School rebuilding plans fall ‘woefully short’, say leaders

Diamond Build PLC has secured a £4.4m contract to refurbish a Surrey-based primary school.

Located in Guildford, Bramley Oak Academy caters for boys aged 5-11 with Special, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. The project will enable the school to reach wider numbers of children requiring SEMH support and provide a more suitable environment for learning.

Diamond Build PLC will be responsible for transforming a two-storey building spanning 1,700 sq m. Internal walls will be demolished to create larger teaching spaces, followed by structural works and a full fit out. The entire mechanical and electrical system will be replaced and new partitions, ceilings, doors, fixtures and fittings installed. The scope of works also includes associated landscaping and perimeter fencing.

Working to a tight construction programme, Diamond Build PLC is scheduled to be on site for 37 weeks.

Simon Wildes, Commercial Director at Diamond Build PLC, said: “This is an extensive refurbishment which we will be delivering in four phases. The first two will need to be completed by the beginning of September, ensuring a significant part of the work is carried out during the summer holidays.

“The remaining works will be completed while the school is occupied and will require very stringent measures to minimise the impact on pupils and staff. We will be working closely with the school to make sure the children’s SEMH needs are considered throughout the project, including minimising noise.”

Bramley Oak Academy is part of London South East Academies Trust. The Trust comprises eight schools located in Bromley, Bexley and Surrey, offering high quality mainstream, special and alternative provision for children and young people across the region.

Diamond Build PLC has delivered a wide range of building projects for the education sector, including new builds and refurbishments for special educational needs (SEN) schools.

NZB to deliver zero-carbon project for Rugeley’s Hart School

Net Zero Buildings (NZB) is set to start on site with a next-generation net zero carbon energy school in Rugeley, designed to stand the test of time and with sustainability at its heart.

The Hart School is part of the growing Creative Education Trust and teaches pupils aged 11-18. Its new 4,111 sq. ft. building will provide five new classrooms, boosting capacity and allowing it to welcome more pupils. The project will also see the refurbishment of the school’s swimming facilities.

The new building is designed to generate more electricity than it uses throughout its life, slashing operational costs. Key features will include solar panels, mechanical ventilation heat recovery units, air tightness detailing and fully electric fuel sources, plus sensor-controlled low energy lighting and plenty of windows to maximise natural light.

The school will also be built off site in the factory, allowing the project be completed around six months faster than the equivalent built using traditional methods of construction. It also helps to keep disruption on site to a minimum. The super insulated timber-faced panels not only allow for rapid assembly, but are extremely airtight which ensures that there will only ever be minimal heat loss.

Dan Allison, Divisional Director at Net Zero Buildings, said: “This is a next-generation school building designed to achieve net zero carbon in operation – it will incorporate a host of smart features and clever technology including efficient lighting and heating control to limit energy wastage.”

Dan continued: “The new Hart School building is designed for a net zero carbon future, using renewable resources to generate more electricity than it consumes and distributing the excess power it generates to the existing school buildings. Similar buildings we have developed have achieved an EPC rating of A +. We’re very proud of the role we play in helping to ensure that new buildings are sustainable, leaving a positive legacy for future generations, and Hart School is no exception.”

Net Zero Buildings is part of the Premier Modular Group, creating sustainable net zero environments that have a positive impact on the world and future generations, challenging its own carbon impact and that of its clients.

It specialises in the delivery of intelligent buildings that achieve carbon zero in operation across the education, healthcare and commercial sectors. Working alongside AESG consultants, its carbon experts guide customers through their journey in achieving net zero energy buildings.

Taking a partnership approach to all its projects, Net Zero Buildings provides ongoing support once a project is complete, with long-term advice and insight ensuring that its buildings continue to be operated and managed as efficiently as possible.

The project is expected to complete in August 2022.

Overview

When it came to the design of a new classroom block and assembly hall at a leading independent school in Essex, an approach that both complemented and enhanced the school’s original 19th century construction was a key element of the project brief.

