Kingston University

Live site

The Kingston University project has received a gold award from the Considerate Constructors Scheme, placing the project in the top 2% of all construction sites nationally

Update - Week 83

• Installation of blinds commenced
• Carpet complete to 4th floors 
  West stair case installed 
• All seating for lecture theatre installed
• Atrium roof lights completed    

Update - Week 79

• Completed laying roof finishes to the canopies
• Completed fibre C cladding to the external DDA lift
• Disabled lift to lecture theatre installed 
• Installation of sanitaryware to toilets complete  

Update - Week 75

• Sample room complete
• Trench Heaters installed
• Commencement of laying floor finishes

Update - Week 71

• Atrium scaffold struck
• External goods hoist removed
• Internal lift commissioned and used as an internal goods hoist

Update - Week 63

• Curtain walling to all elevations is on going.
• Glazing is being installed throughout the building.
• A canopy to the south of the building is being constructed.
• Internal wall partitions are well under way on Ground, 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors, with tape and jointing being carried out on the these floors.
• Roof waterproofing works underway.
• Sedum growing medium for the green roof is being applied to roof covering.
• M&E installations on going to all floors.
• The substation has had cedar cladding installed.
• Cable pulling has begun throughout the 1st and 2nd floor .
• Brickwork is approaching completion.

Update - Week 59  

• Curtain walling to all elevations has commenced and is on going
• All 250m deep Boreholes are completed for Ground Source Heat Pump.
• The building has now been completely monoflexed
• The north link bridge has been installed
• Internal wall partitions are well under way on Ground, 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors, with tape and jointing being carried out on the ground floor.
• The roof sheeting is currently being installed 
• Modular M&E installation has been completed with traditional M&E installations on going to all floors
• Cable pulling has begun throughout the ground floor
• Lift pit to external retaining wall has been completed
• The tower crane has been removed from site and replaced with a hoist
• Block work to internal stair cores and risers is nearing completion

UPDATE - Week 50

• The RC frame is now complete
• 23 out of the 25 Boreholes are completed for Ground Source Heat Pump.
• Scaffold is now around 80% completed with most of the building monoflexed
• Internal wall partitions are well under way on Ground, 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors.
• The steel roof structure is under construction
• Cross connection works to the Ground Source Heat Pump have begun.
• Brickwork has commenced and is on going on all external elevations and in the internal atrium.
• Modular M&E installation has commenced to Ground and 1st floors
• External retaining wall is now 30% complete
• Blockwork to internal stair cores and risers is on going

UPDATE - Week 43

The project reached a significant milestone this week as the University along with our site team held a successful topping out ceremony.  Attended by James Wates - Deputy Chairman of Wates Group, Dr David Mackintosh -Vice Chancellor of the University and other Wates and University representatives, the project is still poised for completion in October 2011.

UPDATE - Week 39

We received an outstanding 38.5 out of 40 on our latest Considerate Constructors visit.  

The CCS Monitor quoted: "I was not disappointed on my second visit – an Exemplar site. Construction at the highest level. Range of initiatives that I have not seen on any other sites. This site raises the bar of contracting to a new level. Congratulations to all involved – an outstanding score."

UPDATE - Week 35 

• RC frame - floors 1 and 2 completed and 60% of 3rd
• 8 out of the 25 Boreholes completed for Ground Source Heat Pump
• Scaffolding commences 2nd week in November with Cladding starting the week after
• Internal works to commence 15th November

21st October saw the official launch of the Nature Trail at Kingston University.  Our team have created the trail outside of the core works on site, demonstrating a key engagement with the University and the community of Kingston.

The path has been created in natural woodland that surrounds the site and our team engaged closely with the sustainability team from the University to ensure we met their needs.

Along the path, there are sign posts outlining the various environmental and sustainable features in the area and at the end of the path is an outdoor learning space.  The whole area will be used by students and staff to learn conservation skills as part of their teacher training, and will also be open to local school children to come and take part in outdoor lessons and to learn about their environment.

The University have been extremely grateful to Wates for providing this as it something they have wanted and talked about having for a long time but have not had the resources or finance to do it.  This makes it is very satisfying for the Wates team to have been able to provide something so worthwhile for our client.

UPDATE - Week 30 

• RC frame first floor now 95% complete, 2nd floor commencing.
• Sub station sub structure completed and brickwork commenced 27th September.
• Closed loop GHSP system borehole number 1 has been completed to 250metres .
• Nature trail opening date confirmed by client as 21st October.

UPDATE - Week 25

• The RC frame commenced on the 9th August, and we are now forming the post tension RC floors
• The substation area substructure works have also commenced.
• Nature walk created by Wates has also now been completed.
• Updated week 25 progress shots above

Project Description

Wates began work on the new £17m Law and Business faculty building for Kingston University in March 2009 and the 80 week development is due to be completed in November  2011.

This will result in a new 7500m2 state of art teaching block constructed  with the ability to house over 1000 students.

The building is a 5 storey concrete framed structure that will incorporate several sustainable features such as Ground Source Heat Pump and Rain Water Recycling/Harvesting. The rest of the campus will remain open and “live” during the construction of this project.

  Client and Public Engagement

• Our team at Kingston have taken a proactive approach to engaging with the client and have created a conservation nature trail in the unused woodland within the University grounds.  The 150m trail will be used for teaching on sustainability and nature, and there will be an outside classroom area to add to the unique experience. 
• We produce a regular newsletter for the University engaging them with the project and outlining the reasons why we're here. 

• The site team will be taking on a number of trade apprentices, as well as offering work placements and Sustainability technical training courses to the University students. 

• We have a feedback system, enabling the public to raise their concerns and compliments, of which we address immediately. 

• Our team are in the process of arranging free DIY workshop sessions with some of our highly trained sub-contractors.  Available to the local community, these will be free of charge.

Value: £17.62m

Duration: March 2010-October 2011

To download a copy of the latest CCS Report click here

To download a copy of the Construction Programme click here

Categories: new build, universities, people, london & south east

Tags: Kingston University, live site, Sustainability