Leading the way in sustainable schools

Artists Impression:The Olive School (left) and Sever Stars Primary (Right)

 

Conlon Construction will begin work this summer on the construction of two primary schools in North Manchester and Leyland, which are set to lead the way in sustainable school building.

Part of Star Academies, The Olive School, Manchester is due to open late 2024. The new, two-form entry primary school in Cheetham Hill promises to address an identified need within the community for additional quality school places locally.

The 420-pupil, 23,000 sq ft school will boast 14 classrooms and one science block, plus outdoor spaces, including a sports pitch and community batting nets.

Seven Stars Primary School on Peacock Hall Road in Leyland opened its doors more than 50 years ago and will be fully demolished and rebuilt by Conlon Construction.

Dramatically improving the setting for its pupils, the development will bring the school to the peak of current standards in sustainability and as a learning environment. The build will be carried out in two phases, and the school will remain operational throughout the course of the project.

Plans for Seven Stars include 10 classrooms within a part-two-storey, part-single-storey primary school, plus parking, landscaping and a new multi-use games area. The project is due to complete late 2024.

The schools will be among the first 50 net zero carbon schools, in line with the Department for Education’s recent codes. Among the green initiatives built into the design are grass roofs, solar energy, high performance thermal insulation, passive ventilation solutions, air source heat pumps and no dependency on fossil fuels for heating or hot water.

Artists Impression:The Olive School (left) and Sever Stars Primary (Right)

Darren Lee, commercial director at Conlon Construction, said:

“Meeting the net zero carbon in operation requirements is no mean feat, but we’re thrilled by the challenge and will be calling on our team’s extensive school building experience. We’re using innovative techniques and leading technology to create learning hubs that will not only support youngsters at Seven Stars Primary School and The Olive School to thrive in their education, but also protect the environment for the sake of their futures.

“We’re delighted to be appointed to these transformational projects and are committed to delivering schools that staff, students and parents can be proud of, whilst creating the next generation of carbon positive schools.”

 

David Holland, executive director: capital & infrastructure at Star Academies, said:“We are delighted to be working with Conlon Construction to deliver a sustainable, state-of-the-art school that will provide an exceptional learning environment where our pupils can thrive.

“We look forward to offering families in Manchester the opportunity for their children to join a new primary school where they will receive an outstanding education and extensive leadership opportunities.”

 

Mike Mitchell, headteacher at Seven Stars Primary School, said:

“We are thrilled at Seven Stars School to be part of a project that will ensure an exciting future for all our children and for the generations to come. Our vision has always been to put children first and this new development will create a learning environment that is fit for the future. We are especially proud to be among the first 50 net zero carbon schools in the country and we are looking forward to the many opportunities that lie ahead for our children, families and staff in our newly designed school.”

 

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Bamboo’s strength and flexibility

A team of students from Edinburgh Napier University have returned home after completing a world-first construction project in China – based around sustainable bamboo building material.

The first bamboo-timber composite grid shell structure of its kind has been built in Guangxi, with the help of thirteen students from ENU’s Department of Built Environment, who worked alongside colleagues from Guangxi University of Science and Technology and Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology.

It is hoped the finished 12m x 12m construction, which was funded by the British Council and Turing Scheme UK, could help develop sustainable building methods in the effort to combat climate change. Bamboo’s strength and flexibility, as well as its wide availability as a natural resource, make it a viable construction material for large-span roof structures in future.

The ENU team travelled to China in early June, using the expertise picked up on programmes such as Architectural Technology & Building Performance, Advanced Structural Engineering and Civil Engineering to contribute to the building effort in various different roles.

Many of the students and staff involved have reunited at the University’s summer graduation ceremonies, where six of them, Onoh Nkiruka Patricia, Odutayo Olamide, Banke Olatunbosun, Mark Cawley, Olufemi Adeboye and Abisola Sarah Adeshina, collected their degrees.

