In January 2011, Royce Group were awarded the contract to update the mechanical and electrical services at the former Mercedes Benz Performance Engines (MBPE) site in Brixworth, Northants.

This site is formerly the engine development site for the Formula 1 race engines used by Lewis Hamilton on his way to the world championship in 2008. The restaurant used for the victory party is one of the buildings to be refurbished as part of these works. The site is hugely interesting for anyone interested in Formula 1 or any form of motorsport. Another tenant on site are Ilmor Ltd, who make race engines for Moto GP bikes, NASCAR racers and even racing aeroplanes.

Initially, the works comprised the installation of gas, water and electricity meters in all individual buildings on site, 8 in all, for the new landlord and developer, Development Securities Ltd.

Once on site, the works have expanded to include the servicing and recommissioning of the mechanical and electrical services on all of the site buildings.

Several buildings were installed with obsolete and redundant R22 air conditioning equipment. This equipment, including some of the earliest VRF systems, is to be changed using the latest ‘replace technology’ equipment. This process involves replacing the existing indoor and outdoor units with modern equivalents, using environmentally friendly refrigerants and inverter driven compressors.

This work is ongoing at this time and this page will be updated frequently.

Update – June 2011

Unit 2 has now been completed and has been occupied by its new tenant. A new Mitsubishi VRF system has been installed and all of the redundant R22 AC systems removed and recycled.

The next phase of the site is possibly the conversion of Unit 9, known as the Pyramid, into a car showroom for customised Porsches! The Pyramid is the building where Lewis Hamilton had his party after winning the 2008 F1 world championship and was used as the on-site restaurant at the Mercedes F1 facility.

The conversion is likely to involve the removal of a large redundant chiller and its replacement with an efficient heat recovery VRF system.

Details to follow on the next update in July 2011,