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Breathing Buildings Green Buildings

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 10:12:49 GMT

Two of Breathing Buildings' Health Care projects have been choosen as finalist by BREEAM for Sustainable Buildings 2011/12. Houghton Primary Care Centre in Sunderland features not only a Breathing Buildings' natural ventilation system but also a thermal wall that was designed and intrgrated with the building's BMS system by Breathing Buildings' engineers.

Ashmount Primary School which is currently being constructed will include a Breathing Buildings' designed system along with a number of other energy efficent products.

The full list of 16 buildings around the UK will be annouced at Eco-Build on Tuesday 20th March. To view the full article please click here.

Sir Robert Woodard Academy

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 09:10:54 GMT

Breathing Buildings have successfully delivered one of their largest projects to date. The Sir Robert Woodard Academy in West Sussex was handed over to the end client on the 22nd December.

The buildings is prodominatly naturally ventilated providing a controlled summer and winter ventilation mode to the majority of the School. Overall the project has been particularly challenging and thanks to the hard work and dedication of the Breathing Buildings' project team this is now a land mark project for the company.

For more information please click here

BP supports clean tech pioneers tech global growth

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:30:40 GMT

A pioneering Cambridge CleanTech company is thriving as a result of support from global energy firm BP.

Strong links with BP have already enabled natural ventilation specialist, Breathing Buildings, to grow fast in the UK. But the company also has its sights set on the international market.

Breathing Buildings is actively looking to expand further into Europe as well as North America, either by establishing partnerships or via licensing agreements.

To view the full article please click here

Breathing new life into buildings ventilation designs

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:04:26 GMT

H&V News editor Dennis Flower interviews Dr Shaun Fitzgerald about how he set up the UK's fastest growing natural ventilation company during one of the longest economic downturns the construction industry has seen.

'Mr Fitzgerald says his driving force is a passion to improve energy efficiency within buildings: "What excites me is that I've got this heart for energy and I want to transform the world of the built environment and that's what drives all these business decisions."

Having been formed in the midst of one of the most severe recessions for many years, the business can now look forward with a measure of confidence, thanks to its ability to provide adaptable solutions to some of the built environment's most pressing requirements.'

To view the full article please click here

Innovation in Sustainable Buildings

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 10:31:36 GMT

Following on from our successful seminar on 6 December we are pleased to be able to share with you the presentations from the event. The event was split into 3 sections, with a mix of the latest academic research and a sample of the most up to date commercial developments.

Healthcare

Professor Alan Short from the Architecture Department introduced the event and gave us a whistlestop tour of the challenges facing the healthcare industry. Many of the learnings come from looking at historical designs before we became energy profligate.

Nicola Mignotti from the University of Cambridge then looked at the use of double skin facades. The impact can be incredibly beneficial in many climates but there are potential pitfalls to be aware of, emphasising the need for good design.

Dr Stephen Livermore of Breathing Buildings brought a practical example of innovation delivering tangible benefits in a recent building. The new primary care facility at Houghton Le Spring is the first large healthcare facility to achieve BREEAM outstanding on completion.

Sustainable Urban Design

Fred London and Ed Barsley of John Thompson & Partners then discussed how design at the city level can have a significant impact on the environmental footprint of that development. The considerations range from wind tunnels to seasonal variation in water flow. The presentation is coming shortly but please visit www.jtp.co.uk for more information.

This led into the talk given by Dr Ying Jin from the University of Cambridge on infrastructure planning. In a world with increasing urbanisiation creating pathways to the transport infrastructure is vital. And Cambridge is a notable failure!

Marking Retail Carbon Neutral

Bob Simpson, Head of Technical Development at Asda, gave us an update on the aspirations of one of the worlds leading retailers. Aspiring to do better is not enough though and he discussed the real progress made and where they are looking to improve. Full details can be found at http://your.asda.com/sustainability

Dr Julian Allwood then introduced his new book www.withbotheyesopen.com/additionalmaterials.php not a reference that many in the audience will forget. Thinking through the whole supply chain and challenging assumptions can be the source of significant savings

Dr Shaun Fitzgerald then described the work that Breathing Buildings have done to help Hammerson re-think their strategy in shopping malls. Xiangyu Qin, a final year student on the engineering course at Cambridge presented his work on further developments in multi floor properties.

First BREEAM outstanding healthcare buildings

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 16:16:44 GMT

Willmott Dixon's Primary Care Centre in Houghton-le-Spring has been rated as the first healthcare building to achieve BREEAM Outstanding.

This centre shows just what can be achieved to reduce running costs and will be a blueprint for future health projects around the country."The ventilation system is designed by Breathing Buildings.

This utilises a 1m wide 'thermal wall' that runs through the middle of the building which provides fresh air at a constant temperature by using its thermal mass.

