Coleg Cambria Yale

Coleg Cambria Yale is a sixth form college situated in the town centre of Wrexham, North Wales. The college awarded a £21m contract to Wynne Construction to design and build a new three-storey, 96,000 sqft building.This will include facilities for catering, creative arts and sports, as well as providing space for general teaching and IT studios. The building will replace elements of the campus’ existing buildings, which have now been demolished.

Mechanical services contractor Margden Heating worked on the installation of the LTHW heating systems along with hot and cold water supply throughout the new building, which is due to complete by the end of 2020.

The team at Margden Heating were looking for a supply system with proven durability. They also wanted a system that came with a quick and straightforward installation process.

The new building’s structure is partially curved, so another factor for the team to take into account during the material selection process was a product that would offer a good bending capacity. The team also wanted to work with a manufacturer that would be able to provide advice and support throughout.

Margden Heating specified Geberit Mepla’s multi-layered system for the building’s water services. Available in dimensions of up to d75, Geberit Mepla is suitable for a range of industrial and commercial projects such as new schools, student accommodation, hospitals and offices – and brings together the very best of both copper and plastic piping systems.

Geberit Mepla consists of three layers. The outer layer is made of polyethylene (PE-RT of the second generation) which protects against corrosion and mechanical damage. Its plastic inner layer, meanwhile, is resistant to cracking and ageing; its low internal surface roughness (7 μm) also makes it difficult for limescale and biofilm to build up.

This significantly enhances the hygiene properties of the pipe and makes it food-safe and an ideal choice for potable water.

Meanwhile, the pipe’s aluminium central layer provides the system with the strength of copper, while remaining flexible enough to bend. This was a particularly important factor given the building’s curved structure.

The Margden Heating team also had a dedicated member of the Geberit team to advise them and offer technical support during the installation process.