Now that the new term has started, the Estates & Commercial Facilities team would like to share with you the highlights of this summer’s additions and improvements to University facilities, as well as some of our plans to improve the campus for students and staff during 2012/13.
A productive summer

Every summer, the Estates & Commercial Facilities team works hard to implement the more disruptive elements of our continuous improvement programme for the campus, as well as progressing longer-term projects which will continue during the academic year.

We have progressed and completed dozens of projects, moves and other improvements this summer. Here are some of the highlights:

• Nursing – we have provided a new suite of teaching spaces for primary (GP) care, secondary (hospital) care and community (home) care nursing, to support the fourfold increase in the number of new Nursing students this September.
• Atrium Phase One – reconfiguration and redecoration of the Atrium in preparation for delivery of new, more comfortable furniture this October and Phase Two of works next summer
• Endless Pool – construction of a 10,000-litre “treadmill for swimmers” in the Human Performance Centre, providing a key new training and research facility for elite swimmers and coaches.
• Business & Law Building Groupwork Upgrades – we’ve installed five new “turn up and use” groupwork tables in the Learning Lounges on the ground, first and second floors. In addition, all ten bookable group rooms now have permanent AV equipment. The rooms, like many others, can be booked by all students and staff via the Portal > Timetabling & Room Bookings.
• Stable Yard Refurbishment – we’ve adapted the Grade II listed Stable Yard building to provide new facilities for animal behaviour and welfare research and teaching.

• New Animal Behaviour & Welfare Centre – commencement of works to create new purpose-built facilities for animal behaviour and welfare research and teaching at Riseholme.
• Student Village Upgrades – major improvements including the refurbishment of Courts 13-17 and the fitting of energy-efficient heating controls in all Courts.
• Library Upgrades – construction of a new Learning Development room to support increasing visitor numbers and lengths of stay.
• Art, Architecture & Design – completion of noisy piling and excavation works for the new AAD building and the start of a phase internal reconfiguration programme within the existing AAD building.
• New Seminar Environments – reconfiguration and refit of MB1012, MB1019 and MB1020 to support Student as Producer and active, collaborative learning.

• New Teaching Lab –  creation of a 60-seat teaching laboratory and two prep rooms in the MHT Building to support the expansion of the School of Life Sciences.
• New MHP Faculty Office – creation of a new Faculty Office for Media, Humanities and Performance on the first floor of the MHT Building.
• New School of Computer Science and School of Life Sciences Office – creation of a new office for these two Schools on the third floor of the MHT Building.
• University Library Phase 1.5 – submission of planning applications for additional Library space and seminar space.
• Riseholme – welcoming Bishop Burton College to our campus, setting up leasing and licensing arrangements for transferred and shared facilities, and carrying out various moves and reconfiguration works to enable continued side-by-side delivery of HE and FE at Riseholme.
• Vitrine – collaboration with the Lincoln School of Art & Design to set up exhibition space on Sincil Street for this year’s MA Design exhibition.
• Repainting of many spaces around campus, especially public and circulatory spaces.

We have also introduced new methods for communicating with students and staff to increase transparency and interactivity around proposed and ongoing developments. You can now read about and comment on developments at the Learning Landscapes blog, and @LincolnEstates on Twitter.
Looking ahead: plans for 2012/13

Following our submission of the new Brayford Pool Campus Masterplan to the City of Lincoln Council, we are planning ahead for the next phases of development to the campus. Here are some highlights of new facilities and improvements we are planning for the next 12 months:

• New furniture for the Atrium will arrive in October.

• The new Animal Behaviour & Welfare Centre will be completed in October, providing new facilities for animal behaviour research and teaching.
• Phase Two of the Atrium upgrade programme will be delivered next summer.
• We will continue to work with Network Rail to develop the proposed new footbridge at Brayford Wharf East to reduce delays for students and staff crossing the railway.
• We will complete the Art, Architecture & Design programme –  construction, refurbishment, fitout and relocation of staff and equipment into what will be the University’s largest building.
• We will continue to work with our partners Lincolnshire Co-operative Society on the redevelopment, fitout and relocation of staff and equipment into Becor House and Minster House, creating the University’s largest research facility at the heart of the new science and innovation park. We will also be making further improvements to our existing Science Centre.
• We will develop a major landscaping programme to enrich the campus with new outdoor places for socialising, learning and relaxation.

We are also working on plans for many further improvements across the campus with colleagues in all three Colleges and the support departments. We will share highlights of these as soon as possible.

2012/13 will be an exciting year on campus and we would love to hear from you regarding our proposals, projects in progress, and your suggestions for future developments to the University’s physical Learning Landscape. Please get in touch via the comments form (below) or @LincolnEstates on Twitter.

The Estates & Commercial Facilities team wishes all students and staff every success in the new academic year.