The brief: The client and their insurer required leak detection during the refurbishment of a 42-storey mixed use building on Canary Wharf that meets the JCOP for Escape of Water Prevention and Management on Construction sites. Construction period 4 years. Status: Construction in progress.
Leaksafe were asked to provide:
- Incoming mains shut off that would also shut down the booster pumps that pump water to the top of the building
- Shut off to the outflow of each of the secondary tanks on 9 floors.
- Shut off to bib taps on each floor.
- Leak detection was also required in toilet blocks and canteens.
- All the glazing in the building was to be replaced, so leak detection was required for 8 zones on the perimeter of each of the 42 floors to identify any water ingress following installation.
- A timed program was required so that water shuts off automatically outside construction hours, variable by week and weekend days.
The solution:
- Leaksafe monitored the water usage in the building for 7 days and supplied an xFlow system for the incoming mains that would shut the water off and the booster pumps if usage exceeded the maximum used during the 7-day audit period. The system can be programmed for different water usage within and outside construction hours and varied by day according to the construction programme.
- Secondary tanks have also been fitted with xFlow systems and programmed for their normal usage.
- Bib taps are protected with WaterHub systems and leak detection tape, where the water can be turned on and off as required, and leak detection tape will pick up any leaks or taps left running and automatically shut the water off to that tap.
- Toilet blocks and canteens have been protected with WaterHub shut off systems with valves on the CWS to each block/canteen and leak detection tape behind or underneath all water bearing appliances.
- Perimeter protection has been with Leaksafe WaterComm devices. Each zone has up to 4 lengths of leak detection tape that if wet, generates an immediate SMS or email to the site managers telling them exactly which tape has triggered the alarm, that significantly reduces investigation time.
WaterComm and WaterHub systems can run on battery power, reducing the requirement for electric supply to each of the system locations.
As the building is so large, it was important that site managers were alerted if water shut off or a perimeter alarm is activated. The xFlow, WaterHub and WaterComm all include a NBIoT notification feature that not only alerts the site managers by SMS and email, but also feeds to a live screen in the main project office. There was no NBIoT signal on Basement Level 4 but this was overcome by running a coaxial cable/aerial to the ground floor.
