UK: Network Rail has awarded HBC Construction a £7·2m contract to design and build a Maintenance Delivery Unit to provide staff facilities in Sheffield, ‘replicating and evolving’ the approach the contractor is using on its ongoing Barnetby MDU project in North Lincolnshire.
The 1 400 m² facility at Blast Lane Depot in Sheffield will have a modern timber-framed main building designed to meet Network Rail’s Greener Railway strategy. This must be net zero in operation and offer a minimum 10% Biodiversity Net Gain through soft landscaping improvements including pollinator-friendly planting.
Partially funded through Network Rail’s Green Bank, the new facility will incorporate a range of sustainability initiatives including heat recovery ventilation, smart lighting and controls, a rooftop solar PV array and efficient water management.
HBC’s project team has worked with Network Rail to optimise the building layout and reduce the footprint by more than 25%, cutting materials, costs and operational energy use while improving functionality. Standardising and simplifying the building form allows for off-site construction and reduces waste, while the internal spaces will be configured to enhance efficiency and support future flexibility.
Completion is scheduled for 2027.
