CASE STUDY
British Museum
Install a membrane waterproofing system and sump pumps in the tunnels, requiring temporary removal and reinstallation of all services while keeping them operational.
Location:
British Museum, London
Duration:
8 weeks
Trades:
EMH Electrical,
duct workers, heating engineers, Kingspan – smoke extract system, Smyth and Byford – BMS, British Museum – incumbent fire alarm and BMS
Clients need
The British Museum's central atrium is supplied with fresh air from service tunnels located underneath. The air is drawn up from the tunnels, conditioned, and then blown into the main area. An Air Handling unit, located externally about 5 meters above ground, serves the tunnels and introduces the fresh air. It also has heating pipes from the main boiler house to heat the air during winter. This unit is connected to the primary fire alarm system, and fire dampers shut the area off in the event of a fire. However, water ingress has damaged the smoke clearance system in the tunnels (extract fans), and severe damp ingress causes bacteria in the air within the tunnels.
Solution
The service tunnels present a challenge because they house all the electrical and plumbing services that run through them and then rise into the museum. To address this, a membrane waterproof system was installed on the walls and floors of the tunnels, and sump pumps were installed to discharge the water. All services had to be temporarily removed from the walls to install the waterproof system. After installation, the services needed to be reinstalled while keeping the system live and operational.
EMH Scope of works
Enabling works – install site power/temporary lighting to the whole tunnel
Electrical – Isolation, removal of all containment from walls, temporarily suspending services from the ceiling, and then reinstalling. Replace corroded containment and rewire services as needed. Install a new distribution board for additional circuits
Sump pumps – install new power supplies and control cabling
AHU – to rewire power and control supplies from AHU on ground level to 5M below into tunnels. Fit new fire dampers
Smoke Clearance System – replace corroded extract fans, engage specialist to rewire the main control panel, relocate secondary panel, replace control dampers, replace ducting
BMS – replace control wiring to all safety systems and engage Smyth and Byford to carry out terminations and programming
Heating – To replace external pipework where it had rusted that served the AHU to heat air during winter months