Modern Building Services

20 MODERN BUILDING SERVICES JANUARY 2022 FEATURE WORKING BUILDINGS WORKING BUILDINGS MAINTENANCE, OPERATION & REFURBISHMENT B uildings are becoming more complex in their design along with the desire for more efficient heating and cooling systems, in addition to this, new legislation is driving the use of low-carbon technologies to cut emissions from our building stock. As a result, consultants and contractors must access ever- more detailed information on the products they specify, install and ultimately hand over to clients. This information can include BIM (building information modelling) data, installation requirements, commissioning techniques and maintenance instructions. It’s a lot to expect, especially in an industry where expertise in such diverse and specialist topics can be hard to find. That’s why it’s imperative to work with manufacturers that can offer reliable advice and support for a project from cradle-to-grave. No one understands products better than their manufacturers, and the best of them will offer support for their equipment from the design stage to handover and beyond. In the case of valves, for instance, their selection, installation, maintenance, and commissioning have a direct impact on the performance of heating and cooling systems, which inevitably affects the occupational comfort of the building. The ever-greater emphasis on operational energy efficiency of buildings puts the focus on heating and cooling as significant energy users. Accurate valve selection improves system performance, so finding a manufacturer that can help make the right choice early in a project pays dividends for contractor and client. So, what features should consultants and contractors be looking for to find a manufacturer that can be a strategic partner rather than simply a product supplier? It’s important to ensure the basics are in place. Getting product paperwork in order seems obvious, but it can be overlooked. Yet information on products within buildings is becoming more important to managers and owners. Dame Judith Hackitt’s independent enquiry into the Grenfell tragedy highlighted the importance of providing building owners and managers with information on equipment to ensure they know how their buildings should operate. Designers and installers require manufacturers to supply clear and accurate performance information about their products available on the market. This enables them to make good and informed choices about the products they are selecting to better enable them to design combinations of products used within systems that will not only meet their clients’ requirements, but also those set out in building regulations This has become known as the ‘golden thread’ of information, and manufacturers should be a key source of correct and current data for consultants and contractors. Customers can be assured that our valves have relevant approvals such as WRAS for water and EN331 for gas, as well as product guarantees and supporting documentation such as technical datasheets, installation and operating manuals, and material certification. All can be downloaded from our website. With the fundamentals of paperwork out of the way, it’s important to ensure that a manufacturer has the people and expertise in place to support a project from start to finish. An in-house project support team should be able to work with clients (consultants, contractors or distributors) to offer the detailed technical advice that will be required at every stage. For example, designers can work closely with the manufacturer in the early stages of the project, to gain vital insights into factors that can affect the long-term energy efficiency of a building. In the David Rhodes of Albion Valves explains why specifiers should ask more of their valve manufacturers when it comes to today’s construction projects. Ask more of your manufacturer