NIBuilder 32-2

The only bi-monthly journal for the Northern Ireland construction industry!

Vol 32 No 2 2021

STRABANEACADEMY EXCELLENTEDUCATIONFACILITY EARNSARICSAWARD

MAINCONTRACTOR

www.woodvaleconstruction.co.uk

THE OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNER FOR - CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYERS FEDERATION

NI BUILDER

Inside this issue...

Issue 32-2 - April/May 2021

49 50 NI BUILDER IS THE OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNER FOR - CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYERS FEDERATION FOR THEIR LATEST NEWS AND UPDATES - SEE PAGES 6-10

News &Views 4

Products 42 KDM Hire

In Focus 12

£75m Translink framework Translink reveals the eight winning firms that clinched their four-year major building works framework Hamilton Architects and Tetra Tech announce new appointments and National Association of Shopfitters votes in NI man as new President

SWELL Project SWELL, a major cross-border project, aimed at improving water quality

KDM Hire continues to expand with the opening of new Tool and Equipment Hire Depot in Belfast

28 Strabane Academy

60 Appointments

47 Cara Networks

Delivery of the new-build Strabane Academy by Woodvale Construction and its supply chain brings a previously divided school campus under one roof Tired and out-dated learning environment drives Glasgiven Contracts and supply chain to do a bigger and better job for children and teachers

Gauge your current network security, productivity and utilisation with a risk-free cyber threat report from Cara Networks

90 Simpson Strong-Tie

50 Rossmar Special School

76 SDG’s £1m partnership

New 19mm collated timber screws designed for floor fitters mean no more snagged electrical cables or leaking water pipes

The leading supplier of essential products to the construction industry across Ireland and the UK partners up with German firm

CONTACT US: The Forge, 13b Lisburn Road, Moira, Co. Armagh, BT67 0JR T: Moira: 028 9261 2990 T: Dublin: 01 696 8319 E: northernbuilder@kmpltd.co.uk www.northernbuilder.co.uk

THE TEAM: Managing Director Karen McAvoy Editor Heather Campbell Sales Manager Karen Jess Production Manager Julie Anne Guiney Digital Creative Manager Jo Wilson Digital Content Editor Cathal Delea Photography Gordon McAvoy Printed by W&G Baird

NI Builder Magazine @nibuilder

NI Builder

With reference to the Misdescriptions Act, please note that the measurements and artist’s impressions within are for illustrative purposes only and may not be accurate. Reproduction of whole or in part of this publication, without prior permission from Karen McAvoy Publishing Ltd, is strictly prohibited.

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NEWS

PREPAREFOR WORSENING PRODUCT SHORTAGES

The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) has warned that the current shortage of building products and materials is set to worsen before it improves. In a joint statement from CLC’s Product Availability work group co-chairs - John Newcomb Chief Executive for Builders Merchants Federation and Peter Caplehorn, Chief Executive for Construction Products Association - alerted the trade to “plan for increased demand and longer delays, keep open lines of communication with their suppliers and order early for future projects.” “Demand for construction products remains high both in the UK and globally and is set to continue throughout 2021 in every sector,” they stated. “Unfortunately, this means the availability issues we are currently experiencing are likely to worsen before they improve. “Prior to the temporary blockage of the Suez Canal, we were seeing a slight lowering of both container costs and delivery times of these imported goods. We anticipate that this will continue once the effect of the temporary closure works through.”

OM Dark Sky Park and Observatory submitted by Mid Ulster District Council Planning Department.

NI PLANNINGEXCELLENCE RECOGNISEDATRTPI AWARDS 2021

A ‘dark sky park’ near

contractor on the project was Lowry Building & Civil Engineering. Ryan Walker of The Paul Hogarth Company, was the finalist in the Young Planner of the Year category. Ryan is a strong advocate for the planning profession and the positive role it can play in reducing inequalities and creating inclusive growth. He is currently Chair of RTPI Northern Ireland Young Planners.

Cookstown, County Tyrone and a planner based in Belfast were in the running to win at the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Awards for Planning Excellence 2021. OM Dark Sky Park and Observatory, Davagh Forest, was submitted by Mid Ulster District Council Planning Department

Ryan Walker, The Paul Hogarth Company.

(Excellence in Planning for the Natural Environment). This innovative project was designed to safeguard the area’s dark skies and peatland habitats. Main

The RTPI Awards ceremony takes place after NI Builder Magazine goes to press on April 29. We shall report on the outcome in the next issue.

£75MTRANSLINKFRAMEWORKWINNERS

Translink has revealed the eight winners on its major building works framework. The firms who clinched the four-year contract worth £74m include: Lowry Building & Civil Engineering, John Graham Construction, McLaughlin & Harvey, Henry Brothers, Northstone, OHMG, FP McCann and Tracey Brothers. Translink’s infrastructure and property

division is responsible for maintenance and capital works to all infrastructure and property for Northern Ireland Railways Company, Ulsterbus, Metro and NITHC. The scope of the framework is to provide construction works to support the delivery of the property department’s programme of capital and maintenance works for Translink for projects.

The transport provider is also currently undertaking a number of maintenance projects, including track renewals in Belfast and Lurgan and station improvements in Derriaghy.

