Leading heating and hot water solutions provider Baxi has this week hosted the first official visit to its €13 million commercial heat pump R&D and laboratory site in Vilafranca del Penedès, Spain. Baxi is part of the €2.2 billion-turnover BDR Thermea Group, one of the largest producers of heating appliances
Leonardo Hotels’ Hinckley Island select Multitone’s i-Message Cloud based system for next level of sophistication. Leonardo Hotels’ four-star hotel and conference venue at Hinckley Island stands in the heart of the Leicestershire countryside and accommodates up to 1,000 guests. Formerly known as Jury’s Inn, the hotel has relied on Multitone’s
The Building Centre in London is holding a free workshop with panel debates and talks led by experts across the construction industry on 15 November 2023. With the industry under more scrutiny than ever to make sure that greener practices are followed, it is important that commercial plumbing looks towards
Propertymark has pledged its continued support for the annual Smart Meter Awareness Week. Launched by Smart Energy GB, the UK Government backed campaign body, the first drive ran from 18 to 22 October 2021, with a plan to boost awareness and the number of smart meter installations across the UK.
A University of Nottingham academic has played an instrumental role in the creation of a standard that empowers building owners, operators, and professionals to proactively protect indoor environments as we enter the winter virus season. ASHRAE, leader in the development of guidance for safeguarding public health, has created Standard 241,
Stand 206 Groupe Atlantic companies Ideal Heating – Commercial Products and ACV UK will be exhibiting together at this year’s CIBSE Build2Perform Live event, 5-6th December at London Excel, on stand 206. As part of their Experts Together campaign, both companies will be showcasing their range of commercial heating and hot
According to recent research, a significant portion of office buildings in the United Kingdom do not meet the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) legislation. David Millward, Group Product Manager at Elta Fans, urges building owners and facilities managers to conduct thorough reviews of ventilation systems to fill in any gaps
By John Gorse, Public and Government Affairs Lead, Signify UKI Connected lighting can help AI make smart cities greener The world has become increasingly urbanised. The UN reports that since 2007 more than half the world’s population has been living in cities. That number is projected to rise to 60% by 2030.
For those that own and manage large-scale commercial, industrial, and residential buildings, effective life safety systems are critical. Aside from legal obligation, compliant systems ensure risk is managed appropriately, particularly mitigating the threat of fire and smoke. The latter is where Colt comes in. A pioneer and market leader in
ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions UK & Ireland is raising awareness of recent changes made to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) to improve fire safety in buildings, triggered by Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022. These improvements came into effect on 1st October 2023, and form
Leading heating and hot water solutions provider Baxi has this week hosted the first official visit to its €13 million commercial heat pump R&D and laboratory site in Vilafranca del Penedès, Spain. Baxi is part of the €2.2 billion-turnover BDR Thermea Group, one of the largest producers of heating appliances worldwide. The 7,000m² Baxi factory, located near Barcelona and opened just last year, is focused on developing and producing commercial heat pump technology. The site boasts complete in-house capabilities spanning R&D, logistics, manufacturing and assembly, and including climatic testing chambers and a controls desk. During the visit, guests were provided with an exclusive preview of the new Remeha Effenca commercial heat pump series that was designed and produced at Vilafranca and is currently undergoing final testing. The new range, which includes high temperature R290 refrigerant air source heat pumps (ASHPs), will launch imminently in the UK with full Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). Harriet Evans, Renewables Director at Baxi said: “The focus on low carbon design is now critical in line with ambitious government decarbonisation targets. Heat pumps, which decarbonise heating at the point of use, are a big part of how we as a company are supporting our commercial and residential customers through the energy transition. We are proud to demonstrate our full in-house capabilities and competencies at Vilafranca, and of the wide expertise and support we have within Group in this technology. We are excited to be expanding our Remeha ASHP range in the very near future with both medium and high temperature ASHPs – watch this space!” BDR Thermea’s acquisition in 2021 of Barcelona-based Hitecsa, an important manufacturer in the Spanish market for commercial and industrial climate control systems, has enabled the Group to offer the entire range of heat pump solutions to suit all customer needs, from residential to large commercial applications. In the UK, Baxi launched its first Remeha commercial heat pump in 2022. The company recently announced its latest commercial ASHP project, a collaboration with Oakes Energy Services to decarbonise a series of school swimming pool buildings for the Priory Federation of Academies Trust. Heat pump production capacity at Vilafranca has scaled up by 50% in the last twelve months, with plans to triple in the next five years via new commercial heat pump solutions in development. For more information, www.baxi.