• • • CABLING & CABLE MANAGEMENT • • •


How modular prefabrication can tackle construction challenges


As pressure grows on the construction industry to build faster and more efficiently, Peter Willsher, managing director of RMS Cable Management Systems, discusses the benefits of modular containment solutions and the importance of collaboration


T


he construction industry, and the delivery of projects large and small, are being shaped by a vast range of factors. Brexit and the


pandemic have intensified labour and products shortages. Cost certainty is becoming much harder to achieve, and the ever-increasing focus on health and safety is shifting construction methods, including reducing hot works on site. Against this challenging backdrop, there


continues to be an intense pressure on the industry to build faster and more efficiently while maintaining the highest quality standards. To address these issues, the construction


industry and its supply chain is quickly adapting to change. This is fuelling the demand for off-site manufacturing, including prefabricated solutions for building services. Containment modules and risers that are


designed and manufactured off site can generate significant benefits. From Unistrut brackets through to fully populated frames, there are many solutions which can save costs, time, waste and labour for electrical contractors while also providing known embodied carbon content.


Boosting quality and efficiency Regardless of the type or size of the modular containment system, it will be manufactured under strict factory-controlled conditions, ensuring consistent quality. This should include manufacturing and management processes that meet strict criteria set by the ISO:9001 standard for quality. Larger modular systems will also save


significant man-hours on site, boosting the productivity of the wider construction programme.


For example, we are currently manufacturing 700 prefabricated risers for a project in London. These have been designed to distribute the power, fire and building management systems for a prestigious commercial and retail development. Fabricated by our specialist, in-house coded welding team and transported direct to the building, the assembled risers will save more than 10,000 onsite man-hours. The welding part of the process generates a


further benefit. Compared to using traditional bolted brackets, which reduce the workspace volume and width load, welding creates up to 40 per cent more capacity for the cable management in the frames.


For another client, we manufactured


prefabricated cassettes for containment, which were then stacked in towers of 13 before being transported to site. This enabled the equipment to be installed five times quicker than traditional methods.


Reducing environmental impact The Government’s net zero targets are shining a greater spotlight on sustainability in construction. Reducing waste is an important contributor and this is another area where modular containment can help. The pre-assembly of cable management


solutions is carried out to an exact specification, eliminating any waste on site. At RMS Cable Management and in line with our ISO:14001 environmental accreditation, we also reduce waste during the manufacturing process. Any cutting of metal containers or box sections is kept to a minimum or where possible, completely eliminated. Sustainability is enhanced through the use of


advanced metal recycling facilities. These enable us to reuse offcuts of materials in our other manufacturing processes. As well as reducing waste during production, this process provides a fixed carbon cost; we know exactly how the system has been manufactured and with what materials, and there is no risk of any cost variations as a result of increased waste or additional labour.


20 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING • NOVEMBER 2022


electricalengineeringmagazine.co.uk


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