Instead of derelict docklands, visitors to Abercorn Basin have a choice of leisure and entertainment facilities. Four venues are included on the 23-acre site in adjoining structures – an interactive science and technology centre, an indoor arena, Northern Ireland's first Imax cinema and a collection of bars and shops.
Odyssey also has the acclaim of being Northern Ireland's largest-ever civil engineering project. Around 1200 people were involved in the construction, and the majority of the companies and products used were locally sourced.
The enormous scale of the scheme meant two separate construction teams were appointed: one dealing with the Arena, the other with the science centre and the Pavilion which contains the cinema, bars and shops. This meant two main contractors, two architects and two m&e consulting engineers.
One company that did work across the entire project was Ballymena-based JB Electrical, the electrical services contractor. Although this was the largest project the company has worked on in the UK or Ireland, its director of contracts Brian Cunning confidently states that it went very much to plan; Odyssey was on time and to budget. This confidence comes from efficient working – planning and co-ordination were high on the agenda and the decision to use just-in-time delivery is just one example of this.
The company started on site in May 1999. With only 13 months to complete the electrical installation, which included everything from the hv switchgear to the the lv cabling, schedules were very tight. JB Electrical appointed two contracts managers, one for each side of the project, with Brian Cunning acting as overall project director. Daily meetings were held with both teams.
The scheme was run on a phased contracts completion basis; the Arena being the first to open in December 2000.
The purpose-built space has been designed as a very versatile venue that will be run by US-based operator SMG on a ten-year management contract. The central floor area has been coated with 13 layers of laminate ice to provide an international-standard surface. But the floor area provides many other functions: below the ice are discreetly-hidden athletics facilities, such as a long-jump pit and 600 m running track. And with a 10 200 seat capacity, this is also Northern Ireland's biggest indoor venue. A system of high-density insulated board is used to create a surface that is suitable for basketball and concert seating and the Arena's 18 x 13 m rolling stage has already held the likes of Westlife.
Other hidden delights in the Arena that needed careful attention in the services installation include a motorised curtain that enables the area to be subdivided if required; and a 200 m running track, which is neatly concealed below seating.
The height and design of the building brought several challenges – the routing of the services in the steelwork prior to the roof being completed was a particular area that needed attention stated Cunning, as well as the sheer scale – he estimates that by June 2000, over 30 miles of cable tray had been installed in the Arena alone.
The six-storey science and technology centre, W5 (Whowhatwherewhenwhy) was next to open. This is the first interactive discovery centre in Ireland. The exhibits were commissioned by Florida-based specialist Hands On and transported to the site in February 2000. The curved shape of W5 gave the engineers a challenge, says Cunning, as services had to follow this.
Just opened in mid-May, was the Pavilion, a 12 000 m2 retail area, with bars, restaurants and a 12-screen cinema. The area is topped by an expanse of translucent Birdair roofing – an off-white, waterproof material, similar to that used on the Dome, which maximises daylight, reducing the artificial lighting required.
Energy efficiency was principal to Odyssey's servicing strategy and the roofing served the Pavilion well. Energy efficient lamps have been used throughout the site and all switchgear has had power factor equipment added.
Although the majority of the electrical services and installation methods used were standard, some innovative features have been included, the most notable being the Honeywell Enterprise Buildings Integrator (EBI) System. This is the first UK installation of EBI, a system that integrates fire, security, access control and building energy management systems across the site. Chosen by JB Electrical, it was initially rejected due to budget constraints; however, a value engineering exercise carried out by the company saw it being reinstated. EBI enables access to real-time and historical data from all the services in the complex from a single system and lets these be controlled as a unit or individually.
Over 650 outlets are included in the system, which uses Cat 6 structured cabling and standard RJ45 outlets for all connections. Two local specialist systems integrators were subcontracted by JB Electrical to install EBI in partnership with Honeywell: Diamond Systems for cctv, security and access control; and ATC Systems for the bems.
With all this, and the 20 x 26 m wide-screen Imax cinema due to open in June, Belfast's journey into the future of entertainment seems well underway.
Source
Electrical and Mechanical Contractor