Submains/distribution circuits on block of flats

[Leesparkykent]

Hi all....I’ve got a block of flats I’m doing the M&E on. It’s just design stages atm and there is a basement where the central boiler system and switch room is going. The problem I’m having here is that this is the far left hand side of the building and the riser is pretty central. Far from ideal but I’m running out of options and would like to run tray through the ceiling void between ground and 1st floor which is essentially a fire rated, plasterboard, dropped ceiling in one or two of the ground floor flats. Can anyone think of a reg/building reg that would prevent this. This is a conversion of a private school to 18 high end flats. Thanks

 

[davesparks]

As long as it is properly fire stopped where it enters the riser, and other places it passes through the fire barrier I doubt it will be an issue.

LSF type cable too of course.

Have you asked the architwat and/or building regs people?

 

[Leesparkykent]

As long as it is properly fire stopped where it enters the riser, and other places it passes through the fire barrier I doubt it will be an issue.

LSF type cable too of course.

Have you asked the architwat and/or building regs people?

I have but the Architect is an idiot....he’s good at pretty pictures and that’s about it lol.
[automerge]1598904288[/automerge]

Here’s the building

Basement under the red circle and riser blue circle

 

[David Prosser]

Looks like a decent job to get your teeth into. Interesting to see a block of flats with a central boiler room, would of thought flats would have individual heating and hot water. Never had anything to do with domestic other than my own home and family/friends, definitely nothing like this. I would be very interested to have a look at the final design if that possible.

@davesparks Architwat, I like it. I'm putting it in with my ----stomers !!

 

[Leesparkykent]

Looks like a decent job to get your teeth into. Interesting to see a block of flats with a central boiler room, would of thought flats would have individual heating and hot water. Never had anything to do with domestic other than my own home and family/friends, definitely nothing like this. I would be very interested to have a look at the final design if that possible.

@davesparks Architwat, I like it. I'm putting it in with my ----stomers !!

Yeah not a problem
Here’s another I’ve just started...well I’ve 1st fixed the 3 houses so far. This one is 35 flats, 3 houses and a micro pub. Same again M&E on this one which is central boiler system, pumped water, smoke extraction system, video entry, fire alarm, back up gen set for the smoke extraction etc.

 

[plugsandsparks]

Same thinking as DS, the boiler room and riser spring to mind wrt fire stopping and possibly between flats. I believe the building regs submission will detail this.
There are some specific products available for cables and pipes (cannot remember the product name of hand but i used them on a petro chem site . They make a nice neat job of fire stopping using glands, however there are also lots of foam type products that can do the same thing. I think at this stage if you put in 3 to 4 figures for complying with building regs fire compliance that would be prudent. I guess there are going to be a substantial amount of SWA leaving the plant room to the riser so you have the weight to consider and what you can fix to that can handle it.

 

[davesparks]

I have but the Architect is an idiot....he’s good at pretty pictures and that’s about it lol.

Basement under the red circle and riser blue circle

Yes, that's why I have come to call them architwats.

I've only worked with a couple of really decent architects, and they were both well in to their 60's with nothing to prove to anyone, they respected tradesmen and we all respected them.

All I can say is at least they didn't put the riser at the opposite end of the building!

Are meters being installed in the switchroom or at each property? If at each property have you considered a busbar trunking for distribution?

 

[Leesparkykent]

Yes, that's why I have come to call them architwats.

I've only worked with a couple of really decent architects, and they were both well in to their 60's with nothing to prove to anyone, they respected tradesmen and we all respected them.

All I can say is at least they didn't put the riser at the opposite end of the building!

Are meters being installed in the switchroom or at each property? If at each property have you considered a busbar trunking for distribution?

Meters are in the switch room on this one. Due to how expensive the IDNO is. The 35 Flats I’m doing the meters are in a cupboard on each level with a Ryefield on each Level. Same IDNO on this one which I’m having a drama with because of the lightning protection system and the Type 1/2 SPD at the intake. I wanted to take it off the BNO Ryefield on the ground floor but the IDNO are saying it will have the be metered if it comes off fuses in the Ryefield.....

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[pc1966]

I wanted to take it off the BNO Ryefield on the ground floor but the IDNO are saying it will have the be metered if it comes off fuses in the Ryefield.....

The extra cable length to do that is likely to degrade the performance as I doubt you can get the total length down to 0.5m in that sort of case, even 1m total L-N or L-E is going to be difficult. Stupid as well as they take no measurable power!

You will also need type 2 SPD in the individual CUs as well do to the length from incoming SPD to end circuit, but probably that is pretty much standard these days.