Updated version of Creating the Productive Workplace Places to Work Creatively Edited by Derek Clements-Croome

Professor Derek Clements-Croome works with the TSBE Centre, University of Reading,  projects in his area of expertise include:

Creating an intelligent building environment to enhance investment trader performance – Gary Middlehurst with Prof. Runming Yao & Prof. Derek Clements-Croome

https://www.reading.ac.uk/tsbe/Current-research-projects/EngDProfiles/Gary-middlehurst.aspx

3RD EDITION
Creating the Productive
Workplace
Places to Work Creatively
Edited by Derek Clements-Croome
A new edition of a classic title, featuring updated and
additional material to reflect today’s competitive work
environments, contributed by a team of international
experts. Essential for anyone involved in the design,
management and use of work places, Creating the Productive
Workplace is a critical multidisciplinary review of the factors
affecting productivity, as well a practical solutions manual
for common problems and issues. Features over 100 black
and white illustrations.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Foreword Preface Part 1: Health, Well-Being and Productivity
Landscape 1. Effects of the Built Environment on Health and
Wellbeing Derek Clements-Croome 2. The Business Case for
Sustainable Healthy Buildings Derek Clements-Croome 3. The
Multi-Sensory Experience in Buildings Briony Turner, Derek
Clements-Croome, and Kay Pallaris 4. Pleasure and Joy, and their
Role in Human Life Michel Cabanac 5. User-Centred Workspace
Design: Applications of environmental psychology to space for
work Jacqueline Vischer 6. Change Makers: rethinking the
productive workplace through an art and design lens Jeremy
Myerson Part 2: Research Evidence 7. Lessons from Schools for
Productive Office Environments: the SIN model Peter Barrett 8.
Effects of Indoor Air Quality on Decision Making Usha Satish and
Piers MacNaughton 9. Workplace Productivity: Fatigue and
Satisfaction Shin-ichi Tanabe and Naoe Nishihara 10. Proving the
Productivity Benefits of Well-Designed Offices Nigel Oseland 11.
Optimising Wellbeing and Productivity through an Ergonomics
Based Approach Stephen Bowden 12. Lighting For Productive
Workplaces Jennifer Veitch 13. Intelligent workplaces Vivian
Loftness et al 14. Thermal and IAQ Effects on School and Office
Work Pawel Wargocki and David Wyon 15. Measuring the IEQ
Contribution to Productivity and Wellbeing Vyt Garnys, Travis Hale
and Adam Garnys Part 3: Experiential Evidence from Surveys and
Building Case Studies 16. A Visual Language of the Workplace
Peter Bacevice, Hannah Beveridge and Liz Burow 17. The People-
Building Interface: It’s a Two Way Street Judith Heerwagen, Kevin
Kampschroer, Bryan Steverson and Brian Gilligan 18. Workplace: A
Tool for Investment Kevin Reader 19. Productivity in Buildings: the
Killer Variables – twenty years on Adrian Leaman and Bill Bordass
20. Enjoy Work: A Case Study on Chiswick Park Jason Margrave,
Ron German and Kay Chaston 21. The Arup Experience of
Workplace Design Ann-Marie Aguilar, Vicki Lockhart, Mallory
Taub and Michael Stych 22. Achieving Holistic Sustainability:
considering wellness alongside resource use in buildings Jennifer
McArthur 23. Making the Economic Case for Good Design of
Workplaces Sarah Daly 24. Building Performance: the Value
Management Approach Part 4: Future Horizons 25. Stranger Than
We Can Imagine: the future of work and place in the 21st Century
Mark Eltringham 26. How to Prevent Todays Ergonomic Office
Problems in the Future Veerle Hermans 27. Future Landscapes
Despina Katsikakis 28. Coda Derek Clements-Croome

Hb: 978-1-138-96334-4 | £60.79

 

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Smart Cities, Big Data and the Built Environment: What’s Required?

University of Reading: School of Construction Management
& Engineering and School of Real Estate & Planning collaborate on RICS Smart Cities Report.

