The FC Basel fans recently celebrated the opening of their new football stadium with 30,200 seats under shelter. Construction of the stadium began back in December 1998. The completion of the football arena by no means marks the end of this challenging project. The new St. Jakob Park will include a shopping center, senior-citizen residence, 107 tertianum apartments, restaurants as well as offices and a fitness center when it is fully completed. The whole project is expected to be finished in May 2002. Half a million cubic meters or approximately 60,000 truckloads of earth were removed in the excavation alone. 2000 prefabricated concrete elements were required for the construction. The lightest one weighed one ton, the heaviest 30 tons. By March 2001, 100 kilometers of electric cable and lines were laid and 12 kilometers of heating pipes were installed. Until now, an estimated 1.5 million manhours were invested. This translates into 833 men working a full year on this project alone.

Efficient and economical
For the hot and cold water installation, efficiency and economics played a major role. +GF+ INSTAFLEX is an all-plastic system, made of polybutene, which fulfills these requirements perfectly. Thanks to this complete system, it is possible to do all the installations from d 16 to d 110 mm in one material. By prefabricating the pipe strands, the installer saves a great deal of time and money on the building site. Hot and cold water pipes and the piping systems for softened water and for RO water (partially demineralized) were all installed in St. Jakob Park with polybutene. A ring mains, in a length of 1200 meters that goes around the stadium, was also installed at a low cost. Low cost because Georg Fischer offers INSTAFLEX pipes in 12 meter rods as a special service. This solution saved considerably on electrofusion sockets as compared to traditional installations with only six-meter pipes. An additional advantage of INSTAFLEX is its light weight. The ring mains in the d90 dimension was practically installed by one fitter alone. Basement distribution and riser pipes were also installed with +GF+ INSTAFLEX from d 16 to d 110 mm, the fine distribution in the apartments with +GF+ FLEXALINO in the dimensions d12 to d 25 mm.

Georg Fischer products were the preferred choice of the piping system specialists for this major project. Read about the reasons for their choice and their experiences with our products below.


The opinions of the planning engineers

Philipp Müller, Bogenschütz AG:
"Long distances had to be covered for this project. When using plastic, we don't need to include any expansion loops or compensators. Georg Fischer offers 12-meter polybutene pipes, which saves us material costs, in the form of electrofusion sockets. Moreover, we were able to transport all the different water qualities with one system. Polybutene is suitable for hot and cold running water, as well as for softened and partially demineralized water. Georg Fischer also has several computer aids and a technical manual, where I can find useful information on fastening techniques as well as flow diagrams quickly and easily. This helps me considerably in the planning."

Beat Schaub, Sanplan Ingenieure AG:
"With +GF+ INSTAFLEX we have a complete system at our disposal, with it we can cover all the dimensions from d 16 to d 110 mm. For the ring mains which runs around the perimeter of the stadium, we were concerned about freezing. But polybutene can even be worked with at low temperatures and is very resistant to cold."


And what did the fitters think:


Daniel Weber, Paul Weber AG:
"There were always about 30 workmen at a time on the St. Jakob site during the entire construction period. We had to work quickly and efficiently. For such a large project, there can be bottlenecks in the supply of materials. But with the competent Georg Fischer sales rep we had a reliable contact partner who knew how to get things rolling again and quickly. I know I can depend on the Georg Fischer know-how and experience. That is why, despite some initial misgivings, I had no trouble in accepting FLEXALINO for the fine distribution. Generally, I am against systems which are "too easy", because they can lead to a false sense of security and cause fitters to work carelessly. But I was sure that Georg Fischer would not put any experiments on the market. Besides the product was so economical that that alone was reason enough to use it.
The supervisors on the St. Jakob building site both took INSTAFLEX instructor courses at Georg Fischer. This experience was very valuable for them especially when they had to supervise the installation work on such a big project. Our employee, Mr. Thomas Jordi, was very enthusiastic about the instructor course in Schaffhausen as well as the look behind the scenes in production and quality control at Georg Fischer. There you can see for yourself that at Georg Fischer quality is no accident."

