Kier has been appointed by housing association Places for People to undertake a £2.5m refurbishment of its group support centre in Preston. The project is part of a four-year office refurbishment framework and will be delivered by i&r, Kier's new interiors and refurbishment division. The project team also includes Summers Inman, Deacon & Jones, and Kinetics. I&R operations manager, Phil Chadwick, commented: "This is our second project to be awarded under the framework and it has provided the business with another opportunity to work with Places for People, demonstrating our commitment to collaborative working and local engagement." The works will aim to achieve a BREEAM excellent through improved thermal insulation, installation of PV panels and energy efficient mechanical and electrical installations.