Modernising A City Office Space With A Cat A Electrical Fit Out

Aldercastle in the City of London was in need of modernisation. The 1990s building was outdated. The Prolec team was delighted to join the team transforming Aldercastle into a premium office and co-working environment.

The building is beautifully positioned in a haven of green spaces overlooking the ancient London Wall and the nearby St Anne and St Agnes Church. However, this heritage setting brought sensitivities to consider during the refurbishment.

Our electrical Category A fit out

This exciting refurbishment project involved delivering the electrical works across 45,000 sq ft of commercial space. Spanning three floors, the space comprised office areas, lifts, lobbies and bathrooms. It was exciting to be part of this fantastic refurbishment in the heart of the City.

Our work on the category A fit out spanned power, lighting, digital lighting controls, fire alarms and containment. Specifically, we were responsible for:

• Touchless operations
• Power
• Dali lighting
• Digital lighting control
• Modular wiring
• Schneider split metered distribution boards
• Fire alarm
• Access control
• Containment

People and programme: challenges we encountered

A refurbishment of this size is never without its challenges. This incredible project was no exception. Aldercastle has six floors of commercial space. While we were busy transforming three of those floors, there were existing tenants in other areas. We were acutely aware of the disruption that we could cause them. That was a key consideration when planning our delivery timeline for this project.

Talking of timelines, this schedule was pretty tight. That meant careful planning, scheduling and delivery if we were to meet deadlines effectively.

A further challenge was the available space to work within. Void heights were reduced. Service routes were slim. The building’s proximity to heritage sites needed a sensitive approach. All of these restrictions needed to be factored into our plan of action.

Flexibility and sensitivity: our solutions

Each project has its unique needs and sensitivities. That’s why we take a bespoke approach every time. Through collaboration and flexibility, we always find workable solutions that deliver great results.

In the case of Aldercastle, we had to balance two key requirements. Firstly, making significant progress on this project to meet the timelines. And secondly, being mindful of not disrupting building operations for the other occupants. That required sensitive and careful planning.

We deployed flexible, multi-skilled teams who were capable of adapting work sequences and shift patterns in real time. Our team is experienced and extremely knowledgeable, so they were able to think on their feet and adapt their work as required.

Modular wiring solutions were key to ensuring we could maintain pace whilst still ensuring a high standard of both safety and quality.

As part of our planning, the pinch points were identified in advance. 3D models helped us to visualise the spaces. Consequently, we were able to find ways around the difficulties to ensure work ran smoothly.

Category A results

The refurbishment of Aldercastle was a fantastic project to work on. Transforming the 1990s commercial space into a modern facility for today’s standards took teamwork and tenacity. We’re thrilled with the results.

Aldercastle is now future-focused, yet surrounded by London’s ancient history. It has efficient, safe power systems. Touchless operations and digital controls provide streamlined and automated functionality.

Safety and security are always of paramount concern. Our careful installation of sophisticated fire alarms and access control systems was an important part of this project.

Whilst it had its complexities and challenges, we were delighted to deliver outstanding results with our electrical work. This Category A fit out was only part of our work on this refurbishment project. The Category B fit out work transformed and elevated the commercial space to another level.

Helping to preserve history whilst preparing for the future

We have worked on numerous historic buildings and within ancient settings. We are adept at taking the architectural sensitivities into consideration when planning our electrical work. It’s crucial to preserve historic features whilst ensuring the electrical systems are safe and at a modern standard.

This commercial space needed to be modernised whilst not affecting its historic neighbours or its existing tenants. Collaboration and careful consideration are key aspects of our planning processes. If you’d like to discuss a commercial electrical fit out project, we’d be delighted to talk to you. Please get in touch.