Founded in 1557, Brentwood School has carried out a number of refurbishment and new build projects as part of its expansion over the past 10 years including a sixth form study and social centre housed in a refurbished late-Victorian vicarage. The latter forms the main street frontage to the senior school with the new build facilities sitting impressively either side. This stunning transformation required brickwork detailing of the highest order. The redevelopment of the prep school also required first-class brickwork, with the striking colonnade of brick arches and the facades of a new classroom block and assembly hall building enhancing the educational setting.

Designed by Cottrell & Vermeulen and built by contractor Rooff Ltd, the construction of the new buildings saw IG Masonry Support play an important part in the provision of a number of prefabricated brickwork solutions including the interlocking Brick Slip Arches that enabled the architect’s vision to be realised and helped with the build sequence along with the quality finish.

The Challenge

Creating new buildings that pushed the boundaries in terms of brickwork design whilst meeting conservation and planning requirements necessitated close collaboration between client, architect, contractor and IG Masonry Support’s project engineers.

With a brief to achieve a consistent colonnade of seven interlocking arches as well the masonry support requirements to achieve the required brickwork formation, IG Masonry Support manufactured and supplied a range of prefabricated components that met the design requirements and the wider considerations around planning in this heritage context. The offsite manufactured solutions also overcame challenges when it came to the creation of half arches that would have been impossible to build in a traditional way.

The Solution

A combination of restrained and self-supported solutions, the prefabricated brick arches required coordination with the concrete superstructure. The connections had to be bespoke for every arch because the faces of the arches were semi-circular and the concrete structure behind was chamfered.

Another challenge that was overcome through engineering were the connections at the spring points. The connections between individual arches had to be designed to allow for differential movement. Connections at spring points had to therefore take into consideration the lack of space during installation due to the proximity of the column behind. Furthermore, the end half arches could not be built traditionally, with the only other option being to use concrete pre-cast which would be very heavy and difficult to install.

In terms of masonry support and the unusual brick bond pattern, masonry support was designed to take into consideration the unusual distribution of the load within the façade and required extra brackets. At the corners, further innovation on the part of IG was required due to the corner arches returning along the elevations and corner lintels requiring extended bearing zones.

Commenting on the solutions provided by IG Masonry Support, Jonathan Dawes, Associate at Cottrell & Vermeulen said: “We wanted to create a series of intricate arch details that would have been unachievable in conventional brickwork. The technical support we received from IG Masonry Support allowed us to realise this ambition.”

IG’s Welded Masonry Support (WMS) is a rigid masonry support system comprising a stainless-steel angle support shelf with fixed brackets. Able to accommodate loads of up to and exceeding 14kN/m, it is fabricated to engineers’ specifications on a project basis and offers two planes of adjustability onsite. Offering ease-of-installation, the system can be supplied in a variety of configurations depending on the project’s requirements.

Brentwood Prep School’s new multi-purpose hall and linked three-storey teaching block will become a new visual identity for this educational facility, with thanks in part to the offsite craftmanship and intelligent engineering from IG Masonry Support and its range of masonry support systems.

#lighting

Working with the University of the West of England, Hydrock Consultants, and AHR Architects, Zumtobel delivers a cutting-edge lighting scheme to inspire future engineers.

The University of the West of England (UWE) has invested in a new School of Engineering with the commitment to increase the number of women and people from underrepresented groups working in the sector, in particular aerospace.

The multi-million-pound building, located at the Frenchay campus in Bristol, has enabled it to expand its intake of students to 1,600.

This contributes to the University’s vision of promoting multi-disciplinary, collaborative learning and supporting the predicted increase in demand for skilled engineering graduates across the region.

Set over four floors, the 8,500 mt sq, modern building houses many different engineering disciplines in a contemporary space. The site features teaching studios, modelling and simulation suites, laboratories, specialist workshops, and student learning zones, accommodating many engineering disciplines such as composite manufacturing, machining, and metrology.

