How Kampmann products are used in very different climatic conditions
“Genau mein Klima” (Just my Climate), is the company slogan that Kampmann has established internationally and across every climate zone in the most diverse applications. It is how Kampmann equipment ensures the best climate of well-being worldwide. We don’t care whether the climate is extremely hot or cold. In extreme terms, we could say that our products are designed to be used in a wide range of climatic conditions, both in the desert heat or in the cold of the Siberian winter.
In this article, we would like to take you on a short journey to two countries in different climate zones, in which we achieve the same goal with the same technology: a perfect indoor climate. First of all, we make a brief stop on the coast of Barcelona in Spain and check out Antares, a luxury high-rise building. We then travel more than 5,500 km to Yekaterinburg in Russia, the headquarters of the Russian Copper Company. Both Kampmann projects have one thing in common. They were equipped with Katherm HK trench heaters. We will look at the design requirements and the respective solutions.
Antares, Barcelona
Let us start with Antares, a high-rise condominium complex located at the beginning of Diagonal Avenue, a district of Barcelona overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The spectacular luxury high-rise building was crafted by the world-famous architect Odile Decq (Studio Odile Decq), who designed both the architecture and the interiors.
The Property was developed by Shaftesbury Asset Management Group- a leading European real estate investment, fund and asset management firm. Admittedly, we are not dealing here with desert heat, but Barcelona can also experience some very high temperatures.
The building's shell which was partially pre-existing, now reaches a total height of 100 metres, comprising 26 floors. 88 residences are available for purchase, including 1, 2, 3 and 4-bedroom apartments, duplexes and penthouses. Residences range in size from 98 to 386 m2 with private terraces from 16 to over 160 m2.
The architect Odile Decq has left her mark on all aspects of Antares. She designed the curved balconies, which give Antares its unique character. The design of the entrance lobby also comes straight from her pen.
Antares, Barcelona
We would like to highlight the residential interiors of the living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms. All homes have floor-to-ceiling windows and spacious balconies with panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea, the Catalan capital, and the surrounding mountains.
Kampmann trench heaters guarantee that the residents enjoy uninterrupted views
Katherm HK
And that's precisely where Kampmann comes in. One of the demands of the luxurious and visionary living in Antares is a well-thought-out air-conditioning concept. It needed to meet every visual aspect and at the same time take into account the architectural surroundings. The floor-to-ceiling windows and continuous glass fronts could not be obstructed by radiators. From the outset, the focus was therefore on Kampmann trench heating and cooling units.
They are recessed in the floor or raised floor, and provide heating, cooling or ventilation. 540 Katherm HK trench units (with a width of 320 mm) were installed at Antares, which now provide heating or cooling in the residences, as required.
Antares, Barcelona
Looking at the maximum and minimum possible temperatures over a year reveals that there are high cooling loads in summer. Even very well insulated glass windows are unable to prevent warm air from entering in summer. However, in Antares there is also a need for heating in winter despite the moderate temperatures.
Katherm HK are adapted to the architecture of the building
A high degree of flexibility is required in the interior design of projects like the one in Barcelona. Due to the partially pre-existing structure, a non-standard version of the trench unit was designed with a panel on the room side acting as a step. Empty trenches were also installed to create a visually continuous run. In total, over 1,300 metres of trench units were installed, including mitred corners and column cut-outs. The architect Odile Decq opted for bronze anodised aluminium roll-up grilles to finish off the units. Kampmann also takes into consideration the subsequent trade interventions when designing the units: the room-side frame edge was designed as a “U-profile” so that the floor-layers could lay the wooden floor boards underneath and then fix them to the trench.
Precise site measurements are of key importance to supply the trench units made-to-measure for each room. Katherm trench units can be produced to fit all room geometries with mitred corners. Even curved models or designs with column cut-outs or angles are not a problem for the manufacturer.
During the development and construction of the Katherm HK, it needs to be ensured that the units are correctly positioned and laid out. If these criteria are met and the temperature is identical throughout the room, then draughts have no chance and the trench units can do what they are supposed to do: create thermal comfort throughout the space.
