• • • ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT • • •
PLUG AND PLAY ELECTRICAL FIT OUT FOR SOCIAL MEDIA GIANT
S
ocial media had already become a valuable tool for businesses and individuals keen to connect with contacts and customers before the pandemic struck. After the work from home and social distancing regimes of the past year, however, the potential of social media channels designed for marketing and commercial networking is more apparent than ever. As our use of social media for business continues to grow and evolve, the companies that power our virtual networking spaces need environments where they can grow and evolve too.
One of those companies has recently moved to a new London HQ in a suitably stylish and high specification office building, designed for contemporary occupiers. For any office occupier, A robust, scalable and flexible power distribution network is an essential element in futureproofing the accommodation. The need to anticipate changes that could affect occupancy levels, workstation layouts and the type of electrical equipment in use means that both specifiers and end users are looking for installations that can be adapted over time. Those principles have become even clearer since the outbreak of COVID-19. It is now evident that future workplaces will not only need to adapt in response to revised working practices in the short term, but that they will also need to be agile enough to continue to change throughout their lifecycle. For technology-based businesses, such as social media companies, that need for an agile environment to adapt to changing need is particularly true, because these are the companies that are often early adopters of emerging technologies and working practices. These were just some of the drivers for the electrical fit out of The Ray; the prestigious office development in London’s Farringdon, which is now home to a global social media company. The 83,000ft² office development has a modernised warehouse aesthetic and is located on the former site of The Guardian newspaper. Working for developer, Viridis Real Estate, electrical contractor, Moyne London, was responsible for the Cat B electrical fit-out, which had been specified as a powertrack installation. The contractor and revised the original specification to CMD’s 63A Betatrak underfloor
powertrack power distribution system, along with the company’s Rotasoc under desk modules, thanks to the service and fast response that CMD could offer. Peter Goode, contracts manager at Moyne London comments: “The project was specified as a plug and play powertrack system to aid speed of installation and flexibility for the occupier. We needed a system that we knew we could trust for quality and functionality, and were also keen to work with a supplier that we could rely on for service, lead times and delivery of the product, aligned to our programme. Having worked with CMD on a number of previous projects, we knew we could depend on the company across all these requirements and successfully changed the specification to Betatrak underfloor powertrack.”
REVISED LAYOUT
The cat B electrical fit out for the social media occupier was for the whole of level 2 at The Ray and began as a standard plug and play installation to take the power distribution network to workstations and a number of phone booth style meeting pods. Working to a tight programme with noise and working hours restrictions due to occupied floors above and below, Moyne London, initially made excellent progress but the project was paused soon after beginning on site due to COVID-19 restrictions.
During the hiatus, the occupier’s changing requirements to accommodate social distancing prompted a redesign of the fit out and the CMD team worked collaboratively with Moyne London to revise the project requirements and enable work to recommence promptly when the site opened again. Peter Goode continues: “The flexibility of the Betatrak underfloor powertrack and CMD’s customer service both paid dividends when the
electricalengineeringmagazine.co.uk ROTASOC
Alongside the Betatrak underfloor powertrack, grommets, floor boxes and cleaner’s hives supplied for the project by CMD, the company also manufactured and supplied Rotasoc 3-gang and 4-gang under desk power modules with RCBO protection. This continued the plug and play power distribution strategy to the workstations, with a robust solution that supports flexibility of the office environment. Peter Goode adds: “Because the Rotasoc units provide 3600 continuous rotation with a 32A internal busbar, orientation is flexible. The modular system also means that the occupier can quickly and easily add more under desk power outlets if required in the future.”
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layout was changed mid-project. We were able to alter the location and number of tap offs, grommets and floor boxes to suit the new workstation arrangements. CMD worked with us to revise the installation quickly so that we were able to make up for lost time straight away.”
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