TPT July 2013

Article

Fitting and installation Traditionally, a copper system would be soldered together on-site, requiring ‘hot works’ insurance and specialist skilled labour, which both come at an additional cost. Adding to this is the need for an end of working day cooling period after any hot works before a site can be vacated, resulting in lost available working time. Complete ‘flushing and cleaning’ of the system is required to rid it of any surplus solder and flux. Both of these factors take time and as with any aspect of construction, more time means more expense. While copper is, in many cases, still considered the ideal material for some

applications such as hot and cold water services, heating and gas, value engineering is introducing the use of press fit joints which eliminate the need for hot works such as soldering. A press fit copper or plastic system, does not require specialist or chemical flushing and cleaning and could even allow for a change in labour force, as specialist skills may not be needed. The installation of a piping system using press fittings is quicker and cleaner, meaning work can continue at optimum speed. Prefabrication A popular construction method across many trades, prefabrication is a trend that has gripped the industry as a whole and the piping systems arena is no different. Prefabricated piping systems use lighter materials such as plastics rather than metals which can be heavy to manoeuvre into place once combined into larger ‘modules’. Piecing together these systems off-site means that other trades can continue working on the build without any restriction.

The prefabrication of chilled, heating, hot or cold water systems is often combined with the installation of electrical services, which can all be integrated into a modular riser system or corridor module and assembled together on-site. This is a popular method of construction for larger buildings and particularly prevalent in heavy service orientated situations such as hospital corridors and riser shafts. The future of piping materials The process of value engineering may become more prevalent in times of financial hardship, but the lessons that are being learnt from it will undoubtedly continue for many decades to come. As a process, it has challenged preconceptions about piping materials and the habitual specification of conventional methods of construction to reveal cost, time and energy savings that will remain valuable as the economy continues to recover. Value engineering has opened the eyes of many who would have otherwise continued to use traditional pipe materials. The result has been the development of modern, market leading solutions, which are now proving to be a popular choice for achieving a project that is delivered on time and on budget.

BSS Industrial – UK Tel: +44 116 262 3232 Website: www.bssindustrial.co.uk

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July 2013