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17th November 2005
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| The following example demonstrates how Torclad has designed innovative solutions resulting from collaborative working, and how collaborative working has produced cost benefits for the client in the short term, and in terms of whole life costs. |
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For Anglo Holt to win the construction of the new Empress Stand at Towcester racecourse, they had to find savings to reduce the tendered costs of £5.5m to £4.5m to meet the client’s budget.
A review of the design concluded that a key area for savings would be the use of GRP in lieu of a range of other materials, particularly those areas on the client’s drawings designated to be timber and ceramics.
Considerations for material selection were:- Its consistency of presentation around the building
- Its ability to accommodate tolerance issues and effect interfaces
- Its ease of installation, particularly in compliance with H&S and CDM requirements
- Cost, including maintenance
- The availability and reliability of resources required to install the building elements which were identified as a possibility for manufacture in GRP
- Its attributes regarding ease of installation in adverse weather conditions
Although, ‘top-down’, savings could be identified, Anglo Holt weren’t sure how to precisely quantify these. They needed to work ‘bottom up’ with a GRP partner and fabricator that was flexible, who could quantify the savings in a design development environment that was non-prescriptive, and with whom they could work to present the subsequent proposal to the client.
Highly recommended as a result of previous collaboration with Anglo Holt, Torclad and its Archifab GRP team were selected to provide a comprehensive support service, ranging from design development, pattern making, manufacture and installation.
Each element of the building constructed with GRP had its particular issues:
The capping/cornice features
Traditionally constructed in recon-stone, the GRP manufactured features provide savings as a result of much-reduced structures needed to support these elements, as well as savings generated by the elimination of costs associated with the H&S issues of handling and placing in position.
The lantern roof
A design feature to match the existing stand, this element would need a number of trades to construct and would present ongoing maintenance problems. Now prefabricated offsite in maintenance free GRP with dummy louvres, this feature also functions as a boiler vent.
The integrity tower and stair tower soffits
In providing the soffits for this element, the off-site manufactured GRP solution provides a ‘finished job’ that can be simply offered up and fixed, the fixing requiring less support grounds than a traditional timber solution. The GRP solution also scores well on the issue of maintenance in respect of the mitigation of the need for future painting.
The stair tower roof
This shape, in itself, presented onsite construction problems regarding the various materials required, and not least, the skills required to fabricate the shape. Torclad manufactured offsite the four swept sides, shipped these to site and assembled the tower roof on a jig, where it was laminated. The assembled tower roof was then craned into position and fixed by Torclad to enable the leadworking to progress. Savings were generated from both construction time and materials in respect of the original specification.
Columns – 2x types
Copied from the other stand, and specifically designed in wood to meet the planners’ requirements, the GRP solution to the columns provided savings against a proposal for traditional construction. GRP moulding will reproduce each column precisely (a mould for each design), which enables management of tolerances, particularly in respect of the subsequent interfaces with the window systems.
Roof panels above overhang
Utilising a proprietary Archifab dry joint system, the installation of the roof panels above the overhang can be undertaken in unfavourable weather conditions. Originally specified as an asphalt roof, the GRP solution eliminated hot-working at height.
Soffits above and below main balcony
Reproducing the effect of thin tongue and groove planking, the GRP solution was manufactured in large panels and installed using less fixing grounds than would be required by a traditional timber solution, which also comprises a more costly construction method, notwithstanding ongoing maintenance costs (painting).
Bullnose
To complete the package, Torclad’s experience in producing GRP bullnose features was utilised to provide the clean roofline to the overhang that is difficult to effect with aluminium, particularly if faceting is required to achieve a double radius.
Installation experience
Against a background of traditional ‘problem’ tolerances resulting from wet trades and other sub-contractor activities, Torclad believes its experience, and consequently developed expertise in installing its Archifab GRP features, is a service that should not be underestimated by customers wishing to turn their design aspirations into reality.
The Empress stand was completed in time for 5 October 2005, the first day’s racing on Towcester Racecourse’s fixture list. |
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| Click image for enlarged version |
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