CIBSE (Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers) has launched a new publication called Building for extreme environments: Arid.

It says that the publication is timely, with landmark building projects in the Middle East and other arid environments gaining global attention. The rate of development of the built environment in the world’s hot desert and semi-arid areas is increasing, and brings with it specific challenges that need to be embraced in modern building solutions.

As the publication is climate-zone driven, guidance within it can be applied to building engineering in different parts of the world. Compiled by an international steering group of experts in their respective fields, it incorporates chapters looking at the arid climate; basic design data; building design and construction materials; equipment design data; and sustainability.

It encourages an integrated design approach to building engineering in this climate zone. It also acknowledges issues such as sourcing materials, waste management and the logistical challenges that working within the more remote regions that this climate zone embraces can bring.

The publication is the first of a three part series which will be available from CIBSE offering guidance on building design in particularly challenging environments; others will examine building design in polar and tropical climates.

With an ever-increasing number of CIBSE members working on international projects, or being based in locations unfamiliar to them, these documents have been designed by CIBSE to provide an introduction to topics that might be unfamiliar and to provide information upon which reasoned judgments may be made or lead to further research to be undertaken in support of their professional duties.

For more information visit www.cibse.org/knowledge