Following the receipt of all necessary EU competition approvals, the transaction initially announced in July 2009 between De Dietrich Remeha Group and Baxi Group has been completed. The new group will be called BDR Thermea, recognising the contribution both groups bring to the combination.

Paul Wenden, engineering and product management director for Fläkt-Woods has been appointed President of FETA, the Federation of Environmental Trade Associations.

Paul is also President of HEVAC the Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Manufacturers Association, which itself is an Incorporated Association of FETA.

Top Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) expert, Paul Stepan has warned that new carbon reduction legislation is weighted strongly against the property sector.

Mr Stepan, from environmental consultancy, Camco, said: "The government's well meaning process of policy simplification has left landlords in a poor position. Furthermore difficulties with regards to legally charging their tenants for CRC costs and the desire to recover administration and other associated expenses, compound the issue. These costs could become more significant once the financial impact of the scheme becomes clearer."

Waste glass, plastic and metal are to be converted into clean energy as the go-ahead was given by the Government for a new plant in Peterborough.

Energy and Climate Change Minister, David Kidney has granted consent to Peterborough Renewable Energy Ltd for the construction of the 80MW energy from waste and biomass fuelled power station at Storey's Bar Gate.

As lighting control technologies continue to develop there is considerably more scope to address each user's requirements as well as environmental and sustainability issues. 

Controls for building services in general, and lighting in particular, have received a real boost in recent years, thanks to the recognition that no matter how well designed a piece of kit is, it will only be as efficient as the way it is controlled.

Johnson Controls and The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, has announced the creation of a European and Mediterranean Energy Efficiency & Climate Change Forum. The event will be hosted in Monaco in April 2010 and will focus on a range of energy efficiency and policy issues with the goal of elevating awareness and accelerating action on implementing energy efficiency programmes to slow climate change.

JET Environmental is adding its voice to Government advisors who are calling for a step change in policies to reduce carbon emissions, and less reliance on market forces to achieve this objective. As part of this step-change, JET is urging Government to incentivise the UK's big power users to adopt jet air induction technology more widely so that they can reduce energy consumption and help achieve the emission cuts demanded by Government and the Committee on Climate Change.  

Pipe Center's Modular Engineering has won the award for Best Product or System in the Offsite Construction Awards 2009.

The award recognised the ability of Pipe Center's approach to reduce costs, save waste, protect the environment, cut accidents and deliver an assured level of quality on time and to budget.

The names of the companies tasked with designing and building Scotland's homes of the future at a groundbreaking innovation park in the heart of Ravenscraig have been announced.

Priva Building Intelligence Ltd has appointed one of the UK's largest independent control system integrators, to its Priva Partner Network.

Enforcement of Building Regulations for the Conservation of fuel and power (Part L) 18.25% is running a close second behind Structure (Part A) 22.47% and ahead of Fire (Part B), according to recent research from LABC Cambridgeshire.

Megaman is part of a drive to reduce carbon emissions by 10% in one year by making the company part of the solution to climate change. As one of the first companies to sign up for 10:10, which is a national drive to cut carbon emissions by 10% during 2010, Megaman has made a commitment to pull out all the stops and reduce its carbon footprint and also get its staff, customers and suppliers involved.

HVCA has signed up to a Code of Practice which has been developed by the Confederation of British Industry's Trade Association Forum to promote best practice amongst its members, and so raise their overall quality and effectiveness.

The city of Jyväskylä in Finland has been awarded the first prize in the 2009 city.people.light awards, the annual competition organized by Philips and the Lighting Urban Community International Association (LUCI) to reward projects which demonstrate the contribution lighting can make to the well-being of those who live, work or visit a city or town.

Emma Marshall of Northumbria University has won the CIBSE/ASHRAE Graduate of the Year Award.

This well established and prestigious award, sponsored by Baxi Commercial, rewards the best graduate from a programme related to CIBSE/ASHRAE activities with a trip to the 2010 winter ASHRAE meeting in Orlando, USA.

BSEE and the BCIA have once again joined forces to bring you The 2010 Building Controls Industry Awards, an awards programme designed to bring together the entire building controls industry in a celebration of the companies, innovations and people that are achieving the highest professional standards and helping to drive this dynamic industry forward.

The connectivity of building controls systems is sometimes raised as a concern by end-users, and even specifiers. However, modern communications platforms and the work of organisations such as the BCIA have ensured that there are now few reasons why different types of control products cannot work successfully together.

BT has installed a giant electronic information screen at the top of the iconic BT Tower in London. The 360 degree LED screen - made up of Martin Professional LC Plus Series LED panels and believed to be the highest of its kind in Europe and the Americas - will be used as an information band, showing messages and providing visual content that will be visible from various locations across the city.

