15 October 2025
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The National Gemstone Centre at Carsington Reservoir. Images: ©Paul Kozlowski for VMZinc
Ventilation specialist WindowMaster has supplied a bespoke natural ventilation (NV) solution at a new jewellery boutique, exhibition space and training facility in Derbyshire.
Set against the backdrop of Carsington Reservoir, the National Gemstone Centre is the brainchild of jewellers C.W. Sellors (Sellors), which commissioned the project with a very specific brief. At its core, the centre needed to serve as a model for sustainable specification, wellbeing-centric design and community integration.
The project architects, Evans Vettori, needed to select the latest, lowest-impact and energy efficient materials, fittings and finishes. It was felt this would go some way to achieving the brief’s three criteria, and provide staff and visitors with maximum comfort throughout the interiors.
Sellors wanted to ensure a steady flow of fresh, clean air within the building, bringing the benefits of the surrounding nature indoors. After considering a range of different options, the project team agreed to introduce a natural ventilation system, which could be programmed and automated to allow plenty of fresh air to circulate throughout the centre efficiently.
This led them to WindowMaster, one of the world’s leading natural and mixed-mode ventilation specialists, to supply and install a new low energy NV control system. WindowMaster realised pureplay NV would not be adequate on its own and recommended a strategy that combined high-quality components to amplify the naturally cool air of the Derby countryside.
This was achieved through six of its WMX 826-1, 400mm window actuators, devices that respond to monitoring factors such as CO2, temperature and humidity. By opening and closing windows to within millimetre-perfect precision, it meant the building could facilitate the flow of fresh air in, whilst taking stale air out.
Working in conjunction with WindowMaster’s Motorlink automated technology, users could achieve accurate window precision, without running the risk of over-ventilating or compromising their indoor comfort. This was especially important given the presence of on-site acid and ammonia-based chemicals used by jewellers, making the rapid removal of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) essential for safety.
Backed by WindowMaster’s NV Embedded, a cloud-based decentralised Control System, Sellors were empowered to monitor and control of indoor environments in real time. Synched seamlessly with the National Gemstone Centre’s building management systems (BMS), it delivers optimum indoor air quality (IAQ), room temperature and energy efficiency, all year round.
David Brown, WindowMaster’s Sales Director, said: “With such beautiful surroundings, it was important for this building to capture a sense of nature by involving the surrounding open countryside. Thanks to the NV Embedded Control system, the building occupants will have controlled clean fresh air, helping them stay alert & comfortable.
John Evans, from Evans Vettori, the project’s architectural lead, said: “To enable control of the high-level clerestory glazing in the central atrium space, the project required fully-automatic actuators to be discretely integrated into the frames. The system fulfilled the brief and the Motorlink technology enabled a connection to the BMS for synchronised operation and feedback.”
