Empress Heights, Southampton

Empress Heights is located slightly south-east of Southampton city centre. The block is 8 storeys at its highest point, with underground car parking, commercial office units at the ground floor, and a podium area comprising hardscaping and astroturf.

Scope of Works

• Removal of 472m² timber cladding back to substrate. Supply and installation of fire-retardant cladding system - Rockpanel Premium.

• Removal of 2,487m² EPS render system back to substrate. Supply and installation of fire-retardant render system - Wetherby HECK Silicone Render.

• Removal of 1,750m² brickwork back to substrate. Supply and installation of new brickwork along with new fire-retardant insulation - Rockwool Duo Slab and Ketley Staffordshire Blue Bricks.

• Removal of 46m² spandrel panels. Supply and installation of new Genius Façades spandrel panels.

• Removal and replacement of curtain walling on the staircase.

Social Value

Lawtech’s dedicated RLO and site team worked hard to deliver great social value initiatives to residents at Empress Heights, including:

• Resident Newsletters covering a variety of topics such as: Pride Month, Marine Conservation, World Humanitarian Day, a tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II, supporting local foodbanks, and the Chinese New Year.

• A monthly competition giving residents a chance to win a £5 Amazon voucher. 

• Christmas recipe competition where the winner who submitted a great Cottage Pie recipe with pictures received a £10 Amazon vouchers and a slow cooker.

• Supporting hiring local with 95% of sub-contractors from the area.

Industry Award

The project won the prestigious RICS Refurbishment and Revitalisation Award for the South East region in June 2024. Our Regional Manager, members of the project team, and representatives from Bailey Partnership attended the awards. The National Finals are being held in October 2024.

The judging criteria focused on professional excellence, teamwork and sustainability, and competition standards were high.