PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Refurbishment, re-decoration and joinery improvements to student social spaces at the University of Edinburgh.

By carefully planning access routes and enforcing safe working practices, the extensive down takings and removal of existing materials were carried out smoothly, without causing disruption, noise, or dust—this was important due to the university being a live environment. 

Following the removal of all floor coverings, lighting, and ceilings, the works included installing new partitions to accommodate a double door opening and decorative timber slatted features, upgraded lighting throughout, installation of new LVT and carpet finishes, new kitchen, full redecoration, and the fitting of acoustic baffles within LG12.

KEY CHALLENGES

A key challenge was carrying out the works within a live university environment. This required careful planning and coordination to ensure minimal disruption to staff and students, with strict control measures in place to manage noise, dust, and access.

To ensure the safety of all staff and students, daily communication between the project team and universities safety officer was important to ensure the project ran smoothly and efficiently. Equally important was the careful scheduling of deliveries to avoid traffic or busy university hours. Waste was removed from site between 7:00am and 8:30am to ensure there was no disruption to the university’s timetable.

ADDED VALUE

We worked closely with the Design Team and the client to keep the project on programme, while also staying in regular contact with end users to minimise disruption and keep things running smoothly. Our experience of working in live environments really helped, as we were able to plan the works carefully, keep communication clear, and put the right measures in place. This meant the project was delivered without issues and with full consideration of the university’s day-to-day activities. Even when services had to be relocated near the end of the job, this was managed quickly to avoid any delays to completion.