The higher flammability of low-GWP refrigerants in heat pumps and air conditioning systems has to be carefully considered by designers and installers. Alex Smith reports
Tag: Building safety
‘Asking the right questions’: meeting building safety requirements
As chair of the new Industry Competence Steering Group, Hanna Clarke has a crucial role to play in making sure the construction sector comes together to improve competency and meet the requirements of the Building Safety Act. Alex Smith speaks to the artist turned safety expert with a painter’s eye for detail
Science in the city: the challenge of retrofitting labs
Empty retail space in the UK is attracting the attention of the booming life sciences sector. Cundall’s Rob van Zyl looks at the trend for retrofitting laboratories and, in particular, the challenge of ventilating them in built-up areas
Making the world a safer place: Hywel Davies retires from CIBSE
Hywel Davies HonFCIBSE may have retired from CIBSE, but Alex Smith discovers he is still at the forefront of building safety reform and will continue to cajole industry and government to strive for safer buildings
Means of escape: plans for second staircases in higher-risk buildings
In July last year, the government announced that it expected residential buildings higher than 18m to contain a second staircase. Further details were set out last month. Hywel Davies explores the latest statement
Grasp the thread
The final sections of Part 4 of the Building Safety Act have come into force, covering the golden thread and safety case requirements. Dr Hywel Davies explains the implications for building managers and accountable persons
A call for clarity: adopting a design-then-build approach
In the ever-evolving landscape of construction, the traditional single-stage tender process for design and build contracts faces scrutiny. calfordseaden’s Jonathan Harris delves into the practicality of a design-then-build approach
A secure new year? Keeping buildings safe from cyber attack
Cyber security is seen as a dark art but is essential in a virtual world says Hywel Davies
Platform for change: insights from CIBSE Build2Perform Live 2023
CIBSE Build2Perform Live was a platform for industry professionals and academics to highlight the issues vital to the built environment tackling its net zero challenges while ensuring the safety and comfort of end users. Alex Smith, Molly Tooher-Rudd and Mike Sewell report
The narrow gate: gaining design approval for higher-risk buildings
Higher-risk building projects are now subject to a new building control regime. Hywel Davies explains the approval process