Developer and asset manager Quintain has played a central role in the urban regeneration of Wembley, north-west London, undertaking construction and management of the UK’s largest build-to-rent development, the Wembley Park Estate.
Requiring a digital partner for the 8,500 home estate, which includes 6,044 Build-to-Rent homes to be managed by Quintain Living, it chose Zutec.
Asset lifecycle information and construction management software provider Zutec had already been involved in a number of key revitalisation projects in the area, including Wembley Stadium.
Zutec’s technology was originally used by Quintain to review all Wembley Park’s BIM models and building information across site and improve its knowledge of the development.
However, the scope of work quickly evolved.
Realising ambition
Commencing in 2005, Quintain’s Wembley Park Estate is UK’s largest Built to Rent development, and a central part of the redevelopment of the north-west London Suburb where it’s located.
The new housing project, set to provide over 6,000 build-to-rent homes managed by Quintain Living, is the latest phase in a transformation project set to revitalise the central Wembley area.
Zutec had already been involved as the construction management technology partner for the neighbouring Wembley Stadium project. Knowing the site well, it made them a natural partner for Quintain. Quintain’s Irish team had successfully worked with Zutec on other projects, so a relationship was already there on which to build.
Delivering data accuracy
Originally brought on in 2018, Zutec was commissioned by Quintain to review Wembley Park’s BIM models and building information across site.
The Quintain team were impressed with the platform’s seamless functionality in its ability to collate massive amounts of data, align information to standards and regulations, and categorise it according to audience.
As a result, Zutec’s role would soon evolve to cover the full-lifecycle Asset Information Management (AIM) of the development.
Gathering info, protecting assets
Zutec was also asked to support Quintain’s objective to provide a comprehensive system for ongoing facilities management of the development.
As the ongoing owner and asset manager, it was crucial Quintain delivered complete, accurate records of the construction journey to the estates team at handover.
With mountains of paperwork, drawings, and certifications to log, the job was a big one. However, it was essential that every single component within the building was tracked, along with information on how it had been installed, tested, and inspected.
The estates team would need an exact digital twin of the whole complex, codifying what materials and construction methods were used across the interior and exterior, from the apartments themselves to the landscaping around it.
Without this information, the facilities management would immediately be compromised, exposing the asset owner and end-user to multiple-risks.
Building relationships
Quintain is the ongoing owner and asset manager of the majority of Wembley Park’s residential developments, so a quality, seamless, and meticulous O&M handover is crucial.
Zutec’s proprietary document control and asset information management (AIM) platform has been central to delivering this ambition.
Working closely with Quintain, the Zutec team has created bespoke rules with the AIM platform of how building information is recorded, stored, presented, and archived. This makes it easy to digest for the estates team, so they can operate according to exact requirements, giving essential peace of mind.
Working better and safer
At a human level, Wembley Park is a perfect example of a development designed, built, and handed over according to a new, more responsible and accountable way of doing business.
Commenting on the project Quintain’s Information manager Craig Stevens said: “Asset owners and managers, and residents for that matter, rightly want to know what’s gone into the building of their property, how it was built, how it will work and how it will be maintained.
“It’s crucial for compliance and de-risking the asset.
“This requires forensic and comprehensive information gathering, and management, throughout the planning, design, and journey to create a fit-for-purpose handover to be used for correct ongoing O&M.”
Read next: DB and Siemens unveils world’s first automatic train
Are you a building professional? Sign up for a FREE MEMBERSHIP to upload news stories, post job vacancies, and connect with colleagues on our secure social feed.
