Cast Iron delivers a harmonious solution for the Concert Hall drainage system

Future concert goers at The Sage Gateshead centre for music and musical discovery can be assured of one thing – their enjoyment of the performances won’t be marred by gurgling from the pipework systems! Harmonic retention was one of the key factors that led consulting engineers Connell Mott McDonald to specify cast iron for all of the above ground soil and waste drainage systems.

The Sage Gateshead is a major £70 million regeneration project currently underway on the south bank of the Tyne near the BALTIC, the Centre for Contemporary Art on Gateshead Quays.

Due for opening in winter 2004/2005, The Sage Gateshead, designed by Foster and Partners, will house two concert halls of acoustic excellence, seating audiences of 1700 and 400, the Northern Rock Foundation Hall for rehearsals and education and community performance, a Music Education Centre, comprising 25 rooms of various shapes and sizes, and a Music Information Resource Centre. There will also be conference and entertainment rooms and a spectacular concourse with views across the Tyne gorge.

Connell Mott McDonald is the consultant for mechanical and electrical services and structural engineering. Belfast-based Associate Tom Hamilton explains the key factors leading to the specific choice of cast iron for the above-ground drainage: “Durability was one of the reasons. Cast iron is extremely robust and has a very long service life, which is an important factor in the context of cost of ownership in any major public project. However, equally important was acoustic retention. In a facility of this type, it is important that we eliminate any risk of extraneous noise from the building services. Cast iron has excellent acoustic properties and is the ideal solution where elimination of noise is an important factor.”

According to CIDDA, the Cast Iron Drainage Development Authority, cast iron provides the quietest drainage systems available. It cites independent testing, carried out in Australia, that demonstrated that unlagged cast iron pipes were quieter than lagged alternative materials, including HDPE, PVC-u, and lightweight metal systems in steel and copper. Mike Rawlings of CIDDA comments: “Whilst in a project such as the Sage there are specifically aesthetic reasons for specifying cast iron, there is an increasing number of installations where systems designers have to take into account stringent regulations to minimise noise pollution. For this reason, cast iron is the ideal material for drainage systems in hospitals, schools, hotels and multiple dwellings."

For further information on the benefits of cast iron drainage systems, contact CIDDA at Wyatt House, 72 Francis Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B16 8BR, or call the CIDDA hotline on 0121 693 9909