured for 597 homes and 1.2 million sq ft of employment. The first employment and residential phases have already been developed. Future phases are to be brought forward imminently. Jack, who joined Wain Estates in 2019, said: “This is a hugely exciting time. We have a great team and have achieved a lot over the last couple of years. We are now in a position to really deliver on the potential at Carrington and have a number of projects at various stages in the delivery pipeline. “Carrington Estate presents a major resource for jobs and homes for the whole region and our ambition and commitment is to deliver the very best we can.” The Development team also includes: Paul Wrigglesworth, Property Director; Will Young, Project Manager; Kevin Fletcher, Project Manager; Jenny Dockney, Senior Surveyor; and Andy Hesketh, Estate Manager. Experienced land professional Angela Heaney has been recruited to head up the Land Promotion team supported by Planning Manager, Nicholas Mills. The division is already promoting 3,950 residential homes on behalf of third party landowners, but is aspiring to evolve into one of the UK’s leading promoters. Angela, who has previously worked as a Director for a national housebuilder and a large strategic land promotion company, will be looking to build a new team dedicated to growing the business across England. She said: “I was attracted not only by the scope and potential of the role, but the culture and values of the Wain Group. You can feel there is a real sense of doing things in the right way to create the best outcomes for landowners. We also have the financial resource and wider Group support to help achieve our objectives.” Will Ainscough added: “Our motivation is to make Wain Estates the best working environment with clearly defined strategies and career prospects. We want to create the right atmosphere for people to achieve their goals and ambitions.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Andrew Ingram has been announced as the new Managing Director at leading heating, plumbing and air movement materials supplier TG Lynes. Long-serving Andrew has taken over the top job at the thriving Enfield-based business from Martin Hastings. Andrew has been with TG Lynes for almost 20 years having started out as Transport Manager before progressing to General Manager and now MD. He said he was thrilled to take up the new role and had a clear vision of how to keep the business moving forward. “Becoming MD of TG Lynes has been a goal of mine in recent years so I am delighted that the board agreed with my ideas and has given me the opportunity to carry on Martin’s fantastic work,” said Andrew. “TG Lynes offers excellent career progression opportunities and a chance to improve yourself and I am just one example of that. “The business is in a strong position and has enjoyed seven years of year-on-year growth – but we still have big plans and goals for the years ahead. “We have great clarity on how we continue to move forward. Our overriding aim is to make the experience as simple and as easy as possible for customers, many of whom have highly pressurised lives.” Andrew said the business would also continue to look for new products to add to its already extensive range, while continuing to make strides in sustainability and towards net zero. He added that the business would continue with its promise to support the local community in Enfield. Last year TG Lynes launched its inaugural Helping Hands campaign which saw more than £15,000 of product and labour awarded to three good causes in its vicinity. Andrew said: “Our commitment to excellence and the four pillars of the business – sustainability, community, integrity and quality – will remain the same. “We have made significant advances in sustainability and our community work in recent years and we’re keen to continue building in those areas while offering first-class, hassle-free service to customers, old and new.” Andrew praised Martin for his achievements over six-and-a-half years at the TG Lynes helm. Martin has moved on to become CEO at Leyland SDM which, along with TG Lynes, is part of the Grafton Group. “Martin has been fundamental in the success we have enjoyed in recent years,” he said. “He has overseen not only tremendous growth but also improvements for colleagues and I wish him all the best.” TG Lynes stocks industry leading brands and supplies thousands of products including valves, steel and copper tubes and fittings, press systems, composite and plastic plumbing, drainage solutions and support systems and tooling. An extensive plant hire service is also available. Visit www.tglynes.co.uk for more information. