highereducationestates 19 A REPORT commissioned by Universities UK notes “universities are experiencing challenges with financial sustainability due to a decreased unit of funding for students from the UK in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. In England, fees for domestic students have been capped at £9,250 since 2017 and are now worth only around £6,000 in 2012–13 prices. This means funding per student is at its lowest level in over 25 years.” International fee income has helped plaster over the problem, and most universities are expecting to rely more and more on international fee income in the coming years. But international student numbers may well decline if the Government’s steps to limit the number of dependants accompanying a foreign student prove a deterrent. These concerns are prompting universities to revise down growth projections. Universities UK says universities in all four nations of the UK, and in all parts of the sector, are already making changes to adjust to these pressures – including, in some cases, some quite significant restructuring and transformation programmes. However, notes the report, “While this may provide some relief, the scale of the problem means that even these best efforts will not be enough to return the sector to financial sustainability.” These financial pressures will inevitably have knock-on effects on building and refurbishing projects, as well as universities’ decarbonisation programmes, which themselves have been costed at £6.6bn. As we have noted before, AUDE says its members are examining ways to rationalise and reconfigure their estates, including downsizing and moving more towards remote teaching and learning. Britain’s universities will surely look very different in a few years’ time. Editor Andrew Pring Sales director Julian Walter Production Nicola Cann Design Sandra Cid Managing director Toby Filby The publishers do not necessarily agree with views expressed by contributors and cannot accept responsibility for claims made by manufacturers and authors, nor do they accept any responsibility for any errors in the subject matter of this publication. Publishers Stable Publishing Limited, SBC House, Restmor Way, Wallington, Surrey SM6 7AH, England. t. 020 8288 1080 f. 020 8288 1099 e. [email protected] leader and content Challenging times for Britain’s universities look set to become even more challenging Andrew Pring Editor [email protected] inside this issue J/Feb 2024 23Belfast Business School Queen’s University’s new £17.5m Business School provides state-ofthe-art teaching and research facilities for more than 3,000 students. 25Using technology to achieve sustainability Penny Brinsley from Service Works Global discusses how university estate teams can drive sustainability on their campuses. 29New flooring solution University College London (UCL) has been expanding its presence in East London and sustainable flooring is a big part of the project. 31Timber frame wall panels for new timber academy Timber frame insulated wall panels have been used at the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) in Hereford. 23 29
PROCURED via Pagabo’s Medium Work Framework, construction has been approved for a new £5.4m Centre for Employment and Independent Living for Students with Learning Difficulties and Disabilities (CEIL for SLDD), as well as a new £5.4m Construction Skills Centre (CSC), as additions to Nottingham College’s existing portfolio. Works for the CEIL for SLDD scheme will include delivering a two-storey new build with a gross internal floor area of 1,350 sqm, comprising 13 classrooms, teaching kitchen, dining area and ancillary spaces across its two levels, as well as associated external works. The CSC scheme will consist of a new build specialist centre to meet the growing need to provide training for construction skilled trades in the local area. Offering a flexible teaching and learning facility that will support the curriculum and estate objectives of the College, the 1,500 sqm building will comprise a large double height construction trades workshop, as well as additional classrooms, a smaller modern construction workshop and associated staff and support facilities. Meeting the rising demand for post-16 sector education to meet the needs of local employers, the building will be used as a critical educational tool in line with the Department for Education’s (DfE) output specification in addition to supporting the sustainability ambitions of Nottingham College towards Net Zero Carbon in operation. Carl Ara, assistant principal at Nottingham College, said: “We’re excited to be working with G F Tomlinson to bring these two new developments on our Basford campus to fruition. As a key driver of economic growth in the north of the city, we are really aware of our responsibility to provide a curriculum offer that helps support young people and adults in the city to learn and succeed in their chosen industry.” GF Tomlinson secures two major builds for Nottingham College Glasgow City Council gives green light to Alumno student residence PROPOSALS for new purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) on Glasgow’s St George’s Road by Alumno have obtained “minded-togrant” approval from the local authority. The