June 2023 Newsletter
ASHRAE UK Chapter Launch
16th June 2023
We are thrilled to share the incredible success of our ASHRAE UK Chapter launch and the 1st ASHRAE UK Technology Awards and Dinner night 2023. It was an absolute pleasure to witness the convergence of industry experts, esteemed speakers, and distinguished guests who shared their invaluable insights and experiences.
The highlight of the evening was our exquisite Dinner and Technology Awards ceremony, where we celebrated outstanding innovations and technologies in the field of HVAC&R. It was a moment of pride to honour the brilliant minds behind these groundbreaking advancements.
With more than 200 attendees for our launch event and around 70 guests for the dinner, the overwhelming response was a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire organizing team, headed by Prof. Mahroo Eftekhari from the ASHRAE UK Chapter. We couldn’t have achieved such a remarkable feat without their relentless efforts.
We would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to our launch event and dinner sponsors, Vexo International, Computair Ltd, ELCO Heating Solutions UK, Koura, and Tempcon Instrumentation Ltd. Your generous support played a crucial role in making this event a resounding success. We are truly grateful for your commitment to the HVAC&R industry and your belief in our mission.
Lastly, but certainly, not least, a big thank you goes out to all the attendees who graced us with their presence and made this event truly special. Your enthusiasm, engagement, and active participation contributed to the vibrant atmosphere of the evening.
We are excited about the future of the ASHRAE UK Chapter and look forward to continuing our journey of promoting excellence and innovation in HVAC&R.
If you missed the event or want to relive the memories, check out our website for highlights and photos – https://www.ashrae.uk/ashraeuk-launch-photo-gallery/
Presidents Message
Together, let us create a legacy that future generations will look back upon with gratitude and pride.
Joshua Vasudevan, President ASHRAE UK (2023-24)
As the newly elected President of the ASHRAE UK Chapter, I am honored to serve you. Every year ASHRAE society president set their theme for the year. This year I want to set a theme for our chapter based on the previous president’s vision. Our theme for this year is “Collaborate, Innovate, and Secure the Future.” We believe that by fostering collaboration among building services organizations, we can create a sustainable future. Together, we can achieve real progress through shared knowledge and innovative ideas.
I want to build upon the foundation set by our previous ASHRAE Presidents, who wisely urged us to “Feed the roots” and “Secure the future.” Today, I extend their message to our you ng engineers and future leaders. Just as others have nourished and guided us, it is now our responsibility to feed the roots of the next generation, to provide them with mentorship, support, and opportunities for growth. By investing in their development and sharing our experiences, we can empower them to become leaders who secure the future of our industry.
The urgency of addressing climate change cannot be overstated. The building industry is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and we must act decisively to decarbonize our practices. This is not a task we can undertake alone. Collaboration will be key to our success. Let us reach out to other organizations and institutions, establishing platforms for knowledge exchange and innovation. By pooling our resources and expertise, we can find sustainable solutions and accelerate the decarbonization of the building industry.
Throughout the year, we will organize events and initiatives to foster collaboration, encourage innovation, and support the growth of young engineers. By leveraging our chapter’s expertise and forming partnerships, we will work towards a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable built environment.
I invite each of you to actively participate in our endeavors. Your expertise and dedication are crucial to our success. Let us unite as a community, share our knowledge, and empower each other to make a real difference.
In conclusion, as President of ASHRAE UK Chapter, I am committed to promoting collaboration, accelerating decarbonization, and securing the future of our profession. By embracing our theme of “Collaborate, Innovate, and Secure the Future,” we can nurture the talents of young engineers, exchange ideas, and drive meaningful change.
Technology Awards 2023
The ASHRAE UK Chapter recently marked a significant milestone with the launch of its inaugural event. The ASHRAE UK Chapter Launch Event served as a platform to recognize and honor outstanding technological innovations in the field of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R). This prestigious occasion brought together industry experts, professionals, and enthusiasts to celebrate advancements that drive energy efficiency, sustainability, and comfort in the built environment.
The categories for the Awards include Residential, Office, Education, Commercial, Industrial, Healthcare, Refrigeration, and Smart Building and Equipment Awards.
Sponsor News
Weather Data in Building Performance Modelling
With growing concerns over the progressive impacts of climate change, access to appropriate, high quality weather data is an increasingly important consideration for building performance modellers. In this virtual round table discussion, hosted by DesignBuilder, a distinguished panel of experts with a wealth of experience in weather data will convene to explore the subject and share their insights with you. The session will be moderated by Dave Cocking, DesignBuilder’s Managing Director, and our panel of experts are:
- Dru Crawley – Director of Building Performance Research at Bentley Systems, ASHRAE Director-At-Large, and current IBPSA President.
- Joe Huang – President, founder, and co-owner of White Box Technologies.
- Andy Tindale – Chair and co-founder of DesignBuilder Software.
This engaging session will include three concise presentations plus an opportunity to explore key aspects related to weather data. Dave will facilitate the discussion, asking Dru, Joe, and Andy questions on topics such as the evolution of weather data, future climate, data quality issues, weather data sources, and matching the type of data to the application.
Register now to either attend this free session live on 13th July, or to receive a recording.
Sponsor News
Announcing latest Ionisation Product IDF-2™
GPS Air are thrilled to announce upcoming release of our latest innovation in the IAQ space.
