A new $620 million building at Collins Street has used the Australian-manufactured, environmental friendly halogen-free conduit from the new Evcco range. The conduit was installed by Maxim Electrical for Bovis Lend Lease.
The four grades of Evcco polymer conduit, from Evcco, are all lighter and easier to install than metal and PVC conduits but do not contain environmental and safety hazards that can leach into soil or be released into the air by fire.
The Australian-made Evcco range of safety conduits, introduced over the last year, offers a halogen-free flame retardant polymer formulated as an alternative to PVC conduit and containing no known toxins.
According to Maxim Electrical Project Manager, Warren Coombes, ANZ is aiming for the highest available environmental accreditations for its base building and also aiming high for the building fitout, which will provide office accommodation, eateries, a gym and childcare facilities for up to 6,500 employees to support ANZ’s global business. The Evcco product, which weighs about one eighth the equivalent made of steel, is easy to transport, lift, bend and install. Ease of use can be a big factor in an installation involving more than 25,000 lengths of conduit, or more than 100,000 metres, with inside diameters of 25, 32 and 40mm.
The four types of Australian-manufactured conduits are used to carry electrical cabling in surface and sub-surface applications. They are also used within safety equipment such as aspiration systems and air sampling systems for protection against smoke and toxicity.
The conduits, available in sizes ranging from 20 to 110 mm (outside diameter), are complemented by a comprehensive range of junction boxes, inspection elbows and tees, bends and adaptors.
Designed to improve industrial risk management in applications ranging from factories, infrastructure, gas processing, mineral processing, coal washing, and petroleum and food and primary product processing plants, the new Evcco range comprises:
- ‘ENVIRO’ halogen-free M.D. UV-stabilised conduit
- ‘STD’ halogen-free, flame-retardant (HFFR) M.D. conduit with long-term UV protection
- ‘Hi-Po’ (HFFR) H.D. conduit with high impact resistance and long-term UV protection
- ‘FRAS’ (HFFR) H.D. conduit with anti-static properties, high impact resistance, and long-term UV protection FRAS conduit is used where static electricity may be an issue, such as grain silos, coal storage, petro-chemical plants, solvent and paint manufacturing and gas processing
Designed to easily follow the contours of tunnels, trenches and structures, rather than being bent or welded into shape, the Evcco range has been formulated for maximum environmental benefit without degrading overall performance, including impact resistance.
In addition to replacing PVC conduit, it is displacing metal conduit in many applications where the metal conduit is cheaper to buy initially but more expensive to install, which can be a major factor in installations involving confined or underground spaces. It can also demand more expensive specialised trades such as welding and is more difficult to modify as infrastructure needs change, and to remove for recycling.
Producing no corrosive or toxic flue gases in the event of a fire, the new safety polymer conduits are designed for areas where there are high concentrations of people, high concentrations of assets or risk of high costs due to production interruption.
Applications include advanced technology industrial plants, mining plants, rail and road tunnels, airports, subway systems, power plants, oil refineries, lifts, emergency plants, ships, aircraft, trains, computer and telecommunication installations. It can also be used in hospitals, schools, hotels, museums, theatres, shopping centres and conference centres.