A new flagship visitor centre at Heartlands, the £35m regeneration scheme for heritage tin mine workings in Cornwall, has been equipped with a pioneering building services solution from Pipe Center.
Heartlands is located on a 19-acre site at Pool, near Redruth, encompassing the original mine at Robinson’s Shaft, with traditional exposed workings and structural supports retained as part of the visitor attraction. Main contractor on the project is Midas Construction.
George Cox, who headed up the project for building services contractor EIC, said: “A key requirement of the design was to retain the authentic mine workings with their steel and ironwork structures. The offsite modular approach offered an ideal solution, as it could be blended into the historical setting. It effectively becomes part of the scene without distracting from the impact or historical authenticity of the workings.”
The modular system, built offsite by Pipe Center’s specialist Modular Engineering business, includes electrical services and heating pipe work for low temperature hot water, fed by a district heating system running on pelletised woodchip biomass boilers.
George Cox says: “The mine workings are Grade II listed. Therefore, it required great care in all aspects of the design and installation of the system.
“Because the detailed assembly work is carried out offsite, in factory-controlled conditions, it significantly reduces the amount of time and manpower required to install the finished system onsite. Importantly, it also reduces the amount of working at height required and reduces the risk of accidents.”
He added: “Modular building services is a fantastic idea, as long as it is carefully matched to the particular requirements of a building or project.”
The low-carbon, low-waste characteristics of the modular building services reflect the excellent renewable credentials of the project as a whole. In addition to high efficiency biomass boilers, the site uses solar power and rainwater harvesting, storing collected water in existing below-ground storage structures.
Pipe Center staff took part in site visits and technical surveys with EIC in order to understand the challenges and constraints of the project.
Roger Hoskins, regional sales manager for Pipe Center and Climate Center, said: “The project was supported by a number of Wolseley teams and is an outstanding example of collaboration at its best. We provided a single point of contact for all the company’s products, which were sourced from across Pipe Center, Plumb Center and Drain Center.”
He added: “As well as the Modular Engineering solution, we also provided heating plant and a tube, valves and fittings package sourced from our Plymouth branch. The whole project was carefully managed with input from all parties, including our preferred suppliers.”
Funded by grants from the Big Lottery Fund, Homes and Communities Agency and European Convergence funds, Cornwall Council's Heartlands project will be managed as a social enterprise, with any profit generated through venue hire, trade and other events, reinvested in the project to boost the local economy.
Once fully open in March 2012, visitors will be able to explore Heartlands' galleries, artists’ studios, farmers’ markets, botanical gardens, adventure play area and World Heritage Site exhibition - all of which are free entry.