The in-space ion delivery fan (IDF-2™), CE/ UKCA version is now available for the UK market. This ceiling mounted fan that delivers consistent levels of air cleaning ions is the perfect IAQ solution for large open spaces such as conference rooms, classrooms, and open plan offices, and easy to install.
The revolving diffuser ensures an even introduction of ions for optimal in-space concentration levels. This standalone model is designed to be fitted into commercial drop/suspended ceilings using a standard 24″ x 24″ tile footprint.
GPS Air also offers additional accessory, the IDF-CM, which is a mounting solution to enable the IDF-2 to fan to be mounted on hard ceilings. Suitable for use with substrates able to support the combined weight of the ceiling mount and IDF-2 such as concrete, stone, wood or metal.
For more information, visit: https://gpsair.com/products/idf-2
WHO IS GPS?
The leaders in indoor air quality
Our technology helps clean indoor air without producing harmful levels of ozone or other byproducts. All GPS needlepoint bipolar ionization (NPBI™) products are UL certified and CE compliant. Through NPBI, GPS products help improve the air by reducing airborne particles including certain odors, viruses and bacteria.
Sponsor News
Safety And Sustainability In Educational Institutes Go Beyond Students And Teachers
Creating a healthier learning environment incorporates three elements: energy management, air quality and remote connectivity. A smart solution to consider is a Trend Building Energy Management System (BEMS). A BEMS is an automated solution designed to help manage energy consumption and boost operational efficiency.
Think of it like having an engineer on site 24/7. A BEMS can track ambient temperatures, humidity, water and air quality and other data points. This data is helpful to align your building’s energy consumption to actual use. Just as well, the BEMS can visualise information in graphical formats, facilitating site-wide energy management.
How clean air helps prevent the spread of infectious diseases
Besides efforts to manage energy, air quality in buildings must be monitored and optimised frequently. Good indoor air quality is known to have a positive impact on the wellbeing and productivity of building occupants.
In buildings with poorly ventilated or overheated rooms, airborne pathogens are more likely to spread when carbon dioxide and temperature levels rise. Trend’s BEMS are designed to integrate heating, ventilation, AC, air quality monitoring and air filtering technologies to keep indoor air as clean and fresh as possible.
Remote connectivity enables building control from virtually anywhere
A Trend BEMS allows you to oversee building operations from long distances. Remote connectivity means authorised personnel can be warned of issues before they become an emergency. Most often, the BEMS user can resolve issues from a visual dashboard until a full repair is possible.
As a bonus, remote connectivity supports digital transformation. One example is the University of Bristol, which employs a Trend BEMS to digitally monitor fish tanks. Previously, data was checked manually. Information from the tank is now presented with custom graphics, and sensor data can be observed from a mobile device.
Technology plays an important role in educational buildings
Smart-ready and cost-effective solutions are ready now to assist school leaders with their reliability and environmental objectives. With help from a Trend BEMS, you can successfully improve the health of your building and enhance the wellbeing of those who use it.
For more information on Trend’s case study with the University of Bristol, reach out to: Pradeep Singh (Pradeep.Singh@Honeywell.com)
Sponsor News
IESVE 2023 Available to Download
IES are pleased to announce that IESVE 2023 is now available for download. New features include:
- Central Plant Heat Pumps (CPHP)
- Heat Pump Equipment Sizing
- Heat Pump Water Heater (HPWH) for DHW
- Auxiliary Downstream Heating Equipment
- Energy Meters – Hierarchy Management
- Hourly Carbon Emission Factors & Hourly Source Energy Factors
- California Title 24-2022 Compliance
- California Title 24 – Solar Access Roof Area (SARA)
- Daylighting – Seasonal Foliage
- EU Navigator
- New Navigator added to export heating & cooling loads to MagiCAD
- MagiCAD script called that exports heating & cooling load data to a CSV file that MagiCAD can import
- Miscellaneous enhancements
Sponsor News
Flexfiller Direct G4
The Flexfiller Direct G4 is the latest in pumpless digital pressurisation technology for light commercial and residential buildings. It’s a slim, wall-mounted pumpless top-up pressurisation unit, with a top-up flow rate of up to 14 l/min depending on the mains or boosted mains, water pressure. It is designed to be connected directly to a building’s incoming water supply using the included flexible hose. It is there to fill and maintain the pressure of a heating or chilled water system without the need for a pump. The unit comes with a user-friendly controller that displays all operating and error conditions comprehensibly and conveniently. It features extensive data storage for online and offline analysis, microprocessor control, and self-learning algorithms with a graphical display. It comes with MODBUS RTU and BACnet communication protocols as standard and has its key operating parameters password protected.
Product features
Silent, pumpless pressurisation unit. Fills system from empty. For system volumes up to 50,000 litres. Onscreen service reminder (12 months). Colours: Grey (RAL7016) and Red (RAL3002). Password protected. Pressure setting in 0.1 bar increments. Flood protection (Runtime limiter and excessive activation logging). Volt free contact: Common alarm (N/C or N/O), fully programmable for specific alarms customisable via control unit). Extensive data storage for online or offline analysis. Advanced technology ensures the lowest power consumption, long service life and easy maintenance. Microprocessor control, self-learning with graphical display. Max. flow rate of 14 l/min. Connects directly to the mains (boosted) water mains, via included flexible hose (L = 400 mm).