Project update: Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham
We’re coming to the end of our two-year 10,000 window replacement programme as part of a major energy efficiency upgrade at Nottingham’s Queen’s Medical Centre. So, what are the learning points for commercial refurbishment schemes?
“We had one frame that didn’t fit. That was in July this year [2024]. That’s after almost two-years of installation and almost 10,000 frames fitted”, says Paul Stevens, Managing Director, Acorn Aluminium.
He continues: “It goes to show that on refurbishment projects there are always little things that can still trip you up, even in the last phases of delivery.
“The fix was straignthforward but it highlights the importance of surveying and understanding the make-up of the building and what you’re actually dealing with. Even if things appear uniform they can sometimes not be.”
The Queens Medical Centre is part of the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, one of the biggest and business acute trusts in England, Employing more than 14,500 people.
The site in Derby Road opened in 1977 and has more than 13000 beds. It’s also home to the University of Nottingham Medical and Nursing Schools.
The window replacement programme is being delivered as part of a 15-year agreement between Nottingham University Hospital Trust and energy giant EOn.
It aims to cut carbon emissions and deliver energy savings of in excess of £2.8million a year by moving to low energy technologies, renewables and improving the thermal efficiency of buildings.
As well as office, administrative and public spaces, this has included the replacement of pre-existing glazing to working wards.
“If we can deliver a project at this scale in a working and fully operational hospital and trauma centre, then I like to think we can deliver pretty much any refurbishment project”, continues Paul.
“We’ve had 15-guys on the installation job, and they’ve been exceptional. Every day has been a handover day, ripping out windows in the morning and making sure that new ones are fitted the same day.
“The commitment and care that they have shown has been fantastic.
“The same goes for the factory. We’ve manufactured more than 10,000 frames. Got them to site and got them fitted. It’s a credit to the whole team.”
Acorn was appointed to the project by main contractor Willmott Dixon following a series of successful projects including Birmingham’s high profile Perry Barr Regeneration scheme.
Appointed on a design, manufacture and installation basis to replace windows and doors cross the site. This includes replacing 2m tall single glazed ribbon windows, which wrap around each floor of each of the four main blocks, with ultra-energy efficient replacements.
“It’s about building up that 3D knowledge of the installation process from start to finish”.
The figures immediately communicate the scale of the project. More than 10,000 windows. Almost 1,000 bays, and representing 18,000m2 of windows and doors – delivered over two-years with daily handovers in a fully operational acute and emergency care hospital.
Windows supplied into QMC were manufactured by us in the SPW600 System from Senior Architectural systems, achieving a u-value of around 1.3w/m2K.
“Refurbishment is increasingly important”, continues Paul, “The opportunities are significant but given that you’re working with pre-existing structures not without risk.
“It comes back to have the right teams on board to carry out that installation work and understanding how a building is likely to behave, so you don’t get any surprises.
“That’s down to the survey. Investing in test installations so you know if there’s a hidden challenge, if you have asbestos, is there an internal lip that could make installation difficult.
“It’s about building up that 3D knowledge of the installation process from start to finish”.
Acorn Aluminium fitting teams have gone through the Construction Skills Certification Scheme and carry CSCS cards while our team of supervisors are also Site Supervision Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) accredited.
“The new government is putting a lot of focus on house budling, redesignation of the green belt as grey belt”, says Paul. “Part of the solution to the housing crisis is also there already – those pre-existing office and commercial spaces, which post-Covid aren’t needed by business and which have the potential to be part of the solution.
“This is especially true in specialist sectors like PBSA, where there are wider benfits to central locations.
“The important thing is to redevelop those buildings sensitively, to a high standard but also cost-effectively.
“Understanding building make up, even at the pre-contract phase is exceptionally important in bringing those programmes across the line on time and to budget.”
Project Summary
- 18,000m2 window and door replacement programme
- End client: Nottingham Universities Hospital Trust
- Multi-million pound window replacement programme scheduled completion March 2024
- Commercial partners: E.ON; Willmott Dixon.
- System: Senior Architectural systems’ SPW600 system
- Glass: Saint Gobain
- U-values of 1.3W/m2K
For more about Acorn Aluminium please call 0115 928 2166, email [email protected] or visit www.acornalumnium.com