Grundfos pumps keep the French National Assembly dry

The Situation
The history of the French National Assembly is a colourful one, spanning more than two centuries of French democracy in various forms. The National Assembly resides in grand style in the Palais Bourbon in Paris. Construction of the Palais Bourbon began in 1722, and the impressive building was completed in 1728.

Major work was carried out on the building during the 19th century, while more recent efforts have focused on adapting the palace to suit the needs of a modern administration organisation. These involve safety measures to protect the building against water from the Seine.

The Grundfos Solution
The old structure is connected to a new building from 1974 via an underground passage, and five levels of underground car park areas and technical facilities have been constructed under the courtyard. This means that large parts of the building complex are located below ground, placing them at risk of flooding and water seeping in from the river Seine, which runs right in front of the building’s main entrance.

Grundfos helps to keep the palace healthy and dry by preventing water from seeping in at the deepest levels of the building. Grundfos drainage pumps are located in every corner of basement level five; in fact one of them is placed at the bottom of the ministers’ lift.

The Pumps’ ability to combine maximum performance, reliability and compactness makes them excellently suited for this prestigious building where all technical installations must be hidden from view and work with complete efficiency at all times to preserve the grandeur of the surroundings.

The pump installations include automatic level control and/or alarms to ensure maximum safety and efficiency. Designed with complete flexibility in mind, the drainage pumps used here have been permanently installed. The AP pumps are installed by means of auto coupling, and the DW contractor pumps – often used as mobile pumps at building sites, etc. – are installed in narrow spaces inside the building, hiding them from view while they keep the complex dry.

The Outcome
The pumps supplied have performed admirably. Says M. Patin, technical manager at the Palais Bourbon: “We are very satisfied with the pumps and service we have received from Grundfos. The palace is very well protected against water from outside. Also, the Grundfos representative has been attuned to the way we work and helped us in a most efficient manner.”