Archive for: Workshops

Midas Group Ltd

Construction Training Centre

July 14, 2020/in Education: Further / Higher College, Steel, Workshops/by Guy Davies

Construction Training Centre

Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset

Project Details

Client
Weston College

Project Manager
Weston College

Architect
View Architects Ltd

Contractor
Midas Construction Ltd

Value
£2.9m

Contract Period
33 weeks

Procurement Type
Competitive tender – 2 stage

Form of Contract
JCT Design & Build 2016

Size
1,809m²

Apprentices
7

Project Brief

Created to address the increasing demand for a skilled construction workforce in the region, the Construction Training Centre provides state-of-the-art specialised teaching space, offering training specific to the construction industry and designed with employers’ needs in mind. Midas delivered this single-storey building in a semi-rural location to the west of Weston-super-Mare.

Made possible by match funding from Weston College and the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) through the Local Growth Fund, administered by the West of England Combined Authority, the Centre is taking a lead role in answering the construction skills shortage. The main teaching centre is a block of modular buildings, constructed off site, connected with a central corridor covered by a canopy. Adjacent to the modular block are three connected steel frame cladded sheds. The project includes several areas of storage and work yard together with a dig training area.

Enabling works included demolition and removal of old farm buildings, part piled foundations and excavations for ground beams, slabs and drainage, infill and diversion of two sections of a watercourse and formation of attenuation ponds with a new water route.

The client scored the project 91% in the customer satisfaction survey at practical completion.

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“The Construction Training Centre really is meeting the need of the industry. Construction workers were having to go as far as Birmingham to complete their training – which includes compulsory qualifications. This centre has brought all of the training under one roof, and is conveniently located just minutes from junction 21 of the M5. Our courses are industry-recognised and nationally accredited, which is a real plus for a new facility. This has helped to ensure that we have a busy start to life at the Construction Training Centre, and we look forward to this continuing over the coming months.”

Simon Werkshagen, Head of the Construction Training Centre

Community Engagement

Career Development

7 Apprentices provided with training through the project

Key Challenges

Weston College leased the land on a five-year basis

Due to the time limit of the lease, the Construction Skills Centre needs to be relocated at the end of the College’s contract on the land. Midas addressed this through design and construction of a combination of refurbished modular buildings and new build warehouse, to deliver a structure that can easily be dismantled and relocated at the end of the lease. The modular building is formed of 23 units that can be picked up and moved in blocks of 13, and use of off-site modular construction resulted in a shorter on-site programme time and less waste. As agreed with the client, Midas left bolts exposed in the warehouse unit to enable it to be easily dismantled and relocated. Midas amended the foundation design to pad and raft foundations, which will be easier for the client to clear at the end of their lease period. To manage the high water table with pad and raft foundations Midas completed an extensive drainage scheme under licence from the North Somerset Levels Internal Drainage Board (NSLIDB), bridging over the rhynes in several places and installing filtration systems to prevent run off.

The client required the project delivered to BREEAM Good

The project surpassed the client’s target and achieved BREEAM Very Good through numerous environmental measures. The team protected local wildlife, plants and waterways throughout the works; installed sensitive lights to prevent disturbance of bat feeding routes; used of off-site modular construction to reduce waste; installed permanent, secure bicycle storage for 20 bikes; diverted of 99.5% of waste from landfill; and used a community recycling scheme for wood waste and unwanted timber pallets. The project achieved an air tightness result of 4.23 & 3.68m³/hr.m² @ 50 Pa, against a maximum of 10.0m³/hr.m² @ 50 Pa. Early in the project, Midas commissioned an ecological survey that confirmed the rhynes (drainage ditches used as local flood management systems) did not contain any protected species and prior to works the site team completed a visual survey to check no significant wildlife was present.

A challenging site with a high water table and numerous watercourses, in an environmentally sensitive environmental area

Midas liaised with the NSLIDB to manage the risk of works in proximity to rhynes. The team secured a licence from the NSLIDB to work within nine metres of rhynes, ensuring they remained clear throughout the works. Midas identified drain routes and risk potential as part of site inductions, and managed surface water through an efficient drainage design. The site used silt busters to filter all water sent off site. At the start of the project Midas implemented a Construction Environmental Management Plan to manage the high pollution risk to adjacent properties and the rhynes; protected existing ditches and rhynes from site run off; and identified watercourses, drains and their outputs. The site controlled water run-off with straw bales placed along the rhynes and formed a clay earth bund to prevent polluting nearby watercourses, with spill kits stored on site and a pollution incident response action plan in place. Prior to undertaking diversion works to the rhyne within the site and for drainage works to the pond, the Assistant Site Manager contacted the inland drainage board and received verbal approval to pump extracted water into the grassland around the site.

