The new form of installation. Pluggable installations in concrete

Pluggable installations have long since become nothing new. With the right infrastructure, even complicated installations can be connected without welding and manual connections. You simply connect the plugs to each other. What is new, however, are the pluggable installations in concrete. An innovative solution for apartment construction, hotel construction and schools. "In fact, for all construction projects with a lot of repetition," he says.

Speaking is Werner Hulst, managing director of Isolectra. The Rotterdam-based company is the founder of pluggable installations and has extensive experience with them. Until now, these were mainly used in hollow walls, above suspended ceilings and in places where you can access them later. Now the latter is not the case if the pluggable installations are cast in concrete. "With simple preventive measures that mitigate any risks (such as puncturing a cable), this innovative form of installation in concrete provides great benefits."

Sustainable and circular

One notable advantage is material savings. Constructing pluggable installations in concrete requires no conduits, cable trays or fireproof penetrations and regularly no suspended ceilings. This more than offsets the extra energy it requires to separate and recycle the materials back from the concrete at the end of its service life. 

Fewer people needed

The ease with which the plants can be connected is an excellent response to the shortage of technical personnel. "By this I am not saying that anyone can do this work," Hulst nuances. "Technical insight is certainly required; after all, installation work cannot go wrong. But the construction of the innovative, pluggable installation saves 50 to 70% in time. With the same number of people, twice as much work can be done."

Safe

Not only are the connections safer, the work situation is also safer. "The moment a tunnel is being built, it is always hectic on the construction site. Within a few hours, large numbers of people have to make preparations for the electrical installations. This creates stress and distractions. As a result, the safety benefits are twofold; the number of installers is smaller and the time they are busy is significantly shorter."

Cheaper

Finally, pluggable installations score favorably in terms of price. "The material for a pluggable installation is more expensive, but the final amount is lower. The advantage is achieved through time savings and the fact that the installation is laid in one go. In the conventional method of installation, the pipes are laid during the structural phase and the cables are pulled during the finishing phase. In addition, the reduction of cable ducts, fireproof penetrations, suspended ceilings and failure costs provides a substantial financial benefit."

Space gain

The advantages can be extended one on one to the pluggable installations in concrete. Here, even additional advantages surface. "The installations are pre-built; the plugs and conduits are literally in the concrete. So no space is required in the form of suspended ceilings and no fireproofing chemicals are needed to make the area fireproof. This makes the overall installation more efficient, safer and faster. A good reason to always consider the construction of pluggable installations, especially in tunnel construction." 

Pluggable installations

- Sustainable and circular

- Less manpower

- Less traffic movements

- Secure connections

- Construction site safety

- Competitive pricing

- No fireproof penetrations