11 March 2020
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Pennybank Chambers in Clerkenwell has had an underfloor air conditioning system installed
A Victorian building in east London has used an underfloor air conditioning system to allow for contemporary office space to be built into the building’s original brick façade.
The system from AET Flexible Space has allowed the new upper office floors at Pennybank Chambers to benefit from natural light from full height ceilings and the original windows curved around the building. Preservation of the original features was essential because it is within the Clerkenwell Conservation Area.
The system from AET makes use of the space beneath the existing 170mm raised access floor void to create the air ventilation path, eliminating the need for ceiling-based services and the associated duct and pipework. This means that floor-ceiling heights can be maximised, and also works extremely well in older buildings where a lowered ceiling would partially obscure the original windows.
Each of the six floors of office space at Pennybank Chambers is supplied with chilled or warmed air via AET’s CAM (Conditioned Air Module) unit. The conditioned air is then delivered into the space using a number of recessed fan terminals (Fantile).
Each fan terminal is supplied with onboard Fanspeed and Set Point adjustment, but in meeting rooms and cellular space AET offers Flextouch wall-mounted controllers, which allow end-users not only to adjust the fan speed and temperature, but also to monitor and control CO2 and humidity levels.
Designed by Charles Henman and William Harrison, Pennybank Chambers was originally built in 1880 by the National Penny Bank Corporation Limited. The rebuild was designed by Emrys Architects, who wanted to preserve the historic façade of the original building, while at the same time delivering light and airy contemporary office space.
