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APRIL 08 - COURTING VENTILATION AND AESTHETICS



As part of The Court Building Programme, a new Magistrates Courts at Loughborough has been procured, to replace the old and out-dated Victorian edifice. The new three-storey building has achieved a BREEAM rating of ‘excellent’, and incorporates Kingfisher’s KW100Z high performance louvres.

The single bank louvres have been incorporated on the new £15.5m Court’s south west and south east elevations by design and build contractors for the project, Willmott Dixon, to simultaneously ensure plant to operate the Court’s building services runs efficiently by being properly ventilated whilst protected from the elements, and enhance the building aesthetics.

Willmott Dixon project surveyor Ian Bromley explained, “We needed to provide secure and effective ventilation for the plant room, but were also conscious that the Court is a prominent public building, so aesthetics needed to be incorporated into the equation. We therefore included more louvres than were actually needed, to balance the architectural design.”

The Kingfisher KW100Z louvres combine low airflow resistance with maximum weather exclusion. Independent testing by BSRIA showed the single bank louvres performed better than most double-bank systems, at less cost and smaller depth of opening. The aluminium louvres provide a free ventilation area of 61%, helping ensure plant does not overheat thereby optimising its energy efficiency, whilst protecting the plant from wind, driving rain, snow and hail.

The plant room provides ventilation, heat, light and power for all areas of the new Court- custody area with cells, open plan offices, four court rooms and assembly hall- designed to provide separate facilities for all court users, providing them with a safe environment.

Kingfisher Louvre Systems specialises in the production of premium quality aluminium screening and ventilation louvres for commercial, industrial and public buildings. It is part of the Building Product Design group, which focuses on developing innovative yet practical building and ventilation solutions for changing market requirements.

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