McLaren Construction (MC) presented Howarth Timber Engineered Solutions (HTES) with a unique set of criteria for a project in Putney. The brief was to construct highly energy-efficient buildings with large open rooms, while keeping the building mass to a minimum for a luxury development of apartments and houses. This was combined with ventilation systems to provide constant fresh air into the apartments and homes.
MC teamed up with HTES, via carpentry installers J A Stott, in order to use their expertise and the MiTek PAMIR software to meet the required specification.
It was identified at an early stage that the pre-cast concrete slabs originally specified would not work and an alternative in the form of MiTek’s Posi-Joists was chosen. This lightweight solution allowed for the complex mechanical ventilation heat recovery (MVHR) ductwork and building services to be hidden within the floor joist zone, maximising the living space within the buildings.
HTES used the latest EC5 compliant MiTek software PAMIR to design the Posi-Joist floor joists and for its 3D capabilities to ensure that the MVHR ductwork was able to traverse the floors of the luxury apartments and houses. HTES worked directly as an integral part of the project design team, producing interactive 3D models and BIM-compatible design solutions so the entire design team could check and sign off proposals before any work was carried out on site. MiTek PAMIR software can produce .dwg files and PDFs, CAD drawings and Industry Foundation Class (IFC) files – to be imported into Revit. This coordinated approach saved both time and money on the build for the contractor, architect, engineers and M&E designers.
As changes were made to the ductwork layouts and runs, HTES was able to reconfigure the Posi-Joists accordingly. The use of MiTek’s PAMIR software made this process possible and ensured that these components would not compromise the structural integrity of the floor. A challenging project for all involved, but the skills and experience of HTES’ senior designer combined with the flexibility of the design software made it possible to work, resulting in an efficient and cost effective solution.
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