Contracting companies and building product manufacturers unfamiliar with public sector work have been quick to throw their hats into the ring in an attempt to secure a slice of the much-needed business. A good example of this scramble to win work was the 50 or so contractors who applied to be involved with the academies framework in England. The framework, part of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) initiative, has £4 billion to spend on the design and build of academies.
Most school projects are delivered via PFI (Private Finance Initiative). As manufacturing company, Marshall-Tufflex finds that this makes each job very different and calls for closer contact with site – more time is spent there than working off-site with an architect or consultant as would be normal on a ‘private’ project. There are also decision makers up and down the chain of command and it pays to remain in close contact throughout the specification, installation and hand-over, to understand fully what’s required of new-build and refurbished educational facilities and provide an ultra-modern learning environment for today that is capable of adapting to the needs of future decades.
We then apply this mantra to Marshall-Tufflex’s specific area of interest - cable management. All new and refurbished schools and colleges require the very best in ICT (information and communication technology) provision. For example, classrooms no longer have blackboards – teachers and pupils use interactive electronic whiteboards, along with laptops and other internet-enabled devices. This creates a need for effective and safe delivery/management of power and data cables.
As a cable management systems supplier we are obviously only involved later on in the build schedule and, as specifications and fit-out requirements have become more hi-tech, so the demands on containment systems have changed and our range of solutions has evolved over the 25 or so years we’ve worked with the education sector.
Cat 6 upward
Future-proofing data installations can must be achieved through the correct specification of cable containment. Historically local area networks were designed with a Category 3 circuit for voice transmission and a Category 5 or 5e circuit for data. This configuration eventually failed to cope with rapidly increasing data rates/networked devices and was replaced with Cat 5e throughout. Now the industry is looking to Cat 6 and above to deliver performance required now or in the future.
However, as data wiring develops to handle larger amounts of information and networked devices, it becomes dimensionally larger, creating problems for designers and installers, particularly when cabling needs feeding around corners. To give an example, Cat 6 cabling is approximately 5-6mm in diameter, with ‘data bends’ of up to 50mm required within cable containment systems to channel it around corners. Cat 7 cabling is about 10mm in diameter and poses real issues when it comes to cable containment. If more space is not allowed for these ‘data bends’ and the cable is fed through a standard radius bend in a cable containment system, problems may arise. – installing Cat 6 or higher cabling within standard bends can ‘pinch’ or compress the copper data cables, resulting in a drop in performance – data may be lost in transmission or streaming quality affected.
Marshall-Tufflex has invested heavily in developing cable management systems appropriate for use with Cat 6 cabling. Design engineers looking for bend radius of 25mm or 50mm can consider Sterling Profile, Twin Plus trunking, range or its all-curved profile, Odyssey system.
Future-proofing installations by installing Cat 6 compliant trunking is a major consideration where networks will be required to handle large volumes of devices and information. But what other factors should design and build specialist be considering when considering cable management solutions for schools?
Function or form
The latest generation of cable containment can offer great performance coupled with an architect-pleasing curved profile, so there is no need to compromise on design. Odyssey trunking with its uniquely curved profile and tamper-proof covers, also offers another huge advantage – it simply cannot be used as a shelf. Not only does this keep classrooms, corridors etc clear of clutter and litter, it also aids cleaning since the PVC-U can be easily wiped clean, a major benefit when specified in sensitive environments such as schools. The curved profiles are also completely in keeping with the design of many new schools, with architects utilising softer lines to make learning environments more appealing.
And curves don’t just apply to the trunking profile – Marshall-Tufflex offers a special service to adapt its systems or pre-fabricate specialised and bespoke solutions. This means trunking can be curved off-site in order to fit snugly against a curved wall.
Material choice
Marshall-Tufflex provides cable containment systems in Aluminium and Steel, as well as PVC-U. The properties of aluminium and steel are well known but PVC-U, however, is sometimes an underrated and often misunderstood material which actually provides containment that is light and easy to install, with good fire performance (see technical bulletins on the beamainstallations.org.uk site) and 100% recyclability. PVC-U systems can be supplied with EMI screening – a copper spray is applied to the inside of the trunking, creating a Faraday Cage to exclude electrostatic interference, delivering the required screening without compromising trunking capacity. It is also tough and hard-wearing, making it a good choice for areas where hard knocks are inevitable. All PVC-U trunking should comply with British Standards BS4678 & BS EN 50086 which govern impact strength. In most cases, PVC-U can be the ideal choice for an educational environment where functionality must walk hand in hand with a cost-effective solution.
Antimicrobial
An additional advantage to using PVC-U as a material for cable management is that it can be impregnated with an antimicrobial agent to help prevent the spread of infections such as MRSA, E-Coli, Salmonella and a range of everyday bugs.
On some antimicrobial systems, the silver-based formulation is simply applied to the surface of the cable containment. However, once this coating is scratched, the system is vulnerable and germs can penetrate the surface layer and breed unchecked.
Marshall-Tufflex’s own Bio Trunking Solutions offer a silver-based formulation that is added to the PVC-U material during manufacture, ensuring that it is evenly distributed throughout the product. Should the trunking get scratched, the active agent continues to do its job.
Specifiers should give priority consideration to trunking with the antimicrobial agent inherent within the product to ensure maximum performance throughout the lifetime of the trunking. Those thinking of using an antimicrobial system should confirm that it is registered with the Environmental Protection Agency and compliant with the European Biocidal Products Directive.
Prefabricated wiring systems
Moving on from containment, modular and prefabricated wiring systems offer a different kind of evolution. Our own MT32 prefabricated wiring systems have evolved through the development of a unique 32Amp compact connector to carry power all the way from the power source throughout an entire building project via quick and easy plug and play 32Amp connector technology.
The MT32 connector technology means that Marshall-Tufflex is now in a position to offer a total wiring solution for building projects – a real time-saving opportunity, particularly where repeatability of room design is part of that project.
Prefabricated MT32 Home Runs, power from under the floor to desks, power to lighting and to trunking systems, every area of power distribution within a building can be addressed with the MT32 plug and play pre-wired, pre-tested option to deliver a super fast installation that can be reconfigured in the future.
Conclusion
Respected manufacturers invest a great deal of time and money into the development of products that meet and exceed the requirements, not only of specifiers, installers and end-users, but also of the British and International standards bodies. For the best results - and happy customers - it is always advisable to heed the advice of manufacturers with an in-depth experience of the PFI sector on how to deliver power and data with minimum fuss and little to no maintenance,
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