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NEWS

Leading construction and fit-out company, Gilbert-Ash, has embarked on an historic project, which will frame the redevelopment of the National Portrait Gallery for future generations. The Belfast-headquartered company has begun work on site after being appointed as the main contractor on the £35.5 million project. The Gallery’s biggest-ever development since the building opened in 1896 at St Martin’s Place London, will include extensive refurbishment of the existing Grade I listed galleries. The project, due to complete in 2023, will also include a new entrance and forecourt, which will transform the original building. Gilbert-Ash Managing Director, Ray Hutchinson said, “We look forward to working closely together, and indeed imaginatively, with the National Portrait Gallery, the architects and the other disciplines and our trusted supply chain to deliver this prestigious project. “Our team has the knowledge and experience to make a lasting difference to this iconic building for future generations and we are really excited to start works this month.” GILBERT-ASH APPOINTED MAIN CONTRACTOR ON£35.5M PROJECT

Proposed entrance of Dunclug College, Ballymena.

GRAHAMTOCONSTRUCTNEW BALLYMENACOLLEGE

GRAHAM has been selected by the Education Authority to design and build a new school campus for Dunclug College in Ballymena. Construction of the new teaching facility on the existing all weather pitch to the rear of the existing facility is the first stage of the construction process. The state-of-the-art 11,358m2 building will be a mix of both single and two storeys. Once the new building is completed the school will then decant from the existing school to the new facility, the old building will be demolished, and extensive playing fields

and sporting provision will be developed in parallel with the finalisation of external site works. The first stage of its phased construction programme began in March 2021 and the project is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2024. GRAHAM Project Director, Garry Farmer, said, “Our delivery team is especially looking forward to the opportunity of creating this new facility. Many of them live in the surrounding areas and therefore understand the need for this new facility at Dunclug College.”

AGAIRAMBULANCENI PARTNERSHIP

AG Paving and Building Products has confirmed it is to renew its support of Air Ambulance NI by making it the firm’s official charity partner for 2021. During 2020, AG staff and customers raised £7,7063.66 for the charity, despite the challenges created by Covid-19. Now Air Ambulance NI has been selected as AG’s official charity partner via a poll by AG staff. During the pandemic, AG was able to support and fundraise through walking challenges, a Christmas raffle and generous donations made by customers via the weighbridge at the Dungannon site.

Glenn O’Rorke - Operational Lead Paramedic in the Air Ambulance NI service.

Stephen Acheson, Chief Executive Officer at AG said, “Wellbeing is one of AG’s core values and we are therefore delighted to support Air Ambulance NI. Given the difficult circumstances businesses faced in 2020, it is a testament to the generosity and selflessness of our employees that we have been able to raise such a substantial amount. I am extremely proud of their efforts and I look forward to supporting the charity anyway we can in 2021.”

Proposed North Façade entrance and forecourt. Image by: Forbes Massie Studio.

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T H E V O I C E O F T H E I N D U S T R Y

CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYERS FEDERATION UPDATES MEMBERS ON ONGOING ISSUES... Construction Employers Federation (CEF) represents the interests of the NI construction industry and Managing Director, Mark Spence, discusses below some of the issues the Federation is currently working on: Work in progress

Mark Spence, Construction Employers Federation (CEF) Managing Director.

CONSTRUCTION LEADERSHIP COUNCIL (CLC) With a senior advisor role to the CLC, CEF has signed up as a CLC CO2nstructZero Task Force Partner to roll out emerging advice from CLC to NI contractors. CEF has also initiated CEF member Task Forces to digest and share CLC guidance on carbon and the recent Skills Plan, both of which are central to the future of the industry.

NI PROCUREMENT BOARD CEF’s core demand for a review of all existing Procurement Guidance Notes (PGNs) is now under way and will result in a smaller number of fit for purpose Procurement Policy Notes (PPNs) that will be going forward to the Executive for adoption and then become mandatory to all CoPEs. CEF is also working within the Board on workshopping Social Value to develop an effective use of procurement to deliver social outcomes whilst not burdening contractors. Other CEF priority workstreams include developing more robust work pipelines, review of delivery of major projects and supply chain resilience.

BUILD UK Build UK continues to support the CLC outputs and call for continued vigilance in maintaining the Safe Operating Procedures that have kept our sites safe from the worst ravages of the pandemic. Ongoing support for enhanced apprenticeships and training are also key agenda items. CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY FORUM NI (CIFNI) CEF will co-chair the reconstituted CIFNI which is an industry/government client body set up for sharing knowledge and good practice, identifying shared concerns and developing policy related matters.

NI EXECUTIVE BUDGET The NI Executive approved its Budget for 2021/22 in early April. Detailed spending plans from each of the Government Clients remain to be finalised. A substantial uplift in the capital allocation for NI Water is welcome but will need to be repeated for each of the following 5 years of the PC21 period to make any inroads into our wastewater capacity issues.

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For more information on the Construction Employers Federation,

T: (028) 9087 7143 E: mail@cefni.co.uk visit: www.cefni.co.uk

PLANNING REVIEW AND ENGAGEMENT PARTNERSHIP With the closing date for

submissions to the Department for Infrastructure’s Review of 2011 Planning Act having passed on 16th April, the CEF is working with others in the business community to ensure that the Department takes forward a reform programme before next year’s Assembly election. Within the CEF’s response to the Review we have called for changes to be made to future processes relating to the development of Local Development Plans; an enhanced role for PAD’s on major and regionally significant applications; statutory timeframes for responses for statutory consultees; and greater flexibility for applicants seeking minor amendments or non-material changes to approved applications; among a series of other recommendations.

