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 | | LIVERPOOL'S NEWEST OFFICE BLOCK FITTED WITH MEP PREFABRICATED SERVICES MODULES | | | MEP Solutions Ltd | | 05/10/2006 | | |
The Unity Project will soon add two dramatic new tower blocks to the skyline of Liverpool. Inspired by Le Corbusier's famous Unite d'Habitation building in Marseilles, this innovative £60 million development by Rumford Investments includes both commercial and residential towers; the 15-storey office block will offer 14,400 m2 grade A office accommodation and retail space at ground level.
MEP Solutions Ltd were chosen to provide the building services modules throughout the commercial tower based on general designs by consultants, Hoare Lea. The services modules were manufactured off site at MEP's specialist Ashington works in Northumberland and delivered on site for installation mechanical and electrical contractor, Rotary North West.
Fan coil units located within the ceiling space on each floor provide air conditioning for the project, supplying ceiling diffusers and linear grilles at floor perimeters. Some 30 to 40 FCUs are installed on each of the first twelve floors, reducing to around 20 per floor for the final three floors. MEP modules carry the heating and chilled water with branches to serve these FCUs as well as the electrical containment throughout all the floors.
The Unity Project modules span up to 6 metres in length by nominally 1 metre wide and comprise a slotted galvanised steel frame on which brackets are fixed to support pipework and containment runs. Mapress galvanised fittings and tube are used for both the heating and chilled water flow and return pipework and two heavy duty cable trays and 1 single compartment trunking make up the containment. Each module is supported off the structural slab from droppers to the middle and at each corner. Module layout for each floor required careful co-ordination with other services such as supply and extract ductwork, waste pipes and RWPs. Also, module branch positions needed to take into account the FCU positions as well as their handings.
Using its In-house developed software, MEP Solutions was able to produce coordinated layouts and from these generate fully dimensioned manufacturing and installation drawings as well as bills of materials. Modules were manufactured and delivered to site within 3 weeks from approval of layout. Manufacture took place in a factory controlled environment, allowing the pipework of each module to be fully pressure tested, lagged and labelled prior to shipping within a protective stillage.
Off-site prefabrication offers many advantages over traditional methods, not least of which are significant time and labour savings. For example, once delivered and craned to the desired floor, the offloaded modules are ready for immediate installation. Furthermore, only a small team is needed to raise and fit each module in quick succession. Jack Hibbert, Rotary's Project Supervisor, estimates that with only two operatives marking out, raising and fixing modules, a daily installation rate of at least 180 metres of services can be achieved.
Pipe joints are made by crimping with a hand held electro-mechanical pressing tool ensuring that the working environment remains clear from the congestion of screwing machines, chop-saws and debris due to cutting and waste. Large storage space for pipes and fittings is not necessary nor are the multiple journeys required procuring them.
Delivery took place on a fortnightly basis supplying modules for at least one floor and 'out of hours' to ease site logistics and final delivery of modules was in late December. Project completion and hand over is scheduled for Summer 2006.
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