FEEDBACK xxxxxxxxxx When I was at a major consultancy, I spotted the M&E team doing this on more than one occasion. Its easy to specify and relatively cheap, but is denitely not right. Alan Kiff I don t want this to turn into a general dig at consultants there is some great work being done by many. I just think, regarding refrigeration systems, so much more could be achieved and is achievable. Simon Pallant CIBSE LinkedIn Group considers how historical knowledge can be preserved for future generations of engineers; and the lost art of specifying chilled water systems Remembering the past For my current research project in parliament, I am studying material going back to the 1830s and it is still of relevance today. It offers critical insights that are informing the forthcoming restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster. Aside from information on the operation and performance of buildings in the past, this historic material teaches us about the role of institutions in creating, storing and re-using knowledge of buildings in use. This is the subject of my recent article in Building Research & Information, which explores the post-occupancy history of the House of Commons from 1854 to 1952, and how institutional structures were critical in avoiding loss of knowledge (bit.ly/CJMay19POE). Henrik Schoenefeldt The results of part-government-funded research should be made public. It is not just academia that forgets research it is industry that fails to hear enough about the benets of research. Chris Woods Robots never forget! Bertie Dixon Join the conversation We want to hear from you. Talk to us. @CIBSEJournal CIBSE LinkedIn www.cibse.org Subscribe to our newsletter Receive our top stories about building services engineering. Sign up at cibsejournal.com Refrigerants have we lost the art? Maybe I m getting old, or cynical, but have consultants lost the art of recognising the benets of chilled water systems and low-GWP refrigerants? I ve just looked at two specs that ask for a refrigerant that will be in short supply in a couple of years, and have cast my eye over a spec from consultants that proclaim to be #carbonneutral and #carbonsaver, but both specify a VRF on R410A. It may be easy guys, but it s not right. Simon Pallant MCIBSE I am a consultant, and I didn t take your comments personally, or even as a general dig at consultants. I think what you are saying is correct and needed saying. There are far too many generalist consultants that dabble in cooling systems and treat it as a box-buying exercise. Stephen Gill MCIBSE I get frustrated that, within building services engineering, cooling is not given the attention it deserves and, as such, some great potential design innovations are being missed. Simon Pallant I totally agree. Cooling is such a large consumer of energy in buildings, but building services engineers tend to be the last to implement the innovations that are taking place in this eld. Stephen Gill Too few clients are challenging their consultant s lazy copy-and-paste specications. Maxwell Evans Copy and paste, copy and paste, copy and paste. Repeat until told otherwise. Mark E A lot of consultants have a spec that they use for years (aka copy-paste) and don t bother to update until it is too late. The problem is that, when you point it out, they double down and don t want to hear about it. Manolis Theolos There will be a lot of building owners/managers paying over the odds for HVAC consumption and refrigerant in a few years because the art had been lost on many. Simon Pallant I am not sure many consultants ever had the art of recognising the benets of chilled water systems and low-GWP refrigerants in the rst place. Stephen Gill CIBSE Journal welcomes readers letters, opinions, news stories, events listings, and proposals for articles. Please send all material for possible publication to: editor@cibsejournal.com or write to: Alex Smith, editor, CIBSE Journal, CPL, 1 Cambridge Technopark, Newmarket Road, Cambridge CB5 8PB, UK. We reserve the right to edit all letters. 16 May 2019 www.cibsejournal.com CIBSE May19 pp16 Letters.indd 16 26/04/2019 16:57