A leading National Bank building on Portland Street sits prominently in the heart of central Manchester, housing approximately 2,000 employees. The project covers 4 large floors (Levels 3, 4, 5 and 6) and was part of a significant size Cat A to Cat B office fit out requiring a state-of-the-art refurbishment. The innovative space was designed for open collaboration and neurodiversity, having break out rooms for music and contemplation, and impressive fitness suites, conference areas, executive rooms, meeting rooms and café. On each floor level we were able to retain specific existing equipment, and where necessary for the design we could reposition it, contributing to sustainability and budgetary goals.
On all floors, the existing ductwork was removed back to risers as well as the local HRU systems with the existing louvres blanked off. A new Swegon AHU within central store serving Portland St has been installed utilising the existing louvre position within the store, with a new larger louvre to suit the increased volumes to the changing room elevation. New ductwork was installed to suit the layout & occupancy/required air volumes. Where the ductwork passes over the lift lobby it has been installed as fire rated to maintain the fire compartment of the escape staircase.
The existing AC VRV systems have been retained but repositioned to suit the new layout. The units have been re-installed to provide cooling & heating via ceiling concealed fan coil units, this applies to the entire floor including the newly formed meeting rooms. All of the units have had new pipework at floor plate level connecting onto the existing within the risers and roof. The new Meeting rooms are now controlled via new single local controllers and open office areas are controlled via new temperature stats.
The new Tech Rooms have had new dedicated cooling installed to suit N+1, complete with an auto change over function that provides control the units. Within the rooms there has been new drip trays installed complete with leak detection for early detection of any leaks. The leak detection for each unit is then wired back to a BMS enabled zone panel.
On Level 5, new plumbing & drainage has been installed for the new sinks, water heaters, dishwashers and the existing Brita Taps within the existing tea points. The tea point comes with new gravity drainage plus a drainage pump for the Brita Tap that has been re-located onto the new kitchen island. Within the changing rooms new electric showers have been installed via new MCWS pipework that has been extended from the Landlords core services. The showers have gravity drainage that drops through the floor to level 4 and then into the plant room for connection onto the existing SVP.
On the Level 6, plumbing for the new kitchenette consist of new sink, water heater, 2no. dishwashers and 2no. existing Brita Taps.
On the Level 4, plumbing for the new Welfare & First Aid Rooms consists of new sink, water heater & joint waste pump. The MCWS pipework has been extended from the Landlords core area. The drainage is via waste lift pump and pumped back to landlords toilet areas.
Two new BMS controls enclosures have been installed to levels 3, 4, 5 and 6. The New IQ4E controls have been installed for the hard-wired monitoring connections as well as BACnet/IP & Modbus converters.
A completely new containment system has been installed on Levels 5 and 6 in a similar fashion to the existing installation on Levels 3 and 4. On Levels 3 and 4 the existing High-level 100mmm & 150mm containment was removed in the area to allow the ductwork above to be replaced. Comms rooms have had new trunking installed around the perimeter to power the supplies to the AC, leak detection and BMS as well as terminating to the actual cabinet supplies. Each cabinet has had 2no. 32amp supplies installed from the alternative Distribution Boards so they both have A&B supplies.
On levels 5 and 6 the existing distribution had reached its end of life so has been stripped out in its entirety. In order to achieve this the existing bus bar tap-offs were retained and have had new 35mm XLPE SWA cables installed to supply the new Distribution Boards. The new Distribution Boards’s are 6 and 16 split load boards complete with meters and surge protection.
On Levels 5 and 6 a new Fagerhult lighting system has been installed to suit the new layout into the bespoke areas only such as meeting rooms, changing rooms, gym, corridor, Comms rooms and reception. The lighting is controlled via Fagerhults organic response system. Within the meeting rooms the lighting is controlled via a scene setting plate that will enable the luminaires to be controlled via colleagues utilising the rooms. On Levels 3 and 4 the lighting has largely been retained. However, within the newly formed meeting rooms the existing lighting has been removed and retained for reuse. The lighting has been re-installed to suit the new layout and is now DALI dimmable via retractive switching within the rooms.
Level 5 and 6 have had the entire existing Fire Alarm system removed and a new L1 installation installed to all of the LBG demise consisting of smoke detectors, heat detectors, Interfaces, manual call points and sounder beacon bases. Level 3 and 4, the Fire alarm system has been altered to suit the new layout with new devices installed to the new meeting rooms. New interfaces have been installed to the new AHU’s, secure doors and new speed gates.
"Just a note to say a huge thank you for delivering this challenging project. The sustained effort, positivity, and enthusiasm has been key to the successful completion of this part of the project."