Willmott Dixon was assisted by its in-house sustainability business Re-Thinking along with architects P+HS.

Other partners involved include Mott MacDonald as M&E engineers, Cundall as structural engineer, Southern Green as landscape architect and LJJ as building services contractor.

To view the full article click here

Breathing Buildings sponsor a Cambridge University event

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 17:27:00 GMT

Innovation in Sustainable Buildings

How can the construction industry build tomorrow's buildings today?

Tuesday 6 December 2011

At the Department of Engineering

14.15 Welcome

14.20 Innovation in Health Care Buildings- Prof Alan Short (Cambridge Uni), Dr Stephen Livermore (Breathing Buildings)

15.20 Sustainable Urban Design - Fred London, Ed Barsley (John Thompson Assoc),Dr Ying Jin (Cambridge Uni)

16:40 Panel Discussion- Chair Prof Alan Short (Cambridge Uni)

To find out any further information please contact Breathing Buildings on info@breathingbuildings.com

Deloitte- Technology Fast 50

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 10:49:50 GMT

Natural ventilation specialists, Breathing Buildings, is one of only three Greentech companies in the UK to be listed in The Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Rankings and has also emerged as a winner in the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA.

The Deloitte Technology Fast 50 recognises the 50 fasted-growing technology companies in the UK whilst the Technology Fast 500 EMEA recognises the 500 fastest growing technology companies across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Both programmes are based on percentage revenue growth over the last 5 years.

To view the full article please click here

e-stack IES model now available

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 17:17:26 GMT

We are often asked what IES shows for natural ventilation and alternative ventilation strategies. The short answer is the e-stack system provides significant energy savings. But don't take our word for it let us help you to model your classroom.

We have put together a short webpage that explains how ventilation can be modeled in IES. To find out more please click here.

Sustainable Buildings Event December 6th 2011

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 13:54:43 GMT

Following the success of the Sustainable Buildings 2030 event that took place in May 2011, Breathing Buildings are delighted to announce that they will be sponsoring an industry wide event covering a number of sectors including; Healthcare, Retail and Sustainable urban planning and design.

The event is to be held at the University of Cambridge, Engineering Department on the 6th December from 2.15pm- 6.00pm.

There will be a variety of speakers from both industry and academic backgrounds. Further details will be available from the end of October. If you would like to register your interest please contact us on info@breathingbuildings.com

Breathing Buildings unveil health care case study

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 12:31:28 GMT

Breathing Buildings have recently completed their first BREEAM 'Oustanding' Healthcare project. The system is comprised of a 50 meter thermal wall alongside the unique mixing ventilation unit the e-stack R Series. The combination of these two systems allowed the Breathing Buildings designers to create two different strategies one for winter and one for summer which optimised for the thermal comfort of patients and the energy efficency of the buildings.

To view the full case study please click here. If you would like to find out more about the challenges that the Breathing Buildings team faced please view Stephen Livermore's Blog.

Royal Academy of Engineers Award Silver Medals

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 14:05:57 GMT

Dr Shaun Fitzgerald's medal is in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the development and commercialisation of 'e-stack'echnology, a pioneering method developed to provide low energy natural ventilation in buildings. The technique uses the principles of natural mixing ventilation in winter and natural upward displacement ventilation in the summer.

To view the full article please click here

Natural ventilation shouts about acoustic attenuation

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 17:29:45 GMT

Breathing Buildings have recently completed one of their most challenging projects yet. Barnfield South Academy's location and the hightly technical nature of the acoustic requirements demanded a natural ventilation system that had been incredibly well thought out, taking every aspect of the detailed specification in to account.
Breathing Buildings worked closely with Cundall Johnston and Partners, Wates Construction and the Briggs & Forrester Group to deliver an effective solution.

To view the full article please click here

e-stack technology to be displayed at the BRE Campus

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 14:37:11 GMT

The award winning e-stack system is to be displayed at the Insite11 event at the BRE campus within Wilmott Dixon Healthcare of the future installation.

The e-stack technology was recently used by Willmott Dixon at the Houghton Primary Care Buildings near Durham, which achieved the first BREEAM outstanding for a health facility. The combination of low energy natural ventilation system alongside the bespoke 50m long thermal wall, designed by Breathing Buildings played a crucial part in the building's 'Outstanding' rating.

If you wish to find out more and would like to register to attend the event please click here

New ventilation aid for mechanical engineers

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 12:42:41 GMT

Natural ventilation specialist Breathing Buildings has co-developed an innovative toolkit for mechanical engineers.

Created in conjunction with Nuaire, the toolkit will act as a reference for mechanical engineers involved in the design and specification of new buildings.The aid is designed to help the engineers determine the most appropriate ventilation strategy.

