Stephen Hart looks at the technology that is available to maintain the balance of hydronic systems when the pump speed is reduced to save energy.

Awareness is growing that commissioning should start much sooner then being squeezed into a short amount of time before the handover data — but there is a growing appreciation that commissioning should be ongoing. James Parker looks at the issues.

Just as we appreciate that building-services systems must be commissioned to operate effectively, so appreciation is growing of the need for hydronic systems to be thoroughly cleaned before they are commissioned. Neil White takes up the story.

Commissioning-valve units, strainers and associated products from Crane Fluid Systems have been installed in the new £20 million commissary of Domino’s Pizza Group in Milton Keynes. It supplies dough and other ingredients for over 500 stores of this pizza-delivery company.

Over a hundred Honeywell Kombi 4 throttle and balancing valves were installed by M&E contractor Farebrother of Manchester to provide for easier and faster commissioning of DHW systems in the new Holywell Community Hospital in Wales. These valves ensure a constant supply of hot water to all outlets at the right pressure. They also assist in occasional thermal flushing to inhibit legionella bacteria.

Grinnell Products has launched a new series of balancing valves. The CB800 series of double-regulating and commissioning and commissioning valves is designed for the precise and efficient balancing of hydronic heating or cooling systems. They are available in sizes from 1/2 to 12 in and backed by a 10-year warranty. There are five functions in one body — throttling, measurement of pressure and temperature, positive shut-off, draining and filling.

Barry Trewhitt and Iskender Gencer discuss the changing face of the commissioning process and the challenges it faces in the renewables era.

BSS Industrial has added differential-pressure-control valves (DPCVs) to its BOSS range of valves. These valves maintain a constant differential pressure in hydronic systems and use minimal energy. They are applicable to radiator systems, manifolds, flat stations, riser balancing and fan coils.

The move towards variable-flow systems has seen the need for new approaches to maintaining flow rates in systems. BSRIA’s Mike Smith and Chris Parsloe look at how to set up and control such systems.

Accepting the benefits of commissioning at an early stage in a project and appointing the key people at that stage is essential to ensure those benefits are actually delivered. Nick Till takes up the case.

The latest Building Regulations increase the emphasis on commissioning — and building control offices are becoming more aware of the requirements, explains Hywel Davies.

Name any problem in a building project, and commissioning will be the answer — or a large part of it, as Glenn Hawkins argues.

Over a hundred Honeywell Kombi 4 throttle and balancing valves were installed by M&E contractor Farebrother of Manchester to provide for easier and faster commissioning of DHW systems in the new Holywell Community Hospital in Wales. These valves ensure a constant supply of hot water to all outlets at the right pressure. They also assist in occasional thermal flushing to inhibit legionella bacteria.

Oventrop valves have been used throughout three buildings that form part of the £21 million Phase 3 redevelopment of Southampton City College — including commissioning sets and differential-pressure regulating valves — thereby streamlining the purchasing route. They were installed by Haydon Mechanical & Electrical.

SAV Modules’ FloCon commissioning modules are now supplied with a bypass to ensure that system flow never falls below 10%. This provides a simple, but effective, way of providing automatic protection for variable-speed pumping systems that cannot be allowed to run dry.

Tour & Andersson has supplied valves for the Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport project in Egypt. The contract included balancing valves from 150 to 250 cm, alongside 251 STAG valves for pump hookups to save time and labour during installation and commissioning. It was the capability of T&A to provide balancing valves that can save installation time that contributed to installer Delta Construction Company choosing these valves.

BSS Industrial has added differential-pressure-control valves (DPCVs) to its BOSS range of valves. These valves maintain a constant differential pressure in hydronic systems and use minimal energy. They are applicable to radiator systems, manifolds, flat stations, riser balancing and fan coils.

Over 800 Dominator valve assemblies from Crane Fluid Systems are being installed in the heating and cooling system of a major office development on Manchester’s Piccadilly Square. This order follows the success of 300 Dominator sets recently installed by M&E contractor SES in the nearby Piccadilly Place development, which includes a hotel, residential units, offices, retail space and car parking.

Hamworthy offers a flexible and reduced-rate commissioning and warranty offer to customers buying boilers, water heaters and related equipment from the company. They have two options at the point of order.

With energy efficiency at the heart of the host of schemes in the UK and internationally aimed at improving the performance of buildings, Neil White sees opportunities for building-services commissioning companies.

The commissioning industry has received a major boost with the introduction of the NVQ3 qualification in installation and commissioning. It is the result of several years of work to enhance the standing of the Commissioning Specialists Association’s own distance-learning course and gives the commissioning community a nationally recognised qualification.

SAV Modules’ FloCon commis­­sioning modules are now supplied with a bypass to ensure that system flow never falls below 10%. This provides a simple, but effective, way of providing automatic protection for variable-speed pumping systems that cannot be allowed to run dry.

Oventrop valves have been used throughout three buildings that form part of the £21 million Phase 3 redevelopment of Southampton City College — including commissioning sets and differential-pressure regulating valves — thereby streamlining the purchasing route. They were installed by Haydon Mechanical & Electrical.

Over a hundred Honeywell Kombi 4 throttle and balancing valves were installed by M&E contractor Farebrother of Manchester to provide for easier and faster commissioning of DHW systems in the new Holywell Community Hospital in Wales. These valves ensure a constant supply of hot water to all outlets at the right pressure. They also assist in occasional thermal flushing to inhibit legionella bacteria.