submission was granted permission by delegated decision without the need for planning committee consultation, an increasingly rare scenario. Glasgow’s five universities host over 76,000 students, almost half of whom are living in private rented accommodation. This puts significant pressure on local housing, which the new development will help to relieve. Works are due to begin next year, with Alumno planning to welcome students to the residence for the start of the 2026 academic year. Designed by Carson & Partners in collaboration with Stallan Brand, the new six-storey building will comprise a range of high-quality single ensuite bedrooms with shared kitchens and selfsufficient studios, accommodating 262 students in total. There will also be a number of accessible rooms for those with additional needs. To create an ideal environment for both socialising and work, communal spaces will be provided, including a private dining room, lounge and common study space on the fifth floor. Initial plans for the St George’s Road development include commissioning work by local artists and poets based on Glasgow’s art history to enhance the entrance and courtyard, both of which will be visible from the street. The new building is also aiming for a BREEAM Excellent sustainability ranking. “We are delighted to have gained planning permission for this important development – our second in the city – which will provide much needed highquality accommodation for Glasgow students,” said Alumno Managing Director David Campbell. “Our overarching intention is to respect the diverse community of Woodlands and St Georges Cross, while reconnecting and repairing the missing corner of St George’s Road, reinforcing the character of the area, and re-introducing a commercial space at street level.” 20 highereducationestates news
TOTAL capital expenditure in the university sector is forecast to fall annually by 4-20% from 2022/23 predicts a report by PwC, commissioned by Universities UK. This decline – which varies across segments of the sector - is predicted for a period when significant increases in investment were being anticipated in 2022/23 following major CAPEX being repeatedly deferred by many univerities COVID-19, due to liquidity concerns. It also comes as the costs of decarbonising university estates in future CAPEX programmes have been put at around £6.6bn by the British Universities Finance Directors Group (BUFDG), Association of University Directors of Estates (AUDE) and Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education (EAUC). PwC notes: “These costs are all in addition to other investment required to implement digital infrastructure, decarbonise supply chains, and maintain quality of provision and student experience – so it is difficult to see how the base case forecasts can be achieved without further hampering the ability of members to maintain quality.” PwC notes that universities are experiencing challenges with financial sustainability due to a decreased unit of funding for students from the UK (referred to as domestic students) in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. In England, fees for domestic students have been capped at £9,250 since 2017 and are now worth only around £6,000 in 2012–13 prices. This means funding per student is at its lowest level in over 25 years. Universities are also experiencing a slowdown in funding from grants, coupled with costs going up. This means they’re increasingly relying on using different income streams to cross-subsidise their teaching and research activities – especially fees from undergraduate and postgraduate international students. While international fee income has grown by an average of 12% a year since 2017–18, providing a short-term boost to the sector’s financial sustainability and reducing the proportion of our members in financial deficit to 25% in 2021–22, universities are still under pressure. UUK analysis of HESA finance data shows that the proportion of universities’ income from domestic student tuition fees fell to 28% in 2021–22, down from 31% in 2016–17. Analysis of financial forecasts shows that universities of all sizes expect to rely more on international fee income in the coming years. Many universities are assuming numbers of UK undergraduates will also increase. If this ‘base case’ scenario doesn’t happen, sensitivity analysis (PwC's analysis of potential future scenarios) shows that there are significant risks to the financial sustainability of both individual universities and the sector as a whole. These risks are heightened if the growth in international student numbers decreased; if universities’ costs increased; and if growth in domestic students decreased. If international student numbers decreased and expenditure also increased, universities would face even more pressure. All sizes and types of higher education providers – including research-intensive, teaching-intensive, and specialist and creative institutions – would be affected by the sensitivities modelled. However, notes PwC, certain institutions are more vulnerable to certain issues. For example, universities in Scotland would be particularly badly affected by international student numbers going down. Universities UK says that while visa