Arup's work for government clients at state, region and national levels is wide-ranging. The firm's engineers and consultants are engaged worldwide in designing the form and function of courts and custodial buildings, prisons, defence facilities, federal offices and public infrastructure. Arup's scope in this market has expanded to include public safety systems, military facilities, border patrol structures, secure units and postal buildings.
Innovative design projects have included working on landmark new buildings for the Welsh Assembly, Cardiff, and the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. The firm's work is often groundbreaking and can be life-saving too, as with its seismic design checker for the Tamar Government HQ, Hong Kong.
Buildings and energy performance
Retrofitting existing building stock is increasingly important to public sector bodies. Arup's skills and services in low energy design, carbon footprint reduction, costs / benefit analysis and energy auditing, renewable energy systems, high-performance façades, sustainable materials and meeting green building certifications address all aspects of new and ageing buildings. A recent Arup project is the Juvenile Training Centre & Residence at Tuen Mun, Hong Kong, which combined new buildings within an historical site.
In the face of stiffening environmental regulations, improving the energy performance of public buildings from healthcare estates to facilities such as San Francisco Federal Building, CA, USA, is a clear priority. Arup teams aid clients such as the Hong Kong Government to audit the energy usage of their buildings. For the Customs Headquarters at North Point, Hong Kong, through a combination of skills and services, Arup achieved the objective of an energy-efficient building, with 15-20% saved on running costs.
Large-scale and multidisciplinary
Thanks to its holistic approach and diverse range of integrated design skills, Arup is well placed to partner public bodies in major infrastructure, water and waste management systems and civil engineering projects of all kinds. The Arup approach is integrated and comprehensive, combining expertise in energy and water efficiency, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, environmental management, health impact of the built environment, stakeholder engagement and an understanding of operating and maintenance costs. Demonstrative of this is Arup's work on the district cooling system at Kai Tak in Hong Kong, a major development designed with an integrated view of sustainability in mind.
Best value for public money
Arup understands that publicly-funded buildings must demonstrate value for money in operation, as well as in capital cost. The firm's highly experienced specialists in capital planning and life-cycle cost analysis inform the planning of clients' projects. Likewise, Arup has teams skilled in transactional advice for international PPP and PFI projects.
It is evident that government agencies procure design and consultancy services to achieve best value. They must therefore have confidence in the reputation and reliability of their partners. Since its foundation over 60 years ago, clients the world over have profited from Arup’s global experience. Through its international network of shared knowledge, the firm continues to rise to the biggest and toughest project challenges.