Caledonian will provide a complete offsite building and onsite construction and fit-out package for the project, from a full height assembly hall, science labs and music rooms to a dining hall and commercial kitchen.
The project is being billed as a showcase for modern methods of construction. With a total floor area of 7,005 square metres, the new school building will be assembled from 141 modules, which will be built and fitted out in Caledonian’s production facility in Newark. Additionally, Caledonian will provide the main school hall based on a portal frame structure.
Caledonian believes that the project is the most detailed building programme ever awarded to an offsite manufacturer. “It’s unprecedented in our many years of experience in this sector,” says Caledonian managing director Derrick Tyler. “We’re providing everything above ground for the proposed two-storey building, including an energy saving combined heat and power system, underfloor heating, and all interior fit-outs. And unlike standard modular providers Caledonian’s bespoke and totally flexible approach to building design and construction means we don’t ask clients to accept different finishes or change layouts to suit our modular systems. As a result the finished building will be indistinguishable from a traditionally-built school.”
Modules for the new school will be manufactured offsite by Caledonian in controlled quality-assured conditions while the site is being prepared up to ground level by Carillion, the main contractor for the works. Working simultaneously on site and off site reduces the overall building programme, and minimises disruption, risk and cost on site. In the case of Farnborough School taking the offsite route, rather than traditional construction, means the new school will be ready for occupation six months earlier. Completion is scheduled for August 2013 in time for the start of the new academic year in September. Working to an overall building programme of 42 weeks, which started on site in September 2012 with Carillion preparing the ground for the new building, Caledonian began manufacturing the first units in its Newark factory in November 2012. The last units are due to be completed by the end of June 2013.
Farnborough School & Technology College is the last rebuild project in Nottingham to be funded by the Building Schools for the Future programme. The contract was awarded to Carillion by Nottingham’s Local Education Partnership (LEP), the public private partnership between Nottingham City Council and Inspiredspaces, a company set up by Carillion and its joint venture partners to build schools for local authorities. Caledonian’s development of offsite units is a major part of the contract.
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