Asset 4 Joseph Black Chemistry Building

Education

Joseph Black Chemistry Building

Value

circa £11M

Architect

Campbell & Arnott

Contractor

Various

Procurement

Traditional

Client

The University of Edinburgh

Our Role

KLM were appointed as Cost Consultants / Quantity Surveyors / Risk & Value Managers

Key Aspect

The existing Joseph Black Chemistry Building involved Research and Teaching Laboratories which were badly out of date and Health and Safety Regulations threatened their continued use.   They also needed to attract top quality researchers and students in order to improve their scientific standing and income.   Development land on the existing site was scarce and yet there was a requirement to increase capacity and allow for future expansion.   Option studies were carried out in order to establish the best value option to achieve these objectives including new build v refurbish and alter extend existing laboratories.   Planning aspects included Listed Building Consent for the alterations to the Grade C Listed Chemistry Building, landscaping and tree preservation and height restrictions on the new building which housed 119 fume cupboards.   In all our University Projects the increased importance of providing good quality meeting space for scientists, researchers, professors and students alike to encourage scientific interaction has been incorporated.   This is particularly true of the Institute of Cell and Molecular Biology (Swann Building) and the James Clerk Maxwell Building Extension (Centre of Science at Extreme Conditions) where a top quality Lecture Theatre (ICMB) Lounge, Seminar and Video Conferencing Rooms have been provided.   The highly serviced laboratory areas have adjoining offices, wiring rooms and instrument rooms.

All of the buildings house sensitive and expensive equipment including NMR's, Mass Spectrometers and Electron Microscopes etc., some requiring controlled temperature rooms where the slightest change in temperature can ruin an experiment.   This experience provided the best value option within an existing restricted site, taking into consideration planning requirements, ground conditions, existing services and new infrastructure works and landscaping.

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