A major refurbishment project being undertaken by Clegg Construction in partnership with the University of Nottingham has been shortlisted for an East Midlands Energy Efficiency Award.
The £10.2m scheme, which comprises the sustainable refurbishment of the University’s historic Florence Boot Hall building to provide students with accessible, comfortable and modern student accommodation, has been announced as a finalist in the Large-Scale Project of the Year category, which recognises schemes over £250,000 in value that will deliver considerable energy savings.
A raft of energy efficiency measures has been implemented to help improve the thermal and low carbon efficiency within the 1920s-constructed building via a fabric-first approach. These include air-source heat pumps to replace gas-fired systems, a Building Management System, upgrades to roof insulation, as well as LED lighting throughout.
In addition, over 380 new triple-glazed windows, (which are in keeping with the surrounding historical aesthetic) on the University Park campus, replace PVC units installed circa 20 years ago.
The project is targeted and forecast to achieve BREEAM ‘Very Good’, and has been overseen by Chris Jamison, senior site manager at Clegg Construction, who is a BREAAM-Accredited Person and whose extensive knowledge and experience delivering schemes to BREEAM standards has been instrumental in the delivery of the project.
In testament to the many energy-efficient technologies and measures installed throughout the building, its Energy Performance Asset Rating is forecast to increase significantly from E to B. It is estimated that the fabric-first approach to decarbonising the building equates to a reduction of 380 tonnes of CO2 per year. This aligns with the University of Nottingham’s carbon management plan (to be net zero by 2040 with an interim target for 2030), with Clegg’s own sustainability agenda, as well as the UK’s pledge to significantly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Throughout the duration of the project, which is due to complete in summer 2023 for the new intake of students, Clegg enjoyed a considerable degree of engagement with the local and wider community in a wide range of areas, including hiring a 16-year-old school leaver on a four-month placement as a trainee site manager, the use of local subcontractors and suppliers, as well as hosting visits from architecture, engineering and business management students, plus descendants of the Boot family.
The hall of residence was the first female hall at the University and was founded by businesswoman and philanthropist, Florence Boot, wife of Boots the Chemist founder Jesse Boot.
The scheme has also seen Clegg and the University of Nottingham closely working together to protect the natural environment through tree protection orders, the retention of existing hedges and planting, and the careful relocation and preservation of Pipistrelle and Whiskered bats.
Other members of the project team include Maber architects and Couch Perry Wilkes consultants.
Now in their tenth year, the Energy Efficiency Awards aim to provide public recognition for the excellent work the energy efficiency sector is doing in undertaking energy efficiency schemes that help cut carbon emissions and reduce fuel poverty, and to help encourage best practice within the energy industry as it works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They are held on a regional and national basis each year.
The awards ceremony will take place on the evening of Wednesday 3rd May at the Radisson Blu East Midlands Airport Hotel.
Simon Blackburn, managing director at Clegg Construction, said: “Clegg is pleased to be delivering this important project for the University of Nottingham. Florence Boot Hall marks the latest in a long line of high-quality schemes that Clegg has managed on behalf of the University during our partnership of over 20 years.”
Clegg Construction is a Midlands, East Anglia, and Yorkshire-based construction firm specialising in the delivery of public and private sector projects.
The company, which has its headquarters in Nottingham, works with organisations of all sizes and specialities across a range of different sectors.
For more information visit www.cleggconstruction.co.uk
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