Brent Civic Centre

Project title: Brent Civic Centre

Location: Wembley

Client: Airvent

Service: Smoke Control

Project Background

2014’s Building Magazine awards have heaped praise on the development of Brent Civic Centre, with the prize of ‘Sustainable Project Of The Year’ going to Skanska.

The Brent Civic Centre building has been described as ‘a gleaming new symbol of civic efficiency and environmental sustainability which realises the council’s vision for a consolidated facility to provide services under one unified roof.’ It is the first project in its category to have achieved the coveted BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ rating, the highest possible.

Photo © Mick Baker (cc-by-sa/2.0)

The Project

The Client

Via Airvent, Group SCS was appointed to supply the smoke control systems for the project, undertaking provision of systems for the underground car park jet fans, basement dampers and mechanical extra shaft.

Our Involvement

Group SCS was chosen for its specialist experience with smoke control systems in large buildings, along with its reputation for completing quality work on time and on budget.

Our Solution

Car park fan panel:

2 Main extract fans each rated @ 36kW 69.31A FLC 400VAC 3Ph – (inverter controlled)
4 Impulse fans each rated @ 2.42kW 5.42A FLC 400VAC 3Ph – (inverter controlled)
3 Impulse fans each rated @ 1.38kW 3.2A FLC 400VAC 3Ph – (inverter controlled)
The system was designed to operate in both CO pollution and fire modes.

Mechanical extract system:

Controlling a total of three shafts (cores A/B, C/D & E), each with pressure control. They were all wired back to one central HMI touchscreen providing system status & control/maintenance functions.

Basement damper control system:

This controlled over 100 dampers situated within the basement. Each zone of dampers is controlled by a Local Interface Panel (70 in total) which were wired back to a Master Panel and HMI touchscreen providing system status and control/maintenance functions.

Simon Inwood, Director, Group SCS:

“As a business we’re always looking at environmental improvements and were delighted to supply such an integral and potentially life-saving part of the job.”