Quality student accommodation from Aliaxis

The Challenge

When the University of Northampton embarked on a multi-million pound project with main contractor Kier Construction, to build a new student accommodation building, it required a plumbing and drainage manufacturer that could provide solutions for a variety of applications.

With an extensive product portfolio and an expert technical team, Aliaxis was ideal for this project.

St John’s student accommodation consists of 462 bedrooms with en-suites, as well as communal kitchen spaces and living areas.

At the beginning of the project mechanical contractors, Integral, distributed drawings to a number of drainage manufacturers and suppliers, to see what solutions they had to offer. Aliaxis was chosen for its competitive prices and the excellent detailed schematic drawings and product lists that its technical department returned to Integral – which made it clear to the installation team what was required.

The Solution

Bob DeGennaro from Integral commented: “This project was constructed from pods built off site, which were then lifted and lowered into place. All pipes were then connected in situ, before a wall was built up around them. This created a compact working environment and therefore, we needed products that would be easy to handle in constrained spaces.

“We chose Aliaxis' competitively priced dBlue, HDPE and PVC soil and waste products for this project because of their durable, yet lightweight constructions, which ultimately led to easier handling on site and - going forward - the ability to withstand high daily usage.

“The above ground drainage package has been installed by a relatively small team of installers from day one, which clearly demonstrates how easy and straight forward Aliaxis' products are to install and handle,” continued Bob. “The detailed plans and product lists from Aliaxis' technical team contributed to the smooth operation and installation of the products, which meant the project was completed on schedule.”

The Realisation

Aliaxis offers a wide range of systems for commercial applications, with innovative product solutions including the eight-way collar boss that gives the flexibility of four top and four side entries, allowing multiple ways of discharging water.

dBlue and HDPE drainage products were particularly suitable for this multi-occupancy project where products will be put through high impact usage on a daily basis. For example the dBlue is a triple layered acoustic pipe that dramatically reduces noise generated by the flow of water, which is perfect for multi-occupancy apartments like St John’s.

The Conclusion

Simon Badcock, Project Manager from the University of Northampton, concluded: “As the building was handed over to us on schedule, it allowed for our new students to move into the building at the beginning of 2014. We believe that Aliaxis' products helped the contractors on site to deliver this project on time and what’s more, we are confident that Aliaxis' products will deliver the performance we need with very little maintenance, which will help us save money in the future.”