Pentre Awel is the first development of its scope and size in Wales and one of the highest-valued schemes Carmarthenshire County Council has undertaken. The £84m project covers 83 acres and has created an estimated 1,800 jobs.
The development will combine world-class medial research, business development facilities, community healthcare, assisted living and a state-of-the-art leisure and aquatics centre. It will support and encourage people to lead active and healthy lives and foster businesses within life sciences, health, social care and wellbeing
Pentre Awel also includes integrated care and physical rehabilitation facilities and hopes to boost the local economy by £467m over the next 15 years.
As the chosen passive fire protection system manufacturer, Quelfire worked alongside the main contractor, Bouygues Construction Ltd, and all the relevant parties to deliver this project. The main objective was to incorporate an early engagement approach to design and build Pentre Awel, and to create safe and compliant buildings.
Bouygues UK implemented a new information management system called Morta, which proved to be a real positive to this project. It ensured work was completed in line with the Building Safety Act and established a golden thread of information to hand over to the building owner on the project’s completion. It also guaranteed Building Regulation 38 requirements were met.
The idea of a clear ‘builder’s work in connection’ (BWIC) schedule is to ensure all parties work together, take responsibility, and understand what is required.
Detailed schedule
To provide the most relevant firestopping tested solutions from its extensive library, Quelfire required a detailed schedule with specific information about the project’s service penetration applications.
This included information about the wall or floor construction, the required fire rating, and the dimensions of structural openings. Additionally, it needed to know if the application involved a head-of-wall scenario, whether any movement was required, and details about the services – including their type, material, size, and any insulation requirements, including thickness.
However, receiving the information and getting everyone on the same page proved to be quite challenging as, for many, this was a brand-new approach to building construction. Fortunately, Pentre Awel discussions began in 2022, leading to the first early engagement meeting in January 2023.
After this, Quelfire had regular project meetings and workshops to discuss the firestopping package, BWIC openings, and any non-standard details. This ensured all parties were on the same page and could provide the correct information, minimising confusion.
Collaboration and communication were pivotal: without them, the project would have ground to a halt.
The Morta system ensured that all service penetrations were covered. If critical information was not provided, the schedule would go back to the responsible person to collate and send over.
This ensured no service penetration was without a detail to work to – everything was mapped out before the build stage.
Early engagement critical
The early engagement was a critical factor in the success of Pentre Awel. From the initial planning meeting to regular rework sessions and correspondence, Quelfire provided extensive technical support, from design to installation, to make sure the firestopping was in line with regulations and guidance. This approach, alongside unique hollow core floor testing, ensured the project continued with actual test evidence rather than engineered judgements.
Pentre Awel is a prime example of the importance of coordination between each party from the very early stages. A successful project relies on input from the main contractor, to the MEP designer, and the firestopping contractor, with a commitment to “stick to the agreed plan”.
Tom Marsh, senior BIM coordinator at Bouygues, said: “Quelfire have been very proactive in supporting our golden thread initiative via our information management platforms. They have also provided a lot of technical insight which we have used to improve on Pentre Awel processes, as well as other projects moving forward.”
An approach for future projects
Now that early engagement has been implemented, this approach can be standardised across future projects to streamline processes and ensure fire safety is a priority. The commitment of all teams, and those for who this approach was new, demonstrated the positive changes taking place in the construction industry.
Matthew John, design manager at Bouygues, said: “Quelfire’s technical manager, Alec, has supported the Pentre Awel design team throughout the detailed design stage, giving pragmatic guidance on tested passive fire stopping solutions. This support has been invaluable in assisting Bouygues in delivering our Golden Thread builders work approval process.”
