We’ve completed work at the new £50m West Downs Quarter development in Surrey, which will include a combined heat and power plant, heat recovery system and rainwater harvesting.
While such features will help the campus achieve BREEAM outstanding status for energy, they could also have spoiled the clean lines of the buildings, designed by award-winning architects Design Engine. Maple, therefore, were commissioned to supply and install a rooftop louvred plant screen, as well as three other plant enclosures across the campus, and various louvres to pre-formed openings. We even screened the bin store area.
The screens and enclosures, which use our V100 blade system, will hide the plant and machinery but, just as importantly, will protect it from the elements while still allowing air flow.
New, energy-efficient buildings, such as the Winchester campus, often feature large areas of glazing to maximise natural light and make the most of the sun’s heat. However, it can also lead to excess glare and overheating.
While onsite, Maple were also commissioned to supply and install a brise soleil system to let in light throughout the year, reduce excessive heat gain in the summer, and make the environment more comfortable for students, staff and visitors. A total of 44 cassette-style panels (each featuring 13 horizontal blades) were manufactured offsite for speed and quality control, and installed quickly onsite with minimal disruption.
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