Prefabricated Drainage Systems: Precision Manufactured Offsite by Skilled MEP Professionals

Managing rainwater drainage is a challenge uniting generations of builders, from the first public projects of the Irish Free State through to Irish companies using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) today. Experts in plumbing system engineering have long been key to keeping Irish buildings dry. However, the irony is, until the advent of MMC, the only way to build and fit these drainage systems was to do so at the mercy of Ireland’s wet climate. 

Now, drainage systems can be prefabricated offsite in controlled factory conditions by MEP professionals that don’t require a full plumbing trade. Potentially complex piping solutions that may take weeks to build and install onsite can instead be manufactured offsite while other work is ongoing, without the risk of weather-related project delays. 

Drainage systems precision engineered in safer, controllable working conditions, with less impact to the build site, by a larger range of potential MEP professionals than otherwise possible? Typical of the benefits available to building companies when embracing MMC. 

Capcon Engineering is a specialist Irish firm designing and manufacturing innovative rainwater systems designed to protect structures from extreme weather conditions. The company provides an end-to-end rainwater drainage solution, including in-house design, prefabrication, installation, certification, and maintenance for large-scale construction. With more than 15 years in business, the team of 50+ designers and engineers operating from Co. Kildare have, to date, designed and installed 1,000,000m of pipework. This is on 700+ MEP projects across Ireland, the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. 

Robert expanded on these points further, sharing some very impressive outcomes.

Every drainage solution developed by Capcon, no matter the scale of the project or its intended use, can be broken down into 6m lengths of pipework, with each individual component connected “like a jigsaw”, according to Robert. These 6m sections are manufactured in Capcon’s offsite manufacturing facility in Co. Kildare. This process begins with a 5m section of pipe supplied externally. Capcon’s design engineers augment this product to the custom requirements of the project at hand. The pipe fabrication team in the facility then fabricates this designed component into a finished 6m piece of pipework.  

Currently, Capcon has two pipe fabricators in its Co. Kildare facility. Tommy Killalea joined Capcon three years ago with no background in construction or manufacturing and was trained by the Head of Fabrication directly. In his training, Tommy learned how to weld, fabricate Capcon’s pipework system, and interpret technical designs. In just a few months Tommy became adept in the Capcon prefabrication system, learning skills in assembling structures and components that could take traditional metal fabricators much longer. 

Evan Smith is Capcon’s other pipe fabricator, and he too came from outside the industry. Around a year ago Evan was working in a builder’s supply store in Lucan, Co. Dublin. Then, a relative managed to land him a job working onsite in Limerick City for Capcon. 

After a few months, Evan was given the option to switch to the off-site manufacturing facility, and he hasn’t looked back since. Evan’s training programme also covered using automated precision welders and cutters, and interpreting technical drawings – and, like Tommy, Evan has taken to the pros of working in a fixed location made possible with MMC.  

Evan and Tommy are key parts of Capcon’s embrace of offsite prefabrication as the engineering firm aims to move the dial on assembling and installing MEP systems. 

Capcon’s most recent success is contributing to the development of multinational healthcare company Dexcom’s new 65-acre campus in Athenry. Co. Galway. The scale of the project, combined with the volume of activity onsite from a range of contractors, placed significant pressure on how drainage could be engineered and installed. 

With the significant roof size of the main building, the rainwater system needed to be integrated without disrupting other works in progress. Capcon was appointed to design and deliver a solution that could perform reliably in this environment while fitting into a development that was evolving rapidly and supporting smooth project coordination. 

Capcon designed, prefabricated, and installed a hybrid roof drainage system, along with underground drainage. This solution included 1,103m of siphonic pipework and 1,253m of gravity pipework. This system was chosen because siphonic drainage provides high-flow efficiency without gradient, ideal for industrial roof plates. The gravity system, meanwhile, acted as a secondary, independent safety pathway. The hybrid approach aligned with architectural expectations while avoiding intrusive structural or ceiling void impacts. 

With more than 1,000 operatives on the Dexcom site at its peak of operation, Capcon’s scope of works required tight sequencing and continuous coordination with partners. The company’s end-to-end model—starting with detailed routing and clash avoidance; on to prefabrication of the drainage system; to installation sequenced around multiple trades and following strict protocols; and then to final system testing—was critical to success. 

Dexcom represents everything beneficial about prefabricating MEP systems offsite. Precision engineering in a controlled environment. Reduced material waste, improved installation speed, and enhanced safety. Work undertaken away from the bustle of the site for proper sequencing of works and better quality-testing. It’s no wonder, in the final word, that Robert has eyes on a big future for the company’s offsite manufacturing facility.