TPT July 2013

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July 2013 99
Article
BSS Industrial – UK
Tel: +44 116 262 3232
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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.