The role of building consultancy in securing Condition Improvement Funding
Allan Hunt is director of education at AHR Building Consultancy, and an expert on the Condition Improvement Funding (CIF) bidding process. Here, he advises on making a successful bid… MATs, both large and small, are acutely aware of the pressing issue of school condition and the shortage of funds to deal with this. For lone Academies and smaller MATs, CIF funding remains fiercely competitive, so that for anything other than the most urgent work (and even then) it is hardly a guaranteed solution. As for larger MATs, formula funding can seem like a drop in the ocean. Yet a new pot of money is unlikely to appear on the horizon – so how to make less go further? It may sound self-evident but the single most important thing that an Academy or small chain can do for the future of their school buildings – and to achieve efficiency savings – is to ensure a full knowledge of all their current condition, and likely deterioration over the near future. This is best achieved through a good-quality, thorough condition survey and development plan, which form far and away the most effective basis for strategic long-term planning. After all, you cannot make coherent plans by working with patchy information, and for smaller MATs and single Academies, who are unlikely to have a dedicated Estates Manager, this can be even more important. This is not just good practice for the sake of it – although this is certainly the approach recommended by Government in this year’s guidance document Good Estate Management for Schools. The benefits of long-term planning are manifold. For one, not considering the whole picture can create duplication. As a hypothetical example, imagine, say, refurbishing the interior of a school block one year, only to find shortly afterwards that the roof begins to leak, destroying the entire scheme. You have wasted both money and effort. Repeated interventions, necessitated by tackling problems as they come up rather than planning in advance, is not only disruptive of school life but cost inefficient, since bulking like works together can garner savings from contractors. Detailed knowledge of the condition of your campus also stands you in good stead if disaster does strike, since waiting for urgent issues to arise creates added pressure. For example while CIF exists for critical problems (and by and large the more urgent the problem the more likely a bid is going to succeed), a bid put together too hastily can nonetheless scupper your chances. So whilst unexpected issues can arise, the more you know about the condition of your buildings, the better prepared you will be to take appropriate action. Failing to plan, or to consider the bigger picture of how buildings interrelate, has longer-term consequences too. While change appears to be a constant in education, and it is difficult to anticipate shifting future needs, there are ways to head off problems. Isolated thinking creates isolated solutions, so you might, for example, set out to undertake a basic refurbishment of one school block (possibly with CIF funding for critical aspects) only to realise a few years later that curricular changes or new teaching methods make a wholesale rethink necessary. Instead, the expectation of change could have been ‘built-in’ at the same time by designing flexibly, to create a space that can be used in many different ways. Nurturing long-term relationships with consultants, rather than repeatedly drafting in new teams, can also help prevent disconnected decision-making. When under financial pressure (not to mention the time pressures so prevalent in school life), it is tempting to tackle problems as they arise, and forward-planning can feel like yet another burden. Yet this is almost inevitably a false economy. Not only is it the recommended approach, taking a step back and investing in proper planning will ultimately make life easier – and funds go further. See ahr.co.uk for more advice on securing Condition Improvement Funding for your school
Why modular construction might hold the key to delivering more school places
Anthony Langan, director and education sector lead at architecture and building consultancy practice AHR, explains why modular construction might hold the key to delivering more school places. With growing pressure for school places across many parts of the country, the expansion of school infrastructure, and indeed the creation of new schools, is a key consideration for educational establishments, local authorities and the Government. This issue of increasing demand for school places is compounded by constrained public-sector budgets. Faced with this challenge, the ability to harness the benefits of a modular approach to deliver more school places is attractive. Is modular a viable solution for construction in the education sector? A modular approach drives considerable efficiencies in the construction process – allowing high-quality new-build infrastructure to be delivered in a cost and time-effective way. One of the key features of a modular approach is that a large part of the construction can take place off-site, in a controlled factory environment. This minimises opportunities for disruption to the construction process, such as poor weather, and allows for work to be completed much more quickly. This, in turn, leads to less time required on-site, which reduces the disruption to pupils and teachers when compared to traditional construction methods. We are currently using these techniques to deliver a batch of new primary schools in London, Sussex and the Midlands as part of the Priority Schools Building Programme Modular Batch B Framework. Adopting a modular approach to the construction of four new primary schools means manufacturing efficiencies are gained through the scale of the project. The first step in achieving this was the creation of a digital building information modelling (BIM) as part of the early design process. BIM creates a data-rich visualisation of the school buildings, which provides key insights into the dimensions and materials required, helping to reduce waste, improve environmental sustainability and keep reworks to a minimum. A clear and shared understanding of the requirements for each of the schools then allowed for certain aspects of the construction process to be standardised, making it possible to create repeatable elements which allowed for considerable time and cost efficiencies in the manufacturing process. In this case, the modular solution was used to build on very constrained sites thus minimising the use of temporary accommodation. Today, decision-makers in the education sector are increasingly aware of the benefits of modular construction and have begun to understand that the high-quality infrastructure this approach can now deliver differs drastically from the stereotypical prefab units of the mid-20th century. Modular projects are now capable of enhancing influential places for pupils through design that is sympathetic to its surroundings. That is why there is a growing consensus that modular has a crucial role to play in delivering the learning spaces we need for the future. For more information about AHR please click here
Building sustainable schools for the future
Shortage of space is becoming a fundamental issue for many schools across the country. Recently, it was revealed one in six secondary schools are already at or over capacity, with forecasts predicting there will be more than 300,000 additional secondary school pupils by 2020. In particular, a shortage in pupil places is placing a huge burden on schools to increase classroom sizes, numbers and implement redevelopment projects to make better use of existing structures. With budgets under threat, finding the best building products to use at the right price and with minimal disruption to class time is no easy task. As a result, it may be tempting for school decision makers to deem the external finish of the building a low priority. However, in the long term, taking a sustainable view to the built environment can help to improve a school’s branding – something that is particularly important for independent schools carving out their own identity. If possible, time and effort should be implemented at the planning stage to ensure any renovation, repair or addition to a school’s environment is something that will enhance it for the foreseeable future, and not paper over the cracks in the short term. Despite some schools having the luxury of open land to build on, it is not always the most practical option. Urban schools, in particular, are often hardest hit due to increasingly unavailable or expensive city building space. As a solution, many schools have turned to building upwards. Adding floors increases the number of classrooms whilst eliminating the need to build on open land that is vital to be used as a sports or outdoor area. A lightweight and cost effective solution is brick slip cladding systems, which are ideal for this purpose. With a wide range of brick types and colours available, it is also possible to match any additions or changes with existing brickwork to complement a school’s identity. For older school buildings where heat loss and thermal insulation can be an issue, retrofitting external wall insulation with brick cladding can be a highly effective option too. Staff and pupils will immediately feel more comfortable, energy bills can be reduced and previously old and tired structures will be rejuvenated. When working to tight budgets, school decision makers must ensure any money spent is with the future of the school and its environment in mind. Using products with short life spans may seem attractive at first, but robust, low maintenance solutions that are reliable for decades to come will put the school in a better position. Here at Eurobrick Systems, we have worked with schools on their cladding projects for over 25 years and understand the pressures faced today. When working with restricted budgets in a school infrastructure, it is vital to work with the right suppliers who can maximise the environment available to get the best result for teachers and students alike.