Products & Materials : Building Systems & Appliances News
ABB launches next-generation medium voltage drive, designed to enhance industrial performance and reliability

ABB launches next-generation medium voltage drive, designed to enhance industrial performance and reliability

ABB has launched the ACS8080, its newest medium voltage air-cooled drive. The new drive represents  an evolution, building on over 50 years of experience in delivering drives to industrial applications and bringing reliability, performance, and flexibility to the next level thanks to innovative motor control, versatile design, and digital capabilities.

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Regional building crisis threatens 1.5M homes target

Regional building crisis threatens 1.5M homes target

The UK’s pledge to build 1.5 million homes faces a critical but overlooked challenge – the dramatic decline of regional housebuilders capable of delivering community-focused developments. That’s according to electrical specialist Garo who highlights the issue in a new report. Industry analysis reveals SME builders now deliver just 10% of

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DON’T MISS THE BIGGEST EVENT IN THE BUILDING CONTROLS SECTOR IN 2025!

Don’t miss the biggest event in the building controls sector in 2025!

BCIA AWARDS NOW OPEN FOR ENTRY! Anticipation is building towards the Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) Awards 2025. Entries for the 10 award categories are now open, so place your nominations today! Following on from last year’s incredibly successful event and celebrating the best the building controls sector has to

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NIBE partners with Ziegler to enhance its delivery

NIBE partners with Ziegler to enhance its delivery

NIBE Energy Systems, Europe’s leading heat pump manufacturer, has enhanced its UK delivery service by partnering with the Ziegler Group, a global logistics provider that shares NIBE’s ethos of maintaining a human, customer-focused and sustainable approach at the core if its operations. NIBE deliveries now come from Ziegler’s brand-new state-of-the-art

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NEW JOHNSON CONTROLS REPORT SHOWS SMART BUILDINGS A COMPETITIVE EDGE FOR COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE AND RETAIL LEADERS

New Johnson Controls report shows smart buildings a competitive edge for commercial real estate and retail leaders

As the commercial real estate sector faces unprecedented challenges and against the backdrop of New York Climate Week 2024, the biggest annual climate event of its kind, the movement toward smarter buildings is top of mind. Building on a 2023 commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Johnson Controls (NYSE:JCI), a

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Latest Issue
Issue 323 : Dec 2024

Products & Materials : Building Systems & Appliances News

ABB launches next-generation medium voltage drive, designed to enhance industrial performance and reliability

ABB launches next-generation medium voltage drive, designed to enhance industrial performance and reliability

ABB has launched the ACS8080, its newest medium voltage air-cooled drive. The new drive represents  an evolution, building on over 50 years of experience in delivering drives to industrial applications and bringing reliability, performance, and flexibility to the next level thanks to innovative motor control, versatile design, and digital capabilities. The converter can achieve up to 98% efficiency, targeting optimal performance for the entire drive system. The new motor control technology MP3C pushes efficiency and motor friendliness to the limit, while preserving the dynamic performance and robustness of the predecessor DTC. It also reduces harmonic distortions by around 50% compared to classic control and modulation schemes, thereby extending equipment lifetime and achieving energy savings. Designed for versatility and ease of integration, the new ACS8080 easily adapts to a wide range of applications and industries. The modular and flexible design includes the possibility of utilizing an external transformer and selecting a sine filter option, making it an optimal match not only for new applications, but also for retrofitting existing drive systems or direct online (DOL) machines. A high degree of flexibility is also possible due to the advanced digital features: the integration of the open software platform, Crealizer™, into the ABB drive operating system allows for advanced programming capabilities that enable the rapid development and deployment of innovative application-specific functionalities, reducing reliance on external controllers. “At ABB, we invest in R&D to deliver new solutions that enhance productivity while reducing emissions and operating costs. With over 50 years of experience in mission-critical applications, we recognize the importance of reliability and flexibility. This is why we continue to evolve—integrating clean, adaptable designs, stepping up our testing capabilities, and embedding the latest digital technologies. This product reflects our commitment to advancing reliability, performance, and flexibility to help the industries outrun- leaner and cleaner,” says Chris Poynter, President of Systems Drives Division, ABB Motion. The leaner design of the ACS8080 translates into a lower number of components than its predecessors, increasing reliability but also simplifying maintenance and service processes. For this new drive, being reliable also means being able to withstand extreme conditions, and this has been tested through rigorous accelerated lifetime tests carried out in the ABB Drives testing facility in Estonia, simulating 20 years of operations. Enhanced sensing capabilities and a next generation control hardware enable the collection of up to 10 times more diagnostic data for better and faster monitoring solutions. The new ABB Connectivity Edge Gateway allows connectivity whether on premises or to the cloud, making it an optimal fit for many digital needs. The built-in sensing solutions enable Asset Health and Performance Management (AHPM) capabilities, reliability monitoring, and data supported inspection for faster troubleshooting and failure detection. Fully embedded in the new drive are advanced safety and protection systems designed to prevent foreseeable hazardous situations and effectively manage unexpected ones. The new ACS8080 is developed to protect against unauthenticated access, malicious firmware, data breaches, and insecure connectivity allowing customers to benefit from all modern digital capabilities. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Regional building crisis threatens 1.5M homes target

