The Project
Alexandra Park School has been a Client of Make Consulting’s for over 5 years and as such the Headteacher appointed Make Consulting as the Lead Consultant to bid for funding through the Department for Educations’ Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) for this Project.
The Challenge
To understand the impact of the overcrowding, the school’s existing areas, including accommodation, were assessed against Building Bulletin 103. The analysis highlighted that the school was overcrowded and that it had insufficient teaching and non-teaching accommodation relative to the school’s current numbers. In summary, to meet the BB103 recommendations, the following key/core accommodation would be required to suit the school’s Sixth Form expansion needs:
- 9 no. seminar rooms;
- 125m2 of Sixth Form social area.
A key challenge to alleviate the overcrowding was the extremely constrained site, with designated Metropolitan Open Land (MOL) directly adjacent to the existing Sixth Form. A comprehensive Design Team was assembled to include experienced Planning Consultants to provide expertise around the extensive planning constraints on the site caused by the proximity to MOL.
The school’s vision was to also have an energy efficient Net Zero construction with renewable energy sources, further advancing their estate decarbonisation strategy.
The Solution
Due to the constrained site, a total of 9 options were prepared during the feasibility study process and they were assessed using a scoring matrix to provide objective and rigorous quantitative assessment. The preferred option was developed to planning application stage. Obtaining planning was a challenge. The Design team were assembled and worked collaboratively together to justify to the planning department that the benefits of expanding the school outweighed any potential harm to the MOL. This was a really good example of setting out a clear planning strategy and engaging with the Planning Authority to gain early support.
The project was designed to RIBA Stage 3 in anticipation of the CIF Bid Application in December 2023. This provided adequate information for the Design and Build tendering contractors to return accurate pricing information which is crucial in evidencing cost certainty to the DfE within the bid documentation. The building is highly efficient with a sustainable design, meeting the planning policy requirement for a 35% improvement in energy consumption, in excess of Building Regulations standards, and incorporating on-site renewable technologies.
The building achieves a Minimum BREEAM ‘Very Good’ Rating as per the Policy SP4. The proposals deliver landscape enhancements with a minimum 10% biodiversity net gain (BNG) and additional tree planting to mitigate selective removal of trees.
To achieve the aspirational energy efficiency targets, an Energy Statement was prepared within the planning application and employer requirements tender documentation that includes the GLA Carbon Emission Reporting spreadsheet, BRUKL output results and the Energy Use Intensity (EUI) outputs. A Dynamic Thermal Model Overheating Assessment of the development has been undertaken and the proposals to pass the overheating assessment. In summary, the project incorporates the following energy and sustainability measures:
- BRUKL assessment showing a 37% carbon reduction beyond Part L 2021.
- Highly insulated and airtight fabric design.
- On site renewable technologies, using a combination of heat pumps and roof mounted PV to generate heat and electricity.
- A preliminary Energy Use Intensity (excluding renewable energy) of 26 kwh/m2/year compared to a target less than 65 kwh/m2/year and a space heating demand of 4.7 kWh/m2/year (excluding renewable energy).
- Ventilation heat recovery systems throughout.
- Avoiding overheating and the use of cooling systems through optimised facade design.
- Low energy lighting.
- Incorporating sustainable, natural, non-toxic, high in their recycled content, low embodied materials wherever possible using BRE Green Guide.
- Minimum 10% Biodiversity Net Gain as set out in the BNG Assessment (17% achieved).
- BREEAM ‘Very Good’ with Shell & Core Assessment Tracker
- Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDs) as per the Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) and the Drainage Strategy.
To formalise the targeted BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating set out at planning stage, a Design Stage Accreditation Certificate will be submitted to the Local Authority prior to occupation and accompanied by a tracker demonstrating which credits are being targeted, and why other credits cannot be met on site. Post occupation, the Building Research Establishment shall issue a Post Construction Certificate confirming the ‘Very Good’ standard set has been achieved.
The Outcome
The CIF funding application was successful, with grant funding released in April 2024. Following this excellent news, construction works were accelerated to commence on the first day of the summer holidays. Currently a live project, the works are progressing well on site with all pre-commencement conditions discharged and many pre-occupation conditions also discharged. The school is on track to achieve their pre-planning energy efficiency objectives including achieving in excess, BREEAM ‘Very Good’, with many more BREEAM points being targeted within the live BREEAM Credit Tracker. The targeted score for the project is 61%. Social enterprise initiatives have also been strategically planned throughout key stages of the construction phases with Sixth Form students who are intending to pursue careers in the built environment.
