VIEGA’S SMARTPRESS PIPING SYSTEM USED ON A BERKELEY GROUP RESIDENTIAL PROJECT
Viega’s Smartpress range has been installed at the Royal Warwick Square apartment complex, a new build development from the prestigious residential developer Berkeley St. Edward, part of the Berkeley Group. The multilayer composite pipework was selected for its speed and simplicity during installation. Furthermore, its flexibility helped to reduce the number of connections required on the project by as much as 80% - minimising the risk of leaks.
Positioned in the heart of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Royal Warwick Square offers 375 one, two, and three-bedroom luxury apartments and penthouses. Viega’s Smartpress system in various sizes from 16 to 40mm was used throughout the development on the potable, boosted cold and heating system pipework.
After discussions with Chris Boakes, Specification Sales Manager at Viega, the team at Berkeley St. Edward selected Viega’s Smartpress as the pipe system could offer excellent leak prevention and it would also help to reduce the total number of connections required.
The simplicity of the cold applied Viega’s Smartpress multilayer piping system means it does not require the use of an O-ring, taking away the need for complex calibration and cutting installation time by as much as 30%. It also provides installation flexibility by allowing easy shaping of the pipe for corners and around wall details on site. This in turn reduces the number of fittings required, compared to a metal system. The stainless-steel fittings also feature Viega’s renowned SC-Contur technology, which is designed to clearly indicate any unpressed connections during a leak-test.
Viega and the installer, Vital Energi, liaised closely to ensure the distribution of products, installation and quality checks were carried out as Viega recommends. In addition, the Viega team also provided onsite training for Vital Energi’s installation team.
Given the luxury specification of the apartments, understandably, reducing the risk of any leaks that could cause damage to the building was crucial. Viega’s Smartpress system was the ideal solution because it is an advanced multilayer, flexible pipe that can bend around structures. By reducing the number of connections required, it significantly minimises the chance of any leaks occurring.
Dean Walsh, Project Director at Vital Energi, commented: “Viega’s Smartpress system was straightforward to install. As we had not previously worked with Viega, they provided us with training to ensure we understood all the parameters of the system. We found that we were able to reduce the number of fittings as the pipework was easy to form into bends. It is a great product that we believe saved us money when compared against a copper press connection.”
Andrew Podmore, Senior MEP Manager at Berkeley St. Edward concluded: “The installation has been successful so far, and we’ve been able to reduce the number of connections used by 80%. I’ll be looking to propose Viega’s systems on future projects.”
Royal Warwick Square is set to be completed in three phases, with the final installations to be completed in 2023.
