NORWICH CITY COLLEGE
Project overview
INNOX was appointed by MJS Projects to undertake a comprehensive programme of licensed and non-notifiable asbestos removal within the Norwich Building at City College Norwich. This formed a critical part of the college's wider refurbishment works, aimed at modernising and upgrading several teaching spaces. Pre-construction surveys identified a significant presence of asbestos-containing materials that required controlled removal before refurbishment could begin.
Some materials were found to be in poor condition, increasing the risk of fibre release and necessitating fully licensed enclosures, negative pressure environments and strict access controls. The project was further complicated by its location within a live educational environment, and INNOX had to remain fluid with the programme to align with the main contractor's handover of areas and avoid delaying the refurbishment.
Through close coordination with the client and college facilities team, INNOX delivered a programme that maintained site safety, protected building users and ensured full compliance with CAR 2012 while supporting the college's refurbishment timeline.
Scope of works
The licensed and non-notifiable removal scope included:
- Removal of AIB ceiling panels, suspended ceiling grids and all associated fixings under fully licensed conditions.
- Removal of thermoplastic tiles and bitumen adhesive, followed by environmental cleaning and PVA encapsulation.
- Construction of multiple fully controlled licensed enclosures across several floors, complete with Airlocks/Baglocks, 1000-gauge polythene, CCTV and viewing panels.
- Deployment of Mi towers inside the enclosures to access ceiling areas, in full compliance with tower safety protocols.
- Installation of Negative Pressure Units venting externally through classroom windows, supported by air inlet pods and 5000 pre-filters to maintain >10 air changes per hour.
- Full Decontamination Unit (DCU) setup within the contractor compound, along with a locked hazardous waste skip and secure vehicle parking.
- Controlled waste and transit routes using double-bagged waste and sealed wheelie bins via designated stair landings.
- Continuous shadow vacuuming, surfactant spraying and multi-stage fine cleaning before sign-off.
- Successful first-time pass of all 4-Stage Clearances, DCU clearances and van clearances.
Key challenges
- Live college environment: strict segregation and barrier systems were required to protect students and staff.
- Exam period: strict restrictions on noise due to ongoing exams.
- Confined classroom layouts: tight ceiling voids and limited workspace required careful enclosure design.
- Airflow demands: the size of the enclosures required high-capacity NPUs and enhanced airflow management.
- Controlled waste movement: waste had to be moved through internal staircases without disrupting college operations.
- Programme alignment: all works had to align with the refurbishment schedule and minimise impact on college activities.
How INNOX overcame these
- Strategically installed controlled crawl-boards to internal waste and transit routes under supervisor direction.
- Applied surfactant spray (1:10) and used continuous shadow vacuuming.
- Built oversized Airlocks/Baglocks and a tunnelled route for Enclosure 3.
- Used CCTV monitoring, airflow testing and full Control Point sign-offs.
- Enforced strict waste-handling procedures using sealed wheelie bins and supervised transport.
- Ensured all INNOX staff were confined space trained, with compliant rescue and air/gas monitoring equipment onsite.
- Designed and erected specialist scaffolding to provide compliant access throughout the works.
Project outcome
- Installed clear access control systems, barriers and signage to ensure public protection.
- Coordinated daily access and waste transit windows with the college to avoid peak movement times.
- Designed enclosures with enhanced airflow stability, using air inlet pods and multiple pre-filters for maximum control.
- Utilised CCTV coverage and viewing panels for supervisor monitoring and quality assurance.
- Ensured operatives followed strict PPE and powered RPE protocols, especially during AIB removal.
- Applied INNOX's rigorous fine cleaning and visual inspection procedures before inviting analysts to site.
- Maintained constant communication with the client, analyst and college site team to keep the programme on track.
Site & enclosure plan
Enclosure Floor C was fully planned in advance - setting out the AIB removal area, airlock and baglock, NPU positions, air inlet filters, CCTV coverage and the waste and transit routes to the DCU, welfare and van.
