Bespoke fixed solar shading
Addison Wesley Longman Limited is an international publishing company located in Harlow. In the late 1980s it decided that its existing accommodation was inadequate and was hindering its potential development. It embarked on a feasibility study in 1988 to review possible solutions and C D Partnership was appointed to help carry out the study. The initial design brief was minimal and staff were consulted about the specification for new offices. It was agreed that the new building should create greater communication between staff, provide an airy and attractive environment, be easy to maintain and cheap to run. 80% of the staff also requested that they wanted windows that opened - resulting in a requirement for natural ventilation.
The new building was designed by C D Partnership, (formerly known as Conran Roche). The mechanical and electrical consultants for the project were Cundall Johnston Partnership, London and the project was carried out by Bryant Construction (Southern) Limited. Colt was employed to provide a bespoke external Solar Shading System. Smoke Control and Controls for the natural ventilation were also included in the design brief.
The building was developed on a 2.4ha site which was formerly a dilapidated cycle track. The building spans 16000mē and is constructed in two 13.5m wide blocks separated by three atria. The West block contains six storeys, the East block five.
Due to an unpopular and costly air-conditioning system installed in the previous building, natural ventilation was high on the list of priorities. Colt designed the actuating mechanism for the windows which provide natural ventilation at the top of the three atria as well as interfacing with the Colt designed Smoke Control System.
External Solar Shading was supplied to over 200 windows in the form of a specially developed external louvre system, which was designed in conjunction with the architect. The carefully arranged louvres reduce solar heat gain in the summer months, as well as acting as light shelves to help the distribution of daylight further into the work place.
Colt Seefire natural ventilators were installed to the stairwells around the building, and in the three glazed atria Colt Liberator powered extract fans have been installed to provide smoke control in the event of fire. The end result meets the criteria laid down and makes the new Addison Wesley Longman premises one of the greenest buildings around.
