Knowle relocation project ... and 'asset renovation'

There have been innumerable pieces on how the District Council could save considerably by renovating its current headquarters - rather than building new offices.

This piece from the LGA posted last month has come to the fore, thanks to research from the East Devon Alliance: 

Asset renovation

22 May 2014

In these tough financial times, why build new schools, council offices and other public buildings when you can renovate existing ones at a lower cost?

Scape, a national company based in Nottingham and owned by six local authorities, aims to bring economy and efficiency to the whole building process – including for new buildings and refurbishment projects – and it achieves this through the development of standard designs and strategic procurement arrangements.

It has developed a new initiative, called Renovate, to tackle the ever greater need for well designed, visually appealing and functional buildings delivered to very tight budgets.

Rather than brand new buildings, Renovate injects new life into tired and old building stock (pictured). This approach is much more cost-effective than new schemes and can be delivered across the public sector, including to schools, colleges, universities, housing, NHS, care homes, emergency services, civic buildings, leisure facilities, libraries and more.

Renovate boosts the value and income of property, creates buildings which are inspiring and visually appealing inside and out, and transforms property so it is affordable to run and operate.

Through Renovate, problems such as unusable and unlettable buildings, maintenance issues, high running costs, unpleasant working environments and health and safety challenges are all tackled. Unfit buildings can be transformed either for their current purpose or a new use.

Prolonged austerity measures are continuing to hurt public sector bodies as their resources continue to diminish. Core services take precedence and for many this means that new projects have to wait or are completely unworkable for the foreseeable future.

Renovate provides a solution to this problem by transforming ‘system build' properties. It is ideal for the thousands of properties of this type in the UK that have not weathered well and are expensive to maintain and run.

Mark Robinson is Group Chief Executive at Scape, see www.scapebuild.co.uk

Opinion | Local Government Association
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Scape launches Renovation

AN EXCITING new product to transform existing public sector buildings so they are high quality, attractive and efficient – but delivered at a lower cost than new build projects – is being launched by Scape.

Renovate is the latest initiative from Scape – the public sector design, procurement and transformation specialists.  It will be launched on 30 April at the Academies Show in London and will tackle the ever greater client need for well designed, visually appealing and functional buildings delivered to very tight budgets.

Rather than brand new buildings, Renovate injects new life into tired and old building stock.  This approach is much more cost-effective than new schemes and can be delivered across the public sector including to schools, colleges, universities, housing, NHS, care homes, blue light, civic buildings, MoD, leisure facilities, libraries and more.

Mark Robinson, group chief executive at Scape, said: “Renovate boosts the value and income of property, creates buildings which are inspiring and visually appealing inside and out and transforms property so it is affordable to run and operate.

“Through Renovate, problems such as unusable and unlettable buildings, maintenance issues, high running costs, unpleasant working environments and health and safety challenges are all tackled.  Unfit buildings can be transformed either for their current purpose or a new use.

“Prolonged austerity measures are continuing to hurt public sector bodies as their resources continue to diminish,” Mark continued.

“Core services take precedence and for many this means that new projects have to wait or are completely unworkable for the foreseeable future. Renovate provides a solution to this problem.”

Renovate transforms system build properties.  It is ideal for the thousands of properties of this type in the UK that have not weathered well and are expensive to maintain and run.

Scape has a unique level of knowledge of system build properties, particularly in relation to CLASP but also in relation to Scola, Seac, Mace and Hills building systems.

Renovate has six services clients can choose from, or they can select the whole suite.

These include:

Renovate Diagnosis – Buildings are reviewed and audited and innovative solutions recommended.

Renovate Design – Architectural expertise backed by unique system build knowledge.  There are numerous design services including landscape and interior design.

Renovate Cladding – Building fabric is renewed to transform its appearance and energy use.

Renovate Interiors – Reconfigure space to breathe new life into buildings.

Renovate Services – Replace servicing systems, for example the provision of heating or lighting, to improve performance and efficiency.

Renovate Delivery – Ensuring that buildings are delivered efficiently and to the highest standard.

Renovate can be delivered to both the public and private sectors.  At the launch event, Scape will conduct a presentation to demonstrate Renovate and what it can offer.  Scape will have a custom stand and conduct social media activity by tweeting images throughout the day.

Scape will also demonstrate some of its other design solutions to address public sector needs.  For example, Sunesis which delivers standardised but visually impactful new schools, leisure facilities and extra care buildings built at an affordable price within short timescales.  Scape will also demonstrate Connect which delivers fixed-price extra classrooms in schools to accommodate growing pupil numbers.

Added on April 24, 2014

Scape launches Renovation | Refurb Projects
Renovate - Public Sector Construction
Renovate Build by Scape
Scape targets public sector renovation work | Online News | Building


See also:
Futures Forum: Knowle: refurbishment vs redevelopment
Futures Forum: "A truly green alternative to EDDC's proposal"

and:
Futures Forum: Knowle: old bricks vs new build: embodied carbon
Futures Forum: Knowle: old bricks vs new build: embodied carbon: pt 3
Futures Forum: Knowle plans: flats
Futures Forum: Knowle plans: expense
Futures Forum: Knowle: Victorian hotel and grounds ... application to English Heritage for national listing
Futures Forum: Knowle: relocation... costs of borrowing...?
Futures Forum: Knowle: relocation... costs of borrowing...? Another presentation to be given to 'stakeholders'... And another ‘confidential briefing for councillors’
Futures Forum: Costs of relocating District Council offices vs costs of refurbishing Knowle
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: getting the figures straight
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: moving to Skypark: £1 million
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: District Council vote to spend £1million on Skypark: blog reports
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