In 2015, Waldeck were appointed by the Elliott Group as Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) Engineering Consultant on five new-build primary schools, secured in the DfE PSBP2 Framework. We are pleased to share that four of these schools have now been handed over to the end client with the fifth school having a target completion date of June 2020.

For all schools, Waldeck were appointed to provide:

  1.  M&E pre-contract services – This included determining the initial building M&E services loadings and liaising with utilities companies for quotations and advice on upgrade works to suit the new development.
  2. M&E performance design – Our team then carried out initial modelling of the predicted daylight and overheating, based on measured weather data, and advised of various options to maximise daylight, whilst ensuring compliance with the CIBSE TM52 overheating assessment. An M&E performance design was prepared for inclusion with Elliott’s final Contractor’s Proposals, and against which sign off was received by the DfE.
  3. Review of detailed design – Detailed design was then developed by the M&E Contractor and during this stage, Waldeck acted as Technical Assessors to ensure, as the design developed, that the principles of the performance design were adhered to and compliance with the DfE’s brief maintained.
  4. Construction stage technical support – During the construction stage, our team provided off-site support for queries and carried out regular site visits to review for compliance.

We took a closer look at each of the schools:

Newton St Cyres Primary School

Start Date | 31 August 2017

Completion Date | 25 May 2019

Project Value | £3.5m

Location |  Devon

The project team provided a full turnkey solution for a new-build single-storey primary school (GIFA 853m2), the works included a vehicle drop off area, car parking,  delivery entrance and road, external works, landscaping, MUGA pitch and pedestrian pathways.

In addition to our core services, for this particular school, Waldeck also proposed sun pipes to achieve daylight compliance. The sun pipes were chosen following discussions with both Elliott Group and the Architect, PTAL, to ensure that the daylight solution did not compromise the overheating assessment or the architectural intent, and was within budget. Daylight sensors were specified within all teaching and learning spaces, to ensure suitable daylight dimming by lighting row.

Newton Poppleford Primary School

Start Date | 27 July 2017

Completion Date | 25 January 2019

Project Value | £3.4million

Location |  Devon

The project team provided a full turnkey for a new double-storey 1FE primary school building, including accessible car parking, a delivery and maintenance entrance, external works, landscaping, pedestrian pathways and access bridges ,along with demolition works of the existing school buildings.

The new 1FE primary school was built on an existing school site in Devon, to replace five of the six existing school buildings. The existing Library building was re-supplied electrically, from the new school building. Connections were provided to link the data and alarm systems to the new school building.

At this particular school, after draft CPs, the architectural layout changed which comprised the daylight strategy. Liaison with both Elliott UK and the Architect, PTAL, were required to allow suitable feasible amendments to achieve the daylight requirements.

Minerva Primary Academy

Start Date | 21 December 2016

Completion Date | 1 November 2018

Project Value | £7.5m

Location |  Bristol

This project consisted of the provision of temporary decant accommodation from the outset of the scheme due to site area restrictions. Following occupation of the temporary accommodation, demolition of the existing buildings took place. The new two-storey 2,196m2 building included an allowance of 124m2 for nursery provisions for 30 children. Final activities included transferring of teaching provision from the temporary accommodation into new facilities, and their final removal and completion of external works.

In addition to our core services, for this particular school, our team designed a photovoltaics system as part of the M&E solution for the school, to achieve compliance with local planning requirements. The PV system was designed to secure at least a 20% saving in CO2 emissions from energy use through on-site generation of renewable energy.

Our team also prepared an external lighting assessment report, due to the proximity of the surrounding residential areas. The report influenced the external lighting design as we chose external lighting and suitable controls, to ensure that no nuisance light to the adjacent area, from the new school’s external lighting.

Mayfield School

Start Date | 31 July 2017

Completion Date | 17 May 2019

Project Value  | £8m

Location |  London Borough of Ealing

This scheme included the relocation of the reception classroom modular building and decant of the existing pupils into temporary accommodation, which was followed by construction of a new 3-storey 2214m2 building.

The new 2FE primary school was built on an existing school site in London. For this particular school, the main issue to overcome was compliance with the TM52 overheating requirements, due to the London location. The overheating assessment was carried out in a co-ordinated manner with the daylight assessment and compliance was achieved using carefully selected glazing. This ensured that the solar heat gains and potential glare was limited whilst maintaining good daylight conditions in the classroom. The existing school site also had a separate Nursery building which was retained and the electrical services were interfaced to the new school building.

After completion, the school was awarded a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating.

To find out more about our Mechanical and Electrical Building Services Design capability, please call Andy Inkson, Director of M&E on 08450 990285 or send him an email.