by Brianna Crandall — December 3, 2010—Cofely, the energy services company of GDF SUEZ, has secured a five-year contract with Knight Frank to provide a range of support services to the iconic 30 St. Mary Axe, popularly known as the “Gherkin” for its distinctive shape, in the City of London.
Cofely’s services include mechanical and electrical maintenance and fabric works for the office building, which has a floor area of nearly 48,000 square meters and, at 180 meters high, is currently the second tallest building in London.
Cofely has signed contracts with the building’s tenants to provide services on an individual basis. The Cofely team includes a tenants’ supervisor, a contract manager, shift leaders and technicians coupled with on-site administration and helpdesk staff.
A controls engineer maintains and optimizes the building management system (BMS), which maximizes the use of natural ventilation through the building to reduce energy consumption. The ventilation system is integrated with blinds, on floor fan coil units and motorized windows through the BMS, so that the environmental control systems continuously adapt to changes in daylight, temperature, humidity and wind speed.
30 St. Mary Axe’s landmark status is due to its unique design, in which each floor is rotated five degrees from the one below, creating a spiral appearance. In addition to office accommodation its facilities include a dining and hospitality area on the top floor and an outdoor plaza with restaurants, shops and bars.
