Transforming Research into Impact: The RightSize Design Service

Over the past 18 months, Low Carbon Europe (LCE) has been an active partner in an exciting Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) alongside Innovate UK and the Open University.

The foundations for the KTP were laid while LCE’s CEO, Darren Jones, was conducting research for his PhD in Overdesign in Building Services. During his research period (spanning 10 years), he discovered that the equipment in many plant rooms was oversized and overdesigned as a result of design margins and, therefore, incapable of operating at optimal performance levels, which had a significant impact on energy expenditure, capital outlay, and maintenance costs.

This identified an opportunity to create a qualitative and quantitative tool to prevent overdesign in complex buildings, such as hospitals and schools. Involvement in the KTP has provided the vehicle to transform the findings from academic research into a tool that could have a significant social impact.

Recognising the need for a practical solution, the KTP became the ideal platform to turn these research findings into a usable, impactful tool. The result is the RightSize Design Service (RSDS), developed by KTP Associate Riya Sivaguru, with guidance from Prof. Claudia Eckert and Dr. Khadija Tahera of the Open University, and Darren Jones from LCE.

RSDS provides a smart sizing mechanism for building services projects. Using basic project data, it calculates the optimal capacity of equipment, evaluates necessary resilience and redundancy strategies, and outlines future-proofing options. The goal? To ensure that systems are not just fit for purpose today but remain efficient, adaptable, and cost-effective throughout their lifecycle.

Riya Sivaguru, KTP Associate

As part of the KTP’s next milestone, Riya Sivaguru will present a co-authored paper titled “Impact of Design Assumptions on HVAC System Sizing Using 'Right-Sizing' Strategies” this September at the Sustainable Energy Buildings conference in Sicily, Italy. This presentation will showcase the rigorous development behind RSDS and its potential to transform how building services are designed and implemented.

The RSDS tool exemplifies how academic insight, when paired with industry expertise, can drive meaningful change. We’re proud of the journey so far—and even more excited about the impact ahead.