We are delighted to have been part of the design team that worked on the Net Zero Carbon McDonalds at Market Drayton. SLCE progressed the early concept ideas by designing and incorporating these into the modular building. This included: low carbon technology, onsite wind energy generation, PV panels, rainwater harvesting and heat reclaim from the kitchen extract.  

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-59603244

The Thackray Museum of Medicine in Leeds is a museum of the history of healthcare. The building first opened in 1861 as the purpose-built Leeds Union Workhouse. It went on to become a part of the hospital until the NHS vacated the building in 1990. In 1998 the museum was opened within the former workhouse. The museum was founded by the Thackray Medical Research Trust who had established the original collection of medical artefacts from an extensive family archive.

Simpson & Brown architects were appointed to develop proposals to improve the existing museum as part of a successful Heritage Lottery Fund Application to address the constricted circulation routes throughout the building and create a more open and fluid space.

Silcock Leedham were appointed to provide full M&E design for the refurbishment works working closely with the museum team, NHS Estates, Simpson Brown Architects and exhibition designers, Leach.  Alongside standard M&E systems,  the key elements for the M&E design were to address the energy efficiency and improved control. Instead of simply replacing plant with new, a more sustainable approach was taken to fully refurbish existing ventilation equipment and replace obsolete BMS controls with a new Trend IQ Vision building management system. Ventilation is now provided on a demand control basis enabling energy efficient operation of central plant. The new lighting design utilises energy efficient LED fittings which is both functional and subtly accentuates the historic architectural detailing of the building.

The works were completed in 2020. The project has received a commendation award for outstanding merit for the EEA Ambassador Awards 2021.

SLCE were appointed by the University of York as the MEP consulting engineer to carry out, complete design and technical advisory services for the complete refurbishment of the Hull York Medical School Research Facility at York.  We worked closely with the University and their principal stakeholders to clearly establish the academic & research brief and worked as part of an integrated team  with  seamless collaboration with the contractor to achieve zero defects.

As a trusted member of the UoY technical advisory supply chain and with extensive experience of healthcare and research projects, SLCE were able to lead the technical discussions regarding interpretation of the project brief and adopt a pragmatic approach to the design solutions. As is our usual approach, we were open, integrated and collaborative in our sharing of information.

RSK, the UK’s leading integrated environmental, engineering and technical services consultancy, has acquired the consulting engineering practice Silcock Leedham Group. The acquisition, announced today, is RSK’s eighth of the financial year and will see the group’s three businesses, Silcock Leedham Consulting Engineers, Zero Energy Design and Verisys, join RSK.

Founded in 2001, Silcock Leedham Group is a mechanical and electrical engineering specialist providing services in the areas of design, thermal modelling, air quality monitoring, technical project management and commissioning to a broad portfolio of clients. It is made up of three complementary and specialist businesses: Silcock Leedham Consulting Engineers, an award-winning consulting engineering practice; Zero Energy Design, an independent building physics, air quality monitoring and sustainability consultancy; and Verisys, which provides specialist testing, commissioning, validation/verification and associated services. With headquarters in Leeds, further UK offices in Warrington and London, and a base in Dubai, UAE, Silcock Leedham Group employs 47 staff.

Silcock Leedham Group has worked with well-known names including Coca Cola, Amazon and Princes, as well as major international developers and international contractors such as BAM, Wilmott Dixon, Interserve and Mitie. The company’s recent notable projects include the Alderley Edge Science Park, UK, an Amazon automated sorting facility and the National Bank of Bahrain headquarters. The acquisition will enable RSK to further its building and construction expertise with the addition of a dedicated mechanical and electrical engineering specialist.

“RSK already has a strong presence in the engineering and construction sectors, but has been looking to acquire a dedicated mechanical and electrical engineering specialist for some time,” says RSK Chief Executive Officer and founder Alan Ryder. “Silcock Leedham Group is a fantastic business that will offer a complementary service to our already broad offering. With many shared values, we believe the company will be a great fit for RSK.”

Mike Silcock, Silcock Leedham Group Managing Director who will continue to lead the business with Technical Director Bill Leedham, adds, “As an established multidimensional mechanical and electrical engineer with a turnover approaching £5 million, Silcock Leedham Group has a great opportunity to grow with RSK and support the RSK businesses in the UK and overseas. RSK also puts strong emphasis on sustainability, something we are equally passionate about, so we are looking forward to working together.”

The company will join RSK’s geosciences and engineering division run by RSK Divisional Director George Tuckwell. Silcock Leedham Group is the second new acquisition to RSK’s growing geosciences and engineering division in recent weeks, following ATP in October.

George Tuckwell says, “RSK’s geosciences and engineering division is going from strength to strength and the addition of Silcock Leedham Group will only add to this growth. We are excited to have a dedicated mechanical and electrical engineering specialist in-house and to be able to expand our multidisciplinary service offering.”