BUILDING REGULATIONS Although seen by the Department of Finance as only a partial uplift, with further changes to be consulted on after next year’s Assembly election, Part F of the Building Regulations is likely to be revised this autumn. A public consultation is due in advance of this with the focus likely to fall on areas such as: a better/lower carbon dioxide emissions performance of new buildings; more use of PV panels – but not mandatory at this stage; a ‘fabric first’ approach – focus on enhancing insulation. Overall, the aim for dwellings is 25-40% betterment against the current emissions target. Investment Board has recently conducted a Call for Evidence on a new NI Executive Investment Strategy for the coming decade. The document, which will also take a 30-year look at our infrastructure needs, is one of the fundamental building blocks of our recovery from the pandemic and it is crucial that it is both ambitious and deliverable. To this end, the CEF met with SIB in late March and submitted a robust response to the Call for Evidence. We look forward to seeing a number of the key themes we identified addressed in the summer’s consultation. INVESTMENT STRATEGY Ahead of a formal consultation in the summer, the Strategic

HOUSING SUPPLY STRATEGY CEF, FMB and NIFHA have recently joined forces on a number of public calls for a specific Housing outcome to be included in the Programme for Government. While we await the publication of the final PfG, the Department for Communities will soon begin consultation on a new Housing Supply Strategy for NI. Given that many of the key factors leading to an increase in housing supply lie outside of DfC’s direct remit, e.g. water infrastructure deficit, it is vital that such a strategy cuts across a number of Executive Departments for it to stand any chance of success.

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C O N S T R U C T I O N E M P L O Y E R S F E D E R A T I O N T H E V O I C E O F T H E I N D U S T R Y

DAVID FRY, CEF DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, EXAMINES HOUSING SUPPLY AND CALLS FOR NI EXECUTIVE TO MAKE HOUSING A FOCUS IN THE PROGRAMME FOR GOVERNMENT... Delivering aHousingStrategy NI citizens deserve

David Fry, CEF Director of External Affairs.

O ver the coming months, the Department for Communities – and the wider Northern Ireland Executive – will lay out its long-term vision for housing through a new Housing Supply Strategy. As a pre-cursor to this, we have called on the Executive to include a specific housing outcome in the Programme for Government. While we await the final version of the PfG, it’s crucial that we begin to consider the detail that would underpin such an outcome and the means by which we deliver the type and quality of housing that Northern Ireland’s citizens need.

abundantly clear that rectifying the wastewater treatment capacity issues that Northern Ireland Water faces must be the critical output of the coming 10-year ISNI. While the wastewater capacity issues are now relatively well understood, their true impact – the number of new build houses they are currently holding up – is not. Additionally, we are concerned that many believe that, with the publication and approval of the PC21, the issues will gradually abate over the coming six years. However, in comparison with where we sat in the last financial year, NI Water needs to grow their capital budget from approximately £150m of the Executive’s full Capital budget to upwards of £300m in order to deliver PC21 – and this level will need to be achieved year-on-year for most of the rest of this decade.

While the construction industry is more than capable of delivering this, when we factor in all other infrastructure pressures, we must genuinely question whether the Block Grant can. As the Executive is now prepared to have the discussion about the future governance and financing of the NI Housing Executive, ISNI must lay the groundwork for the same discussion with respect to NI Water, and it is vital that a new Housing Supply Strategy takes account of these issues. PLANNING The challenges facing NI Water are not the only major roadblock to housing development. Although not within the direct remit of a Housing Supply Strategy, the just completed review of the 2011 Planning Act by DfI is very important.

NI WATER In our response to a strategy

that will be allied to the Housing Supply Strategy, the Executive’s Investment Strategy, we have made

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C O N S T R U C T I O N E M P L O Y E R S F E D E R A T I O N T H E V O I C E O F T H E I N D U S T R Y

worlds as it retains the oversight and accountability of the NIHE by the Executive and Assembly but enables them to reach beyond the constraints, such as recurrent one-year budgets, of public sector expenditure. Unlocking the potential of the NIHE’s landlord function in this manner will, therefore, be a significant boost to the local construction industry in terms of new work that would, otherwise, have been held up for many years. RETROFIT That new work must also extend to an ambitious retrofitting strategy (likely also as part of a new DfE Energy Strategy) that can deal with many of the challenges that our ageing housing stock faces. Learning lessons from the recent failed approach in England, it is imperative that any new strategy is co-designed with industry – for example, the large number of firms that have undertaken NIHE stock adaptions/maintenance work in recent years - and has an appropriate level of incentive/ de-risking from the Executive, to ensure it is delivered. Such a strategy must also move in line with any reform of NZEB that is likely, as an initial uplift in current building regulations, this autumn. CO-DESIGN As this article shows, one of the key elements of a new Housing Supply Strategy must be its co-design not just with industry, the housing sector and those who own or rent homes but, crucially, a number of other Executive Departments and agencies where specific policy responsibility lies. Bringing forward a strategy that does not have co-design at its core will mean it is unlikely that our industry can deliver the number of new houses, and retrofits of existing stock, that our citizens need and deserve. For more information on the Construction Employers Federation,

Some ten years on from the Act and five years on from the introduction of our two-tier planning system, it is very clear that the planning system does not move speedily enough with respect to major and regionally significant planning applications – applications which would be the main focus of

