Leeds Beckett M&E contract awarded to SES Engineering

The UK’s leading design-led Mechanical & Electrical (M&E) provider, SES Engineering Services, announced Wednesday it has won the prestigious M&E contract at Leeds Beckett University’s new state-of-the-art £45 million (US$59 million) sports hub.

SES will take on the job to design and install a full range of building services in the new facility which will be home to students and academics from the world-famous Carnegie School of Sport.

The Carnegie Teaching and Research building promises specialised facilities that will aid the world-renowned sports team of Leeds Beckett University.

The building will include an indoor 60-metre sprint track – cantilevered over the roof – and one of the country’s largest climatic chambers, which can mimic different altitudes and environments.

SES will work alongside main contractor Galliford Try in developing the centre, which will also house a health and wellbeing studio, a roof walker track and terrace, and an enhanced strength and conditioning space, as well as changing and recovery facilities.

The fact that SES Engineering has worked with Galliford Try in the past counted in their favour, according to Business Director for the North and Scotland, Steve Joyce.

“Having recently had the privilege of working with Galliford Try on a number of complex higher education facilities, such as the award-winning refurbishment of the University of Leeds’ world-class School of Chemical and Process Engineering, we have amassed a great deal of knowledge and experience of the sector,” Joyce said in a statement.

“To be involved with such an innovative building as the Carnegie Teaching and Research Building further cements our excellent working relationship with the contractor. It also presents a further opportunity for SES to demonstrate its BIM (Building Information Modelling) Level 2 experience to great effect.”

The sports development is part of a wider £200 million (US$261 million) programme of investment across Leeds Beckett’s campuses. The university hopes the facility will help them build on their relationship with some of the city’s top sports clubs and grow the impact their research has on sportspeople’s performance.

“Many of our academics are international leaders in their field, from anti-doping policy and gender equality in sport, to obesity prevention and sports performance,” explains Dean of the Carnegie School of Sport, Pete Mackreth.

“This outstanding new facility will help to ensure that our university continues to attract the most talented students and staff to further enhance our reputation for world-leading research in sport.”

The centre is slated to be finished in November 2019, and follows the start of work on a new creative arts building at the university’s city campus earlier this year.