Regional building crisis threatens 1.5M homes target

The UK’s pledge to build 1.5 million homes faces a critical but overlooked challenge – the dramatic decline of regional housebuilders capable of delivering community-focused developments. That’s according to electrical specialist Garo who highlights the issue in a new report. Industry analysis reveals SME builders now deliver just 10% of new homes, a figure which was previously 40%[1], creating a significant gap in regional housing delivery. This collapse in local building capacity comes at a crucial moment when housing electrical requirements are becoming exponentially more complex. Modern homes demand consumer units that can handle bidirectional power flow from solar panels, manage high-power EV charging points, and incorporate smart monitoring systems – all while maintaining capacity for future innovations. For SME builders operating on tight margins, these technical demands create significant financial and operational challenges. “The combination of ambitious construction targets and increasingly sophisticated home technology creates a perfect storm,” says Dan Dempsey, National Sales Manager at GARO Electric. “Modern homes require advanced electrical infrastructure to support everything from EV charging to heat pumps – yet we’ve lost the very builders who best understand local market needs. “While larger developers excel at volume delivery, regional builders have traditionally delivered developments that reflect local architecture, demographics, and price points. Their decline impacts our ability to create diverse, well-integrated housing solutions across different communities.” The situation is set to become more challenging. The Future Homes Standard, due in 2025, will require new homes to produce 75-80% less carbon emissions than current standards. This demands even more sophisticated electrical systems, potentially further squeezing regional builders already struggling with technical complexity and cost barriers. These challenges extend beyond individual properties. As homes evolve from passive energy consumers to active participants in dynamic energy networks, the loss of regional building expertise threatens both housing delivery and the UK’s broader transition to sustainable communities. Data suggests that without addressing this technical and financial burden on smaller housebuilders, the government’s ambitious housing targets may prove difficult to achieve, particularly in regions where local building knowledge is essential. Dan Dempsey continued: “The implications reach far beyond simple housing numbers. At stake is not just the government’s 1.5 million homes target, but the very character of Britain’s regional housing development and its ability to create the sustainable, community-focused developments that the next generation of homeowners will demand.” To download Garo’s specialist report on the topic, click here https://www.garoelectric.com/electrical-products/consumer-units/shapingtomorrow Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Schneider Electric: University of Nottingham adopts AI-powered approach to manage buildings estate

Schneider Electric: University of Nottingham adopts AI-powered approach to manage buildings estate

Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, has expanded its relationship with the University of Nottingham as it looks to improve its operational and energy efficiency.  Working with Schneider Electric, the top 20 UK university is adopting a digital-first, AI-powered approach to manage its buildings estate, the fifth largest in the UK’s higher education sector.  Schneider Electric has deployed its state-of-the-art Connected Services Hub (CSH) to provide 24/7 remote monitoring of the electrical equipment installed onsite. The CSH uses AI-powered digital analytics to deliver real-time, comprehensive insights into estate operations, ensuring preventative or remedial action is acted upon quickly. It does this by directly integrating urgent actions into the onsite engineers’ work schedules. It also identifies energy conservation measures, producing regular reports that offer guidance to the university’s in-house estates team on how to optimise their time and resources more effectively.  In addition, Schneider Electric also provides a team of experienced engineers onsite, delivering preventative and condition-based fault remediation, and support and training for the university’s estates team to boost their skills.   “Our challenge is how to optimise our building systems to minimise energy consumption and improve operations given we have a very small team responsible for a large physical estate. Embracing digital technology is helping us work towards our goals. Leveraging AI for analysis is like having thousands of eyes scrutinising the estate, significantly boosting what my team and I can deliver,” said Gavin Scott, Head of Sustainability at University of Nottingham.   “Over the years, our relationship with Schneider Electric has evolved into a true partnership. The team at Schneider Electric know our campus inside out and access to its expertise and experience has been invaluable on our journey towards improved,” he added.   “The University of Nottingham is a prime example of an institution striving to improve and create a more sustainable campus for students and staff,” said Kas Mohammad Schneider Electric’s VP, Digital Energy for the UK & Ireland. “It is using state-of-the-art technology and expert services to boost productivity, efficiency, and sustainability in its bid to hit its decarbonisation targets.”  Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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New CIBSE approved CPD from Ideal Heating Commercial explains heat pump refrigerant types

New CIBSE approved CPD from Ideal Heating Commercial explains heat pump refrigerant types

Ideal Heating Commercial has released a new CIBSE approved CPD: Understanding refrigerants & how they affect the choice of commercial heat pumps. It addresses both synthetic and natural refrigerants, and provides valuable advice for customers seeking the most energy efficient commercial heat pump. A concise CPD, ideal for a lunchtime session, it opens with a brief introduction to heat pumps and how they operate, including the refrigerant cycle and key principles such as co-efficient of performance (COP) and global warming potential (GWP).  It then proceeds to explain the different refrigerant types (synthetic and natural) and their key features, and the factors to take into account when designing an efficient heating system using the different refrigerants.  The CPD also addresses decarbonisation in the heating sector and refrigerant phase-down, and closes by touching on the future of refrigerants. The new ‘Understanding refrigerants & how they affect the choice of commercial heat pumps’ CPD was officially launched at the BESA Annual Conference on 17th October, where it was presented by Ideal Heating Commercial Head of Specification Richard Brown. The new CPD has been introduced to raise awareness of refrigerant types, following the recent expansion of Ideal Heating Commercial’s ECOMOD range of commercial heat pumps to include natural refrigerant models for the first time. ECOMOD heat pumps are now available with R32 refrigerant, and with natural refrigerants R290 (ECOMOD 290HT) and R744 (ECOMOD CO2) which are capable of delivering high temperatures while providing ultra-low GWPs. This latest CPD joins Ideal Heating Commercial’s expanding collection, which covers the latest industry developments and provide advice of new ways to add value, performance and efficiency to customer projects.  Further CPDs address low carbon systems, heat networks and heat interface units, plant room surveys, and boiler heat exchanger materials. For more information on any of Ideal Heating Commercial’s CPD, and to book a place, go to https://idealcommercialboilers.com/cpd-courses. CPDs are delivered by Ideal Heating Commercial’s specification team managers either online or in person nationwide. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Ideal Heating Commercial boilers deliver energy efficient heating for Hull Maritime Museum

Ideal Heating Commercial boilers deliver energy efficient heating for Hull Maritime Museum

