FEATURE PIPEWORK UNDER PRESSURE


James Griffiths, Head of Projects at GF Building Flow Solutions, explores why risk has become a critical consideration when specifying piping systems.


Across the UK, copper theft is on the rise, with organised and opportunistic criminals targeting construction sites and partially completed buildings for unsecured or exposed pipework. At the same time, insurers are grappling with the escalating cost of ‘escape-of-water’ claims caused by faulty or damaged pipes.


For specifiers, these are no longer operational issues to be dealt with after handover. They are vital design considerations, with decisions made at this stage having lasting consequences for safety, compliance, and long- term performance.


This is forcing the industry to reconsider whether long- established specification decisions continue to represent the lowest-risk option for modern developments.


The hidden cost of copper theft Copper theft is often viewed through the lens of replacement costs, yet this significantly understates the scale of the problem facing the construction and property sectors.


Copper’s value on the secondary market continues to increase as the global demand of copper continues to rise significantly. According to the International Copper Association, annual demand for refined copper is expected to reach 50m tonnes by 2050 – double of what it was in 2020. As resources become scarcer, scrap resale value is going continue to grow. Industry estimates suggest that metal theft now costs the UK economy approximately £500m every year – and with pipework relatively accessible, easy to remove and with an immediate resale value it is an easy target for theft.


42 | TOMORROW’S FM


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