Onoh Nkiruka Patricia, who took on the role of Project Safety Team Leader, spoke of her pride at taking part in the world-leading work. After leaving her home in Anambra, Nigeria, she worked in health and safety for 15 years, most recently in the UAE – and has now graduated with an MSc in Environmental Sustainability.

She said:

“To say I enjoyed it is an understatement! I didn’t want to leave. I worked with my heart – this has been my passion.

“That’s what I brought to the site, 101%. It was challenging – it certainly wasn’t easy – because of the climate we worked through the night at times. But when you make up your mind to do something, you do it.

“It was my responsibility to get everyone back safely, and I took that responsibility seriously.

“I am indebted to the team who all gave so much to this project.”

As well their ENU degrees, the student team have been given tiles, made from the same bamboo-based material as the grid shell, as a memento of their role in its creation.

Project lead Professor Johnson Zhang, from Edinburgh Napier University’s School of Computing, Engineering & the Built Environment, said:

“This project showcased the pioneering research in bio-based construction at Edinburgh Napier University

“It also serves as a testament to the immense potential of innovative sustainable construction technology in shaping a better future for the greener built environment we are creating.

“It was a privilege working with our Team BE-Napier and other two partner university student groups, together we formed a professional, dedicated and creative team. I enjoyed every moment of working with them.”

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Futuristic New Learning Facilities

XR Lab: designed by Architects WindsorPatania. Image © WindsorPatania.

 

XR Lab: Transforming Education with Futuristic New Learning Facilities.

Architects WindsorPatania are reimagining the future of education with their latest project, Extended Reality Lab (XR Lab) for Eastern Colleges Group.

Students at West Suffolk College have started to explore the awe-inspiring facilities comprising of four distinct areas: an Immersion Lab, a Collaboration Theatre, a Green Room, and a Conference Room. XR Lab’s facilities prioritise flexibility and adaptability, designed in response to the ever-evolving technologies and educational needs of our times.

The pioneering learning environment integrates AI powered technology such as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality Technology to offer a next generation teaching and learning experience.

“XR Lab is a catalyst for ground-breaking ideas, a place to bring students and industry together to explore new ways of working, teaching and learning” Richard Stevenson, Group Director of Operations, Eastern Colleges Group.

A Tech-First Approach for Improved Learning Outcomes

Funded by The Department of Education, XR Lab’s main objective is to drive innovation in learning, education, and research, while attracting a diverse student body. Each space features advanced cameras and microphones that relay information to the other areas, creating a dynamic an all-encompassing interactive educational experience.

“From the onset, the project aim was to innovate and democratise education. With the recent debates surrounding AI and its role in our future world, XR Lab sets a clear blueprint that can be implemented to achieve positive advances by embracing cutting-edge technology for learning.” comments Ryan Windsor, Co-Director of WindsorPatania.

XR Lab’s Lecture Theatre boasts an array of features including wall-to-wall screens, rear screens to virtually host external guests, a motion capture system, immersive sound, video, and 62 VR headsets on the side walls. This space also provides a “tables set-up” which promotes a culture of teamwork among students, encouraging real-life interactions amongst the high-tech facilities in the space.

 

A Pod-Shaped, Sustainable Structure, Designed for Energy-Saving

XR Lab is a retrofit of a building structure that was previously used as a workshop by engineering students. To foster energy saving measures and to minimise the deployment of construction material, a pod-shaped design was chosen over utilising the entire hangar space.

The main benefit of this derived from the ability to contain thermal insulation solely to the size of the pod, making it the primary thermal envelope and thus avoiding the need to thermally insulate the entire space.

The exterior is finished with a high-spec, sustainable polished plaster, resulting in an enigmatic sci-fi presence.

“The architecture embodies the function of the building, creating a connection with virtual environments while inspiring the next generation of students.” explains Giovanni Patania, Architect Co-Director of WindsorPatania.

 

Social Impact

By driving innovation across the College Group’s education programmes and enabling training and collaboration with businesses and organisations in the region, XR Lab opens the path for exceptional opportunities for the local community to engage with and benefit from its advanced technologies.

