IQ: Student Accommodation

Novus refurbished two student blocks in Edinburgh under a long-term framework with iQ Student Accommodation, active since 2017. Delivered during the summer, the project benefitted over 168 students annually.

Scope:
Refurbishment across four blocks included:
• Bedrooms & Kitchens: 92 studio bedrooms and kitchens, 107 cluster bedrooms, 20 cluster kitchens.
• Communal Areas: 20 cluster corridors, 3 staircases, 4 corridors, 10 lift landings, reception, cinema, gym, dance studio, diner, social kitchen, and study space.
• Trades: Joinery, plumbing, electrical, flooring, painting.

Successes:
• Delivered in a live environment with occupants in place, managing noise and working hours to avoid disruption.
• Sequenced delivery with limited storage: furniture manufactured off-site and installed
floor-by-floor, each handed over within seven days.
• Smart programming: 75 operatives on-site at peak, staggered works from top to bottom, with each floor signed off before handover.

Challenges:
• Tight summer schedule to ensure readiness for September intake and avoid
revenue loss.
• Live site logistics in central Edinburgh required precise planning and coordination.
• Limited storage required strict delivery scheduling and floor-by-floor furniture
installation, with overlapping handovers to avoid trade clashes.