Innovation and unburdening in climate control

Since then, the family business has been engaged in air conditioning, heat pumps, heating and plumbing. Craftsmanship, but above all pleasure in work are always at the center of this. 

"We have developed over the past 51 years into a total climate control installer," says BLR-Bimon director Jan Paul Birkhoff. "We have always maintained our pioneering mentality. We continuously apply innovative techniques in practice, which has led to satisfied customers for years. That appreciation is important to us. Together with our 110 skilled employees, we are continuously working on unburdening our customers. We take care of the entire installation process, from advice to aftercare. And because we have all disciplines in-house, we keep the planning and quality level fully under control."

Updating air conditioning systems

A current project in which BLR-Bimon is involved from the consulting phase involves the renovation of an outdated apartment building on the Van Vollenhovenlaan in Utrecht. In this project, one hundred care homes are upgraded to sustainable, modern apartments. Birkhoff: "Bouwadvies, the agency that handles project coordination and management on behalf of the building owner, consulted us at an early stage. All climate systems had to be brought up to date. We also had to take into account that the outer shell was heavily insulated. Among other things, this called for a modification of the emission system." Based on the starting points and architectural construction drawings, BLR-Bimon made the design for the climate technology and plumbing, including the corresponding technical drawings and calculations.

New installations and plumbing

"We are making everything new," Birkhoff continued. "The building has traditionally been connected to district heating. Eneco is reconnecting this connection to the apartments, each of which will have a distributor for heating and hot water. From that point, we take it up. We are installing new radiators, new plumbing and new plumbing in all the apartments. We also replace the central water supply system and the rainwater and wastewater drains throughout the building." 

Good coordination crucial

Work began in early July, with the renovation of two pilot homes. Then the train of work set in motion. Birkhoff explains, "First the apartment is demolished. The partition walls and shafts go out. Trenches are cut in the existing cement screed for the piping of all installations. Then the new floors are poured and the walls are installed. Finally, the finishing work will take place." To keep the train moving continuously, good coordination between the parties is crucial. Birkhoff: "We work pleasantly with contractor To Build, demolition company Baeck and De Roo, Visser Elektrotechniek and Eltag Ventilatietechniek."

Like a train

The work is being done from the tenth floor from top to bottom. "We are now working on the fifth floor," says Birkhoff. "The pace is fast. That sometimes creates a challenge when assembling the plumbing. On top of that, there are only two elevators available to all parties. To avoid long waiting times at those elevators, we have the plumbing and radiators delivered on Saturdays. Meanwhile, the work is literally running like clockwork. Soon we will deliver seventy to eighty apartments."