BSRIA Information Manager, Jayne Sunley, provides answers to some of the interesting questions posed by BSRIA Members as part of their free technical enquiry service.
Q1. What design parameters are considered WHEN selecting the pipe size of chilled water systems?
There is some guidance on maximum velocities for heating systems in commercial buildings in CIBSE Guide C or BSRIA’s Rules of Thumb (BG09/2011). This guidance was most likely based on 3-port control strategies and could now be out of date but there should be no reason why it could not apply to chilled water. Alternatively, most design work is now done with computer software which accurately calculates the exact pressure loss and pumping energy.
Q2. At what point in a Site Accommodation linked cabin set up should BS 5839-1:2013 be adhered to
The Building Regulations apply to all buildings intended to remain in place for more than 28 days. Site cabins are not treated differently from any other buildings.
Approved Document B Volume 2 provides guidance on meeting the fire safety requirements of the Building Regulations. You can download this for free from the Planning Portal website.
When reading paragraphs 1.24 to 1.38 which suggests you can go without a fire alarm if it is a single cabin but if there are two or more linked together you need a fire alarm system at which point BS 5839-1:2013 must be adhered to.
Q3. The CDM regulations changed in April 2015, but what did the changes consist of?
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 came into force on 6th April 2015. The primary changes were the replacement of the CDM co-ordinator role by principal designer as well as recognition that the client is the head of the supply chain so should set the project standards.
The HSE has published draft guidance detailing the changes.
While the changes will came into force on the 6th April there is a six month transition period to allow for suitable adjustments to projects already in process.
Q4. What design guidance is there pertaining to enclosures and environmental conditioning for giraffes, or similar animals?
The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums are currently the leaders of animal welfare in the
UK with several publications publicly available to read looking at enclosure requirements as well as specific lighting requirements for mammals, available here.
The European Association of Zoos and Aquaria also released a document in 2008 which defined the minimum requirements of animal welfare including the measurement of ensuring certain animal enclosures are not visible to other animals and appropriate furnishings.
The only giraffe specific guidance that appears to be publicly available is a Giraffe Husbandry Manual from The Australasian Society of Zoos which has several recommendations including the first major consideration should be the number, age and gender intended to be housed in a complex.
The manual also stresses the need for a natural setting to increase the likelihood of more natural behaviours.