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Leonardo Hotels’ Hinckley Island select Multitone’s i-Message Cloud based system for next level of sophistication. Leonardo Hotels’ four-star hotel and conference venue at Hinckley Island stands in the heart of the Leicestershire countryside and accommodates up to 1,000 guests. Formerly known as Jury’s Inn, the hotel has relied on Multitone’s solutions for more than a decade, to ensure that team communications are seamless. The need for more sophisticated and streamlined comms The Multitone Access 5000 DECT mobile telephony system had reached end-of-life and the hotel management were keen to replace it with the latest technology, providing a more sophisticated and streamlined communication system. A large hotel and conference venue must service the needs of its guests promptly, as well as handling issues such as fire alarm activation discreetly and efficiently. It is crucial that guests are not troubled unnecessarily by incidents such as false alarms. Multitone’s i-Message helps Leonardo to step up Following a review of Multitone’s multiple technologies, Leonardo Hotels opted for the specialist’s fully managed cloud based i-Message unified communications platform, providing mobile telephony across the site’s Wi-Fi infrastructure, plus integration with the fire alarms and fixed telephone system. Multitone i-Message cloud runs on Amazon Web Services and acts as both a communications hub and a control centre, processing data from myriad sources, facilitating communication between disparate devices, executing automations and providing the administration interface for a number of Multitone solutions. The Leonardo Hotel staff team at Hinckley Island are delighted with the new system. Nathan Whitehead, Deputy General Manager, said: “The old Multitone system was always reliable, but we have replaced the ‘bricks’ we used to handle, which worked only in public areas, with smart new handsets which are much easier to carry and use, and work in all areas of the hotel. The staff really like the ‘social media’ style of messaging that they use as well as voice calls.” Peter Lomax, Multitone’s Sales and Marketing Director added: “Multitone is delighted to continue supporting Leonardo Hotels with our new i-Message platform. This highly resilient platform is part of Multitone’s critical messaging solutions portfolio in use across not only hospitality and retail establishments, but also a large proportion of UK based hospitals and emergency services.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Building Centre in London is holding a free workshop with panel debates and talks led by experts across the construction industry on 15 November 2023. With the industry under more scrutiny than ever to make sure that greener practices are followed, it is important that commercial plumbing looks towards the future to find efficient and productive ways of reducing its carbon footprint. Potential methods of which include the use of bio-based polymers and new pipework materials. Visitors to the event, titled ‘The Future of Sustainable Plumbing’, will be able to network and discuss ways that the industry can continue to strive for a sustainable future. Alongside this, expert speakers will be discussing many of the current hot topics that are currently important within the space. These expert speakers will be covering a wide array of topics, including Laing O’Rourke’s Jim Jaffa and Christos Pavlou highlighting the latest design trends in piping installations that are striving to make products more efficient. Franz Huelle from REHAU will be discussing the latest innovations in pipework solutions in the industry, whilst Andreas Frank from Borealis will present about renewable feedstock for polymers, which sees vegetable oils being used as a bio-based polymers feedstock. Alongside this, Julia Torrubia and Margarita Kobrina from Atelier Ten will be talking about the impact of plumbing on the whole life cycle of carbon, an important part of the wider picture of sustainability. Other speakers at the event include Lucy Sherburn from Fairheat, who will give an overview of the new technical requirements set to be introduced under upcoming heat network regulations and Hydrotec’s Amar Lakhani will discuss the chemical-free disinfection of plumbing pipework. Located within the Building Centre in Central London, REHAU’s hub will play host to the event, with a variety of products and solutions on show. There will be an opportunity to experience some of these solutions for today’s challenges being faced in the commercial plumbing industry right now. The event is completely free to attend and looks set to be an insightful meeting of many key industry people and companies, who can look to come together to help guide the commercial plumbing industry into the future. To register for the event, CLICK HERE. