Spelsberg IBT Enclosures
Speed Up Electrical Installation For
New Pre-Cast Hospital Build
hanks in part to the use
of Spelsberg IBT junction
boxes, a project to build a
new £89m mental health
hospital in South Wales
has kept to a rigorous construction
programme. The IBT enclosure range
provides quick and robust electrical
installations for pre-cast concrete
construction, a proven method of building
fast-track projects.
T
The 20,000sq m centre replaces several
separate facilities spread around Cardiff
and the surrounding area. It will provide
adult inpatient accommodation in 135
single-bed en-suite rooms, and also
bring together all the area's general adult
mental health inpatient services including
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low security, addiction, neuropsychiatry,
intensive care and supportive recovery
services. The design incorporates sitting
rooms, garden areas, therapeutic spaces
and consulting rooms.
Despite being a large and complex project,
topping out of the main buildings was
completed within a year. This was achieved
through a highly sophisticated technique
to prefabricate seven separate plant rooms
off-site. These were then installed in a
matter of days. Each plant room contains
all the building services equipment
required, including pumps, fans, Building
Management System (BMS) panels, control
equipment and complete wiring. The use
of precast concrete panels, rather than
poured concrete or other construction
methods also helped ensure the rigorous
building programme was maintained.
The panels are bespoke designs and
incorporate the electrical services, which
reduced the amount of installation and
wiring needed on-site.
Historically, this method of
electrical installation has been
difficult, due to the lack of
specially designed electrical
products. But Spelsberg's ITB
range of junction boxes and
related products has been
specifically designed for the
precast construction industry.