Shepherd Engineering Services has used offsite construction methods to help clients save time on projects including the iconic King’s Cross Central office and retail space.
On an average construction site, more than 50 per cent of the working day is lost to poor productivity and delays, according to the BSRIA research and consultancy organisation.
In addition, the BCIS and RICS have found that only 63 per cent of site-based construction projects are delivered on time and only 49 per cent on budget.
Efficiency is paramount
At a time of government incentivisation and commitment to reinvigorating the economy through investment in the built environment, onsite productivity and efficiency are paramount. It is now a case of keep up or be left behind for contractors.
The evolution of the construction industry also demands that buildings are delivered more economically, within shorter time frames, more cost-effectively and with reduced impact on the environment.
In response to this, at Shepherd Engineering Services we have our own offsite M&E prefabrication facility, PRISM, to deliver offsite solutions that save clients thousands of hours onsite and help them realise safety and environmental benefits.
Offsite in practice
Tasked with delivering M&E services from design to installation on the £80m project for 43,000 sq m of prime office and retail space at King’s Cross Central, SES PRISM has saved an estimated 24,000 onsite labour hours.
The contract, for Vinci Construction UK and its client BNP Paribas Real Estate Development UK, saw the manufacture, rigorous testing, delivery and installation of approximately 800 fan coil units and pipework modules.
With challenges including a confined city centre site and a team peaking at 130 operatives onsite a day, this project would not have been feasible using traditional onsite manufacturing methods – and would have also come with significant additional cost implications.
SES PRISM worked collaboratively with Vinci to devise a transportation frame that enabled the modules to be stacked five-high on delivery.
This frame ensured the team maximised space and manoeuvrability within vehicles and on site.
Working underground
Another example of the prefabrication on this project saw SES PRISM fit the basement-floor plant room modules into the build early in the construction process, while other contractors continued work on the lower floors.
The team returned at a later stage to complete the installation with the module already in place, significantly reducing the overall timeframe and the impact of work upon the entire site workforce, while eliminating the need for another major installation process.
The PRISM facility is at the forefront of M&E installations, meaning it can offer the most effective solutions to even the most technically complex projects.
Tim Cunningham is regional director for London and South-east at Shepherd Engineering Services
