Modern Building Services

FEATURE HEATING MODERN BUILDING SERVICES MAY 2022 23 alongside the integration of low-carbon technologies such as district heating and heat pumps. Findings from the aforementioned survey chime with this, indicating that 50% expect demand for district heating installations to increase in the next five years. This is largely owing to schemes such as the Green Heat Network Fund and Heat Network Transformation Programme, which are set to boost uptake. Acoustic Performance and Fire Safety A good starting point for healthy building design is acoustics. This is especially the case for multi-residential buildings, where occupants may live in close proximity to upwards of hundreds of other residents. Unsurprisingly, results from the survey reflect this concern, with 95% of those surveyed stating that acoustics were either ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ important when specifying building solutions. Moreover, 60% believed that the need for good acoustic performance has increased in the past five years, citing comfort, privacy and impact on health and wellbeing as the most popular reasons. While acoustics are certainly important, it’s crucial to acknowledge the link between this factor and fire safety. For this reason, adopting a bigger picture approach to material specification may be one of the most effective methods of ensuring that multiple areas of the UK building regulations are met. Making use of insulated piping that has been installed with the correct bracketing system, for example, is one of the most straightforward methods of guaranteeing compliance with both Part B and Part E. Here, the insulated nature of the pipework will minimise any noise from the movement of water, while also inhibiting the passage of fire in the event of a blaze. Temperature Control and Ventilation With the trend towards ensuring energy efficiency in buildings, this has incurred the challenge of excessive indoor temperatures, which can prove detrimental to building inhabitants. This is a particular concern for summer months, with warmer weather often exacerbating this to the point that it is health hazard. For this reason, the challenge for designers is to create buildings that remain warm in the winter and cool in the summer. These concerns were recently highlighted in the Climate Change Committee’s (CCC) independent assessment of the Government’s Heat and Buildings Strategy. The CCC noted that while the strategy covers this issue for new buildings, it does not extend to existing stock. As such, there is a clear need to integrate effective temperature control from the design stage. One of the most effective ways to do this is through Thermally Activated Building Structures (TABS). Here, the large thermal mass of the concrete structure is used as a buffer for the changing heat demands of the day, with hot or cool water run through pipes in the slabs to achieve the desired interior temperature. Crucially, this allows temperature change to take place gradually to retain optimum energy usage, rather than blast heating or chilling the space. With summers becoming hotter by the year and a trend towards high-density building, technologies such as TABS will likely become central to construction moving forwards. TABS not only demonstrates compliance with Part F of the Government’s building regulations, but allows thermal efficiency to remain high without impacting upon occupants, which will be a key consideration as net zero goals press ever-closer. Water Supply andWaste Perhaps most pertinent to the health of a building’s occupants is the supply of drinking water, with safe pipework critical to avoiding bacteria. Currently, copper is the most commonly used material in this area, followed by steel and polymer. Better hygiene and lower chances of leakage were cited as the most popular reasons for this choice, though this is also the case with polymer and multi-layer composite pipe (MLCP) solutions. Though copper pipework has long remained the industry standard choice, there is a case to be made for polymer solutions such as our RAUTITAN MLCP plumbing system, particularly when attempting to create buildings that are ‘healthy by design’. Superior insulation values lead to a significant increase in energy efficiency, while polymer itself is less prone to leaching – a key consideration given that 58% of respondents specify fittings containing lead. Leakage is also an issue – particularly given that some 3.1 billion litres of water is lost in England and Wales every day due to leaky pipes. Leaks lead to the presence of damp, creating the perfect environment for harmful mould to spawn. For this reason, building designers may want to consider installing smart leak detection systems, such as our RE.GUARD, to help avoid unnecessary water waste and potentially dangerous leaks. Final Thoughts The considerations outlined here offer only a glimpse into the methods as to which designers may create buildings that are ‘healthy by design’, with the boundary for which only set by the designer’s ingenuity. That said, the concerns touched upon here remain the primary sticking points for healthy building design, with innovation the key to solving this industry challenge. By making progressive changes to the way construction is approached, the environmental impact of the built environment can be mitigated, while simultaneously bringing the wellbeing of building occupants back to the fore. 1 www.opinium.com/brits-spend-90- of-their-time-indoors/ 2 www.rehau.com/uk-en/designing- healthy? 3 www.gov.uk/government/ publications/fire-safety-approved- document-b 4 www.gov.uk/government/ publications/resistance-to-sound- approved-document-e 5 www.gov.uk/government/ publications/ventilation-approved- document-f 6 www.gov.uk/government/ publications/conservation-of-fuel- and-power-approved-document-l More information can be found at www.rehau.com