The brief was to include six teaching laboratories, central staff preparation space (for making up chemicals, experiments etc) and ancillary accommodation.
The site is adjacent to two CLASP (Consortium of Local Authorities Special Programme) classroom blocks on the edge of the school campus, in a Conservation Area.
The Chemistry Building was completed in August 2009 with a total build cost of £2.3m, using traditional contract (Stephen George & Partners were contract administrators), or £1680 /sqm fully fitted including lab furniture, fume cupboards etc.
The energy-efficient design provides natural light levels above 2% in the majority of the building. Artificial lighting is PIR activated and dims according to daylight levels. Natural ventilation is by manually-opened low level windows and actuated high-level windows controlled by internal temperature and CO2 levels. Passive stacks are built into the walls opposite the windows to provide cross ventilation, with dampers linked to the BMS.
Heating is minimised by:
- creating a compact plan
- excluding the large entrance lobbies from all heating (except frost protection); they are heated by casual and solar gains
- highly insulated external envelope
The budget did not allow for renewable energy installations, but the Energy Performance Certification nevertheless achieved a very high level B.
