TGA Consulting Engineers are excited to share details of the many projects we’ve worked on across the Raby Estate over the past 4 years, now that the site is officially open!
TGA were engaged by Raby Estates to work as part of an architectural led team on a major project to renovate and improve buildings within the Castle Park and Gardens, in order to support growing numbers of visitors who are coming to the 14th Century Castle and its surrounding 200 acres of gardens and deer park. This involved multiple projects across the estate, from refurbishments of historic listed buildings to new build projects.
As an overview, TGA’s M&E team have designed all M&E services across a range of separate buildings including visitor facilities and exhibition spaces, some new build and others in listed, historic buildings. Numerous smaller projects were also completed within the estate, such as the Dutch Barn, Bull House, Deer Larder plant room, Education building and Canopy, Conservatory, and Gardeners Building.
Electrically, there was the need for a new Substation building/and associated client LV room. TGA Designed the new suite wide infrastructure and coordinated the installation of a new HV site connection, undertaken by NPG, in the form of a 500kva substation in a purpose stone-built enclosure, to match the surround buildings, and the adjoining LV/ Comms room. The LV/Comms room allows the provision of new low voltage distribution equipment, containment / cable duct systems, general and emergency lighting, small power and fire alarms across the estate. As well as this connection, TGA organised a rationalisation of the overhead HV lines and LV lines within the project area and in hand with Raby Estates. This included HV and LV diversions, one of which was over the Plotters Forrest attraction, which allowed it to happen.
TGA’s Specialist Lighting Team also worked both externally and in the extensive landscaped areas between the buildings, as well as internally within the buildings, to develop sensitive and appropriate lighting solutions that were both decorative and functional.
TGA’s Building Performance Team undertook the development and analysis of thermal models from the outset of the project for the whole estate to enable a site-wide thermal energy strategy to be developed to meet our client’s aspirations in terms of the reduction of energy consumption, carbon emissions and running costs.
Read on to find out more about the works completed throughout the estate over the course of the 4 years…
Throughout the past few years there have been a number of new build projects such as, The High Vinery, a new build that incorporates a historic wall that has been present on the site during previous use. It sits within the North site of the overall Raby Estate and is the first building that is viewed upon entering the site from the car park. It serves as the main restaurant space for visitors to the site as part of the Raby Rising project and is now tastefully illuminated with period style lanterns finished in earthy tones tarnished brass, bronze and coppers. These fittings guide visitors around the building to the large terrace at the front of the building, thanks to TGA’s SL Team.
Facilities included the provision of a Catering Kitchen to serve the Vinery Restaurant and other restaurants/cafes on the Raby Estate and public toilets. Mechanical works provided by TGA included ventilation systems to serve multiple rooms/areas. The Kitchen is ventilated via a series of extract fans with makeup air provided by a supply air handling unit (AHU) located on the roof. A mechanical extract fan system serves the public WCs with tempered fresh air from the roof void above the facilities providing make up air via a proprietary internal AHU. The restaurant is naturally ventilated, with automatic and local control of air inlets and outlets. Proprietary ventilation/heating units incorporating a LTHW coil provide tempered fresh air to the three conservatory restaurant spaces with extract via rooflights with the air inlet louvres and air supply grilles being supplied by the architect. The network low temperature hot water (LTHW) circuit serves heating plate heat exchangers within the Vinery plant room and the secondary side of the plate heat exchangers makes up the Vinery LTHW system. An underfloor heating system is provided to serve the Vinery, radiant panels provide heating for the Main Kitchen and Wash/Storage facility, while radiators heat the staff lockers and east WC. The roof mounted kitchen supply air handling unit is provided with a LTHW frost coil and LTHW heating coil and an overdoor air curtain is provided in the central Conservatory area located above the external doors. All external LTHW pipework and valves are provided with frost protection utilising an electric thermostatic heating tape. The cold water service is mains cold water derived from the sitewide network mains cold water supply (MCWS) system which is the case for all the buildings forming part of the Raby Rising scheme containing mechanical services. The Vinery domestic hot water service is provided via a central DHWS generator located in the plant room. Above ground drainage is in the form of a new gravity wastewater drainage system is installed serving sanitaryware positions and specialist discharge points throughout the building. As well as the thermal energy generation plant, circulating pumps and ancillaries are being controlled by a central automatic control system incorporating microprocessor-based technology, commonly referred to as a building energy management system (BEMS).
The electrical works comprise the electrical engineering services to provide facilities for staff and visitors, using the building, either from an operational point of view, or to simply buy meals. The new incoming electrical supply, provided from the TGA-designed substation, switch room, and site infrastructure, feeds a newly established Low Voltage (LV) distribution system throughout the site. A large supply that was mainly dictated by the large all electric commercial kitchen. Small power and data installation throughout including a new data cabinet and fibre link back to the sitewide network. Full containment system throughout, segregated between LV, power, data, fire and ancillary. Full addressable alarm system conforming to L1 standard, including all relevant voids. This system interlinks with the site wide system and reports back to the new build visitor centre and estate hub, the Roundhouse. Security, Access & CCTV system that links back into the site wide system. This reports back to the Roundhouse as per the Fire Alarm system.
