The high speed and high capacity hoists commissioned for the 147 metre, 43 storey Strata Tower construction at the Elephant and Castle development have increased efficiency and reduced construction costs according to Matthew Hewitt, project manager for Brookfield Construction.
High rise construction specialists UBS installed two 90m/min high speed hoists and a 4.2 x 3 metre ‘Mammoth’ hoist using their innovative common tower at the South London development site. The high speed hoists reduce full height transit time to just over 90 seconds compared to over 6 minutes using conventional hoists.
Commented Hewitt, “At peak times, we have to get 400 men to working height, so the reduction in travel time for one return trip alone is equivalent to a saving in excess of £1000 per day. Add to this the time to get materials to height during the working day, and the savings during two year life cycle of this project will be substantial.”
In addition to the high speed hoists, UBS installed a 4.2 x 3 metre mammoth hoist which carry up to 4000kg of materials or 45 people. Hewitt added, “The Strata Tower is an innovative construction and incorporates unusual materials that cannot be accommodated in standard size hoists. The mammoth hoist is a real advantage for us as it means we can hoist all the large panels and non-standard materials to the levels they are needed.”
All three hoists run from a single, low profile, aluminium common tower system. This patented design concentrates all the hoists into one small area and means only one set of ties is needed to secure it to the main structure, and reduces the access points needed for the hoists. This markedly reduces the number of cladding panels that have to be left off during the construction phase, and speeds up making good when the tower is removed at the end of the project. Even more importantly, it makes the building more water tight during construction, ensuring a better completion programme for internal finishes.
Tony Faulkner, managing director of UBS added, “The UBS towers are also far quicker to install and remove, so there are major savings at the start and the end of the project. The time and cost savings which the UBS system provide are even more critical with the financial constraints facing the construction industry in the current economic climate.”
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Editors Notes
Hi resolution photos available on request
More about Universal Builders Supply Ltd
Universal Builders Supply Ltd (UBSL) provides a complete service for the specification, supply and installation of a range of high capacity goods and passenger hoists for all forms of high rise structure. The range includes both the standard range of Alimak Scando and high speed, high capacity Alimak Scando and the high speed, high capacity Alimak Super Scando with step-less speed control.
UBS Aluminium Hoist Towers allow comprehensive hoisting facilities to be installed on new build and renovation projects with minimum interference to the construction programme. Hoists of all types can be grouped in centralised areas permitting the maximum utilisation of pallet and forklift in the off-loading and distribution of materials on a floor by floor basis. The towers can be installed up to a working height of 300m with cantilevered run backs and platforms into the building under construction.
With the wealth of technical knowledge gained from high rise projects such as the Canary Wharf development, Skanska Swiss Re Tower, and the 33 storey tower built at West India Quay for Multiplex. More recent projects include the 47 storey Beetham Tower in Manchester, the 147 metre Pan Peninsular Tower in London and the 66 storey twin towers built by Bovis Lend Lease for AOL Time Warner in New York.
More about Strata, London
As part of the regeneration of Elephant and Castle, this project comprises two residential buildings, with 408 residential apartments. The principal building is 43 storey high and will house three wind turbines generating electricity for the building. Located in one of the Mayor of London’s Energy Action areas, Strata has embraced sustainable energy design and the latest renewable technologies from the outset. Strata’s design exceeds current and evolving UK Building regulations on sustainability by 13%. Overall carbon emissions are expected to be 13% lower than the good practice benchmark produced by the Mayor of London, and energy costs per apartment are envisaged to be 40% less than the typical UK housing average. Once built it will be briefly the tallest building south of the River Thames
For further information
Media
Colin Caldicott, Ultimedia PR Tel: 01767 601470 e-mail:
UBS
Tony Faulkner, managing director Tel: 01763 249202 e-mail: tony@ubsl.net
