FRANCE – The RAGE 1 program, which ends at the end of 2014, will be replaced by RAGE 2. This new program should focus on technical studies for climate engineering that have not been addressed in RAGE 1.

Biomass stoves and hybrid boilers are some examples included in the new program. RAGE 2 will also focus on the rehabilitation of the existing business park and develop computing tablet applications. The program also includes regional meetings on its expansion, especially for teachers in civil engineering. This announcement was made at a press conference given by the Costic, the leader of the project.

The latest RAGE 1 program should be looped by the end of 2014. This concerns the professional recommendations on heat pumps (PAC) Air / air geothermal, gas absorption or collective. Heat pump water heaters, solar output, comfort ventilation and the pellet appliances are also included. The guides on climate wells, hybrid ventilation, boiler rooms and good practices should also be finalised. It is the same for the reports on the baskets or double layer geothermal collectors, solar water heaters, comfort ventilation and heating divided pellets with hot air network. The electronic and paper field book PAC air / RAGE had learned one should be out soon.

Regardless of RAGE, a team of a dozen Costic engineers is currently conducting further studies. They relate to the sealing of air systems rehabilitation, low pressure ventilation, recovery and energy recovery solutions from ventilation systems. The commissioning of the solar workforce and the development of skills in the construction sector in the context of the “smart building” are also the subject of a study.

Equipment for training
Costic has developed a new version of the calculator Orebat pou FEE BAT. Part of this tool is for renewable energy and other eco-PTZ. Costic is preparing to develop a new version for the collective building. The agency will soon organise a day of technical meetings in Paris. These courses focus on the extension of collective and tertiary sectors, RAGE’s teachings: collective solar hot water, wood boiler, ventilation and renovation and hydraulic circuits. The organisation of these meetings in the province is under consideration.

Costic has also produced a guide on mini generator internal combustion engine to natural gas on behalf of GrDF / CECIBAT. Local Yvelines will be equipped with technical training platforms in the coming months. The training will focus on maintenance standard boilers and condensing, balancing valves, thermodynamic groups propane or CO2, GTB and regulation.

The formations of charge d’affaires in GC and installer-maintainer wood heating equipment will be implemented in 2015. The duration of these courses will be respectively 343 hours and 210 hours. Training on energy renovation is only 28 hours. Costic also set up distance learning online platforms. These courses relate to units and quantities GC, the calculation of charges for air conditioning and an introduction to air conditioning. The agency will also organise training courses within the institution in 2015.

Surveys of European standards in environmental engineering

Following the European directive on the energy performance of buildings in 2010, public inquiries on European standards projects will be launched in the coming months. The new French thermal regulations must meet these standards to accelerate the development and commercialisation of innovative solutions. Future European standards for ventilation systems should facilitate the development of better techniques and guarantee the performance of the equipment.

The inspection of ventilation and air conditioning systems will be directed towards a single European standard. Expanding the scope of the evaluation of the energy performance is in sight, never to restrict a single building. Standardised calculation methods from the European Directive on the energy performance of buildings and those of the Ecodesign Directive should be identical. A coordinated work is necessary to achieve this goal. Two new standards should also be created, one for the Building Management System and the other for the inspection of control systems and building automation.