To view the full article please click here

Innovation Watch - Helping Buildings Breath

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 12:29:27 GMT

A Cambridge-based company, Breathing Buildings, has achieved rapid commercial success by producing natural ventilation systems that actively manage CO₂ levels and cut energy bills. By optimising the use of external fresh air and heat generated by, among other things, people and equipment, buildings are being kept ventilated with the minimum use of mechanical aids.

One of The Royal Academy of Engineering's Silver Medal winners this year is Dr Shaun Fitzgerald, co-founder of Breathing Buildings, a company that in 2006 was spun out of a major research programme at the University of Cambridge.

The company's patented 'e-stack' natural ventilation systems are used in a variety of buildings, including more than 40 schools and colleges. Some of these incorporate noise attenuation devices which helps deliver the dual benefits of fresh air and a quieter environment.

To view the full article please click here

Breathing Buildings Collaboration Optimises Energy Saving For Hammerson

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 18:03:04 GMT

Leading retail real estate company, Hammerson, commissioned natural ventilation specialist Breathing Buildings to establish the energy savings that could be made by implementing natural ventilation in a number of their UK shopping centres.

The year-long project resulted in Breathing Buildings designing hybrid energy efficient ventilation systems for five of Hammerson's high-profile shopping centres, including the Bullring in Birmingham and The Oracle in Reading.

To view the full article please click here

New primary care building makes history by securing top sustainability rating at design stage

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 17:15:03 GMT

A NEW primary care development in County Durham has raised the bar for sustainable healthcare delivery, becoming the first development to achieve a BREEAM 'outstanding' rating at the design phase.

The building has been designed to be naturally ventilated using an innovative system designed by Breathing Buildings. Based on the principles of thermal mass and the stack effect, tempered air is delivered from an underground plenum via 49 chimneys to ventilate and condition the interior of the building. Ground source heat pumps are used to provide space heating, which required 103 bore holes to be drilled on the site to a depth of 120m.

To view the full article please click here

Breathing Buildings in the top 50 Killer technology businesses

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 16:56:23 GMT

Breathing Buildings has been named in Business Weekly's top 50 Killer companies in the East of England.

To view the full article pleas click here

Talking shop: engineering entrepreneurs explain their success

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 09:03:41 GMT

Dr Shaun Fitzgerald, who received his medal for helping to pioneer a method of natural ventilation in buildings, agrees. 'I received business experience by jumping out of academic research', he said. 'This was in 1997. I jumped ship completely and worked for a mortgage-strategy consulting firm nothing to do with engineering.

Please click here to view the full article

MPs and peers breathe in Cambridge CleanTech

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 09:28:12 GMT

Breathing Buildings MD, Dr Shaun Fitzgerald - one of Cambridge's brightest young entrepreneurs - has given MPs and Peers a masterclass on enabling natural ventilation in buildings.

To view the full article pleae click here

Breathing Buildings founder takes solutions to Parliament

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 09:20:12 GMT

Breathing Buildings MD Dr Shaun Fitzgerald this week told MPs and Peers about his pioneering business enabling natural ventilation in buildings. Speaking at the Royal Society of Chemistry's annual Parliamentary Links Day in Portcullis House, Westminster, he outlined how his company is applying its patented "e-stack" technology, which uses the principles of natural mixing ventilation in winter and natural upward displacement ventilation in the summer.

To view the full article please click here

Breathing Buildings and BP combine at Science Innovation Conference

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 16:02:03 GMT

Shaun Fitzgerald from Breathing Buildings and Dominic Emery from BP combined to give a double-act at the Science and Innovation Conference held at QEII hall in Westminster on 21 June 2011. Dominic opened the seminar by describing BP's Alternative Energy Strategy. He explained how BP is investing into alternative energy including biomass, wind and solar. He also explained that BP has supported other technology areas including energy reduction in buildings. Shaun then spoke about the story of Breathing Buildings, from its genesis to the current multi-million pound business it is today. The slides used in the presentation show some fantastic buildings and also describe the strategy for the business.

To view the full presentation from this event please click here

Breath of fresh air for MPs

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 15:43:54 GMT

MPs and peers heard this week from the managing director of Cambridge company Breathing Buildings about his pioneering business enabling natural ventilation in buildings.

To view the full article please click here

Breathing Buildings takes solutions to Parliament

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 10:59:19 GMT

On 28 June 2011 Dr Shaun Fitzgerald told MPs and Peers about Breathing Buildings pioneering business enabling natural ventilation in buildings. Speaking at the Royal Society of Chemistry's annual Parliamentary Links Day in Portcullis House, Westminster, he outlined how the company is applying its patented e-stack technology, which uses the principles of natural mixing ventilation in winter and natural upward displacement ventilation in the summer. Click here to view a video of the talk. Scroll through to the 30min point in the video to view Shaun's talk.