The design team simultaneously worked on two projects for the client: the Construction Training Centre and the Health and Active Living Centre, and brought both in line with the client’s budget

Midas came onto this project at RIBA Stage 1, appointing our own design team with Smith Consult Limited novated to the M&E subcontractor. Both projects were initially over the client’s budget, and Midas completed an extensive and effective early value engineering exercise with them at RIBA Stage 3, providing design and material amendments to make the projects financially viable. Midas conducted stakeholder engagement exercises, working with the college and modular manufacturers to conduct a best value review of external finishes, delivering a cost-effective solution without compromising the quality of the finish. Midas also completed a total redesign of both the Health and Active Living Centre and the Construction Training Centre to ensure the architectural plans met the correct site requirements. The team designed out any challenges in the planning stages, tailoring the foundation designs to suit the site conditions following site investigation and completion of archaeological reports.

Project Takeaways

Our Success

Enabling works included demolition and removal of timber cattle sheds that had evidence of fragile asbestos cement roofing, asbestos containing materials and possible ground contamination. Midas appointed an asbestos surveyor and remover and produced an Asbestos Management Plan with a Cat B plus a Point of Work Risk Assessment for these works. The site had an asbestos-sealed waste skip, which the team had taken off site as soon as possible following completion of the removal works. Midas included asbestos awareness as part of site inductions.
To reduce inconvenience to local residents, Midas encouraged deliveries to use major routes into the town and approach the site via the more suitable A370. Deliveries entered the site via the shared access road off Churchland Way, which residents used to walk their children to school. Midas liaised with the neighbours to discuss access issues and the Assistant Site Manager provided them with hi-vis tabards to high light their presence during school walks along the lane. To reduce risk, the site scheduled deliveries; enforced a 20mph speed restriction on the lane; and established a suitable sized entry gate and hard standing area, which housed up to two simultaneous deliveries, to get deliveries in off the road as quickly as possible to avoid unnecessary congestion. The site unloaded deliveries using a telehandler and contained a turning circle to eliminate the need to reverse onto the highway. Site traffic exited under supervision by a vehicle controller to reduce risk to avoid risk of collision on the public highway and to reduce risk to pedestrians passing the site.
To manage the site’s high water table and proximity to rhynes, Midas implemented an extensive attenuation scheme, effectively selecting the most appropriate groundworks subcontractors to ensure success.

Our Learnings

Due to its proximity to a Norman fort, there was a risk of archaeological importance on the site. Prior to commencement, another company completed a site investigation (SI) to establish ground conditions. Midas accessed the SI information from a separate planning application on the site, which confirmed poor ground conditions and a known flood risk. Midas interrogated SI reports, including historic data provided at tender stage, and appointed Wessex Archaeology Limited to investigate the site and complete trench digs across the area prior to Midas commencing works.

Value Added

Midas delivered £511,960 (19.5%) of added value and best practice savings at Gateway 4. Savings included a reduction in the foundation design, following close review with the supply chain, for a saving of £205k; revision and reduction of the planned site entrance to one combined entrance, saving £9,460k; reducing the covered area and altering external finishes to save £90k; and retaining excavated soil onsite for a saving of £60k.
The site employed 83.3% small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with 67.7% of the SMEs based within 30 miles of the site.
The project team collaborated with the team at the Construction Skills Centre site to deliver a combined Employment and Skills Plan. The sites supported eight work experience placements; created 13 jobs with the National Skills Academy for Construction, including six apprentices; supported 11 Construction Careers Information, Advice & Guidance events; delivered 218.9 training weeks on site; delivered four training plans for subcontractors; and supported the achievement of 85 NVQs and industry certifications. Representatives from the project attended the North Somerset Careers Convention and the Weston-super-Mare Careers Convention.

KPI’s & Statistics

Contract	Gateway 2 Planning	Gateway 3 Contract Agreement	Variation
Cost	£2,918,791	£2,631,357	-£287,434 (-9.8%)
Time	26.1 weeks	25.9 weeks	-0.29 weeks (-1.1%)

Apprentices: 7
Average AIR: 0
Average CCS score: 40
Waste diverted from landfill: 99.5%
Cost/m2: £1,455m²
Cost/m2 excl abnormals: £506m²

National College for Nuclear

February 18, 2019/in Education: Further / Higher Block, Brick, School, Steel, Workshops/by Guy Davies

National College for Nuclear

Bridgwater, Somerset

Project Details

Client
Bridgwater & Taunton College

Project Manager
Bridgwater & Taunton College

Architect
Austin Smith Lord LLP

Contractor
Midas Construction Ltd

Value
£7.1 million

Contract Period
56 weeks

Procurement Type
2 stage open book

Form of Contract
JCT Design & Build 2011

Size
2,690m²

Project Summary

The multi-award winning National College for Nuclear (NCfN) is a flagship nuclear training centre offering classrooms, simulators and practical training facilities. The innovative NCfN is transforming teaching in this sector to meet the demands of this growing industry. The state-of-the-art educational spaces include virtual reality (VR) and reactor simulator suites, computer labs, training classrooms and workshops; and the campus offers staff facilities, a gymnasium, social area and changing amenities.

