Innovative Projects
Project: Lancaster Park
Client: Frazer Millar
Architect/Contract: Formative Architects
M&E Contract Value: £ TBC
Status: On site
Description: Project was conceived to provide value for money housing with an emphasis on low energy use and reduction of dependence on fossil fuel and reduction of carbon footprint.
The main concept for the development was housing which complies with the German passivhaus standard developed over 30 years ago, to achieve the goal of using up to 90% less energy than conventional build housing.
Mechanical & Electrical services installations were designed around a ‘compact unit’ which is essentially the MEP services centralized in a combined housing, which contains Domestic Hot Water generation, Heat Recovery Ventilation and control of the environment within the house. The space heating for the houses is controlled by the compact unit, this is done by measuring the return air through an on board exhaust air heat pump. If the return air is below the set point, then the compact unit operates the 1.5kw of electric panel heaters in the main living area to counteract the heat loss in the house. This is a system which uses the building air tightness/cold bridge free junction design and the heat recovery ventilation to maximize the comfortable environment within the house with the minimum of primary energy use.
Advance M&E have designed the complete MEP services installation for the various house types to ensure the systems were compliant and worked in harmony
Project: Rathmullen Co. Donegal
Client: Private
Architect/Contract: INIS Architects
M&E Contract Value: £ 2m
Status: Complete
Description: Contemporary dwelling on the shore of Lough Swilly in Co. Donegal.
Advance M&E provided an innovative solution for lighting in the concrete structure and in the use of wireless lighting control switches
The Contemporary approach taken by the Architect meant that there was no voids for the wiring or lighting etc. in ceiling spaces due to the exposed concrete surfaces. The lighting design needed to be incorporated as part of the concrete pour. We did this by designing the conduit network and the light fitting housings as part of the early structural steel reinforcing. This install also included ventilation ducts installed before the concrete pour.
Due to the exposed concrete walls, we also designed a wireless lighting control system so there was no need for wiring in the walls and the switches could be positioned and moved at will and could be programmed to operate different lights.
Client: Private
Architect/Contract: Des Ewing Residential Architects
M&E Contract Value: £ confidential
Status: Design Stage
Description: Replacement Dwelling in coastal town.
The issue we identified at design stage was the likelihood of this house overheating, mostly due to the large amount of south-West facing glazing. We undertook to carry out a full modelling exercise by using the Passive house PHPP software. When we carried out this exercise, we identified that the property would indeed have a 27% chance of overheating in the summer months.
We set about giving design advice to the Architect to mitigate the overheating effect and by working on the model we were able to reduce the overheating risk to less than 6% (CIBSE recommended limit is 10%) by passive measures including high G-Value Glazing specification, introducing cross ventilation, canopies above the windows and by deciduous tree planting.
Full Mechanical and Electrical Services design including Heat recovery ventilation systems. A contemporary lighting installation with daylight control and all necessary services for operation including electrical distribution, general lighting, fire alarm and structured IT cabling network.