As technology continues to rapidly evolve, across the world we’re experiencing more and more unusual complex buildings and structures being constructed. To go along side these buildings, an increasingly unique set of demands arise for their internal systems, including the vital aspect of climate control. Within this article, we will delve into the various approaches to climate control for advance buildings from around the world. Burj KhalifaThe tallest building in the world is the Burj Khalifa, towering at 2,716.5 feet tall, under an average desert temperature of 41°C.  The tower is truly triumph of technology and to keep it cool is a task in and of itself, let alone with the surrounding temperature being so extreme. So, how do they do it? The secret comes down a number of variables. Primarily, ice-chilled water is used to cool the building, and this is supplied by three plants. During off-peak hours, the central water plant creates an ice slurry that makes the water colder than a chiller could manage. This chilly water is sent through the tower in a series of pipes to heat exchangers at three different levels. Once the cold water has cooled the air for the air conditioning unit to use, it is sent back down to the central water plant again. There are a few key benefits to this approach: It is better for the environment, as it allows the tower to make savings on energy use It reduces the amount of space needed to dedicate to cooling equipment Originally, the air conditioning system had to be turned on steadily over a one-week period. This was to prevent pockets of warm air from forming in the building. There are also safety regulations implemented too. As a back-up, the tower also has four air-cooled chillers to support the data centres if needed. Amazon’s Seattle OfficesKnown for their innovating approach to heating, Amazon’s Seattle offices are heated by capturing the warm air produced by its data centres – a phenomenal way to re-use waste for a key purpose! What’s extraordinary, is that the data centres aren’t actually Amazon’s own. The heat is collected from the Westin building across the street from their offices. It’s a two-fold victory, as it helps Amazon to save energy and gives Westin a good way of sustainably dealing with waste heat. The heated water is piped from the data centres to a central plant belonging to Amazon, and is put through heat-reclaiming chillers. This is then used to supply the office’s heating needs, and the now-cold water is sent back to Westin to help cool their data centres. Amazon is set to save 65 million pounds of coal’s worth of CO2 emissions over 25 years with this approach. British Airways i360Based in Brighton, the 450-foot British Airways i360, which is the tallest moving observation tower and sets a new challenge for climate control. — the structure houses a restaurant, a shop, conference rooms, exhibition spaces, wedding venues, and of course, a 360° panoramic view in its moving 94-ton pod. To power the buildings heating, is done via renewable energy thanks to the Daikin VRV IV system installed within it. A constant supply of fresh air is circulated by heat recovery ventilation units throughout the building — this is crucial for reducing the demand on each air conditioning unit that needs to balance the indoor temperature with a significantly different outside temperature. The building has a few location-based requirements to work around too. One, the units need to be out of sight. Two, they need to be able to withstand the corrosive nature of salty sea air! Therefore, the VRV IV outdoor units have been installed out of sight, and are treated with a specialist factory-applied Blygold coating, to protect them from the salt in the air. The result is an energy-efficient, streamlined, and sea-air-ready HVAC system that supports this complex and unique building. What the future of climate control looks like Evidentially, with buildings becoming larger and more complicated, so must our climate control to methods to adapt to them. The Independent reported on another ambitious project blossoming in Dubai — the world’s largest shopping centre. But calling it a shopping centre seems a little unfair; the project intends to cover 48 million square feet, making it a shopping city. With the world’s largest theme park, a Broadway-style theatre district, and an Oxford Street inspired shopping area, the Mall of the World is a gargantuan undertaking on so many levels. Crucially, it is being touted as the first climate-controlled city in the world. How much further will we see climate control methods blend natural resources with new technology? The world’s structures are only going to get more complex, so it will be interesting to see how requirements like heating and cooling are addressed in such builds. Sources: https://www.alfalaval.com/media/stories/industries/worlds-tallest-building-stays-cool-with-innovative-ice-storage-system/ https://www.airah.org.au/Content_Files/HVACRNation/2010/March2010/HVACRNation2010-03-F01.pdf https://gulfnews.com/news/uae/general/cool-job-air-conditioning-burj-dubai-1.559999 https://www.greenbiz.com/article/ultra-efficient-hidden-heat-source-amazons-new-hq https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/can-t-stand-the-heat-come-to-world-s-first-climate-controlled-city-9588211.html https://www.daikin.co.uk/en_gb/case-studies/vrv/ba-i360.html file:///C:/Users/amy.hodgetts/Downloads/Leisure_Newbuild_VRVHR_British%20Airways%20i360%20Case%20Study.pdf

