Initiative will use technology to rehearse building techniques in safety

The Houses of Parliament Restoration and Renewal Programme鈥痠s partnering with Heriot-Watt University鈥痶o help protect those working on the initiative.

The restoration and renewal programme has鈥痑warded the university鈥�75,000鈥痮f funding to鈥痙evelop鈥痬ethods鈥痶o safeguard those working on the project as well as the building itself.

Parliament refurb May 2019 9515 CMYK

Dozens of surveys will be needed to map out what work at the building needs to be carried out

Its work will鈥痠nclude looking at the project from the design stage, through to construction and future operation and will use technology to rehearse difficult construction challenges鈥痶o make sure they are not dangerous for workers or damaging to the building.鈥�

The university鈥檚 project lead professor鈥疓uy鈥疻alker said:鈥�淲e want to create鈥痑n environment where the most natural behaviour is also the safest and most efficient. With technology we can rehearse construction activities鈥痠n safety. Designers, engineers and鈥痗onstruction鈥痺orkers鈥痗an sit together in a room and use a digital platform to run scenario tests.鈥�

A search for surveyors to carry out dozens of inspections to find out what work needs doing and how much it will cost began earlier this spring.

More than 100 surveys will be required to map out in detail the work required to revamp the grade I-listed building.

This part of the work has an 拢80m price tag and will be carried out over four years and comes after a long-awaited review into the programme was published in March which said keeping peers and MPs on site while repair work is carried out will cost billions more and take decades longer.

It added the Palace of Westminster should be decanted while work to overhaul the building is carried out. Peers are set to be billeted in the nearby QEII Centre while MPs are expected to relocate to the former Department of Health headquarters at Richmond House.

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