Brymec’s recent commercial plumbing case study challenge was balancing the major construction works needed to create a brand-new plant room at the Art University of Bournemouth (AUB). All whilst managing a short time frame, the correct commercial plumbing equipment and allowing university students to still focus on their studies, we had to ensure we created the new plant room without distracting students from their academic concentration. Bournemouth University has recently invested up to £250million in the redevelopment of the campus, through new buildings and redesigning work, and when the university reached out to us for a new plant room, Brymec was all too happy to be a part of such an extensive project. A vital part of the university’s campus improvements was the new plant room, which provided all university students with a comfortable and suitable environment to support their academic learning.
The Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) is a renowned educational institution located in Poole, England, and has made long-term commitments to environmental and social sustainability, leading to the campus being awarded the EcoCampus Platinum accreditation. Brymec’s plumbing sustainability ethos aligned perfectly, and when there was a need for a new plant room to be installed, Brymec was ready to help and could complete the project within a tight time frame. The biggest challenge was the short timeframe; we knew we had to work fast with a whole plant room needing to be installed in a mere four months.
Read on to see how we did it!
Commercial Plumbing Systems for a New Plant Room
A plant room, often referred to as a mechanical room or boiler room, is required in commercial buildings to house specialist plumbing equipment and, in this case, was needed to keep the university running efficiently, effectively, and sustainably. The purpose of the new plant room was to:
- Protect equipment: The designed plant room keeps all plumbing safe from damage.
- Centralized controls: Our plant room keeps all the core controls in one place, which helps the building run efficiently.
- Reduced noise: Our plant room design contains noise from commercial plumbing equipment, which can help keep occupants in commercial premises from being disturbed.
- Makes maintenance easier: The new plant room makes it easier to carry out routine maintenance on all the equipment in one easy-to-access place, making it sustainable and financially effective.
Brymec used multiple commercial plumbing systems to support the university plant room project, all within the time-pressed requirements of the installation.
Plumbing Systems Used for a New Plant Room
As expert suppliers of plumbing systems, Brymec understood what was required for the university’s new plant room, but a few things needed to be considered when supplying the correct plant room equipment. The university has a strong focus on sustainability and the need to respect their EcoCampus Award. As a commercial plumbing supplier, there was a need to focus on emissions. It was vital to make sure the equipment chosen met the future regulations on emissions, and then was the need to think about matching the system load. Matching the heating plant to the system load is needed to minimize running and maintenance costs and support the required water pressure. Brymec is also aware that when upgrading boiler systems, there is a need to consider condensing technology and the plant room location. The plant room needed to be well-positioned to provide quick access to the central controls, all of which needed to be thought and provided for in just four weeks.
Brymec has the experience and the confidence to provide the correct plant room systems, and we suggested the following:
Benefits of Stainless Press Systems for a New Plant Room
Brymec Stainless Press System offers several critical advantages for plant rooms, especially in commercial settings where reliability, durability, and efficiency are crucial:
- 100% Leak Path Detection: The system is designed with leak detection technology, ensuring that any potential leak is immediately identified. This feature reduces the risk of unnoticed leaks that could lead to costly water damage, saving time and repair costs.
- Visual Crimp Indicator: This allows easy verification that fittings have been properly crimped during installation. The visible indicator enhances installation accuracy and reduces the chances of installation errors, which can improve overall system reliability.
- Corrosion Resistance: Stainless steel’s natural resistance to corrosion makes this system ideal for plant rooms with high moisture and harsh environments. It ensures a longer lifespan of the piping, reducing maintenance costs and ensuring a clean water supply.
- Durability: Stainless steel’s strength and durability make the system robust and reliable over time. This is especially important for plant rooms, where the infrastructure must handle high-pressure systems and frequent use without fail.
Benefits of Copper Press Systems for Plant Rooms
Brymec Copper Press System also provides advanced features, ideal for plant room installations:
- Friction Fit: This innovation allows for easier and faster installation without the need for soldering or additional joint sealing materials. It reduces labour time and installation costs while maintaining a secure connection.
- Copper Threaded Fittings: Using copper threaded fittings, as opposed to brass, ensures better thermal expansion properties and chemical compatibility, especially in high-temperature or high-pressure systems. Copper also offers better resistance to dezincification, extending the life of the fitting.
- Manifold Tees: These tees allow for more efficient distribution of water or gas within the system, helping to reduce pressure loss and ensuring even flow across multiple outputs. This makes it ideal for plant rooms where balanced distribution is critical.
Benefits of Valves for a Plant Room
Brymec offers a comprehensive range of valves for plant room applications:
- Cast Iron Valves: These valves are robust and capable of withstanding high pressure and temperature variations, making them suitable for heavy-duty applications. Their durability and resistance to wear make them ideal for the demands of a plant room.
- Isolating Valves: These valves are crucial for controlling the flow within the system, enabling maintenance or repair work to be carried out on specific sections without shutting down the entire system. This minimizes downtime and ensures the plant room functions smoothly during repairs.
Benefits of Site Support and Fixings for Plant Rooms
Brymec offers a wide range of site supports and fixings designed for plant rooms:
- Single Sourcing for All Pipework Needs: By offering site supports and fixings along with pipework, Brymec allows for a streamlined procurement process. This reduces the complexity of sourcing from multiple suppliers, leading to more efficient project management and reduced lead times.
- Robust and Customizable Fixings: The supports and fixings are designed to ensure secure pipework installation, which is critical in high-usage environments like plant rooms. The high-quality materials used in these fixings ensure they can bear the weight and stress of extensive piping systems.
Reliable Commercial Plumbing Supplier: How Brymec was able to support the client
With the substantial time restraints on the project, it was vital to have a supplier who could guarantee the stock availability to remove any fears of delays. Due to our Brymec Breeze delivery service, Brymec’s exceptionally fast response times to quote and order requests were able to help this project’s success further. With the ability to get all the required products the next day with a timed and tracked van, the client could rest assured that the plumbing products would be precisely where they needed to be and in the promised timeframe.
Don’t just take our word for it. Here is what the client had to say:
“Many thanks to Brymec for outstanding quotation turnaround, delivery and communication throughout the AUB project.”
Project Outcome
Thanks to Brymec, the project was completed on time and on schedule, resulting in a satisfied university that could continue conducting its world-leading research
Commercial Plumbing Supplier for Commercial Plant Rooms Across the UK
Whilst working on this new plant room project for the university, we knew it was essential to not only take care of the timeline, plumbing products, and Eco Standards needed but also cause minimum disruption to our client’s students and their academic education. Our commercial plumbing expert supplies gave us the perfect result for this project, and we gained another shining review showing our complete understanding of the client’s needs, wants and expectations by delivering an exceptional new plant room.
Are you responsible for a new plant room, or do you need a commercial plumbing renovation? If you have been impressed by the products supplied for this commercial plant room, please call us on 0333 000 55 55 or use our online contact form for more information.
Commercial Plumbing Advice and Support from Brymec
If you have enjoyed this commercial plant room case study, take a look at our other commercial plumbing success stories:
Claridge’s Hotel Plant Room – London
HVAC Solutions for London Luton Airport Redevelopment
Commercial Plumbing for London Development Project in Farringdon
Read more commercial plumbing case studies here.
See Brymec’s website and our learning hub for more information.