College redevelopment uses Oventrop valves exclusively
One of the biggest construction projects ever undertaken by Westminster Kingsway College, the redevelopment of its Kings Cross Centre, uses Oventrop valves exclusively for all above-ground systems, including heating, cooling and gas distribution for the six laboratories and science areas. The new centre enables the college to bring together all the college’s Camden-based vocational courses on to a single site.
Kier London is the main contractor for the new building, which comprises two main blocks with four floors of teaching and administration space and a fifth-floor plant room. There is also a smaller block with three floors of teaching space and a fourth-floor plant room.
Mechanical plant rooms are on the roof, with the public-health plant room in the basement, which houses the water tanks for storing reclaimed domestic water for treatment and recirculation.
10% of the energy for heating and cooling is provided by energy piles and a ground-source heat pump. The balance is provided by gas-fired boilers and a 900 kW chiller.
There are 150 teaching spaces with chilled beams — each of which has its own valve set, comprising commissioning set, strainers and isolation valves. The 11 air-handling units on the roof have their own Oventrop valve sets.
12 pumps circulate chilled water and LPHW to the variable- and constant-temperature systems, with small pumps for run-around systems; All are equipped with Oventrop isolating valves.
Rainwater is collected for storing in the basement, to be used for toilet flushing following filtration and UV purification.
Skanska Rashleigh Weatherfoil was mechanical-services contractor, with Richard Stephens Partnership as consulting engineer.
