Canonmills Gardens

Atelier Ten were commissioned by the Artisan Group to deliver the building services design for this exciting residential development on the Warriston Road.

The development, formerly housing a B&Q Store, includes a common below ground car park covered with a raised podium slab deck with four separately massed residential apartment buildings above. The density of the site as well as the proximity to local residences on both the east and west elevations has required early modelling and simulation of daylighting to ensure a healthy, well-lit internal environment is maintained in the new properties with minimal impact on the existing, neighbouring properties.

The design includes central district heating for the delivery of heating and hot water utilizing the diversity of demand within residential accommodation allowing the plant and distribution to be sized economically and to operate at optimum efficiency. Within the apartments, all incoming supplies are sub metered through the heat interface unit allowing heat transfer to the apartment heating and hot water system whilst maintaining hydraulic separation between landlord and apartment plant.

A new 1MVA substation to a switchboard located within the basement supplies electrical energy to the development. All landlords metering is linked back to the switchboard and tenant supplies are managed through a utility distribution board strategy internally within the risers. All lighting is LED throughout and lighting controls will ensure that common areas such as car parking and corridors are set back to a low light level when not occupied.

Minimising light pollution is key for the development due to the proximity to the Water of Leith and the sensitivity of the bat population to artificial light. Early design has been undertaken to carefully locate external fittings to minimize light spill away from the area served.