40 Finsbury Sq, EC2A
Brookfield Properties
13,000 m²
CAM—V
2020
Designed in 1930 as a private members club by Frederick Gould and Giles Gilbert Scott, creator of the iconic British red telephone box, Citygate House has been lovingly restored to its former glory and returned to its original name, The Gilbert.
In 2018, AET re-engaged with the building as part of a new, large-scale redevelopment. Working closely with the design team, a key focus was enhancing natural light within the building’s characterful original sash windows while meeting modern air conditioning requirements.
After extensive collaboration, AET’s underfloor systems were selected once again — this time not only for their performance but also for their ability to support the architectural vision. The solution allowed for maximised floor-to-ceiling heights and supported the developer Brookfield Properties’ ambition to offer flexible, sustainable, and creative office environments.
AET’s underfloor air conditioning (UfAC) systems were first installed on the 1st to 5th floors of the building during a major refurbishment completed in 2001, shortly after it became the European HQ for media giant Bloomberg.
Each floor featured 8 CAM—C units positioned around the perimeter, delivering 24-hour cooling to the densely occupied office space.
Air was distributed via AET’s standard TU4 Fantile™ units, with slimline TU3 models installed on the 4th and 5th floors to accommodate a shallower floor void — these floors were sublet at the time to law firm Herbert Smith.
By removing bulky ceiling services, UfAC reveals architectural detail that elevates interior design and enhances the building’s external presence after dark.
The system became a core element of the building’s transformation and helped distinguish the development in London’s highly competitive office market by enabling easy reconfiguration for modern CAT—B fit-outs.
Following its £60 million renovation, The Gilbert is now equipped with 55 CAM—V units, supported by high-efficiency heat pump units and a total of 838 Fantiles™ (TU4 and TU3) across nine floors.
The Gilbert could be refurbished 7 times before it reached the same embodied carbon as one standard new build office.
14,845 tonnes of carbon (based on 1000 kg CO2e/m2 GIA= 14,845,000 kg CO2).
2,182 tonnes of carbon (based on 147 kg CO2e/m2 GIA= 2,182,215 kg CO2).
Developer — Brookfield Properties
Architect — Stiff + Trevillion
Quantity Surveyor — Exigere
M&E Consultant — Hilson Moran
Main Contractor — MACE Group
M&E Contractor — Essex Services Group
BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating
WELL rated
EPC “B” rating
BCO’s Fit Out Workplace of the Year