“XR Lab is going to revolutionise teaching and learning across all sectors” – Nikos Savvas, CEO, Eastern Colleges Group.

 

More information: windsorpatania.com

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Ashe seals £24m project

Ashe seals £24m Milton Keynes East community projects

Ashe Construction has been awarded a £24m design and build contract to build a new primary school and community health hub for Milton Keynes Council just off junction 14 of the M1 as part of the Council’s MK East development. The scheme is in preparation for 5,000 new homes being built in the area.

The MK East school project, located on the A509, is valued at around £14.5m, and will provide 39 nursery places and 630 primary places. The 3400sq m school will have 21 classrooms and two halls and will be of steel frame construction with brickwork and cladding. It will form the first part of an all-through school with plans for a future secondary school located approximately 250m across the road. Sports provision, which will be open for community use, will include two youth grass football pitches and a tarmac multi use games area.

The community health hub is valued at around £9.5m, and will provide a range of primary care, community health and other community-based services. The 1900sq m building will accommodate a community use hall, offices, meeting rooms and children’s centre. Both projects will have drop-off and car-parking facilities.

The development forms Milton Keynes’ largest new housing and employment area since 2007 and this latest contract is part of the Council’s plan to have infrastructure in place before residents move in. in the masterplan.

Ian Robbins Ashe Construction’s managing director said:

“We are very experienced in creating modern education and health facilities and this prestigious project will provide the focal point of a brand-new community. We are excited to be playing our part in delivering high quality facilities that will stand the test of time, for the families who will make the area their home for many years to come.”

Cllr Zoe Nolan, Cabinet Member for Children and Families at MK Council said:

“We are excited to have taken the first major step in this process. The new school will be the first planned primary to be built in the area and we expect it to become an all-through school, providing 630 pupil places and 39 nursery places to an exciting new community. This means no stressful transitions for children as they remain there for both primary and secondary education. With an all-through school, the parents get to build a strong relationship with the school over that period.”

Ashe has been employed to manage the complete design and build contract and has developed the scheme from feasibility over a 15-month period. The project has been procured under the Pagabo major works framework and is being partially funded by the government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund which is also providing support for the associated highways infrastructure to serve the development.

 

www.ashegroup.co.uk

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Contractor sought to build Cumbrian campus

The University of Cumbria has launched its invitation to tender process to seek and secure a contractor to build its brand new campus in Barrow-in-Furness.

A successful contractor will create a university campus, the town’s first, on a 2.76-hectare site beside BAE Systems’ existing Submarines Academy for Skills and Knowledge.

The multi-million pound campus project is the centre piece of the Barrow Learning Quarter (BLQ), one of the BrilliantBarrow Town Deal projects backed by government funding.

Together with upgraded facilities at Furness College’s Rating Lane site, the BLQ will transform higher and further education in the area, and is aligned to the needs of employers, improving their competitiveness, and improving job prospects.

The tender process lasts seven weeks before a further two-week tender assessment and evaluation period. Plans are for a contractor to be appointed in September that would allow construction to begin soon after. Completion of the project is scheduled to be delivered during the 2024/25 academic year.

University of Cumbria Vice Chancellor Professor Julie Mennell said:

“This is an important stage in our plans for a university campus for Barrow-in-Furness. We are excited to connect with contractors who share our desire to enable our students and graduates to fulfil their potential and in doing so to increase the workforce supply and higher-level skills base for Westmorland and Furness and wider Cumbria.

“With BAE Systems, industry, education, and local authority partners we will provide attractive and accessible higher education opportunities and progression routes for those living, working and coming into Barrow, add to other investment projects underway, and support the realisation of collective Brilliant Barrow ambitions.

“The Barrow campus and new Institute of Engineering, Computing and Advanced Manufacturing which will have a base there, represent just one of the major developments in the University of Cumbria’s Towards 2030 strategy which we are delivering. Alongside, other initiatives include: the recent establishment of a Centre for Digital Transformation, a new Citadels campus in the centre of Carlisle, and the formation of the Cumbria School of Medicine, with Imperial College London, due to open its doors in 2025.”

