This project has been designed with sustainability in mind and the following ‘easy wins’have been adopted across all four structures: natural ventilation, shading, solar control glass, avoiding excessive glazing, low energy equipment, low heat gains from lighting and enhanced U-values through building fabric. In addition to these, a new biomass boiler has been introduced to serve all the new buildings providing hot water from burning woodchips that will be bought locally from a renewable source.
The building itself is supported by a Glulam timber frame, with special attention given to the detailing of the connections to achieve a neat aesthetic finish. This teaching centre incorporates a sedum roof which will also lessen its visual impact (important as it is in the shadow of a grade 1 listed manor house) and has the added benefit of reducing surface water run off. As well as having an impressive visual theme, many sustainable initiatives have been housed such as grey water harvesting, photovoltaic panels, natural ventilation and straw bale wall insulation.
These are of steel frame construction due in main to the speed of erection and the relative economics. The two storey vocational skills workshop is the largest of the 4 buildings. It features a long span concrete floor and special detailing was required to maintain an economic floor depth coupled with fulfilling the requirements for vibration. The general teaching building is also two storey and features composite floor construction to minimise structural zones and a curved steel roof.