Executive capital expenditure are crucial as they will enable better long-term planning of resources and investment. They will also help the construction industry as the traditional year-end tendering process is not conducive to effective planning. When we consider other reforms the Executive can take forward to stimulate housing, the industry strongly welcomed the statement from the Communities Minister last November with respect to reform of the landlord function of the Housing Executive. Much like Northern Ireland Water’s infrastructure needs, we have long held the view that the maintenance needs of the 85,000 NIHE properties cannot be met through the Northern Ireland Executive’s capital budget alone. Models like mutuals and co- operatives have a long track record of delivering sustainable levels of investment, based on borrowing, that stops far short of much more controversial approaches like privatisation. This is, therefore, a solution which, like the delivery model for new build social housing by housing associations, is the best of both

meeting our housing need. A more agile and responsive planning system for such

applications is a key confidence- building requirement within the industry and we believe it is vital that the review reflects concerns that the current system is not fit for purpose. SOCIAL HOUSING Looking specifically at the social housing picture, along with others in the sector we are also strongly supportive of a move away from single-year budgets for new build housing association development. However, given the recent statements of the UK Government with respect to the delayed CSR process, we are concerned that this may not come to pass until the first or second financial year of the next Executive/Assembly mandate. Multi-year budgets across a suite of

T: (028) 9087 7143 E: mail@cefni.co.uk visit: www.cefni.co.uk

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C O N S T R U C T I O N E M P L O Y E R S F E D E R A T I O N T H E V O I C E O F T H E I N D U S T R Y

07.10.21 VIRTUAL EVENT

ENTRIES ARE OPEN FOR THE CONSTRUCTION EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2021... Celebrating excellence in our industry

W e are delighted to Construction Excellence Awards 2021. Launched in 1999, the CEF awards are the largest and most coveted construction awards in Northern Ireland, providing a announce that entries are now open for the wonderful opportunity to showcase the very best of the NI construction sector and to celebrate the industry’s achievements. BACK BETTER The aim of the competition is to promote excellence and to give recognition to those companies who are achieving the highest standards of construction. The kudos of winning an award continues to grow each year. Given the current climate, we have decided that it is not sensible to host our usual 600-person gala evening and we have decided to host an exciting new Virtual Event which will be streamed live on the evening of 7 October 2021. This year’s awards are set to attract more attention than ever before, and with the enhanced social media presence and support from our

media partners at NI Builder, we can ensure maximum exposure for our finalists and sponsors before, during, and after the event. NEW CATEGORIES This year we have introduced a number of exciting new award categories designed to recognise the importance of individuals within construction, from Apprentice/ Trainees of the Year, to awards for Rising Star and Outstanding Contributor. We have also introduced a new category for Individually Designed House and have updated the scope of the Social Value category. In all, there will be 23 Awards covering all scales of project, both in NI and in GB/Ireland, and the highly coveted Quality awards for Training and Health & Safety. ENTRIES Given the interruption to the awards in 2020, this year will also see a double crop of entries from 2019 - 2021. All CEF member companies are eligible to enter, including businesses registered with Safe-T-Cert and NVIR-O-CERT.

In lieu of the usual charitable collection at the gala dinner, we are encouraging applicants to support the industry’s nominated charity Action Mental Health by visiting: www.justgiving.com/campaign/ CEFAWARDS2021 Full details on the awards can be found at www.cefni.co.uk Please remember entries must be in before the deadline of Friday 4th June 2021.

Interested in Sponsorship?

IF YOU WOULD LIKE FURTHER INFORMATION ON BECOMING A SPONSOR, THEN WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU! Our full sponsorship package for the Awards is available via the CEF website. If you would like to further discuss the opportunities available, then please contact Tracy Windrim on 028 9087 7143 or 07919 623702 email: tracyw@cefni.co.uk.

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WATER SOLUTIONS IRELAND IS A FULL SERVICE PROCESS, MECHANICAL & ELECTRICAL CONTRACTING COMPANY OFFERING FULL DESIGN & PROJECT ENGINEERING SERVICES

WARRENPOINTWWTW, CO. DOWN SWELL Project, Warrenpoint WWTW comprised an upgrade of the existing treatment works to increase the capacity to 21,000PE, and ensure discharge standards compliance with the Urban Wastewater Treatment Regulations and NI Environment Agency. The delivery team of Newry basedWater Solutions Ireland Ltd and their Civil Engineering partners GEDA Construction designed and built a new inlet works, a new FBDA aeration system and replacement MCC. This project involved a detailed investigation into the causes of water pollution on both sides of the Irish border. For the first time ever, it brought together key state-owned water companies from Northern Ireland and Ireland and was delivered by both NI Water and Irish Water, in partnership with the Agri-Food & Biosciences Institute, the Loughs Agency and East Border Region Ltd

DONEMANAWWTW, CO. TYRONE TYRONE SWELL Project, Donemana WWTW, was identified by the project team as having a great potential to improve water quality within the Lough Foyle catchment. Construction of the new treatment works at Donemana is complete and will ensure discharge standards compliance with the Urban Wastewater Treatment Regulations and NI Environment Agency.This project involved a detailed investigation into the causes of water pollution on both sides of the Irish border. It brought together key state-

owned water companies NI Water and Irish Water, in partnership with the Agri-Food & Biosciences Institute, the Loughs Agency and East Border Region Ltd. The delivery team of Newry based Water Solutions Ireland Ltd, and their Civil Engineering partners Deane Public Works were entrusted to build this vital piece of high-end infrastructure. The works included preliminary treatment screening, primary settlement, RBC Biodiscs, final settlement and sludge management facilities, along with the latest technologies in instrumentation, monitoring and control.

Unit 7 Carnbane Business Park, Carnbane Industrial Estate, Newry BT35 6QH +44 (02830) 252007 - INFO@WATERSOLUTIONS-IRELAND.COM - WWW.WATERSOLUTIONSIRELAND.COM

SWELL PROJECT

SWELL - AN INTRODUCTION...

