TPi March 2016

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business & market news
Alvenius Industries, Eskilstuna Sweden
Made in Sweden!
When we produce our piping system, we go for nothing but the best.
Meaning Swedish pressure vessel class steel.
At Alvenius we spiral-weld it for maximum strength and 100% flexibility
in dimensions. That way we manufacture and tailor-make piping systems to meet
your exact needs and specifications.
Special is standard to us, quite simply!
Welcome to visit us at Wire/Tube, Stand No 4E 23.
Dedicated training centre for BIMand pipework
Loughborough University, UK, has
launched a dedicated training centre
to support the building and industrial
services industry in tackling the
challenges of pipework innovation
and energy efficiency installation.
BISPA (Building and Industrial Services
Pipework Academy), which opened on
campus in January, is a collaboration
between the School of Civil and Building
Engineering, global steel manufacturer
Tata Steel and its tubes business, and
the Chartered Institution of Building
Services Engineers (CIBSE).
Building information modelling (BIM)
provides insight to help plan, design,
construct and manage buildings and
infrastructure. The training centre, which
was established to raise awareness of
BIM and pipework-related issues and
innovations, will offer CIBSE-accredited
CPD training courses for designers,
HVAC pipe installers and Tata Steel
customers. The UK has been set a
target to reduce its share of carbon
emissions by 80 per cent by 2050,
and BISPA will promote cost-effective
energy saving practice in pipework
system design and installation. The right
sizing of pipework – which is often
used in large quantities – would lead
to energy-efficient operation, resulting
in annual cost savings. BISPA aims
to educate HVAC designers, installers
and local traders on how to select the
correct pipework, measure heat losses
and properly insulate the pipes in new
and retrofit commercial buildings.
The training courses use interactive
teaching rigs and a variety of measuring
devices and techniques to demonstrate,
for example, heat loss from hot water
pipes (using infra-red cameras), and
pressure losses associated with
different diameter pipes and pipe
fittings. Modules are also available for
pipework specifications, hot-finished
versus cold-formed products, and
system corrosion and service life issues.
Lab-based workshops will demonstrate
essential engineering principles relating
to the lifecycle of a piping network, while
computer-based workshops will offer an
introduction to object-orientated product
modelling as a pre-requisite for BIM. The
use of BIM in the construction industry
becomes mandatory this year, and BISPA
will provide validated pipe selection and
fitting calculators via 3D BIM.
Dr Mahroo Eftekhari (FCIBSE), reader in
building services engineering and course
director for MSc in low energy building
services engineering at Loughborough
University, said, “Through our discussions
with companies, we have found a gap
in knowledge of selection, sizing and
installation of tubing for HVAC systems.
Many HVAC pipes have been sized larger
than required. This can result in cost and
energy consequences because of the
large quantities of pipework involved.”
Loughborough University – UK
BISPA – UK