When considering how design choices impact embodied carbon, the data only supports the upfront carbon due to incomplete data for whole life carbon (WLC) for the BaU scheme (in 2018 the industry wasn’t regularly considering WLC calculations for projects)..
As the information becomes more detailed, the list should be updated to reflect the latest information.Most issues we come across on a project are due to missing services or undefined duties within the laboratory equipment list.. Labs without extracting equipment can follow the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) guidance for air change rates, with supplementary cooling required from internal units such as fan coil units.
For spaces requiring close temperature control, we do not use refrigerant-to- air cooling..In labs with extracting equipment, especially fume cupboards, the make-up air required may be a very high volume and allow for centralised air cooling.We always review the possibility of variable-volume fume cupboards to reduce the energy demand, whilst being aware that the stack discharge on fume cupboards must remain constant, which means the fans will require a bleed damper to allow make-up air to enter the fan to maintain constant efflux velocity.
With any fume extracting system, we will ensure the material of construction throughout the entire system is suitable for the extracted fumes.Solvents and acids are particularly good at corroding metal, such as the metal fixing a fire damper to a wall..
The electrical engineer should review with the client the earthing requirements, including static discharge within the floor construction or electromagnetic interference for sensitive equipment, and inform the lab design architect.
Some client laboratory equipment can be damaged or become dangerous if there’s a loss of power, so understanding any Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) requirements early on is essential.. As usual, the coordination between the MEP services becomes the difficult part of the latter stages.In these types of examples, governance and transactional issues are less of an issue.
However, when trying to make the planning process flow better, or trying to design an integrated transport system, it’s harder to be certain about what gains will be achieved from connecting digital assets.Sharp says that type of understanding is still a long way off.. How long will it take to modernise planning?.
Jack Ricketts says it isn’t currently known how long digitising the planning process will take because of the financial investment required.However, there are plans for an application to Innovate UK and their Smart Grant funding programme.
(Editor: Modern Switches)