John Robert Kell

John Robert ("Rob") Kell , CBE (* 1902 ; † 1983 ) was an English civil engineer who specialized in heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

Kell joined Oscar Faber & Partner's company in 1926 , after a time as a contractor , and became a partner in 1948. In 1936 he co-wrote the standard work Heating and air conditioning of Buildings with Oscar Faber . He also wrote the entry on heating, ventilation and air conditioning for the Encyclopædia Britannica .

He was responsible for planning the building technology for the Bank of England , including electricity generation and waste heat recovery, and the 12-acre Earls Court Exhibition Center , particularly the special ventilation nozzles (International Heating and Ventilation Engineering (IHVE) Journal, March 1938). He also planned the air conditioning for the rebuilt House of Commons (in the Palace of Westminster ) (1943–1950), and the heating system for numerous notable structures including St Paul's Cathedral and the Abbey of St Albans . He was President of the IHVE in 1952, was appointed Commander of the British Empire in 1966 , and was awarded the IHVE Gold Medal in 1967.

Rob Kell lived in St Albans and went to St. Albans School . He was married to Pamela and had a son Paul, who became a theater light designer. He had longstanding relationships with St. Albans Cathedral, to which he served in various voluntary activities, and has the unusual honor (with Robert Runcie ) of having his stone bust as one of the gargoyles on the roof of the Abbey.

Web links / sources

• Heating & Ventilating Hall of Fame , accessed January 3, 2013