No_7_July_1969 — Page 17

lifts are arranged in three groups of three and have varying speeds increas ing from the low to the middle rise for each group. The high rise lifts, travelling at 1,100 ft. per minute, are believed to be the fastest yet installed in Hong Kong. Each car accommodates 23 pas sengers and there is a high ratio of lifts to office space to eliminate waiting time. The lifts are co-ordinated by elec- tronic programme controls which auto-

Bank administrative offices

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second floor

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Union Bank of Switzerland – reception

matically adjust the traffic pattern to the demand.

Office floors are of reinforced con- crete and are designed to take loads up to 100 lb. per sq. ft. All office floors, a total of 150,000 sq. ft., are covered in beige-brown Holmsund p.v.c. tiles, each 114 x 11% in. (30 x 30 cm).

Partitions are of a uniform design throughout the office floors. They are demountable units comprising standard

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hollow core timber sections finished in vinyl sheet and joined by aluminium strips. Once positioned the partitions are raised up on small jacks to meet flush with the ceiling. The jacks are hidden from view by the skirting board.

Ceilings, suspended below the rein- forced structural floor, are formed by perforated aluminium trays with sound absorbent blankets providing effective noise reduction over all office areas.

Services

The air-conditioning installation is claimed to be technically the most ad- vanced system yet devised for a build- ing in Hong Kong. It was designed by J. Roger Preston & Partners in conjunc- tion with Carrier and Philips, and is integrated with the ceiling and lighting units.

Each floor is divided into three zones for air-conditioning purposes and these zones are subdivided into modules providing independent filtered and con- ditioned fresh air at the rate of six air changes per hour to each separate module measuring approximately 10ft. x 10ft.

Fresh air supply is through the ventilated ceiling, giving practically uniform distribution. Air extraction is effected through the lighting fittings and is expelled at roof level.

The air-conditioning plant consists of 1,300 two-ton Carrier fan coil units, served by a chilled water central plant which is cooled by three 400-ton Car- rier hermetic centrifugal machines.

Winter heating is achieved through electric heating elements and is also thermostatically controlled. Fresh air is pre-treated by cooling and heating coils in the primary air cabinets before it is delivered to each of the fan coil units.

By integrating the air-conditioning and lighting systems part of the con- flict over space requirements for air- conditioning and lighting has been solved and heat generated by the fit- tings is removed immediately through their exhaust air slots, to which the return air ducts are connected.

Further, by using the lighting fitting as an air-handling unit, some of the heat in the lamp chamber is eliminated and the lamps function at an ambient temperature, closer to the operational optimum. The result is a considerable improvement in luminous efficiency.

Lighting fittings used in the St. George's Building are of the mirror reflector type with an anti-static prop- erty to minimise dust collection.

The entire artificial lighting system was designed by Philips and provides

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Far East BUILDER, July 1969