Complete Plant Room Solutions for Arts University Bournemouth

Brymec’s recent commercial plumbing case study challenge was balancing the major construction works needed to create a brand-new plant room at Arts University Bournemouth (AUB). All whilst managing a short time frame, the correct commercial plumbing equipment and allowing university students to still focus on their studies, Brymec ensured the new plant room was created without distracting students from their academic concentration. AUB has recently invested up to £250million in the redevelopment of the campus, through new buildings and redesigning work, and when the university reached out to Brymec for a new plant room, the company was pleased to be a part of such an extensive project. A vital part of the university’s campus improvements was the new plant room, which provided all university students with a comfortable and suitable environment to support their academic learning.

AUB is a renowned educational institution located in Poole, England, and has made long-term commitments to environmental and social sustainability, leading to the campus being awarded the EcoCampus Platinum accreditation. With Brymec’s own focus on sustainability perfectly aligned, the company was ready to assist when AUB required a new plant room to be installed within a tight timeframe. The biggest challenge was the short deadline: the entire plant room needed to be completed in just four months. Brymec rose to the occasion, delivering the project efficiently and on schedule.

Read on to see how Brymec delivered the project.

Commercial Plumbing Systems for a New Plant Room

A plant room (often referred to as a mechanical or boiler room), is essential in commercial buildings for housing specialist plumbing equipment. In this case, the new plant room was required to ensure the university operated efficiently, effectively, and sustainably. The purpose of the new plant room was to:

• Protect equipment: The dedicated plant room keeps all plumbing equipment safe from damage.
• Centralise controls: Housing all core controls in one place helps the building run more efficiently.
• Reduce noise: Locating equipment in a single room minimises noise throughout the building.
• Make maintenance easier: The accessible plant room makes routine maintenance easier and more cost-effective, supporting both sustainability and financial efficiency.

Brymec used multiple commercial plumbing systems to support AUB’s plant room project, all within the time-pressed requirements of the installation.

Plumbing Systems Used for a New Plant Room

As a trusted supplier of plumbing systems, Brymec understood the requirements for the university’s new plant room. However, several key considerations were essential when selecting the right equipment. AUB places strong emphasis on sustainability and compliance with its EcoCampus Award, so environmental responsibility was a priority.

As a commercial plumbing supplier, Brymec focused on ensuring all equipment met future emissions regulations. Another critical factor was matching the heating plant to the system load. This alignment helps minimise running and maintenance costs while maintaining the required water pressure.

Brymec also recognised that upgrading boiler systems involves evaluating condensing technology and the plant room’s location. The plant room needed to be strategically positioned for quick access to central controls.

All of this needed to be considered and delivered within the tight 4 week time frame. With extensive experience and confidence, Brymec proposed the following systems solution to deliver the correct plant room systems:

• 100% Leak Path Detection: The system is designed with leak detection technology, ensuring that any potential leak is immediately identified. This feature reduces the risk of unnoticed leaks that could lead to costly water damage, saving time and repair costs.
• Visual Crimp Indicator: This allows easy verification that fittings have been properly crimped during installation. The visible indicator enhances installation accuracy and reduces the chances of installation errors, which can improve overall system reliability.
• Corrosion Resistance: Brymec’s 316L Stainless steel’s natural resistance to corrosion makes this system ideal for plant rooms with high moisture and harsh environments. It ensures a longer lifespan of the piping, reducing maintenance costs and ensuring a clean water supply.
• Durability: Stainless steel’s strength and durability make the system robust and reliable over time. This is especially important for plant rooms, where the infrastructure must handle high-pressure systems and frequent use without fail.

• Friction Fit: This innovation allows for easier and faster installation without the need for soldering or additional joint sealing materials. It reduces labour time and installation costs while maintaining a secure connection.
• Copper Threaded Fittings: Using copper threaded fittings, as opposed to brass, ensures better thermal expansion properties and chemical compatibility, especially in high-temperature or high-pressure systems. Copper also offers better resistance to dezincification, extending the life of the fitting.
• Manifold Tees: These tees allow for more efficient distribution of water or gas within the system, helping to reduce pressure loss and ensuring even flow across multiple outputs. This makes it ideal for plant rooms where balanced distribution is critical.

• Cast Iron Valves: These valves are robust and capable of withstanding high pressure and temperature variations, making them suitable for heavy-duty applications. Their durability and resistance to wear make them ideal for the demands of a plant room.
• Isolating Valves: These valves are crucial for controlling the flow within the system, enabling maintenance or repair work to be carried out on specific sections without shutting down the entire system. This minimises downtime and ensures the plant room functions smoothly during repairs.

• Single Sourcing for All Pipework Needs: By offering site supports and fixings along with pipework, Brymec allows for a streamlined procurement process. This reduces the complexity of sourcing from multiple suppliers, leading to more efficient project management and reduced lead times.
• Robust and Customisable Fixings: The supports and fixings are designed to ensure secure pipework installation, which is critical in high-usage environments like plant rooms. The high-quality materials used in these fixings ensure they can bear the weight and stress of extensive piping systems.

Reliable Commercial Plumbing Supplier: How Brymec was able to support the client

With the substantial time restraints on the project, it was vital to have a supplier who could guarantee the stock availability to remove any fears of delays. Thanks to the Brymec Breeze delivery service, the exceptionally fast response times to quotation and order requests further contributed to the project’s success. With the ability to get all the required products the next day with a timed and tracked van, the client could rest assured that the plumbing products would be precisely where they needed to be and in the promised timeframe.

Don’t just take our word for it. Here is what the client had to say:

Commercial Plumbing Supplier for Commercial Plant Rooms Across the UK

Whilst working on this new plant room project for the university, Brymec recognised the importance of managing the timeline, plumbing products, and eco standards, whilst also minimising disruption to the client’s students and their academic studies. Brymec’s commercial plumbing expertise delivered an excellent result for this project, earning another positive review and demonstrating a thorough understanding of the client’s needs, wants, and expectations by delivering an exceptional new plant room.

Are you responsible for a new plant room, or do you need a commercial plumbing renovation? If you have been impressed by the products supplied for this commercial plant room, please call us on 0333 000 55 55 or use our online contact form for more information.