data from the Home Office shows the current autumn 2023–24 recruitment cycle was up 2% compared to September 2022, emerging evidence from universities suggests that this has not translated into more international students. Some members have reported prospective students opting not to come to their university late on in the recruitment cycle. These concerns are prompting universities to revise down growth projections. Universities UK says universities in all four nations of the UK, and in all parts of the sector, are already making changes to adjust to these pressures – including, in some cases, some quite significant restructuring and transformation programmes. “However, while this may provide some relief, the scale of the problem means that even these best efforts will not be enough to return the sector to financial sustainability.” Financial pressures on universities threaten building programmes highereducationestates 21 news
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Queen’s does the Business Queen’s University’s new £17.5m Business School provides state-of-the-art teaching and research facilities for more than 3,000 students and 130 academic staff on the Riddel Hall campus in Belfast. Peter Minnis RIBA, Project Director at TODD Architects, outlines how the School’s vision was achieved and how the scheme marks a new chapter for sustainable energy in the Northern Ireland IN 2016 Queen’s University’s new Business School merged with the William J Clinton Leadership Institute, bringing leading academics and industry experts together to deliver a portfolio of executive education and leadership programmes. In 2017, due to its continued growth and the success of the Leadership Institute, the School identified a need to expand its facilities. Sonia O’Hare, School Manager, Queen’s Business School, explains: “To address the significant growth in our student numbers and the unprecedented demand for our graduates, the University with full support from local government and employers, approved a capital investment in excess of £26m in a new Business School Building. Designed by TODD Architects, the building provides state-of-the-art teaching and research facilities for more than 3,000 students and 130 academic staff and will play a key role in the future growth and development of Northern Ireland’s business and finance sectors.” The School’s vision was for a state-ofthe-art facility that would both respond to the changing educational needs of its rapidly growing post-graduate community and be a transitional link between education and employment. In addition, the School was keen to explore how the “in-between” spaces linking teaching and learning accommodation could be more than just circulation corridors, encouraging thinking on the introduction of informal study and break out areas. Sustainability was also a core component of the brief, in line with the University’s commitment in all their new buildings to move towards net-zero carbon and to reach a minimum BREEAM Excellent rating. A site was identified on the southern boundary of Queen’s University’s Riddel Hall campus on the Stranmillis Road, Belfast, straddling the end of the lawn that sits in front of the Grade II Listed redbrick building and an existing surface carpark some 4.5m below. The car park was surrounded with mature woodland, providing a wonderful backdrop and sense of enclosure to the site. Construction work started on site in September 2020, with Newry-based Felix O’Hare the main contractor and WSP the project manager. TODD Architects’ appointment arose out of a design competition, promoted by the University. We presented a plan diagram based on how we envisaged people might move through the building and a conceptual architectural approach that proposed carefully knitting the built form into its landscaped setting, both of which are still very evident in the finished building. Plan and section diagrams based on an analysis of how people would move through the building established a route linking the main entrance on the lower ground floor, with a secondary entrance at the level above, for staff and students crossing the lawn in front of Riddel Hall from other parts of the campus. Widened corridors from these entrances meet at the building’s principal organising device, a linear, top-lit, triple height atrium, that at its base houses the building’s reception, café and study areas. Fully glazed screens allow views into the space from surrounding accommodation at upper levels. highereducationestates 23 design solutions
