Name: Jamie Beck and Robert Chapman
Job Title: Design Engineers
Department: Estates

Can you tell us a little bit about your role?

Our role in the University is to carry out design work and provide advice on all aspects of building services design within the planning and development department. The type of projects we are involved with range from providing advice to consultants and project managers on capital build projects, feasibility reports and budget cost advice to stakeholders, infrastructure upgrade projects and building/room refurbishments.

How have you been involved in the Oculus Building project?

On this particular project we have been involved from inception to completion providing design guidance to the contractors and enforcing and embedding the University’s design guidelines and our ‘green’ credentials of low energy and sustainability. During the project we advised and commented on the design, reviewed contractors proposals, carried out technical witnessing of equipment and building systems.

What do you like best about the building?

The green credentials of the building such as maximising the use of daylight within the space, renewable roof mounted photovoltaic system and heat recovery by use of a thermal wheel within the mechanical plant which result in a low energy and simple building services solution providing an Energy performance asset rating of A. The team has taken a ‘low energy, low maintenance’ strategy in the design of the building services.

What challenges have you faced in your work on the building?

As the building is unique in its design many of the large areas such as lecture theatres and atriums to provide robust maintainable solutions have taken longer than planned to design. Programming installation of services into a unique building fabric design has been challenging for all involved.

Now that it’s open, what’s the next thing you’re working on?

We are involved in NAIC, Arts Centre District heating extension, Sports centre, MSB, Campus HV upgrade and Wellesbourne campus feasibility review to name a few along with other smaller refurbishment projects.