Interested parties can seek further details about the tender opportunity for the Barrow-in-Furness campus project by CLICKING HERE
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“Stunning” new multi-million-pound teaching block

The ribbon has been cut at a “stunning” new multi-million-pound teaching block in Eaglescliffe.

Egglescliffe School and Sixth Form has officially opened its new state-of-the-art Peake building, named after British astronaut Tim Peake, this week. The £7.1m building was funded by Stockton Council as part of its £57.7m investment programme to transform school buildings in the borough.

The three-storey and 32-classroom block will see students taught everything from Geography and maths to RE and history, as well as housing the main school dining room and a special educational needs (SEND) suite. Dubbed as “out of this world,” the block also includes zero carbon technologies in the design and purpose-built facilities for art and music.

The expansion at Egglescliffe School – which has an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted rating – is the most significant project of the council’s scheme to improve, rebuild, and expand schools across the region. Other sites that are benefitting include Bishopton Pupil Referral Unit, in Billingham, and Outwood Academy Bishopsgarth.

Councillor Lisa Evans, the council’s cabinet member for children and young people, was on-site to cut the ribbon on the day and praised the new building, saying that many of the school’s facilities were “no longer fit for purpose due to the condition of the current school building.”

Headteacher Mrs Lindsay Oyston said:

“The opening of the Peake building in April has been instrumental in providing a high-quality learning environment for both current and future generations of students as well as providing community facilities.

“The building was designed in collaboration with school leaders to ensure we could maintain some of our unique school character.

“We have a long history linked to space and each of our five houses are named after leading astronauts as the school was originally opened back in 1962 at the height of the space race. Therefore, it felt appropriate to name the building after a modern-day astronaut, Major Tim Peake, linking our past with our future.

“The students, staff, and governors of Egglescliffe School and Sixth Form are tremendously grateful for the financial investment by Stockton Council to ensure our school can continue to thrive and achieve even greater success, serving the local community.”

‘Fantastic facilities’ praised at school

Cllr Evans said:

“The new teaching block looks absolutely stunning and is certain to improve the learning experience for current and future pupils for many years to come.

“While Egglescliffe School and Sixth Form is rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, many of the school’s facilities were no longer fit for purpose due to the condition of the current school building, and it was clear this was a much-needed facility.

“We’ve been making massive investment in school buildings across the borough in recent years, irrespective of whether they are maintained, diocesan or academies. We’re also including SEND and pre-school provision as part of our investment.

“It’s vitally important that we do all we can to provide our children and young people with high quality learning environments fit for a modern education. It’s about giving them the very best start we can, and I’m sure parents and carers would support that.”

Stockton South MP Matt Vickers said:

“I’m delighted to see the new state-of-the-art teaching block open at Egglescliffe giving teachers and pupils the fantastic facilities they deserve. The incredible commitment and skill of teachers at the school has seen them rated outstanding and it’s only right they have an outstanding environment in which to teach.

“The government is working to ensure every youngster has the best possible chance in life with great resources and equipment. Across Stockton South we’re seeing huge and unprecedented investment in schools across Stockton South with £57.5m worth of upgrades benefitting All Saints in Ingleby Barwick, Our Lady and St Bede, Conyers, and Outwood in Bishopsgarth to name a few.”

 

Source: Teeside Live

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REPORT: The Condition of School Buildings

Around 700,000 children in England are studying in schools requiring major rebuilding or refurbishment which can negatively impact pupil attainment and teacher retention, a new National Audit Office report on the Condition of school buildings says.

In a separate report published today – DfE: Environmental sustainability overview – the NAO found DfE had insufficient plans for decarbonising the school estate.1

Condition of school buildings

The UK’s independent public spending watchdog’s report found that more than a third (24,000) of English school buildings are past their estimated initial design life.2 These buildings can normally continue to be used, but are generally more expensive to maintain and, on average, have poorer energy efficiency leading to higher running costs.

