Page Content
Bailey Partnership are undertaking employer’s agent and cost consultancy services for University Partnerships Programme (UPP) who are providing additional student accommodation on the University of Exeter’s Streatham Campus. The £133 million initiative represents one of the largest property transactions finalised during 2009, involving more than £130 million of funding provided by Barclays Commercial Bank and RBS.
The value of the construction contract, awarded to Balfour Beatty, is £77 million and construction will take place over three years from financial close, with the final phase due for completion in September 2013.
UPP, supported by their supply chain, including Bailey Partnership, secured the project following an extensive competitive bidding process. The transaction will generate a capital receipt for the University of Exeter for investment in the provision of its core teaching and research functions, while enabling it to improve and expand its student accommodation provision.
The project involves designing, building, financing and operating some 2000 en-suite rooms at Birks Hall, Duryard and Lafrowda, including UPP’s award winning Eco-Residence model. The model is the first of its kind in the University sector and marks a major step forward in sustainable student accommodation. By using timber frames sourced from sustainable, managed forests and manufactured off-site, the model minimises waste, reducing the carbon footprint of each build by 30%.
To ensure continuous sustainability a range of energy and water saving techniques will be implemented, including roof mounted solar thermal panels to pre-heat hot water, lighting controlled by Passive Infra Red units, rainwater harvesting, enhanced air tightness and better insulation levels, together with recycling facilities as standard. The Eco Residence achieves a BREEAM Excellent rating.
This is the latest project for Bailey Partnership in a long-term relationship with UPP which started in 1997/8. Since then the practice has provided employers agent, cost consultancy and CDM co-ordination/planning supervision services for a dozen university projects across England, with a total construction cost in excess of £330 million.