Written by: Professor Tim Dixon, Dr Jorn van de Wetering, Professor Martin Sexton, Dr Shu-Ling Lu, Dr Dan Williams, Dilek Ulutas Duman and Xueying Chen

Executive Summary Background We live in an increasingly urbanised world. Currently more than 50 per cent of the world’s population lives in cities, and this is set to grow to 70% by 2050 (UN, 2014). Recently we have seen a greater focus on information and communications technology (ICT) to argue the case for ‘smart cities’. This places a strong emphasis on an ICT-led and a ‘data-driven’ future, which also positions the development of new products, processes, organisational methods and markets at the heart of the continued ambition for sustainable urban economic growth. The interconnected agendas of smart cities, big data and open data, on the face of it, provide bold and exciting opportunities for the built environment professions, including RICS members. But, what in reality will those opportunities be, and what are the challenges? This research, conducted from 2015-2016, seeks to explore those questions and focuses on the city level. The aim of this research is to examine the scope for the development of data platforms at city level in the UK and internationally and to determine how the RICS and its members (and other built environment professions, including architects, planners and engineers) can benefit from these data platforms. Focusing on ‘big data’ and ‘open’ data relating to the built environment, the research examines: • The drivers and barriers for big data platforms at city level in the UK and internationally. • Key trends in the development and opening up of big data in cities. • The opportunities for client advice and the potential for RICS members to use big data creatively and innovatively to add value to their professional work. Using an institutional analysis approach, the research consisted of an online scoping survey of UK smart cities; four case studies in Bristol, Milton Keynes, Amsterdam and Taipei; and a UK expert workshop.

you can read more of the report here: http://www.rics.org/Global/RICS-Smart-Cities-Big-Data-REPORT-2017.pdf

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EngD vacancies

All Industrial Doctorate Centres advertise their current vacancies on the AEngD website, see link below:

http://www.aengd.org.uk/engd-vacancies/

 

 

 

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TSBE Students shortlisted at SET

TSBE EngD students shortlisted at SET Competition Westminster

EngD students Joshua Eadie and Katie McCausland presented posters on their research at the SET Competition at Westminster, and were pleased to be shortlisted.

The overall aim of STEM for BRITAIN is to encourage, support and promote Britain’s early-stage and early-career research scientists, engineers, technologists and mathematicians who are an essential part of continuing progress in and development of UK research and R&D. Read more here:http://www.setforbritain.org.uk/index.asp

Katie and Josh will also be talking about their posters at the Annual TSBE Conference to be held in June 2017.

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Dr Marek Kubik – Forbes under 30 nominee presents at LV Seminar

Dr Marek Kubik – Graduate of the EngD programme at TSBE Centre University of Reading

 

Dr Marek Kubik (AES Corporation) presented on the frequency response application of energy storage at the Kilroot power station, which proven to be more effective than conventional plants in delivering frequency support.

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4th LV Workshop & TVCC Energy Seminar hosted by TSBE Centre

Another successful event! The 4th LV workshop and the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce energy seminar were held at the university of Reading on the 1st and 2nd of March. This two-in-one event aimed to share recent developments in demand forecasting and energy storage control, and bring the academics and industry together for discussions and collaboration. Below is a summary of the presentations given during the 4th LV workshop and the TVCC seminar.

