Good hygiene, health and safety are of paramount importance to a hospital entrusted with the care of mothers and their children. And this is why the project leader for the new Queen Mathilde Mother and Child Centre in Belgium needed some guarantees that the piping solution they chose to have installed would be one that would be durable, sustainable and safe.  For them, safety meant – among other things – Legionella prevention.

Legionella in a nutshell

Legionellosis is a respiratory disease caused by Legionella bacteria. It can potentially cause a serious and sometimes fatal strain of pneumonia (lung disease), called Legionnaires’ disease. It can also cause a less serious infection (with flu-like symptoms), called Pontiac fever. The bacterium is found in freshwater environments like lakes, streams and rivers and grows best in warm standing water. It becomes dangerous when it grows and multiplies in a building’s water system. People become susceptible to Legionnaires’ disease when they inhale small droplets of bacteria-ridden water in the air.

Legionella control plan

Amongst a growing number of EU countries, the prevention of legionella is mandatory for public spaces in Flanders/Belgium. On February 9, 2007, the Flemish government passed a law called the Legionella Decision. The decree lists all the preventative measures that need to be followed for water supplies, cooling towers, air conditioning systems with humidity treatment, other water and specific measures for exhibitions. These measures have been stipulated, based on the BBT (in English translation, this stands for Best Available Techniques) Report on Legionella control in new sanitation systems.

Apart from these government regulations, hospitals are amongst the high-risk buildings because their patients are highly susceptible to infectious diseases. Apart from following standard regulations to prevent legionella, hospitals need to have a legionella prevention control plan in place – which includes a program in which taking and evaluating a water sample is fundamental. The water management and legionella prevention plan must be in sync with the BBT – as to what the minimum and maximum temperature of the water pipes must be, the pipe system design (preventing dead ends), and disinfection (based on temperature, etc.) protocol. In the case of building expansion and renovation projects, chemical disinfection processes must be used.

There is nothing better than a good tool

When Imtech, the installers for the Mother and Child Centre project, reviewed the report results that our JANA Labs tool generated and the level of detail that was provided on the product lifespan under very specific conditions, Wavin was chosen to provide the drinking water piping solution. The specific conditions that had to be met were twofold: first, the piping system should be able to withstand the temperatures and the chemical additives which would be used to disinfect the conduits, and second, they wanted a piping system with a long lifespan. And Wavin delivered. The 11,000 m2 Centre was fitted with the Wavin Tigris, Wavin PE and Wavin PP pipes and fittings.

Some Wavin words of wisdom

To anyone embarking on a piping project of this kind, we would recommend that they make sure that the pipe routing provides ample circulation to control water temperatures. And in the case of building expansion or renovation projects, chemical disinfection is often used and therefore our advice would be to think long-term and opt for a complete plastic pipe system. 
One final word of advice: make sure that you have definitive proof of the expected lifespan of the materials you use. The ease of maintenance and high quality of plastic pipe solutions are setting the standard in the hot & cold drinking water and heating market.

Indeed, our JANA Labs tool is unique and the information it provides allows us to do a better job in providing our customers with solutions that not only mitigate the problem of Legionella, but also allows us to determine product lifespan in the context of pressure and temperature. In other words, it’s a game changer.

To see this pipe lifespan calculation tool in action, contact your local Wavin office.

BIM is transforming the construction industry, as the number of projects being 3D modelled has increased exponentially and the need to save substantial costs by optimising designs at an early stage has become more of a priority. As industry innovators, Wavin has not only embraced BIM but has also developed custom BIM Revit content packages. With built-in intelligent assistance, these packages effectively eliminate any uncertainty in pipe design and makes specifying Wavin’s extensive range of above ground drainage products accurate, cost effective and efficient. And we did this because our priority is to support and assist MEP professionals, contractors and installers in their projects – from beginning to end.

Pre-design phase

The process of using BIM models collaboratively, from concept to installation and construction, is very lengthy. It begins with the architect preparing a schematic model and renderings, and then presenting them to the building owner (the client). Based on feedback from the client, tweaks will be made and then the model will be ready to move to the design phase of the project.

