Hiross underfloor Air Conditioning is Installed at Award-Winning Edwardian block in Central London

The British Council for Offices has awarded Great Portland Estates plc, working in conjunction with AET (Advanced Ergonomic Technologies) the British Council for Offices Innovation Award for the redevelopment project of 180 Portland Street.

The project involved the refurbishment of an Edwardian block in central London named180 Great Portland Street, which was reconfigured into 10,000 sq m of spacious offices. As a regeneration project, it offered a particular challenge, having limited headroom and structural limitations. The aim was to maximise the lettable commercial space at the same time as minimising the material and construction costs – all the while constrained by the layout of the complicated Edwardian building. Sustainability was key for Great Portland Estates and the specification of building services had to allow for maximum future flexibility, considering the need for regular office churn, as well as offering energy saving solutions.

Specified by Cundall, AET provided Great Portland Estates plc with its Flexible Space System incorporating Hiross underfloor air conditioning, making use of the existing floor voids through which the dust-free air conditioning and ventilation system, along with all cabling and power distribution services, was fed. Unlike conventional fan coil or VAV systems, the underfloor option eliminates the need for large ceiling voids – a problem which often means refurbishment projects are unattractive and take up much-needed space.

The Hiross underfloor system also operates on low pressure and low energy which reduces the running costs of air conditioning.

For further information and a comprehensive list of companies who offer air conditioning services, please visit our website at http://www.buildingregister.com