From desolate huts to amazing spaces

Sean Canty, Director at CAM Specialist Support, explains how developments in modular buildings offer schools the option of modern facilities at a vastly reduced price.

Anyone who has watched George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces on Channel 4 (or maybe on All 4 for the more technically proficient among you), will be aware of the incredible progress that has been made in terms of design and the materials available for modular buildings of any size. It is truly inspiring to see people create places to live, work and play even in tiny spaces.

It should come as no surprise that it’s not just amateurs, such as those featured on the programme, who are taking advantage of developments. The Modular Building Institute says that: “modular construction companies today can work with levels of design and construction sophistication that will exceed all expectations, rivalling their conventional counterparts.”

The draughty, basic school huts that many of us remember from our school days can be consigned to the history books as new and innovative solutions come onto the market; increasing affordability and the accessibility of new and vastly improved versions.

Bulge classes not a new phenomena

Modular classrooms have been an integral part of school life since the 1950s when class sizes blossomed thanks to the post-war ‘baby boom’. Although initiatives such as the Priority School Building Programme are underway, temporary classrooms continue to play an important role in the workings of schools. Not many people in the 1950s and 1960s would have expected them to still be used, but cost effectiveness and flexibility will always be valuable assets to any school.

Time is often of the essence when increasing classroom capacity or replacing existing modular buildings. Modular buildings can be constructed while the site is being prepared and foundation work carried out, so it is possible for projects to be completed in half the time it would take for traditional construction. An added factor is that as the majority of the build takes place inside a factory, weather delays become far less of an issue.

Having the construction take place off site is also a bonus from a health and safety perspective, as it considerably reduces site disruption. For schools it is particularly important to reduce on-site activity as this helps to keep pupils and construction hazards apart.

So if modular classrooms are here to stay, how can schools make the most of them in times of stretched budgets and bulging class sizes?

Refurb, don’t replace

It is not just brand new modular buildings that offer opportunities for schools. Refurbishment is now not only a realistic and practical option, but it can save tens of thousands of pounds over a new modular building and even more compared to a traditional build.

Refurbishment is a less well known option, but one well worth considering. For instance, Priory School, in Slough, Berkshire had a 1970s-built prefabricated building that was no longer fit for purpose and wanted an estimate for the cost of replacing it.

We visited the school and although the existing building was showing signs of the normal wear and tear you’d expect in a school environment, when we inspected it we found that the structure itself was sound. Therefore, instead of replacing the whole thing – at an estimated cost of between £130,000 and £150,000 – we suggested upgrading the exterior, installing better insulation for the walls, repairing the internal damage and redecorating. Choosing this option cost the school less than £50,000, therefore potentially saving around £100,000 – vital extra funds for any school.

Once Priory School had given the green light, the suggested refurbishment went ahead. Steps to a new main entrance porch were installed and accessibility improved with the addition of wheelchair-friendly ramp. Insulation was upgraded with new UPVC windows and the exterior was clad with cedar, improving the appearance as well as helping control the interior temperature. New UPVC fascias, gutters and drains were installed and the entrance and fire exit doors were also replaced.

Replacing the existing building would have taken 10 weeks and caused major disruption for the school and its neighbours, as the existing foundations and structure would all have had to be removed and the new building effectively be started from scratch. Refurbishment proved to be far quicker and more affordable.

The school community was delighted with the refurbished building. The reduced time required meant that the works were all carried out during the six-week summer holiday period, so there was no disruption to the school’s busy daily life.

Recycling saves time and money

Christchurch C of E Primary School, Greenwich was asked by London Borough of Greenwich to take on an extra class when a building works at a nearby school were delayed.

As the school required the extra temporary classroom at short notice, they asked us what the best option would be. We recommended a refurbished, second-hand, prefabricated classroom which had been originally built and used by a school in Dulwich and which we had in storage.

We carried out a site visit and inspection and identified an area within the school grounds which could be used to accommodate the building. Working with the school’s surveyor, we developed a plan to provide all the necessary works for the modular building to be installed.

The work included new foundations, bringing the classroom to site and connecting the mains services. The refurbishment incorporated the exact requirements of the school, including new timber steps, ramps and walkways.

The works were all delivered during term time, with the health and safety of the staff and children given priority. There was a buzz of excitement around the school community when, over the course of a weekend, the six modules were delivered with cranes, lorries, trackway and all the workforce arrived to install the building.

Getting a 100-tonne crane into a small London school was never going to be easy but, with the job being professionally managed from start to finish, the result was completion on time and within the local authority’s original budget. The project cost less than £70,000, saving between £60,000 and £80,000 when compared with the cost of a new-build.

Better for the environment

Alongside the improved cost and speed, refurbishment is normally better for the environment. According to the Modular Building Institute: “Building in a controlled environment reduces waste through avoidance upstream rather than diversion downstream. This, along with improved quality management throughout the construction process and significantly less on-site activity and disturbance, inherently promotes sustainability.” By reusing material from the existing modular building the amount of waste going to landfill can be lessened and transport costs and emissions can also be reduced.

Technological advances mean that refurbished buildings have much better insulation than existing buildings, so they will no longer be too cold in the winter or too hot in summer. As well as being a more pleasant environment to teach and learn in, running costs and carbon emissions are reduced.

A safe, clean and temperature-controlled environment is key to producing a productive and stimulating learning environment. Refurbished modular buildings can be a great short or long-term option if your existing classrooms are no longer up to standard, or your school is taking on more pupils.

If there isn’t sufficient budget or space to expand the main school buildings, it is well worth taking advantage of the advances made in construction technology by considering refurbishing an existing building or purchasing from the second-hand market. You won’t get a visit from George Clarke, but you may find your new classroom really is an amazing space.

www.camsupport.co.uk

Published in Education Today – May 2016