C O M M E N D A T I O N SSDA 2018
NSC
October 18 31
The Greenwich Peninsula
Low Carbon Energy
Centre is the largest new
build residential heat
network in Europe, saving
over 20,000 tonnes of
carbon every year,
The Greenwich
Peninsula
Low Carbon
Energy Centre
From conception, the energy
centre project was developed with
innovation and creativity as a
central theme.
An important part of the structure is the
highly distinctive flue tower, measuring 3m
x 18m on plan and 49m tall, which houses
the equipment serving technically advanced
boilers capable of heating the thousands
of new homes and businesses in the North
Greenwich peninsula.
The cladding of the 49m-high stack
tower unites sophisticated engineering
and complex optic research to create an
impressive sculptural concept on a huge
scale. The unique cladding is formed of
hundreds of triangular panels – each the
height of a London bus – that fold and flow
across the surface of the tower.
The resulting complex geometric
patterns visually break up the elevations to
create an uneven, sculpted surface that plays
with the vanishing points and perspective.
The panels are perforated so as to exploit
the phenomena of the Moiré effect, and at
night an integrated lighting design produces
a shifting series of compositions, lit from
within the structure.
“The design concept for the tower was
to align the flues in a row to create a tower
with an unusually slim profile, a fin or
‘blade’ on the skyline. This concept brought
many structural challenges including the
high wind loading on the long face of the
structure,” says C.F. Møller Architect Brian
Cody.
“Fortunately, the tensile strength of
steel coupled with its ductility made it the
obvious choice as it allowed us to create
a strong but slim and highly perforated
structure.”
Price & Myers designed the main
building and tower to be structurally
independent, to avoid the effects of cyclic
loading and fatigue on the tower affecting
the main building.
The flue tower is formed from five 49m
tall latticed girders, connected by a series of
raking beams and bracing on the main east
and west façades.
A total of 345t of galvanized steel was
erected for the flue tower, which consisted
of five main cantilever frames, each formed
from three 16m high by 3.15m wide
sections spliced at third points on-site and
placed 4.5m apart. These were connected
together with interleaving diagonal
secondary members fixed to both chords.
The prefabricated trussed girder sections
were the largest frames ever to be hot-dip
galvanized by Worksop Galvanizing. The
frames were double-dipped corner to
corner in a zinc bath with only millimetres
to spare at each end.
Bespoke lifting brackets were designed
and supplied by Billington to allow accurate
control by the galvanizers during lifting and
turning for the second dip.
In summary, the judges say this project
forms the gateway to a new and rapidly
developing quarter to the east of London
and is a remarkable addition to the heavily
urban landscape, both during the day and
at night.
Steel is used with grace and with
flexibility for the future in mind. The
collaboration between artist, designers,
steelwork contractor and this enlightened
client has resulted in a holistically coherent
and notable project.
FACT FILE
Architect: C.F. Møller
Artist: Conrad
Shawcross RA
Structural engineer:
Price & Myers
Steelwork
contractor:
Billington Structures
Ltd
Main contractor:
Kier Group
Client: Knight Dragon
© Mark Hadden
© Billington Structures
/Building_envelopes
/Concept_design
/Design_codes_and_standards#Wind_actions
/Steel_material_properties#Yield_strength
/Steel_material_properties#Ductility
/Fatigue_design_of_bridges#The_mechanism_of_fatigue
/Braced_frames#Vertical_bracing
/Metallic_coatings#Hot-dip_galvanizing