Building programmes in an educational setting are sometimes not happy experiences. Often, this is down to the limitations of traditional building methods.
Buildings that take too long to complete, have long snagging lists, go over budget or fall short of expected thermal or acoustic performance levels are all too familiar. But in this day and age, none of this needs to happen. You can have guaranteed quality, greater simplicity and cost efficiency – and you don’t have to compromise on design flexibility.
Panelised Offsite and Education
There are good reasons why panelised offsite solutions, such as , are increasingly used for education building projects:
- Offsite methods allow the building structure to be created in parallel with site preparation and groundworks, typically saving weeks from the programme.
- Quality and performance are guaranteed by the manufacturing process.
- There is less fragmentation as there is one partner for design, engineering, manufacture and installation, and fewer trades to coordinate.
Design Versatility
Panelised offsite also brings versatility and design freedom, unlike volumetric offsite methods that have to be designed around pre-configured boxes. This freedom allows architects to make the best use of space as well as natural light and ventilation.
The simplicity of the process allows work to be scheduled to create the least disruption to learning. This can be invaluable on long-term projects such as the two-and-a-half year phased redevelopment of West Thames College.
The offsite design team achieved a 7% cost saving and took eight weeks out of the programme. The offsite approach also ensured there was less disruptive construction activity on site.
Quality Without a Cost Penalty
The scale of school building required in the UK means that better solutions are needed, which reduce cost and uncertainty without compromising on quality. The Innovaré system meets all of these criteria.
Find out more about utilising for your next Education project here.
