Fulton & Fifth construction continues

Assembly is progressing well across the exciting Fulton & Fifth development in the heart of Wembley, London.

Appointed as superstructure and façade design and build specialist by Regal, PCE Ltd are utilising its innovative hyTower® system build solution for the design and build of the impressive five tower high-rise development. hyTower® is a HybriDfMA system build approach, utilising Modern Methods of Construction for pre-engineered offsite manufactured standardised components as a ‘kit of parts’ solution.

Efficiency

Standardised processes and offsite preparation mean PCE can achieve more with less. Structural assembly is completed by just 4 crews of 13 operatives. With a multiskilled workforce, each crew comprises grouters, erectors, and ancillary carpentry and steel fixers, ensuring a holistic assembly solution.

With repeatable designs, there is less variation, and therefore more consistency across delivery. Coupled with standardised assembly procedures, this inherent repeatability enables level completion in 10 days, 30% faster than when the project commenced. The speed of delivery means a 750m2 floorplate is installed in 4 days, with handrails pre-fitted to components prior to lifting for immediate and safe working areas as soon as the bay is installed.

hyTower® eliminates back-propping, and temporary works are quickly stripped out whilst stair cores provide safe access, negating the need for scaffolding. With the addition of offsite integrated façades creating a weatherproofed structure as it is assembled, these benefits means follow on trades can complete fit out activities safely just below the leading edge, saving considerable time on overall completion. This also compliments PCE’s comprehensive approach, which includes the coordination of bathroom pods and utility cupboards ready for follow on trades.

These benefits will save 6 months across whole project delivery.

Sustainability

Sustainable operations are key. Whether it is implementing reduced cement concrete mixes, or refining design, manufacture, and installation methodologies, reducing the environmental impact of our operations is a key criteria to PCE. It is a sentiment shared too by clients Regal.

hyTower® brings a number of sustainability benefits. Through carbon conscious pre-engineering, Fulton and Fifth’s ‘kit of parts’ components have up to 50% cement replacement within concretes and 100% recycled steel reinforcement. High-level quality control through offsite manufacturing means components do not require additional finishing or decoration. Across the Fulton & Fifth development, precast twinwall in the stairs and cores are left totally exposed with no additional finishing such as plasterboard. This saves on time, cost, and resource, whilst increasing internal space availability. Importantly, no plasterboard in the stairs and cores saves 75 tonnes of embodied carbon.

Hybrid flexibility, common connection principles, and value engineering ensures the right materials are used for the right job, delivered in the right way. Improved sustainability across stages A1-A5 means Fulton & Fifth is expected to achieve 239kgCO2e/m2 , ensuring compliance with LETI targets for 2020. Across comparable projects, use of hyTower® reduces embodied carbon by 32% compared with traditional build techniques.

Offsite Operations

The planning and execution of offsite strategies ensures efficiency gains and added value across the assembly phase. For Fulton & Fifth, PCE has worked closely with 10 offsite specialists from across the UK and Europe to ensure:

• Offsite integrated windows, façade, and balconies
• M&E and utility integrations offsite
• Just-in-time casting schedules
• Load schedule planned for lifting directly from wagon
• Precision manufacturing for exact tolerances and assured assembly
• Daily delivery and installation of up to 500 tonnes of offsite engineered hybrid components

Digital Delivery

PCE’s advanced digital construction capabilities ensure Fulton & Fifth benefits from:

• Real-time tracking of all components from design to assembly
• Comprehensive data insight including QA
• Historic traceability
• 3D digital twin technology
• Autonomous system integration
• Coordinating project team – site, office, supply chain
• Supporting the Golden Thread