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Propertymark has pledged its continued support for the annual Smart Meter Awareness Week. Launched by Smart Energy GB, the UK Government backed campaign body, the first drive ran from 18 to 22 October 2021, with a plan to boost awareness and the number of smart meter installations across the UK. This year, Smart Meter Awareness Week is taking place between Monday 30 October to Sunday 5 November. Smart meters are a part of UK Government plans for a smart energy system that will support carbon emissions cuts. In June 2020, the UK Government stated the policy framework for energy suppliers to deliver a market-wide rollout of smart meters as soon as practical in the period after 2020. This included considering policy measures to proactively support the uptake of smart meters in the private rented sector, such as measures to help ensure that landlords do not unreasonably refuse a tenant’s request to install a smart meter where the tenant is the energy customer and whether to add smart meters to the mix of measures that may be implemented to meet minimum energy efficiency requirements in the private rented sector. Timothy Douglas, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Propertymark, said: “Propertymark is pleased to support the third annual Smart Meter Awareness Week for the private rented sector. Letting agents, tenants, landlords and energy companies all have a role to play in improving smart meter take up because installing a smart meter can help tenants understand how much energy is being used at the property and for agents and their landlords whether this can help to influence any energy efficiency improvements that are needed.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A University of Nottingham academic has played an instrumental role in the creation of a standard that empowers building owners, operators, and professionals to proactively protect indoor environments as we enter the winter virus season. ASHRAE, leader in the development of guidance for safeguarding public health, has created Standard 241, which establishes minimum requirements to reduce the risk of airborne aerosol transmissions, which cause viruses like flu or Covid-19, and other bacteria in buildings. Ben Jones, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Engineering, alongside research fellow Chris Iddon, were selected out of more than a hundred applicants from across the world to work on the modelling and underpinning of the standard that will help design the places of tomorrow. Ben said: “Standard 241 tells building operators how much clean air they should deliver to control infectious aerosols, and we are the people behind those numbers. We made tens of thousands of calculations using a mathematical model of infection risk that considers how many people there might be in a building, how much virus they may collectively emit and, therefore, how much virus uninfected occupants might inhale. “This isn’t the first time we’ve used this type of model, having supported the UK government, Chartered Institution of Building Service Engineers, and the Chilean Government during the pandemic. However, to be involved in the creation of the first standard of its kind that’s going to help solve real world challenges is something I’m incredibly proud of.” The standard was commissioned by the White House and completed in just 116 days using a process that would usually take around four years. It provides comprehensive guidance for systems that control the spread of infectious aerosols and recommendations for ventilation rates, filtration, and air cleaning technology, as well as a building readiness plan that documents procedures for assessing existing or new HVAC systems to ensure they’re working effectively. In a press release issued about Standard 241, 2023-23 ASHRAE’s Ginger Scoggins, stated: “The importance of improved indoor air quality and ventilation became topics of mainstream concern during the pandemic and ASHRAE remained committed to prioritising the health and well-being of building occupants. Standard 241 is a blueprint for building designers, owners, and operators with long-term benefits. With winter virus season approaching, mitigating the spread of airborne infections will be of even greater importance and incorporating the guidance in Standard 241 can be a major step forward in addressing clean air flow goals.” For more information on ASHRAE Standard 241, including related resources, click here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Stand 206 Groupe Atlantic companies Ideal Heating – Commercial Products and ACV UK will be exhibiting together at this year’s CIBSE Build2Perform Live event, 5-6th December at London Excel, on stand 206. As part of their Experts Together campaign, both companies will be showcasing their range of commercial heating and hot water solutions and will be presenting a new CIBSE accredited CPD – ‘Low carbon systems: appliances and applications using heat pump technology’. The new CPD is the first one to be developed jointly between Ideal Heating – Commercial Products and ACV UK and follows on from the recent announcement of a £60m investment programme at Groupe Atlantic’s manufacturing site in Hull to further its development of innovative low carbon technologies. As well as covering the principles underpinning the mechanics and operation of a heat pump system, the new CPD will also look at how commercial monobloc air source heat pumps can be best used with other technologies including direct electric. For those not able to attend the CPD presentation at Build2Perform Live, it can be booked through https://idealcommercialboilers.com/cpd-courses and delivered online or in person. Visitors to Build2Perform Live can not only benefit from the CPD, but also see Ideal Heating – Commercial Products and ACV UK products up close. The ECOMOD range of commercial monobloc air source heat pumps will take centre stage for Ideal Heating. These heat pumps, which are available in six outputs from 14kW to 70kW, offer highly efficient COP performance with low environmental impact, thanks to the use of R32 refrigerant. POD Heat Interface Units (HIU), designed to meet all the requirements of the heat network installer, operator and end user, will also be