Two Imax Xtra 2 240kW Ideal Heating Commercial condensing boilers have been installed at Hull Maritime Museum as part of a major restoration project to the Grade 2* listed building. Dating back to 1871 when the building was Hull’s Dock Offices, the Hull Maritime Museum has been in operation since 1975 and had been heated by the same cast iron section boiler for the last 30 years.  The boiler had not only outlived its natural working lifespan, but was also energy inefficient.  With building services being replaced and updated throughout the museum as part of a restoration project that began in 2020, the old boiler has now been replaced by two Imax Xtra 2 240kW boilers installed in cascade on a prefabricated header kit. The Imax Xtra 2 range of floor standing condensing boilers from Ideal Heating Commercial provide up to 97.7% full load efficiency and up to 108.2% part load efficiency, and have a high 5:1 turndown, making them highly energy efficient. Installing the boilers in cascade, as at Hull Maritime Museum, makes for an even more energy efficient solution as they have a higher modulation ratio than a single larger boiler, so there is less need for each individual boiler to cycle on and off to meet changing demands for heating over a day.  Up to four Imax Xtra 2 boilers can be installed in a cascade  for an output up to 1120kW Imax Xtra 2 boilers can operate at up to 30°C ΔT, and five of the six models – including the 240kW – operate at 26mg/kWh on natural gas.  As with all Ideal Heating Commercial boilers, they are built to last and feature a robust cast aluminium silicon alloy heat exchanger.  Imax Xtra 2 boilers are also highly compact with a small footprint to fit through standard doorways. All these factors played an important role in the specification of the new boilers, but a further factor which sealed the deal for the client was that Imax Xtra 2 boilers are proudly manufactured in Hull! The heating contractor on this project, family-owned HF Brown & Son Ltd. that has been in business since 1947, is a long-standing Ideal Heating Commercial customer, who has used the company’s full range of boilers extensively.  Managing Director Nick Brown is satisfied with this latest installation: “The whole install appears to be working well and the boilers were an ease to install.  The service and support from Ideal Heating was very good as usual.” Hull Maritime Museum is expected to reopen in 2026. For more information on Ideal Heating Commercial, visit https://www.idealcommercialheating.co.uk/. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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DON’T MISS THE BIGGEST EVENT IN THE BUILDING CONTROLS SECTOR IN 2025!

Don’t miss the biggest event in the building controls sector in 2025!

BCIA AWARDS NOW OPEN FOR ENTRY! Anticipation is building towards the Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) Awards 2025. Entries for the 10 award categories are now open, so place your nominations today! Following on from last year’s incredibly successful event and celebrating the best the building controls sector has to offer, the BCIA Awards 2025 will take place on Thursday 1st May 2025 at The Eastside Rooms in Birmingham. As one of the sector’s hottest yearly events, the Awards evening is one not to be missed – there are also plenty of seats and tables available, so make sure to secure your attendance. Recognised as the biggest awards in the building controls and Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS) industry, the BCIA awards shine a spotlight on the talented professionals that make up the building controls sector. There are ten different categories available to enter, with some sponsorship opportunities also available. These are: Building Controls and BEMS Installer of the Year (sponsored by Trend Control Systems Ltd) This award recognises the building controls and/or BEMS installer that most demonstrates commitment, professionalism, and understanding of client needs. Engineer of the Year (sponsored by BCIA Operations Ltd) Awarded to individuals working for building controls manufacturers, consulting engineers, installers, or facility management companies who best demonstrate engineering excellence in BEMS and building controls. Young Engineer of the Year  This award is given to the individual aged 35 years or under who best demonstrates the achievements gained through successful participation in and completion of the BCIA Technical Training Programme and other building controls educational programmes. Apprentice of the Year (sponsored by Group Horizon) An award given to the individual who best demonstrates the achievements gained through successful participation in and completion of an approved BEMS or building controls apprenticeship. Energy Management Award (sponsored by Priva UK Ltd) Awarded to a team, installer, or manufacturer in recognition of a project which demonstrates how building controls and/or BEMS have been installed to increase energy efficiency in a building or premises. Best Service & Maintenance Provider (sponsored by Western Automation) An award given to the company that best demonstrates outstanding levels of customer care in the provision of long-term maintenance and service contracts for building controls and BEMS. Technical Innovation of the Year – Products (sponsored by CIBSE) Awarded to the most innovative BEMS/building controls product development launched in the past 12 months. Technical Innovation of the Year – Projects This award is presented to the project team/installer that best demonstrates innovation and the deployment of smart technology to create a sustainable building/complex. Contribution to Training Award An award given to the organisation, company, or individual that has contributed to training on the design, installation, and/or use of BEMS and building controls. Outstanding Contribution of the Year Award (sponsored by BCIA) Unlike previous years and the other awards, this cannot be self-nominated – peers must nominate individuals who they believe have made a significant and consistent contribution to the building controls sector. This individual will have demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting the building controls and BEMS industry, such as helping to raise awareness of the importance of controls, supporting the BCIA in its work, or helping to raise standards in training and performance for our industry. The Management Committee will be looking for the nominating party to provide a statement, with a minimum of 100 and maximum of 300 words, that explains the clear contribution the nominee has made to the industry as a whole and/or association. This could include any differences or impact the contribution has had, how the individual’s work has changed processes, or how they have innovated or raised the profile of the industry. All award entries can now be entered using the online entry system, which allows you to start, edit, view, and download your entry before submitting it. The closing date for entries is Thursday 23rd January 2025 – there will be no deadline extension. BCIA President Stacey Lucas said: “The BCIA Awards are a fantastic event and a great opportunity to shine a spotlight on the talented individuals and organisations in the building controls sector. This year saw some absolutely incredible entries and I’m sure next year’s awards will be no different – the skills, innovation, and expertise shown on a daily basis by building controls engineers and companies continue to move the sector forward in a hugely positive way. “This year’s event took place in a brand-new venue, The Eastside Rooms in Birmingham, and we’re delighted to say that the BCIA Awards 2025 will also be held there. Whether you have been a regular attendee of our awards evenings or you’re attending for the first time, it’s sure to be a thoroughly enjoyable evening – so mark the date in your diary now! “We have tickets and tables on sale, as well as various sponsorship opportunities, so don’t hesitate to get in touch! “If you’re looking for some inspiration for your 2025 entry, a series of case studies featuring this year’s terrific winners can also be found on the BCIA website.” To find out more and enter the BCIA Awards 2025, click here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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NIBE partners with Ziegler to enhance its delivery

