Do you know of anyone in the building controls industry who deserves to be recognised for the work that they do? If the answer is yes then read on because it could be the first step towards them winning one of the first Building Controls Industry Awards which are being held in association with the BCIA (Building Controls Industry Association) and BSEE.

A new set of product literature is available from Toshiba Air Conditioning. Four new full colour brochures cover all of Toshiba’s R410A product ranges from large VRF systems, through its newest MiNi-SMMS product which bridges the capacity gap between VRF and Split Systems, to its extensive inverter-controlled Split System ranges for light commercial and residential applications.

A comprehensive new Guide has just been published by Kidde Fyrnetics to help all those involved with housing to understand the latest responsibilities and requirements for protecting occupants from fire or carbon monoxide poisoning.

Responding to increasing demand for stylish, high quality HVAC solutions for architectural buildings, Frico has made significant improvements to its Shearflow LP range of stainless steel air curtains.

Disano has launched Hydro, a comprehensive range of heavy-duty, polycarbonate lighting fixtures for use in challenging applications.

Durapipe UK has extended its range of threaded fittings, introducing a series of brass inserts, offering the ultimate in performance capabilities and providing a highly reliable connection between pipework and ancillary equipment across a range of building services applications.

Increased cooling demands, the effects of climate change and ever-changing design criteria are factors that are stimulating the real need for high quality air-conditioning throughout the workplace and in places of leisure and entertainment. Clivet UK Limited has addressed these requirements by developing a comprehensive range of spin chillers that can be easily tailored to individual end-user needs.

The PCA T5 ECO Ip range is the fifth generation of digital, dimmable control from TridonicAtco, with a price/performance ratio that is simply outstanding. Combining DSI technology, switchDIM and intelligent protection mechanism, this new plug and play solution from TridonicAtco is setting new standards in intelligent simplicity.

MHS Boilers has launched a new power-packed range of stainless steel, fully condensing floor-standing boilers. The new Ultramax PB from MHS Boilers also solves the problem of fitting a brand new, energy efficient, high performance condensing boiler to an old system, thanks to its use of simple separator technology. A plate type heat exchanger option kit can easily be incorporated into the Ultramax PB boiler case to act as a barrier, protecting the boiler from the effects of dirt accumulation in older systems. Alternatively, for new installations a low loss header option kit can be accommodated within the boiler’s smart casing.

Vaillant’s Applied Systems Division aims to infiltrate the heart of the UK commercial boiler market with the launch of its new ecoCRAFT range. There are six floor-standing models in the range, with outputs of 80kW, 120kW, 160kW, 200kW, 240kW and 280kW.

The new high performance CentraLine Tiger controller has the power to ensure a comfortable, healthy indoor environment, with minimal energy consumption and equipment wear. With 76 inputs/outputs, it can manage all the HVAC needs of small to medium sized buildings such as offices, schools, health centres, leisure centres and public buildings – and even systems using a variety of energy sources including solar heating.

Paul Hardy has been appointed as the new Managing Director for Baxi Commercial Heating, which incorporates the Andrews Water Heaters, Potterton and Baxi Commercial businesses. The appointment comes as part of the division's strategy to create synergy across its commercial brands and become market leaders in the provision of commercial heating.

Ideal Boilers’ high efficiency range of commercial appliances have been specified for the replacement hot water system at The Stafford Hotel, St James’s Place, one of just a handful of four red star hotels in central London.

Specifiers and users of industrial and commercial doors and shutters face increased risks of not complying with the latest legislation if they choose products which do not carry the CE mark.

Steinel (UK) Limited has supplied its 3rd Generation lighting controller switches to the UK’s most prestigious project in recent years – Heathrow Airport’s new Terminal 5 (T5). Once complete in 2011, T5 is expected to host some 35 million passengers a year and will have 60 aircraft stands, fourteen of which will be large enough to cater for the new A380 Super Jumbo.

AMEC has secured two contracts worth £85m to deliver new further education colleges in eastern England.

Glasgow’s iconic new £20 million river crossing, the Clyde Arc, is open for business.

