The impressive Bowback House Build-to-Rent development in Milton Keynes will deliver 306 quality new homes in the city centre, including an allocation of 43 affordable housing apartments.
Innovative system and quick thinking leads to fast installation
Located on the site of a former office block, the innovative residential building was designed to facilitate a rapid build – with a high level of prefabrication. Risers were to be installed in 125 mm MecFlow Fusion pipe – connecting prefabricated utility cupboards on each floor. Not only did the manifolds need to be custom-made to fit the cupboards they also had to be designed to specifically fit with the valve and metering systems specified by the customer.
The fast build timeframe meant that while bathrooms and riser cupboards were prefabricated, the connecting network was designed, fabricated, supplied and installed on a rolling basis. Drawings were provided as the installation progressed and system components supplied in-step with the project schedule.
The importance of prefabrication
Jason Duncan, Regional Sales Director at Polypipe Building Services commented: “This was a very fast installation, but this is a trend that the whole industry is learning to live with. Housing targets have got to be met, and investors are looking for a fast return. The combination of MecFlow Fusion’s jointing system and our prefabrication capability means that we can help install teams hit new levels of speed and effectiveness.
The team at Grove really know how to get the most from our products and our Advantage Prefabrication service. The concept of designing, prefabricating and installing water supply and drainage systems ‘on-the-fly’ would have been considered far-fetched a few years ago – today it’s understood that it’s the only way the industry is going to deliver on its targets.”
Working with Polypipe Building Services
“This installation really wouldn’t have been possible without MecFlow Fusion and the Advantage Team. It was a very fast build – 12 months from coming out of the ground to the first residents moving in. A very short timeframe which meant that not only was prefabrication vital, a lot of the system had to be designed on a rolling basis while still delivering the quality and reliability that this sort of development expects."
Chris McMullan continues: "Fusion’s rapid jointing techniques and the responsiveness of Polypipe’s designers meant that not only did we have a supply system that was designed to fit perfectly with the prefabricated bathroom pods and utility cupboards, we were also able to develop and fabricate the network that connected them ‘in real time’. PBS kept the whole project on the move.
“Jobs like these could put the contractor under a lot of pressure, and it’s not like we can just throw a lot of manpower at the problem. Skilled engineers and installers like ours are a precious commodity. The PBS approach really helps us get the most out of our most valuable resource.”
Looking for bespoke design and prefabrication? Find out more about our Advantage Service today
More than just a fabrication service, Polypipe Advantage is an end-to-end solution for the UK commercial market. Polypipe Advantage supports you from system design and planning right through to ordering, delivery, technical support and customer service.
