Overcoming design challenges for Gateshead’s new flagship state-of-the-art special school

 

The lighting design of Gibside School, Gateshead’s new flagship state-of-the-art special needs primary school, wasn’t without its challenges. Vaulted and unique ceiling designs were soon overcome by the design team at Thorn Lighting. The team prepared a full interior and exterior lighting design layout to Wates Construction and McVickers Electrical Contractors for the £12.1 million design and build project that was subsequently approved by Gateshead Council.

 

Gibside is a primary school for pupils with a range of special needs (moderate learning disabilities (MLD), severe learning disabilities (SLD), profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) and autism spectrum condition (ASC). The new school accommodates 170 pupils, and the specially designed building includes a hydrotherapy pool with hoists, two halls, an internal sheltered courtyard so children can play outdoors in all weather, a multi-use games area with accessible gym equipment, sensory and soft playrooms, specialist changing facilities and offices for physiotherapy.

The classrooms initially posed a problem as the ceiling is vaulted and also flat in places, making uniformity an issue. Thorn’s IQ Wave range was the ideal solution. A combination of the suspended and surface mounted luminaires, provide great uniformity and illumination levels for the classrooms. IQ Wave incorporates Thorn’s unique MV-Tech light optic and the highly reflective back, creates a smooth, homogenous illuminance with great lighting quality and high user comfort. Low glare (UGR 19, <3 000 CD/m2 at 65°) ensures a comfortable ambient light while high efficacy (>100Llm/W) achieves significant energy savings when compared to traditional light sources. IQ Wave benefits from a modern wave design and the flexibility of several installation options including the possibility of recessing the luminaire in exposed and concealed grid systems as well as plasterboard.

For the swimming pool lighting, a unique ceiling had to be incorporated into the design. This obstacle was overcome with the use of Thorn’s Areaflood Pro floodlights mounted directly and indirectly over the pool area. Areaflood Pro is a general-purpose area floodlight with superior optical performance, control and efficiency. Optimal light control (0cd at 90°, minimal spill light) provides a comfortable low glare lighting for swimmers and its 100k hours rated lifetime on both drivers and LEDs ensures minimal maintenance costs.

Thorn’s extremely efficient Hipak Pro high bay illuminates the sports hall, with a dedicated asymmetric optic, sports bracket for extra security and a high light output of up to 18500 lumens. The innovative design of the body ensures optimal thermal management and a long LED life up to 50 000 hours. With significantly reduced maintenance.

Beta has been installed in the offices to provide a flexible, efficient, and long-lasting solution with a prismatic diffuser in square and rectangular variants suiting the traditional modular ceiling dimensions (600, 625, 300×1200).

The corridors have been lit using Thorn’s Chalice LED downlights and slim, circular Novaline luminaires. Chalice is a complete range of LED downlights with two diameters (150mm and 200mm) and a SMD-LED module providing lumen package options from 1200lm up to 2700lm. Novaline LED offers a wide variety of lighting options with four lumen packages; 1 250, 1 800, 2 500 and 3 500 lumens, and a choice of two colour temperatures; 3000K and 4000K, for lighting design and application flexibility.

Glacier efficient decorative LED pendants with high lumen packages have been installed in the halls, creating a modern fresh appearance.

Other interior luminaires installed include Cetus recessed downlights in the toilets and Aquaforce IP66, dust and moisture resistant LED luminaires in the plant area.

For the exterior, Piazza II LED robust IP65 rated luminaires with a unique light distribution have been mounted on to the external walls. Piazza II LED offers 3 metre forward light throw and 12 metre spacing with a very low upward light throw with less than 2.5% ULOR and excellent 116 lm/W efficiency. DCO-LED bollards have been installed on pathways to provide comfortable visual guidance via an ambient white light with no glare. Civiteq LED lanterns have also been incorporated with 120 LEDs driven at 350mA and a wide optic.

David Wingfield, business unit director of Wates Construction in Yorkshire & North East comments: “The handover of this project is a fantastic achievement for all involved. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, our teams and partners have worked tirelessly and used huge amounts of initiative to deliver this state-of-the-art facility, within budget and to the specific design requirements of the school”.

 

For more information on Thorn Lighting please CLICK HERE FOR THE WEBSITE:

Education has never been higher on the national agenda, and steps are being taken to improve access, outcomes and opportunities for children across the UK. Naturally, the focus is on resources and teaching quality. But the immediate environment also has an important role to play in helping children learn. Here Roy Gleiwitz, regional sales manager for Zentia – formerly Armstrong Ceiling Solutions – looks at how ceilings can help.

We all know the importance of a formal education, so we owe it to children and young people to ensure the best possible support. While the quality of teaching and resources are clearly the most critical aspects, the learning environment plays a big part too. This is captured in the notion of building wellness, which seeks to create optimal conditions through design and construction.

In education, one of the best ways to do this is to ensure that pupils can hear clearly and see properly. This means paying attention to noise and light, and here the choice of ceilings can be a big factor.