Clare Shuttleworth, an Associate sustainability specialist in the sustainability team of White Young Green (WYG), has been appointed to the key Group wide role of Sustainability Bureau Manager.

When they think of the word 'industry' young people see money and computers whereas older people see dirt and decline

The environmental division of White Young Green (WYG), consultants to the built, natural and social environment, has completed a year long project in Hull at the iconic arc building, a highly innovative, movable building designed for the Centre for the Built Environment.

BEST (Building Engineering Services Training), the training subsidiary of the HVCA, is calling on employers to help overcome the acute shortage of qualified people who can assess the competence of building services apprentices.

In a refurbishment contract worth £300,000, Trox (UK) has supplied chilled beams for the BBC West One offices and editing studios at Langham Place, London. The company also supplied a wide range of grilles and diffusers.

The Association of Ductwork Contractors and Allied Services (ADCAS) is to join the Federation of Environmental Associations (FETA). As a result the UK ductwork industry will have an even louder voice in its fight for better training and fair practice.

A series of bespoke motorised shading fins, that project and tilt to create an intelligent form of controlling solar heat gain, light and glare, have been produced for Edinburgh's Telford College by Levolux.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has welcomed an initiative launched by the HVCA and the Electrical Contractors' Association (ECA) to assist their contractor members in meeting health and safety competences.

The Deutsche Historische Museum in Berlin recently made headlines for the new exhibition hall designed by Chinese-American architect Leoh Ming Pei and for the opening of the permanent exhibition Deutsche Geschichte in Bildern und Zeugnissen, which depicts German history in images and eyewitness reports. The spectacular architecture and permanent exhibitions in the modern new building are attracting visitors from all over the world and the optimal climate control for the protection of the exhibits and comfort of visitors is provided by three Global Chillers from Carrier.

AMEC plc, the international project management and services company, has topped the 2006 Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) in the World and European sustainability indices for the support services sector.

Thorn has secured a £2.1 million order from Beijing Capital Airport Expansion Project Headquarters to provide lighting for their new Terminal Three (T3) building. The airport extension is one of Beijing’s major infrastructure projects for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.

After several years of uncertainty in wholesale energy prices and the continued political drive to tackle climate change, management of costs and consumption is emerging as a new business discipline.

Is there really such a thing as a single point of failure? Or could it be that putting all your eggs in one basket actually allows you to build simpler and more effective levels of redundancy?

“Is my school avoiding energy wastage as much as possible?” It’s a question school children may consider when they cover energy management while studying climate change. And the same question is being asked by head teachers, school governors and local authorities, who have economics in mind. Most schools now look after their own fuel budgets, so every pound saved is of great value.

Whether you believe the two things are linked or not, the vagaries of the weather this year have ensured that global warming is at the forefront of everybody’s mind, and people are finally treating it as a serious threat. Reducing carbon dioxide emissions that are produced by the consumption of fossil fuels is the only way we can slow down the effects, and that means making ourselves more energy efficient.

What made London’s bid for the Olympic Games so strong was the legacy it will leave behind. Not only will the area see a massive boost in terms of the regeneration work and infrastructure, but work on the project to build the Olympic site will also create a local base of skilled workers.

In today’s commercial environment operating costs are continuously being scrutinised and squeezed.  Lighting is no exception.  Whilst requirements are continuously rising and may vary from application to application, they do have one thing in common: the need for reduced total cost-of-ownership.  It is no longer an option to consider the initial install cost. Indeed, customers today are becoming more interested in whole life costing which is why cradle to rebirth lighting solutions are so important.  These solutions include design capability, refit capacity, best practice planned lighting maintenance plus a premium recycling offer where up to 98% of components of lamps are re-used by manufacturers such as Philips.

The target reductions in CO2 emissions in developing countries will inevitably lead to increased pressure on consumers to reduce fuel consumption. This may well lead to increases in energy costs over the normal rate of inflation. Other methods will be also be used by governments to encourage the installation of more efficient capital equipment in order to reduce the consumption of energy.