A new lighting scheme that blends performance and practicality has been created at the new European headquarters of World Duty Free (WDF). The scheme, by McCarthy Bainbridge Ltd, features Ridi's MIELA-EBIMML luminaires in a design that creates a productive, shadow-free environment for staff of the world's leading travel retailer.

The mixed use redevelopment of 55 Baker Street, recipient of a BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent', has been recognised as the UK's finest refurbished or recycled workplace at the inaugural BCO London and South East Awards ceremony and AET's Flexible Space underfloor air system was a key part of the building services installation. 

The Roundhouse in Derby has opened its doors to a first wave of students following an extensive redevelopment of the historic site by Derby College.

Wokingham based systems house Integrated Control Systems has successfully integrated a building management system (BMS) with the in-house bedroom booking system at the new Hilton Reading hotel in Southside, to ensure the building is one of the most carbon-neutral of all the company's UK hotels.

FDS Consult has helped keep the design of a complex mixed use development alive, whilst meeting the safety requirements of local building regulations.  

Oventrop UK has been successful in securing the contract to supply a wide range of its valves, including TRVs, differential pressure regulating and Aquastrom T Plus domestic hot water services valves for the new St Helens Hospital for St Helens & Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

BG Controls has installed a Building Management System (BMS) in the newly built leisure centre at Catterick Garrison - the UK's largest army base.

JS Humidifiers has supplied, installed and commissioned three Neptronic SKE resistive steam humidifiers at the Royal Armouries Museum and the National Firearms Centre in Leeds. The humidifiers maintain the humidity around the 8,500 exhibits on display and in stores at the two sites. These exhibits include cannons, mortars and the largest collection of arms and armour on display since the 19th century.

On-site electrical equipment is at the receiving end of a lot of abuse, whether that is from the harsh environments which it has to endure or simply from misuse by site personnel. However, the fact remains that it has to stand up to the elements in order to eliminate delays which can have a costly effect on any project.

The recession has hit commercial property owners and developers hard, with the plethora of ‘To Let' signs adorning office buildings the length and breadth of the country attesting to that fact.

At present the commercial property market is awash with vacant and available premises, meaning developers and owners need to be able to offer something extra in order to grab the attention of would-be tenants.

In the UK automated solar shading and façade management is wholly relevant to the demands of Part L of The Building Regulations and the implementation of energy efficiency measures. However, it is an often overlooked discipline but one which is set to grow.

For commercial property managers, specifying heating systems is largely determined by cost - the cost of the system to purchase and install and its annual running costs. However, with more and more legislation being introduced that is intended to drastically reduce the UK's carbon emissions and the Government's long term plan to make all new non-domestic buildings carbon neutral within the next 10 years, the environmental impact of a heating system has also become increasingly important in the specification process.

The British Council for Offices updated Guide to Specification has introduced a design target for mixed mode and naturally ventilated offices of not more than 25˚C for more than 5% of the occupied hours, and 28˚C for not more than 1%.

Renewable technologies are often lumped together under a single heading, yet the requirements of solar, biomass and heat pumps could not actually be more different. Many system designs at present are overlooking the essential differences between these technologies and, as a result, are failing to optimise the cost and carbon savings that are available.

Two years after the start of the credit crunch, indications are that there is some light at the end of the tunnel for the UK economy. Although life is still tough out there for businesses, programmes of planned maintenance and refurbishment that have been mothballed in recent months are edging back onto the agenda, and forward-thinking building managers can gain an edge in a tough market by reducing heating costs with renewable heating like heat pumps.

Grundfos has become a well-known name in the supply of high quality pumps for commercial building services applications heating, air conditioning and pressure boosting but have not necessarily been the first name to spring to mind when considering wastewater pump suppliers. 

Enter the Grundfos new web portal and see the all new web window that will help to simplify pump selection by making available to you for the first time a one stop shop for commercial building services professionals.

The latest addition to Danlers energy saving, lighting controls range is the PIR Occupancy Switch Module.

Glow-worm has introduced whole house mechanical ventilation with heat recovery into its growing range of renewable energy solutions.

Glow-worm is strengthening its position within the renewable technology market with the launch of the Clearly Heat Pump range of air to water heat pumps.

Packaged rooftop air conditioners from Walter Meier (Climate UK) bring a new level of functionality to rooftop units, combining high efficiency and performance with low life cycle costs, ease of installation and competitive pricing. They can be configured to meet heating, cooling and air handling duties, thus reducing total plant requirements.