René Rüthemann, Jauslin & Sohn AG:
"The people at Georg Fischer know what they are doing. I get the best support whenever I need it and that gives me a good feeling. The most important factor which led to the decision to use +GF+ INSTAFLEX was the time factor, but we also took into consideration that the supervisors preferred working with +GF+ INSTAFLEX over other systems. The flexibility of polybutene and the fittings that allow smaller radii are a tremendous advantage especially where space is tight.
Any special requests we might have are normally taken seriously at Georg Fischer and are realized in the form of new products or modifications. The solution with the specially made reducers from d90 to d25 was a very good idea for the St. Jakob Park both in terms of aesthetics and price. The cooperation between our fitters on the building site and the Georg Fischer sales reps was excellent."





5 x 5 Stars in Alpine Resorts

Five stars are a commitment to quality. Renowned establishments such as Suvretta House or Badrutt's Palace in St. Moritz cannot afford to be parsimonious when it comes to the comfort of their guests. That's fine by us.

Five exclusive hotels in Arosa, Davos, Pontresina and St. Moritz have been renovating their facilities over the past few years. This includes renovation of the drinking water piping systems, for which our all-plastic INSTAFLEX system was used. Why? In situations where the peace and quiet of demanding guests is a top priority, INSTAFLEX provides optimal noise insulation and guarantees that water will run clear from the taps.

Suvretta House in St. Moritz
At this spectacular hotel, situated on top of the Suvretta hill, most of the renovation work has already been completed. The hotel kitchen, staff housing, and basement distribution are just a few of the jobs which were done with INSTAFLEX. The contractor is very pleased with the results, not in the least thanks to the work of the installation supervisor, Heinrich Hausmann, from Kreis Wasser AG, St. Gallen. He was trained as an INSTAFLEX instructor by Georg Fischer. Edwin Keller, a sanitary installations engineer from Gossau, is already planning the next step in which the hotel rooms will be totally renovated as well.

Hotel Badrutt's Palace in St. Moritz
This hotel too is being renovated step-by-step. Since the start, Karl Adank from Sils Maria has been responsible for the installation work and Amstein and Walthert from St. Gallen for the engineering. The INSTAFLEX plastic system is ideal for multistorey distribution and riser zones because the new pipes can be connected to the existing copper or iron pipes. The plastic does not react with these materials and there are virtually no problems with rust particles in the tap water. Additionally, the flexible INSTAFLEX pipe is easy to insert in the narrow shafts of the venerable Hotel Badrutt's Palace.

Hotel Kronenhof in Pontresina
This hotel in the middle of Pontresina has undergone major renovation in the past few years. Noise insulation and maintenance were important factors in this building. In the next step, the hotel kitchen and the remaining rooms will also be refurbished. In the Kronenhof, the pipes which supply the two hot water tanks were done in d 110 INSTAFLEX. The installers used a special fusion machine to join the larger dimensions of d 75 to d 110 on site and they proved to be real plastic fusion professionals.
For the second phase, Novintec Energie AG, St. Moritz took over from Lorenz Lehner of Pontresina, who was the installer during the first construction phase. The engineers were Kalberer and Partner from Sargans.

Arosa Kulm Hotel & Alpine Spa
This first-rate hotel also took advantage of the slow season to complete their renovation work. During the last two years, attention was devoted to modernizing the basement installations of the Arosa Kulm Hotel & Alpine Spa. The manifolds, which were smaller than d 75, were fused on site by the plumber from the Ludwig Waidacher company after a brief introduction.
Larger manifolds are pre-fabricated at Georg Fischer in Schaffhausen, which saves time and money. The engineering office of Bruno Paganini plans to replace the old iron pipes in the basement distribution with plastic over the next years so the guests can fully enjoy the pure mountain water.

Hotel Steigenberger Belvédère in Davos
The task of planning and installation for this renovation job was given to the Walter Schwager company in Davos. The Schwager company has been using INSTAFLEX for many years and was therefore familiar with the benefits of this system. Its flexibility was an advantage in the pipe shafts, where space is limited, and the noise insulation guarantees that guests will have the quiet and relaxation they are looking for. In recent years, several of the hotel rooms, the hotel kitchen and the wellness center were renovated with INSTAFLEX.






The Largest Hospital in Switzerland Relies on +GF+ INSTAFLEX

As a part of the extensive renovation and expansion work at the Inselspital in Berne, our INSTAFLEX System is being installed for hot and cold water distribution.

