Heating accounts for nearly half of final energy consumption in the UK (48% in 2013) and 78% of non-transport energy use (DECC, 2013). Heat is a utility, like water, gas, and electricity. Communal or district heating systems are becoming more common and these involve the centralised generation of heat and the distribution of this heat … Continue reading “Heat metering”
BRE Global technical author Corinne Williams answers 5 questions about her new publication Assessing the performance of Phase Change Materials in buildings. Question 1: Did you have to test several cocktails during the writing of this publication? No! The ice cube example is a simple way to explain how PCMs work. Ice is a commonly used … Continue reading “5 questions about Phase Change Materials (including one about cocktails)”
Blindfold chess is played by a strong player without being able to see the chess board. The player sits with his/her back to the chess board and calls out the moves (I presume), or wears a blindfold. Blindfold chess is not a recommended method to managing risk… However, playing chess and managing risk have a lot in common. … Continue reading “Managing Risk in Construction”
Following a successful campaign to reduce false fire alarms, Gatwick Airport called on BRE experts to review its false alarm data and identify ways of further cutting these incidents. They were able to make recommendations and propose an operational process to address the remaining false alarms. Read more here
The BRE Trust-funded research project ‘Security glazing: is it all that it’s cracked up to be?’ followed a spate of ‘smash-and-grab’ attacks to steal expensive goods such as jewellery and designer clothing from window displays. These attacks showed that in some cases glazing offers the least resistance to forced entry in situations where criminals are … Continue reading “Security Glazing: is it all that it’s cracked up to be?”
SABRE Essentials is a series of publications aimed at breaking down the technical requirements of SABRE – BRE Global’s new security assessment and certification scheme for buildings and built infrastructure – into bite-size portions, helping users of the scheme to better understand its component parts and identifying the benefits that certification offers to a wide … Continue reading “Learn more about BRE Global’s new security certification scheme for buildings and built infrastructure”
The integration of Whole Life Costing (WLC) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) presents a powerful route to improving the sustainability of the construction industry. Combining economic and environmental assessment tools to obtain ‘best value’ solutions in both financial and environmental terms has the potential to make a significant contribution to achieving sustainable building design. WLC … Continue reading “Whole life costing and life-cycle assessment for sustainable building design”
Around 10% of UK emissions are associated with the manufacture and transport of construction materials, and the construction process; and refurbishment projects make up a significant percentage of activities in the built environment. The UK is committed to reducing carbon emissions by 80% by 2050; savings linked to refurbishment will have an important part to play in meeting this target. … Continue reading “Sustainable refurbishment – how to better understand, measure and reduce the embodied impacts”
The context for environmental assessment in the construction sector is undergoing considerable change. This is largely due to the publication of the suite of standards from CEN TC 350, which interlink with those from International Standards Organisation (ISO) relating to life cycle assessment (LCA) and Type III environmental labelling. Our experts have written a paper, funded by … Continue reading “Assessing the environmental impacts of construction – understanding European Standards and their implications”
HMS Victory not all oak! One of the most famous warships in the world under Admiral Lord Nelsons command at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 ensured HMS Victory’s place in the history books. We know the oak forests of Britain were harvested to build the fleet that ensure Britannia ruled the waves in the … Continue reading “11 things you didn’t know about wood!”