In recent years, there has been a significant funding shortfall contributing to deterioration across the school estate. DfE has reported £7 billion a year as the best practice level of capital funding to maintain, repair and rebuild the school estate. In 2020, it recommended funding of £5.3 billion a year to maintain schools and mitigate the most serious risks of building failure after expanding its school rebuilding programme over the next few years. DfE was subsequently allocated an average £3.1 billion a year of relevant funding from HM Treasury. This includes funding to re-build 500 schools over a ten-year programme, on which DfE is making slower than initially expected progress awarding contracts. Between 2016 and 2022, DfE spent an average £2.3 billion a year.

The report says DfE has assessed the possibility of a building collapse or failure causing death or injury as a ‘critical and very likely’ risk since summer 2021. The report highlighted ongoing concerns with the use of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) – a lightweight form of concrete prone to failure, used between the 1950s and mid-1990s. DfE has been considering the potential risk posed by RAAC since late 2018, following a school roof collapse.

DfE continues to build its understanding of where RAAC is used, including by collating questionnaire responses from schools, but does not currently have the information required to fully manage potential risks. At May 2023, 6,300 (42%) of the schools on which DfE has chosen to focus had completed work to establish if it was present. At that point, through questionnaire responses and wider work, DfE identified RAAC may be present in 572 schools. DfE has allocated £6 million for specialists to investigate 600 schools potentially affected by RAAC. By May 2023, 196 investigations had been conducted, with RAAC confirmed in 65 schools. In May 2023, DfE announced that, where RAAC is present in schools, it would provide funding to ensure that it does not pose an immediate risk.

More positively, the report found that DfE had collected better evidence on the condition of the whole estate. This included identifying 13,800 system-built blocks3 – almost all containing asbestos. However, of these around 3,600 may be more susceptible to deterioration. In September 2022, DfE approved plans for a structural assessment of 200 system-built blocks to help better understand the risks – but none had been conducted as this report went to publication.

Environmental sustainability overview

The deteriorating condition of the school estate also presents challenges for DfE’s sustainability ambitions, as highlighted in the NAO’s Environmental sustainability overview, also published today.

This report sets out how schools have focused funding on improving school building conditions with sustainability integrated where possible. However, it found that DfE’s efforts are hampered by its lack of a clear, national picture of the sustainability position of schools or the risk that climate change poses – for example, flooding.

Government has set a target to reduce direct emissions from public sector buildings by 75%4 by 2037. DfE is responsible for 37% of emissions from public sector buildings, but has not yet set a target to reduce them. The NAO found that its current schemes will not bring it close to achieving a 75% reduction. DfE plans to implement emissions targets for the education sector from 2025. It is exploring financing options to help accelerate its efforts, and intends to re-build the 500 schools in its ten-year programme – two per cent of the school estate – as net zero buildings.

The NAO’s Environmental sustainability overview report recommends that the Department considers how its sustainability ambitions can be achieved when addressing the condition of the school estate. It also recommends improving the data and evidence base for sustainability measures and setting out a decarbonisation plan for the sector.

When looking at the Condition of school buildings, the NAO recommends that DfE, with support from government, determines by when, and through what means, it plans to have fully dealt with RAAC as a safety issue across the school estate so that it is no longer a critical risk.

Gareth Davies, Head of the NAO said:

“At present, 700,000 pupils are learning in schools requiring major rebuilding or refurbishment. DfE has, since 2021, assessed the risk of school building failure or collapse as critical and very likely, but it has not been able to reduce this risk. More widely, it has an ambitious strategy for decarbonising the education estate but no plan for how it will achieve this or how much it is likely to cost.

“DfE is gathering some of the data it needs to effectively target its resources. It must now use this to improve its understanding of where schools are most at risk so it can balance addressing the most urgent risks while investing enough in maintenance, reducing carbon emissions, and climate change adaptation measures to achieve its objectives and secure longer-term value for money.”