The cornerstone of the Inselspital was laid by the Anna Seiler foundation on November 29, 1354. In 1531 the hospital was moved to a convent which had stood empty since the Reformation. This cloister was originally located on a small island in the Aare River, thus the name Inselspital (Island Hospital).
Between 1958 and 1997 the hospital incorporated many important additions. Today, the Inselspital is the largest university hospital in Switzerland, a small city within the city. The hospital grounds cover 160,000 square meters and there are a total of 1,060 beds. Renovation and expansion continues at the hospital. All in all, approximately SFR 400 million will be spent on renovation and improvements.

+GF+ INSTAFLEX, the complete system, from single family home to large hospital

For hot water distribution in the children's hospital, they were looking for a neutral material which could be easily combined with the existing iron and copper pipes. Shutoffs should be kept to an absolute minimum, of course. A solution was found in the form of polybutene, which does not present any problem as far as electrolytic discharge or corrosion due to rust particles in the water. Werner Fuchs, the head of building technology at the Inselspital, and Anton Riesen, the installations planner, studied the possibilities and came to the conclusion that polybutene was the best choice. Transition from the old distribution system to the new was done in just a short amount of time because INSTAFLEX is predestined for prefabrication. The entire distribution system at the children's hospital was prefabricated at the Georg Fischer plant. Since operation could only be shut down for a brief time, the replacement was done overnight. The local plumbing company merely needed to make minor adjustments and finish the last connections with electrofusion sockets.

+GF+ INSTAFLEX is not only ideal in terms of the material, cost-effectiveness and processing, but Georg Fischer also offers a comprehensive quality management system from the manufacture of granulate all the way to site inspection. The Anton Riesen company as well as the persons in charge of the construction work at the Inselspital greatly appreciated the respective training. Quality management is an important part of the INSTAFLEX instructor course. Quality and safety must be warranted for building procedures; this was controlled by the Anton Riesen company by using checklists. The feedback of the companies involved was very positive, which naturally gives us great pleasure, especially since construction of the new gynecological clinic has only just begun. We are determined to continue giving our best.


One material for all dimensions - a big advantage for us


Werner Fuchs, head of building technology at the Inselspital: «During a visit to Georg Fischer in Schaffhausen I heard some interesting and informative lectures on the INSTAFLEX drinking water installation system, which were followed by a tour of a sewage plant with polybutene installations. I was convinced already then that polybutene is a top of the class material. Being a large organization, it is reassuring for us to know that we can count on Georg Fischer and their know-how. The Georg Fischer team was always ready to help us with our problems; customer support couldn't be better. When there was a problem or mistake, it was taken care of quickly and without red tape. Difficulties were resolved in a timely manner, without placing the blame anywhere. What I particularly like about the INSTAFLEX system is that you can use one material throughout, from the large to the small dimensions. You don't find complete systems too often. This is a big plus for INSTAFLEX. Another advantage of plastic is the good noise insulation. This will be especially useful in building the planned gynecological clinic where we have hollow floors. When installing INSTAFLEX you have to work carefully and exactly. The INSTAFLEX instructor course is very valuable for our plumbing contractors and we only use plumbers who have completed it.


Polybutene is my favorite material


Anton Riesen Jr., sanitary installations engineer: «In renovating the facilities of the children's hospital with approx. 120 beds, operating rooms, dialysis station for adults and the laboratory tract, we had several problems to solve at the same time. For one, the building is supplied by no less than three municipal water stations, and then for operational reasons the system is still run at a temperature of about 85 °C. The first problem was easily solved by polybutene; as far as the high temperature was concerned, Georg Fischer had to run some tests in their own test lab. As a result, a written confirmation was supplied for the duration of operation. On the basis of this we decided on INSTAFLEX. Working with INSTAFLEX is simple.

One small disadvantage in my opinion is the fastening. You have to realize that for a free-standing manifold with heavy valves (butterfly valves and pumps) a respective fastener is required. At Georg Fischer they also realized that the fastener in this particular application needed a special solution. Nevertheless, polybutene is my favorite material 90 % of the time. The INSTAFLEX quality management system was also a factor I considered in making my decision. Every bid I make for an INSTAFLEX installation includes the text from the quality assurance documentation from Georg Fischer. A plumbing company must be able to prove that they employ certified instructors.





Säntis 2000 Expansion Project

Säntis 2000 is the ambitious project to renovate and expand the communication and tourist facilities on the highest peak of the Alpstein massif in eastern Switzerland.

At present, it is the highest building site in Europe. The project involves also the expansion of the restaurant and other public rooms, the widening of the northern and southern caverns, and the construction of a new antenna tower for Swiss Telecom.

