Working closely with the build program construction partner, Uplands Construction Ltd and the crane lift team from DJ Transport, Carter Synergy overcame significant challenges during a recent refit of a Tesco Metro site in Central Birmingham.
The store takes up the basement, ground and first floors of a seven-story building, with the roof identified as the only solution to site any new refrigeration plant which was required for the project. The location of the store, deep within the city centre also proved challenging due to exceptionally narrow roadways and heavily restrictive access.
During the design phase, it was identified that the plant had to be built as a customised solution within an exceptionally tight timeframe to achieve the programme. Partly due to the need to crane the new refrigeration plant onto the roof and into position and the fact the access for the crane was so restrictive. Essentially, we had to develop a solution with a specific weight profile to meet the maximum crane size that could be placed into position close enough to the building and given that this then had to negotiate a 40m horizontal reach.
To achieve this, we approached one of our clients specified plant providers, TEKO GMBH who immediately supported us with the relevant design and achieved the build of two, trans critical CO2 pack units in a very tight timeframe. This whilst supplying solutions that met the refrigeration design criteria, customer specification and weight characteristics (Sub 2200 Kg’s per unit). The two units supplied were 1 No HT only (48.2 kW @-7c SST) and 1 No DT unit (HT 85.3kW @ -7c SST & LT 6.9kW @-34c SST). This new plant replaced the 3 housed HFC packs which had been in operation since 2004.
Once the required road closures had been organised and the crane positioned, the team from DJ Transport began the process of erecting and preparing for the lift. Unfortunately, the first snow of the year promptly started to fall, and the planned lift had to be cancelled. Thankfully, the team worked hard to ensure the removal of the three aged packs went ahead.
A second lift then had to be arranged as soon as possible and the new systems were then lifted into place without further incident within a week.
The project required a real collaborative effort, and the successful completion was only achieved due to the support and professionalism of all involved.