An accommodation stair provides access to the upper ground floor, where informal study booths overlook a central landscaped courtyard (echoing the courtyard in the listed building) with the executive education teaching spaces, meeting rooms, post-graduate study areas, academic offices and shared common room/break out spaces, arranged around and above it. The primary teaching spaces are restricted to the lower ground floor, with the large volume lecture theatres set into the surrounding landscape to lessen their visual impact, with grassed terraces formed on their roofs above. The architectural response carefully knits the building into its sensitive landscaped setting and seeks to ensure a connectivity for its users with the surrounding mature woodland. This was achieved by keeping the building height below the tree canopy and fragmenting the edges of the building footprint to minimise tree removal. A landscape strategy was developed that both augments and enhances the natural setting, while the incorporation of “green roofs” offer sustainable drainage benefits and visual continuity. The external palette of materials is consciously restrained, combining red clay brick, bronze framed aluminium, floor-toceiling glazed screens and red cast stone, the latter used principally to delineate entrance colonnades at the upper and lower entrances. Internally within circulation spaces, exposed concrete soffits with floating ceiling rafts, board marked concrete walls, timber wall sheeting and terrazzo tiled floors, combine to create a calm, robust, and understated aesthetic. A low energy, ecologically sensitive design approach was promoted from the outset, with a BREEAM standard of Excellent targeted. Measures incorporated include a geothermal heat system with 40 piles driven to a depth of 125m into the Sherwood sandstone formation, with some 10km of collector pipework fitted to feed the ground source heat pumps and provide low-level constant heating to the building via an underfloor heating system. This will result from a heat generation/ perspective in 10% reduction in life cycle costs compared to a gas boiler installation and a massive 61% reduction in carbon emissions from 120 tonnes to 46 tonnes. In addition, to achieve the BREEAM Excellent rating the building incorporates other items such as a water leak detection system, water efficient equipment, responsible sourcing of materials and construction waste management systems. The project was handed over in May last year. Professor M.N. Ravishankar, Dean and Head of Queen’s Business School, comments: “Queen’s University Belfast is moving towards net zero, and this building – which uses sustainable ground source heating – is an important part of the journey. The design of the building, which is sleek, contemporary, and future-focused, boasts the scenic quality of being nestled in the trees of the Stranmillis Conservation Area. “The building is helping us a) grow our international stature and esteem by hosting high-profile events; b) expanding our research-led dialogue with the business community by providing space for collaboration and dissemination activities; and c) offers a fantastic student experience via tailor-made areas for learning and study.” Sonia O’Hare, School Manager, Queen’s Business School, concludes: “We are delighted with our new landmark building which will take Queen’s Business School into the next phase of its development and serving future generations to come. Through collaboration and a commitment to excellence, TODD Architects have ensured that this facility will enable the Business School to continue its growth, by attracting the best staff and students from Northern Ireland and around the world, and to produce graduates who will make a positive impact on society.” www.toddarch.com www.felixohare.com www.wsp.com/en-gl/services/program-andproject-management Images: Donal McCann 24 highereducationestates design solutions
Penny Brinsley from Service Works Global discusses how the strategic use of sensors, facilities management software and the Internet of Things (IoT) can help university estate teams to drive sustainability on their campuses SUSTAINABILITY is the hot topic for every business sector in 2023, and education is no different. The pressure to be more sustainable is coming from Government, employees, key stakeholders, and students. A 2021 study by the Times Higher Education found that a university’s sustainability policy and work is more important than location for mobile students. Furthermore, 69 per cent of surveyed students believed it was important for their future career prospects to demonstrate to employers that during their time at university they developed into a sustainability-minded citizen. A study by the National Union of Students further cements the importance of sustainability to students. It found that over 60 per cent of them want to learn more about sustainability at university, and 87 per cent said that their university should take sustainability more seriously. Smart use of technology offers estate teams numerous ways to drive efficiencies and cut costs. I’ll touch on a handful of examples in this article. Space management and sensors: Sensors can be placed around a campus to gather data on room use. Facility managers (FMs) can then analyse that data and see when spaces are in use. For example, they may see that a lecture theatre is unused every Friday morning, or that a library is busiest between 2 and 4pm. These insights enable FMs to make smarter decisions around everything from HVAC usage to cleaning team schedules. In fact, sensors can capture all manner of meaningful data, including temperature, air quality and natural light coverage. Energy efficiency: The sensor data can be integrated with Computer Aided Facilities Management (CAFM) software to give FMs a holistic view of the entire estate at all times. Then, a combination of automated and human-led actions can ensure an estate is only using