CIBSE guide B
The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) supports '…the science, art and practice of building services engineering, by providing our members and the public with first class information and education services and promoting the spirit of fellowship which guides our work.'
CIBSE Guide B: Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, provides guidance on good practice for the design of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC). It has been developed over more than 70 years, with the Steering Groups for each edition reflecting the evolution of technology and priorities within the industry.
The 2016 edition, published on 13 July 2016, updates and expanded the previous 2001 edition (last updated in 2005) to reflect the introduction of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive which requires that regulations are based on calculations that integrate the impact of the building envelope and building services systems. It also takes into account the development of new technology and provides revised sections on noise and vibration control.
It is provided as 4 separate volumes:
- Guide B1: Heating, including hot water systems and an appendix on hydronic systems, which is also applicable to chilled water systems.
- Guide B2: Ventilation and ductwork.
- Guide B3: Air conditioning and refrigeration.
- Guide B4: Noise and vibration control for building services systems (applicable to all systems).
Two additional guides are also available:
- Guide B0: Applications and activities: HVAC Strategies for Common Building Types.
- Guide B Index: Combined index to the 4 volumes.
Roger Hitchin, Chair of the Guide B Steering Committee, said: “We are delighted to be able to release this comprehensive update to Guide B, which has required years of stringent work as one of CIBSE's most important guides to one of its core areas of expertise.
“The inclusion of Part 0 to the new Guide has been driven by changes we have seen in the industry, which has seen more and more engineers join building services from other disciplines or more general engineering degrees. The intention is to make this transition easier and to make their future work more effective by helping them to understand the issues created by different contexts, and their relevance to HVAC design.”
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
The roofscape of Hampstead Garden Suburb
Residents, architects and roofers need to understand detailing.
Homes, landlords. tenants and the new housing standards
What will it all mean?
The Architectural Technology podcast: Where it's AT
Catch-up on the latest episodes.
Edmundson Apprentice of the Year award 2026
Entries now open for this Electrical Contractors' Association award.
Traditional blue-grey slate from one of the oldest and largest UK slate quarries down in Cornwall.
There are plenty of sources with the potential to be redeveloped.
Change of use legislation breaths new life into buildings
A run down on Class MA of the General Permitted Development Order.
Solar generation in the historic environment
Success requires understanding each site in detail.
Level 6 Design, Construction and Management BSc
CIOB launches first-ever degree programme to develop the next generation of construction leaders.
Open for business as of April, with its 2026 prospectus and new pipeline of housing schemes.
The operational value of workforce health
Keeping projects moving. Incorporating unplanned absence and the importance of health, in operations.
A carbon case for indigenous slate
UK slate can offer clear embodied carbon advantages.
Costs and insolvencies mount for SMEs, despite growth
Construction sector under insolvency and wage bill pressure in part linked to National Insurance, says report.
The place for vitrified clay pipes in modern infrastructure
Why vitrified clay pipes are reclaiming their role in built projects.
Research by construction PR consultancy LMC published.
Roles and responsibilities of domestic clients
ACA Safety in Construction guide for domestic clients.





















