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PROJECTS
Boys Model School
The 900 pupil Boy’s Model School in North Belfast is being completely rebuilt as part of this Design & Build project. Our strategy has allowed the school to remain open throughout the construction period ensuring minimal disruption. The new facilities will be fully fitted out and include science and technology, art and home economic departments. A key feature of the new school, are the spaces developed for community use.
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This steel framed school is positioned over 3 levels and covers approximately 15,000 m2. The specification includes a standing seam aluminium roof, clay facing brick & re-constituted stone façade, aluminium external windows, doors and screens and integrated building services.
External sports facilities are provided at a separate location, - Mount Pleasant, and consist of a Sports Pavilion, 2 synthetic grass football pitches, 1 grass rugby pitch and a polymeric running track.
Key innovative and low-impact design features of the building
The new building has been developed around a series of two courtyards, one formed at lower ground level & the other formed at ground level.
The first courtyard is a semi-public space and effectively acts as a filter to control pupil access into the school in a controlled and supervised manner. It is a dramatic space which allows for full expression of the Library and Assembly Hall concourse which in turn allows for single banked corridors flooded with natural light.
The second courtyard at ground level is entirely private and bounded on all sides by the school. Due to the inclusion of an external performance area, this is a place for social interaction and discourse at break and lunch times. The two courtyards effectively provide a figure of eight circulation strategy, meaning that at class change pupils always have an alternative travel route to their next class, thus reducing congestion.
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| Design Process |
100% |
| Construction Process |
75% |
| BREEAM Rating and score |
Target = Very Good, Score = TBC |
| Basic Building Cost - £/m2 |
- £/m2 |
| Services Costs - £/m2 |
- £/m2 |
| External Works - £/m2 |
- £/m2 |
| Gross floor area - m2 |
14,989 m2 |
| Total area of site - hectares |
6.79 hectare |
| Function areas and their size (m2) |
7,518 m2 |
| Area of circulation (m2) |
2,540 m2 |
| Area of storage (m2) |
737 m2 |
| % area of grounds to be used by community (where relevant) |
75 % |
| % area of buildings to be used by community (where relevant) |
80 % |
| Predicted electricity consumption - kWh/m2 |
30 kWh/m2 (not including small power usage) |
| Predicted fossil fuel consumption - kWh/m2 |
140 kWh/m2 |
| Predicted renewable energy generation - kWh/m2 |
0.06 kWh/m2 |
| Predicted water use - m3/person/year |
4 m3/person/year |
| % predicted water use to be provided by rainwater or greywater |
25 % |
| The steps taken during the construction process to reduce environmental impacts |
An environmental study was completed on site prior to commencement of our contract works. Waste metal, paper & rubble is segregated on site and collected by a waste management company. New hoardings were erected to facilitate continued access to the adjacent parkland area. Bins for hazardous waste were made available including spill kits and bunded areas. The site CO2 footprint was measured by monitoring electricity, fuel, water usage and transport of materials. |
| Innovative construction management techniques |
One of the greatest challenges faced on site was to minimise disruption to the operation of the existing school. This entailed complex phasing and the installation of 24 mobile classrooms for use as decant accommodation within a £1.4m enabling works contract.
A key element of our programme strategy was to complete the technology block in advance of other areas. Successful completion of this milestone triggered the demolition of the old technology block and freed up sufficient space to enable commencement of the construction of the main school. |
| A list of any social or economically sustainable measures achieved/piloted. |
We have integrated with the community by;-
- Producing and delivering a comprehensive newsletter to 500 neighbours
- Using energy saving 50 watt spotlights as site lighting
- Constructing a double sided walkway to segregate the pupils & staff from site traffic when accessing the school and by segregating public access to parkland at the rear of the site.
We have set up a project based Skills Academy in conjunction with Construction Skills and the Construction Industry Training Board.
In June 2009 members of our project team gave up their weekend to complete the Ben Nevis Challenge and are raised over £8,000 for the Ulster Cancer Foundation. |
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