Social Housing High-Rise Façade Replacement
Leeds
Social Housing High-Rise Apartment Block Project
Leeds City Council Housing Department has developed diverse social housing solutions tailored to retired residents to provide them with comfortable and secure living environments during their later years and designed to cater to the specific needs of retirees, offering them a chance to maintain their independence while fostering a sense of community and support.
Community support is vital to the council's approach to housing for retirees. Safety and security are paramount in these housing options. Features such as secure entrances, well-lit common areas, and integrated emergency response systems provide residents with reassurance and peace of mind.
Non-Combustable Façade Replacement
The Sherburn Court building facade upgrade project is a 14-storey residential tower block with one and two-bedroomed apartments, housing residents predominately aged 60 plus, with 85 apartments in total. The block required significant upgrading, including replacing the window units, removing the existing render and insulation, and replacing the existing external wall insulation system with a new non-combustible solution.
The original construction used combustible EWI, and we replaced the complete exterior façade with an A1 s2 d0 non-combustible external wall solution. The new building façade is now EWS1 compliant, offering energy-saving building improvements.
Starfish Construction's Expertise in Delivering Tailored Building Solutions
Our extensive property and building industry knowledge and experience enable us to deliver projects from planning to completion. We Diagnose, Design and Deliver high-rise building façade solutions for clients tailored to their project objectives while providing a cost-effective solution.
The Starfish Construction methodology aligned with Leeds City Council's social housing policy with a combined synergy to create a finished project fit for modern living.
Starfish Construction provided consultative advice on several options for the client due to our experience in successfully delivering high-rise social housing projects, allowing the client to make informed decisions on the most cost effective and suitable solution to future-proof this essential community building. Following this, we received an invitation to quote as part of a competitive tender process. We were chosen as the most suitable contractor to deliver these works in this sensitive environment safely.
Expert Social Housing Façade Solutions
Starfish Construction was to complete the scope of works while the residents fully occupied the block.
The high-rise block with the surrounding residential area posed challenges with material and equipment access to our site compound. We organised deliveries for off-peak times and stacked site offices/welfare units to minimise the existing car park usage and allow residents to continue using the parking spaces.
As the block's residents were 60+, with some with additional needs and vulnerabilities, we required a flexible sequence of work to accommodate individual needs throughout the project, particularly during the replacement window installation.
Our team scheduled Working hours to reduce disturbances for residents, with no construction on weekends, allowing a break from the expected disruptions and noise of the project. It was necessary to close off the main entrance to the building and disconnect the intercom system for two days to allow us to fit a replacement entranceway and door. Starfish Construction provided a 24-hour Banksman to signpost residents and visitors and to enable access to carers and emergency services via the rear entrance of the block, with a robust vetting process put in place to avoid unauthorised access.
- Original combustible EWI exterior façade replaced with an A1 s2 d0 non-combustible external wall solution.
- Recycling of existing glazing with profits used to fund communal outdoor garden furniture
- 465 windows replaced and recycled
- 85 Apartments improved for modern living
- New Flat roofing system installed
- Resident liaison officer providing residents with information and reassurance throughout the project.
40 weeks
Duration
4,000 m2
Render Replaced
Project Resident Liaison Officer
One of the critical elements of the project was the Starfish Construction Resident Liaison Officer (RLO), who is vital on projects involving residential properties or student accommodation. The RLO is the primary contact point for residents with questions or concerns. They also convey critical project updates to the residents, ensuring they are fully aware of upcoming works and any potential disruptions or changes to the timescales.
Part of the RLO's remit is to make residents feel engaged with Starfish Construction and approachable at any point throughout the project. At Sherburn Court, the RLO organised an Easter prize raffle, drop-in sessions and a waste recycling project using the old uPVC window frames broken down into pellets and remoulded into furniture for a community outdoor space. We also recycled the window glass, with the profits going to the resident's community space.
Considerate Constructor Scheme
Starfish Construction has enrolled in the Considerate Constructor Scheme; as a not-for-profit, the Considerate Constructors Scheme is an independent organisation founded to raise standards in the construction industry. Construction sites, companies and suppliers voluntarily register with the Scheme and abide by the Code of Considerate Practice, designed to encourage best practices beyond statutory requirements.
The Scheme's Code of Considerate Practice has three areas: Respect the Community, Care for the Environment and Value their Workforce. Overall, Starfish Construction received a score of 36/45, deemed very good. One area highlighted in the report was our "pre-start data gathering" to help understand the residents' individual and collective needs. The report noted the ongoing interaction as "of the highest order".
Sherburn Court's Modernised Social Housing Success Story
The completed project provides positive outcomes for residents and Leeds City Council with a renovated and modernised high-rise social housing block fit for residents today and for many years to come.
Improved U-values from the increased insulation thickness, the replacement windows, and the new façade render will help reduce residents' heating utility usage. Residents have also reported better soundproofing and the elimination of drafts into the apartments.
By installing a new flat roof system, the project improved the overall integrity of the building; when combined with the new render and windows, the project has provided a watertight structure. The building's façade now prominently features the "Sherburn Court" lettering, which complements the new clean finish of the building.
Sherburn Court has provided a benchmark for modern social high-rise living, enhancing the sense of community for the residents.
Sherburn Court has been an exciting project to be involved in. The residents were over 60, with many considerably older and some with additional needs. The disruption caused to day-to-day life by a project and the scope of works of this scale can be challenging for anyone, but the site team went above and beyond to ensure the minimum disruption. Our relationship with the residents helped reduce the need for Leeds City Council to handle and manage queries or complaints. The project was a notable success and a resounding testament to the focused approach by the Starfish Construction team to a building and resident's needs.
Melissa Buckley, Starfish Construction Resident Liasion Officer.
