Coventry City Council -

Jubilee Community Centre MEP Refurbishment

A future-ready upgrade supporting a vital community space without disrupting the services it provides.

Client: City of Coventry Council

Scope: End-to-end mechanical and electrical design for the replacement and refurbishment of heating and ventilation systems, delivered within a fully operational community facility.

38% Emissions Reduction

Compared to the previous oil-fired heating system

42% improved operational efficiency

Delivered through low-temperature heating design and modern controls

Live community facility

Fully operational throughout the phased refurbishment

The Inspiration

Community centres play a vital role in local life, providing inclusive, accessible spaces where people come together to learn, connect, and receive support. For these buildings to continue serving their communities effectively, their infrastructure must remain safe, reliable, and fit for modern operational and sustainability expectations.

At Jubilee Crescent Community Centre, ageing building services, including an inefficient oil-fired heating system, were no longer meeting those demands. Coventry City Council sought a solution that would modernise performance, reduce environmental impact, and future-proof the building, while ensuring the centre remained fully open and operational throughout the refurbishment, providing essential services.

Our Approach

Our approach combined careful engineering judgement with phased, occupation-led delivery planning. Appointed to deliver the full mechanical and electrical design, we developed a refurbishment strategy that modernised ageing building services while carefully managing risk, disruption, and long-term value within a live community setting.

A key early focus was the safe isolation, decommissioning, and removal of legacy oil-fired infrastructure, including boilers, associated pipework, redundant services, and a 10,000-litre external oil storage tank. All works were managed in line with HSE regulations and best-practice disposal standards, removing environmental risk and establishing a clean, compliant platform for renewal.

From this baseline, we designed a modern, low-temperature heating solution using high-efficiency gas-fired condensing boilers operating at 50/30 flow and return temperatures. New mechanical distribution pipework and zoned heating circuits were coordinated throughout the building to improve efficiency, simplify maintenance, and align with the Council’s long-term sustainability objectives.

To keep the community centre fully operational, we developed a five-phase delivery strategy across the plantroom, main hall, library, social areas, and first floor. This occupation-led approach allowed works to be carefully sequenced, maintaining safety, access, and continuity of use throughout the refurbishment.

In parallel, we delivered the full electrical design to support the new heating infrastructure, including upgraded distribution boards, submains, containment, and final circuits serving electric panel heaters and fan coil units. Redundant electrical services associated with the previous system were safely isolated and removed to ensure a clear, compliant, and future-ready installation.

Quality and compliance were embedded from the outset, including a representative installation benchmark to set clear standards for workmanship and coordination prior to full rollout, alongside full commissioning, testing, and compliant handover in line with design intent and manufacturer requirements.

The Outcome

The refurbishment delivered a decisive step change in the performance, efficiency, and resilience of Jubilee Crescent Community Centre. An ageing, carbon-intensive oil-fired heating system was replaced with a modern, low-temperature solution that significantly improved energy efficiency and operational reliability, while permanently removing the environmental and operational risks associated with oil storage and legacy infrastructure. Crucially, all improvements were delivered while the building remained fully open, maintaining uninterrupted access to vital community services throughout the works.

The project progressed from design through to commissioning with no unplanned issues, defects, or operational disruption, an outcome that reflects the clarity of the design, the robustness of the phased delivery strategy, and the emphasis placed on coordination, quality, and risk management from the outset. The Council was handed a fully coordinated, compliant, and future-ready M&E installation, commissioned cleanly and performing as intended, providing long-term confidence in the building’s operation and stewardship.

Our Lasting Impact

This project demonstrates how careful engineering judgement and occupation-led delivery can create lasting value for both the client and the community it serves. By upgrading critical building services without disruption or waste, the refurbishment enabled Coventry City Council to modernise a key community asset while maintaining continuity of service, cost control, and operational confidence. The removal of legacy oil infrastructure and the introduction of efficient, low-temperature heating significantly reduced environmental risk and improved long-term resilience, supporting the Council’s wider sustainability and asset-management objectives.

Beyond the technical outcome, the project strengthens the role of Jubilee Crescent Community Centre as a reliable, welcoming civic space, one that can continue to support health, wellbeing, and social connection across the city. Through responsible investment, intelligent reuse, and future-ready design, the refurbishment contributes to a more resilient public estate and reinforces the Council’s commitment to delivering sustainable, community-focused infrastructure for Coventry now and into the future.