REL Building Services has helped deliver a new £28 million leisure centre in Romford.

The mechanical and electrical (M&E) contractor was appointed by Kershaw Mechanical Services to carry out £2m worth of electrical works at the Sapphire Ice and Leisure Centre development over a 12-month period.

The facility, which was built by Willmott Dixon in the town centre, includes an eight-lane swimming pool, fitness suite with 100 stations and a 56m x 26m ice rink with a 900-seater spectator area.

Both the ice rink and swimming pool were in a double height space, so the lighting had to be installed seven metres high. In the ice-rink, REL used high-bay LED luminaires coordinated with AV equipment gantries to ensure uniform lighting over the rink and minimise glare.

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Outside of the building, the contractor was responsible for delivering the lighting which emphasises the architectural cladding. The team had to create a vertical ribbon of light at specific points, comprising a watertight LED strip just 16mm wide. REL also advised on the use of cool-white LED lights to set off the blue panelling and give maximum impact.

Toby Buckley, Managing Director of REL Building Services, said: "This was a complex project as it is only one of three in the UK to have an ice rink above a swimming pool and the outside of the building has a very unique appearance.

"The facility's location in the town centre was another major challenge. As there was limited space and no car parking, very accurate programming was required to ensure that the electrical items were delivered at exactly the right time to enable us to install them straight away as there was no storage space.

"We're proud to have played a part in bringing this fantastic new facility to Romford, which is set to have a huge impact on the local economy."

Simon Cook, Senior Operations Manager at Willmott Dixon, said: "REL was involved in the electrical design from the very early stages of this project. The team's experience of the leisure sector and technical knowledge enabled us to refine and evolve the design, ensuring we met the requirements of the customer and maximised efficiency as well as performance."

Image: Courtesy of Willmott Dixon.

(LM)