Estates

Graham Kerr - Teaching Lab Refurbishment

Location: Graham Kerr Building, Science Way, Glasgow, G12 8QQ
Zone: 1

Project Overview:

The project comprised the refurbishment of Lab 209, the entrance hall and main staircase of the University of Glasgow’s Graham Kerr Building. The works to Lab 209 consisted of the refurbishment of rooms 209, 210, 210A, 211 and 211A in the Category A listed building to provide an open plan teaching area with increased teaching spaces and new teaching wall.

Alterations to existing services were undertaken in the areas immediately below Rooms 209-2011A and in other parts of the building including the installation of roof mounted plant. The works included the complete strip out of the existing laboratory rooms and adjacent rooms, including services and existing fume cupboard, and the removal of the internal timber partitions forming Rooms 2011 and 2011A.

The works to the entrance hall and main staircase consisted of the removal of woodchip wallpaper from existing tiled walls and the removal of surface mounted services and replacement, as necessary. Damaged wall tiles were repaired and replaced where necessary. 

Works also included the redecoration of existing joinery and metalwork, the plastered walls and ceilings and repairs to the existing terrazzo flooring. The works were completed whilst the university building remained open.

Project Benefits

Student Experience:

• Increased footprint of bench space for students.
• Improved working environment, brighter, more open, and more of a luxury learning venue. 
• Mobility around the lab to collect equipment has improved immensely, enhancing safety in a wet lab environment. 
• Provision of lockers to safely store personal possessions outside of lab for health and safety hazard reasons.
• Enhanced WIFI access and IT data provision for each student for classroom activities.
• Expanded audio/visual facilities now provide crucial line-of-sight from all bench spaces, and audio throughout, which has also allowed lecturers to adapt new methods of teaching including mobile and online teaching.

Sustainability:

• New heating & ventilation installations
• New specialist services storage cabinets
• New compressed air supply to benches
• New distribution board
• New lighting installations
• New fire alarm installations
• New access control and security installation
• New small power installations
• Re-used elements of the existing tongue and groove flooring, reducing the waste from the refurbishment works.

Accessibility: 

• Improved experience for those who require more space- height adjustable benches and seating. 

Construction Start Date: May 2023
Construction End Date: August 2023

Project Costs: £1.6 million

Themes Addressed by Project:
Student Experience, Ways of Working, People, Space, Sustainability, Accessibility