NIBE partners with Ziegler to enhance its delivery

NIBE Energy Systems, Europe’s leading heat pump manufacturer, has enhanced its UK delivery service by partnering with the Ziegler Group, a global logistics provider that shares NIBE’s ethos of maintaining a human, customer-focused and sustainable approach at the core if its operations. NIBE deliveries now come from Ziegler’s brand-new state-of-the-art distribution centre in Stanford-le-Hope, Essex. The move to Ziegler is part of NIBE’s general growth strategy, and broadened routes to market, which also includes direct to merchant. As NIBE is solely focused on renewable technologies, reducing carbon footprints for its customers and within its own operations, Ziegler is a good fit, committed to improving sustainability, through a range of measures, including a move to zero emissions vehicles, reducing CO2, and the use of digital supply chain management solutions to improve efficiency and productivity. Paul Smith, MD for NIBE, said: “We are delighted to partner with Ziegler, the company has a proven track-record of reliability and success, and shares core values with NIBE. Ensuring the safe and ‘on time’ passage of our heat pumps and supporting equipment is essential to business growth and the satisfaction of our customers. As NIBE expands its offering and routes to market, we feel confident that Ziegler is the right delivery service provider to support our evolving requirements.” “Despite its size, the Ziegler Group is committed to a ‘family-run’ approach, with its numerous locations allowing the company to provide a local service, with great responsiveness and flexibility. This mirrors NIBE’s own values – we’re a global business with region specific operations; something we feel is essential to building customer relationships and providing the best possible service.” Logistics Manager, Darrell Noble from Ziegler, said: “Ziegler are thrilled to announce our exciting new partnership with NIBE, a market leader in sustainable energy solutions. We will proudly manage NIBE’s UK supply chain, ensuring swift and efficient delivery of their innovative products to customers. It illustrates Ziegler’s progression and growth within the industry with a focus on contributing towards driving the NIBE brand forward. We’re also delighted to be partnering with a sustainability focused business, reflected in our own efforts in supporting environmental change.” The process of ordering from NIBE won’t change, orders should be placed through its Installer Care team. www.nibe.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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British Library installs innovative solar tech to decarbonise heat – penning a brighter, greener future

British Library installs innovative solar tech to decarbonise heat – penning a brighter, greener future

