University of St Andrews Building 1 and Colin Vincent Centre for Battery Technology

As part of Eden Campus in the University of St Andrews, Atelier Ten worked on the refurbishment of an 1887 finished goods store which includes a state-of-the-art work space and a new standalone dry laboratory, The Colin Vincent Centre for Battery Technology.

Building 1 is a multi-use space with a range of facilities for researchers, start-up companies and individuals developing small-scale prototypes within dedicated lab spaces and engineering workshops.

The Colin Vincent Centre for Battery Technology will power the next generation of batteries and energy storage through its state-of-the-art facilities such as its ultra-low humidity environment, the first of its kind in Scotland.

The subsequent campus is a hub of innovation and entrepreneurship that will provide new solutions to current energy problems, solutions which are essential to achieving a sustainable, low-carbon future, as well as to enabling the wider economic transformation of Scotland and the UK.

The proposed functions of both buildings meant it was imperative for Atelier Ten to understand the key requirements of each individual space within in the buildings. Therefore, Atelier Ten developed the concept and detailed designs for Building 1 and the Colin Vincent Centre with a view to delivering low energy, healthy and vibrant buildings for all stakeholders.

One of the most important aspects within the project is the ventilation systems. Rooms such as the X-Genix lab (Building 1) is ventilated via a dedicated Heat Recovery Unit (HRU) with integral Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP). From the HRU ducting distributes fresh air to serve ceiling mounted diffusers. The area also encompasses Fume Cupboards, consideration being given to make up air requirements. Similarly, the Coater room (Colin Vincent Centre) is served by an AHU with integral ASHP. Fresh and extract air rates are based upon local LEV flow rates from a Coater machine. Special consideration has been given to products being extracted from the Coater machine with bespoke vendor abaitment systems incorporated within the ventilation systems.

All of the above has involved consideration of engineering strategies, equipment selection and maintenance regimes, recognising the key drivers and requirements with the University of St Andrew’s Engineering Specification.