India’s green hotel

The Goal

To construct a green building at pace
The developer wanted to obtain a LEED Platinum certification for the tower, which meant that the environmental impact of the construction materials used would affect the final building score. However, an efficient construction schedule needed to be achieved as well.

The Project

Summary:
The Royal Palace was to be India’s first green high-rise building, whilst also being constructed using cutting edge formwork solutions to an ambitious schedule. 

Challenge:
To reduce construction waste as much as possible through reusable materials.

The Solution

1. Reduced construction waste
   The formwork was identified as an area where the construction waste could be reduced by using MEVA formwork. Conventional plywood facing on formwork has a limited number of uses before it must be replaced. However, because of the phenolic resin coating used, the plywood is classed as hazardous waste and must be carefully disposed of, creating an even less desirable environmental impact as well as delaying the construction process by creating more work.

   With MEVA’s all-plastic, wood-free formwork facing, these issues could be avoided. The alkus all-plastic facing is easy to repair and replace and is also fully recyclable at the end of its serviceable life. This significantly reduces the environmental impact of the formwork, whilst also avoiding unnecessary downtime and interruptions on site.

    
   

2. Enhanced efficiency with cutting-edge formwork solutions
     
   a) Superior safety and accuracy with the MAC
   To deliver the works on time, two MEVA automated climbing (MAC) systems were used in parallel to pour the lift and staircase shafts. The MAC provides complete protection for the workers thanks to the cladding surrounding the external hanging platforms, whilst also providing a generous working area inside.

   Since the jacking points for the rams are located under the main grid, the top platform of the MAC is free from jacking masts and other mechanical obstacles, providing ample working space for concreters. The platform can also be used to store craned materials, such as rebar. Open voids are minimised on the top platform while concreting chutes ensure that concrete is not spilled inside the system.

   During steel fixing, the external panels or shutters are retracted by hand and give access to the core structure. An intermediary working platform set up at mid-height allows for safe fixing. Another key benefit of the MAC system is the possibility of using drop panels for confined spaces where retraction is not practical.

   MEVA’s leading hand-set system, AluFix wall formwork, was used both on the site to form walls up to heights of 3m, and as part of the climbing systems. In the MAC units, the suspension of the panels connected directly to the main grid covering the whole system.

   For complete precision, an intermediary platform inside the MAC system gives access to the 3-way adjustment devices. This ensures that the MAC system can achieve an impressive accuracy of +/- 3mm. It also allows the system to be quickly levelled and speeds up the stripping and setting-up process.
    
   b) Ensuring efficient concrete works
   To achieve the ambitious construction schedule, the concrete pour cycles – and therefore the formwork solutions used – needed to be efficient. Using the same cutting-edge slab technology that was used on the Burj Khalifa meant that the slabs could be poured immediately as the concrete cores rose higher. Because no external secondary platforms are required on the MAC, the contractor could follow with the slab construction swiftly after the core pour. 

   Every day, slabs of different sizes were poured immediately below the core, using the MevaDec slab system. The slab formwork was set by hand with just a small team of workers, saving time. In addition, the MevaDec drop head and its quick-lowering system allow early stripping of the panels and beams while the props remain for shoring.

The Outcome

With MEVA’s formwork and climbing systems used for all on-site concrete works, a quality building was able to be delivered on time, safely, and efficiently. The 320m-tall tower was completed in 2010 and achieved the LEED Platinum certification to become India’s first green building.

Featured Products

• Wall formwork Alufix
• Slab formwork MevaDec
• MAC automated climbing system

Client:
Shree Ram Urban Infrastructure

Project:
Royal Palace

Location:
Mumbai, India

Engineering & Support:
MEVA Germany and India