DAERA visit team at Warrenpoint WwTW in January 2020, pre-Covid restrictions.

The SWELL Project upgraded Newpoint WwPS.

Activation Sludge Plant being filled at Warrenpoint WwTW.

Newpoint site March 2020.

SWELL, A MAJOR CROSS-BORDER PROJECT, AIMED AT IMPROVING WATER QUALITY IN CARLINGFORD LOUGH AND LOUGH FOYLE, HITS HALFWAY MARK... GLASS HALF FULL FOR SWELL PROJECT

T he Shared Waters Enhancement & Loughs Legacy (SWELL) is a four-year, €35m project focused on the construction of new wastewater treatment works and upgrades to sewerage networks on both sides of the border to address wastewater pollution in Carlingford Lough and Lough Foyle. Led by NI Water and working in partnership with Irish Water, the Agri- Food & Biosciences Institute (AFBI), Loughs Agency and East Border Region – SWELL is being funded as part of the EU’s INTERREG VA Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). Reaching the halfway stage of the project, Martin Gillen, NI Water Programme Lead for SWELL commented, “We are delighted to successfully commission new wastewater infrastructure at Warrenpoint Wastewater Treatment Works and Newpoint Wastewater Pumping Station

(Newry) located in the Carlingford Lough drainage basin and at Strabane Wastewater Treatment Works and Donemana Wastewater Treatment Works located in the Lough Foyle drainage basin. “The work carried out at these key NI Water sites involved extensive upgrades of the existing wastewater assets to improve the quality of discharge to the respective waterways which impact on the shared waters of Carlingford Lough and Lough Foyle. “The completion of these four sites marks a major milestone in the overall SWELL project and I would like to thank NI Water’s project management support team from McAdam Design and Construction Consultancy Services and all our local contractors - GEDA, Water Solutions Ireland, GRAHAM, Enisca, BSG Civil Engineering and Deane Public Works - who have worked tirelessly through very challenging times to successfully deliver

this new infrastructure.” Neal Kerr, Director for McAdam Design was proud to have supported the Partners through all the stages of the project from the initial application process to INTERREG, concept design, commercial and project management of construction projects, model management, and project communications. Commenting on the works, Neal said, “The main challenges included helping prepare and deliver a project approach which involved several different supply chain partners working on four geographically separate construction projects, but all designed to deliver common outcomes. “Adopting a collaborative approach and ensuring good communication processes helped ensure that we were all pulling in the same direction.” SWELL partners, Irish Water will deliver a further four projects at Lifford, Killea

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SWELL PROJECT

SWELL - AN INTRODUCTION...

Aerial photo of the SWELL upgraded Donemana WwTW.

Strabane WwTW before upgrade.

Donemana WwTW as it was, June 2019.

Aerial view of completed screw pump structure at Strabane WwTW.

and Carrigans in County Donegal and in Omeath, County Louth. Due to get underway in spring 2021, the Irish Water works, together with the NI Water upgrades, will deliver cross-border water quality enhancements, which will help contribute towards improving water quality in Carlingford Lough and Lough Foyle. ECOSYSTEM MODEL With match-funding for the SWELL project provided by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in Ireland and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland, the SWELL project will culminate in the development of an innovative ecosystem legacy model. Adele Boyd, Senior Scientific Officer with AFBI, explains how this unique model is being developed, “The SWELL ecosystem model will link various aspects of environmental modelling such as urban drainage models, catchment models, coastal models and ecological models, undertaken within the catchments and the respective loughs over the lifecycle of the project. “When fully developed, the SWELL ecosystem model will be able to track the

pathways of nutrients and contaminants of wastewater, industrial or agricultural sources to determine their impact on the receiving waters. Importantly, this legacy model will assist the water utilities and regulatory bodies on both sides of the border by identifying best approaches to achieving further improvement of overall water quality in the future.” Underlining the importance of the project, Gina McIntyre, Chief Executive of the SEUPB said, “Greater levels of cross border collaboration are essential so that we can improve the water quality of our shared waters and meet the relevant standards under the Water Framework Directive. She continued, “SWELL is one of the highest value projects to be funded under the EU INTERREG VA Programme and as such represents a significant long-term investment in our natural water resources. Key infrastructure is now in place, and despite current restrictions, the project is delivering upon its objectives. I would also like to commend the SWELL partners, on both sides of the border, for the innovative solutions that they are making, to ensure that this project will be delivered on time.”

WARRENPOINTWWTW • McAdam Design • Construction Consultancy Services • GEDA Construction • Water Solutions Ireland • Atkins NEWPOINTWWPS (NEWRY) • McAdam Design • Construction Consultancy Services • GRAHAM NIWater projects contract teams:

• ENISCA • AECOM

DONEMANAWWTW • McAdam Design • Construction Consultancy Services • Deane Public Works • Water Solutions Ireland • AECOM STRABANEWWTW • McAdam Design • Construction Consultancy Services • BSG Civil Engineering • Doran Consulting

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SWELL PROJECT

SWELL - NEWPOINTWWPS

Newpoint WwPS.

9m deep inlet chamber.

New screens remove rags from the wastewater.