NoWyr (No Wire) has introduced a range of remote wireless switching products. The system is a complete solution housed in an IP65 enclosure.

BSS Industrial has teamed up with Big Foot - not the mythical monster but the building support systems company Big Foot Systems. The whole Big Foot range of feet and frames is now available within its own brand BOSSfix collection. 

Carlo Gavazzi has introduced a range of sensors to measure environmental variables including CO2 levels, humidity, temperature and airflow. The new CGES sensors complement the company's existing offerings to provide complete solutions for energy management, HVAC and smart building applications.

Lindapter has expanded their decking fixing range with the development of the Type MF, allowing building services to be suspended from Metfloor 60 & 80 profiles produced by CMF.

Designed specifically with District / Community Heating networks in mind Alfa Laval's new AquaFlow/AquaStore 2-Port tap water heaters complement their existing 3 and 4 port model range. 

The new AC230 and AC500 brazed heat exchangers (BHEs) from Alfa Laval feature not one but two refrigerant circuits to enable them to handle a wide range of duties in the refrigeration and HVAC sectors.

Conex is now producing a wide range of copper traps, wastes and compression fittings which are ideal for medical, pharmaceutical, food preparation and other sensitive environments.

MK Electric, the UK's leading manufacturer of wiring devices and accessories, has migrated its echo range of innovative self powered wireless and battery-free switches into the Masterseal product. The award winning IP56 rated Masterseal range has been specifically designed for use either outdoors or indoors and in areas heavily exposed to dust and splashing water.

Electrical industry folklore has it that lighting controls are complicated and suitable only for large projects. Not so. Thorn has introduced SensaModular, a simple plug-and-play dimming solution for single room applications that is capable of taking in and responding to sensors and other interfaces, without the need for extra commissioning tools. 

Flextraction Ltd has introduced a comprehensive range of ventilation fans to extract smoke and fumes up to 400°C/2hr.

MK Electric has just published the 47th edition of its catalogue - providing a superbly comprehensive reference to one of the largest quality ranges of electrical product and accessories available on the market.

Seaward has produced a special training and demonstration film for its new PowerPlus 1557 high performance multi function electrical installation tester.

The new 90-page brochure from CP Electronics catalogue presents the user with very tangible benefits that extend way beyond the simple selection of lighting controls. Stand alone product pages, clear photographs and concise text makes specification simple for anyone involved in the selection of building controls. An in-depth six page technology section provides helpful advice on microwave detection, PIR (Passive Infra Red), presence and absence, Direct Dim and PRM. 

Crane Fluid Systems, a leading brand of Crane Building Services & Utilities has launched a range of differential pressure control valves (DPCVs).

Stokvis Energy Systems has expanded its Econoflame range of commercial and industrial boilers which are now available in nominal heat outputs of 40 to 1189kW.

Vent-Axia is celebrating the launch of its redesigned website which will allow visitors access to a hub of ventilation information.

Advanced Engineering has announced the arrival in the UK of one of the world's fastest refrigerant recovery machines - the Promax RG5410a-Extreme.

CMS Acoustics, the UK's largest provider of acoustic solutions, has launched a specification guide to support mechanical and electrical (M&E) consultants and contractors in selecting the right acoustic or vibration product for a specific application.

The Plan Compact from Purmo is a white panel radiator with a minimalist, elegant look, suitable for an array of living spaces. It has an absolutely flat front with lucent lamination, which consists of attached top and side panels. This covers the Compact in such a way that no overlapping corners can be seen from the front.

Volt Stick - the original and still the best non-contact voltage tester range - has now launched the unique VSPU-1 Proving Unit- designed to provide even greater safety and piece of mind for electrical, gas and utilities engineers - and everyone else wise enough to keep a Volt Stick tester close to hand.

The first product launch from new exterior lighting company Paviom is the distinctive and futuristic Lofoot family - a unique range of lighting modules. Designed by eco-designer Jason Thawley, the range provides an energy efficient and low carbon footprint lighting solution that is 90% recyclable.

Titon has extended the range of its SAP Appendix Q and EST Best Practice compliant whole house heat recovery ventilation units with the HRV2 Q Plus and HRV3 Q Plus. It has also launched a mid-capacity version - the HRV1.5 Q Plus. Hot on the heels of its revolutionary HRV1 Q Plus unit, the new models are designed for use in dwellings with between three and nine wet rooms.

Tour & Andersson has launched the TBV-CMP, a pressure independent balancing and control valve for small terminal units in waterborne HVAC systems.

