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PERI, a global leader in scaffolding and formwork technology, teamed up with Northern Ireland-based scaffolding contractor K2 Scaffolding to provide access requirements for a refurbishment project in Belfast.
The project involved the restoration of the Seamus Heaney Centre, a historic listed building on the outskirts of Belfast City Centre. The Seamus Heaney Centre at Queen’s University is recognised as an international centre of creative and research excellence in the field of literature.
As part of the refurbishment project, K2 Scaffolding was tasked with installing perimeter access to all floors to facilitate roof works and window replacement.
One of the main challenges during the design and installation of the scaffolding was protecting as much of the façade as possible, including its bay windows, which would determine how and where the scaffolding would be tied into the structure. To address this challenge, PERI’s scaffolding design team proposed a tie layout that reduced the required ties, protecting the façade where possible.
Cantilever brackets were incorporated to accommodate the bay windows and support the scaffolding deck spanning above. Brackets were also used externally to increase the width of the working platform and provide safer and seamless access to the on-site cabin.
Using the PERI UP scaffolding system was significant in the project’s success. This is the first time that the PERI UP system was used on a project in Northern Ireland, and it marked the start of a long-term partnership between PERI and K2 Scaffolding.
K2 Scaffolding recently invested £400,000 in the PERI UP scaffolding system, which allowed them to take on larger and more complex projects. The system proved to be intuitive, making it easy for K2 Scaffolding to adapt to it quickly.
The metric grid dimensions of the PERI UP system made it more practical for workers to access the chimney structure. With 25cm increments between the length of the scaffolding decks, scaffolders were able to adapt the arrangement to ensure working platforms were as close to the chimney walls as possible. Similarly, the use of PERI UP UHA spigots allowed flexible ledger-to-ledger connections, which accommodated the chimney’s geometry with no additional fittings required.
The entire build of the scaffolding solution took just five days to erect, with 42 tonnes of PERI UP Flex erected throughout the project.
Cathal Abram, Contracts Manager for K2 Scaffolding, noted the benefits that the PERI UP system brought to the project, including the time saved and reduced material requirements.
“The locking and ladder decks were advantageous for both time and safety, saving a significant amount of time as the self-locking feature meant the team didn’t need to tie the decks down during windy weather. These components played a substantial role in the speed of the project, reducing the predicted project time by 50%,” he said.
Overall, the partnership between PERI and K2 Scaffolding on this project successfully met the access requirements for the refurbishment of the Seamus Heaney Centre. The PERI UP system proved to be an intuitive and flexible solution for scaffolding requirements, allowing for faster installation and reduced material requirements.
The success of this project marks the beginning of a long-term partnership between the two companies, and they look forward to collaborating on future projects.