Full (schools) report
Full (sustainability) report
PAC Chair’s statement

 

 

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Managing A School New Build Or Refurbishment Project

By Michael Hiscock Partner – Head of Construction at Wright Hassall

Coming from a family of teachers, I know that teaching is still as much of a vocation as it has ever been. However, a recent meeting, at which I was advising a specialist timber frame company that designs and builds school buildings, demonstrated that running a modern school is as much about business as it is about education.

In one contract planning meeting, we had to satisfy more than a dozen stakeholders from different departments of both the local authority and the private sector partner running the school (some of whom disagreed with their departmental colleagues), while the head teacher trod a delicate line seeking the best building possible on a limited budget. This experience highlighted the juggling act that school leadership teams have to perform in order to deliver new buildings or refurbishment projects and the pitfalls they must negotiate in the process.

Understand your objectives before you start

It is human nature to select what appears to be the least expensive option. Unfortunately, prospective cost savings often turn out to be illusory as the inherent risks that underlie all construction projects bubble to the surface. The starting point for every headteacher, bursar or school business manager must be to think very carefully about the end result: once the construction contract is signed and work begins, changes can start getting very expensive. A small change to one aspect can have large consequences. If possible, consider delaying the tender or pushing the start date back to allow building users to comment and the design team to work out the best compromise, rather than changing things as you go. If you race to start in order to meet a term date, and delay decisions in the interest of speed, it will cost you more.

Balancing time, cost and risk

In the longer term, consider what the running and refurbishment costs will be; cutting costs at the outset might result in more expensive maintenance down the line. In addition, can the building be designed so that it can be extended or adapted in the future to accommodate new facilities? It would be unrealistic to try and cover every eventuality, but a thorough, wide-ranging review of current and future needs will help to crystallise thoughts, resulting in a tighter brief that will ultimately save money and time. Schools and colleges have specific operational needs (site opening times, exam periods, etc.), safety and security needs (DBS checks and access controls) and financial needs (multiple approvals for release of payment, designing the premises to provide an income stream through community use) – all of those can be reflected in a contract. Lawyers can assist in making sure the contract does what you want, not the other way round, by understanding your risk profile and output requirements and allocating risk appropriately. For example, the general law allows a builder freedom to decide when and in what order he builds the works, with extra time and money for client interference – but a school might need to stipulate what is permitted and when.

To project manage, or not to project manage

There is a tendency to assume that having direct control of the design process will result in more flexibility in the event of changes being made as the project progresses. While this is true to a certain extent, there are a number of risks associated with this approach and contractors can take advantage of an inexperienced project manager. The government has actively endorsed NEC contracts for schools because they tend to be more collaborative in nature and allow time and cost management. However, because of this flexibility, there is more emphasis on real-time decision making creating deadlines that you miss at your peril resulting in deemed actions/decisions that may or may not help you, so these contracts really need experienced project management otherwise you run the risk of spiralling costs. The commonly used alternative is a JCT contract that allows a final balancing process at the end of the job. JCT contracts allow full risk transfer (design and build) or workmanship only (traditional).

Using the contract

As a result of the compulsory statutory framework that sits behind construction contracts, that cannot be avoided even by agreement between the parties, they are difficult for non-specialists to negotiate; for example failure to follow the right procedures within the prescribed time frame, such as issuing instructions, or approving designs, or deducting LADs without the correct notices, or serving a payment notice or pay less notice at the correct time or in the right format means that you are much more susceptible to challenge (often by adjudication, which is a short but intense formal  dispute process that applies to all construction contracts). Maintenance contracts can pose similar problems for schools. The number of provisions contained in a standard contract means that the likelihood of something going awry is high – that is compounded by parties applying complicated payment structures with deductions based on performance KPIs judging quality and responsiveness, which are difficult to operate in practice. Bear in mind that the law requires you to serve a zero notice, even if everyone knows that it is obvious that no payment is due. It may not be appropriate to consider full-scale partnering where all parties share the risk but a two-stage tender process with early contractor involvement, or a pre-construction services agreement, might be one way to find the most effective balance of time, cost, and risk. With clear objectives and early legal advice to avoid contractual pitfalls, school management teams will be able to address risks before they occur an avoid hidden surprises.

