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AET Brings Flexible Operations To Farnborough Air Terminal

AET is ready for take off with the latest application of its market leading Flexible Space Concept incorporating Hiross underfloor air conditioning. This prestigious installation involves the new terminal and operations building at the RIBA Award winning TAG Farnborough Airport and completes the site’s redevelopment from an airfield operating from ex-military sheds into a dedicated business aviation airport.

The £9.8 million terminal building is the operational and administrative centre of the airport. Covering 5,000 sqm, the building is designed as a three storey office and operations ‘wing’ offering a range of high quality office space for commercial tenants and also providing conference facilities for business travellers. The terminal is the third in a family of buildings designed and delivered by REID Architecture. The development has already seen the construction of a new air traffic control tower and £9 million hangar, also fitted with AET’s innovative underfloor approach to air conditioning within part of the office accommodation.

REID Architecture and multi-disciplinary consulting engineer Buro Happold jointly proposed AET’s Flexible Space Concept because of its flexibility, simple installation, their familiarity with the system, the ability to upgrade ceilings without effect, and the uninterrupted clean lines from floor to ceiling that the system allows. It was installed throughout all the areas of the terminal building, with the exception of cores and the main atria /reception area.

Brian Johnson, an associate at Buro Happold, says: “Key drivers for the underfloor system’s specification were the need for a high level of flexibility and adaptability within the office areas. A system was needed that could be adapted to change with minimum time, cost and disruption to the client and the occupants. In addition capital and running costs were important considerations.”

The AET Concept’s flexibility proved to be a huge advantage on site since its ease of installation and configuration made significant time savings which allowed the project to be completed on schedule. “The reconfiguration of space is eminently simpler than ceiling-based air conditioning systems and can be performed faster, easier and more safely. The system also allows easier configurations with structures and other services. This allows later installation on programme since the system can be retrofitted to common plant serving more traditional fan coil distribution,” explains Michael Dempsey, associate director at REID Architecture. “As a result, this allowed us to absorb late fit-out amendments into the programme without major plant reconfiguration.”

AET’s Flexible Space Concept is perfectly suited to fast-changing commercial environments such as this TAG Aviation development. It utilises the plenum under a raised access floor as a duct in itself with the building divided into a number of zones depending on the potential use and occupancy density of the area. Each zone is supplied with chilled or warmed air by a conditioned air module (CAM). The underfloor void is divided into supply and return air channels using easily relocatable, airtight baffles. Supply air is drawn up into the occupied space by fan assisted terminal units (FTU450), which are recessed into the floor, plug into an underfloor power source and are connected by data cabling for intelligent control. These fan tile units feature individual controls to provide variable speed and temperature adjustment for maximum user comfort. Air travels back to the CAM via return grilles located over the return channel for re-conditioning and is mixed with fresh air at that point to achieve high standards of indoor air quality.

Since they are not restricted by duct or pipe connections, FTU’s are changed with floor panels within minutes, allowing easy reconfiguration of the system to accommodate any changes eventual occupants wish to make to their office layout with minimum cost and disruption. Serious financial benefits may be achieved when compared with fan coil systems and VAV. Office IT and telecoms cabling as well as power points are also concealed beneath the raised access floor, minimising workspace congestion and making any subsequent reconfiguration a straightforward task.

Email: alice@wildwoodpr.co.uk