Monodraught's sustainable technologies

The Little Venice Sports Centre in London achieves high levels of sustainability through its sedum roof, incorporating Monodraught Windcatchers and Sunpipes.

The entire project incorporates a range of sustainable features such as the roof-mounted Sunpipes and Windcatchers, which provide natural lighting, ventilation and cooling and contribute to the creation of a low energy building.

In addition to the significant energy cost and environmental savings, other savings were also made.

Installation costs were reduced because the system is fitted directly through the roof, with only a short distance to the ceiling diffuser.

This meant it was easier to install than mechanical ventilation and there was no extra cost for a suspended ceiling to hide the system.

Another benefit from the use of sustainable technologies such as Windcatchers and Sunpipes is that the size of the plant room could be reduced.

The roof mounted units were based on an existing Monodraught design but the cappings were redesigned to emphasise the profile, and the bases needed to vary depending where they were fixed on the roof.

None of the areas served by the Monodraught equipment has opening windows so the Monodraught natural ventilation systems were the preferred choice for the building.

The Windcatchers are fitted in the sports hall, two studios and a fitness suite, and are controlled centrally via two Monodraught Invent control panels, with each room or area locally controlled using temperature and CO2 sensors.

In all, eight oval Windcatchers and two oval Sola-boost Windcatchers are fitted to maintain an optimum environment in the five naturally ventilated spaces within the new centre.

25 Sunpipes, 16 x 750mm models and nine x 530mm models, are installed in the sports hall and other areas, enabling the centre's electric lighting to be manually controlled during daylight hours to suit the centre's varying range of activities.

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