Short term pain, long-term gain

In terms of whole life costs, school management teams will be looking for buildings that are easy and cheap both to run and maintain. This means that some initial decisions may seem counterintuitive if budgets are tight, for instance using a more expensive flooring material in the initial build may save money in the long run if it has a longer shelf-life than a cheaper alternative. If the decision is to refurbish rather than rebuild, a similar decision-making trajectory is required. For instance, schools have to weigh up whether it is worth continuing to maintain equipment or whether a replacement would be more cost-effective. I recently had a situation where boiler, heating and water systems were so old and had been patched up so many times that the outsourced maintenance cost was so prohibitive that it required greater initial expenditure but was cheaper in the long term to replace the system rather than try and keep the old one going.

Early decisions lead to better outcomes

Navigating through a construction contract, whether for a new build or a refurbishment project is not for the faint-hearted. The temptation to use a contract for the supply of goods and services rather than a statutory construction contract should be avoided at all costs.  The clauses in the former will not comply with the statutory regime and will be automatically struck out, leaving a contract that you didn’t expect and a claim that you might not be able to defend.  Involving lawyers at the beginning of the negotiation process to review the terms of a building or refurbishment contract against the school’s objectives can go a very long way to help to mitigate potential problems. By using the contract systems properly, the school management team can deliver an effective, valuable end result that enhances the learning environment both now and for the future.

 

Source: Mondaq

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86 sq m of additional teaching space in just eight weeks

Primary school gains 86 sq m of additional teaching space in just eight weeks

A Shropshire primary school has gained an additional 86 sq m of teaching space following construction, by SJ Roberts Construction Ltd, of a new building that serves as an exemplar of cost and time efficient construction in challenging school environments.

Short Wood Primary School in Wellington, Telford had enjoyed continued growth leading to a lack of flexible spaces equally suitable for teaching, breakout sessions and planning away from the classroom.  In a bid to address this, the school had repurposed the existing library but was conscious that this wasn’t a long-term solution, and more space was necessary.  However, its existing architecture limited the options for an extension to the main building.

Mike Sambrook, MD at SJ Roberts Construction, comments:

 

“Short Wood Primary School holds Green Flag Eco status, meaning that any additional building needed to not only compliment the local landscape, but prove its energy efficiency and deliver utmost value for money.

 “These are challenges faced by many schools and whilst the team at Short Wood had considered a variety of extension and modular options, once we reviewed their needs it became apparent that a traditional timber frame open panel system clad in timber with a flat roof would provide them with the best solution.  The added benefit being that it fell under Permitted Development Rights, meaning no planning permission was required.”

 

The 86 sq m building was delivered in just eight weeks from site preparation to completion, and the use of heavy machinery was limited to school holidays meaning the site could remain operational throughout the build.

As well as its speed of construction, the new school building boasts a “B” energy efficiency rating and is heated by a modern Air Source Heat Pump.  Significantly for the education sector where budgets are under continual scrutiny, the entire build cost under £175,000.

Commenting on the new teaching space, Head Teacher Gail Butele, is clear on the benefits that the build approach brought to the school:

“Having been aware for a while that we needed to expand, being introduced to the team at SJ Roberts and their proposed solution, proved a real turning point.  They listened to our needs, adapted some of the designs we’d already been working on and provided a solution that ticked all the boxes.

 “Being an operational school environment brings with it a host of considerations in terms of disruption, on-site safety and of course, cost!  The team at SJ Roberts, however, couldn’t have been more aware of all these.  From the start, they shared clear plans and schedules; worked seamlessly with our site manager to ensure all school considerations were met safely; and they took the time to engage with pupils as their imaginations were sparked by the work being carried out.

 “The Lodge – as we now affectionately refer to the new building – has blended seamlessly with our wider environment, and we’re all still amazed at not only how quickly it was constructed, but just how little disruption there was.”

