Innovative | Sustainable | CollaborativeOptimised Construction Solutions
Project name: Wirral Met College, STEM Centre Refurbishment
Location: Merseyside
Contract: JCT Design and Build
Value: £980,000
Duration: 15 weeks
Summary:
Refurbishment design and build contract for Wirral Met College’s STEM Centre at the Twelve Quays campus to BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating. The project brings together every aspect of engineering design and development in a modern learning environment.
EFFECTIVE SAFEGUARDING – By engaging with the building occupiers through effective communications and segregation strategies, Read ensure minimal disruption during works within live environments. During the STEM refurbishment all staff were given safeguarding training and extended induction to ensure compliance. An Ofsted audit during the works found “”no areas for concern with regard to the construction operations””.
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN – This Design and Build refurbishment project to BREEAM Very Good standard involved three phases and eight work zones, transforming the existing building envelope into a modern 21st century teaching environment. By reusing existing fittings & furniture and incorporating energy saving, low carbon technologies and materials, the design and delivery of the project focused on best value from a sustainable and total cost perspective.
COLLABORATIVE & CONSISTENT – Read’s approach is to begin with the end in mind. Construction delivery teams are engaged through the tender process to ensure that a fully developed set of contractor proposals are realistic and deliverable. By engaging the delivery team early in the process, a consistent approach to the project is seamlessly extended from tender through to completion and occupation.
The college recently undertook a LEP funded project, to develop a new STEM centre, concentrating on Engineering, Computing, Robotics and Graphic Design. The project was managed by Turner Townsend on our behalf, and Read Construction were the successful company, following the tender process.
The project was awarded to Read, not only on cost, but more importantly on the resources they deployed to research the actual project and provide a very clear direction of travel.
I felt from the outset, that they had an excellent team of staff on board, and worked in partnership with good reliable sub-contractors. Another bonus point with Reads is that they also employ some of the workmen themselves, and are not therefore reliant on just sub-contractors, which provides them with greater flexibility in responding to any issues or changes.
During the actual construction phase, they managed to work around live curriculum areas, and change their schedules, to allow teaching and learning to continue. Read also ensured that all of their staff and their sub-contractors, received the appropriate safeguarding training and inductions, to ensure that we remained compliant with Ofsted requirements. Ofsted actually inspected the college during the refurbishment period, and found no areas of concern with regards to the operation.
The work undertaken on this project, involved the transformation of existing structures, which had previously been used for construction workshops, and created modern 21st century teaching environments, in keeping with a STEM facility.
I also found Read to be very accommodating with regards to any changes, which we discussed at our weekly meetings, and agreed with very little concerns or costs.
Based on my experiences of working with a lot of the other larger construction companies over the years, I found Read Construction to be a “breath of fresh air”, and have no hesitation in recommending them for similar projects.
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