Where precast concrete meets electrical engineering: a turnkey package

By joining forces as installer, precast concrete producer and electrical supplier, a new revolutionary concept was created: innovative plug-and-play precast concrete elements. This innovation was deployed, among others, at Hotel Bloemendaal aan Zee, tell Jordi Blanker, account manager at Isolectra BV and Maurice van de Wijdeven, technical advisor and structural engineer at Prefab Beton Veghel BV.

Isolectra is a specialist in plug-and-play pluggable concepts. Blanker: "After experiences with pluggable installation in tunnel construction projects, Techval had a taste for it and saw the integration of concrete and electricity as a nice innovation. From there came the question whether we could think with Techval about a system that could also be used in concrete wide slab floors. It was a huge challenge, but it led to success!"

Isolectra and Techval worked together with Prefab Beton Veghel BV, producer and supplier of prefabricated concrete system floors, on Hotel Bloemendaal. Blanker: "If you want to innovate, you have to be willing to jump into the deep end. Fortunately, I had a particularly good partner for this in Maurice." When you say innovation at Prefab Beton Veghel, Van de Wijdeven is involved. "You really need him, because with such an industrial process you have to be willing to think and act differently. Based on discussions, we came to the conclusion that our current system, pluggable in concrete, lends itself perfectly to pluggable wide slab floors. However, some adjustments had to be made in the process."

Innovative collaboration in the construction industry

Van de Wijdeven: "The question of whether we could pour these new facilities into our wide slab floors caused us to innovate together. This was quite a new way of working together within the chain. The direct communication with the company supplying the facilities made things go a lot faster and more efficiently. The concept of plug-and-play plug facilities incorporated into a wide slab floor is revolutionary in the construction world."

Pluggable connections directly into the ceiling 

Blanker: "The location of the Hotel Bloemendaal aan Zee is a huge draw for recreational visitors. The prefabricated components shorten the lead time on construction and require less movement on site - totally convenient in a high-traffic environment. It does require more coordination prior to the project. That's why we worked with the precast flooring supplier and installer back in the preparation phase." 

This innovation required adaptation of internal processes. It is an industrial process, in which one must be willing to want to deviate from the already established work processes and make adjustments. Blanker: "Before we start on construction, we already place the entire electrical installation in the wide slab floors of Prefab Beton Veghel BV in the workshop. In this way, we ensure that electrical facilities are directly incorporated into the concrete process." From those junction boxes, a building is provided with
power and light.

With Isolectra's unique pluggable concrete concept and the pre-assembled new ABB PMK80 concrete junction boxes with Wieland GST18® and RST20® connectors, it has never been more accessible to work plug-and-play in concrete elements in a quick professional manner.

Higher quality through new process

Blanker: "The fact that Prefab Beton Veghel BV not only supplies concrete but also electrical engineering makes this company unique. And together we really add value in the field of pluggable in concrete." Van de Wijdeven describes that they did a lot of testing: "Isolectra BV comes up with a pluggable center box, which is tested, refined, printed with a 3D printer and tested again. As a result, everything is in the right place beforehand." Because a lot of thought goes into it beforehand, the quality standard is high. 

Isolectra supplied the pluggable materials and 230V installation, supervised the process and provided the 3D drawings and models as well as the kitting, labeling and informing. Van de Wijdeven: "The pluggable cables are also better protected with the new center boxes.
And because it's plug-and-play, the chance of error is lower. Everything is well prepared by Isolectra BV, so all you have to do is select the right color plug
to use."

Keep innovating

Van de Wijdeven: "We continue to innovate and modernize. This is because we believe that with an eye to the future you have to be busy with prefab elements. Especially also given the current circumstances, such as the great shortage of personnel throughout the construction chain and adequately trained staff. Anything that makes the work easier and faster, without compromising quality, is therefore a good thing."