SECURE PIPEWORK FOR HARROGATE DISTRICT HOSPITAL DAY CASE SURGERY AND IMAGING CENTRE
Viega press technology is being used throughout the new £50million Day Case Surgery and Imaging Centre extension of Harrogate District Hospital.
MEP Contractor G&H would not use anything else. Lead Engineer, Mohammed Choudhary explains: “Hot weld is simply not an option because of the time it takes as well as the risk of fire. We use press technology in all our projects, specifically Viega, because of its secure double-press system and easy leak detection.”
G&H introduced the Viega technology to main contractor Morgan Sindall Construction (Yorkshire) whose Senior Building Services Manager Richard Sansom saw the advantages immediately. “Taking hot works out the project just takes out risk. I’d heard of Viega, but not used the system. We’ve all come across problems with other single crimp systems, but talking to the guys on site, the Viega design is as near to foolproof as you can get."
“With other systems it seems too easy to make a mistake; to miss a press, not measure up properly so the pipe isn’t far enough into the fitting, to rely on a single press. Everything sits quietly for weeks or even months and then it pops and we’ve got a big problem. That’s why I was hesitant, but having seen the system in action, I’m a convert.”
Embracing sustainability goals
G&H completed the RIBA Stage Five design on this project, which epitomises the Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (HDFT) efficiency and sustainability goals.
The new facility will provide state of the art diagnostics and treatment for outpatients, increasing the capacity of the trust overall to deliver first class health care.
At the same time, HDFT, with its 2025-2028 Green Plan, aims to deliver high performing buildings and support the overall NHS ambition to be the world’s first zero carbon health service. To this end, the new facility is designed to achieve BREAAM excellent rating.
G&H designs include air source heat pumps located on the roof of the three-storey building, as well as plate heat exchangers, air conditioning systems and first-class ventilation.
Throughout this state-of-the-art heating and ventilation system, Viega press technology, using both the stainless steel Sanpress Inox and copper Profipress systems, provides the reliable handling of all hot and cold water.
A world class facility
Announcing the start of the project on site, Jonathan Coulter, Chief Executive at HDNT, emphasised the goal to “create a world class healthcare facility”. Doing so means embracing new renewable technology, driving down carbon emissions and adopting new engineering solutions.
The NHS traditionally leans on tried and tested methods in its building specifications, referring to its Health Technical Memoranda for guidance on the design and installation of building engineering technology. Many MEP specifications referring to HTMs show a preference for welded joints, but using hot welds in this advanced building would have been an anachronism.
“The fire risk assessment would require a fire watch,” points out Richard Samson. “It’s bad enough on a new building, but on any kind of a refurbishment project, with potentially flammable materials around the installation, you’re looking at a three-hour fire watch. That essentially means the installation engineers having to finish work at two pm and then sit and watch while everything cools down. What a waste of time.”
G&H would not consider hot works on this system for the same reason – it simply takes too long. The decision to recommend Viega press technology rests with the Head of Compliance and is based on the security provided by the double-press design.
This gives two distinct presses before and after the sealing element, creating a permanent, torsion-resistant and watertight connection which is quick and easy to test. The unique design of the SC-Contur feature in Viega fittings is designed to leak obviously if a press has been missed. Most importantly, it will leak at low pressure, allowing any mistakes to be identified before raising the system to operational pressure.
The Path to Climate Neutral
Viega has invested not only in its engineering, but also in its path to climate neutral. Detailed Environmental Product Declarations are available for the Profipress and Sanpress Inox systems, which provide independently verified data on embodied carbon, responsible sourcing and other measures of environmental impact.
Work on the Harrogate Hospital site is due to be completed in 2026, with the G&H team on site five days a week throughout. It’s a great demonstration of how modern building services can support the transition to high-performance, long-lasting buildings with low carbon emissions, encompassing clean renewable energy.
Project details
Client: Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust
Architect: Race Cottam Associates
Main Contractor: Morgan Sindall Construction (Yorkshire)
MEP Contractor: G&H
