State-of-the-Art solution for historic building ensemble
The "Les Docks de la Joliette" are famous in Marseille: the ensemble of buildings, designed by the architect Gustave Desplaces between 1858 and 1864, consists of four warehouses grouped around a courtyard and the "Hôtel de Direction".
Originally built for maritime trade, the docks have been completely renovated: today the ground floor houses shops and restaurants, while the upper floors house about 220 companies and authorities. In total, more than 3,000 people work in the buildings, which have become a central point of contact in the Joliette district.
As part of the renovation, the aquatherm blue piping system was used for both the hot and cold water distribution. Available in two different diameters – 160mm for heating, 200mm for cooling – it ensures the safe transport of water in the closed heating and cooling system. It is made of corrosion-resistant polypropylene plastic, which is characterised by high temperature and pressure resistance. Due to the exceptionally good welding properties, the pipe and fitting merge into a homogeneous, material-cohesive unit. This ensures the highest level of safety and service life.
The special feature of the "Les Docks de la Joliette" project is that the hot and cold water networks are distributed on the roof. The reason for this is that there was not enough space inside the historic buildings for the installation of the piping. Roof mounting provided the installers with sufficient leeway. To protect against external influences, aquatherm blue was insulated after installation.
The project also benefited from the advantages of aquatherm prefabrication. At the aquatherm plant in Attendorn, special components such as various elbows and cable ends were manufactured and transported to the construction site ready for installation. This ensured a smooth construction process and saved time. The final assembly was carried out on site with electro-welding sockets.
