Colt International Limited has been shortlisted in the Specialist contractor of the year category for the 2010 Building Awards.

Colt has a uniquely broad spectrum of expertise across specialties such as climate, smoke and daylight control, traditionally offered individually by dedicated specialists.

Our worldwide experience brings innovative solutions, such as the Caloris WRF system developed by Colt Holland, the Laminated PV glass sun tracking louvres by Colt Switzerland and the new 'light injection' Heliostat system by Colt Germany.

In 2009 we focused on harmonising these experiences across the Group and facilitating cross-fertilisation between our areas of expertise. This has multiplied our capacity to apply our expertise across a wide variety of complex projects and develop innovative solutions that integrate our specialties.

Projects include:

Pan Peninsula, Docklands, London

The brief: specialist smoke control system for the tallest residential project in the UK.

The challenge: the two towers, 40 and 50 storeys high, were designed with a single staircase to maximise river views, resulting in travel distances in excess of the 7.5m allowed by ADB. A fire engineering approach was needed to allow longer dead end travel distances.

The solution: a smoke extract system consisting of extract and supply fans with addressable fireman's overrides and dampers at each level, linked to a Colt OPV intelligent control system. The system ventilates the common corridors at each level, providing powered inlet and exhaust with reversible fans. Smoke shafts at each end of every corridor serve as either exhaust or supply as needed. A fire detection system ensures that smoke is extracted through the damper system closest to the source into one of the shafts and supply air is brought in through the shaft at the other end of the corridor. The control system identifies the source of fire and determines the most appropriate response.

Marks & Spencer, White City

The lighting scheme for the 103,000 sq ft store includes design features supporting Plan A, M&S's 'eco' plan.

The brief: to provide an architectural feature to inject natural daylight onto the main atrium spanning 3 floors, increase natural lighting levels, and create a visual effect linked to the client's 'eco' theme.

The challenge: to bring natural light deep into the building, where the numerous escalators complicate threading the beams of sunlight through to the designated areas of the atrium floor.

The solution: a 2.5m² Colt Heliostat and secondary mirror system located on the roof. The mirror tracks the sun and reflects sunlight onto 9 secondary mirrors (1170mm x 850mm) mounted on a frame on the opposite side of the atrium. Five of the secondary mirrors have 36 smaller ones set at different angles to direct light on to the ground floor 20m below. The small mirrors produce flecks of light, creating the effect of dappled light through trees. We made full-scale prototypes to determine the required angles and size of the dappling mirrors and 3D CAD models to ensure the correct location of the secondary mirror structure.

Hatchcroft Building, Middlesex University

The building accommodates laboratories, classrooms and facilities for research and teaching.

The brief: energy efficient HVAC solution to support the client's ambition of achieving 'Excellent' BREEAM rating.

The solution: highly efficient and environmentally safe internal heat pump units linked to extensive ground source array to provide decentralised heating and cooling: 59 Caloris WRF indoor units connected to a vertical, closed loop borehole GSHP system; 55 boreholes drilled to an approximate depth of 60m to accommodate the GSHP's 32mm coil arrangement. The ground source energy field and the Hatchcroft building are connected to a purpose built Energy Centre, which links the ground source pipework into heat exchangers and three water-to-water heat pumps, and houses the system's control centre and flow pumps.

This system, which can provide a capacity of up to 235kW gross peak heating load and 190kW net peak cooling load, contributed to the 12% reduction in CO² emissions the development achieved compared to the facilities it replaced.


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