Analyse A Range Of Refurbishment Options And Interventions

Unit 15 Principles of Refurbishment - Pearson Higher Nationals in Construction and the Built Environment

Assignment 1: Norwich Union House, constructed c. 1960

City-centre building, within Nottingham`s Old Market Square Conservation Area

The upper floors of the building have been vacant for some time. It was most recently occupied as bank admin. offices. As some businesses begin to move out of the city centre, because their location is not critical to their operation, buildings become empty and in need of re-use. The ground floor is currently occupied with a pub and a bank.

Your client is considering their options: they own the land and building`s freehold and are interested in finding out how energy efficient the building could be, whilst remaining adaptable for future commercial tenants. Given the prominent city-centre location, it is likely that a student accommodation provider would be interested in a long-term lease for the whole of the upper floors, or start-up businesses needing, say, part of one floor.

The existing building envelope comprises in-situ concrete basement construction, a reinforced concrete frame with solid brickwork infill panels to the external walls, single glazed steel windows (with slate cladding below windows to the front elevation), concrete flat roof slab with bituminous felt roof covering (the fifth storey flat has timber flat roof joists).

Internally, there are concrete floor beams with screed above and suspended ceilings below. Party walls are constructed of masonry. A central staircase extends from the ground to fifth floor (there is an access ladder from ground to basement). The lift shaft extends from the basement to the fourth floor. Clustered around the stair and lift are toilets and kitchen facilities, which may be useful to future tenants.

Any refurbishment to the building that requires planning consent, such as a change of use, will trigger a 10% improvement of the building`s current energy rating (as set down by Nottingham City Council`s planning policy).

You are to analyse a range of refurbishment options and interventions for the above scenario.