Energy- and noise-efficient trench unit
Another advantage of the Katherm HK is its highly efficient EC tangential fan, which can be operated in an energy-saving manner, thanks to its low power consumption. It can be continuously variably controlled with minimum noise emissions. The trench has also been designed to ensure that it can be easily maintained and cleaned in line with the requirements of the Hygiene Directive VDI 6022.
Find out more about our many versions of trench units to create an individual climate of well-being.
Luxury apartments and restaurant with a climate of well-being
All residences in Antares are luxurious and start at €850,000. No wonder if you consider everything Antares has to offer: a 1,000 m² spa and wellness centre with green spaces and an indoor pool, cinema, garden with paddle tennis court, a sky terrace and infinity pool on the roof, and the Grand Café Rouge restaurant on the ground floor.
Antares, Barcelona
It is worth mentioning the restaurant at this juncture. It is characterised by a curved 9 m high glass façade. Kampmann designers have been at work here and designed a 40-metre long curved run of Katherm HK (290 mm wide). The units were installed along the glass façade and blend perfectly into the architecture of the building. The units were not designed as a step in the restaurant, but were instead recessed in the floor, as is usual.
Temperatures of up to -30 °C in Yekaterinburg
As promised, we are now travelling from Barcelona to Yekaterinburg, a city with a population of over a million near the Ural Mountains in Russia. Our destination is the new headquarters of the Russian Copper Company (RCC), one of the leading companies in the copper industry.
Russian Copper Company, Jekaterinburg I Photo: Oleg Kovalyuk
The building was built based on a design by the world famous British architect Foster + Partners, known, among other things, for the Reichstag dome in Berlin or the "Gherkin" in London. This is the first building designed by the architect Norman Foster to be built in Russia.
Copper has been mined in the region around Yekaterinburg since the early 18th century. The climate in the Urals is characterised by hot summers and long, cold winters with temperatures of as low as -30 °C or more. This is also known as a continental climate or a landlocked climate. The annual temperature fluctuation is more than 25°C and the annual rainfall is less than 750 mm. It is humid all year round.
Russian Copper Company, Jekaterinburg I Photo: Oleg Kovalyuk
The new company headquarters building is 88 metres tall and has 15 floors. The structure of the crystal lattice of copper was used as inspiration, and was very strikingly realised by the crystalline, triangular features of the façade. Each element is two floors high. However, the architecture of the façade is not just intended to meet visual requirements: it also has a climatic purpose. The building features both shading metal panels and generous windows alike: this design reduces the heat in summer and lets in the low sun in winter.
Katherm HK trench units generate a comfortable climate all year round
Due to the severe temperature fluctuations throughout the year, a climate concept needed to be developed that could easily cope with the extreme differences. The occupants of the building thus enjoy a comfortable climate inside even with extreme temperature fluctuations between day and night (e.g. -20 °C at night and +5 °C during the day). The solution: Katherm HK trench units. In winter, Katherm heating and cooling units prevent cold air from entering the building, and provide cooling in the hot summer months. 311 Katherm HK and 56 Katherm NK with natural convection were installed in the building. They are connected by mitred corners on the floors to create a continuous linear run. Katherm units also feed supply air into the rooms. The supply of fresh air into the room is important, among other things, to dilute the concentration of pathogens and significantly reduce the risk of infection by viruses. It also lowers the CO2 concentration in the room and in the respiratory air. Too high a CO2 content in the air leads to fatigue and reduces a person’s ability to concentrate. All the units in Yekaterinburg are connected to the building automation system via a KNX interface.
BIM data is available for the Kampmann trench units. Based on this product information, complete 3D models of the trenches were developed in Revit together with the building information. The advantage of designing with Revit or any other BIM design software is that project teams can collaborate at anytime, anywhere. This enables more efficient and cost-effective project planning.
Due to the exact façade drawings in conjunction with the Kampmann design plans, the trench units were designed, manufactured and delivered made-to-measure.
The result: trenches installed in front of floor-to-ceiling windows – ultimately an architecturally and technically perfect solution.