To help address the housing shortage in Derby, an office block (Norman House) has been converted into 134 apartments. As part of the conversion, electric heating, mains cold water distribution systems and hot water cylinders were installed in each room.

Uponor engaged with the client at the design stage to provide a complete plumbing solution (Multi-Layer Composite Pipework and Quick and Easy fi ttings), that was easy to install and also hard to dismount. Due to the scale of the building, an initial concern was that there would be leaks in the pipework. Uponor’s Quick and Easy (Q&E) solution helps eliminate leaks with its secure watertight connection. In total, Uponor provided a distribution manifold for each floor, which was made up of Multi-Layer Composite Pipework (MLCP) fittings. To ensure water was supplied to each apartment, PEX pipework was connected to the manifold with Q&E fittings.

The Benefits
In comparison to copper, MLCP pipework is quicker to install and prevents oxygen ingress. The client also benefited from less wastage and fewer fittings. Combining the MLCP pipework with Q&E fittings not only provided a secured connection, but also helped to help ensure the water pressure for each apartment was at an optimum level.