The British Library and CBRE Global Workplace Solutions (GWS) have commissioned Naked Energy to deliver the UK’s largest solar heat project to accelerate the public building’s transition to renewable energy. The installation comprises 950 solar collectors across 712.5 m2 of the library’s roof space. It is expected to reduce the building’s CO2 emissions by 55 tonnes and generate 216 MWh of energy annually – the equivalent of powering and heating a community centre or swimming pool for a year. Naked Energy’s solar heat and electricity Virtu product range is the world’s highest energy density solar technology. The Virtu product range converts the sun’s energy into heat and electricity from the same collector. Naked Energy’s Virtu product range saves up to four times the amount of carbon as standard solar PV panels and are a key advance in decarbonising heat in sectors from manufacturing to hotels and leisure centres.  The technology will supply sanitary hot water and space heating for the British Library, benefitting staff and visitors alike. Also, in a rare application of solar technology, the collectors will also be used to help to maintain the precise temperature and humidity conditions needed to preserve the national collection cared for by the British Library.  The British Library is custodian of over 170 million items, ranging from newspapers and maps to sound recordings and patents, and is a living collection that gets bigger every day.  During the planning phase of the installation, Virtu solar technology secured planning permission on the Grade I-listed building, as its unique low-profile design does not disrupt the Library’s architecture and remains invisible from street level. The British design and engineering business recently received investment from E.ON Energy Infrastructure Solutions and Barclays in the first close of its Series B capital raise, totalling £17m.  The funding builds momentum for Naked Energy as they begin to accelerate the international rollout of their innovative solar heat technology in the face of rising global demand for renewable heat.  Christophe Williams, Founder and CEO of Naked Energy said, “It’s an honour to partner with such an iconic British institution and be a part of their journey to meet their net zero goals.  “The urgent need to decarbonise heat has long been under-recognised in the discussions over the UK’s move toward net zero. We hope that this project can serve as a catalyst to inspire others in the public sector to join the energy transition and move away from fossil fuels once and for all. “This project has been an immense undertaking and is an exciting step forward for the solar thermal industry in the UK.” Patrick Dixon, Director of Estates and Construction at the British Library, said, “The British Library is delighted to have benefitted from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.  “We have received two grants under the scheme, one of which provided the funds for our supply partners CBRE to work with Naked Energy to design and install this innovative technology on our Grade I Listed building in London.  “This project is part of the Library’s commitment to environmental action and we are pleased to have formally launched our new Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy during Green Libraries Week. “The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme is run by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and delivered by Salix Finance. It provides capital funding to public sector bodies to fund heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency measures.” Jon Benford, Managing Director at CBRE GWS, added,“We’re incredibly excited to be delivering the largest solar heat installation project in the UK for our client, the British Library, and supporting such an iconic British institution on their net zero journey. “Working towards net zero emissions in a Grade 1 listed English Heritage building comes with its own unique challenges, and we’re proud of the role this project will play in both preserving the past and protecting the future.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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NEW JOHNSON CONTROLS REPORT SHOWS SMART BUILDINGS A COMPETITIVE EDGE FOR COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE AND RETAIL LEADERS

New Johnson Controls report shows smart buildings a competitive edge for commercial real estate and retail leaders