 

Speaking of the benefits that this approach brings to schools, Mike Sambrook concludes:

 

“Short Wood Primary school is not alone in facing the combined challenges of additional classroom space, minimal disruption, and limited budgets.  However, as this project has proven, a stylish, practical and energy efficient solution can be delivered quickly and cost effectively and we’d welcome the opportunity to discuss similar needs with schools elsewhere.”

CLICK HERE FOR THE SJ ROBERTS WEBSITE

 

 

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New £100m community campus

Construction work begins on Dundee’s new £100m community campus

The new facility has been hailed by Dundee City Council as ‘the most important investment in the city’s future’


 On the 21st of June, Jenny Gilruth MSP, Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills,  witnessed construction work beginning on an integrated educational and community facility for the east end of Dundee.

Pupils joined Ms Gilruth in making symbolic footprints in wet concrete to create a mark that will become a feature at the new £100m East End Community Campus.

Designed by Holmes Miller for Dundee City Council, with Robertson Construction as the main contractor, the new facility will cater for around 1800 pupils from Braeview Academy and Craigie High School and their teachers, staff, and the wider community.

Local residents, pupils, staff and community organisations were consulted extensively on the design of the campus. Their input led to various changes in the design, including how departments are arranged, and the inclusion of facilities that will ensure the building can be used 365 days a year.

Offering an optimum environment for learning and attainment, the new 19,500m2 campus will include a variety of teaching and informal meeting spaces, a central learning plaza, presentation spaces and specialist Additional Support Needs (ASN) areas. The design also incorporates flexible spaces such as a ‘Hellerup’ staircase where pupils and staff can relax, socialise and collaborate.

Facilities that the wider community can use will include a music and drama centre, café, library, floodlit all weather pitches, a fitness suite and a dance studio. The indoor accommodation will be arranged around a central courtyard that provides an outdoor civic space for community and school events, break out and relaxation.

The community campus, which is due to open in time for the new academic year in August 2025, will be built to the international ‘Passivhaus’ sustainable energy use standard, using responsibly sourced materials.

 Joanne Hemmings, Associate at Holmes Miller, explained:

“To achieve the rigorous Passivhaus standard, we have placed sustainability right at the heart of the design, which will ensure low energy consumption both during the construction phase and throughout the life of the building.

“The campus will be a compact, highly insulated building with low energy hybrid ventilation, substantial solar panels and a heating system that’s powered by air source heat pumps. A new link to a sustainable cycle and pedestrian route, plus several cycle storage facilities, will encourage active travel to and from the campus.

“We’ve really enjoyed collaborating with local partners on this project, which we know will help create positive outcomes for pupils, the environment and the wider community.”

 

Dundee City Council’s children and families convener Councillor Stewart Hunter said:

“The East End Campus will be more than a school, it will be a focus for the whole community and will be accessible and inclusive. This campus will help improve the future prospects of young people while assisting the community to thrive.

“It is the most important investment in the city’s future and delivery of the campus will allow us to improve educational and community facilities to help tackle significant challenges of poverty.

“This is a golden opportunity to transform educational and community facilities and replace two outdated buildings with a campus fit for the years ahead.

“The design of the campus has seen pupils playing an important role on the project board. The campus will provide an inspiring educational environment carefully designed to support learning developments in the longer term.”


Elliot Robertson, Chief Executive Officer, Robertson Group, said:

“As the first Passivhaus building in its portfolio, East End Community Campus illustrates Dundee City Council’s commitment to its communities, to education attainment and addressing climate change.

“Having been a partner of choice for the Council for several years, we look forward to working with them to deliver this high-quality multi-use facility, that will cater for a centre for music and drama, sports facilities and city-wide education. This new school built to Passivhaus standard, will significantly cut emissions to the built environment, and delivers outstanding levels of energy efficiency, reducing ongoing annual operational energy costs. Throughout the build we will be working with local contractors and suppliers, wherever possible, and seeking to improve employability skills within the community through an on-site skills academy.”

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