• Location – Battersea
• Project Value – £9 billion
• Sector – Retail & Residential
• Product Manufacturers – Aquatechnik
• Services Used – Mechanical & Plumbing

The redevelopment of Battersea Power Station in London using the Aquatechnik safety system for water supply and heating-cooling lines.

Our exclusive distributor, Smith Brothers Stores, ensured complete support for the project, including installer training and regular site inspections to ensure the system was fitted correctly.

The project

Constructed in two phases starting in 1929, Battersea Power Station stands proudly on the southern bank of the Thames in London. This monumental Grade II* listed structure claims the title of being the largest brick building in all of Europe, boasting interiors adorned with exquisite Art Deco design.

Following its closure in 1983, the building fell into disrepair, prompting the approval of a £9 billion redevelopment initiative. The objective is to spearhead an urban revitalization effort by crafting a novel, self-reliant, and eco-conscious community, widely regarded as the most ambitious and eagerly anticipated project in all of London.

Objective

The inaugural phase of this development, known as Circus West Village, reached completion in 2017. It currently houses a thriving community of more than 1,800 residents, complemented by a diverse array of establishments that include bars, restaurants, and recreational amenities such as a cinema and theatre.

The Power Station was the second phase to open to the public in October 2022. This truly mixed-use building will be home to Apple’s London Campus, hundreds of new shops housed in the historic turbine halls, a 2,000-capacity event venue, an 18,500 sq. ft. food hall, a glass chimney lift and hundreds of new homes.

Twenty-five thousand people will live and work here when the development is complete, creating one of London’s most prominent office districts with over 3 million sq. ft. of commercial space, retail, leisure and cultural quarters. Across the 42-acre site, a new 24/7 community will be formed with over 250 shops, cafes and restaurants, a theatre, hotel, medical centre and 19 acres of public space, including 450 metres of river frontage and a six-acre public park.

Throughout the restoration process, preserving the retired machinery within the structure and seamlessly integrating the original design of the Power Station were paramount. This approach was fundamental in safeguarding the historical significance of this iconic landmark within the fabric of London.

Solution

For this project, the clear and optimal choice was the Aquatechnik Safety system, primarily due to its pipe’s remarkable flexibility. This tubing can be expertly contoured and moulded to perfectly align with the pre-existing Grade II* listed structure, ensuring a seamless integration without causing any disruption to the building’s integrity.

Aquatechnik’s Safety-Plus system outperforms conventional pipe fittings like press or push-fit options in terms of achieving optimal flow rates.

A distinctive feature of Aquatechnik’s connection method involves the use of a special flaring tool to expand the pipe bore. This broader bore provides the Safety-Plus system with significant advantages over traditional systems. It not only helps maximize flow rates but also contributes to noise reduction and energy conservation when operating at equivalent pressure levels.

A pipe with a broader bore is considerably less prone to the build-up of deposits, such as limescale, which often disrupts the operational efficiency of a system. Pressure drops caused by these deposits can necessitate pumps to run at elevated rotation speeds, leading to increased energy consumption.