Schools are noisy places, and the students actually account for most of it (40% of the total according to some studies). Other sources of background noise include kitchens, grounds maintenance, road traffic and even airplanes, especially when windows are open. All of which means that most schools routinely exceed the recommended noise levels of 35dB set by the World Health Organisation.

A high level of noise can have serious consequences. It can increase blood pressure, affect nervous systems and potentially lead to mental health issues. Sustained exposure to anything above 65dB increases the risk of myocardial infarction significantly, and there’s evidence that factors such as these might be affecting the life expectancy of teachers.
Equally, even relatively low levels of noise – or poorly designed acoustic spaces – can force teachers to speak louder, straining their voices and affecting enunciation. At the very least, it can hinder concentration or the ability to hear and learn. And in a post-pandemic world, when classrooms may need to increase in size to give individual students more room to social distance, volume control could be even more compromised.

Schools don’t always present the best acoustic environments, with reverberation a major culprit. The harder the surface, the stronger the reverberation, and schools are full of hard surfaces, including walls and whiteboards. For teaching, an ideal reverberation time (essentially, how long it takes for the sound to become inaudible) would be 0.4–0.7 seconds. The surest way to achieve this is to introduce sound absorbing material such as acoustic ceiling tiles which can help create the optimal conditions.
For example, in a recent project, Zentia supplied ceiling tiles to a new build and renovation project at Mill Hill School, Derbyshire. This project complied with Building Bulletin 93, which stipulates low ambient noise levels and high levels of sound insulation. Ceiling tiles were specified with a reverberation time of 0.6 seconds in a typical 200m3 classroom.
These solutions can be customised to each space. So, while assembly areas and classrooms need sound to carry clearly, libraries and study areas need a different approach. Equally corridors, inevitably the source of high noise levels, should be designed to minimise sound as much noise as possible.

Light is another key factor in learning environments. It’s well known that light affects mood, reduces stress, and aids reading and comprehension. For example, a study by Randall Fielding found that naturally lit classrooms increase students’ scores by 20% (maths) and 20% (verbal). Many ceiling tiles have excellent reflective properties that can work with natural light to create ideal learning environments.

Finally, there’s the question of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Given off by certain building materials, these compounds include many toxins or allergens which can be detrimental to human health. Specifying low or no-VOC ceiling tiles can therefore contribute to a safer and healthier learning space.

Clearly, there are many factors impacting on a pupil’s ability to learn and develop. But for those elements within the control of specifiers and contractors – essentially all the key design decisions – it’s important to specify solutions which optimise conditions and enhance the experience of students and teachers.

For more information on Zentia’s capability in educational design, visit the below website.

www.zentia.com

 

Corksol UK launches a state of the art antiviral spray solution to help protect surfaces against harmful bacteria and viruses, including SARS and Coronavirus 

Corksol UK, the Yorkshire-based company that exclusively distributes Corksol SprayCork to approved applicators across the UK, has announced the launch of a new, innovative spray solution, Protesol Anitviral, which is scientifically proven to protect treated surfaces against 99.99% of harmful bacteria and viruses, including SARS and Coronavirus.

With COVID-19 dominating the health agenda, Corksol took matters into its own hands sourcing an antiviral solution that seeks to reduce transmission of Coronavirus between individuals by protecting surfaces. The ground-breaking new spray solution, developed and certified in Spain, can be retro applied to surfaces in a wide range of settings from healthcare facilities and public transport, through to educational establishments and leisure spaces in a bid to provide extra protection when it comes to hygiene and sanitation measures.

Not only does this coating help to eliminate 99.99% of harmful bacteria and viruses from surfaces, including COVID-19, applying Protesol Antiviral Spray will also cut down on time spent cleaning as well as provide a more eco-friendly solution as it eliminates the need for single use wipes and bleach-based products.

Effective for use on a variety of materials including plastic, ceramic, metal, laminate and some painted surfaces, Protesol Antiviral Spray can be applied to most nonporous surfaces and is suitable for both commercial and domestic use.

The coating works to destroys any harmful bacteria and viruses currently cultivating on the surface, before creating a barrier-effect which eliminates any opportunity for bacteria or viruses to grow. Most viruses, including Coronavirus, have a fatty surround and in order to kill the virus effectively, a cleaning agent must get through this robust fatty layer to get to the virus itself. This is what sets Protesol Antiviral apart from other shop-bought cleaning products.

Joff Ward, director of Corksol UK comments: “Last Autumn when we realised the extent of this pandemic and how long we would be facing this invisible battle, we searched for a solution that could protect surfaces and individuals against harmful viruses. Our Spanish manufacturer has developed a validated, accredited solution that can be retro sprayed on to a huge range of surfaces to help cut down transmission. We have worked with them to develop ways of applying it using our skillset, and have launched an easy to use solution that be used in a wide variety of settings.

“We have trialled it on numerous surfaces from desks to rugby balls and have seen for ourselves that the solution remains after cleaning and everyday use.”