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Deanestor, one of the UK’s leading school fitout specialists, has been awarded its largest contract to date in the education sector – a £5m project for BAM to manufacture furniture and fit out the two high schools on the Dunfermline Learning Campus. The Deanestor team will supply and install more than 42,000 items of loose and fitted furniture for St Columba’s RC High School and Woodmill High School – that are relocating to Dunfermline Learning Campus in Fife. Due to open by Summer 2024, the high school project is part of a wider learning campus development, which also sees the construction of the new Fife College. The schools project is being delivered by the Council’s partner, hub East Central Scotland. Designed by AHR, AECOM and Rybka, the 27,000sqm scheme is one of the UK’s largest Passivhaus education buildings. The architectural design is based on Passivhaus standards to improve internal comfort levels and reduce energy consumption and life cycle maintenance. The transformational facilities will offer a consolidated approach to learning and life skills that will support a clearer pathway from secondary education to training, further education and into employment. The new co-located high schools will retain their independence and identities with shared core facilities, such as assembly halls, dining space, outdoor education zones, and multi-purpose sports pitches. Ramsay McDonald, Managing Director for Deanestor in Scotland, said, “This is our largest school fitout contract to date and we are even more thrilled that it is local to our Scottish headquarters in Dunfermline. We are pleased to be playing our part in such a visionary and ambitious education scheme which will provide world class facilities for students, the local community, and businesses across the region.” Deanestor will manufacture a range of education furniture for the new high schools, including teaching walls, storage solutions, worktops, shelving, and kitchen units. Its team will fit out over 500 rooms across both schools and the shared facilities. The interior design theme is based around the principles of openness, connectivity, and inclusiveness. The colour palette will reflect the branding and identities of both schools and will use greys and muted shades of green and blue to echo the local landscape, the history of Fife, its industrial heritage, and growth of the area. The fitted furniture and joinery from Deanestor will be finished in white and different tones of grey. The new campus will have a wide range of facilities including learning plazas to promote collaboration, digitally-enabled learning zones, outdoor learning areas, break-out booths for individual study, and a pioneering learning lab featuring performance analysis, media studio, recording booth, food technology, and extensive creative project space. Deanestor manufactures and installs robust and flexible loose and fixed furniture solutions for early years, primary, SEN, and secondary education, fitting out areas such as classrooms, science laboratories, ICT, design and technology, atria, social dining spaces, break-out areas, sports facilities, and changing rooms. The company has extensive design, technical and project management experience in fitting out large campus projects and award-winning school architecture – on time and to the highest quality standards. For further information, visit www.deanestor.co.uk/education, call 01623 420041 or email enquiries@deanestor.com. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
City Plumbing has introduced a new digital tool to to help housing associations quickly and accurately diagnose heating system faults, identify replacement parts and improve the lives their tenants through better service. Using the industry’s most comprehensive and product-specific data, the national merchant’s FaultFinder equips housing associations and field service engineers with the practical knowledge to quickly and accurately diagnose faults within the system. Combining this with the hands-on knowledge of staff in more than 370 branches across the UK, City Plumbing can help engineers source the parts they need quickly and improve first-time fix rates. Described as a ‘game-changer’ for engineers and social housing providers, the tool’s diagnostic capabilities mean that engineers will no longer need to be in the property to diagnose the problem. Perfectly suited to housing associations and private landlords, FaultFinder allows tenants to input details of the problem into an online portal or over the phone. This gives engineers the opportunity to restore heat and hot water as quickly as possible by triaging the issue remotely and understanding if a visit is required or whether the tenant can fix the issue themselves. It also means that if a home visit is required, engineers can quickly sourcing the correct spare parts from their local City Plumbing branch before arriving at the tenant’s home, allowing them to resolve the issue quickly and efficiently. “As the industry-leading provider of heating and plumbing solutions, we’re looking for revolutionary ways to support professionals to get the job done every day. Through FaultFinder, we can take this support even further by placing our expertise in the hands of our customers, exactly when and where they need it. It’s a real game changer for social housing providers and landlords looking to improve tenant satisfaction.” says Dave Griggs, Managing Director of Spares at City Plumbing. “Whether they’re on-site to resolve a problem, or if a customer has described their issue through our online portal, housing associations and contractors can easily access the information they need to restore heat faster than ever before. By inputting the product name or code, they’ll