A pioneering use of prefabrication has enabled the rapid delivery of Sky Gardens, one of Leeds’ tallest residential towers, through installation methods that reduced on-site work, improved safety and minimised environmental impact.
Briggs Forrester Living partnered with Polypipe Building Services to deliver the drainage and water supply systems for the 284-apartment development, which is transforming a 40,500 sq. ft brownfield site, including a Grade II-listed former mill, into high-specification city living.
The use of prefabrication dramatically improved project efficiency, reducing the installation of drainage risers from an average of 73 hours to only nine hours. Meanwhile, the modular plantroom was assembled from 13 prefabricated sections off-site and connected with just ten electrofusion couplings, a method that reduced on-site assembly operations by 93.5%.
The units were craned directly from delivery vehicles to each floor of the building, streamlining logistics and improving safety on a site with limited space and storage.
Phil Ashton, Construction Manager at Briggs Forrester Living, said: “Sky Gardens exemplifies how collaboration and prefabrication can drive efficiency, safety and commercial returns, particularly on complex city-centre developments. Working with Polypipe from the early stages ensured rapid installation, reduced waste and guaranteed system performance.”
Central to the project’s success was Polypipe’s Advantage Off-site Prefabrication Service, which delivered a complete drainage and water supply system, including Terrain FUZE, Terrain PAPA, MecFlow Fusion, and MecFlow Press, alongside BIM modelling, technical support, and a single manufacturer warranty.
The system featured advanced HDPE components such as PAPA and Pleura AAV valves for efficient ventilation and reduced material use, while MecFlow Fusion and Press ensured a fire classification B-s1,d0 with ultra-reliable jointing and leak-detection.
Gavin Robinson, National Business Development Manager at PBS, added: “Prefabrication is one of the core solutions available to help the industry adhere to changing legislation, meet government targets, and fulfil commercial demands. Against a backdrop of sustainability targets, labour shortages, tightening regulations and rising material costs, it’s more important than ever that these methods are considered at project infancy.”
PBS’s decision to champion prefabricated MEP systems is underpinned by independent research, which demonstrated that prefabricated HDPE drainage systems typically cost 60% less than traditional alternatives while drastically reducing installation risk and programme uncertainty.