Extechnology's patented EXE 12 UV-C technology is designed to offer a low carbon solution to the rising number of complaints regarding nuisance odours from commercial kitchen extract systems. With the EXE 12 unit's UV-C tubes mounted outside the ductwork the tubes pose no resistance to air flow allowing air movement systems to maintain their efficiency.

Marshall-Tufflex's new ‘Trunking for Education Environments' brochure provides a one-stop-shop cable management information source for all those involved in delivering the government's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.

Groundbreaking micro-CHP technology is available for the first time in the UK from ENER-G Combined Power Limited.  

The launch of new Lindab Smart Tools introduces a whole family of products designed to cuts costs and boost efficiency and safety in the ductwork industry.

High Care Air (HCA) is a new company offering the latest fabric ducting technologies, combining unparalleled flexibility for system designers with sensible prices for end customers. HCA has been formed by Paul and Mark Russon, who have a wealth of experience in fabric ducting and previously ran Euro Air UK, before their product supplier was acquired by a competitor.

In one of its most significant product launches in recent years, Eaton is introducing Memshield 3, a new generation of final distribution boards and associated circuit protection devices for commercial, industrial and public buildings. Memshield 3 forms a vital element in Eaton's PowerChain Management solutions which offer an integrated approach to the efficient distribution and control of electrical energy in buildings, from the main supply intake to the point of use.

JCC Lighting, has expanded its range of LEDs with the introduction of MG-LED, a series of new Fireguard downlights, plus an addition to the existing MLED range, offering the most comprehensive product choice of low energy fire-rated downlights available on the market.

A second generation of high performance solar panels, developed by Rotex, has been launched in the UK which are almost 5% more efficient than those previously produced and are capable of converting 96% of the sun's energy into heating and hot water.

A new report detailing the emergence of new super virulent strains of Clostridium Difficile (C. Diff) has re-emphasised the importance of effective infection prevention - particularly hand washing - in the fight against Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAIs).

The new Protec 6000PLUS fire sensor is an elegantly designed, low profile detector that blends unobtrusively into modern working environments. Combined with a talking sounder, it delivers synchronized, authoritative alert and evacuate messages throughout a building, enabling a more prompt and safe evacuation.

MK Electric, the UK's leading manufacturer of wiring devices and accessories, is strengthening its online presence with an updated and redesigned website. The site features a number of new products, more useful content, which is both simpler and quicker to access, and an on-line literature ordering service.

Mitsubishi Electric has launched a new series of water-cooled VRF air conditioning systems with a line up that offers an industry-leading COP of 6.06 in heating and 5.71 in cooling, whilst delivering an average 20% increase in efficiency over previous models.

Daikin Europe NV has introduced a new EWYD-BZ air cooled heat pump inverter chiller series - available in standard and low noise (6.5dBA reduction) models which provide ideal solutions for comfort cooling applications and are also an ideal replacement for conventional boilers.

Rada, the commercial division of Kohler Mira, has compiled a suite of products ideally suited to the demanding needs of the education sector - whether they be safety, security or hygiene. The collection encompasses digital water control devices, anti-vandal showering, washbasin taps and ancillary products.

Now available from FG Eurofred is the Fujitsu Airstage V-II multi air conditioning VRF system for large buildings. It offers both efficiency and quick, easy installation with a host of new features for the end user.

Zip Heaters (UK) Ltd has redesigned and extended its range of Aquaflo unvented water heating cylinders. Made of high quality, corrosion resistant Duplex stainless steel the new range offers a choice of 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, 250 and 300 litre capacities in direct and indirect configurations. Solar compatible models are also available from 150 litres upwards to meet the growing need for renewable energy solutions.

While infections caused by the legionella bacterium (Legionnaire's disease) are relatively uncommon, vigilance against the organism has to be maintained because of the relative virulence (and lethality) of the condition, and the ease with which outbreaks could occur.

THE Government guidance, BB 100: Design for fire safety in schools, issued by the Department for Children, Schools and Families in England and Wales in 2007, reiterates the well-known fact that smoke inhalation is the biggest cause of fire deaths, and places much emphasis on controlling smoke spread and preventing it from entering escape routes, particularly through the use of physical barriers.

When The Glasgow School of Art decided to refurbish its world famous Mackintosh Building, it knew that the introduction of a competent and efficient building management system (BMS) would be vital to the facility's ongoing success, both as a functional seat of education and a historic place of interest.

New research from energy company npower has revealed that schools in Britain waste an average of £2,000 a year on energy bills, equating to an accumulative 400,000 tonnes of CO2 across the country. The problem is most marked in secondary schools, with those surveyed each wasting an average of £7,700 - or 10% of their annual energy bill.