Silcock Leedham Group is the latest acquisition under RSK’s funding package from Ares Capital Europe and a revolving credit facility provided by NatWest announced in December 2018. RSK is investing in the development of new businesses, bolt-on complementary businesses, equipment and capabilities to increase its services and expand internationally. RSK now employs more than 3600 staff in over 130 offices worldwide and has an annual turnover in excess of £250 million.

https://www.rsk.co.uk/

One of our Dubai Offices major projects is the redevelopment of the HQ for the National Bank of Bahrain in Manama and we were pleased to be visited in the UK by two of the banks senior executives, Hasan Yaseen and Haitham Seyadi. Both Hasan and Haitham spent a few days at our Leeds Office, visiting a number of our recently completed regional projects and meeting at the Airedale factory to witness the final testing of a large order for computer room cooling units that will be delivered to Bahrain in the next few weeks.   We are honoured that NBB have chosen British engineers, both design and manufacturing, to support the development of their Head Quarters. 

Heat networks have been identified by the UK government as an important part of the UK's future low carbon energy supply – their commitment to heat networks stems from a recognition of their many benefits. They are well suited to densely populated areas and can reduce carbon emissions when deployed in these environments, they can also be powered using a variety of fuels, including lower carbon sources such as waste heat from process, heat pumps, biomass and energy from waste.

As the heat network market is in relative infancy in comparison to the traditional energy sources of gas and electricity, it is yet to fall under full government regulation and as such there are many networks which are operating poorly, either through faults with their design or operation - to some extents hindering the uptake of a concept that can bring many benefits for all.

To these ends, CIBSE have written a Code of Practice, CP1 which lays down a stage by stage ‘best practice’ process to the identification, feasibility, design and operation phases of heat networks in the UK.

It also operates a register of certified Heat Network Consultants – recognising the skills of individuals to advise & guide parties through the stages, maximising the chances of success for the network.

We are please to announce that we are now members of the register and are looking forward to exploring the exciting opportunities that heat networks can bring to our low carbon future.

We are delighted to have been successful as part of the BAM Construction design team to deliver the £90m+ Sir William Henry Bragg Building, proving an International Centre for Engineering and Physical Science (ICEPS) at the University of Leeds.

It is large, heavily service and complex development which will be constructed to create an integrated campus for Engineering and Physical Sciences to build on a shared interaction between these disciplines. Located within the North East quarter of the city campus, the new 15,000m2 building will enable the integration of the University disciplines of Engineering, Physics, Astronomy and Computing along with the provision of critical central teaching and social interaction spaces. Some of the key space includes categorised laboratories, a suite of clean rooms and close temperature control rooms accommodating high resolution electron microscopy, surface probe microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Raman & Terahertz spectroscopy.

The building is due to be completed by Summer 2020 and we look forward to fulfilling an integral role to a project which will play a part in elevating Yorkshire and Leeds onto the world stage of scientific research.  

After a flurry of activity and increased workload, within the L2 team of our Leeds office, we are pleased to have been joined by Daniel Broadbent and Emma Grime in recent months. Daniel is an electrical engineer with the great toolbox of skill and is seeking to develop his passion for electrical system design and progress to a more senior level within the coming years with the business. outside work Daniel is a keen football fan and can often be found at Bradford City home games. Emma has joined us as a Senior CAD Technician and is tasked with being the technical lead for all things CAD within the team. Both have joined us at a busy time but have fitted into the team really well and we look forward to them being integral members of the team in the future. 

We are thrilled to have received no less than 3 shortlisted nominations for the upcoming CIBSE Yorkshire Awards. We feel this is well deserved recognition of the time, effort and resources dedicated to the development of our young staff coming through the SLCE Academy. Our stars of the future are:

Matt Biggs. Matt recently graduated from Northumbria University with 1^st Class Honours in Building Services has been put forward for Student of the Year by the institution in recognition of the dedication and unwavering commitment to his studies – for an unprecedented 2^nd time in 4 years. Matt has also found the time to develop into a competent project engineer as well as leading SL’s Digital Engineering Team.

Dan Marner. Dan joined SLCE a little over a year ago and it is testament to his work ethic, capability and personality that has resulted in his nomination for Graduate of the Year from his colleagues.

Sam Pope. Sam came to us as a school leaver and is now well on the way to a rewarding career in Electrical Services design. Sam is a hugely capable individual and we are delighted that he has applied himself to his studies with equal vigour that he brings to the office; so much so, Leeds College of Building have put him forward for Apprentice of the Year!

Well Done all & Good Luck in November!

Silcock Leedham continue their longstanding relationship with the University of Huddersfield, providing design services for the refurbishment of Broadbent’s Engineering Bath House on the University Campus. This Historic England listed building, a former bath house for foundary workers, is a very rare and potentially unique example of its type with contemporary architectural influences, and it is the Universities intention to sympathetically refurbish the building as part of the ongoing Campus development.  

The refurbishment proposals include the creation of new gallery and exhibition spaces, café and servery to link closely with the exciting new Barbara Hepworth Building development on the new development site at the University. Silcock Leedham are currently developing MEP design solutions to complement the existing building, with passive design principles utilising heavyweight structure to assist natural ventilation with night purge, and specialist functional and display lighting designs to mirror the industrial heritage of the property.