Interesting construction site
Not only the special weather conditions but also the client's conditions exert considerable influence on the execution of the construction work. One of these is the stipulation that the cableway shall remain in operation throughout the period of construction. The safety of the tourists and their freedom of movement has top priority. This complicates the work procedures to some extent. For one thing, transportation logistics must be given considerable attention, since all of the materials and the people have to be transported by cableway. The use of helicopters is allowed only in special cases and requires the client's written permission. Also, the leftover building materials must be packaged in transportable units, brought to the valley, and correctly disposed of according to regulations.

Exacting criteria in choosing the piping material
The extreme weather conditions and the difficult accessibility defined the exacting criteria for choosing the drinking water installation system. The engineering firm of Jörg Alder in Herisau was assigned the job of planning the domestic installations for the Säntis 2000 project. Because the Säntis peak stands isolated in the Alpine foothills, the climatic conditions are very extreme comparable to conditions at over 3000 m in the high Alps. In order to be selfreliant, reservoirs of water for drinking and extinguishing fires are available, having a capacity of 500000 Iitres. The surface water is treated in a treatment plant to be used as drinking water or fresh spring water is brought to the summit by cableway from the alpine meadow of Schwägalp. Numerous considerations led to the selection of the drinking water system. The criteria were both diverse and demanding.

Durability test for the drinking water installation system INSTAFLEX

A corrosion-free system was necessary, not only because of rainwater treatment and the quality of such water, but also because of the danger of corrosion damage due to particles being washed in from the galvanized steel pipes, which have not been renovated.

The extreme weather conditions, with lowest temperatures around –30 ° C and wind speeds up to 200 km/h, made the problem of frost protection a major preoccupation. In January 1997 the frost resistance of the INSTAFLEX system was tested on the summit of the Säntis. Various test pieces were filled with water, put under a pressure of 5 bar,and exposed to the extreme weather conditions. This field test on the Säntis revealed beyond doubt that no negative effects would result for the safety of the piping system if an INSTAFLEX all-plastic polybutene (PB) installation froze. Another conclusion drawn from the test was that it made no difference whether the entire piping system froze or only a part of it. Also the outstanding resistance to cold of the polybutene plastic was demonstrated by the test. INSTAFLEX can be still be worked at temperatures as cold as –10 ° C. To guarantee a reliable supply of water to extinguish fires in this building complex where access is so difficult, all of the fire extinguishing water pipes were equipped with galvanized malleable iron fittings from Georg Fischer.

The voice of experience
Thomas Dörig, member of the engineering firm Jörg Alder and responsible for project planning,remarked on his experience with INSTAFLEX: All of the drinking water installations, from the manifold in the central station, to the all-plastic PB valves, to the last tapping point,were planned with the INSTAFLEX system and executed using a uniform jointing technology. With so many interlocking parts in the piping network, the working space was often a bit tight. Especially in the drinking water plant, with very little elbow room, the lNSTAFLEX system with all of its possibilities solved a lot of our problems. It's also worth mentioning that all of the ceiling pipes could be planned forevery dimension without compensators, flexible sections or expansion loops.

Albert Singer, from Sulzer Infra Ostschweiz AG, responsible for installation: For us it was the first big construction site with INSTAFLEX. But unlike all the imaginable adverse scenarios, the drinking water installation with INSTAFLEX came off without a hitch. With the technical support of the Georg Fischer sales representatives, the installation of INSTAFLEX was fast, simple and rational. The enormous flexibility,along with the low weight of the pipeline,made it possible to prefabricate long sections with the reliable z-dimension method. With the precise INSTAFLEX fusion machines,prefabricating pipeline sections of up to 30 m long was no problem,even in bigger dimensions – the measurements are precise down to the millimeter.The flexible and lightweight segments of pipeline were easy to transport and fairly straight forward to connect by automatic electrofusion even when lacking ideal space conditions. With fixed mounting, it was possible to install the many long INSTAFLEX segments without expansion loops and compensators, in a version that turned out to be amazingly simple. The correct installation with INSTAFLEX permitted a fastening distance of 1 .50 -2.00 m. Here the factor of the small expansion force of the PB material became important. The key to rapid installation with INSTAFLEX lies undoubtedly in correctly carrying out all thesteps of prefabrication. From our experience on the Säntis, we can confirm that even when ceiling pipes are involved, the installation with INSTAFLEX is not excessively time consuming.