When refurbishment work at the historic Waterhouse Building, Block C, required modern power and data distribution, preserving the character of the Grade II-listed former hospital was a key priority. Cable management products from Marshall-Tufflex provided a practical way to meet contemporary teaching and office requirements while respecting the building’s unique architectural heritage.

Originally designed by renowned Victorian architect Alfred Waterhouse as part of the Liverpool Royal Infirmary, the Waterhouse Building is now an important teaching facility within the University of Liverpool estate. Historic records confirm that Waterhouse consulted with Florence Nightingale during the design process, with her views on ventilation, daylight and ward planning influencing aspects of the hospital’s layout.

As part of ongoing refurbishment works, electrical contractor E P I Ashdale Engineering Services Limited was tasked with upgrading services across office and teaching spaces while working within the constraints of a sensitive heritage environment.

The project was supplied through Edmundson Electrical, Liverpool, with Sterling Curve and Aluminium Bench Trunking specified to provide effective cable management without compromising historic features. The refurbishment included a long training and study space that had originally served as a hospital ward. The room retains significant historic character, including its distinctive glazed tiled walls.

Initial plans considered reusing fixing positions from a previous trunking installation. However, it became clear that the existing holes did not align with the new installation requirements, meaning a conventional wall-mounted solution would require additional drilling into the historic tiled surfaces. Given the age and significance of the building, protecting these irreplaceable architectural features became a priority.

Adding to the building’s interest is its association with Florence Nightingale. During the development of the original Liverpool Royal Infirmary, Nightingale advocated design principles intended to improve hygiene and patient wellbeing, including maximising ventilation and reducing areas where dust could gather. Historical records confirm her involvement in influencing ward design and layout.

Sterling Curve PVC-U Dado Trunking

In selected office areas, Sterling Curve three-compartment dado trunking was installed to provide segregated routing for power and data services while delivering a clean, professional finish suitable for modern working environments. The curved lids of the product are designed to stop clutter, avoid dust traps and make cleaning easy, aligning closely with Florence Nightingale’s original design principles. Coloured accessory boxes were also used to comply with Approved Document M of the UK Building Regulations, helping provide a visual contrast against the white trunking to support accessibility for people with visual impairments.

Aluminium Bench Trunking

For the former hospital ward now used as a training and study space, Marshall-Tufflex Aluminium Bench Trunking offered the ideal alternative to wall-mounted containment. By adopting a floor-mounted bench trunking solution, the installation team avoided unnecessary disturbance to the historic glazed tiled walls. The system provided the required service distribution while helping preserve one of the room’s most distinctive original features.

The completed installation successfully balanced modern educational requirements with the demands of a historic refurbishment project and demonstrates how carefully selected cable management systems can support contemporary building use while respecting the heritage of landmark properties.