Provision of temporary access to support VINCI Construction with refurbishment works that achieve building decarbonisation sustainability goals.

The Zochonis Building is a key facility within The University of Manchester campus, providing accommodation for lectures, teaching, and research activities. Constructed in 1953, the iconic building houses numerous specialist laboratories and is located on Brunswick Street, just off Oxford Road. It was named after the businessman and philanthropist Sir John Zochonis, who was regarded as one of the most significant contributors to charitable causes throughout the North West during his lifetime.

In 2023, The University of Manchester established a Construction Works Framework to deliver a programme of demolition, new-build, refurbishment, decoration, landscaping, and external works with a total value of £260 million. VINCI Construction is one of 20 organisations appointed to deliver works under the framework, and all contractors were required to prioritise environmental sustainability at every stage of delivery by minimising negative impacts through the implementation of resource-efficient design, planning, and operational practices.

As part of the university’s wider strategy to transform the campus into a zero-carbon environment for teaching and research, a series of projects is being undertaken to achieve defined sustainability targets. The Zochonis Building forms part of Phase Two of the overall building decarbonisation programme, which encompasses four buildings across the campus. The refurbishment includes a range of long-term maintenance and decarbonisation interventions, including a comprehensive thermal upgrade, the integration of air-source heat pumps, and the installation of passive cooling measures. Collectively, these improvements will support the university’s target of reducing carbon emissions by 5,000 tonnes by 2026/27.

The university has appointed external consultants, including environmental sustainability advisers, to oversee performance targets for major developments. These measures ensure that new-build projects achieve a minimum BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’, while refurbishment projects are required to achieve a minimum standard of ‘Very Good’.

To support the appointed contractor, VINCI Construction, in the refurbishment of the iconic Zochonis Building, Enigma-is engaged with the client and subcontractors at an early stage to establish the temporary access requirements necessary for the successful delivery of the project. This included the development of a detailed, sequenced programme to ensure that works progressed in accordance with the overall schedule. Following this planning phase, we mobilised on-site and erected a range of internal and external scaffold structures around the building to support the refurbishment works.

A five-lift-high tube-and-fitting loading bay scaffold, integrated with a HAKI staircase, was erected to enable multiple trades to safely access and egress the various working levels simultaneously. A mechanical hoist was also installed to facilitate the efficient delivery of materials for the interior fit-out works, together with the removal of waste during the refurbishment, near the site entrance on Dover Street. On the opposite wing of the building, a fully boarded five-lift independent scaffold was erected to provide safe access for the external façade refurbishment works. At ground level on Rumford Street, a raised scaffold ramp walkway was installed, connected to an up-and-over loading bay gate to create a designated landing area for materials and to allow efficient access into the building’s main reception area.

At the lower roof level, a HAKI staircase system was installed to provide safe access to the upper roof area, and a rubbish chute was constructed using braced scaffold boards to facilitate the efficient removal of waste during the roof surface replacement phase. In addition, specialist scaffold fixings were incorporated around the roofline to form a continuous roof-edge guardrail system for fall protection. Erection and dismantling works around the balcony wall perimeter were undertaken using a MEWP (Mobile Elevating Work Platform) to ensure safe working practices.

Internally, tube-and-fitting crash deck scaffolds were erected to enable the safe breaking out and demolition of concrete floor slabs, with fully enveloped edge protection installed around the perimeter of all voids. HAKI towers fitted with steel decking were also erected to form birdcage scaffolds that infilled ceiling voids, providing continuous and unobstructed access on the floor above. A further tube-and-fitting scaffold structure was installed to facilitate the lift installation works.

To support the ongoing erection and dismantling of scaffolds in line with the construction programme, Enigma’s client-facing operational team undertook all statutory seven-day scaffold inspections. This approach helped to mitigate potential setbacks arising from miscommunication, which can often occur when this legal requirement is outsourced to third parties unfamiliar with evolving site requirements. Maintaining a detailed understanding of the project enabled Enigma to respond effectively to changing conditions and deliver practical, cost-effective solutions.

The Zochonis Building is centrally located within the extensive pedestrianised campus of The University of Manchester, and this required careful coordination between Enigma’s Preston depot logistics team and the lead scaffolder on site to organise deliveries and collections in accordance with precise project requirements. A narrow one-way traffic system, restricted parking, and substantial footfall from students moving across the campus necessitated efficient loading and unloading within the designated laydown area to avoid disruption and ensure pedestrian safety.

So, given the constrained operating footprint, careful pre-planning and close collaboration with the client were instrumental in achieving efficient coordination. Representatives from Enigma’s North West operational team engaged at an early stage with VINCI Construction and all subcontractors operating on site to identify potential coordination and sequencing issues. This process enabled potential challenges to be resolved before the commencement of the permanent works, which might otherwise have resulted in delays as the project progressed.

Throughout the project, we continued to liaise proactively with all stakeholders operating on site and responded swiftly to any unforeseen challenges that arose. This approach helps to avoid unnecessary delays and ensures that work progresses in accordance with the programme.

Health and safety are paramount at Enigma, and all scaffold erection, alteration, and dismantling activities were undertaken safely in accordance with NASC (National Access and Scaffolding Confederation) TG20 compliance guidance.