MEP Refurbishment across four Newcastle College Campuses

Refurbishment works were carried out across four live campuses including, Newcastle, Carlisle, West Lancashire, and Kidderminster which required logistical coordination and minimising disruption to daily college operations was essential. 

The team worked within a tight 28-week programme, all while adhering to strict Covid-19 safety protocols. Upgrading complex MEP systems, including LV switchboards, CCTV, chillers, boilers and BMS, within occupied buildings added further technical challenges. Other significant elements of the works including the introduction of automated turn styles for student safety, modification of wc areas and upgrading of the smoke ventilation system.

Early-stage collaboration with stakeholders was crucial to ensure all design solutions remained aligned with pre-agreed budgets, requiring agile project management and value engineering throughout.

Robertson applied strong value engineering across the project to reduce costs and time, while enhancing quality and efficiency. Standardising MEP components across campuses allowed bulk procurement and faster installation. LED lighting and efficient system layouts reduced long-term maintenance and energy costs. The reuse of existing infrastructure where possible also helped minimise disruption during the development process.

Sustainability was a core component embedded into both the overall design and delivery of the project. Measures included the installation of energy-efficient LED lighting, upgraded BMS for smarter energy management, and replacement of aging boilers and chillers with more efficient models to reduce carbon output. This led to an overall more energy efficient and sustainable build.