Key Features
- Etec have been appointed to all three lots of RBG Kew's contractors framework
- We will be undertaking projects involving Mechanical (Lot 1), Electrical (Lot 2) and Building Fabric (Lot 3) over the next four years
- Kew Gardens, together with the botanic gardens at Wakehurst Sussex, are managed by RBG Kew, an internationally important botanical research and education institution employing 750 staff sponsored by DEFRA
- It is one of London's top tourist attractions and is a World Heritage Site
- Kew consists of 121 hectares of gardens and botanical glasshouses, four Grade I listed buildings, and 36 Grade II listed structures, all set in a highly significant landscape. It is listed Grade I on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens
- The Wakehurst site comprises a late 16th-century mansion with a mainly 20th-century garden and Kew's Millennium Seed Bank in a modern building
Works
- Works under Lots 1 & 2 include mechanical and electrical asset replacement, fire safety, DDA, mechanical and electrical engineering works and enabling works in association with the works relating to building fabric
- Projects delivered under Lot 3 comprise fabric related works such as repairs, replacement and extension services to new buildings, conversion and refurbishment of existing buildings
- There is also an element of short notice responsive works that we are responsible for managing and completing under all three Lots
Challenges and Solutions
- This is a high profile public facing scheme with both sites open 363 days a year and only closing on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. This means that maintaining safety and good relations with the public is paramount
- Kew is a keeper of invaluable collections and undertakes essential research at both sites. The consequences of any damage to the collections would be significant and far reaching. Great care needs to be taken in certain areas of the buildings to ensure that plant material and artefacts are not damaged during our works
- Where the works require listed building consent, it is our responsibility to manage the process throughout the duration of the project and make all necessary arrangements with Kew's Heritage Consultant to ensure compliance
