Balfour Beatty’s UK and Ireland construction business has announced the award of a £42 million contract to redevelop the Faculty of Art, Design and Humanities at De Montfort University in Leicester.
The project will include the refurbishment of a 12-storey teaching block, the construction of a new six-storey building, the conversion of a two-storey building and all associated mechanical and electrical work, creating 27,700m2 of new teaching and support office space.
Balfour Beatty is deploying innovative computer-aided Building Information Modelling tools (BIM) in the design and build of the project with early application already facilitating a substantial reduction in the scheme’s cost through design review.
The buildings are designed to attain BREEAM ‘Excellent’ standard, the industry’s leading measure of sustainability in buildings. Balfour Beatty is committed to supporting the local economy and will engage local small businesses, apprentices and labour on the project, whilst offering a number of work experience placements for students in project management, architecture and interior design.
Jon Adams, Northern Managing Director for Balfour Beatty Major Projects, said: “Balfour Beatty has extensive experience in delivering university buildings of all types and we are looking forward to bringing a high-quality finish and a sustainable approach to this project.
“We have a track record of delivering work for De Montfort University dating back over ten years, having previously refurbished the Hawthorn Building and constructed the centre-piece Campus Centre building in 2003, and we are looking forward delivering another part of the University’s ambitious transformation programme.”
Balfour Beatty is also engaged on other nearby university projects in Sheffield and Birmingham.
Enabling works are commencing this month, with the project due for completion in September 2016.