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04/02/2010
WindowMaster
WINDOWMASTER HELPS REDUCE EMISSIONS AT SOUTH CHESHIRE COLLEGE
WindowMaster (www.windowmaster.co.uk) is to supply and install an automated window control system for the new £57 million South Cheshire College (www.s-cheshire.ac.uk).
Currently under construction and due for completion in September 2010, the new college was designed by Jefferson Sheard Architects (www.jeffersonsheard.com). The 26,500 square metre building is based on a village street concept with departments functioning almost as shop fronts which are covered by a glass and copper ‘skin' to create light and space. The curve of the building runs around a beautiful oak copse, one of the most significant features of the site's landscape, and still a centrepiece.
Consultant engineers on the project are AECOM (www.aecom.com). Commenting on the design Matthew Cotton, associate director of building engineering at AECOM, said: “Natural ventilation was chosen as the college is keen to promote environmental design including reduced energy consumption and carbon emissions. Natural ventilation offers a zero carbon form of ventilation with the added benefit of night cooling to mitigate the use of mechanical cooling systems.
“The brief was to aim for a BREEAM Excellent rating, although the final certificate and rating has yet to be produced.
“WindowMaster was able to meet the challenges faced during the design including the optimisation of the window design to provide adequate ventilation rates against BB101 standards and adequate night time cooling to mitigate the use of mechanical cooling. It was also able to reduce the cost impact of window actuators providing the justification for their inclusion in the design.”
WindowMaster’s NV Advance™ window automation system included the supply of 732 motors controlling windows in 150 zones around the building, sensors in each of the zones and a computerised control system. The natural ventilation system included high-level exhaust through roof lights behind the central atrium and automated louvres at low level.
WindowMaster regional sales manager Gino DeLaroche said: “The key challenge in this project is to ensure that the natural ventilation system interfaces with the heat recovery and air handling units around the building to ensure that they operate only when absolutely necessary. The system also needed to interface with fans that were installed in certain areas.
“Data is collected from sensors in each of the zones and sent via the computer control system back to all the heat recovery and air handling units and fans to carefully control them.”
WindowMaster, Europe’s largest provider of natural comfort and smoke ventilation solutions, was chosen to provide the window automation system for the South Cheshire College because of its ability to provide a complete installation, in particular the central computer control system, and a weather station.
The control system understands and knows how the wind speed and direction on all façades will influence the airflow through the windows on each level and location in the façade. WindowMaster determines the Cp values (pressure coefficients) individually for each window by calculating the relevant air pressures from different wind speeds and directions.
WindowMaster carries out computational fluid dynamic (CFD) calculations for 16 wind directions for the specific building and its surroundings. Based on the calculations the Cp values are determined and programmed into the control system, which enables the precise control of the individual windows resulting in an optimal indoor climate. Therefore, each zone must operate independently of the others according to the specific external conditions relevant to those windows and the internal environment.
The building is to house several curriculum clusters including media/art and performing arts, hair and beauty/hospitality and leisure, business and computing, humanities and engineering/construction and sciences. The college will also include several specialist areas including a well-being centre, 312-seat theatre, a multi-faith centre, learner support zone and a student council area. The new college also includes a large amount of kitchen and servery facilities including various catering areas, training kitchens and training restaurant/bistro.
WindowMaster’s NV Advance™ window automation system is the only system in Europe that intelligently monitors windows to prevent entrapment as an integrated function of the motor and control system.
If an object becomes trapped in a window and prevents it from closing the amount of current drawn by the motor instantly increases. This is detected by the microprocessor which immediately reverses the motor to release the window, therefore reducing the possibility of serious injury.
The system can be retrofitted on many existing windows as well as being installed on new buildings. It can operate on a broad range of window types, including top and bottom opening, sliding and parallel opening. The system can also be used on windows for heat and smoke ventilation.
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