Dr Phil Coker opens the TVCC energy seminar

4th LV workshop
In the continuation of the theme of the previous workshops and close links with the New Thames Valley Vision (NTVV) project, the 4th LV workshop aimed at the academics working on the applied research on demand forecasting techniques and energy storage control in the Low Voltage (LV) networks.
The first day was dedicated to forecasting techniques for power systems, starting with demand forecasts at the national level and then focusing on demand at the LV feeder and house level.
Dr Jeremy Caplin (National Grid) gave an informative and fascinating presentation on the state-of-art forecasting of the electricity demand at the national level, including an insight in to how weather and major events impact both, embedded renewable generation and demand.
Dr Stephen Haben (University of Oxford) and Dr Laura Hattam (University of reading) presented on the forecasting techniques for demand and loading from Low Carbon Technologies at the LV level developed for the New Thames Valley Vision (NTVV) project. Stephen’s talk highlighted the complexity of forecasting at the household and the feeder level driven by the range of customer behaviours and the temporal range of the forecast. Laura’s talk focused on forecasting the uptake of Low Carbon Technologies (EVs and PVs) as clusters and modelling the uncertainty of their output.
Dr Stuart Galloway (University of Strathclyde) presented on the forecasting of demand for single buildings on LV network, focusing on the analysis of the errors and highlighting the inter- and intra-day correlation of errors. Abstract:
“Electrical loads such as those in islanded power systems, on residential feeders and in large individual buildings require increasingly descriptive load profile representations in order to capitalize on operational innovations including dynamic tariffs, embedded storage and demand response programs. Accordingly, deployment of Smart Meters and new innovations in Building Energy Management Systems deliver measurements to inform models for anticipating these. Although usage time and its relationship with load magnitude at both inter and intraday timescales can support forecasting applications and the general representation of load, variability at this scale presents several modelling challenges. Conventional day ahead load forecasting models for small and building level loads are utilised coupled with a boosting procedure based entirely on the dependency structure of the intra-day error. Models are devised to be operational with only a small training set allowing near immediate use. Several non-Gaussian modelling strategies to accommodate the complex intra-day forecast error dependency structure are demonstrated on operational data taken from residential LV networks and several non-residential buildings, showing improved forecast errors over a variety of short term time horizons.”
Dr Florian Ziel (University Duisburg-Essen) presented and compared several short-term forecasting techniques for LV feeders, focusing on how feeder size impacts the accuracy of the forecasts and the sensitivity of forecasts to temperature.
Dr Kavin Narasimhan (University of Surrey) presented how concepts from social practice theory have been applied to agent-based modelling of energy demand at a household level. The concepts are based on three components of social practice (meaning, skill and material), linking the activities with energy usage and validating how the relationships between activities and energy usage change the over years.
Dr Richard Snape (De Montfort University) introduced the SWELL project and presented findings from the demand response trials based on control of electrical heating in response to demand and generation forecasts. The findings highlighted the effectiveness of the chosen demand response business model on benefits for the customers and how customers responded to the trial. Abstract:
“Recent work has highlighted the need for smarter and more localised management of electricity networks, with the UK National Infrastructure smart power report recommending that “Enabling the transition to more actively managed local networks should be a government priority. By Spring 2017 DECC and Ofgem should consult and set out how and under what timeframe this transition should best take place”
This talk presents an approach to managing local renewable generation and load, particularly legacy electrical heating (storage heater) load, in a community energy scheme. It reports on a recently completed case study project which has installed equipment in 50 buildings to implement such a scheme and record data about usage and the success of local balancing, the community business model and smart controls in combination with resident interaction. Finally, the talk describes a model incorporating learnings from the project which may be further used to investigate the replicability of this scheme in communities across the UK.”

The second day of the workshop focused on energy storage from two perspectives: energy storage for network support and commercial applications of energy storage ( as part of the TVCC energy seminar).
The morning session aimed at the energy storage for the network support. Nigel Bessant (Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks) have set the scene for the network support session by presenting DNO’s perspective on the energy storage and gave a brief overview of existing innovation projects involving energy storage.
Dr Timur Yunusov (University of Reading), Gideon Evans and Josh Martin (Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks) presented on the development and control of battery energy storage within the NTVV project. Gideon and Josh gave an overview of the project, focusing on the specification requirements for the Energy Storage and Management Units (ESMUs), learning points from the installation and commissioning of the units at the street level, and from the integration of control system into the existing IT environment. Timur focused on the automated control system for the ESMUs, providing the overview of the control methods and results from the trials of control methods on ESMUs installed on LV feeders.
Andreas Procopiou (University of Manchester) presented an overview of the challenges in PV rich LV networks and how actively managing residential PV and battery energy storage systems impacts the operation of PV-rich LV networks. Abstract:
“European countries have promoted through different incentives the use of residential-scale photovoltaic (PV) systems resulting in a significant number of installations in LV networks. However, since LV networks are traditionally designed to cope with demand without controllable elements, with higher PV penetration levels, technical problems such as voltage rise or thermal overload of assets are expected to occur. Indeed, distribution network operators (DNOs) are now required to either proceed with costly network reinforcements (e.g., upgrading transformers, conductors) or transit towards the active management of LV networks which can be an attractive and cost-effective alternative.
In this context, the industrial project “Active Management of LV Networks” funded by Électricité de France R&D and run by The University of Manchester was set to investigate the adoption of active network management techniques to tackle voltage and congestion issues. This talk will present the key findings from two techniques (1) the coordinated control of residential-scale PV systems adopting already embedded power control functions (e.g., Volt-Var, Volt-Watt) and (2) the control of residential-scale battery energy storage systems in a way that provides benefits to both customers (i.e., self-consumption) and DNO (i.e., voltage management). These innovative solutions that require limited network information and observability have the potential to increase the ability of LV networks to host residential-scale PV systems without the need of expensive and time consuming network reinforcements, paving the way for a cost-effective low carbon future.”
Dr David Greenwood (Newcastle University) presented on the recent developments in control techniques for LV networks from the Newcastle University, including results from field trials and laboratory experiments. Abstract:
“In electrical networks, Energy Storage can fulfil multiple functions across a range of voltage levels. The research in this presentation focusses on simulation and control of energy storage in low voltage distribution networks, enabling power flow management, voltage control, and integration of domestic photovoltaic systems. We investigate coordinated control of multiple energy storage systems, and of energy storage in conjunction with demand response. We describe methods for mass simulation of LV networks, and heuristic planning techniques to investigate the location and sizing of storage systems. Our results are validated through energy storage demonstration, carried out as part of the Customer Led Network Revolution project.”

