COVID-19 | REOCCUPYING BUILDINGS HOW THE UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS ESTATE HAS STAYED SECURE As the University of Leeds gears up for the start of the next academic year, it is planning a gradual reoccupation of its buildings on a prioritised basis. Matthew Tidmarsh MCIBSE, deputy director of estates (operations) says the university has a diverse range of spaces, including ofces, research and teaching laboratories, workshops, small seminar rooms, large lecture theatres and libraries and cafes, and the challenges in each are very different. After drawing up a list of buildings that need to be operational rst for admissions planning or critical research, for example the team will focus on the technical compliance of each building, to ensure all services and statutory provision are in a t state for safe operation. They will then look at: social-distance planning; safe access and egress; transit routes and movement within buildings; and access to, and use of, facilities such as kitchens and toilets. Finally, specic risk assessment of activities within each building will be undertaken to guide staff and, eventually, students on safe use of facilities. During lockdown, Tidmarshs team identied the buildings that had to remain operational, including support for the adjacent acute hospital, which is involved in treating Covid-19 patients. For the small group of staff on campus, we had to quickly introduce new methods of working that included social distancing and PPE, he says. They then looked at buildings that have intermittent access for example, where critical research equipment is serviced and introduced a reduced level of compliance support to include lifesafety systems and water-hygiene maintenance. We carried out a ushing regime that simulates as close to normal occupation to limit the potential for legionella growth, says Tidmarsh. In mothballed buildings, water systems have been dosed and left, The University of Leeds is planning a gradual reoccupation of its buildings and will be cleaned and ushed before use. We will have to carry out testing to make sure our water services remain safe to use, he says. Tidmarsh adds they will also need to allow time to enforce socialdistancing measures, erect signage, manage access to areas and potentially modify workspaces. New ways of working will become the norm. We dont envisage large study groups immediately, so online learning will become an important part of our offer for at least the rst term of the next academic year and, possibly, beyond, he says. The crisis has created opportunities to understand the practicalities and possibilities of homeworking for staff. If we are able to invest in facilities again, we will have a different view on how space might be used, says Tidmarsh, who adds that ventilation is a big challenge. We have buildings dating from the early 20th century that have mechanical displacement ventilation built into the structure, and its very difcult to change the way they operate, he says. Based on guidance, we are looking to increase fresh air rates to spaces as much as we can, reduce the amount of recirculation to the lowest possible level, and try to avoid sharing air between adjacent spaces, to reduce potential transmission, he adds. REGISTER FREE AT: bit.ly/pumpboosting TO JOIN OUR LIVE WEBINAR Get your pump boosting projects under control Thursday 2nd July, 13:00 (BST) REGISTER FREE AT bit.ly/cibsewebinars TO JOIN OUR LIVE WEBINAR: SIBLING HARMONY: Using Generators with UPS Brought to you by: Wednesday 10th June | 13:00 (BST) Brought to you by: 18 June 2020 www.cibsejournal.com CIBSE June 2020 p16-18 Covid secure buidlings 2.indd 18 22/05/2020 17:29