When it comes to rolling this product out, places with high traffic footfall and urgency will take priority. Hospitals and doctors surgeries, schools, colleges, universities, supermarkets will be protected first, with sports stadiums, clubs and gyms and pools following suit.

Protesol Antiviral has already seen successful trials in Spain, most recently with furniture giant IKEA. The coating was applied to serving trays in restaurants and trialled over a four week period, with the solution remaining intact and active even when put through the dishwasher repeatedly. Protesol is also running a trail period with Aldi for use on their basket handles, and a number of other large companies in Spain, including a train and furniture manufacturer.

The first company to trial the use of Protesol Antiviral was Ofita, manufacturers of designer furniture. CEO of the Spanish company, Camilo Agromayor added: “The virus-safe desks are a unique milestone in the challenge of achieving safer offices, particularly against Coronavirus. This protection is a guarantee of greater safety to our customers, both in individual workstations and in common spaces shared by multiple people.”

Application of the coating is simple and straightforward, making it a viable option for any maintenance team who can easily apply it. The solution is sprayed onto a non-porous surface using a spray gun for large scale coverage, or simply add drops of the solution onto the surface and apply by hand with a microfibre cloth for smaller areas. To set the coating, using a paint stripping heat gun will help seal the resin in place, but it can be left to cure naturally in some circumstances, like in a school over the summer holidays.

Protesol Antiviral will be available to purchase through Hardgear Healthcare, specialist provider of protective equipment.

For further information about Protesol Antiviral, please visit www.protesol.co.uk

 

Crown Trade’s Clean Extreme Anti Bacterial paint range offers the best of both worlds – a paint with added anti bacterial protection which will not diminish over time, no matter how many times it is scrubbed clean.

 Healthcare settings, workplaces, schools and hospitality venues all demand exceptional levels of cleanliness and need to be able to withstand more intensive cleaning regimes than ever. Crown Trade’s Clean Extreme Anti Bacterial paint, which is formulated to help create hygienically clean walls and ceilings, offers the solution.

 

 

It is enhanced through the use of the independently tested SteriTouch® silver ion technology which not only inhibits the growth of any bacteria that comes into contact with the surface, but also prevents bacteria from multiplying. And, unlike other anti-bacterial paints available, its ‘built-in’ silver ion anti bacterial protection can’t be washed off no matter how many times the surface is scrubbed clean. It also offers exceptional stain resistance for ease of maintenance.

Offering protection, durability and design flexibility, Crown Trade’s Clean Extreme Anti Bacterial paint also boasts an upgraded Ultimate Opacity formulation and can be specified in either scrubbable matt or washable acrylic eggshell finish. Both options are available in a wide range of tinted colours and, with Crown’s colour experts to advise on the latest seasonal colours and trends, it means there’s no need to compromise on aesthetics when choosing a high performance product from the Clean Extreme range.

The popular Clean Extreme range also includes Clean Extreme Stain Resistant Scrubbable Matt and Clean Extreme Mould Inhibiting Scrubbable Matt – all of which are water-based bringing the additional benefits of a quick-drying and low-odour solution.

 

For more information on Crown Paints’ specification services, please call 0330 024 0310

email info@crownpaintspec.co.uk or visit www.crownpaintspec.co.uk

You can also follow @CrownTradePaint on Twitter and Crown Paints on LinkedIn.

As part of a £1.7m investment, Loughborough University recently remodelled Quorn Hall into an impressive 560-seat lecture theatre. Adding functionality to the new facility, Style was contracted to install a 57dB Dorma Hüppe Variflex ComfortDrive moveable wall system with fully automatic operation, allowing the vast space to be divided into two separate areas.

A complex project, Style was specified by Core Architects to design a system that not only accommodated the exceptionally high ceiling but that also incorporated the stepped-rise of the seating.

The final installation allows University staff to divide the space at the press of a button, with the operable wall gliding effortlessly along a dedicated central channel between the seating. Creating an unparalleled acoustic barrier, substantial rubber seals expand to just the right pressure, allowing concurrent lectures to run completely undisturbed.

An integrated pass door provides access between the divided rooms whilst an oak laminate finish adds to the stunning interior design.

Loughborough University is one of the country’s leading universities with a reputation for excellence in teaching and research, strong links with business and industry and unrivalled sporting achievement.

 

 

Quorn Hall originally housed a sports hall, changing rooms, offices and a small lecture theatre. The re-development project to create the new, much larger lecture theatre had to be carried out whilst the main building and café facilities were in constant use.

Because of the complexity of the project, Style had to work particularly closely with Wildgoose Construction, who was responsible for lifting 2 x 26 metre steel supports into place by crane, lowering them via chains through pockets cut into the roof.

“Dividing such a cavernous lecture theatre with a fully automated moveable wall takes careful planning and the very best on-site project management,” said Steve Williams, sales director for Style Midlands.

“We therefore developed a close working partnership with both the architect and contractor to install a product which is utterly breath-taking.

 

www.style-partitions.co.uk

sales@style-partitions.co.uk