As work continues on the new Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration, we speak to building services engineer Bianca Wilcox to find out more about the challenges involved in converting historic buildings into illustration galleries.

Bianca, can you tell us about your work?

I work for Max Fordham, a partnership of building services engineers, designers and sustainability consultants. I’ve been there for seven years.

Our services cover everything that affects a building and its performance, from the traditional pipes and wires of mechanical and electrical engineering, to daylighting, acoustics and building physics. We champion sustainable, low energy, and low carbon building design.

For this project we’ve undertaken the Mechanical, Electrical and Public Health systems designs, as well as the lighting strategy.

What do you find interesting or exciting about this project?

From a building services engineering perspective, the most interesting aspect has been the challenge of integrating the various systems for air quality, heating and power within the many constraints of the existing historic buildings.

In particular, gallery spaces require precise environmental control for air temperature, humidity and light levels. Well thought-out, innovative solutions were needed to contain these systems and reduce heat loss in a way that suits the architectural vision for the space, does not detract from the historic aesthetic and meets the requirements for listed buildings.

How have you approached the task of opening up these historic buildings as an arts centre?

High-efficiency, electrically-driven air source heat pumps allow heat to be recovered between the heating and cooling systems. This will reduce annual CO2 emissions and energy consumption significantly compared to a traditional gas boiler system.

Large air handling units have been discreetly placed to cool and humidify the gallery spaces, preserving the artworks while making the spaces comfortable for visitors. All air supply and extract will be through one-sided wall mounted or floor grilles.

We designed the systems using 3D modelling to ensure the feasibility of our proposals.

Tell us something about illustration.

Illustrations, and in particular sketch drawings, help us to communicate complex engineering theories and strategies so they can be understood by a varied audience.