Beard has completed a complex £2.3m project to refurbish an existing ten year old building in Oxford, previously occupied by The Really Good Card Company, to create new laboratories and research facilities for Oxford University’s Thermo-Fluids Laboratory and Turbomachinery Research Group.

The team carried out substantial internal changes to the building to accommodate the heavy wind tunnels and high pressure test rigs used by the group for both academic and commercial research into aircraft engine design, notably for Rolls Royce, and other areas of research.

Major challenges involved internal piling work to strengthen areas within the building, the installation of an overhead gantry crane, and the creation of a steel frame to support a new mezzanine floor.

This was coupled with a highly complex mechanical and electrical fit out, including the installation of a 300mm diameter 400psi pipeline, requiring strong coordination of specialist subcontractors and high levels of workmanship to achieve client needs and insurance requirements for the finished system.

Neil Hyatt, Capital Projects Manager, Oxford University Estates Directorate commented: “Beard needed to undertake some complex internal piling work on this project which involved cutting circular holes just big enough to hammer the piles in – we were all pleased they did it so effectively and efficiently.”