| 57 T T Karen Phelps Waikari Hospital project a winner KB Contractors played a key role in the power upgrade for Waikari Hospital. KB Contractors Mosgiel CONTRACTING Water • Sewerage • Gas • Telecommunications • Power (03) 489 5343 admin@kbcontractors.co.nz Specialists in trenchless technology. Directional Drilling Pipe Jacking Pipe Bursting Thrust Boring PROUDLY SUPPORTING KB CONTRACTORS - MOSGIEL Winning the 2023 Civil Contractors New Zealand Otago Branch Category A Award for a power upgrade for aikari Hospital gave the whole KB Contractors team a boost, says company contracts manager Ken Eaton. “It gave all involved a real sense of achievement and appreciation of a job well done. “Our client was extremely pleased we were able to deliver a successful and cost effective outcome,” says Ken. KB Contractors got involved in the project when it was approached by Tony Ross of Pedersen Reid electrical engineers to look at the feasibility of getting new ducting installed from a new transformer up to the administration block of the Waikari Hospital for a major power upgrade. “There were two options to lay ducting to house the new power cables,” says Ken. “One was to lay ducting around the perimeter of the buildings. This would have led to long distance from the transformer position to the main admin building making it a costly exercise. The second option was to directional drill the ducting from the upper car park down under the hospital and under the old chapel, which is now a day-care centre. This route was approximately half the distance of the first option and therefore considerably less expensive and far less obtrusive and less inconvenience to patients, staff and the public.” He says there were two major concerns with this preference. One was the existing ground conditions and two the depth of the hospital foundations. After investigations on both issues KB Contractors priced the work on behalf of Aotea Electric to directional drill two 100 mm PE (polyethylene) ducts approximately 270 metres from the top administration block car park down under the hospital and old chapel then down across access roads and car parks to the main hospital transformer building. Ken says the method avoided causing disruption to ground surfaces and the company offered a range of machines to get the job done ranging from 6,000lb to 50,000lb. “The machinery is always accompanied by a fluid removal plant to ensure environmental aspects are not compromised,” explains Ken. “Many of our directional drill team are NZQA operators and have gained qualifications in ‘HDD Standards’. Training in directional boring and new technology is always on-going at KB Contractors.” Over a period of four days KB Contractors had two ducts installed successfully from end to end. It then blew draw wires through the ducts and pulled in the new power cables. Aotea Electric was then able to complete all the terminations. The award-winning outcome was the result of a true collaboration and team effort, says Ken. As usual health and safety was a high priority on the project. KB Contractors is accredited with Site Safe and ContructSafe. KB Contractors has been at the forefront of trenchless technology since its establishment in 1985. It boasts a team of over 50 experienced staff and is an accredited contractor to the Dunedin City Council, Invercargill City Council and Waitaki District Council. KB Contractors capabilities span projects for gas and water reticulations, telecommunications networks, subdivisions, drainage work and more. It specialises in directional drilling, excavations, pipe bursting, steel pipe removal, thrust boring, butt and fusion welding, steel pipe ramming, ground-penetrating radar and hydro excavation. Based in Mosgiel, KB Contractors complete projects across Otago and Southland and the lower South Island.
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