displayed, alongside Ideal Heating’s market leading condensing boilers. The Evomax 2 – the UK’s number 1 selling wall hung commercial boiler – will be shown in cascade to clearly demonstrate its space saving footprint, whilst still able to deliver up to 900kW. Sitting alongside Ideal Heating, ACV will be exhibiting some of its most popular products including the WaterMaster Evo gas fired stainless steel condensing water heater with tank-in-tank technology. Also utilising tank-in-tank technology, ACV’s SMART ME range of stainless steel indirect cylinders will be on show. These have been designed for use with multi-energy sources – including heat pumps – to produce domestic and commercial hot water. Lastly, visitors to the event can also see the E-Tech W wall hung electric boiler range from ACV. Available in seven models, single or three-phase, the range provides an easy to integrate back-up or top-up to heat pumps. With this year’s Build2Perform Live theme addressing delivering Net Zero and adapting to climate change, experienced Specification Managers from both ACV and Ideal Heating will be on hand at the show to not only take visitors through the product ranges, but also provide advice on the most cost-effective means of decarbonising commercial heating. For more information on CIBSE Build2Perform Live, plus to register for free attendance, go to www.build2perform.co.uk. For more information on Ideal Heating – Commercial Products, visit https://www.idealcommercialheating.co.uk/ and for ACV UK go to www.acv.com/gb Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
According to recent research, a significant portion of office buildings in the United Kingdom do not meet the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) legislation. David Millward, Group Product Manager at Elta Fans, urges building owners and facilities managers to conduct thorough reviews of ventilation systems to fill in any gaps in compliance with the MEES and also Part F of the Building Regulations. Leading UK property consultancy Carter Jonas conducted research revealing only 31.6% of the office stock currently meets the minimum proposed MEES standard of EPC band C or better, which is needed by 2027. Even more concerning, a mere 8.3% of office stock sits in EPC band B, which is the minimum MEES requirement by 2030[1]. With the tightening of MEES regulations, a substantial proportion of office buildings could be unlettable by 2027 unless necessary upgrades are carried out. Following this revelation, David encourages building services stakeholders to look into how ventilation systems are performing. David said: “Keeping a close eye on energy consumption related to ventilation systems can not only help quickly identify performance issues but also contribute to overall sustainability efforts. Addressing these inefficiencies translates into reduced operational costs and a more environmentally friendly operation that complies with the MEES. “We encourage building owners and facilities managers to collaborate with ventilation experts, to pinpoint areas where energy efficiency improvements can be made. As MEES regulations continue to evolve, the need for proactive action becomes increasingly evident. Taking these steps now secures the long-term sustainability and marketability of non-residential properties while providing more comfortable and energy-efficient spaces for tenants.” To meet the impending legislative requirements of MEES, it is essential to also align operations with other regulations such as Part F of the Building Regulations, which governs ventilation, stresses David. One uplift that came during the uplift of the regulations last year is that it is now required for CO2 monitors to be installed to measure air quality in new build office spaces[2]. “At the same time of conducting a review, we advise that to maintain optimal indoor air quality and be compliant with Part F, continuous monitoring is essential, especially in populated spaces such as offices. Although CO2 monitoring is only mandated for new build offices, we encourage everybody to install these systems as they provide lots of other benefits and can help define indoor air quality strategies,” said David. “Monitors provide continuous tracking of crucial indoor air quality parameters. Last year, we launched our partnership with Airthings for this reason to allow building and facilities managers to track CO2 levels, particulate matter, noise levels, relative humidity, temperature, relative light intensity and more. Moreover, the Airthings systems receive constant improvements and over-the-cloud upgrades directly to the device, ensuring accurate and up-to-date data.” “This approach not only promotes occupant health and enhanced productivity but also ensures compliance with environmental and regulatory standards. By combining efficient ventilation system management with continuous indoor air quality monitoring, building owners and facilities managers can create safer, healthier, and more sustainable indoor environments,” concludes David. To find out more about air quality monitoring solutions click here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
