Police Station MEP Retrofit for Carbon Reduction EXISTING (LIVE) POLICE STATION

Description

Awarded under the Metropolitan Police/MOPAC Building Works Framework, SG Construction delivered ground-breaking carbon reduction works within a working/occupied police station in South East London.

The first scheme of its size and scope, it is a benchmark project for sustainable heating and lighting modifications within a live police station – and highlights the key role SG Construction is playing in helping the Metropolitan Police Service reduce its use of fossil fuels in line with the Mayor of London’s Net Zero Carbon 2030 target.

SG Construction’s scope of works included the installation of four 45kW Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs) to act as the primary source of heating for the occupied police station’s office building. The new system was integrated with the existing gas-fired boilers enabling the boilers to provide additional heating needs should the ASHPs be unable to cope with peak demands. The existing plant meanwhile was retained for heating the station’s domestic water requirements.

A technically demanding project from the outset due to the live and high security nature of the building, the scheme demanded high levels of collaboration and end user/occupier engagement.

To streamline works and mitigate disturbance SG Construction’s customer focused Senior Site Manager worked closely with the Station Representative to agree a complex sequence of phasing. This in turn was clearly communicated to staff and closely monitored to ensure the project team achieved the works, and informed managers when it was time to decant at the end of each phase. Regular communication was key: SG Construction’s Senior Site Manager held weekly (sometimes daily) meetings with the SPOC (Single Point of Contact) or their deputy to keep the programme to its tight schedule.

Manufacturing delays with ASHP components pushed back the units’ delivery date, which in turn threatened the client’s deadline to draw down external funding before the end of the financial year. SG Construction’s logistical expertise ensured that when the ASHPs were finally available – with only seven days’ delivery notice – the team arranged local storage for three weeks to meet the Local Authority’s mandatory four-week road closure notice period for the crane to lift the ASHPs onto the roof.

Due to the sensitive nature of the project all site deliveries were strictly by prior arrangement; any non-scheduled deliveries were turned away. The compound’s restricted size meant all deliveries were strategically planned and staggered. Once within the station compound a walking banksman directed delivery vehicles into position for unloading.

During the final few weeks, the Building Manager was invited to tour the site to view the work installation before ceiling tiles were placed, giving them a clear understanding of service locations. Comprehensive FM training was delivered on all aspects of the new systems prior to handover.

After Practical Completion, SG Construction’s Senior Site Manager carried out monthly visits (for six months) to ensure the building’s systems were running smoothly and operating as intended.

SG Construction completed this impressive retrofit scheme efficiently, safely and to exceptional standards. Furthermore, this is an exemplar project of how SG Construction is helping the MPS estates division to reduce carbon emissions and drive the operational efficiency of dated building stock in and around London, on the road to net zero carbon.