Energy and Environment Feature Library

Operations Engineer's library catalogues editorial features going back five years.

Access to all archive material is free to all, including non-members of IPlantE (the Institution of Operations Engineers) or BES (Bureau of Engineer Surveyors), under the umbrella of SOE (Society of Operations Engineers). However, to discover the many benefits of becoming an SOE member, please click here.

15/08/2022 Energy management: a standards approach ISO 50001 - Energy Management Systems - Requirements with Guidance for Use, offers measurable cost benefits to organisations, allowing business to achieve greater transparency and promote best practice in energy management by demonstrating ... » Read More

15/08/2022 Plaudits for audits With costs surging, energy usage audits have never been more critical, especially as new developments in the IoT lower the barrier to carrying these out right across the estate. By Brian Wall » Read More

14/06/2022 Identifying equipment issues in gas flaring Flaring is used to manage the associated gas produced as a co-product during oil extraction, routinely or as the result of an unscheduled event. Routine flaring can be a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. Non-routine flaring ... » Read More

14/06/2022 Offshore, off carbon To reduce their carbon footprint, many offshore operators are converting their drilling rigs to run on electricity. We look at the whys and wherefores, and how this might work in practice. By Brian Wall » Read More

17/05/2022 The carbon footprint of heating and cooling Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) is responsible for most of the greenhouse gas emissions from buildings, and a very significant share of all human-induced climate change. Its carbon footprint is largely a result of the ... » Read More

19/04/2022 Inspection: screening for danger Simulants and an array of training devices are helping to prepare operatives in the battle to detect explosives, drugs, IEDs and other threats, such as the radioactive materials still inside the Fukushima and Chernobyl nuclear reactors. » Read More

14/03/2022 The greening of steel Has the UK blown its chance to be a main player in the ‘green steel’ economy? As Europe forges ahead, the government’s £250m Clean Steel Fund is still ‘on hold’ – with no clear future strategy emerging. By Brian Wall » Read More

14/03/2022 Condition monitoring for wind turbines In any application, condition monitoring makes maintenance more efficient by preventing catastrophic failures and unplanned downtime, enabling efficient scheduling of maintenance operations with parts ordered in advance, and performing ... » Read More

14/02/2022 Saving the planet? The COP26 climate conference in November 2021 featured many pronouncements to ‘save the planet’ through addressing climate change, although how to actually reduce concentrations of carbon-based greenhouse gases in the atmosphere was far ... » Read More

14/02/2022 Spill response training Core skills, competencies and providers: setting out the importance of environmental spillage and incident management training. By Steed Webzell » Read More

19/01/2022 Concrete goes green Health risks from acid rain, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and nitric oxide are often attributed to concrete production, while CO2 emissions and climate change impact are also cited. But is the industry’s image now on the up as it ... » Read More

11/11/2021 Energy ratings for commercial and industrial buildings The government is proposing a new scheme to log energy consumption and carbon emissions in large buildings that will come into play in 2022. By Tom Austin-Morgan » Read More

05/10/2021 Tracking carbon in construction product manufacturing At the Energy Management Exhibition (24-25 November), SOE is presenting a panel discussion on reducing energy consumption. It features members working across industry. Also speaking is Matthew Jenkinson, Tarmac Alfreton senior site ... » Read More

16/09/2021 The biggest pumps in the world? Among the largest pumps made for industry are the reactor coolant pumps used in modern PWR, pressurised water reactor-type nuclear power plants such as Sizewell B in Suffolk, and Hinkley Point C, currently being built. Each 10m-tall ... » Read More

12/08/2021 Inspection shutdowns in UK AGR nuclear power plants UK nuclear power plants including Heysham 1, Torness and Hinkley Point B have recently undergone shutdowns that have included inspections for cracks in their graphite core. Such work has gained a new sense of urgency in the past few years, ... » Read More

30/07/2021 Circular economy from fuels to fashion Various technologies are appearing that are enabling new products to be made from waste products, ranging from clothing to biofuels By Tom Austin-Morgan » Read More

30/07/2021 Hydrogen as a low-carbon fuel The ‘hydrogen economy’ refers to the way hydrogen — the lightest and simplest of elements — could become a central pillar of a carbon-neutral society that still allows the economy to thrive. In principle, hydrogen could provide energy for ... » Read More

29/07/2021 Are you using the correct spill kit? Spill kits are essential when dealing with workplace spills and leaks, particularly those involving dangerous substances and contaminants, but workers need to make sure they are using the right spill kit for the job. First Mats talks ... » Read More

10/06/2021 Railway retrofit An emissions treatment system adapted from commercial vehicles provides a possible way to improve air quality in the rail network. By James Thorpe, senior sales manager, Eminox » Read More

13/05/2021 Mitigating methane slip Although touted as more eco-friendly than liquid fuels, there’s a less benign side to methane, the main ingredient of natural gas. And that relates to its effect when it escapes before combustion, according to Toby Clark » Read More

13/05/2021 SECR environmental reporting - a guide Many companies in the UK will be reporting their greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption under the government’s new streamlined energy and carbon reporting (SECR) policy for the first time this year, writes Tom Austin-Morgan » Read More

06/05/2021 Mind the gap Engineered systems support people living and working indoors. However, there is often a gap between the way those systems were designed to work, and what happens in reality. Enter the growing field of building performance evaluation. By ... » Read More

18/03/2021 Sharing the land - a new approach for development Warwick-based property development company AC Lloyd has entered into a novel agreement with a local landowner, the Alscot Estate, offset the environmental effects of a new housing development, reports Will Dalrymple » Read More

23/02/2021 My weir runneth over An advanced computing system aims to improve utilities’ ability to detect blockages that might otherwise lead to sewage pollution incidents, reports Toby Clark » Read More

18/02/2021 Principles of land remediation Revised Environment Agency guidance has not changed the process of planning the remediation of contaminated land or watercourses, but it has put a greater emphasis on competence and the role of sustainability » Read More