Sheffield Hallam University creates first of its kind delivery model

The Alliance, the first of its kind in the UK for a university building programme, is made up of the university and BDP-Arup(design-led consultancy), BAM (construction) and CBRE (Facilities Management).

The initial project for the Hallam Alliance will be the delivery of the first phase of the University’s campus plan – with work due to start this month on renovations to the atrium of the University’s Owen Building. Partners will work collaboratively through all stages of design, construction and operation to maximise transformation and deliver best long-term value. MACE and Fulcrum are providing Scheme and Programme Management services.  

The model provides an opportunity to reform the way major projects are created and designed. The collaborative and cohesive mind-set in construction procurement and delivery is designed to better deliver well-designed, well-built and well-managed buildings.

Crucially, the partnership shares profits and losses so that its incentives to work efficiently are aligned from the outset and throughout the delivery of the schemes.

As part of its Transforming Lives strategy to become the world’s leading applied university, the Hallam Alliance is one of the first adopters of the new NEC4 alliance contract.

The alliance will operate under a clear governance structure (missing from most traditional delivery methods), with formal cooperative boards which require unanimous agreement, making decisions on issues on a ‘best for project’ basis.

Daniel Ladbury, Director of Estates and Facilities at Sheffield Hallam University, said: ‘The agreement of the Alliance contract marks the culmination of over two years of hard work the University has led on to challenge the industry to deliver better buildings.  The Hallam Alliance provides a unique opportunity as we look to the future in these challenging times to create a high performing and efficient estate that provides fantastic places for students, staff and visitors to learn, collaborate, and innovate whilst enabling us to continually learn and improve”  

“The University has ambitious goals for its campus developments as they support the delivery of our Transforming Lives strategy. To support this, the Hallam Alliance approach will not only enable the transformation of our estate, it will also transform how we deliver and manage our estate and our vision to drive industry change whilst driving efficiency and best practice. The Hallam Alliance provides a unique opportunity to bring academia, professional services and industry together to solve the current and future challenges currently facing universities, the commercial sector and the construction industry and we look forward to realising a new benchmark for successful developments over the coming years.’

Sheffield Hallam University’s campus plan sets out a 20-year development framework for the Sheffield Hallam estate. The first phase could see £220 million invested over the next five years and will focus on the University’s city centre estate and create a new gateway to the city, transforming the campus and supporting the wider ongoing development of the city of Sheffield.

It will see the creation of a destination state-of-the art, sustainable campus featuring new buildings and green spaces between Sheffield Station and Arundel Gate. It includes new buildings with teaching facilities and staff workplaces for the Sheffield Business School (SBS) and Social Sciences which will be surrounded byvibrant and inviting outdoor spaces to benefit health and wellbeing. It will provide a forum for civic engagement, collective congregation and social interactions at all levels benefitting students, staff, industry partners and residents of and visitors to the City of Sheffield.

Sue Emms, Architect Principal at BDP, said: ‘This project has the ability to transform how the University operates and, as pioneers of new ways of procuring buildings, transform the way the construction industry operates. It will transform the city, support skills, employability and the regeneration of the Sheffield City Region. As a Sheffield-based design business, these are all outcomes that we are extremely passionate about. The alliance approach will encourage a shared ethos of partnership, collaboration and innovation to bring about more effective and efficient developments.  It will produce a unique environment for applied learning and research, adding value to create better, sustainable and efficient buildings.’

Paul Cleminson, Construction Director at BAM, which is behind 10 current higher education buildings, said: ‘This new approach will make it easier to deliver the high quality, affordable and sustainable buildings that we all want. That’s why The Hallam Alliance will be a beacon for improvement for the region and the entire industry. This new type of framework means the clients, designers, construction contractors and FM providers all have the same goals and objectives, with benefits such as transparent open book costs approach, and improved risk management. This builds mutual trust which will then the drive efficiencies, standardisation and continuous improvement that we are all seeking. This is a very exciting time for us all. We are all incentivised to work together to create valuable apprenticeships and work placements and provide many opportunities for students to have real local work-based learning.  The Alliance will also prioritise using the local supply chain, which will boost businesses in the Sheffield City Region and help grow the local economy.’

Daniel Vaughan, Director at CBRE, said: ‘Having FM services involved from the outset provides the opportunity for operational and user needs to shape design and construction helping to ensure smoother handover of buildings, improved quality and performance and the reduction of in-use costs and user issues, creating the best possible user experience.’

About Sheffield Hallam University

The University's vision is to become the world's leading applied university, transforming lives and creating opportunities for people from all backgrounds.

Named University of the Year for Teaching Quality in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020, Sheffield Hallam is one of the UK's largest higher education providers, with over 30,500 students.

The University is committed to the Sheffield City Region, providing leadership to drive improvements in social mobility, health and the economy.          

Sheffield Hallam delivers a comprehensive range of courses and is one of the country's largest providers of health and teacher training. Home to the UK's biggest modern business school, the University's industrial partnerships ensure that the knowledge students develop is relevant, addresses the skills gap and helps business grow. 

The University’s research is characterised by a focus on real world impact - addressing the health, cultural, economic and social challenges facing society today.

In 2018 the University unveiled its ambitious campus masterplan, a 20-year £700 million proposal to create a sustainable, flexible and efficient campus in the heart of Sheffield city centre.

The bold masterplan aims to deliver world class facilities and an estate that creates an exceptional setting in which to learn and work, and provides a welcoming and inclusive environment for visitors.

About BDP

BDP is an international interdisciplinary practice of architects, engineers, designers and urbanists. We work closely with users, clients and the community to create special places for living, working, shopping, culture and learning across the world. Founded in 1961, we now have studios across the UK, Ireland, Netherlands, UAE, India, China, Singapore and Canada. BDP has a leading track record in all major sectors including health, education, workplace, retail, urbanism, heritage, housing, transport and leisure and has won over 1000 awards for design quality.

In March 2016, BDP combined forces with Japan’s leading engineering practice Nippon Koei to form an integrated design group of genuine international reach. Sharing a philosophy which places an emphasis on design integration and community impact, the new group offers a unique combination of deep technical skills in engineering, architecture and the full range of design disciplines.

About ARUP

ARUP is a multinational professional services firm which provides engineering, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of the built environment. Founded by Sir Ove Arup in 1946, the firm has over 14,000 staff based in 92 offices across 35 countries, and is present in Africa, the Americas, Australasia, East Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Arup has participated in projects in over 160 countries.

About BAM

BAM Construct UK Ltd is part of the European construction enterprise, Royal BAM Group. Our origins in the UK stretch back as far as 1874 and we are one of the most successful construction and property services companies in the country. Our services include construction, design, services engineering, facilities management, property development and energy.

About CBRE Group, Inc.

CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBRE), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2018 revenue). The company has more than 90,000 employees (excluding affiliates) and serves real estate investors and occupiers through more than 480 offices (excluding affiliates) worldwide. CBRE offers a broad range of integrated services, including facilities, transaction and project management; property management; investment management; appraisal and valuation; property leasing; strategic consulting; property sales; mortgage services and development services. Please visit our website at www.cbre.com.