UPGRADE PROVIDES PROTECTION TO THE EXTENSIVE SHELLFISH HARVESTING IN CARLINGFORD LOUGH... NEWPOINTWASTEWATER PUMPING STATION

N ewpoint WwPS is the terminal pumping station for the City of Newry, meaning that all flow from Newry and surrounding area arrives at Newpoint WwPS before being passed on to Newry Wastewater Treatment Works (WwTW). Continued catchment growth and excessive flows arriving at the pumping station presented a significant pollution risk and a potential barrier to achieving EU Water Framework Directive ‘good’ water quality status for the Newry Estuary and Carlingford Lough. Newpoint WwPS was previously equipped with three wastewater pumps that transfered flow (approximately 500 litres per second) 1km to Newry WwTW, as well as four storm pumps that pump storm water flows to two storage tanks within the WwPS site. The provision of improved operational control and installation of coarse and fine screening equipment at the Newpoint WwPS site provides protection to the extensive shellfish harvesting areas within Carlingford Lough. MAIN CONTRACTOR GRAHAM had overall responsibility for the successful delivery of the Newpoint WwPS upgrade under the SWELL project, from Early Contractor Involvement through to project

handover. This included the installation of coarse screening equipment to protect the existing pumps on site from blockages and potential loss of wastewater to the adjacent Newry River. Fine screening was also installed on the storm tank overflow to provide further protection to the river during periods of prolonged heavy rainfall. Installation of new waste skips and associated infrastructure safely store the screenings for subsequent disposal off site. Works also included the installation of a new NIE substation within the confines of the existing site, to provide additional resilience against power outages to the plant in future. Commenting on the project, Mark Little, Contracts Manager for GRAHAM said, “The scheme involved a range of construction techniques and challenges, which had to be fully considered, eliminated, or managed appropriately as design and construction work progressed on site.” Such challenges included a restricted site area, extremely poor ground conditions and the need to deal with existing high wastewater flows. “Detailed methodology, programming and BIM modelling completed during the pre- construction phase ensured a thorough review of phasing was completed, so risks identified at the design stage were discussed and eliminated where possible. “Thorough site investigation was carried

out within the footprint of the site, to confirm the underlying conditions, to develop the permanent designs and subsequent temporary works requirements in the form of cofferdams and a well point dewatering system. “Due to the poor strata encountered during the site investigation, permanent piling was completed on all the permanent structures and interconnecting pipework within the site, to ensure the structures and pipework were suitably supported.” In conclusion, Mark said, “This project is a great example of positive stakeholder management from Early Contractor Involvement through to project completion. Successful delivery of this challenging scheme reinforces our commitment to NI Water, and we look forward to continuing our long relationship with them on future projects.”

PROJECTTEAM...

McAdam Design

Construction Consultancy Services

GRAHAM

ENISCA

AECOM

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NI BUILDER | 15

PROUD TO BE MAIN CONTRACTOR FOR SUCCESSFUL DELIVERY OF THE SHARED WATERS ENHANCEMENT & LOUGHS LEGACY (SWELL) DONEMANA WWTW PROJECT.

BEFORE

Design and Build Water and Sewage Treatment Works Marine and River Works Roads and Bridges Earthmoving and Enabling Works Environmental Improvements

Sheet and Structural Piling Trenchless Technologies

AFTER

Demolition and Asbestos Removal Playing Fields and Sports Pitches Aggregate Stone and Concrete Supply

CIVIL ENGINEERING CONTRACTORS 028 6862 1555

info@deanepublicworks.com www.deanepublicworks.com 16 Tully Road, Killadeas, Irvinestown, Co. Fermanagh, BT94 1FB.

SWELL PROJECT

SWELL - DONEMANAWWTW

The completed SWELL Project at Donemana WwTW.

Marking the RBC delivery in July 2019 (pre-covid restrictions). Pictured l-r: William Cummings, Deane Public Works; Bob McGarvey, SWELL Project Manager, NI Water; Eamon Magee, WSI and Ryan Keltai from McAdam Design.

Deane Public Works purchased zero tail swing Ko- belco excavators with roto-tilt hitches grabs which made light work on this tight site.

UPGRADE WILL HELP ACHIEVE EU WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE ‘GOOD’ STATUS AT BOTH LOUGH FOYLE AND THE BURN DENNETT RIVER... DONEMANAWASTEWATER TREATMENTWORKS

I n service for nearly 50 years, NI Water has undertaken continued investment in the maintenance of Donemana Wastewater Treatment Works to achieve discharge compliance levels. But due to increasing population demands and greater pressure being exerted on the wastewater treatment works, some of the assets were approaching the end of their design lives. The replacement works, using modern technology, was constructed as part of the EU-funded SWELL project. This hi-tech wastewater treatment solution will improve the quality of discharge and provide increased environmental protection for the Burn Dennett River and thus the Foyle

start to completion. “The project faced two main problems,” explained Manus O’Kane, from Deane Public Works. “These included the construction of a new treatment works on a very restricted site with difficult terrain, while keeping the existing process operational for the duration of the works. “To overcome these issues, we purchased two new innovative and energy-efficient zero tail swing Kobelco excavators with roto-tilt hitches grabs to safely deliver the site works in the tight areas between the new items of process equipment. “A significant innovation to maintain the existing process and ensure it remained operational, was the deployment of a temporary treatment plant, which met all discharge consent standards for the duration of the works. Water Solutions Ireland (WSI) was responsible for the full design and build solution for Donemana WwTW. “We developed and delivered a full turnkey MEICA and process solution for the replacement WwTW,” said Patrick Cunningham, Contracts Director for WSI. To overcome the challenge of the restrictive site, WSI identified redundant assets under the client’s portfolio that could be refurbished to form part of a final temporary treatment solution. WSI engaged the supply chain to fully develop a compact, low maintenance temporary treatment solution that would provide full

treatment during construction. Patrick commented, “The installation of a temporary plant solution was effective in reducing overall project costs due to a reduced construction programme, reduced Health and Safety risks and easier maintenance of treatment performance levels during the construction period”. By employing best practice methods, the project achieved Performance Beyond Compliance Certification under the Considerate Constructors Scheme. “…this hi-techwastewater treatment solutionwill improve the quality of discharge andprovide increased environmental protection for theBurn Dennett River.”

