EDUCATION & BIOSCIENCES
Education & Biosciences
NX Consulting are involved in a wide range of commercial projects including science park, hotels, schools, retail units, offices and supermarkets. We work for individual clients and/or on framework agreements for large blue-chip clients. On any project, understanding the client brief is essential from the outset, to ensure a smooth delivery of information allowing the project to run on time and without any unforeseen ground related problems.
We are rapidly increasing our involvement and range of services offered in the health and education sectors. We are/have been involved in projects ranging from £3m to £250m in value since inception. Employing NX Consulting at an early stage of each project will allow the design team to be made fully aware of ground related risks and any potential associated costs.
ALDERLEY PARK
Pharmaceutical & Biosciences Campus, Cheshire
NX were employed by the client to carry out a pre-acquisition due diligence assessment on a multi-million pound pharmaceutical and biosciences Campus in Alderley Edge, Cheshire. Subsequent brine mining risk assessments, Phase 2 geotechnical site investigation and remediation works were provided for numerous newly constructed buildings post-acquisition between 2012 and 2023.
Site operations comprised a research and development facility that specialises in biotechnology, medical and diagnostic sciences. Potential sources of contamination associated with the site were related to either historic waste disposal practices and/or localised site pollution incidents and solvent storage. NX that there remained the potential for ground gas, soil vapour and to a lesser degree, contaminated groundwater to be present in small areas across the site.
Multiple site & ground investigations were carried out utilising cable tool percussion and rotary drilling, trial pitting/trial pits, plate load & CBR tests, window sampling techniques. Groundwater and ground gas monitoring was carried out to establish the risks to an adjacent stream and the underlying groundwater and Principal Aquifers. Artesian groundwater was recorded which required specialist groundwater control systems, drainage and foundation measures to be adopted.
Birmingham Health & Innovation Campus
Selly Oak, Birmingham
Birmingham Health Innovation Campus (BHIC) is set to become a world-leading life sciences campus. It will offer high quality laboratory, office, incubation and innovation & health facilities. NX were employed by the Bruntwood SciTech and the University of Birmingham to carry out a pre-acquisition due diligence site investigation on the site of a former putrescible landfill and metal works.
The campus is being delivered through a collaboration between the University of Birmingham & Bruntwood SciTech and involved an extensive cut and fill balance to achieve site levels. Potential sources of contamination associated with the site were related to either historic waste disposal practices as a Municiple landfill and ash, clinker and slag from the metal works. NX ground modelling establish adequate remediation measures to mitigate risks from ground gas, controlled earthworks compaction, extensive dewatering, and settlement ponds.
Trial pitting, window sampling, rotary drilling and cable tool percussion drilling methods were adopted to provide ground related data and enabled suitable foundations, ground gas protection measures, a material management plan and a remediation strategy to be adopted to the satisfaction of the Environment Agency and Birmingham City Council.
Alliance Business School & Hotel
NX were employed by the University of Manchester to carry out ground investigation works using cable tool percussion and rotary drilling, trial pitting/trial pits, geotechnical and geoenvironmental laboratory testing, plate load & CBR tests and window sampling techniques. A piling risk assessment was also carried out to establish the risks to the underlying groundwater.
This £80 million project provides Manchester University with an upgraded Business School and 22 storey hotel and stunning new landscaped and public open space areas.
The project involved the structural modification and extension of the original 1960s building, with new retail units and lecture theatres. NX had to locate and manoeuvre around the route of one of Manchester’s ‘Hidden Rivers’ which trended closely to one of the new extensions.
