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The replacement of out of date, often inefficient, high-maintenance air conditioning plant can present a major headache for the end user. Mechanical and performance deficiencies, frequent breakdowns and spiralling maintenance and repair costs can create a nightmare scenario for end users and facilities management companies. At the same time, managers are understandably reluctant to undertake any work that involves prolonged downtime and disruption whilst ripping out the old equipment and starting again from scratch.

Weatherite, the UK's leading roof-top packaged air-conditioning specialists, offers a cost effective, energy saving alternative – direct replacement units.

By replacing old, worn out equipment with a bespoke package from Weatherite, clients can achieve substantial savings in installation costs, downtime and long term energy usage. As a further bonus, replacement systems also deliver a rapid pay back for building owners or end users a like.

Weatherite’s replacement solutions offer significant advantages over many ‘off- the-shelf alternatives. In many cases, current standard equipment may not match the footprint of the existing system or dovetail with existing services. Replacement units, however, provide a technologically advanced solution with all the energy and performance benefits of a new system – plus the bonus that the new equipment will match the existing physical parameters, in terms of footprint, services and ductwork.

There’s more. A Weatherite replacement unit comes with all the rewards of substantial – often spectacular – savings in energy costs and performance. Many of the systems still in situ on rooftops are, by definition, based on technology that is now decades old. Componentry, design and energy efficiency standards have made giant strides in that time. In Weatherite’s case, that means systems that have been designed to achieve key performance criteria for the minimum of capital outlay.

Having new equipment installed, especially if it involves the major structural changes often required to accommodate new units, is inevitably going to cause disruption. However, the bespoke design of a Weatherite system greatly reduces the work involved. Installation is much faster and simpler as the units undergo full testing and pre-commissioning before they leave the factory. The systems are also specifically designed to satisfy the demands of today’s ‘fast-track’ building environments. As the replacement units are designed to fit directly into the footprint of the old unit to be replaced, existing ductwork and services can usually be used, without disruption, saving a great deal of time and cost.

The cost-saving and performance benefits of a direct replacement unit do not end once commissioning has taken place. All facilities managers know that a good preventative maintenance programme will ensure the optimum performance of the air handling system and, of course, maximize cost-savings. Weatherite provides a total package of services that can last for the lifetime of the unit.

Weatherite has produced a new Replacement system brochure highlighting all the benefits associated with replacement systems.

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Mechanical piped services represent a significant proportion of the total build cost in today’s modern buildings. During the design and tender stage of large construction projects, spanning one or two years how much cost can be built into the supply chain to protect against inflationary costs whilst maintaining that competitive edge? The contractor is often left to absorb these unforeseen increases and is at the mercy of the markets which are at best unpredictable! In recent times we have all felt the effects of large % increases in the cost of commodity items such as steel, copper, zinc and oil based plastics, outside of our direct control.

Increasingly, contractors have had to become innovative in their approach to manage and minimse the elements of cost that are within their own direct control. The UK piping market for Building Services, Industrial and Process systems utilises largely screwed, flanged or welded jointing but in light of escalating material and labour costs, coupled with increased concern for operator health and safety and a diminishing skills base, there is a significant uptake in the use of Grinnell’s Grooved Piping System which is now used in many major UK construction projects and offers contractors the opportunity to greatly reduce installation times and therefore recoup a significant portion of their costs when compared to traditional methods:

• Installation times of individual fittings can be 1/10th those of welding
• No hot works
• No maintenance
• Compliments off-site manufacture
• Simple to install

The speed and simplicity of the Grinnell grooved piping system provides a Safer Working Environment, eliminates the requirement for Hot Working, optimises available Labour and operator Skills and compliments other innovative jointing systems being used in smaller sizes. The benefits of a Grooved pipework system can be realised in modular prefabrication techniques as well as in on-site installations.

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