Thames Valley Chambers of Commerce Energy Seminar
The TVCC seminar had a great combination of speakers, representing industry, academia and investors. Audience from the 4th LV workshop was joined by members of the TVCC and the representatives from industry interested in commercial applications of energy storage.
The first presentation was by Dr Ben Potter (University of Reading) on energy storage research highlights. Ben described recent developments in energy storage technologies and costs, followed by two examples of energy storage applications (reducing network connection costs and frequency response). Ben also highlighted that other key factors (i.e. control methods, security and forecasting) play an important role in ensuring that the application of energy storage is successful.
Nigel Bessant (Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks) presented on the role of energy storage from DNO’s perspective, described the importance of energy storage performance and gave a couple of examples how energy storage could perform a key role in DNO to DSO transition.
Dr Matthew Rowe (DNV GL) gave an overview of energy storage on the global stage, highlighting the idea that energy storage could be seen as a disruptive technology with a potential to provide a wide range of applications.
Dr Marek Kubik (AES Corporation) presented on the frequency response application of energy storage at the Kilroot power station, which proven to be more effective than conventional plants in delivering frequency support.
Neal Kalita (Energy Locker) gave an insight from developer’s perspective into the investment process for energy storage, highlighting the key factors to be take into the account and the key stages in the process of decision making for the energy storage investment.

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TSBE Researchers Get Matlab Certification

In October 2016 two members of the TSBE centre, Maximilian J Zangs and Dr Timur Yunusov, along with three researchers from the School of Biomedical Engineering (Dr Ian Harrison, Dr Monica Armengol and Stefano Pietrosanti) undertook an examination to qualify as MathWorks Matlab Professionals. Matlab is a computational platform optimised for solving engineering and scientific problems. Programming in Matlab is similar to programming in other modern languages, although with simpler syntax and ability to directly express matrix and array mathematics. Inbuilt functions and toolboxes allow development and visualisation of applications for data analytics, signal and image processing, control design, machine learning and many more.

The aim of the examination is to test programming abilities and knowledge of Matlab to a level of mastery on par with the proficiency of the most advanced members of the Matlab community: automation of data analytics and visualisation applications, robust and optimised Matlab programming techniques and interactive Matlab applications. MathWorks Matlab Professional Certification is only available to those who have achieved certified Matlab Associate credential.

So it is very exciting to announce that all five researchers successfully passed the examination and now are Certified MathWorks Matlab Professionals!

 

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Meet Our Researchers – Ana Rodriguez-Arguelles

The TSBE has a wide range of exciting research projects happening within its centre. All of which involve multidisciplinary research and collaboration with industry to help resolve real-world problems.

Our first researcher to go under the spotlight is Ana Rodriguez-Arguelles.

Ana at the IEEE Energycom networking event, Leuven city hall

About Ana

Ana Rodriguez is a Doctoral Research Engineer in the TSBE Centre with experience in the field of sensing and data analysis for energy management in buildings. Ana Rodriguez holds a BSc (Hons) degree in Physics from the University of Córdoba (Spain) and an MSc in “Renewable Energy: Technology and Sustainability” from the University of Reading (UK).Prior to her current role, Ana was employed at the Spanish National Research Council (Madrid, Spain) as a researcher on the project ‘Saving Energy and Emission Reduction in Buildings’. Her current doctoral project is in collaboration with AECOM Infrastructure & Environment UK. This research involves the development of new Smart Meter monitoring techniques to improve energy audit methods in buildings.