Design phase

During the design phase, the scheduling and estimating teams begin to get involved.  The person responsible for scheduling must make sure that the building can be built in the time allocated for the project. Concurrently, the person in charge of estimating needs to continuously track the cost of the project. For this to happen seamlessly and without any mishaps, the BIM models need to be set up correctly from the get-go. At this stage, collaboration is key. Each team must know what the other is doing – the architects, engineers, project managers, estimator, scheduler, and construction manager. And BIM is the best way to manage this process.

Wavin has taken all of this into account. With Wavin’s Revit content packages, MEPs or Revit piping modellers will be able to produce precise designs easily – and without the use of product catalogues or any product knowledge. Thanks to the software's intelligent assistance, an accurate installation model can be made very quickly and easily so any potential problems like clashes (i.e. check whether the pipes will clash with the structure or other pipe systems), will be precisely detected. These can be corrected more easily and efficiently in the design phase before they become real problems – saving time and significantly minimizing the chance of failure. The content package will only allow designs to be created which can be delivered from the available product portfolio, providing confidence that what is designed is available and can be installed.

Construction phase

Once the design is complete, construction is ready to commence. BIM has created a tight connection between design and construction that never existed before. The ease with which project estimation and scheduling can be updated (as the project progresses) is simply unprecedented. We no longer need to ask the architects, engineers, operations and construction managers to collaborate efficiently. Instead, we look to how we can use BIM to make the whole process faster and more efficient.

So now there are efficiencies not only in the design phase, but also in the installation phase. When a design is complete, you immediately have a correct and complete material order. Previously, the planner had to extract information from the drawings and create the order himself, thus generating additional work and increasing the chance for human error. Now, however, everything is already automatically in the system.

Contractors and installers will enjoy the ease of use of Wavin’s predefined pipe and fitting schedules, which makes extracting the full and exact bill of materials a matter of a few mouse clicks. Furthermore, they benefit from having correct installation drawings, which in turn maximizes the reduction of failure (and the costs associated with it) during the installation process. Additionally, knowing the exact pipe length will make prefabrication of pipe parts possible, which further reduces the installation costs. And finally, an exact installation model will make it possible to order parts in phases without ordering the wrong products, too many or insufficient products.

Wavin BIM Revit – from start to finish

Just see for yourself

If you want to learn more about Wavin’s BIM Revit packages, go here.

How to download Wavin’s BIM Revit packages

We launched our BIM Revit content packages in May 2016 in multiple countries. The Wavin BIM Revit files are country-specific. If you have any questions or if your country is not mentioned, please connect to your local Wavin company or contact person.

Wavin Academy: An inspiring example of design thinking

The launch of the first Wavin Academy is featured in the book as an inspiring example of design thinking. The idea was born in October 2013, on a construction site in Amsterdam. Richard van Delden, Executive Director of Supply Chain and Operations at Wavin, was having a conversation with a plumber. He said that his customers, the general contractors, wanted the best-quality pipes possible. However, they were not familiar with Wavin.

After several discussions with plumbers, it became apparent that they were very interested in working with Wavin to deliver better quality to their customers. These conversations got Richard thinking. At that time, Wavin was struggling with a loss of market share in Turkey. To win back the ground they had lost, Wavin Turkey wanted to build a new factory near Istanbul, the largest area for distribution. The idea was to regain market share by ensuring cheaper production and competitive prices.
Following the plumbers' comments, Richard thought to himself: "How would that work in Turkey? Isn't there another way?"

Who are our customers?

Together with former CFO Andrés Capdepón, Richard decided not to immediately invest in a new factory but instead to examine exactly who Wavin's Turkish customers were. Did they really only want a few cheaper pipes? Richard sent a team of employees from Wavin Turkey to several constructions sites. He and Andrés joined them, with the aim of observing their customers at work.

Within a week, the team had collected a wealth of new insight. They found that equipment and materials were often being used incorrectly, and they saw who their customers really were. Not the general contractors, but the plumbers! And the plumbers were not looking for cheaper pipes — they wanted to be able to work smarter and, by doing so, deliver higher quality to their customers. They wanted to be more competitive, not by offering lower prices but by gaining more knowledge. This was the eureka moment for Wavin: To design a better business, you must start with the customer!