the energy required depending on occupant needs, as opposed to lights and heating systems being fully operational at all times. This ties in to understanding your energy profile. When you see where and when energy is being used, you can determine where there are opportunities to be more efficient. Asset management: Many higher education institutions comprise numerous buildings scattered across a campus or city. In some cases, there may be hundreds of buildings within a portfolio. While this can certainly be a challenge for FMs, it also presents a big opportunity to be more sustainable. The first step is to create an asset register in your CAFM system. Ideally, this should track equipment based on location, model types and groups; it can also capture cost codes, management structures and maintenance history.This centralised information then allows FMs to manage assets across their whole lifecycle, reducing asset downtime, improving performance, extending equipment life and lowering maintenance costs – all of which support sustainability objectives. Building Information Modelling: Asset management can be further enhanced through the use of Building Information Modelling (BIM). A BIM model is a digital register of a building, its components and assets. Combined with CAFM, estate teams have the ability to: store all warranty and compliance documents online; check asset locations, positions and access points in advance of works; access non-visible assets ahead of time; and monitor asset condition so that maintenance is scheduled only when required. All of which means operatives spend less time travelling and carrying out necessary site visits. Share your progress: It’s important to share your progress outside of the estate teams so others know about how you are contributing to a sustainable campus. This will ensure that it gets communicated to all interested parties, from senior leadership to prospective students. The built environment has a key part to play in our sustainable future. The technology is available now to drive change, so what are you waiting for? www.swg.com How to utilise technology to achieve sustainability goals highereducationestates 25 technology
New access covers for University of Nottingham renovation THE University of Nottingham’s Florence Boot Hall is a student accommodation property that can house 200 students per year. The building is currently undergoing major improvement works to refresh its look and upgrade the building services. As part of the renovation project, access covers were needed at various points along the ground floor of the building, allowing easy access to plumbing and electrics. The ground floor of Florence Boot Hall was positioned on a latticework of timber joists. Due to this, specialist contractor Spiral Joinery took the lead the access covers’ installation. A key challenge arose when it was discovered that the access covers originally specified had been temporarily discontinued and therefore a new solution was needed. This presented two problems: firstly, Spiral Joinery needed to source new products fast to keep the project moving and prevent delays. Along with this, openings of 600mm had been factored into the plans and were already part of the timber joists, so the new covers needed to be an exact match. Intended for communal spaces such as common rooms and dining areas, the access covers needed to be able to sit flush with the finished floor and not interrupt the building’s aesthetic once the renovation was complete. They would be used to perform necessary routine plumbing maintenance beneath the floor. After searching several suppliers, Chris Leggett of Spiral Joinery found that ACO offered cost-effective access covers that were ideal for the project. Soon after Leggett contacted ACO, Liam Watkins, Technical Sales Coordinator at ACO Access called to talk through the parameters of the project, ensuring that the right product would be recommended. Following a consultation, Leggett recommended UniFace AL SHALLOW Recessed Access Covers, which were quickly approved by the project manager and deemed safe by a structural engineer. The UniFace AL SHALLOW Access Covers come with liquid and odour-tight seals and offer optimum cover security, meaning that, even in well-trafficked parts of Florence Boot Hall, there is little risk of unwanted ingress of any kind. Their versatile design means that they can be made to blend in with almost any design aesthetic without compromising on usability or safety. One of the key challenges was to ensure the solution fit into the existing plans, particularly because ACO’s UniFace AL SHALLOW Recessed Access Covers are aluminium-based. Despite the product being slightly bigger than those originally specified, ACO’s technical team worked with Spinal Joinery to suggest an approach that would allow the installation. To ensure the product could be installed securely, an extra 10mm rebate was formed into the timber joists, meaning the access covers to fit perfectly. Leggett of Spinal Joinery said: “Working with ACO was great. We were able to talk through exactly what we needed and they made sure they really understood the job before making the recommendation to use the UniFace Access Covers and were available to offer technical support at every stage of the process. Ultimately, we went with ACO because they made the whole process easy, and supply was quick.” Watkins said: “The Florence Boot Hall access covers project has been challenging yet highly rewarding to be involved in. The hurdle of rapidly sourcing a suitable product is always a challenge, so it was pleasing that we were able to partner with Spiral Joinery to find a creative and practical solution that met the project requirements. We were very happy to make this part of Florence Boot Hall’s renovation go as smoothly as possible.” Spiral Joinery ordered 12 access covers and, once seeing the quality of the product and ease of installation, ordered 15 more to complete the job. www.aco.co.uk/accesscovers 26 highereducationestates interiors
