Important step toward a total makeover of the Science Bldg and beyond
For those who reads Norwegian: Les dekanens blog denne veka (temaet ser du i utklippet under)!
For those who prefers English, please continue below the picture!
Important steps toward a fully modernized campus – the Nygårdshøyden South project
(the Dean’s blog, google translated and slightly revised:)
This week we have received good news from the Ministry of Education (KD)! KD has given us a written order for Assignment For Project (OFP), which means that we are allowed a less industrious path than what is usual in this type of large construction project.
This decision has been taken by KD and the Ministry of Finance on the basis of the analysis note Nygårdshøyden sør (NGHS) – Science building and Fysikkbygget – need for total rehabilitation, which was sent to KD last spring. MatNat at all levels, the Real Estate Department (EIA) and the management at UiB have done extensive and thorough work, and the ministries agree that rehabilitation of the Science and Physics building is a good framework for our project. Thank you all for your efforts thus far!
This also means that we avoid the task of generating (unrealistic) alternatives for relocating MatNat with subsequent extensive documentation. We at MatNat almost take it for granted that the faculty should be part of the knowledge environment at Høyden, and that we should have a close collaboration with the city’s other players. It is the premise that has led us to invest heavily in the rehabilitation and reuse of buildings, which is also the only sensible thing to do in light of the green shift.
We will take the good work that has already been done with us further into the process. In OFP, in collaboration with EIA, we will, among other things, work further with goals and results, infrastructure needs, cost estimates, implementation plan and organisation. We will investigate two different concepts for rehabilitation. The completed OFP will then undergo external evaluation, and our aim is to get the go-ahead to start the preliminary project as soon as possible.
We are now working in parallel with Allégaten 64. Since January this year, EIA and the UiB management have had frequent and ongoing dialogue with KD. Here, too, there are several points that need to be clarified, but we hope for good news on that front before the summer holidays.
For us, it feels as if we are escaping a penalty round, others might say that we have found a shortcut. No matter how you describe it, there is no doubt that the solid, thorough work that has been done so far has been absolutely crucial for NGHS to have taken an important step forward this week.