As the commercial real estate sector faces unprecedented challenges and against the backdrop of New York Climate Week 2024, the biggest annual climate event of its kind, the movement toward smarter buildings is top of mind. Building on a 2023 commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Johnson Controls (NYSE:JCI), a recently released spotlight report, “Cracking The Smart Buildings Code: A Spotlight On Retail And Commercial Real Estate,” reveals that investments in smart buildings are essential for leaders aiming to enhance sustainability, security, and save money. “Smart buildings are not just a trend; there is growing recognition they are a necessity for modern commercial real estate,” said Vijay Sankaran, vice president and chief technology officer, Johnson Controls. “This report highlights the urgent need for integrated systems and expert partners to navigate the complexities of today’s commercial real estate market to achieve long-term success.” The digitalisation of buildings provides an immense opportunity to gain a clearer picture of the operation of facilities to create sustainable, healthy, and safe environments—a critical differentiator for both commercial real estate tenants and buyers. Notably, 75% of commercial real estate and retail leaders say smart buildings are important to accelerating their digital transformation efforts. Nearly two-thirds of leaders indicate smart buildings are important for reducing costs, accelerating sustainability initiatives, and driving business growth. These results reveal that retail and commercial real estate leaders are seeking outcomes that have a positive impact for building owners, occupants and the bottom line. Additional key findings include: Johnson Controls is optimised to be the leading comprehensive solutions provider for commercial buildings, as a one-stop-shop for leaders looking for a partner with the technology and industry experience to drive meaningful outcomes. The company delivers a diverse portfolio of solutions for a variety of industries, from schools to office buildings, arenas to hospitals. “As a leader in the smart buildings industry, we have a comprehensive understanding of how connected, data-driven solutions provide deeper insights into a building’s performance and how we can optimise equipment performance and enable proactive services,” said Julie Brandt, president of Building Solutions North America at Johnson Controls. “This report confirms what we’re already hearing from our customers, that smart buildings are foundational to the design, operation, and maintenance of indoor environments, ultimately driving value.” At the centre of Johnson Controls’ smart building strategy is OpenBlue, an industry-leading ecosystem of connected technologies, expertise and services. Combining data from across a building’s systems and using advanced digital experiences augmented with AI, OpenBlue provides actionable insights and controls that save more energy and reduce more emissions than possible with isolated systems. It also helps customers in simplifying carbon disclosure reporting and regulatory compliance with building performance standards. With deployments across the globe spanning commercial office spaces, healthcare, education, campuses and more, OpenBlue enables real-time data visibility across assets, people and processes, empowering customers to drive intelligent and proactive operations from a single pane of glass. To learn more about how Johnson Controls OpenBlue is transforming smart buildings, please visit: http://www.johnsoncontrols.com/OpenBlue. For more insights, download the full report, “Cracking The Smart Buildings Code: A Spotlight On Retail And Commercial Real Estate,” available now here: https://www.johnsoncontrols.com/insights/2024/white-paper/cracking-the-code-cre. MethodologyIn August 2023, Johnson Controls commissioned Forrester Consulting to evaluate the state of smart buildings. Forrester conducted an online survey with 3,445 respondents responsible for smart building strategy to explore this topic. All respondents were asked high-level smart building strategy questions and then more granular questions depending on their level of responsibility for sustainability, security, and/or building environmental systems. Respondents represented organisations in 18 industries and 25 countries. The study was conducted in a double-blind fashion. This spotlight is focused on a subset of 299 smart buildings decision-makers in retail and commercial real estate. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Ramboll launches District One platform to advance UK’s district heat networks

Ramboll launches District One platform to advance UK’s district heat networks

Heat networks in the UK are on the verge of a transformational development. Through the UK government’s 2050 Net Zero ambitions, targets are in place to increase district heat networks from 3% today to 20% by 2050, alongside the National Heat Network Zoning Policy, the number and extent of heat networks is expected to increase substantially. To effectively support with the delivery of the planned roll out of district heat networks, Ramboll has developed District One, an AI-optimised heat network design platform. District One will support landowners, energy companies, developers, and national and local government authorities explore potential heat network routes, using a bespoke spatial machine learning algorithm that rapidly generates intelligent designs. Using local data, District One is designed to assist with the installing of citywide heating and cooling network routes, significantly speeding up their design by identifying the best-suited areas for the installation of heating networks. The platform has already demonstrated its applicability, with District One having been used to create a combined multi-nodal district energy network consisting of 12 independently operating but connected systems. This case study showed that District One can increase the accuracy of a business case when deployed onto a citywide zonal programme by enabling existing infrastructure plans to be more quickly incorporated into modelling. Crucially the use of District One, which avoids reliance on the usual ‘rules of thumb’, enabled a far more accurate design and cost estimation of district heating network assets than would be typically expected for master planning projects on this scale. Commenting on the launch of the District One platform, Guy Milligan, Head of Department – District Energy at Ramboll said: “Heating and cooling networks will have a vital role to play in decarbonising the ways we heat our homes and communities, as well as providing a more affordable alternative to, for instance, individual gas boilers. “We expect to see a significant expansion of heat networks over the coming years, and are pleased to be able to support this through our development of the District One platform, which provides city-scale mapping, allows for more collaborative discussions between stakeholders and more informed decisions early on in the network planning process.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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