Projects
Promat has supplied fire protection solutions for the structural steel frame of the new €600 million Terminal 2 building at Dublin Airport. Designed by architects Pascall & Watson, the building is the centrepiece of Dublin Airport Authority’s €2 billion programme to transform the airport.
Promat supplied over 40,000m2 of Promat VERMICULUX® board which now provides two hours fire protection for the structural steel frame. This was installed by fire protection specialist Permafix Construction Solutions. Promat VERMICULUX® is a lightweight, non-combustible board specially engineered to provide up to 240 minutes fire resistance for structural steel. As well as its excellent fire resisting properties, Promat VERMICULUX® was chosen for this project due to its resistance to moisture. The boards can be installed at any time during the build programme, even before the external walls are complete and the building is enclosed. Unlike other fire protection boards, Promat VERMICULUX® will not disintegrate, warp or swell when exposed to inclement weather conditions.
Work on the 75,000m² terminal began in October 2007 and it is due to open in April 2010. When complete it will be able to handle 15 million of the 35 million passengers who pass through Dublin Airport annually. “The experience we have gained from working with Promat on other projects of this scale makes them the clear choice for fire protection solutions,” commented Project Manager Giles Cranidge from main contractor, Mace.
The beginning of November saw the long awaited shipment of the first half of the material for the extension to the Cairo Metro System. The idea of building a metro in Cairo was first mooted in the 1930’s but it did not become a reality until construction on the first line was started in 1982 and it was 1987 before it was opened to the public. Construction on the second line was started in the mid 1990’s and finished in 2000.
The 1987 fire at King’s Cross underground station in London that was responsible for the death of 31 people underlined the need for proper fire protection in metro systems. When the expansion of the Cairo Metro, by the addition of a third line was announced, Promat France submitted a bid to supply fire protection materials and were successful in winning a contract to provide SUPALUX®-M for smoke extract ducting.
Cairo Metro Line 3 runs for 33 kilometres from Imbaba in the northwest of the City to Heliopolis in the northeast, crossing under the river Nile in two places as it does so. Most of the line runs through bored tunnel with the balance using the cut-and-cover method, so this is a major infrastructure project. The intention is to also eventually serve Cairo Airport.
The contract was scheduled to start shipping in early summer, but due to a change of plan by the Egyptian Contractors, the four shipments originally requested were condensed to two. The boards were made in good time and inspected before leaving the factory by representatives of the contractors who spent 4 days visiting the factory accompanied by Gilles Poupard from Promat France. The manufacturing process and Quality Assurance procedures were meticulously audited and the inspectors returned to Egypt well satisfied with what they had seen.
In the first half of November, the first delivery of 13 containers were loaded with almost 58,000 SqM5 of SUPALUX®-M, mainly 55mm thick, together with a small amount of SUPALUX®-S and several pallets of Promacol adhesive. Because the customer in Egypt made a number of changes to both the letter of credit and the method of shipment, the timescale that had to be achieved was very tight. Due to the good communication between all the Promat companies and partner companies involved, the containers were loaded and shipped through the local port of Grangemouth without a hitch.
The section of line upon which work commenced in mid 2009 has a projected finish date of 2012, but the complete line 3 project is not scheduled for completion until 2019. Construction of a fourth line is due to begin in 2011 and there are plans for a fifth and sixth line at some future time.
The Mozart Tower is a project currently under construction in the town of Issy-les-Molineaux in the southwestern suburbs of Paris. The main structure is 23 floors high with an overall height of 100m and will ultimately provide office space for over 2700 people including employees of Bouygues Telecom when it is finished in 2010. It has been built on the site of the former EDF Tower, which was demolished in 2007 to make way for this new construction. There are two smaller 8-storey buildings included in the development.
The striking design is not the only notable feature of the building. The construction has been designed to meet France’s HQE (High Environmental Quality) Standards which focus on reducing the consumption of natural resources and discharge of pollutants and enhancing the comfort and healthy working conditions of buildings, both refurbished and newly built.
Amongst the factors that have been considered in designing to comply with the HQE standards were:
- Rainwater recovery
- Lighting
- Glazing
- Window blinds
- Temperature control
- Ventilation
- Air Extraction
Promat France won the contract to supply over 50,000 SqM5 of 55mm SUPALUX®-M to this prestigious project, for smoke extraction and ventilation ducting.