East Slope, University of Sussex

Demolition of 600 existing student rooms and construction of 2,117 new student beds, associated amenities, campus infrastructure and the shell and core of a student services facility.

The new accommodation will comprise 1,482 beds in 6-8 bed cluster flats and 635 in 10-11 bed townhouses. Student amenities include bookable study areas, three social hubs and two cashless laundries.

Design engagement to create an excellent student experience

Our design was developed through extensive engagement with the University. Key design issues included keeping within the planning parameters established by the University’s masterplan, blending the design with the existing Sir Basil Spence campus, elements of which have Grade 1 listing, and providing well designed landscaped areas with usable external spaces on a sloping site.

To enhance the students experience the design is highly social with kitchens and common rooms at the entrance, bookable study areas and social hubs, which students can enjoy for dinner parties and movie evenings, as well as integrated cashless laundries. The design also benefits from a central reception and post room with areas to relax and socialise.

Sustainable working 

From an environmental perspective the design is BREEAM excellent and includes a calcareous grassland as an environmental impact measure. Other sustainable design features include PV’s grey water harvesting, PIRs, LED lighting and smart meters linked to an energy usage programme.

The sloping chalk site required a 30,000m3 of bulk excavation. We developed a sustainable solution to minimise arisings sent to land fill.

We also helped facilitate a student energy project to incentivise energy conscious behaviour and reduce utility costs. 

Impact of construction

To minimise the impact of construction on campus life a four-year programme was developed utilising light weight steel frame modular construction. This means that there will be no net loss of accommodation to the University during the construction phase, and occupation can be staggered to meet the University’s intake of students in September and January each year.

The sloping site has also required extensive civil engineering work to terrace the slope and we have worked closely to integrate the project with existing campus infrastructure such as the district heating system.

Finance

The project was funded through the capital markets following an assessment of funding options by Balfour Beatty. A bond pricing competition was also utilised to secure competitive pricing.

Operational partnership

Responsibility for operations is shared between us and the University. Under the arrangement we will provide management expertise to the project vehicle, known as the Residential Development Partnership (RDP), which is co-owned with the University. Services we provide to the RDP will include the management of the project life cycle fund, utilities management and an energy usage programme to incentivise energy conscious behaviour. The RDP will also enter a services agreement with Balfour Beatty to provide hard FM, laundry and IT services. As the RDPs FM contractor we provide a customer focused personal service through a directly employed dedicated site team which minimises the need to subcontract services.

Figures are accurate as of our 2020 full-year results.

Holyrood student accommodation, University of Edinburgh

A state-of-the-art student accommodation and outreach facility.

Located in the World Heritage Site of Holyrood in the City of Edinburgh, the project is primarily to accommodate overseas postgraduate students. It is also intended to provide an outreach centre which will become the focal point for the University’s community-based teaching activities and continuous professional development courses.

A UK first in student accommodation

Recognising that not all students want to live alone or in small groups, the Holyrood student accommodation has a postgraduate Residents Hall where 480 students cook, dine and socialise together. Each floor of the Hall has its own lounge with easy access from one lounge to another allowing for one quiet and another more active area for residents to mingle in. Since the Hall opened in 2015, the feedback from residents has been very positive.

Construction expertise supported by offsite efficiency

The construction delivery team, which included Balfour Beatty’s M&E specialists, worked together from the earliest stages of the project to coordinate the design and early supply chain engagement. This approach realised efficiencies including maximising the use of off-site construction of bathrooms that were delivered just in time for installation. It also helped allow 15,000m3 of demolition materials to be re-used on-site, saving on time and cost.

A variety of accommodation types

Through eight different accommodation types the Holyrood student accommodation provides a wide range of options for students. Options include living in cluster flats, residence halls, studio flats, bedrooms with and without en-suite bathrooms, garden and larger rooms. Twin and shared bathrooms also add to the wide choice of accommodation and price options available to students.

