Graf EcoBloc Stormwater Solution
Silverstone Business Park Case Study
Silverstone Business Park, Northamptonshire
Background
With its main entrance right opposite the famous Silverstone Circuit, the developers of Silverstone Park designed the facility to attract engineering firms and high-tech companies to the area. The site comprises four industrial buildings with 12 individual office and warehouse units. Contractors Readie Construction were tasked with finding an efficient and compliant stormwater management system that would provide long-term protection against flooding while complying with strict water runoff requirements of just nine litres per second set out by the council.
Solution
Having previously worked together on several projects, Readie Construction approached GRAF UK for a reliable, future-proof solution that complied with the council’s runoff requirements. The GRAF UK team specified, designed, and installed a bespoke 945m³ EcoBloc Inspect Flex system, comprising five tanks made from around 4,458 heavy-duty crates.
In line with DEFRA and Environment Agency guidelines (outlined in the ‘Rainfall runoff management for developments’ document), the system was built with enough capacity to resist extreme storms likely to appear only once in a 100-year period, with an additional 20% contingency buffer to account for climate change.
The solution includes three Vario 800 Flex shaft systems that provide built-in inspection channels, allowing easy access for advanced camera inspections to maintain optimal system performance over its lifetime.
Results
The EcoBloc Flex modules used at Silverstone Business Park have a lorry-bearing capacity of 60 tonnes with an 800 mm (2’ 7.5”) earth covering, making them the ideal choice for a site expecting continuous heavy lorry traffic. The tanks’ outlet and inlet being at the same level allowed the crates to be installed at a shallow depth of just 1.78 metres (with a 1,100 millimetre earth covering). This significantly reduced excavation work while maintaining durability for heavy traffic overhead.
This shallow installation also allowed for extra storage space, as water could back up into the pipework where necessary, enhancing system efficiency.
Graf EcoBloc Stormwater Solution
