WHY PARTNERSHIP PAYS DIVIDENDS FOR CAMPUS M&E SERVICE PROVISION
Mike Turton, of Weatherite Building Services discusses how single source partnering can increase efficiency AND save money.
Choosing the right building services provider for your university is one of the most important decisions any Facilities or Estates Directors/Managers can make. In these times of ever increasing legislation, plus the demands of today's 'technology rich' multiple campus requirements, controlling contractors working on diverse sites, undertaking evermore complex project's, is a significant challenge. Often, difficulties can arise where a project involves a number of different contractors; especially where demarcation lines and responsibilities are difficult to define. Allocating work to the right contractor is something many estates managers will be only too aware of when problems occur and resolutions must be found.
So it's hardly surprising that customer feedback given to Weatherite Building Services, from a range of university clients, has revealed that taking a 'piece meal' approach to M&E services is not always the most effective solution, either from a 'best value' or efficiency position. Often adopting a 'single source responsibility' approach brings significant benefits - both in financial terms and in the efficient provision of facilities management capabilities.
Weatherite Building Services (WBS) has provided building services and facilities management solutions to a growing number of Universities for over 25 years. The scale and scope of projects that Weatherite carries out illustrates the benefits that single source partnerships can offer the higher education sector.
Project management
For over five years, Weatherite has managed the ongoing development programme at Aston University. When the main campus building was refurbished to accommodate an 100 students and staff - who were being moved from an adjacent older building - the company provided a single source responsibility for the whole re-development, including project management, design, installation and commissioning for all the air-conditioning, ventilation and fire protection equipment, plus water and control systems. Weatherite's scope of works for the university also involved managing major campus building services projects including all the M&E works, building fabric repairs and external/grounds works.
Main contractor
The refurbishment of their new 'Café Tierra' is another prime example of Weatherite's ability to manage projects on a main contractor basis. The cafe was converted from an area previously used as a reception and offices, creating an exciting new restaurant/cafeteria facility for students and staff.
Work included the supply and installation of a temperature controlled ventilation system to the kitchen food preparation and cooking areas, bar section, buffet areas, dishwasher facilities, cafeteria and restaurant. Weatherite also completed essential services including the radiator heating system and new gas, water (legionella compliance) and drainage pipe work.
"We were awarded the Café Tierra contract due to our ability to deliver the complete project from start to finish," says Mike Turton, of Weatherite. "Another important factor was the delivery of the completed facility within a very tight time frame, whilst ensuring there would be minimal disruption to university life and student activities throughout the operation."
Heating and cooling
It's essential that students and staff have comfortable conditions for work and study. However, heating and climate control systems also need to be energy efficient to help control spiralling energy costs and ever increasing CO2 emissions – an area that is fast becoming a major issue across the whole education environment.
Weatherite has provided a range of new and refurbished radiator based heating systems and installed air conditioning and ventilation systems for many of their university clients, across a wide range of campus installations. Additionally, they have provided complete 'turnkey' solutions for specialist campus facilities – such as medicines training area – where the clients objective to improve their environmental credentials was achieved by the installation of a heat recovery ventilation system combined with a VRF cooling system.
Kitchen ventilation
Safe and effective kitchen ventilation is a legal requirement in all commercial catering facilities including universities. Without it, kitchens can become a major fire and health hazard. Effective ventilation can also make huge differences to energy consumption and the well-being of kitchen staff and students alike. Many education facilities use Weatherite to design, supply and install kitchen ventilation systems to ensure they comply with current legislation, health & Safety requirements and standards.
M& E services
Weatherite's mechanical and electrical services capability has also paid dividends for a number of universities.
The company's M & E services can cover all aspects of equipment installation, from initial survey work, design specification, supply, installation and full testing, through to final sign off. Services include BMS, electrical installation, pipe work systems for water, gas, compressed air and refrigerant, lighting systems, security systems and self contained packaged energy centres.
IT Server/Comms Rooms
With data storage volumes and energy costs rising rapidly, the need for efficient, sustainable data centre/IT server room cooling has never been greater. Weatherite has incorporated precision cooling solutions at a number of universities including Aston and Reading, ensuring that temperatures are kept at the optimum cooling level whilst providing the most energy efficient solution.
Legionella Control
Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations, owners and operators of all commercial premises, including universities, have a statutory duty to control the risk of legionella bacteria in water systems.
Weatherite has provided a complete investigative service to identify possible problems in water and heating/cooling systems for many years. The service identifies and removes/replaces potential issues swiftly to make sure that any hazardous infrastructure can be bought back into usage with the minimum amount of risk to health or disruption.
Partnering Approach
"Universities have their own unique set of challenges and requirements. Before any work starts, we always fully discuss the specific project in hand before undertaking a comprehensive site survey and proposing the most effective course of action whilst also making clear the costs involved and the completion date.
"When working with a university, it's important to understand the need to operate safely and efficiently – often at times outside normal university hours. That's what makes WBS more of a partner than just a solution provider," says Mike Turton of Weatherite.
Mike Turton is Managing Director of Weatherite Building Services, the specialist M&E services provider and part of the Weatherite Group, one of the UK's leading manufacturers and providers of heating, ventilating and air conditioning equipment. For more information please visit www.weatherite-building-services.com