We were appointed by Skanska Rashleigh Weatherfoil on behalf of English Heritage to design the replacement of the original cooling and mechanical ventilation plant at the National Monuments Record Centre (NMRC) archive facility in Swindon. The original stone building was designed for the storage of photographs, film reels and celluloid materials.

The design of the services plant and system controls needed to take account of the high sensitivity of the stored items to changes in temperature and humidity conditions; film reels require a very low temperature condition at a level of 6°C and 50% relative humidity. This temperature and humidity requirement needed the chiller units to run at sub-zero water flow temperatures. 

The plant replacement was designed to fully meet the requirements of BS.5454 and was carried out in a phased manner whilst the building remained operational, which required a high level of coordination with temporary plant.

The £1M project included the design and installation of new chillers, air handling units, ductwork, air supply and extract diffusers, automatic control systems, LV panels and power supplies. The building was also equipped with a secure power supply with back-up generators to maintain power in the event of a mains failure.

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