By John Gorse, Public and Government Affairs Lead, Signify UKI Connected lighting can help AI make smart cities greener The world has become increasingly urbanised. The UN reports that since 2007 more than half the world’s population has been living in cities. That number is projected to rise to 60% by 2030. Increased urbanisation brings with it increased responsibility for cities, especially regarding the environment. Cities account for roughly 70% of global carbon emissions and over 60% of resource use. Put simply, the world is on a collision course with an ecological reckoning and cities are one of the leading contributors. It follows that cities must also be leading drivers of change if we are to make good on our currently faltering climate pledges. And to successfully take climate action, artificial intelligence (AI) has a vital role to play. What is AI? AI is hard to define, both because it covers a wide range of offerings and because it is essentially a moving target—constantly learning and evolving is intrinsic to its purpose. At the most basic level, AI is digitalisation solution that leverages computers and machines to mimic the problem-solving and decision-making capabilities of the human mind. Essentially, it turns human-defined goals into mathematical ones. AI has long been touted as the technological tool that possesses both the greatest potential for advancement and the greatest degrees of risk. Data privacy is one such risk. Smart city technologies rely on data provided by citizens, but that data must be kept out of the hands of bad actors. A hacker with access to a smart traffic control system, for example, could cause mayhem. Legitimate organisations can potentially misuse AI as well, harvesting and exploiting data in ways that infringe on individual privacy. How can smart cities ensure that they’re using AI correctly? How can they use AI to advance their sustainability agendas in responsible and equitable ways? Read on to learn more. AI in cities AI has the potential to impact nearly every aspect of a smart city. It can bolster security with incident detection and intelligent CCTV. It can increase efficiency with traffic and parking management on roads, as well as automated updates and tracking options on public transportation. It can monitor air quality, manage waste, analyse energy usage—and that barely scratches the surface. To do any of these things, AI relies on data. Processing data, recognising patterns, and devising solutions based on those patterns—even predicting potential future difficulties that can be mitigated—are AI’s fundamental pillars. As such, any city that recognises and wants to capitalise on AI’s potential must ensure that its urban services are collecting data as effectively as possible. That’s where connected street lighting can play an important role. Sustainable partners: AI and connected lighting Sensors in streetlights can monitor air quality and temperature. They can also detect sounds—such as gunshots or smashed windows— and then alert first responders in real time, helping citizens feel more secure. Additionally, they help streamline traffic management by offering real-time traffic information and smart parking. This information can be shared with city traffic managers or directly with drivers via an app. Connected lighting is pivotal from a sustainability standpoint too. According to Climate Group, “A global switch to energy efficient light emitting diode (LED) technology could save over 1,400 million tons of CO2.” That’s equivalent to the energy produced by 1,250 power stations. Potential pitfalls AI will be key to addressing social, economic, and ecological challenges at a global scale. However, its limitations must also be acknowledged. AI & Cities: Risks, Applications and Governance, a report published by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) in collaboration with the Mila-Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, points to some of these limitations. “In order for an algorithm to reason, it must gain an understanding of its environment,” the authors write. “This understanding is provided by the data. Whatever assumptions and biases are represented in the dataset will be reproduced in how the algorithm reasons and what output it produces.” As noted earlier, AI turns human-defined goals into mathematical ones. But if the human-defined goals are based on existing preconceptions, then the data will end up reinforcing those assumptions. AI also falls short in evaluating its own performance. As the UN-Habitat report notes, “While it may be tempting to see algorithms as neutral ’thinkers,’ they are neither neutral nor thinkers.” AI has no grasp of wider context, and so can only produce results based on its pre-defined optimisation goals, which may be at odds with wider considerations—or worse, serve a misleading agenda. AI systems are mathematical and cannot integrate nuance. This means AI can sometimes end up excluding or underrepresenting subjective, qualitative information from its findings. Minimise risk with governance and accountability There are ways to mitigate the risks associated with AI’s shortcomings. Key among these are governance and accountability. Accountability ensures that some entity is always held responsible—and more importantly, always feels responsible—for AI’s impact. Algorithmic systems evolve, often unpredictably. A change in purpose will change their effects. Proper accountability can help negate mission creep, where technologies are intentionally repurposed for surveillance and other extraneous purposes. It can also help ensure that bad-faith actors aren’t able to willfully mishandle AI’s goals, or to repurpose them over time. AI governance refers to the sum of AI regulations, ethics, norms, administrative procedures, and social processes. Governance helps ensure AI is used in an inclusive and equitable way, and that preconceptions or lack of awareness in the early stages don’t allow AI findings to widen the digital divide or exacerbate existing inequalities. Governance lets local authorities evaluate the opportunities and risks afforded by AI, so they can then apply it in accordance with local context. Consulting citizens and communities is vital, too. The public is every city’s primary stakeholder; it needs to have a voice in how a tool as powerful as AI is being used in a community. This helps ensure AI is fixing local problems, not aggravating them. Responsible AI AI’s capacity for generating and expanding the possibilities of smart
