BAM Construction is to refurbish the 10-storey Calverley Building for Leeds Metropolitan University. The contractor, which has offices in the Yorkshire city, will modernise the 1970s teaching block. Works under the £6.3 million contract will include replacing windows; cleaning the concrete façade; upgrading plant and services; and creating a more open-plan learning environment.
BAM will carry out the work three floors at a time, while the others floors are in use. Users of the finished building include the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences, pool teaching and administration. The contractor will use muffling equipment and has developed a noise charter to ensure its works cause minimal disruption to users elsewhere in the building. Two senior members of BAM on the project have associations with Leeds Metropolitan University. Senior site manager Luke Milner and site manager Ryan Geldard have both undertaken BAM-sponsored construction management degrees at the institution. BAM construction director John Phillips said: ‘We look forward to this challenging but rewarding scheme to improve facilities for staff and students at Leeds Metropolitan University.
‘It is particularly pleasing for Luke and Ryan to be able to work on a project to benefit the university at which they gained their skills. They can’t wait to get stuck in.’
Sue Holmes, director of estates at Leeds Metropolitan University, said: ‘We are delighted to be working with BAM again after our successful partnership on the Rose Bowl and Carnegie Pavilion.
‘This technically challenging project takes a building that is almost 50 years old and will give it a new life for a further 40 years. It’s very rewarding to have our graduates working with us on this project too, as well as our first experience of using BIM on a project.’ The scheme is set to start on site on 17 June 2013, with completion scheduled for 29 October 2014.
DTZ are providing project management and lead design services, with mechanical, electrical and structural engineering being undertaken by Arup. BAM plant will be providing small plant and undertaking lighting and small power throughout the scheme. BAM previously built the university’s Rose Bowl business school as well as the Carnegie Pavilion at Headingly Test cricket ground, which hosts the university’s school of tourism and hospitality. Elsewhere in the City, it recently handed over the spectacular Leeds Arena.
Notes for editors:
Leeds Metropolitan University has over 27,000 students and around 2,800 staff.
The Vice Chancellor of Leeds Metropolitan University is Professor Susan Price, the Chancellor is Sir Bob Murray and the Chair of the Board is Lord Woolmer of Leeds.
Leeds Metropolitan’s four faculties are: Arts, Environment and Technology, Business & Law, Health and Social Sciences, and Carnegie.
The Destination of Leavers in Higher Education (DLHE) showed that the proportion of Leeds Metropolitan 2010/11 graduates in work, further study or both six months after leaving university was 91.87%.
Libraries and Learning Innovation at Leeds Metropolitan was awarded the CSE standard for the 11th year running in 2013.
In 2012, Leeds Metropolitan was awarded a ‘First’ in the People & Planet Green League, a league table of environmentally friendly universities, for the sixth consecutive year.