Ana was also a peer reviewer for the 2nd International Conference on New Energy and Future Energy System (NEFES 2017) and currently works as a teaching assistant for the Empirical Studies course (2016/17) in the School of Built Environment, University of Reading.

Ana is currently supervised within the University by Associate Prof. Ben Potter and Dr Stefan Smith.

Anas publications so far

Essah, E. A., Rodriguez Arguelles, A. and Glover, N. (2014) Assessing the performance of a building integrated BP c-Si PV system. Renewable Energy, 73. pp. 36-45. ISSN 0960-1481 doi: 10.1016/j.renene.2014.04.002

Conference: 2016 IEEE International Energy Conference (ENERGYCON)               Leuven, Belgium,  http://www.ieee-energycon2016.org/

“Small power load dis-aggregation in office buildings based on electrical signature classification”

 Conference: CIBSE ASHRAE Technical Symposium 2017. Delivering Resilient High Performance Buildings, Loughborough University, Leicestershire, UK;  http://www.cibse.org/symposium

Sensibility analysis for small power energy assessments under the TM22 audit framework”

If You want to find out more about Ana

LinkedIn – https://uk.linkedin.com/in/ana-rodriguez-argüelles-69581150

ResearchGate –  https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ana_Rodriguez-Arguelles/publications

TSBE profile –  http://www.reading.ac.uk/tsbe/Current-research-projects/EngDProfiles/a-rodriguez-arguelles.aspx

Or her supervisors

Associate Prof. Ben Potter – https://www.reading.ac.uk/sse-energy-research-lab/about/erl-people.aspx

Dr Stefan Smith – https://www.reading.ac.uk/CME/about/staff/s-t-smith.aspx

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Energy Storage is Big in the TSBE

It seems that the theme of Energy Storage is a hot topic around the world at the moment and this is also true in the TSBE Centre. At the end of 2016 three representatives; Alice Gunn, Maximilian J Zangs and Dr Timur Yunusov from the Energy Research Lab, based in the TSBE centre, attended the 3rd  UK Energy Storage conference

This conference was held in Birmingham University on the 30th of November 2016 for 3 days. Organised by the Energy Storage Research Network, Energy SUPERSTORE, STFC Network in Battery Science and Technology and funded by EPSRC; the event focuses on a wide scope of energy storage research, including: storage technology (battery chemistry, compressed air, hydrogen and other media), detailed modelling control techniques and their application on the network. 

The conference attracted a wide audience with presenters from both academia and industry; a full list can be found here http://ukenergystorage.co/. The TSBE also had two members take to the stage to present their findings. Dr Timur Yunusov has presented on the latest results from work carried out as part of the New Thames Valley Vison (NTVV) project.

And Maximilian J Zangs  presented his latest research on control techniques for battery energy storage devices, aiming to support network operation at minutely resolution.

  • Maximilian Zangs, University of Reading: On-Line Adjustment of Battery Schedules for Supporting LV Distribution Network Operation.

This event resuled in numerous debates, conversations and networking opportunities for all involved.

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Forbes ’30 Under 30′ Nominee is Keynote at TVCC

In March this year the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce seminar event is being hosted by the TSBE Centre at Reading University. This event has been organised to explore potential challenges for power networks and the commercial opportunities for energy storage on a large scale. At this even we will be very pleased to welcome back one of the TSBE Centres Alumni; Marek Kubik as  Keynote speaker.

Dr Marek Kubik is the Keynote Speaker at this years TVCC Seminar Event hosted by the TSBE Centre

Marek was one of the very first researchers to join the TSBE back in 2009. His project researched ‘The Impact of High Levels of Renewable Generation on an Existing Fossil Fuel Based Electricity Market‘. This project and Marek’s subsequent career have been propelled by his passion for sustainability and relentless work ethic. As such he was recently nominated for the Forbes 30 Under 30. This is a fantastic achievement and when asked about the nomination Marek stated:

“I am deeply honoured to have been chosen for the list. Having met some of the other European nominees, I know the standard set for this is extremely high. Going forward I am looking forward to the global Forbes summit in Israel. This will bring together all of the Under 30 from around the globe and it will be a fantastic opportunity to meet my counterparts working in energy elsewhere and accelerate the change that is significantly needed in the sector.”

 

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