Carrier Helps Transform Landmark Bethnal Green Gas Works Development with FCUs
Project description
The Bethnal Green former Gas Works development, ‘Regent's View’, is a landmark residential regeneration project by St William, part of the Berkeley Group , transforming a 4.5-acre former industrial site in East London into a thriving new community.
Set on a remediated brownfield site, the scheme retains and reimagines two historic Victorian gas holder frames to create 555 homes, including 146 affordable housing homes. Alongside high-spec residential living, the site will provide over 4,180 square metres of community and commercial space such as cafés, gyms and shops. The scheme won "Best Future Residential Project" at the 2024 World Architecture Awards.
Carrier was appointed by installation contractors, Watkins, to supply 1,027 COMFORT LINE™ Fan Coil Units (FCUs) for the entire development, which is scheduled for phased delivery over approximately two years. The FCUs are being delivered with articulated filters and adaptable control systems to match the project’s spatial and acoustic requirements.
A key installation challenge was working within the confined ceiling voids of modern residential buildings, made more complex by the density of building services such as pipework and sprinklers. Space constraints required flexible HVAC solutions that could be changed on-site and integrated without compromising the building’s interior design or service layouts.
There were also logistical and acoustic hurdles:
- Access hatches were small and restricted.
- Strict performance criteria for noise and energy efficiency had to be met, with Specific Fan Power (SFP) and Noise Rating (NR) requirements for residential applications. Bedrooms were required to meet < 25NR and living areas < 30NR, typically needing additional attenuation.
- Coordination with other trades was essential due to the configuration of layouts to maximise ceiling heights in living spaces and bedrooms.
Carrier proposed high-efficiency COMFORT LINE™ FCUs equipped with articulated filters. This filter configuration significantly eased installation in tight ceiling spaces, avoiding the need for major modifications to the surrounding infrastructure.
The modular FCUs offered the ability to reverse handings on site, allowing for swift adaptation to suit access and maintenance requirements. The unit flexibility reduced delays and contributed to smoother installation sequencing.
In addition to addressing spatial and design constraints, the FCUs exceeded the <0.5 W/l/s energy efficiency benchmark by significant margins, with SFP levels of <0.14 W/l/s or less in some cases. The noise, energy consumption and filtration performance data presented by Carrier for its FCUs were a decisive factor in the final specification for the project.
The first batch of fan coil units was delivered in early December 2024, with subsequent deliveries continuing on a rolling basis. Early installations have been completed with hundreds of units already in place and successfully tested.
Carrier’s partnership with Watkins and ongoing relationship with St William, proved instrumental in securing the contract. Regent's View represents a flagship residential project for Watkins, the company’s largest in the UK, and sets the tone for ongoing and future collaborations with Carrier in high-density, high-specification urban housing.