Aberystwyth University’s historic Pantycelyn student hall of residence is set to undergo a major renovation project. Delivering the £16.5 million scheme, which will see the 1951 building restored, is contractor Morgan Sindall. Included in the projects is the sympathetic external renovation, along with internal refurbishments spanning 70,000 sq ft. The work will create contemporary, en suite bedrooms, with high-speed internet access for up to 200 students. Communal catering and laundry facilities, as well as study and leisure spaces will be available for use by both students and the local community.  “We are delighted to be working with Morgan Sindall Construction on the redevelopment of Pantycelyn, and to bring to life once more a hall that has been the focus for the Welsh culture at Aberystwyth University for almost half a century. This project represents an investment in the future of Welsh speaking students for generations to come and a unique addition to the excellent portfolio of student accommodation we offer here at Aberystwyth. We are also grateful to Welsh Government for their support for the project, which will help enhance further the excellent student experience offered by Aberystwyth,” commented Professor Elizabeth Treasure, Vice-Chancellor at Aberystwyth University. Morgan Sindall Construction was awarded the high-profile project through the South and Mid Wales Collaborative Construction Framework (SEWSCAP), which it has held a place on for almost a decade. Construction is set to begin on 03 June and will be completed in time for the new academic year in 2020.

Researchers from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have succeeded in robotically 3D printing an unfurnished bathroom pod in 12 hours or less. The technique uses a 6-axis robotic arm equipped with print nozzle for the special concrete mix and it could help firms build prefabricated bathroom units, or PBUs, about 30% faster. PBUs are in high demand on government land Sale sites in Singapore, however the conventional method for these is concrete casting. With the new method, PBUs are 30% lighter than conventionally cast ones, but still as strong as conventional concrete. After printing, the bathroom pod is then furnished with toilet fittings, tiles and concealed drains and piping, which takes five days. The technique was developed by a joint research team led by Assoc Prof Tan Ming Jen from NTU’s Singapore Centre for 3D Printing, in partnership with Sembcorp Design and Construction, and Sembcorp Architects & Engineers. They will now seek approvals for trials from the Building and Construction Authority of Singapore, and will investigate commercialising the technology through licensing or a spin-off company. “The complicated shape of a PBU and its walls can be developed and printed at a faster pace to satisfy the needs of individual customers as no formwork or moulds are required, whereas conventional construction of PBUs with concrete or lightweight wall panels always limit the possibilities of design,” said Er Lie Liong Tjen, team lead from Sembcorp Design and Construction, and Sembcorp Architects & Engineers. Researchers said 3D-printing PBUs could help manufacturers halve their production time, while lowering transport costs, carbon emissions and materials wastage. “By being able to print-on-demand, companies can save on their inventory costs as well as manpower costs, as they don’t have to hold as much stock and their workers can be redeployed to do higher-level tasks. This approach improves the safety of the workplace, since robots are doing the construction of the bathroom unit,” Prof Tan said. The printing of the bathroom pod was carried out in a single build using a 6-axis KUKA Robotic arm, which has a reach of about 6 metres in diameter. The concrete was then fed to mixers and pumped out of a nozzle mounted on the robotic arm, depositing the material layer by layer according to the digital blueprint. To save material and achieve weight savings of up to 30%, the walls of the PBU were printed in a W-lattice shape, which lent additional strength to the final structure. The research team printed and outfitted two PBUs: one measuring 1.62m (L) x 1.5m (W) x 2.8m (H), which was printed in nine hours, and one PBU measuring 2m (L) x 2.6m (W) x 2.8m (H), which was printed in 12 hours.