York St John University, Teaching space refurbishment

Framework: SCAPE Construction Framework

Client: York St John University

Location: York, North Yorkshire

Project Value: £2.8m

Completed: September 2022

“We really appreciated all of Kier’s hard work on bringing our Allied Health project to life. They delivered a high quality product and worked within very tight timescales to ensure the space was ready for students arriving in September.”

Susanna Cooper

Head of Estates Projects and Operation, York St John University

In just five months, the existing sports hall at York St John University was transformed into a modern two-storey teaching facility. The project involved creating a versatile learning environment equipped with multiple lecture theatres and hospital wards, all situated within the university's main campus on Lord Mayor's Walk, York.

Remarkably, the entire project was completed in just five months, ensuring that students could resume their courses in September. Delivered by Kier Construction using the SCAPE Construction Framework for York St. John University. This success was achieved through effective management, collaboration, and strict adherence to timelines.

The project started in April 2022 and focused on several key milestones, including preliminary strip-out activities, the development of a lightweight framing system, and both shell and interior finishing.

The project aimed to establish a flexible learning environment featuring various lecture theatres and hospital wards, all located within the university's main campus on Lord Mayor's Walk.

Kier engaged in daily communication with supply chain partners to guarantee that the project adhered to the specifications and budget while effectively managing the tight timeline.

The project was worked on an active site with restricted storage space, necessitating a careful and strategic approach to material ordering to ensure that resources were available when needed without causing congestion on-site.

Also, the schedule was tight, which put pressure on the project team to complete tasks efficiently while maintaining quality standards and adhering to the project timeline.

Ensuring effective collaboration among the client, supply chain partners, and both design and site teams posed a significant challenge. Clear communication and alignment on project objectives were essential to avoid misunderstandings and delays.

Working during the summer holiday months on a university campus required careful planning to minimise disruption to students and faculty. This included coordinating activities around exams and other campus events so students who were not going home for the summer were not disturbed.

Restricting deliveries to off-peak times, such as evenings and weekends, complicated logistics and required precise scheduling to maintain site productivity without impacting traffic flow on campus.

The need to complete waterproofing quickly to prevent the strong, unpleasant smell from affecting nearby staff and students required additional planning and execution during times to ensure health and safety on campus.

With limited customer interaction and the absence of a Resident Liaison Officer, the project team had to find alternative ways to communicate effectively and address stakeholder concerns throughout the construction process.

These challenges required innovative solutions and close collaboration among all parties involved to successfully deliver the project within the specified timeframe while minimising impact on the university staff and students.

Upon project completion, Kier and its supply chain partners successfully enhanced the site through detailed finishing touches, including painting, organising, and site clearance.

To uphold the highest quality standards, Kier collaborated closely with the client to establish a comprehensive quality management plan. These included:

Bi-weekly subcontractor meetings to ensure timely and budget-conscious project delivery.
Weekly review meetings with the client to maintain open lines of communication.
A continuously updated RAG (Red, Amber, Green) tracker to monitor and report on project progress regularly.

Kier ensured that the site team and project manager were readily available throughout the day, providing the client with real-time updates and maintaining quality oversight.

The project was delivered to an exceptional standard and completed within a tight timeframe of just five months, enabling students to return to their courses by September, ready for the new academic year.