Enhanced Maintenance and Improvement EMI

Enhanced Maintenance and Improvement (EMI) refers to a programme strategy for refurbishment and restoration projects that involves a sequenced or staged approach to work on a rolling basis, allowing occupants to continue using a building as work are carried out. Whilst it can increase costs and timeframe dramatically it can also avoid the need for temporary accommodation and the disruption caused by vacation g a building for works to be carried out.

One example where the phrase is used is by the Restoration and Renewal (R&R) Programme for the refurbishment of the Palace of Westminster and which was originally established in 2013 by both of the Houses of Parliament. In their costed report Delivering restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster: the costed proposals published in 2026, EMI is discussed as one of three options for the refurbishment along with full decant; where both Houses move out for the works and continued presence; one House moves out for the duration of the works. The third option EMI is described thus:

"Enhanced maintenance and improvement (EMI): which has as an objective that not more than 30% of the Palace of Westminster (by usable area) would be decanted at any one time. The Palace of Westminster would be split into 14 zones which would be worked on in stages: functions of both Houses would be decanted for periods to facilitate this. Two variants of the EMI option have been assessed:

• i. EMI: this variant had the ambition of seeking to retain both Chambers in place throughout the Programme, with any work on the Chambers taking place in recesses and out-of-hours. The variant is set out in this report but following a recommendation by the Programme Board we recommend that it should not be further developed. It would have had a high cost together with the longest duration of any option; and
• ii. EMI+: under this variant, the House of Lords would be decanted for 8 to 13 years while the Commons, subject to the Lords’ agreement, would be decanted to the Lords Chamber for up to two years."

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