Estuary for many years to come. The replacement WwTW has been

designed to serve a projected population of 1,217 and was constructed within the confines of the existing NI Water-owned land. The investment entailed a refurbished inlet works, two new primary settlement tanks, three new rotating biological contactors (fully enclosed tanks with built-in treatment capability), two new final settlement tanks, a refurbished storm tank and a new sludge holding tank. MAIN CONTRACTOR Deane Public Works was appointed by NI Water as the main contractor and provided multi-disciplinary design, project and supply chain management and all civil engineering works for the contract from

PROJECTTEAM...

McAdam Design

Construction Consultancy Services

Deane Public Works

Water Solutions Ireland

AECOM

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NI BUILDER | 17

PROJECT

McAdam Design have supported the SWELL project from it’s inception, through provision of project management, engineering excellence, strategic catchment investigations and modelling, to help deliver sustainable upgrades to wastewater assets on both sides of the border and make a positive contribution towards ‘Good Ecological Status’

1c Montgomery House Castlereagh Business Park 478 Castlereagh Road Belfast, BT5 6BQ

under the EU Water Framework Directive.

T 028 9040 2000 www.mcadamdesign.co.uk

CONTINUINGTODELIVERQUALITYSOLUTIONS TOTHEWATER INDUSTRY

Proud Delivery Partner for The Shared Waters Enhancement & Loughs Legacy (SWELL) project at Strabane

BSG Civil Engineering Ltd, 6 Bank Square, Maghera, Co Derry, BT46 5AZ T: +44 (0)28 7964 3610 - E: info@bsgcivilengineering.co.uk www. bsgcivilengineering.co.uk

18 | NI BUILDER

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SWELL PROJECT

SWELL - STRABANEWWTW

Crane lifts the last 18m long screw pump into place. Installation of the third a d final 18m-long screw pump at Strabane.

Screw pumps.

Pictured l-r (pre-covid restrictions): Bob McGarvey, NI Water SWELL project manager; Aidan Diamond, BSG Contracts Manager and Pahvai Raveenthiran, McAdam Design following the installation of the three 24-tonne screw pumps at Strabane.

STRABANE WWTW IS LOCATED TO THE NORTH-WESTERN EDGE OF THE TOWN AND HAS BEEN IN OPERATION SINCE 1974... STRABANEWASTEWATER TREATMENTWORKS

T he existing Strabane WwTWwas upgraded in 2004 to serve a design population equivalent of 38,000, with treated effluent being discharged to the River Foyle. Northern Ireland Water has undertaken continued investment in maintaining the site to achieve discharge compliance levels. However, with assets approaching the end of their design lives, and more recently, increased flows arriving at Strabane WwTW causing regular flooding of the inlet screen chamber, the plant required an upgrade. During significant storm events, flooding at the inlet screens can result in overtopping/bypassing of the fine screens and inlet pumping station and ultimately can lead to the discharge of wastewater via the storm tanks to the adjacent River Foyle. A detailed analysis of the catchment conducted for the SWELL project estimated that the existing works received load from a population equivalent of 24,806, reflecting a downturn in trade within the town in recent years. This means that, in comparison to its original design capacity, Strabane WwTWwas biologically underloaded. The plant remained in satisfactory condition and generally capable of achieving its current consent requirements for the quality of

treated effluent discharged to the River Foyle. However, the inlet chamber fine screens had reached the end of their useful life and no longer met current Water Industry specifications and standards. The upgrade at Strabane included the construction of a new inlet reception chamber with new screw pumps to lift storm flows to the existing preliminary treatment works. This solution provides Strabane WwTWwith the ability to better deal with storm events, making it more resilient to climate change impacts and providing additional protection to the surrounding environment. CONTRACTOR BSG Civil Engineering was responsible for the design, construction (civil and MEICA), commissioning and operation of the upgrade. This complex project came with some major challenges such as keeping the existing works operating and compliant while building the new inlet works. “This was achieved by the installation of 900mm DI diversion pipework and manholes,” explained Aidan Diamond, Project Manager for BSG Engineering, “that allowed for isolation of the existing reinforced concrete structure so that a new structure for the screw pumps could be installed offline while all flows

were diverted away.” Due to their length, the 18m screw pumps were classed as abnormal loads and needed to be delivered to the site from Dublin Port before 6am in the morning. Likewise, due to logistics issues and Strabane being a busy sludge import facility, careful planning had to take place to allow for full installation by 12 noon on the same day as delivery.

Commenting on the completed project, Aidan said, “BSG was

delighted to have the opportunity to share our wealth of knowledge and expertise at an early stage through the Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) process. This forward-thinking approach allowed BSG to feed into the design development phase, creating innovative 3D models that gave the client confidence to know that they were getting a robust, maintainable solution.”

PROJECTTEAM...

McAdam Design

Construction Consultancy Services

BSG Civil Engineering

Doran Consulting

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NI BUILDER | 19

SWELL PROJECT

SWELL -WARRENPOINTWWTW

Warrenpoint WwTW after SWELL upgrade.

