Project Management
The following school projects represent those for which the practice has provided Project Managment Services for Monmouthshire County Council acting as Client.
Wyesham Primary School, Monmouth
A wholely new energy efficient and sustainable 210 place BREEAM 'Excellent' rated Primary School incorporating community facilities based on an innovative curved footprint concept overlooking a safe play environment together with maximising the surrounding picturesque rural views.
The building has a strong exposed visual and textural timber frame adding interest to both internal and external elements of structure of the building.
The design of the building's curved flat roof allows rain water to be harvested for re-cycling in flushing toilets together with providing water for maintaining the landscaped grounds in drout periods.
The entire building is naturally ventilated giving a healthier learning and working environment. This is delivered through a system of automated and manual facade and roof window openings. This automation is enabled through a simple Building Managment System (BMS) which in itself can be used to provide visual data on the operation of the building (temperature control, energy use, ect) as a curriculum.
Materials have been selected not only to support the sustainability agenda, but also to provide natural self-finished/low maintenance finishes. Externally this is evident in the untreated and locally sourced cedar timber boarding and the lime-based rendered walls.
High performance double glazed timber windows and in conjunction with increased wall, floor and roof insulation are aimed at providing enhanced thermal U-Values. The wood used in the windows and doors are sourced from sustainably managed forests and the aluminium sash inserts are produced using energy from hydro-electric plants. The roof is lined with a single layer of high performance EPDM membrane (rubber) sourced from re-cycled car tyres.
Solar hot water panels provide pre-heating of water used within the building thereby reducing energy demands. A biomass boiler is used to heat the building powered by woodchip fuel being a natural waste product from the timber industry and sourced locally.
Some of the internal and mechanical and electrical services are safely exposed and colour coded to aid as an education teaching tool in understanding the building's functionality and operation.
Y Fenni Primary School & Nursery
Refurbishment of existing former Cantref School to the newly formed Welsh speaking Y Fenni Primary School situated in Abergavenny.
The refurbishment incorporates an inner timber frame structure with an applied render finish onto an insulated inert board substrate.