These insights led to the company implementing a new and totally different idea. The new factory, which was set to cost 60 million euros, was out. Instead, the first Wavin Academy was opened in 2014 in Adana, Turkey, for a couple of hundred thousand euros. Since the Academy opened, plumbers have been receiving free training on how to use various materials and tools at the Academy. Wavin staff also benefit by learning from the plumbers, and relationships have been growing stronger ever since.

Design a better business

Since then, design thinking has been at the heart of the business for Wavin. It was a bold move, but it resulted in the best business model. Design thinking always follows an unconventional approach, and the book "Design a Better Business" is the new Bible for such an approach.

In his book, Patrick Van der Pijl argues that you should be prepared to think like a designer. People who think in this way have more chance of developing a better business, according to Van der Pijl, a business that puts people first and links design tools, processes and applications together. The subtitle of the book, "New tools, skills and mindset for strategy and innovation," clearly illustrates the importance of this concept.

If you focus on people and make the right connections, Van der Pijl believes that you are better positioned to harness the opportunities that arise from uncertainty and therefore you will develop a better business. With design thinking, problems are approached from a variety of perspectives – to make it easier to develop new solutions.

In short: Start with the customer, spend time with them in their own working environment, ask questions and then listen!

Design a Better Business has been available in bookstores since September and may also be purchased online.

Wavin Academy in Turkey after two years

It’s been over two years since the Wavin Academy in Adana, Turkey first opened in May 2014 and they just celebrated their 10,000th visitor! Connecting customers with innovation is what the Academy is all about and so far the Academy has accomplished its goals and exceeded all expectations. In one of next blog posts we will show you more about the success of the Wavin Academy, two years after that first idea popped up on the construction site in Amsterdam...

The Project

The Sydney Metro Northwest project is the first fully-automated metro rail system in Australia and will deliver eight new railway stations, 4,000 commuter car parks and a new high frequency single deck train system to Sydney’s growing North West- a region with the highest car ownership levels per household in Australia. Trains will operate every four minutes in the peak with at least 15 trains an hour. This $1.15 billion Tunnel and Station Civil Works contract will see the construction of twin 15km tunnels between Bella Vista and Epping. These twin tunnels will be the longest rail tunnels ever built in Australia. 

Bella Vista: concrete beams installed
Concrete beams being lifted at Bella Vista Station

Rouse Hill design- Street view

Challenges

The Project Schedule was Fast Tracked as the NSW Government wanted the Project to be completed under budget & under time.
Therefore; the supply of the Wavin 250mm HDPE Pipe & Fabricated Fittings was critical in achieving the completion of Stage 1 of the Rouse Hill Project. (Rainwater/Storm-water Package)

How Wavin helped

Wavin NSW worked closely with the Central Plumbing Project Management Design Team, to organize Supply of the Large Bore HDPE as required, to achieve the new Fast Track Program/Schedule.

The Wavin PE Soil and Waste Systems were selected, due to Polyethylene being Highly Resistant to Chemicals, making this the ideal choice for the Industrial Environment at Rouse Hill.

Wavin NSW prefabricated the HDPE Soil and Waste Large Bore Fittings for Central Plumbing, to save Installation time on site & to reduce the risk of onsite Butt Welding in a dusty environment (Off-site jointing in clean conditions ensures the highest quality of joint every time. Prefabricated butt welding is particularly efficient when preparing short and complex sections).

Wavin NSW, with the assistance of Mike North & the Wavin Head Office Team in Victoria, also organized for the Wavin Moulded 250mm Expansion Couplings required for the Stainless Steel Downpipes on the Project, to be imported into Australia to meet the new Fast Track Schedule. To date, Wavin Australia has met all dates of supply.

It is worth noting, Wavin Aust & NSW have negotiated to supply the North West Rail Link Project (Central Plumbing) with the additional (Extras) Prefabricated HDPE Soil and Waste Large Bore Pipe & Fittings, above & beyond the Original Project Quote & Numbers/Volumes.
(Supply of the Extras will begin in Feb 2017).

Their results

Due to Wavin Aust & NSW organizing all the Prefabricated HDPE Soil and Waste Large Bore Fittings in full & on time, Central Plumbing were able to meet all Targets set by the New Fast Track Schedule by the Builder - John Holland