Director’s Welcome
The academic year 2019/2020 was an extraordinary one in the history of the University of Limerick. For the Buildings and Estates Department, the year started full of promise with exciting construction projects for the Student Centre, the Climbing Wall, the Foundation Lift and other smaller projects, which were all making steady progress. Furthermore, the University had acquired the Dunnes building in the city centre, and early ideas for its development were being explored. The University had also finalised a Draft Framework for Physical Development for the main campus, which was due to be considered by the Governing Authority around March 2020. Also in March, Buildings and Estates was undergoing its external peer quality review. However, there were murmurings in the news about a coronavirus outbreak in China, which the World Health Organization was very worried about. The outbreak was declared a pandemic on 11 March 2020. And then it came – the Taoiseach’s announcement on 12 March 2020 that Ireland was entering a lockdown. Buildings and Estates was tasked with shutting down and securing the campus. Increased national restrictions introduced during March were maintained until May, after which there was a gradual phased easing until late August. Restrictions were then gradually re-introduced due to an upsurge in COVID-19 cases. It became apparent to UL authorities that teaching in AY2020/21 needed to be conducted online with only very limited access being permitted to essential laboratory activities. Apart from a brief removal of many restrictions in December, a Level 5 lockdown was re-introduced and remained in force well into 2021. Throughout the period March to October 2020, the Buildings and Estates Department was tasked by the Executive Crisis Management Committee and later
4 | Buildings and Estates Annual Report 2020
by the expanded Space Management Committee to develop detailed physical and operational responses to the evolving situation and to help devise and implement the various protocols (health declarations, return to work, etc.) developed by Government departments. The University was requested to accommodate and construct an intermediate care facility at the Arena. This major installation, with capacity for over 100 patients and subsequently 64 beds, including all the necessary facilities, was to provide step-down care and rehabilitation to patients from hospitals in the area. The facility was designed, procured, installed and made operational in less than 10 weeks. Around the same time, an existing lab in the Tierney Building was reconfigured, including enhanced airhandling/filtration systems, to facilitate COVID-19 research. Throughout this period, mechanical/electrical and other essential systems throughout the campus had to be either brought back on stream or maintained in operation. This work was undertaken by Buildings and Estates staff, grounds staff, core maintenance staff, cleaners and security in the midst of the worst global pandemic in 100 years. There is great credit due to all these workers. I would like to acknowledge and thank each of them for their continued hard work and dedication. We look forward with hope that the vaccination programme for the population will allow a return to normality for AY2021/22.
Robert Reidy Director
