The client
In 2019, Aberystwyth University was the first to be named “University of the year for teaching quality” by the Times Good University Guide. Located on the west coast of Wales, it has 8,000 students studying across three academic faculties.
The project
Environtec was asked to manage a major asbestos project in one of the university’s listed buildings, including fixtures and fittings.
Key challenges and solutions
The project saw us manage the removal of thermal insulation from 375 m2 of walls and ceilings in the basement. Because of the listed status, we used a finer grit during sandblasting, ensuring the integrity of the structure. This meant the visual and removal work took a lot longer than normal.
Other managed work included the removal of floor tiles and their bitumen adhesive. Because the floor timbers were original, we couldn’t use scabblers or grinders. Instead, we removed bitumen from 135m2 by hand, using diluted chemicals.
Four stage clearance removals were undertaken for the removal of AIB panels to 20 doors. This involved unscrewing the doors from their frames, taking them into a large enclosure and removing the panels under full controlled conditions. No damage could be caused to the doors, again making this a challenging – but ultimately successful – task.
