Civil engineering and infrastructure specialist Barhale is to take the pioneering step of carrying out a set of simultaneous pipejacks from a single shaft at the North London Heat & Power Project in Edmonton.

Two Iseki 1200 Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) named after two deities – the Norse goddess Freya and the Greek goddess Artemis – will complete two pipejacks of 122m and 210m to install two new 1200mm sewers diverting the existing Chingford and Angel sewers. The TBMs’ names were adopted from suggestions put forward by children from Mountnessing Primary School in Brentwood.

Although COVID 19 meant that the children could not attend a naming ceremony, the Barhale team was able to video and share the official unveiling.

The opportunity for simultaneous pipejacking was spotted by the Barhale team as part of the design phase for the works.

Contracts Manager Jaimie Lawson believes that identifying and adopting innovative engineering solutions has been a hallmark of the team’s approach.

“It is a point of principle for us that we scrutinise every job to try to find economies and efficiencies both in the design phase and also throughout construction,” he said. “Reducing overall programme time is a key focus.

“This is a hugely important project for the capital and one which is very much in the public’s eye so we are pleased to have been able to find ways of not only accelerating our programme but also adding value and minimising any potential disruption to the community and reducing environmental impact.

“Carrying out both pipejacks in unison will allow subsequent contractors to access the site earlier and help to ensure that this key phase of the project is brought in ahead of schedule.

“It builds on our earlier design solution of relocating one of the reception shafts to help decongest the site, generating a significant programme saving for the client.”

Terry Brandon, Senior Project Manager for North London Waste Authority welcomed Barhale’s innovative approach and paid tribute to the children for their imaginative names.

“It’s a real testament to the Barhale team that they have decided to undertake both pipejacks at the same time,” he said. “This is an ambitious project with tight build parameters so we are keen to embrace all ideas and approaches which can accelerate the programme.

“We also felt that the names the children came up with were particularly resonant. Artemis is the Greek goddess of the wilderness and a protector which links to NLHPP’s role to protect the environment and treat waste in the most sustainable way; while Freya’s Norse origins tie in with our ambition to build an Energy from Waste facility influenced by the best Nordic examples in Denmark and Sweden.”

The new energy recovery facility at the Edmonton EcoPark is being built on behalf of North London Waste Authority, will deal with up to 700,000 tonnes of waste from the seven north London boroughs per year. It will generate around 70 megawatts of electricity – enough to power around 127,000 homes.