EWS supports HVAC infrastructure on strategic Cable & Wireless campus
EWS’s residential engineers are playing a strategic role by supplying specialist HVAC service and maintenance to meet the demands of Cable & Wireless’s hi-tech, energy efficient campus in Berkshire.
The
Bracknell site is home to the company’s European headquarters and a major
hub for managing international communication’s traffic. It comprises
four modern buildings located around a lake, each having water connotations
in their names
EWS’s contract covers all four buildings including the company’s recently built staff gymnasium. The size of the site and its extensive HVAC infrastructure requires five multi-skilled resident engineers supplied by EWS. Three are dedicated to the air conditioning systems and a two provide electrical engineering skills and plant room assistance.
EWS’ brief is broad but comprehensive covering essentially all multi-vendor equipment across the entire campus. Responsibilities include chillers, VAVs, AHUs; fan coils units, Trend BMS and water treatments in addition to peripheral work that has been specified under the contract.
Much of the work is preventative maintenance but with an expanding site and
increased occupancy a significant proportion of the work involves replacing
or installing additional plant.
At Waterside House, comfort cooling is required with temperatures maintained at 22°C with currently no humidification. EWS has installed new chillers, VAV systems and additional fan coil units.
At Lakeside House, projects included the refurbishment of chillers, new fan coil units and installing a BMS system with work phased over 10 months.
EWS also worked with contractors Overbury to install and condition a purpose-built gymnasium for employees. Prior to construction the gymnasium was an office with toilet block. Its refurbishment now includes showers and changing facilities. VRV comfort cooling in the gymnasium maintains the temperature at 21°C.
The brief included the provision of air conditioning – both supply air and extract. Moducel’s LKS units, Qualitair condensing units and heat pumps were installed with a new supply and extract for the changing area, all to be linked into a BMS. All the new ductwork had to be carried out after hours.
In the adjacent Thames House comfort cooling is prevalent throughout the open plan offices, but in the switch rooms’ close control is a critical requirement. EWS had to address specific criteria. Four Edenaire IPAC units, two System 60 and two System 45s were installed providing 100% free cooling. The IPAC’s replaced ageing AHUs.
As part of the replacement, EWS had to plan the changeover to avoid disrupting the switching facilities that carry traffic for Africa and the Caribbean. Two units at a time were replaced using temporary cooling to maintain the environment. EWS engineers also created software enabling the IPAC units to operate within Cable & Wireless’s own parameters.
All buildings have yet to reach full occupancy. “Over the coming months EWS will be replacing the dry coolers (700kW capacity each) serving Thames House. This will entail draining the current system, cutting pipework and installing new coolers and providing temporary cooling to maintain a conditioned environment” says EWS’ Darren Johnson.