A question a lot of building owners ask themselves today is how the corporate image of their company can appeal to the public in general?
One way I have found is being seen to take an active part in the Green Issues that confront us today. By this I don’t mean dressing up in your “student gear” and taking part in the next demonstration in your neighbourhood! I mean addressing your Carbon Footprint.
One such client came to me recently with his consultant and challenged us with this question. We are going to build a new Company HQ in the North East and we need to be seen to be to taking a responsible approach concerning this point.
Basing my expertise on air movement and room conditioning, we looked at the building uses and proposed a mixture of Passive and Active Chilled Beams. Together with other key components from our range that complemented our initial proposal, we were then on the right track by giving a system proposal and offering a “one stop shop” option in respect of the room conditioning and air movement.
This complemented the thoughts of the Project Architect who had a high BREEAM rating in mind. The architectural options of tinted glass and Bris Solie meant that the beam expectation would not be as high as first envisaged due to reduced solar gain. Therefore no fan powered air terminals in general areas would be required. Knowing how to introduce the air into the space using the right terminal meant less air velocity. In turn this reduced the capital plant fan requirement.
CFD models prepared by independent consultants have proved that fan power can be reduced overall by over 20%.
With the client agreeing to this approach, the project went to tender. The client then raised another question. “How can you make this project REALLY stand out”? I researched the options and came up with the idea of a Bore Hole cooling and heating. The client was taken with this but wanted to know the payback period. We estimated on the size of his building and application it would be considerably shorter than the conventional approach. There were objections to this, however using reversible heat pump technology; he agreed it would certainly make him stand out in respect of his Green Credentials!
The scheme depended on the “trial holes” producing the required results. These holes produce water at a constant 12C. The size and quantity depend on your cooling requirement. However having the added incentive to return the warmed water to the hole and forming your natural reverse heat pump does make this appealing to a number of building owners. The test results found that the ground in which the building was to be situated was suitable.
With the partnership I had formed with the Bore Hole specialist, we were uniquely specified and awarded the contract.
The original concept of Chilled Beams paved the way to introduce additional complementing product lines. In turn with the proposal of the cooling source, this pushed up the margin beyond what we originally thought we could recover from the project. It gave the client the following savings and advantages:-
· A single point of contact for the system design, supply and operation.
· Savings due to the non requirement of capital plant, i.e. boilers and chillers.
· Reduced construction costs due to the inclusion of multi service beams and removal of false ceilings.
· Reduced fan and pump power requirement.
· Reduced on-site co-ordination due to beams being multi service and carrying lighting, smoke detection, PA and sprinklers.
· Off site manufacturing meant a reduced on-site programme.
· Building delivery being quicker meant a quicker return on investment
· Reduced planned maintenance costs.
· Reduced taxes due to reduced carbon emissions.
· A corporate identity in tune with today's environmental topics.
By High Performing Business Development Manager 816
A 46 year old top class business development manager with HVAC manufacturing and contracting experience, based in Cambridge is seeking a new challenge in HVAC systems selling.
Achievements.
· Single handedly delivering a project in Tokyo, Japan worth £4.0M which involved establishing agent agreement, securing a manufacturer and installer to manufacture, complete and subsequently maintain works.
· Project Managing a tunnel ventilation project in Melbourne Australia (value £10M) delivering on time and ahead of budget.
· Designing and securing a £4.7m Chilled Beam supply and install project.
· Raising a contractor’s profit margin 15% within his first year.
His MD said about him: “ He is very effective in systems type selling because he can anticipate the problems on site and consultants don’t always understand how it will work on site. His knowledge of the logistics gives the consultants confidence. From a sales point of view I would put him in the top 25% particularly when he is able to see things through to the contractor.”
If you would like to see the CV or meet this high performer then contact us.
