CIBSE Young Members

 CIBSE Journal News from September:

Public Health Engineering

As the sustainability agenda in the built environment grows, so does the remit for public health engineers. In this special report on public health engineering, we look at the torrent of policy, regulations and environmental standards that has gushed from government in recent years as it strives to meet the challenges that a warming world will bring. Click here to read the full report.

Consequential Improvements 'Could Have Saved Millions'

Introducing 'consequential improvements' to Part L 2010 of the Building Regulations could have resulted in £705m of savings, according to a campaign group.  Click here to read the full article.

1920s Home Recreated for Efficiency Research

A replica 1920s traditional-style terrace property is being constructed at Salford University to test the energy efficiency of old house stock. The Energy House will be constructed within a sealed three-storey testing chamber using a host of reclaimed building materials and more than 20,000 bricks from recently demolished terraced homes to make it as authentic as possible. To read the full article in this month's CIBSE Journal click here and scroll along to page 14.

New 'Energy Fund' to Help Achieve Carbon Target

Councils and developers are to be given moer flexibility to help homes meet the zero carbon standard by 2016, according to UK ministers. Housing minister Grant Shapps is looking to establish a 'community energy fund' to allow developers to make payments to councils  to support local energy projects, such as district heating schemes and wind farms. This would help developers build new homes that emit fewer emissions. Click here for more information.

CIBSE Journal News from August:

Academy for Change

Laing O'Rourke and the University of Cambridge have announced the creation of a new multi-diciplinary academic centre of excellence to advance the engineering profession.  The Laing O'Rourke Centre Construction Engineering and Technology is planned to play a key role in shaping the future of the construction industry by responding to environmental and sustainability challenges.

Institute to Seek Natural Solutions

Construction of the £25m teaching and research facility at Aberystwyth University has begun. The centre is intended to form a new institute at the leading edge of environmental and agricultural science, with the architectural solutions designed to work in a natural way with the environment. Completion is due in July 2011.

Lost Learning Opportunity

Axing the Building Schools for the Future programme will add to industry's woes and could see the loss of further design innovation. But, reports Carina Bailey, not everyone is pessimistic about the cuts. Click here and scroll to page 12 to read the full article.

Sustainability Without the Hot Water

Combined heat and power solutions or heat pumps - which are the key to delivering low carbon services? A Cambridge professor and author of a book on 'sustainability without the hot air' has cast doubt on the efficacy of CHP. But, says Huw Blackwell, is this the whole story? Click here to read the full article.

Ministers Take Back Planning Powers

Ministers are to be given new powers to grant planning permission for major new infrastructure projects. The move was announced by decentralistion minister Greg Clark, who also confirmed that the Infrastructure Planning Commission will be abolished. Click here for more information.

Tilting Canvas

Looking to design a high-performance single-skin facade, engineers turned to the classic bay window for inspiration. And the successful results underlined the importance of early-stage collaboration, writes Dr Mikkel Kragh. Click here to read the full article.