29 August 2013: The Department for International Development (DFID) has transformed a Grade II listed building into modern working offices, whilst preserving a slice of British history.

DFID is the government department that leads the UK’s fight against world poverty. The department recently relocated its London office from rented premises in Victoria to Whitehall. Kcom was appointed to design and install the new network infrastructure, a four month project that was completed earlier this year.

Minister of State for International Development, Alan Duncan, said: “The decision to move DFID from expensive rented offices next to Buckingham Palace to a smaller, government-owned building will save taxpayers £62.5 million by 2020. The move is now complete and, by driving the best deal and managing the project tightly, we have saved more than £1 million on the original estimated costs of relocation.”

Part of the new office location is a Grade II listed building. Working alongside English Heritage to preserve the historical site, where Lord Nelson was originally laid to rest, it has now been adapted to meet the demands of modern day technology. It’s now completely Wi-Fi enabled, has a number of conferencing suites and is also home to a modern communications room, bringing the building into the 21st century.

Having a resilient network is important as it supports DFID’s requirements to communicate with a network of partners and employees worldwide. It’s important that they have the right tools available so they can be in touch with the people who help them to support global development and tackle poverty.

DFID’s Head of Group Operations, Adrian Blundell, said: “We’re working hard to adapt our working practices to create a more modern and flexible workplace and to help reduce costs. It’s important that employees have access to the right environment and tools to do their jobs effectively, so we now have facilities like Wi-Fi, shared desking, a variety of collaborative workspaces and international video conferencing available.”

Kcom, part of the KCOM Group PLC, worked alongside Cablespeed, a partner who specialises in the design, installation and commissioning of network infrastructures, to install the network over a four month period.