We are thrilled to have commenced work on the resilient power systems at the Bedford Square (Phase 2) project in Belfast City Centre. This landmark office building will provide circa 200,000 sqft of accommodation across the refurbished Grade II listed Ewart Building (dating to the 19th Century) and a new G+16 tower to the rear. The two buildings will be linked by a feature 2 storey glazed bridge and will house Deloitte’s new Belfast Hub. Along with Grand Central Hotel, the Obel and City Quays 3; the building will be one of the tallest in the Belfast skyline. We are delighted to be involved in such a prestigious scheme.
To meet the standby power demands of the project iPower have been commissioned to provide a comprehensive package of works including:
Our construction project management skills are class leading, putting us in a perfect position to deliver complex projects like this in the agreed timescales.
Our flexibility and controls design expertise allow us to realise abstract client requirements with ease; the power control system above being a prime example. This HMI / PLC device automatically opens motorised breakers on the primary busbar when mains power is lost, disconnecting non-eligible tenants from the generator backed supply. On restoration of mains, reconnection of these tenants is autonomous.
We have worked closely with the electrical contractor (AEM Ltd.) and the engineering consultant (Caldwell), to come up with a fitted solution which meets the particular demands of the project. Our early involvement ensured a holistic view of the power requirements were taken.
In the initial stages of design, it was proposed to locate the generators in the basement. This presented significant technical and commercial challenges. On the client side, loss of carparking was a major issue; on the technical side, access was limited, and the restrictive head height combined with poor route to atmosphere was presenting insurmountable issues with cooling and aspiration of the gensets.
To ameliorate these issues, iPower scoured the plans for other solutions. These were not immediately obvious on a tight city centre site, but in a lightbulb moment we noticed potential to introduce a dedicated generator mezzanine into the scheme (above the car park ramp, taking advantage of generous headroom below the Level 1 slab). We suggested this to the project team, who were gracious in exploring commercial, architectural, and structural feasibility of same. It turned out that this was the perfect solution, delivering a tangible win for the entire construction and client team.
Whilst the generators are standby machines for operational backup, this is not their primary role. Modern buildings must meet stringent fire safety standards - a key element of this is having adequate facilities to fight a fire, supress a fire and clear smoke from the building. An extremely resilient secondary power supply is required to support these systems, as it is more likely that mains will be lost in a fire scenario. This is the where the concept of a ‘firefighting’ or ‘life safety’ generator originates.
At Bedford Square, the firefighting generators support a high-pressure water mist (sprinkler) system, multiple smoke clearance fans, a 3m/s firefighting MRL lift and general lighting and power in the firefighting shaft.
At iPower, we have in-depth knowledge of the standards and rules which govern secondary power for firefighting applications. We understand how standards like BS 9999 and BS 8519 are applied to modern buildings, enabling us to provide you with clearer guidance when selecting equipment. We study BSRIA and LPCB guidance on power to sprinkler and wet riser systems – we understand the importance of sustained locked rotor in a primary fire pump and the significant demands on generator voltage and frequency this can cause, particularly when starting a secondary fire pump at the same time. It is critical that robust audit of generator selection takes place for this type of application. A person’s life may depend upon it.