M.O.D. Sites – Refurbishment

Aylesbury ‘K’ type float valves, manufactured in the UK by Keraflo Ltd., were specified by Aspire Defence Ltd. for use across the entire Allenby/Connaught Project, the largest PFI accommodation and services project ever undertaken by the MOD. These float valves were selected to provide a reliable and efficient method of controlling the level of water stored in tanks at the various sites covered by the upgrading project. An initial order was fulfilled and, over the course of the 10 year build and refurbishment programme, the total number supplied was in the region of 600 valves.

The Keraflo Aylesbury valves, along with the GRP water storage tanks manufactured by POW Processes of Water, the specified suppliers for the Allenby Connaught project, were supplied via BSS. The tanks were WRAS approved and included both one-piece and sectional pre-insulated cisterns. These are for two applications, one being normal cold water storage with standard air gaps and the other being rainwater harvesting make-up systems which utilize 2 inlet valves, one for rainwater and the other for mains water top-up with type ‘AB’ airgap. All the tanks were fitted with encapsulated insulation and used high quality resin and gel coats in their construction.

The Keraflo Aylesbury 1¼” ‘K’ type delayed action float valves selected for this project comprised of a key shaped, weighted float mounted on a brass arm. This float can be accurately set in a number of positions on the arm, actuating the valve at a predetermined difference in water level, driving it fully open or fully closed without water hammer. This positive action avoids dribble, reduces noise and allows full flow until the selected closed level is reached.

The Keraflo valves were selected in preference to conventional ball valves due to their high quality construction and maintenance free, reliable operation which is backed by a five year guarantee. Other benefits included improved water turnover, reduced risk of legionella and energy savings due to positive pump control. In accommodation for services personnel, it was particularly important that the valves controlling stored water could be relied upon to avoid waste due to leakage, as the facilities were likely to be unoccupied for extended periods of time when the occupants were deployed overseas.

The contract to deliver Project Allenby/Connaught was awarded to Aspire Defence Ltd.  This project was to provide modern living and working accommodation for some 18,500 military personnel in garrisons across Salisbury Plain and Aldershot. This project played a significant part in fulfilling the Government’s commitment to improving the quality of living accommodation for service personnel. The project provided approximately 11,500 bed spaces to the latest ‘Z’ standard (single rooms with en-suite facilities) to ensure that service personnel were housed in a manner befitting the 21st century. In addition, the 35 year contract included mess management and catering services, transport management, building and grounds maintenance, stores and utilities.

Construction works were carried out at Tidworth, Perham Down, Bulford and Aldershot, and then later at Warminster and Larkhill. The project included both new build and refurbishment.  The new build was 60% living accommodation, 20% technical buildings, 15% new dining facilities and 5% other uses. There were over 200 individual construction sites, on which more than 350 new buildings were erected and a further 140 refurbished. All new and refurbished buildings were BREEAM compliant, the new build to ‘Excellent’ rating and refurbishments to ‘Very Good’.

Aspire Defence Ltd, which controlled the supply chain, had been established specifically for the Project and brought together Carillion PLC and Kellogg Brown & Root (KBR) in a consortium committed to Allenby/Connaught over the 35 year life of the construction, refurbishment, maintenance and services contract, which was worth in the region of £8bn in total.