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advertisement feature Rectify ‘leaky loos’ to conserve water in educational establishments UK water resources are undoubtedly under pressure from climate change, population growth and rising water use. It has been suggested that if water efficiency action is not improved we could face water shortages by 2050 (in fact, this is already a reality in some parts of the country) – serving as a reminder for us all to use water more wisely. Many educational establishments are already considering how they can effectively conserve more water. Research from Waterwise suggests that across England’s 24,000-school estate, there could be up to 74,400,000 litres of unnecessary water use every day. Water wastage also has a negative financial impact. Schools in the UK currently spend around £70 million a year on water – this could be greatly reduced by implementing water efficiency measures, allowing precious budget to be reallocated. ‘Leaky loos’ are a major culprit for water wastage. According to Waterwise, between five and eight per cent of UK toilets are leaking. On average, each leaking toilet could be wasting between 215 and 400 litres of clean, fresh water per day. As well as having a detrimental impact on precious water resources, every ‘leaky loo’ could cost a school up to £100 per year. Dual flush toilets tend to leak because of an issue with the flush valve. Dual flush toilets usually have a drop flush valve, which will generally start to leak because the flush seal naturally degrades over time. The seal tends to be situated below the cistern’s water line, and limescale deposits and debris (commonly found in cistern water) can cause degradation, as can chemicals if they are also present in the water. Cistermiser’s EasyflushEVO is a revolutionary siphonic flushing valve engineered to eradicate water leakage from dual flush toilets. Unlike drop valves, there is no flush seal below the water line, so it will not leak due to debris, scale or degradation of the seal. EasyflushEVO is ideal for new applications or can be easily retrofitted, in either a dual flush or single flush configuration. Each unit can save up to 146,000 litres of water per year and a return on investment can be achieved in just seven months. Toilet and changing room refurbishment programmes present schools with an ideal opportunity to identify and rectify leaks, but we’d recommend continual monitoring as best practice. Unfortunately, it is not easy to detect leaks, and they can be present for some time before they are identified. Leak strips or dry toilet paper can be placed against the back of the pan – if they become wet, there is a leak. EasyflushEVO’s unique patented design means no other solution on the market can address water wastage from leaking toilets in the same way. It also has WRAS and Kiwa UK Regulation 4 product approvals, has won multiple industry awards and is installed in some prestigious projects across the UK. For more information on EasyflushEVO, please visit www.cistermiser.co.uk www.cistermiser.co.uk When educational establishments are refurbishing their toilet facilities, rectifying ‘leaky loos’ should be a high priority – they can be wasting significant amounts of water and are also uneconomical. Richard Braid, managing director at Cistermiser, explains more Cistermiser’s EasyflushEVO siphonic flushing valve 28 educationdab.co.uk
Sustainable flooring solution for University College London UNIVERSITY College London (UCL) has been expanding its presence in East London, with new accommodation as well as new academic, retail, community and public engagement spaces at One Pool Street, just a short distance from Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Construction company Vinci is leading the build, with Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands (LDS) appointed to lead on the design. When it came to sourcing durable flooring solutions for the development, LDS turned to commercial flooring manufacturer Interface. The space will become home to 500 students with round-the-clock high footfall throughout the academic, retail and community spaces, so it was crucial that the space was designed with durability and performance as a priority. To meet this demand, Interface’s nora rubber flooring was specified for the areas that will see the most action underfoot, such as corridors and breakout areas. Nora products are highly resilient and are designed to last, with