Eunan Scanlon, Technical Director – Building Performance Engineering, Hydrock comments, “Hydrock provided multidisciplinary services to UWE on their new state-of-the-art Engineering building. We developed the lighting and lighting controls strategy in collaboration with AHR Architects, UWE stakeholders and Zumtobel. The engineering building comprises of a central Atrium with perimeter engineering facilities, with hard engineering workshops on the ground floor then labs and teaching spaces on the upper floors. From the concept we worked up lighting solutions for each individual space to meet the requirements identified, including specific luminaires for harsh environments and/or scene setting, the lighting controls for specific tasks during the teaching timetable. The lighting controls were developed to significantly utilise the fantastic architectural daylight distributed throughout the building.”

Comfort and performance

The building has been designed to complement the University’s practice-based curriculum – bringing engineering to life through real-world problems. It provides different and more flexible ways of working for both students and staff – training the next generation of engineers.

The lighting had to stand up to exacting performance standards to ensure the most comfortable, safe, and practical learning environment. High uniform light levels were required to support the practical-based learning style, keeping students alert and motivated.

Building on a longstanding relationship

Zumtobel has a longstanding relationship with the UWE and has delivered various lighting projects throughout the campus over several years. Therefore, knowledge of the brand’s wide selection of performance luminaires made it the number one choice for the contemporary new building. Working closely with the UWE, Hydrock Consultants, and AHR Architects, Zumtobel designed the optimum lighting scheme for the complete facility to meet the customers’ requirements.

Cutting edge lighting design for all lighting applications

The lighting scheme utilised several of Zumtobel’s most popular products, including TECTON, PANOS evo, MELLOW LIGHT evo, VIVO spotlights, TRINOS, and SLOTLIGHT Infinity, all managed via the LITENET Lighting Control system. Emergency versions and RESCLITE PRO on a CPS CENTRAL BATTERY provide the emergency lighting.

Students, lecturers, and visitors alike are welcomed by the bright lighting quality from TECTON C continuous-row luminaires on arrival at the building. A versatile and efficient system, it provides intelligent solutions for many lighting tasks throughout the facility, from LED light lines to emergency lighting.

To complement the TECTON luminaires in the entrance, TECTON MPO furnishes the classrooms with a uniform light distribution. With minimised glare through LED point reflexion of the task area and when directly looking into the luminaire, TECTON with MPO optic is ideal for the demanding visual tasks associated with the practiced-based curriculum. A gentle illumination of the ceiling and the lateral translucent optic create a wide beam pattern with soft edges, brightening the learning environment.

Furthermore, the building incorporates two distinct office designs. In one scheme, light lines of SLOTLIGHT infinity provide a consistently linear design with high precision optics that deliver uniform illumination, without interruption or dark spots, even around corners. SLOTLIGHT infinity also graces the circulation areas around the atrium.

The second office scheme employs the classic MELLOW LIGHT evo recessed and surface-mounted luminaires. MELLOW LIGHT plays with light. It brings the room’s depth to life in the mellow colours of the sky until late at night, giving occupants a renewed sense of outdoor freedom, helping teachers and officed staff stay focused and alert.

The award-winning PANOS evo LED downlight provides unrivalled lighting quality and energy efficiency throughout the bathrooms and circulation areas.

Externally, TRINOS IP65 continuous-row lighting system combines the flexibility and practicality of a trunking system with the rugged durability of an IP65 luminaire. The TRINOS luminaire guarantees optimum protection and performance at all times.

Zumtobel’s LITENET system provides an effective means for the University to obtain as much comfort and lighting quality as possible using the minimum amount of energy, materials, and time.

In choosing some of the most efficient luminaires on the market, combined with automated lighting controls, the University has a highly efficient lighting scheme.

Eunan, comments, “All the systems came together to create a well-lit building that looks stunning during the day and especially after dark.

Zumtobel are a long-standing key provider of lighting solutions to UWE and they were a great match again for the engineering building. They have the wide range of systems in place to meet the demands of the engineering building and the Zumtobel Team were always on hand to support the project.”

Stephen Denning, Project Manager / Building Surveyor UWE, adds, “The wide selection of luminaires used throughout the site has created a great overall finish to the building, with cutting edge design and excellent energy efficiency. This is a lighting scheme fit for our engineers of the future.”

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