Leading from the Vinery structure, the site opens into the Pleasure Garden with Raby Castle in the background. The Duchess Walk, a tree-lined path with planting beds, winds from the Round House terrace to between the Riding School and Coach House buildings at the heart of the site. This sculpted route is lined with hidden recessed luminaires resplendently finished in anodised copper-coloured bezels. These fittings blend into the wall structures to provide light to the local offshoot paths. Coach lanterns fixed to the buildings throw a guiding light to the entrances to the listed facades whilst planter mounted spike lights protrude through the foliage to cast an ambient glow to the surrounding pathways and select tree canopies. At the opposite end of the Duchess’ walk, an illuminated pathway guides people down the side of the pleasure garden to the circular terrace adjacent to the Round House, leading to the walled garden.
The Round House itself, is another new building which serves as the main welcome centre for visitors to the site, providing ticketing and visitor orientation, housed within the round house. A small suite of offices will house the “Head End” facilities for the administration of sitewide infrastructure Mechanical and Electrical Services. The works to the round house comprised the provision of new Mechanical Services to serve the Roundhouse, as well as the electrical engineering services to provide facilities for staff and visitors, using the building, either from an operational point of view, or to simply buy tickets for other attractions on the site. One part of the mechanical works included the ventilation strategy.
In the Round House, local mechanical extract systems are required to serve the Mess Room and WC. The LTHW system is served by a heat interface unit, with primary service connections provided from the sitewide LTHW network. A single weather compensated variable temperature heating circuit is provided with a single head pump, flexible connections, isolating valves, strainers, pressure gauges, commissioning sets and drain cocks. An electric heating system is also provided for the reception desk. The domestic hot water service is provided via a local electric DHWS storage heater located in the Staffroom and all wash hand basins are provided with a TMV3 thermostatic mixing valve and the local water heater is direct electric with storage capacity. A new above ground drainage system has also been installed, together with a sitewide BEMS. Administration of the sitewide system is via a “head end” PC located in the Round House Office.
The Round House is provided with a BMS outstation to cater for the Round House BMS requirements. Electrical works included a new incoming electrical supply from the TGA designed site infrastructure feeding a new LV distribution system throughout. Small power and data installation was provided, including a new data cabinet and fibre link back to the sitewide network. There is a full containment system throughout, segregated between LV, power, data, fire and ancillary. A full addressable alarm system conforming to L1 standard was provided, including all relevant voids. This system also interlinks with the site wide system and the head end is within the Roundhouse itself. Security, Access & CCTV system links back into the site wide system too, again with the head end within the Roundhouse. TGA’s Specialist Lighting team designed the decorative elements for the roundhouse, compromising a hidden halo of light which amplifies the building’s circular design, whilst discreet small scall projector floodlights in the rafters illuminate the space, emphasizing the height of the building. As with the rest of the site, the lighting controls feature Casambi Bluetooth technology, allowing for remote and wireless control of the installations.
The walled garden is an area that can be traced back to the early 1700s where maps showed an orchard and kitchen garden on the North facing slope outside the gatehouse of the main castle. The garden has been remodelled by renowned designer Luciano Giubbilei and features superb views of Raby Castle rising over the historic Yew Hedges. TGA’s Specialist Lighting team have provided subtle short throw lanterns finished in tarnished bronze that lay unseen within the planters deliberately aimed to light to the pathways to guide visitors through the garden to the event space in the bottom tier of the garden.
The last new build project to note is the major outdoor attraction, named The Plotters’ Forest Adventure Playground. The development also includes a new build food and beverage café building complete with a viewing platform that doubles for star gazing events and a new welfare facility.
TGA’s M&E team designed all M&E services including the cafe kitchen infrastructure in this woodland setting with electric heating, above ground drainage, kitchen extract and hot water generation, as well as an extract ventilation system to the separate WC block. New incoming electrical supply from the TGA designed substation/ switchroom/ site infrastructure feed a new LV distribution system throughout the food and beverage Café building. Small power and data installation is also throughout, including a new data cabinet and fibre link back to the sitewide network. The power and data network also feeds the external power/ data/ lighting throughout the Plotters Forest attraction. Full containment system is provided, segregated between LV, power, data, fire and ancillary. There is also a full addressable alarm system conforming to L1 standard, this system interlinks with the site wide system and reports back to the Roundhouse. Security, Access & CCTV system also links back into the site wide system and reports back to the Roundhouse as per the Fire Alarm system.
TGA’s Specialist Lighting team designed all installations throughout the Plotter’s Forest development, all within the confines of existing trees and natural clearings. The playground is designed to be woven into the forest with care and respect for the natural environment and local wildlife. The attraction is situated within 200 acres of parkland, needed to accommodate the local wildlife, in particular bats. TGA’s Specialist Lighting Designers employed a variety of techniques to illuminate the forest with all service positions and fixtures hidden from view. This was carefully coordinated with the electrical infrastructure provided by TGA’s M&E Team. Walkways have been sensitively illuminated and all of the lighting installation are colour changing so can be tuned using wireless Bluetooth technology, to reflect various functions including red light for stargazing events. The project also includes the illumination of paths and access routes, playground facilities and play structures.
