Services: Improvements, Distribution and Maintenance

Number of floors needing services: 70

Radiant Cooling with the Water Supply: Its rooms feature a new type of radiant cooling-in-ceiling technology, which circulates water through panels in the ceiling to radiantly cool the air below. The cooling system is distributed in the ceiling through perimeter chilled beams which are used instead of normal ventilation and air conditioning. Cold water pumped (at approx. 4.5deg C) through copper pipes in the slab which cool curved metal plates used for the ceiling system and metal fins for the perimeter, consequently cooling the surrounding air. Chilled air cools the office space below from above, which is more effective than previous mechanical methods for multiple reasons, including: Fans are not needed since the cool air will circulate due to the heat difference, the is fresh and has a positive health impact, the mechanical maintenance cost is reduced.

Condensate reclamation system: Harvests water from chilled surfaces that create condensation (The in-ceiling cooling system). Then the water is filtered and used for interior plantings and toilet flushing.

Communications: Internet and telecommunication systems are wireless, not requiring any space for the conductance of wires to each station, only the wires needed to transmit power and connectivity to the main wireless hubs themselves, which are sparsely located throughout the building.

Image Source: http://www.josre.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Pearl-River-Case-Study-China.pdf

Repair access: The access the services has been simplified through engineering and necessity. Since the floor thickness has been reduces, and a great number of the mechanical elements have been removed, there is little need for routine maintenance. The solution for universal access for repair as well as reducing the floor section height comes in the form of “removable access floors” and “sectioned ceiling elements” which can be removed individually, exposing the services below, or above in the case of the ceiling. If a water pipe in the ceiling needs repair, the panel can be removed easily and can be handled by as little as two men.