For those that own and manage large-scale commercial, industrial, and residential buildings, effective life safety systems are critical. Aside from legal obligation, compliant systems ensure risk is managed appropriately, particularly mitigating the threat of fire and smoke. The latter is where Colt comes in. A pioneer and market leader in smoke control systems which allow smoke out of a building in the event of a fire. Having a system in place that enables smoke to escape is critical to saving lives. But it can also protect assets and reduce the degree of damage to a building. Crucially, when a fire breaks out, reducing the amount of smoke in the building helps those inside, whether they are awaiting fire services or trying to evacuate, because visibility is improved and toxic gases are reduced. Once onsite, fire services can facilitate evacuation more quickly and, with better visibility, rapidly locate the source of the fire in order to speed up extinguishing. Commonly installed in large single-storey factories and warehouses, shopping centres, multi-storey buildings, car parks, and buildings with atria, customers not only rely on Colt’s smoke control technology, but its holistic project managed approach to designing, installing, and maintaining a solution tailored specifically to each project’s need. That means everything a building needs for smoke control. As well as Automatic Opening Vents (AOVs), this also includes fully certified openable ventilators, natural and mechanical shaft systems, access hatches, smoke control dampers, smoke extract fans, smoke and fire curtains and automatic controls. Its multi-disciplined technical expertise, including in-house CFD capability, and in-house engineers mean Colt provides a full turnkey service. It’s little wonder Colt has worked on some of the most prestigious buildings across the UK as well as the tallest structures in the country. These include the 65-storey 22 Bishopsgate (London’s highest commercial building), the 56-storey 1 Nine Elms, and 68-storey South Quay Plaza. Having pioneered the science of smoke control in 1954 when it designed the UK’s first-ever smoke control system to be installed in a manufacturing plant, Colt has continued to set new benchmarks. Continuous innovation from the market leaders One of its latest innovations is the Defender F2, a smoke control damper. Certified to EN12101-8 and tested to EN1363-1 and BS EN1366 Parts 2 and 10, the Defender F2 provides a fire-rated solution when closed and a reliable smoke extract solution when open. Significantly, it has been designed to be seamlessly integrated into the surface of a wall. From an aesthetic point of view it is unobtrusive, unlike traditional louvre damper systems, providing architects greater design control. It’s an example of the wide spectrum of products and solutions Colt can bring to market. While Colt is the market leader in smoke control, as a turnkey service partner it boasts a number of other strengths from smoke and fire damper systems, pressurisation systems for stairwells, car park smoke, fume and CO extraction systems, and the servicing of solar and photovoltaic arrays, as well as brise soleil. Working in collaboration with clients from conception through to commissioning and ongoing maintenance, Colt enables owners and operators to not only address fire safety but unlock a building’s full potential in terms of energy efficiency and architectural design. Its ability to do so lies in its talented personnel. As well as employing all its own engineers, Colt’s vastly experienced design and technical team can develop bespoke solutions tailored to specific building environments and compliance requirements. It also means architects and consultants can work with Colt to identify the best combination of products and systems to achieve the desired effect and performance. Its experts use in-house computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and other design tools such as CAD and BIM to simulate airflows and heat transfer within buildings to assist with designing effective building conditions. Further peace of mind is gained from the fact Colt manufactures its products at its dedicated facility and extensively tests systems prior to installation to verify performance. Independent accredited test houses carry out fire testing, environmental testing (for wind, rain, snow) and safety testing (for load and impact). And no stone is left unturned when commissioning its systems. In compliance with BS7346-8, which is specific legislation relating to the commissioning process, Colt’s multi-stage process includes thorough static testing, functionality, cause & effect and performance testing. The final stage, System Acceptance, involves witness testing, demonstration, sign-off and client training. This is supported by independent 3rd party certification (IFC Certification) for the installation and maintenance of smoke control systems, including smoke and fire curtains – just another step in the process of demonstrating their competence and compliance processes. Colt are fully certified to ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001. They are also (uniquely for the industry), certified to the demanding ISO 37301 for Compliance