FMJ.CO.UK M&E CASE STUDY
OCTOBER 2020 37
the brief. In doing so, any potential issues can
be identified at the beginning, saving time
and improving e iciency during installation.
IMPROVING AIR QUALITY
One of the most important considerations in
an educational facility is ventilation. Growing
concerns regarding air quality in classrooms
have been addressed by new Government
guidelines which came into force in 2018(i).
These were introduced to minimise the risk
of classrooms overheating and to control
carbon dioxide (CO) levels (see box on 38).
In practice, this will require the greater use
of systems which combine both mechanical
and natural ventilation. However, this
presents numerous challenges as heating
and cooling systems can be di icult to
integrate and consume a lot of energy -
issues which will need to be overcome in the
early design stages.
ENHANCING AESTHETICS
The aesthetics of the building’s interior is
another priority for educational institutions.
Traditionally, the ceiling was used to hide
all the cabling, pipework and ductwork that
was required to make a school function, but
that people didn’t necessarily want to look
at. But now, exposed ceilings are becoming
the norm, not only because they improve the
thermal massing of a room but o er a much
more contemporary look.
This trend means that M&E contractors
need to work more closely with clients,
including building managers and main
contractors, to ensure that the building
services installation is as aesthetic as
possible. Electrical, mechanical and
structural elements must all be coordinated
as part of the ceiling design, ensuring they
are set out perpendicularly and installed
as neatly as possible. Upfront design work,
including the use of BIM forms a vital part of
this process.
EXEMPLARY LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS
Some of the biggest building design changes
can be seen in the higher-education sector,
largely driven by the need for more technical
skills, creative learning spaces, and the latest
technology.
One example is a new facility that was
built by ISG for Richmond-upon-Thames
College ii) - where REL was responsible for the
M&E solution.
The £34 million scheme comprises a
new five-storey teaching block, which
spans around 161,000 sq and is
targeted to achieve a ‘BREEAM excellent’
rating. It opened in Spring 2020 and can
accommodate 3,000 students.
Diverse facilities have been incorporated
into the building, including business
incubation space, a 160-seat theatre, and
advanced learning environments featuring
TV studios, a 3D prototyping fabrication
laboratory and a digital golf studio. A chef’s
academy, with full commercial kitchen and
a bookable restaurant space have also been
created, alongside a spa and wellness centre.
Located at the college’s Twickenham
campus, which remained operational
throughout the work, the scheme was
awarded via the Pagabo framework, which
drives e iciencies and best value across
public sector procurement.
We began evolving the M&E base design
two years prior to the project going to site.
Exposed ceilings are becoming the
norm, not only because they improve
the thermal massing of a room but off er a much
more contemporary look.”