With urban space increasingly at a premium, buildings that can maximise their footprint are becoming more common. This has given rise to more mixed-use developments that incorporate residential properties, while also adding commercial amenities, such as bars and restaurants, to the surrounding area.
The Tate Residences in Hove is a perfect example of this. The block of luxury apartments also includes a bar restaurant on the ground floor and a communal terrace overlooking the historic Sussex County Cricket Club. Its developer, Roffey Homes, knew that in order to deliver on the promise of premium coastal living in a mixed-use space, it needed to overcome a key water management challenge – dealing with drainage acoustics in a high-end development. Here, we look at how plumbing and heating specialist Woods Heating Ltd worked with leading plumbing and drainage manufacturer, Wavin to provide the perfect solution.
Roffey Homes is renowned for its premium standard of luxury apartments across the Sussex coast, which combine stylish design with a respect for local architecture. Set in the heart of Hove is one of its latest developments, The Tate Residences. This multi-purpose building contains more than thirty apartment and penthouse properties, alongside amenities including a bar restaurant and underground car parking for residents.
This meant that a more considered approach was required for the building’s utilities, particularly its water management systems. A durable, quiet, and reliable solution needed to be cost engineered to suit both the commercial and residential aspects of the development.
So quiet, you can hear a pin drop
To deliver a soil and waste solution that could meet the varied needs of the building, Roffey Homes contracted plumbing and heating specialist Woods Heating Ltd.
Company Director Marc Woods commented: “We needed to make sure that the noise from pipes was kept to a minimum, to ensure that both residents and people using the facilities didn’t encounter any distractions. Having worked with Wavin before, we knew that it could provide reliable solutions that would be up to the task.”
Wavin’s AS+ range was specified as the soil system for the project. It offers a host of features that are designed to significantly reduce the sound emitted from pipework. For example, airborne sound is lessened due to its high mass and wall thickness, while structure-borne sound is minimised owing to the low elastic-modulus of its flexible material. This made it ideal for the requirements of The Tate Residences.
Marc continued: “The noise of pipes is something that can often be quite far down the list of priorities for developers, but in high-end homes it is critical. The atmosphere for someone in a luxury apartment or a restaurant can be spoiled if they are forced to hear running pipes while inside, so opting for Wavin’s AS+ range was a great idea.”
A durable system that stands the test of time
It was also important that the building’s drainage was durable enough to withstand daily, constant use and needed to work right the way through the building, down to the underground car park. Traditionally, cast iron systems are used for such applications. However, these can be time-consuming and complex to install, which is when more modern alternatives become important.
Wavin’s HDPE range has been designed to suit the unique requirements of a car park, as the pipes and fittings are lightweight, incredibly durable and easy to install. The products are fully welded, providing a highly resilient system to any unexpected knocks from HGVs. Crucially, it is easy to integrate with the AS+ low noise system, which makes it perfect choice for a multi-use, high-end projects such as The Tate Residences.
Collaborative approach
Delivering a project such as the Tate Residences on time requires a large number of trades working together collaboratively. This means that anything which can improve efficiency on site is welcome. Seamless partnerships can mean the difference between delivering projects on time, and missing deadlines.
Marc explained: “We chose to work with Wavin, not only because it is a reputable manufacturer, but because we have worked with the brand before and have always been thoroughly pleased with the result. Throughout the project, Wavin was on hand to provide technical support on how to best use the products together to meet our particular requirements. Its technical team provided advice and solutions to ensure we created a low-noise and durable system. With strict project timings, the design we developed with Wavin allowed us to install the systems quickly and efficiently.”
Ben Cheal, Managing Director at Roffey Homes, commented: “When building a multi-use development, especially one which is as luxurious as this, close cooperation between the manufacturer, installer and developer is a must. With more pressure to build quicker and build better, we were happy we could benefit from these easy-to-install, end-user focused and reliable solutions.”
Final thoughts
By working closely with manufacturers that can provide both technical support and a wide range of innovative solutions, such as Wavin, developers can be confident they can keep soil and waste drainage systems out of sight and out of mind.
With more projects in the pipeline, Woods Heating Ltd and Wavin are set to continue their successful partnership over the next few years.
Wavin AS+
Wavin AS+ is a mineral reinforced polypropylene (PP) low-noise soil and waste pipe solution. Optimal sound reduction is guaranteed due to the high density of material. Optimised three-layer pipe structure for low noise levels and push-fit connections with a pre-lubricated elastomer seal (EPDM) for quick, easy and reliable installation.
Find out more about Wavin soil and waste solutions here 
