HybriDfma approach at the heart of build strategy

PCE Ltd was appointed by Main Contractor Osborne in order to provide the home of the Department of Electronic Engineering for Royal Holloway, University of London.

PCE provided the three storey structure plus substructure and roof construction using a combination of precast concrete, structural steelwork and insitu concrete.

PreFastCore

A significant use was made of offsite engineered precast units, including fifty PreFastCore modules – weighing up to 50 tonnes each – which formed the lift and stair shafts. PreFastCore provides safe and easy access for site personnel to different floor levels during the construction programme as well as providing a cost effective means of transferring lateral loads to the foundations.

Other precast concrete components included:-

• Ground and suspended beams
• 300mm thick Twin Wall
• Hollowcore flooring units
• Stairs and landings.

Constricted site access

The building was constructed with a fifty five tonne capacity crawler crane and, with a tight site access around the building, deliveries of components on a “just in time” basis was critical.

PCE’s design approach and planning processes minimised the number of lorry deliveries to site and a relatively small number of well trained and experienced PCE operatives ensured that the overall Carbon footprint for the construction was minimised.

“PCE are able to offer the Construction Industry innovative Hybrid structural solutions delivered speedily with high standards of Health and Safety and Quality at all stages of the projects development. The New Electronic Engineering Building at Royal Holloway is a good example of what we can provide and were delighted to be working with Osborne and the rest of the project team on this state of the art building”.