Smeg

Description of intervention

Founded in 1948 in Guastalla, Reggio Emilia, Italy, it is the Italian company that has succeeded in evolving simple household appliances into great trustworthy interpreters of Made in Italy design. By combining technology and style, it has created products that have become true icons over time.

Architect Guido Canali designed the Smeg head office, which was exhibited at the 13th International Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale as an architectural example of Italian excellence since it is a facility that is attentive to the poetics of the territory, people’s lives and environmental sustainability. For this project, Architect Canali received an Honorable Mention in the 2006 “Gold Medal for Italian Architecture” award from the Triennale of Milan.
The systems built by Torreggiani & C. are a concentrate of technology, reliability, aesthetic value and comfort. In particular, an air conditioning system with a constant air flow and an induction system capable of maintaining healthy environments at excellent temperatures was built. The inductors, which are independent for each single environment, are crossed by primary air coming from the AHUs — the resulting depression draws air from the environment which mixes completely with the handled air, before being introduced again. The cylindrical body inductor contains a two-stage wound heat exchanger, equipped with a motorized three-way valve which, combined with a digital regulation system, maintains the design temperature and humidity values room by room.
The system installed inside the Data Processing Center takes on particular significance.
The air conditioning, which must guarantee environments with constant and controlled temperature and humidity under any type of conditions, was built by means of a sophisticated free-cooling hydronic system, which can take advantage of the energy contained in the outdoor air — when the external conditions allow it — instead of the refrigeration cycle, in order to maintain the vector fluid at the design temperatures. The 24/7 remote monitoring of the operating conditions of the plant allows seamless service maintenance. Environment, machines and data are protected by a sophisticated inert gas fire prevention system which, by means of sensors, ensures, in almost real time, the extinction of the outbreak of fire.

NEW CANTEEN

For the new company canteen, Torreggiani & C. installed the mechanical technological systems with the aim of ensuring perfect air conditioning in both the dining room and the kitchen. Smeg’s new company canteen, with its relative services, was built by recovering an old shed previously used as a warehouse. Torreggiani & C. were commissioned to install the technological systems necessary for the heating and air conditioning of the building. They were connected to the existing power stations located on the opposite side of the forecourt by means of pre-insulated underground networks — the heat is produced by condensation boilers, while the cold is generated by refrigeration units. The canteen’s heating system is obtained by means of a floor system. This ensures a temperature base that is then quickly improved at lunchtime by means of an air handling and ventilation unit. In the kitchen, air conditioning is provided by compensation hoods that ensure high efficiency and consistent energy savings.

LABORATORIES

In this prestigious household appliance company, Torreggiani & C. has completely overhauled the air conditioning system in the test laboratories. In Smeg’s test laboratories, products such as hobs and ovens are tested “hot” while they are running. The need to redo the air conditioning system in these rooms therefore arose from the need to ensure complete change of air containing the combustion gas produced by the tests carried out using methane and LPG. Torreggiani & C. built a system with two Air Handling Units, one for each laboratory, running on full outdoor air and connected to the existing hot and chilled water networks. As well as guaranteeing air conditioning and change of air, the units also ensure that the rooms are kept under negative pressure, which is necessary to prevent the migration of combustion gas mixtures resulting from the tests to the surrounding environments. A micro-perforated duct is used for indoor air distribution, while the suction hoods of the test area, electrically open only during the test, are used for air recovery. The opening of the hoods increases the capacity of the supply and return fans, which automatically adapt to the test conditions.

Torreggiani guarantees system maintenance for all plants through a Third Party Management contract, including on-call service.