be able to see any commonly recurring issues or describe the fault they’re experiencing to unlock practical advice on how to fix it. From there, FaultFinder will even recommend the components required to repair the system. Crucially, it also gives our branches the insight they need to ensure the correct stock for properties in the local area is available for collection or delivery as soon as it is needed.” Through its nationwide network of branches, City Plumbing provides professionals with the tools and equipment they need to deliver uncompromising levels of service to their customers. To unlock the benefits of Fault Finder for yourself, visit www.faultfinder.com Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A solar generator will be a wise investment if you’re looking for a backup power source for your home’s essential equipment during a blackout. In addition, those who prefer camping will find solar generators to be useful traveling companions. Because regular electricity isn’t always available on these trips, having a solar generator on hand is a terrific way to rest easy. What Is A Solar Generator A solar generator, also known as a portable power station, is basically a large battery that can be charged either by plugging it into an electrical outlet or by absorbing light from the sun. It’s not dependent on the availability of propane or gas. Solar generators work best when used for short periods of time and when only a few gadgets need to be powered at once. Since they don’t use an internal engine, solar generators are silent when used. A solar generator can provide power in a variety of situations. You can use one as a portable power source or a backup power supply at home. Solar generators are used to power a variety of devices, including kitchen appliances, pellet grills, TVs, air conditioning units, hair dryers, Wi-Fi routers, PCs, smartphones, and the like. Now, you may be wondering, ‘What do I need to think about before I buy a solar generator?’. Keep on reading to find out more. Factors To Consider When Buying A Solar Generator When deciding on which solar generators to buy, take into account the following criteria: Safety features should be a priority when looking for a portable solar generator. It’d be best to make sure the generator is risk-free to use. When looking for a portable solar generator, you need to exercise caution similar to those taken with any electrical appliance. If you care about keeping your equipment from overheating or damaging in any other way, an overload protection feature is a must. Overloading your device with too many gadgets at once can cause it to overheat and even catch fire if this feature isn’t present. The overcharging of batteries is primarily responsible for the degradation of their overall quality. If your portable solar generator includes overcharge protection, you won’t need to be concerned about this at all. This will prevent the battery from being overcharged, which might be harmful to the battery as well as to any other equipment that it could be connected to. You should think about the photovoltaics (PV) input of a solar panel, whether it comes with your generator or is purchased separately. The time it takes for your generator to charge is affected by the PV input of your solar panels. Faster charging of your solar generator is possible with higher PV input. If you require a portable generator that charges quickly, a high PV Input could be a deciding factor in your decision. If you’re in the market for a solar generator and want to make sure it can meet your power needs, one of the most important specs to check is the unit’s battery capacity. This is measured in watt-hours. The greater the battery capacity, the longer it will last. An example of this is that a 60-watt light bulb may be powered for roughly 17 hours by a 1,000-Wh solar generator. Solar generators use inverters to convert the direct current (DC) power generated by solar panels into alternating current (AC) usable for home appliances and gadgets. A modified inverter can be used with a wide variety of electronics and is a cost-effective alternative. While some devices will work fine with this inverter, some might not. Be cautious that your connected equipment can handle the altered wave, or else you could risk damaging or shortening its useful life. The more outlets on a portable solar generator, the more gadgets you can charge up together. This is crucial if you need to charge many gadgets at once. This isn’t as important if you only have one gadget, but it becomes necessary if there are more people or devices that need charging at the same time. The ideal portable generator for you will be the one that fits your intended application. Conclusion Whether you’re going camping, need to power your home, or are just trying to be more self-reliant, a solar-powered generator is a fantastic method to get your electronics charged up. Investing in a suitable unit means having reliable power, allowing you to power a wide variety of devices without worry. If you take into account the aforementioned criteria when shopping for a solar generator, you will have a powerful tool at your disposal. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
