Regional publisher DC Thomson has begun a major refurbishment at its Dundee headquarters which aims to make the building more energy efficient.

Staff working at Courier Buildings, in Meadowside, were all moved out of the headquarters to the company’s Kingsway site in Dundee before the 15-month renovation begun.

It will include a complete internal renovation along with new roofing and local company Muirfield Contracts Ltd has been awarded the contract for the work.

The project aims to make the building more energy efficient by improving the insulation, introducing a rainwater harvesting system and installing photovoltaic panels on the roof.

An artist's impression of how the building will look after the refurbishment.

Once the work is completed, The Courier and Evening Telegraph will be based at the Meadowside building, along with Dundee-based journalists working for The Sunday Post and The Weekly News.

Barry Strain, group head of estates for DC Thomson, said, “We’re pleased to select Muirfield Contracts Ltd. They are also a Dundee-based company and will use locally-based subcontractors for the work undertaken at our Meadowside site.
 
“We look forward to working with Muirfield and are delighted that we’ve found the quality in a local company.”
 
Work on the project started this month and staff are expected to return to the Meadowside offices in late 2014.

The offices were closed in June last year and the interior has since been completely stripped out.

The company said it could not disclose the cost of the renovation because it was “commercially sensitive”.

DC Thomson publishes a range of newspapers, magazines and comics, including The Courier, Sunday Post and the Evening Telegraph.