FEATURE CABLING & CABLE MANAGEMENT
RE-WRITING THE RULEBOOK B
Legrand’s steel wire cable tray has been used on the construction of the new 35,000m2
uilt by Birmingham City Council’s construction partner Carillion, the
Library of Birmingham features nine storeys above ground, along with several mezzanine levels, and a basement level that includes an open air amphitheatre. Designed by Dutch architect, Mecanoo Architecten, its tiered structure is reminiscent of a wedding cake and the exterior is festooned in decorative metalwork, while inside, the high black ceilings are a design feature that has required attention to detail across the whole specification. That includes the electrical installation,
which has involved the use of Legrand’s steel wire cable tray with a black powder coated lid installed underneath to allow the services to be hidden against the ceiling without actually being concealed.
TAILORED SOLUTIONS The contractor worked closely with the supply chain to manage the challenging build programme and Legrand’s cable management business became a one- stop-shop for all the project’s cable trunking, ladder, perforated steel tray and steel wire cable tray requirements. Neil Bullock from Legrand explained,
“The breadth of our range enabled the project delivery team to rationalise its supply chain and we were able to troubleshoot on specification decisions and input into the practical challenges of managing such a large site in such a central city location. For example, we accommodated timed delivery slots and adapted the way in which product was packaged so that it could be taken straight off the vehicle on arrival at site and transported up to the required level via a crane or lift on a just in time basis.” The HV installation from the lower
ground floor and an internal HV switchroom on the library’s first floor was carried out using Legrand’s heavy duty Swifts cable ladder which is fully lidded throughout the installation but only obscured from view in the public areas. In the security controlled staff areas, the ladder risers remain exposed. Two transformers from the client’s HV switchgear then feed the main switchboard panel on the first floor and the cable management is a mix of Legrand’s Swifts heavy duty cable ladder, in widths ranging from 150-600mm, along with Legrand’s heavy duty and medium duty Swifts
40 APRIL 2014 | ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
public areas. Bullock continued, “The speed of
Library of Birmingham
installation and practicality of the Salamandre trunking system was key because it combines a robust solution with ease of use. The safety edge protects cables from snagging or cutting during installation, while the spring loaded turnbuckle allows the lid to clip on quickly and securely saving time on-site.” Salamandre trunking with quick fix
couplers was used as the cable management system for power sockets, fan coil units and lighting control modules throughout the building and was used to carry power cables to the automatic doors and the footfall counting system. For the data, lighting control and extra low voltage installation, however, Legrand’s steel wire cable tray was used throughout the building as risers, in the ceiling voids and under the raised access floors. The Legrand steel wire cable tray
perforated steel cable tray, in widths ranging from 50-600mm. Throughout the building’s two cores,
1,250A vertical busbar risers were installed to deliver power to each storey but the busbar installation was mirrored by a safety riser, with heavy duty Swifts cable ladder risers carrying critical supply standby cables to ensure continuity of supply should there be a failure on the bus. Legrand’s Swifts perforated steel cable
tray was used to carry supply from the busbar tap-offs to the distribution boards and fixed equipment on each floor, including the escalator and isolator supplies. Where possible, this was installed out of view in the ceiling voids and under raised access floors. However, in the archive areas where accurate temperature and humidity levels need to be maintained, the Swifts perforated steel cable tray is not obscured but installed at high level where it does not impinge on the architectural ‘look’ of the interior.
SWIFT AND SAFE For the lighting and small power installation, Legrand’s Salamandre distribution trunking was installed in widths varying between 50 and 300mm in the ceiling voids. Legrand provided a custom specified multi-compartment trunking for work stations around the perimeters of some of the floors in the
Below: Library of Birmingham interior
Above: the rotunda inside the Library of Birmingham
infrastructure carries all the data cabling for the front and back of house internet services, which includes WiFi hot spots throughout the building. Steel wire cable tray has also been used as the cable management system for the library’s building management system, fire and security systems, access control for the staff only areas, the public address system and the lighting control system network and sensors.
ARCHIVING THE FUTURE The Library of Birmingham is no nostalgic anachronism - it is in every sense a 21st Century library that will provide diverse services in tune with 21st Century requirements and the cable management infrastructure will help it adapt to evolving electrical and data requirements in the future.
Legrand
www.legrand.co.uk T: 0870 608 9000
Enter 200 / ELECTRICALENGINEERING
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