LeftBank warms to Gledhill
11/08/2003
One of the fastest growing providers of new homes in the UK has chosen ElectraMate thermal storage units from Gledhill to provide a luxury waterside development in Central Manchester with ultra-responsive heating and 'power shower' hot water. Luxury waterside development in Central Manchester.
The Leftbank development from Westbury Homes is the largest residential scheme ever undertaken in Manchester city centre. Situated on the banks of the River Irwell in the heart of the city, the Leftbank building will consist of over 390 one, two and three bedroom apartments and penthouses in 55 different designs, priced from £160,500 to £907,000. Upon its completion in 2005, the building will also include two levels of residents’ underground parking, and two floors of leisure and retail space.

The Gledhill ElectraMate units will provide the Leftbank apartments with ultra-responsive heating and virtually unlimited hot water. ElectraMate stores the high temperature water while using ‘off-peak’ energy tariffs, taking more than 90% of its energy at ‘off-peak’ times. It is supplied in two sizes - a 170 litre unit for less demanding applications, or 270 litres for larger properties. Leftbank will also be one of the first locations to use Gledhill’s new 12kW ElectraMate unit, designed specifically for larger apartment applications.

ElectraMate eliminates water tanks and pipes, and delivers balanced pressure at all terminal fittings. Because ElectraMate uses only electricity, it eliminates flueing problems making it ideal for new build flats and apartments or city centre loft and warehouse refurbishments.		 Using the proven benefits of thermal storage technology, the appliances are able to provide domestic hot water at rates in excess of 35 litres/minute. Thermal stores simply reverse the primary and secondary water functions – primary water from the boiler is directed into the appliance, where it is stored and pumped to the radiators as needed, while secondary water flows directly from the cold mains into the unit, where the stored water heats it before delivery to the taps. This system provides high performance hot water and heating and ‘power shower’ pressures at every tap or shower, while removing the need for tanks or extra valves and tundishes necessary for conventional boiler-fed systems.

Leftbank will form the primary residential part of the 245000m² Spinningfields real estate development, a partnership between Allied London Properties and Manchester City Council to create one of the largest new city centre business quarters in Europe. Spinningfields will include 12 new office buildings, 30,000 m² of shopping, restaurants and bar property, 18,830 m² of civic educational buildings, 2 new luxury hotels and 4 new public squares.