Management Systems. For Colt engineers, the training never stops Never standing still, Colt continues to evolve. It has, for example, established its own dedicated Training Centre at its manufacturing plant in Havant. Designed specifically for the initial and ongoing training of its maintenance engineers, the centre is equipped with working examples of all the types of smoke control systems that engineers will encounter in the real world. This includes Colt-produced systems as well as those of other manufacturers to ensure engineers have a broader understanding in order to be able to service any system they may encounter. Ongoing training also features regulatory updates and standards in addition to fault-finding to enable first-fix works wherever possible. It guarantees Colt’s engineers remain competent and knowledgeable; ensuring clients have peace of mind that their systems are working as expected. Colt’s enviable reputation has been built on its multi-disciplined approach and almost 70 years of researching and developing systems that have made buildings safer. Its holistic solution is backed by unrivalled in-house technical expertise and highly trained engineers which ensure clients have confidence in the performance of their building safety systems. If you are working on a project that requires smoke control design expertise or manage a building where smoke control maintenance is required, get
ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions UK & Ireland is raising awareness of recent changes made to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) to improve fire safety in buildings, triggered by Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022. These improvements came into effect on 1st October 2023, and form Phase 3 of the Home Office’s fire safety reform programme, building on Phase 1 (the Fire Safety Act 2021) and Phase 2 (the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022). This phase 3 further strengthens fire safety in all FSO regulated premises by increasing requirements in relation to the recording and sharing of fire safety information to create a continual record throughout a building’s lifespan. Other updates include improving cooperation and coordination between responsible persons, ensuring residents have access to comprehensive information about fire safety in their building, and making it easier for enforcement authorities to act against non-compliance. The Home Office has published three new fire safety guides that are intended to replace the previous guide to making premises safe from fire. The fire risk assessment checklist has also been updated to enable responsible individuals understand and meet the new requirements. Brian Sofley, Managing Director at ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions, commented: “We fully support the Building Safety Act, and welcome the new updates to the Fire Safety Order. “We are seeing a critical need for the recording and sharing of fire safety information, and a way to record and continuously update vital information about a building throughout its lifespan. “We should be managing buildings as holistic systems and allowing people to use information to design, construct and operate their buildings safely and effectively. “This ‘golden thread’ approach is the key to making buildings safer and keeping them safe for the future, as outlined in the Hackitt report. We now have so many digital tools at our disposal such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), utilising these will help us record and share information, and keep it up to date to enable greater transparency and safer environments.” BIM allows building elements such as doorsets to be managed through a single platform – from specification to installation and ongoing inspection. For example, ASSA ABLOY’s Openings Studio™ BIM application integrates with design software to create and visualise openings for complete door, frame and hardware schedules and specifications. This enables seamless extraction of door design intent and all relevant interfaces to assist fabricators to develop complete door requirements that meet building regulations. Product information, performance data and budget information are captured within the BIM design environment. Through real time, collaborative working, these designs can be validated for compliance, functional performance, and aesthetics plus presented as 3D views that can be fully re-integrated into the overall project design. Ongoing inspections can also be captured based on the specific details of each door included in the schedule. This report validates if a door has remained compliant, or identifies what elements need to be corrected or replaced to return the product to the standard required, providing full traceability and ownership of all changes at all stages. Brian adds: “BIM applications can help to lock in positive behaviours from the very start of a project, and support an increase in trust and confidence that safety is paramount throughout a building’s specification, construction and maintenance. “Only by working collaboratively will we see a step change in the industry to raise standards – not only in the construction of buildings to make them safer, but also ensuring they are continually assessed and maintained to uphold compliance.” To find out more about BIM, Openings Studio™ and how ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions can help your organisation, please call 0845 071 0882, email ukspecification@assaabloy.com or visit www.assaabloyopeningsolutions.co.uk/specification. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