maximum wear resistance and low indentation behaviour. Interface also provided robust nora rubber flooring with increased slip resistance for the kitchens and stairways. Infused with granite, noraplan ultragrip is designed specifically for these spaces, with slip resistance to R10 standard. The covering offers significant protection in areas where slips and falls pose serious risks. Noise was another key consideration as the space will be used for a mix of work and socialising, and ultragrip’s 6-7 dB footfall sound absorption helps to reduce sound impact between different areas of the space. Fire resistance was another fundamental requirement for LDS when specifying flooring for the project. nora floor coverings are highly flame-retardant according to European standard EN 13 501 and the decomposition effluents are non-toxic. Interface’s entire product portfolio, including carpet tile, LVT and nora rubber, are carbon neutral across their full lifecycle. In September 2022, the company was third party certified as a Carbon Neutral Enterprise. Speaking about the project at UCL, Jason Cadman, Account Manager at Interface, said: “We were seriously impressed by this project, and were really proud when LDS approached Interface to provide flooring solutions. We’re pleased that nora rubber flooring was able to meet the extensive functional requirements for the space and it was refreshing to work with developers and architects who share our commitment to reducing the environmental impact of our work.” norament 975 loose-lay floor covering was used throughout the raised access areas in the accommodation to meet the functionality and sustainability expectations for this space. Made with 30 per cent recycled material and PVC-free, the covering is easily fitted and immediately ready for use, with no coatings or welding necessary; this was crucial to having the accommodation ready for students in September. Its impact on indoor air quality is minimal, having received an A+ rating, an important consideration for the sustainability credentials of the building as a whole and the wellbeing of occupants. Thanks to its resilient properties, nora rubber ensures good acoustics and underfoot comfort. Equally, a floor that is fast to clean and easy to maintain is essential in a multipurpose space like this. A product lifecycle of more than 25 years means that maintenance and replacement costs are kept to a minimum, including chemicalfree cleaning which leads to reduced costs and lower environmental impact from the reduction of water use and wastewater. www.nora.com/united-kingdom/en www.lds-uk.com www.uk.vinci-construction.com highereducationestates 29 interiors
In recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on creating inclusive and accessible centres for learning and personal development. Inclusive design encompasses not only physical accessibility but also emotional well-being of the individual encompassing the space. Interior design plays a pivotal role in shaping the physical and emotional environment of educational facilities. At Tarkett, we have leveraged this understanding to create that accommodate the diverse needs of students, educators, and visitors, ensuring that no one is excluded in anyway. Human Conscious Design Principles Promoting accessibility & inclusion CREATING SPACES WHERE CHILDREN THRIVE
Timber frame wall panels used for new timber academy TIMBER frame insulated wall panels from Taylor Lane have been used in the construction of a new purpose built 2,500 sqm ‘living lab’ for the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE), designed to educate Centre of Advanced Timber Technology (CATT) students. Taylor Lane was selected by NMITE for the new site on Skylon Park in Hereford. The building itself demonstrates advanced timber technologies and is acting as an exemplar in a region aspiring to net zero carbon targets. As the appointed timber frame supplier Taylor Lane was tasked with demonstrating this modern method of construction in the hybrid structure. Taylor Lane used a selection of nonstandard materials specified by NMITE to construct 20 panels, ranging from 250 to 2400mm wide, and 4100mm high. The insulated panels were installed over two phases; a 53Lm run and another spanning 33Lm. This was particularly challenging as Paul Harris, contracts director for Taylor Lane Timber Frame explains: “The glulam structure including the roof element, and Cross-laminated Timber (CLT) frame were already in position which meant that we had to crane the panels in and around an already constructed structural frame. This was tricky and took careful consideration in devising a suitable method of work and appropriate access equipment.” The panels sit on a glulam soleplate. Taylor Lane used 240mm I-joists rather than solid timber floor joists to avoid cold bridging and maximise thermal performance. Each panel is fully filled with 240mm Knauf Insulation OmniFit 35 slab, a glass mineral wool slab that provides excellent fire, thermal and acoustic performance; and 9mm OSB is fixed to the front face of all 20 panels. For educational purposes, 11mm OSB is used on the inside face of the panels fitted in phase one, and 11mm flame retardant (FR) OSB for the remaining panels installed in phase