Concrete for aeration tank base was poured from 6pm-6am to avoid traffic congestion.

Activated Sludge Plant (ASP) and balance tank.

CONSTRUCTED IN 1976, WARRENPOINT WWTW SERVES THE TOWN AND THE NEIGHBOURING VILLAGES OF ROSTREVOR AND BURREN... WARRENPOINTWASTEWATER TREATMENTWORKS

T he previous Warrenpoint WwTW was designed for a population equivalent of 16,195, with treated effluent being discharged via a 300m long, 450mm diameter outfall pipe directly into Carlingford Lough. Over 40 years on, investigations found that the plant was receiving a load from a population equivalent of 16,259, meaning that it was operating beyond its intended design capacity. The previous operational problems were due to excessive flows being pumped to the inlet works. This problem was exacerbated by network infiltration tidal ingress and inadequate flow balancing at the WwTW. This resulted in un-attenuated flows and premature use of storm tanks in dry weather conditions. This factor was considered to be a significant potential source of wastewater pollution to Carlingford Lough, contributing towards the failure to meet ‘Good’ Water Framework Directive Status status. The improvements delivered under the SWELL project concentrated on addressing overloading at Warrenpoint WwTW and the potential loss of wastewater in order to improve water quality within Carlingford Lough.

CONTRACTORS As main contractor, Geda Construction had overall responsibility to deliver the project on time and within budget, which they succeeded in doing by working in collaboration with key suppliers and sub- contractors to identify and prepare for key milestones for the project. One of the key challenges involved the pouring of 700m3 of concrete for the aeration tank base. “This involved liaison with DFI Roads to close the hard shoulder of the A2 carriageway,” explained Paul McElroy, Contracts Manager for GEDA Construction. “The pour commenced at 6pm and was completed at 6am to avoid traffic congestion around the major link city, Newry.” Atkins provided civil, structural and geotechnical design services. “We were involved from the initial enabling and investigatory works through to optioneering/outline design and detailed design for construction,” said Robin Andrews, Project Manager for Atkins. “Warrenpoint had a complex arrangement of interconnecting pipes and services, and managing the interfaces between existing and new infrastructure was a key element of the design. Atkins adopted BIM Level 2 protocols from the outset and developed

integrated 3D models for existing and proposed works that allowed designers, contractor and client team to collaborate from the optioneering phase through to construction and commissioning.” Water Solutions Ireland (WSI) carried out a full turnkey MEICA and process design and build solution for the SWELL upgrade. Commenting on the completed project, Patrick Cunningham, Contracts Director for WIS said, “To deliver the benefits of improved flow management and remove the potential for loss of biological loading during dry weather conditions, Water Solutions was tasked to review the existing works and develop a full replacement treatment works capable of treating a design of 21,000PE. “The opportunity to put in practice the company motto of “Working to protect the Environment” through a collaborative working relationship with the SWELL team was fantastic.”

PROJECTTEAM...

McAdam Design

Construction Consultancy Services

GEDA Construction

“The previous operational problemswere due to excessive flows beingpumped to the inlet works.”

Water Solutions Ireland

Atkins

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SWELL PROJECT

SWELL - NIWATERCONTRACTPARTNERS

CELEBRATING SOME OF NI WATER’S PROJECT DELIVERY TEAM, WHOWORKED TIRELESSLY THROUGH CHALLENGING TIMES TO SUCCESSFULLY DELIVER THIS NEW INFRASTRUCTURE... SWELL - NI WATER CONTRACT PARTNERS

GRAHAM Newpoint WwPS Main contractor, GRAHAM installed coarse screening equipment to protect the existing pumps and fine screening on the storm tank overflow, new waste skips and associated infrastructure. Works also included the installation of a new NIE substation.

WATER SOLUTIONS IRELAND Warrenpoint WwTW Donemana WwTW

McADAM DESIGN McAdam Design provided project management support to all the Partners from initial application process to INTERREG, concept design, commercial and project management of construction projects, model management, and

Water Solutions Ireland carried out a full turnkey MEICA and process design and build solution for the SWELL upgrades at Warrenpoint and Donemana. T: +(0)28 3025 2007 www.watersolutionsireland.com

project communications. T: +44 (0)28 9040 2000 www.mcadamdesign.co.uk

T: +(0)28 9268 9500 www.graham.co.uk

GEDA CONSTRUCTION Warrenpoint WwTW

Main contractor GEDA Construction worked in collaboration with main suppliers and sub-contractors to identify and prepare for key milestones for the project in order to deliver the project on time and budget. T: +44 (0)28 8774 7600 www.geda.co.uk

DEANE PUBLICWORKS Donemana WwTW

BSG CIVIL ENGINEERING Strabane WwTW Main contractor, BSG Civil Engineering

Main contractor, Deane Public Works provided multi-disciplinary design, project and supply chain management and all civil engineering works for the contract from start to completion. T: +44 (0)28 6862 1555 www.deanepublicworks.com

was responsible for the design, construction (civil and MEICA),

commissioning and operation including a new inlet reception chamber and screw pumps. T: +(0)28 7964 3610 www.bsgcivilengineering.co.uk

ATKINS Warrenpoint WwTW

Wastewater treatment experts, Atkins provided civil, structural and geotechnical design services from initial enabling and investigatory works through to optioneering/outline design and detailed

design for construction. T: +44 (0)28 9078 8600 www.atkinsglobal.com

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