Performing at Wembley
August 1st 2006

The recently completed 35million refurbishment of Wembley Arena included a 190 000 controls contract carried out by Integrated Controls Systems.The Wokingham-based company was called upon to design and install a building management system that would efficiently control mechanical services that were to ensure the finest environmental facilities for artists, audiences of up to 12 500 people and promoters.

ICS installed a front end terminal to give in house operators the flexibility required to optimise zone heating and cooling requirements, in conjunction with local operators panels, depending on the events taking place in the arena:over-ride for extended use and switch off in unoccupied areas when the auditorium is not in use. Among other activities to be carried out will be historical data logging, and hours run and limit value monitoring.A full suite of graphics was written an incorporated within the central supervisor.

A total of 14 existing roof mounted packaged air conditioning units serving the auditorium were incorporated into the system, with an isolation damper actuator installed on each.

An additional four new packaged air condition units to serve the auditorium were also installed on the roof,operating under the dictates of their own integral controls. All units will be monitored by the BMS for fan run, compressor and damper status, common fault and filter dirty status from volt free contacts.

A further 14 packaged air handling units serving concourse kiosks will also come under a BMS monitoring and control regime that additionally embraces boilers, low pressure hot water systems, interfacing with an extensive network of supply and extract fans, trench heating, and frost protection.

John Reid, ICS's managing director, says:"The physical size of the building was not as great a problem as the logistics associated with the programming and planning of the contract and the supply of equipment. It was an interesting project for us, although we were always conscious of that fact that thousands of people had booked for the reopening concert so there was absolutely no question of us or any other contractor running late."The contract was awarded by Meica Services.Consulting engineers were Hilson Moran.