two. Some panels are attached to the CLT frame and others to steel which enables Taylor Lane to showcase a variety of fixing methods. Harris continues: “We were mindful of the fixing positions as some of the construction components are left visible for the CATT students to observe. We also concentrated on the panel’s aesthetics, such as ensuring the breather membrane [A. Proctor Facadeshield UV] wasn’t damaged during construction, for example.” To allow for the right components to be visible in the right locations, Taylor Lane had to work within very tight tolerances. “The panels sit in front of the glulam, clipped to brackets. Obviously, this required precision spacing, slightly out and it would impact the whole run, hindering the observation panels and exterior cedar wood cladding,” says Paul. Main contractor Speller Metcalfe comments: “Although Taylor Lane were only on site with us for a short period of time, they were a good company to work with through the design process with their specialist timber knowledge.” Taylor Lane completed a phased installation, erecting the panels in around six days in total. NMITE is home to the Centre for Advanced Timber Technology (CATT) with a strategic mission set by industry to “stimulate collaboration across the industry together with showing a wider audience how rewarding a career in timber can be.” The first intake of Centre for Advanced Timber Technology (CATT) students was in September 2022 on the Timber Technology Engineering and Design short CPD courses. These courses are blended courses composed of online distance learning and on-campus challenge sprints. When the learners are at NMITE they are hosted in the purpose built 2,500m2 “Living Lab” building which consists of studio and breakout spaces, as well as two 700m2 workshop areas. www.taylor-lane.co.uk www.spellermetcalfe.com highereducationestates 31 exteriors
New Dublin student residence benefits from dual purpose insulation THE Cork Street development, located in the centre of Dublin, is the third student accommodation site constructed as part of a collaboration between Hines Ireland and Hines UK. The new accommodation offers a range of ensuite rooms and numerous facilities, including contemporary study areas, onsite gym facilities, a cinema, communal areas, sociable outdoor space, and a rooftop terrace. Surrounded by local cafes, in a thriving community, the stylish development is an ideal student home. After starting the project in 2019, the team was forced to down tools during the Covid-19 lockdown when only work classed as being essential could continue. The Cork Street development, consisting of two new builds and delivered by Walls Construction and two separate architect firms, was therefore completed shortly after the lockdown in Ireland ended in 2020. The seven-storey buildings were constructed using a steel frame system (SFS) with cement board in-fill panels. This method of construction is becoming increasingly popular as most of the components can be fabricated off-site, helping to speed up the time on site and reducing the overall project timeline - a factor that was particularly critical for this project which faced such an unprecedented delay. The project’s architects, Henry J Lyons Architecture and Interiors, specified SaintGobain Weber’s webertherm XM External Wall Insulation (EWI) system to insulate the buildings and also to provide an attractive finish in keeping with the surrounding area. Having used Weber products on similar projects around Dublin, the team from Henry J Lyons were familiar with the webertherm XM system and worked with Weber’s technical team to ensure the final design would deliver the target U-value of 16 W/m2K. To achieve this, the webertherm XM system was built up by attaching 200mm thick webertherm MFD insulation board to the substrate, followed by weberend LAC rapid, a fast-drying adhesive render that helps to reduce setting time between the application of each layer of the EWI system. Weber’s standard meshcloth was applied on top and then another layer of weberend LAC rapid. The use of weberend LAC rapid removed the need to prime the render before finishing the whole building in webersil TF, a textured decorative finish in Chalk. The final Uvalue was on target at 16 W/m2K. Weber’s system - which has A2 fire classification, making it non-combustible - was used on both buildings in the Cork Street project and was installed by approved applicators Durkan ECOFix. The Weber team supported this project from specification and design through to application, visiting the site to complete weekly reports to ensure the webertherm XM system was being installed in line with best practice methods. www.uk.weber 32 highereducationestates exteriors
for more information call 0113 279 5854 or email [email protected] A budget friendly complete system of wall and door protection that’s maintenance free, hygienic and easy to clean. Available in the full standard range of Yeoman Shield colours, it’s easy to fit but we do offer an expert fitting service as well as a comprehensive Fire Door repair and maintenance service. makes for cost effective wall & door protection MAINTENANCE FREE AND HYGIENIC www.yeomanshield.com
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