Background: At Kohler Uninterruptible Power (KUP), our range of UPS, generators, and emergency lighting products are ideally suited to banking and financial service applications. We understand the key challenges faced in financial services from regulations on business resilience to space availability in urban office environments. UPS upgrades are regular and routine processes for KUP, and when an upgrade project came through from a financial services client in Central London, there was more to the project than initially anticipated.
Founded in 2000, Pharo Advisors manage international multi-billion investment portfolios. They trade in foreign exchange, sovereign credit and interest rate markets in over 70 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. It is no understatement that being able to reliably keep power on and conditioned within a central London site is key to efficient global communications and secure operations for this client.
Challenge: The client had three UPS systems located in two separate areas, two in the basement, and one in a second-floor communications room of their central London offices site. The location of the UPS in the communications room was known to be susceptible to heat control issues and had previously required additional air conditioning to be installed. The client was keen to use KUP to increase resilience from the UPS systems as part of the planned upgrade work.
KUP’s dedicated team of engineers led by John Inman, Business and Development Manager for Replacement Projects, surveyed the site requirements for the upgrade. It was determined that the environmental heat issues could be resolved by building a new UPS and battery room in the basement area as part of the upgrade. This would improve UPS resilience, minimise risk of electrical exposure, and would maximise the shelf life of the whole system.
The upgrade project required the removal of the three UPS systems which included a KOHLER PW5000 30kVA in the communications room and a KOHLER PW6000 120kVA and PW5000 40kVA in the basement, as well as the removal of five tonnes of batteries (five strings) without the use of a service lift!
Solution: KUP worked with their trusted partners, Lewis Electrical, to create a purpose-built UPS and battery room within the basement area, including the specification and design for the new replacement UPS system.
To minimise construction disturbances, it was possible to use the two existing back walls, and therefore only two new walls to enclose the UPS system was required. Additional site surveys, air-conditioning requirements, and all cabling work was included in the upgrade project.
Located in Kensington, opposite Harrods, the project had the potential to be logistically challenging. As a well-known tourist hotspot, with a constant flow of traffic; the project needed to consider accessibility, parking and building permits, designated loading/unloading areas and security requirements to successfully deliver the project. All of which was managed by John working closely with the landlord of the building as well as the client to minimise disruption. The project also needed to be classed as a temporary construction within the offices site.
The UPS systems and existing batteries were replaced with the best-in-class KOHLER PW8000DPA with two strings of batteries.
The centralised UPS and battery room was built as a bespoke and centralised room to improve efficiencies all round. Lewis Electrical installed the air conditioning and completed all cabling works within project timescales.
Result and Impact: The new UPS centralised the power protection offered at Pharo, and increased resilience as originally requested, enabling the client to confidently manage portfolios that are diversified across countries and risk types, safely and securely. The efficient running of operations adds to their reputation of consistent ability to successfully navigate even the most challenging market conditions.
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