How PCE's HybriDfMA frames system enabled offsite strategy success

Willmott Dixon's full DfMA strategy for the main concrete frame

PCE Ltd provided the structural frame of the £54M state of the art five storey Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research Building for the University of Warwick, located on their Gibbet Hill campus, a project which has featured in a recent report in Offsite Magazine.

The article, called Meeting the Hybrid Challenge is on page 74 of the publication. It focuses on Main Contractor Willmott Dixon's desire to "de-risk" the project as a result of being faced with a number of significant challenges, including the physical constraints of the site, exposed concrete finish requirements and the "complexity of the temporary works and transfer structures". PCE's HybriDfMA frame system, says the report, replaced an in-situ concrete frame which was specified up to Stage 3 of the design process.

"The hybrid solution resulted in a saving of 200kg/m² of concrete which saved c.850t of concrete overall."

The research building won the “Best use of concrete technology” at the Offsite Awards.