Home / Projects / Reviving a Birmingham landmark for tomorrow’s builders

Reviving a Birmingham landmark for tomorrow’s builders

University College Birmingham needed a place to train the next generation of construction professionals. So, we helped them transform the James Cond Building into a new Centre for Sustainable Construction. This was a complex upgrade in a listed building, but we kept things on track. With clear cost planning, risk management and smart technology, the university had everything it needed to move forward with confidence.

Client

University College Birmingham

Sectors

Education, Public sector

Services

Cost management and quantity surveying, Health and safety, UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) surveying

Preserving character, delivering modern learning

The Art Deco frontage of the building stayed just as it was. Inside, everything changed. Now students have access to digital classrooms, training workshops and spaces focused on greener technologies. It’s a place that supports the construction sector as it moves towards net zero.

We delivered two core services:

Quantity surveying: We created reliable cost plans, gave practical advice and monitored budgets throughout.
Principal designer services: We managed design risks and made sure everyone met legal and safety standards.

Because the building is listed, everything had to be planned and delivered with care. Our experience helped the university stay in control.

Better insight through drone surveys

The roof was hard to reach, so we used drones instead of scaffolding. Our in-house surveyors captured photos, thermal images and data from above. That meant less disruption, faster results and more informed choices.

We used the data to build 2D and 3D models and shared them online with the client. It helped them make smart decisions early and keep the project moving.

Balancing sustainability with heritage

The building had to meet environmental standards without losing its character. We helped the university set sustainability targets and then meet them. Now, students train in areas including:

Sustainable construction
Renewable energy
Robotics
Modern manufacturing
Digital tools for the built environment

This project gave new life to a well-known local building. It created a modern learning centre in the heart of the Jewellery Quarter. The result? A confident, future-ready space that will support the city’s construction industry for years to come.