3 May 2016

With an ever increasing number of new construction projects forecast to be implemented during 2016, Quartzelec’s Leeds based building services and electrical contracting business has got the year off to another flying start, having just competitively tendered for and won a £2m ‘new build’ M&E engineering contract for the X1 Aire residential project in Leeds.

Located adjacent to the River Aire, in the centre of the city overlooking the cultural quarter, the prestigious 12‑storey X1 Aire Leeds development comprises 147 one and two bed apartments, including five luxury penthouses, together with office space, an exclusive on‑site residents gym and 118 private secure car parking spaces – providing an attractive waterfront location in which to live and work and helping revitalise the area.

The X1 Aire project is being delivered by Bardsley Construction Ltd as the main contractor, working on behalf of X1, one of the northwest’s premier development companies with a proven track record in the provision of high-end, buy-to-let, properties in focused key growth areas.

Initial planning and ground works on the project commenced in late 2015 and the project is scheduled for completion by March 2017. The majority of Quartzelec’s essential M&E work comes on stream from early this spring with the electrical Installation elements comprising the electrical provision and electrical heaters plus general and emergency lighting and all external lighting.  CCTV, access control and intruder detection system are also included. The mechanical aspects include the air conditioning, a sprinkler system, both hot and cold water services, smoke vent ventilation and all the above ground drainage.

“X1 Aire is another fantastic project which keeps us on the ever climbing growth path,” explained Martin Broughton, General Manager for Quartzelec’s Manchester and Leeds operations.  “We have previously delivered all the M&E aspects on a number of similar development projects including X1 Manchester Town Hall and the One Smithfield apartments so have the experience and key engineers needed to deliver on this project. Our ethos is to work to high standards possible and deliver solutions both on time and on budget. This is a winning strategy which has enabled us to be regarded as ‘trusted’ partners by a growing number of the top development companies working across the region we help us pitch for and be awarded additional and typically larger projects.”

Nigel Pearce of Bardsley Construction Ltd added: “We have successfully worked with Quartzelec on several projects, most recently on the West Yorkshire Joint Services Archive building in Wakefield which is nearing completion and when finished will house important collections of old Registry of Deeds. We’ve found the Quartzelec team to always be extremely professional and flexible in delivering on complex projects and look forward to continuing our relationship with them on this X1 project.”

The X1 Aire development is being constructed using a reinforced concrete frame with a post tensioned reinforcement design to help improve the floor to ceiling height accommodation space. The frame will be hidden by a combination of materials ranging from masonry brickwork and trespa clad boarding which will provide the breaks in the building mass to enhance the individual balcony space while the mix of trespa colours will help bring its own individuality to the building. Aluminium windows will again help puncture the spans of brickwork.  The lower ground floor main entrance elevation will be treated in a timber cladding to soften the approach along the East Street scene.

Other recent Quartzelec ‘new build’ projects include delivering the new heating, electrical, water, ventilation, communications and lighting systems for a £1.4 Million project for the new Wirral Met College Campus at Wirral Waters; a £4.6m contract from main contractor Morgan Sindall plc, that covers four significant new framework schools projects located in Preston, Widnes, Birkenhead and Blacon Cheshire; a £1.58m full M&E design and installation contract, working to lead contractor Galliford Try, at One Smithfield Square in Manchester’s fashionable Northern Quarter; and a £3+m M&E design and installation contract for 135 bespoke ‘retirement’ homes for Wythenshawe Community Housing Group in South Manchester.