Project: New Campus Development
Completion: Ongoing
Services:
Met mapped the University of York’s Heslington Campus for a facilities and geographical information system (GIS) knowledge & maintenance programme.
Project Overview
The University of York is investing in a major expansion programme which will see a three-storey development built on its east campus. With plans informed by topographical surveys, utility mapping and measured building surveys conducted by Met Consultancy Group, work has now begun on a £27m project that will deliver two laboratories, a 350-seat auditorium, a 100-seat lecture theatre and offices across 732,000 sq ft of space. This project is the latest stage of a long term relationship with The Russell Group University during which Met has previously mapped the Heslington Campus for a facilities and geographical information system (GIS) knowledge & maintenance programme.
Technical Overview
Phase 1 Data Collection (2011/12)
In 2011-12 The University was building a facilities management and geographical information system (GIS) to improve knowledge, works and maintenance programmes. When engineering consultancy, Buro Happold were appointed to develop the system they recognised that a completely new, detailed and comprehensive map base was required. Met were brought onto the project to undertake the three dimensional (3D) topographical survey and utility mapping of the Heslington Campus to provide the base data for the system.
A phased programme of data capture was developed which involved splitting the site into areas to minimise disruption to normal University activities. Topographical survey teams and utility mapping specialists worked in tandem to cover the entire 53ha site.
Once data was gathered, the utility surveys were overlaid onto the topographical base surveys with all utilities on site (pipes, cables etc) given 3D line properties in the CAD drawings. Although pipes and cables have a physical size (e.g. a 100mm diameter water pipe), it is often impossible to determine what size the utilities are by non-intrusive investigation. This means they’re represented by a single thickness line in 3D with details annotated in the GIS system where known.
A full condition survey of manhole and inspection cover lids was also carried out across the site, to satisfy the University’s health and safety requirements. All covers were lifted, photographed and their details recorded on a specially designed recording form to ensure cohesive data collection for the GIS system.
By January 2012, the first phase of data collection was successfully completed. This was a major survey project spanning over eight months which provided the University with a current, detailed 3D data of the site to facilitate future planning of the estate.
Ongoing works (2012 – Present)
Since the first phase of data collection, Met has been involved with keeping the survey information up-to-date and relevant. Various areas of the west campus have been redeveloped and remodelled requiring new additions to the map base, and the new East Heslington Campus has been developed which has also been topographically mapped.
The CAD map data has been converted by Met technicians into a GIS interactive format so that it can be used as a dynamic part of the GIS asset management package, rather than a simple background layer. All mapped features can incorporate attribute information ensuring that the GIS is a fully functional land and asset management system.
The latest developments sees The University of York embarking on a £27m expansion programme at the East Heslington Campus which will see a three-storey development built to deliver two laboratories, a 350-seat auditorium, a 100-seat lecture theatre and offices across 732,000 sq ft of space.