Energy-efficiency consultancy services

Tender description

Renfrewshire Council are seeking to engage Specialist Consultants to advise the Council on architectural, energy efficiency, surveying, quantity surveying and structural engineering experience and skills in order to carry out a stock condition survey for our fourteen (14) multi storey blocks that the Council own and manage. The consultant will be required to provide a comprehensive architectural and structural assessment, for each of the fourteen (14) multi storey blocks, in terms of their external condition, anticipated date for the replacement of external elements including roof, render and windows, and any associated maintenance works that will be required up to or until their replacement is scheduled. As a result, the Council believe that a full structural assessment, carried out by a suitably qualified structural engineer, individual or company, is required for all fourteen blocks considering each multi storeys’ roof structure, roof covering and façade. The primarily focus will be to assess the condition and strength of the existing external insulation as well as the building substrate and roof structure/covering for the suitability of a future investment programme that would include a modern insulation and roof system if required. To provide the level of condition information that would satisfy these requirements the Council would expect an in-depth structural assessment, carried out by suitably accredited personnel, of the building fabric, building substrate, roof structure and roof covering in order to fully understand the current and anticipated lifetime of external elements; and when the Council should plan for their replacement within our current capital programme plan. As a result, it is likely that this assessment will require both wind load calculations as well as the removal of existing cladding and pull out tests, consultants should therefore make provisions for this level of detail within their response to the tender. The assessment should consider the merits of a repair and maintenance programme in order to extend the lifetime of the external elements, should that be deemed both practical and financially viable option, as well as anticipated options for the replacement and the associated costs. For these assessments the Council require the successful contractor to price, at their own cost, for the removal of panels at all fourteen of the blocks across a number of elevations and at different heights in order to test the building substrate and determine their status. The consultant should make provision for this in terms of their of their own working platform for each site and a process for the removal and replacement of the insulation panels, in line with manufactures warrantees and guarantees, in order to ensure the structure continues to be wind and watertight after the survey work is complete. The Council anticipate that the methodology for this work be demonstrated within the tender response. The Council must be confident that through the tender stage what is produced by the consultant will allow the Council to confidently plan for either an investment or maintenance programme, and that work which is proposed can verified by the relevant and qualified individuals as both practically possible as well as financially viable. As a result, the Council anticipates that the consultants will provide a methodology within the tender response that is “fit for purpose” in terms of providing a comprehensive structural assessment of the buildings their cladding, substrate and roof that can be produced that satisfies the Councils requirements. This invitation to tender relates only to the external condition of these blocks, and the assessment of that condition for use in the Council’s financial planning. Note that the Council does not require an assessment of any internal elements either relating to common “internal” areas or individual dwellings.