Fix 8 Group, Manchester

Heat recovery creates ideal climate for event technology specialists.

A move to newbuild premises gave leading event technology specialist Fix8Group the opportunity to produce a working environment well-suited for its creative and technical team. Central to the overall solution is a Daikin air conditioning system, delivering a steady 22^oC all year.

The building was one of the first UK installations to benefit from Daikin’s Commission With Confidence service. In addition to technical support, this enables installers to avoid cost variations arising from volatile pricing in the refrigerant gas market. This pricing stability is possible because Daikin also manufactures refrigerants.

Heat recovery creates ideal climate for event technology specialists.

Fix8Group creates boundary-stretching visual productions, combining creativity and technology. The new premises provides a centre where complex live environments and detailed productions come to life.

Performance and efficiency were important considerations in the choice of air conditioning system, but company founder and creative director Neil Trenell was more concerned that the system should encourage staff engagement and complement the high-tech nature of their work.

Success was soon apparent. “We’ve only been here for three months, but the team is already much happier,” says Neil Trenell.

“It’s refreshing to have a team that is properly engaged so that all their potential can be unlocked. It’s our home. It’s about creating the right environment for our people, so that they can give their best.

“Our clients love it too. It’s not really about them, but they should feel as comfortable as we do.” As a visual communicator with a keen interest in workplace psychology, he’s addressing temperature variations with lights. “Our air conditioned 22^oC is actually a perfect temperature – but we have LED lighting, so if people start to feel cold we can turn up the red, and if they feel hot we add blue.”

John Trenell a member of the MCS Working Group says:

“We wanted to put in a heating and cooling system on a sensible budget. And that’s why we ultimately decided to use the Daikin VRV IV heat recovery system. We chose Daikin because we had worked with them previously – and we have faith in their products and support.”

The Daikin system serves a mix of Round Flow Cassettes and 600x600mm Fully Flat Cassettes on the first and second floors. A Daikin Sky Air system serves Round Flow Cassettes in offices at the rear of the ground floor display area.

The outdoor units are mounted on a raised platform at the rear of the premises. John Trenell says this was to get the units as close to the building as possible, simplifying installation. And for a small additional investment in steel when the building fame was being erected, it made good sense.

The systems are controlled by wired controllers in each area of the building.