BSEE-DEC21-PG20.qxp_Layout 1 19/11/2021 10:49 Page 20
BSEE
In commercial environments, occupiers always need to know that their electrical and data services are robust and reliable enough to ensure business continuity in the workplace and avoid nuisance tripping.
Compliance is also an essential element of any power distribution installation to deliver a safe working environment.
MAINTENANCE, REFURBISHMENT & REGENERATION
Tuning in to missioncritical broadcasting resilience requirements
into this category is media companies; particularly if their office environment includes broadcasting facilities and their business activities involve broadcasting live on air. That was exactly the case when WarnerMedia commissioned a refurbishment project to create new facilities for TV and film production companies, including CNN, in London. To provide the added resilience and reliability required, modular power distribution systems from CMD and the technical knowledge of the CMD team were an essential part of the electrical fit-out strategy.
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Tackling shallow floor voids
Located in an existing building in the ‘Silicone Roundabout’ area of London, the new WarnerMedia facilities include four levels of office accommodation, along with TV and film studios on levels one, lower ground and lower ground mezzanine.
The electrical contractor for the project, Bancroft, was responsible for delivering a robust and resilient Cat B fit out, with a UPS supply to protect mission critical areas from outages during live broadcasts, a power monitoring system to ensure prioritisation of back-up and an environment monitoring system to protect critical equipment.
Delivering the installation programme on time to allow the end-user to occupy the building and enable facilities to become fully operational was a central element of the brief, so a modular power distribution system that provides ease and speed of installation was the preferred choice. In this scenario, a powertrack power distribution system that enables rapid installation of the power networks, ease of reconfiguration and flexible interior layouts with the ability to position tap-offs in any location at 30cm intervals would be the first choice. However, at WarnerMedia’s new London premises, the depth of the floor voids varies significantly across the floorplates involved in the fit out, so a powertrack system was not suitable for the project because the void was too shallow in some areas. Instead, CMD’s Power Hub power distribution system was specified and custom- manufactured to ensure it could fit comfortably within the void in all required locations.
Providing resilience
Paul Allen, national sales manager power distribution at CMD comments: “At 51mm, the CMD Betatrak powertrack power distribution system is suitable for most floor voids, but additional clearance is required to access tap-offs for maintenance or reconfiguration. “While this does not present any challenges for many new build properties, for older buildings, those with more restricted floor voids or properties with inconsistent void clearance, there is often insufficient space for a functional powertrack system. Often, consultants assume that this leaves a choice of two onerous options: either to raise the floor and increase the void, or to opt for a hard wired electrical network. Both of these choices would add time to the programme and our Power Hub power distribution system offers a perfect alternative.”
With a height of just 38mm and tap-offs to the side of each unit rather than above, the CMD 32A Power Hub system combines compact hub units with flexible metal conduits or ‘umbilicals’, which connect the hubs together to create the electrical distribution network. The metal flexible conduits provide cables with mechanical protection, allowing compliance with Wiring Regulation 543.7 “Earthing requirements for the installation of equipment having high protective conductor currents”. They also protect cables from dirt ingress and rodents, ensuring the power distribution network provides a similar level of resilience to powertrack systems along with a low maintenance, fit and forget solution. Mr Allen continues: “Our Power Hub power distribution system is probably the most compact on the market. The Power Hub units used for this project enabled six tap-offs per unit, positioned to the side of the hub, thereby avoiding any additional height. It’s a very flexible system, which is ideal for a broadcasting environment where needs change and the use of technology plays such an important role.”
20 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER DECEMBER 2021
Business continuity is important across the new WarnerMedia facilities, but it is particularly vital for the mission-critical TV and film studios on levels one, lower ground and lower ground mezzanine. It was in these areas that an additional UPS Power Hub network was installed, backed by a dedicated UPS distribution board, to provide 30 minutes of resilience in the event of an outage. Alongside the power monitoring system (PMS), this UPS network will ensure that the most critical equipment remains operational if an outage occurs, based on a hierarchy of critical assets needed for broadcasts, with the PMS opening the breakers in a preferred sequence. The installation involved 860 primary network CMD Power Hub units, along with 179 CMD Power Hub units for the UPS-supplied circuits. Ryan Collis, Bancroft’s project manager for the installation comments: “CMD provided colour- coded units to ensure each supply can be clearly identified, with black labelled 6-way Power Hub units for the standard mains supply and red- labelled units for the UPS circuits. This will ensure that the differentiated supplies are clearly recognisable for any future maintenance or modification.”
To further safeguard mission critical equipment, CMD also supplied bespoke Conti under desk workstation power modules with IEC sockets for studio areas and locations with priority devices. “The Conti modules were also specified to build additional resilience into the studio environments,” Mr Collis continues. “By installing an alternative socket type in the under desk unit in these locations, we have ensured that no mission-critical equipment is unplugged inadvertently.” For less critical locations, the Bancroft team installed Rotasoc under desk units, manufactured at CMD’s factory in Rotherham. The modular workstation power units provide 3600 smooth and continuous socket movement, providing increased flexibility for desk layouts and equipment configuration.
RCBO circuit protection has been built into all Conti and Rotasoc modular workstation power units installed across the project.
“Our remit was to deliver flexible, futureproof and resilient electrical services for all the media and creative businesses within the WarnerMedia offices,” Mr Collis adds. “CMD was able to provide a complete solution, tailored to the needs of the project.”
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ome occupiers have specialist requirements, however, related to operational risk and their specific business activities. One of the sectors that fits
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