Finance solution

Project finance was arranged through the capital markets following a preferred bidder funding competition to, deliver optimum funding terms. Balfour Beatty’s experience of these structures was key in managing lender and investor due diligence processes in a timely manner.

Operating the project

We provide expertise to the project including management of utilities, grounds maintenance, pest control, building maintenance, and the project life cycle fund.

The building maintenance service operates 24/7, on both a scheduled and reactive basis. The PPM programme operates in conjunction with the helpdesk and provides open access to nominated persons.

Awards:

• Best Student Housing, CUBO 2016
• University Halls of Residence, Property Week Awards 2016
• Student Accommodation Project of the Year, Scottish Property Awards 2017

Figures are accurate as of our 2020 full-year results.

Foundry Courtyard, Glasgow

This outstanding 536-bedroom development provides an excellent student experience with accommodation that is both stylish and modern. It is ideally located for the students of the nearby University of Strathclyde, City of Glasgow College and Glasgow Caledonian University.

This 536-bed student accommodation development by Balfour Beatty is on a direct let basis. We acquired the site, obtained planning consent, arranged finance and acted as design and build contractor.

Designed to provide an excellent student experience

Providing 536 en-suite bedrooms, spread across 70 cluster flats and 149 studios, the development also features a gymnasium, cinema room, study pods and a generous social space with a games area. Externally, a secure central courtyard featuring both functional and attractive landscaping sits beside a multi-use games area, an external gym and 500m2 of retail space.

Wide ranging construction capability

To make sure works progressed during the wettest winter on record Balfour Beatty used tents, gazebos, and temporary metal sheeting to allow work to progress safely. New technologies to ensure the safety of our workforce were also adopted including:

• SiteZone Proximity Warning System - to reduce the risk of vehicle – pedestrian collisions, the system uses radio frequency technology to alert the machine operators of pedestrians near their vehicles
• Crane Hook Camera System - a wireless camera system on the crane hook was installed to improve visibility for crane operators

The delivery of the project drew on the wide-ranging capabilities of Balfour Beatty. This included: Balfour Beatty Ground Engineering and mechanical and electrical packages delivered by Balfour Beatty Kilpatrick

Finance

Development costs were equity funded by Balfour Beatty and debt funding arranged with Investec.

Operations

As an operator, we are responsible for marketing and providing a full range of hard and soft facilities management services.

Figures are accurate as of our 2020 full-year results.

Aberystwyth University student accommodation

Contemporary student accommodation facilities for 1,000 students adjacent to Aberystwyth University’s main campus including 102 studio flats specifically designed for postgraduate students.

The design was developed in dialogue with the University and inspired by the landscape and architecture of rural Wales. The new development features a series of three storey buildings with flats for six or eight students living in self-catered accommodation.

A central hub will also provide a range of social, learning and living functions including launderettes, bike stores and a communal space for clubs and societies. There will also be a new grass sports pitch.

As part of the partnership with the University, students have been involved in the process of helping ensure that the new residences reflect their aspirations and the priorities of UMCA (the Welsh Students’ Union) and the Students’ Union. This helps to ensure the entire development works to enhance the student living experience.

Construction delivery 

We acted as the design and build contractor for the project.

Innovative project finance solutions

We worked with the University to assess the funding options available under different risk scenarios. Following a wide-ranging market assessment, we proposed that a pension funding route offered the best value for money. This ensured there was no refinancing risk and allowed operational flexibility, while being more cost effective than a wrapped bond solution or bank funding. Using this model Balfour Beatty raised the equivalent of £51 million of long-term senior debt with Legal & General (L&G).

Operation of the project

We have implemented a customer focused self-delivery model backed by head office support in relation to training and health and safety.

Services are delivered by a dedicated multi skilled team with a flexible with a proactive approach. The key benefits and advantages of the FM self-delivery service are a more responsive service; better quality; good customer relations and a more efficient service to the project.

Services delivered by Balfour Beatty include building maintenance, helpdesk, grounds maintenance, pest control, external window cleaning, and waste management.

Figures are accurate as of our 2020 full-year results.