TGA have also completed multiple refurbishments across the estate, one of them being the provision of an Energy Centre housed in the existing Gas House to serve the overall development. The Gas House is a two-storey building formerly used to generate electricity for Raby Estate, and more recently as a storage area. Mechanical services include the provision of an open loop ground source heat pump, gas fired boilers, buffer vessels, circulation pumps and ancillaries to satisfy the heating demands of Raby Estate. The network LTHW system is a weather compensated variable temperature circuit. Space within the Gas House has also been allocated for two future heat pumps & two future boilers. The works electrically generally consist of a new LV connection, undertaken in conjunction with NPG. The installation will include the provision and installation of new low voltage distribution equipment, containment / cable duct systems, general and emergency lighting, small power, security, fire alarms, etc.
At the heart of the estate, The Coach House is an existing two-storey retail building which has been refurbished and now includes retail spaces for exhibits, staff offices & WCs, private apartments as well as public toilets.
The Coach House is predominantly naturally ventilated; however, local mechanical extract ventilation systems serve the WC’s, kitchenettes & plant room. The network low temperature hot water (LTHW) circuit serves heating plate heat exchangers within the Coach House plant room. The secondary side of the plate heat exchangers makes up the Coach House LTHW system. A separate network LTHW branch serves a domestic hot water supply (DHWS) generator & the first-floor apartment heat interface unit with local electric heating systems also being provided to serve staff reception desks. The Coach House public toilets, first floor west wing office & central first floor office space’s domestic hot water service is provided via a central DHWS generator located in the plant room. The domestic hot water service to the ground floor staff WC is provided via a local electric DHWS storage heater. As well as this, a new above ground drainage system and BEMS system are provided.
Electrical works included a new incoming electrical supply from the TGA designed site infrastructure feeding a new LV distribution system throughout. Small power and data installations are provided throughout, including a new data cabinet and fibre link back to the sitewide network. Full containment system throughout the building, segregated between LV, power, data, fire and ancillary. A full addressable alarm system conforming to L1 standard, including all relevant voids – this system interlinks with the site wide system and reports back to the Roundhouse. Security, Access & CCTV system also links back into the site wide system and reports back to the Roundhouse as per the Fire Alarm system.
TGA’s Specialist Lighting team provided track mounted luminaires to allow for a flexible solution to both the retail and exhibition areas, as well as refurbishing and repurposing antiquated coach lanterns, these lanterns had previously been old gas lanterns and have now been brought back into services as a modern LED light source finished in Dutch gold. The building has been refurbished and converted for use with the blue tooth lighting control system throughout.
Another key part of the rising development is the refurbishment of an existing building called the Riding School, a large 500 square metre stone-built structure dating from the 18th Century. This single storey building and includes the provision of a flexible exhibition and function space, WCs, a tank room and storeroom.
Mechanical works included mechanical extract ventilation systems to serve WC’s as well as the adjacent Game Larder Plantroom. Heating is provided in a similar manner to that of Vinery & Coach House in the form of LTHW plate heat exchangers. The MCWS serves the cold water outlets in the building but also a break tank for the irrigation system, with the cold water service to the break tank being a metered supply completed with a ball valve. The domestic hot water service to each WC cubicle is provided via a local electric DHWS storage heater. A new gravity wastewater drainage system is installed as well as a BEMS system.
Electrical works included new incoming electrical supply from the TGA designed site infrastructure feeding a new LV distribution system throughout. The main LV supply feeds into the adjacent Game Larder plantroom, which then feeds the riding school and other sundry buildings such as the dutch barn and bull house. There is small power and data installation throughout, hidden within the rafters of the building and disguised using cats iron drain pipes as service drops that segregate, including a new data cabinet and fibre link back to the sitewide network. There is also a full containment system throughout, segregated between LV, power, data, fire and ancillary. A full addressable alarm system conforming to L1 standard, including all relevant voids is now in place, this system interlinks with the site wide system and reports back to the Roundhouse. A Security, Access & CCTV system now links back into the site wide system which reports back to the Roundhouse, as per the Fire Alarm system.
TGA’s Specialist Lighting team provided the Riding School with a variety of luminaires to provide Raby with a flexible, highly adaptable events space. The space is now illuminated with a series of inground uplighters to wash the exposed 18th century stone walls whilst projector floodlights, hidden within the timber rafters of the building illuminate the volume of the space. Lastly a colour changing perimeter linear solution provides the opportunity to wash the roof structure in colour. All of the luminaires feature Bluetooth control allowing each element to be tuned to the requirements of the event.
The Raby Estate stands as a remarkable achievement, showcasing impressive improvements and renovations across multiple buildings – congratulations and well done to all who contributed to its success!
