Custom frame non-penetrative systems

The £11.3 million leisure centre replaced the previous 1970s sports centre and swimming pool. Along with new swimming pools, the centre features a climbing wall, fitness suite, sports hall, dance studios, spinning studio, sauna and steam room.
 
At the new leisure centre, Big Foot’s Technical Team worked closely with the mechanical contractors, to ensure the right solution was supplied to support AHUs on an exposed rooftop which experiences high, swirling wind speeds. A tightly congested, exposed plant space meant that a greater technical consideration was required to ensure stability of the units in the winds of the exposed coast. Big Foot Systems was called in to provide the correct technical solution to adequately support the AHU plant whilst managing the loads to the roof.

“This was a tricky project and the mechanical contractor was impressed with the solution that Big Foot Systems provided,” said Sam Birch at Big Foot Systems. “Although the plant was part sunken in a plant well, the exposed nature of the site meant that swirling winds were quite high at roof level. The Big Foot Project Manager surveyed the site and our technical team worked diligently with the contractor to make sure the plant was safely supported on the delicate single ply roof.”

Big Foot Systems’ HD (heavy duty) and LD (light duty) frames provided a non-penetrative rooftop support system that is simple, safe and secure as well as being a quick, versatile and economical solution for supporting plant. Adding a coastal location to the mix was no issue for the hot dip galvanized carbon steel of the Big Foot system, which has undergone a salt mist test to BS EN 60068-2-52 to a Kb severity of 1. The salt mist conditioning is used to test the relative resistance to corrosion of components when exposed to a changing climate of a salt mist (spray), followed by a high humidity at an elevated temperature, ensuring the plant supports are durable for years to come.

Wind calculations were carried out to evaluate the stability of the units and one of the slimmer units failed the Big Foot benchmark of 100mph maximum wind speeds.

Usually the most efficient method of rectifying this is to increase the footprint of the support frame. However, due to the restricted plant space and access requirements for maintenance, this was not possible. Big Foot Technical worked with the mechanical contractor for a suitable solution and advised on how they could tie back to the boiler room structure without affecting the integrity of the roofing membrane.

HD bespoke frames are project specific non-penetrative support frames for large, heavy, irregular shaped or unevenly loaded plant whilst LD bespoke frames are ideal for supporting air conditioning and ventilation equipment. With the aid of technical surveyors, a highly skilled engineering team and use of engineering tools such as ANSYS (FEA/CFD), Big Foot Systems can design and manufacture complete one-off solutions that can be designed and fabricated specifically for the project requirements. This is ideal when the standard offer may not be suitable in meeting specific application requirements placed on today’s roofs. Limiting factors such as weak roof construction, space constraints, existing upstands/services obstruction and stacked/sectioned unit arrangements are typical scenarios that contribute to the need of detailing an appropriate bespoke support solution.

Big Foot Systems’ products and systems are quick and easy to install ensuring project cost and time clarity, thus reducing the need for complex, time-consuming and expensive detailing. Offering improved roof aesthetics, Big Foot Systems provides engineered solutions that are innovative in design, robust and repeatable. Big Foot combines market leading products and services, which include system design and on-site support. Available to install in all weathers utilising familiar componentry, all systems are designed with safety, security and simplicity in mind. Finally Big Foot Systems offers short manufacture and delivery lead times to help a project meet its schedule and stay within budget.