Midas completed this design and build project to BREEAM Excellent, constructing a pair of two-storey buildings with an enclosed link bridge at the college’s live Cannington Campus. Works included a lift shaft; fit out; mechanical, electrical and plumbing works; raised access flooring; and external infrastructure works including roads, paving and landscaping. Internally, Midas provided high capacity Wi-Fi coverage, floor boxes for power and fixed data ports to each room and the curtain batten to the perimeter of the VR suite.

The NCfN won “Project of the Year (over £5m)” and was shortlisted for “Education Project of the Year” in the 2018 Michelmores Property Awards; won “Best Educational Building” in the 2018 Somerset Building Control Partnership Awards; and won “Digital Construction Project / Initiative of the Year” in the 2018 Constructing Excellence South West Awards.

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“The National College for Nuclear (Southern Hub) has been a great success for the College providing superb flexible training facilities for our students. The feedback from staff and students has been excellent and the building has also been recognised to date by being shortlisted for five awards of which it has won three, a superb result. These results were achieved through an excellent relationship between the main contractor Midas, the College and the members of the design team that has produced an award winning building, built on budget and to meet the clients timescales for occupation. “

David Harper - Bridgwater & Taunton College

Community Engagement

Career Opportunities

The project created 98 jobs for local people; employed a trainee site manager and a subcontractor apprentice; and supported eleven work experience placements.
As part of the Employment and Skills Plan requirements Midas engaged with the local supply chain where possible, with one subcontractor located in Bridgwater itself and the majority of subcontractors based in the South West region.

Supporting Local Businesses

Of the total firms Midas employed on the project, 96.9% were SMEs with 35.9% of the project value being spent with local companies.
46% of people who worked on the project lived within 30 miles of the site.

Key Challenges

The construction site could only be accessed through the live campus.

To safely manage site access through the operational campus, Midas worked with the college during the preconstruction stage to agree management of site access through the live college and to agree suitable delivery time and size restrictions with a strict delivery protocol, including employing a full time gate controller located at the college entrance to direct site traffic and keep the site gates closed. At the start of the works the team erected Heras fencing to low risk areas and solid hoarding at high risk areas.
During the construction stage Midas carried out site weekly logistic meetings with the client and liaised frequently with the college staff, programming works to their convenience to mitigate disruption and maintaining a positive working relationship.

It was essential that the live college had uninterrupted service provision and campus access during term times.

Midas ensured the college had continuous services and undisturbed, safe campus access for staff and students by completing infrastructure and service works during weekends, with works involving disconnection of the power completed outside of the college’s operational hours. Midas maintained access and egress through the campus and confirmed quiet periods with the college, planning noisy works outside of exam times and keeping them to a minimum. The team completed all high-risk works during college holidays.

The client required the project delivered to BREEAM Excellent.

The project successfully achieved BREEAM Excellent through measures including: installation of 52 roof mounted solar PV panels with an area circa 300m²; fitting of energy efficient lifts; formation of bicycle storage; use of eco site cabins with EPC ratings; diversion of 98.9% of waste from landfill; and recycling 97% of materials. All inert excavated or demolished materials remained on site and the team donated surplus materials, such as bricks and carpet tiles, to the college’s estates department. Midas minimised disturbance of the live campus and achieved credits towards the BREEAM Excellent certification by appointing an acoustician to carry out acoustic testing for plant noise levels. Testing included an assessment of noise impact from fixed sources, with noise from the proposed fixed plant equipment assessed to minimise impact on neighbouring noise sensitive buildings; measurement of airborne and impact sound insulation between sample rooms; sample measurement of the internal ambient noise level; and sample measurement of reverberation times.

The college needed use of an existing ancillary workshop, due to be demolished as part of the programme, until the end of the 2017 academic term.

Midas adjusted the programme of works to accommodate the college’s requirements. The team left the workshop building operational until the college’s summer break, then employed a licensed contractor to remove asbestos containing materials (ACMs) from the workshop prior to demolishing it. The site team segregated areas with ACMs, included asbestos awareness in toolbox talks and followed Midas’ asbestos policy, including creation of a site specific HS002 Asbestos Management Plan, to safely manage these works.

Project Takeaways

Our Success

During the two-stage tender process, Midas consulted with the client to agree selected subcontractors and add allowances for agreed work packages. Following agreement with the client at the preconstruction stage, the team completed an attendance matrix for the supply chain to plan supervision requirements.
Prior to commencing construction, Midas agreed oversail of the crane with the college. However, during works the team found a solution to position the crane to avoid oversail, thereby minimising the risk. The site utilised vertical segregation and completed ground-bearing tests prior to installing the crane.
The client engaged Midas from RIBA Stage 3 on this two stage design and build project, with planning consent achieved with a novated design team. Midas worked collaboratively with the existing team, focusing on the design, cost and programme to ensure the quality of the project was guaranteed. With the key delivery team on-board during the preconstruction, Midas were able to make a fast start which allowed an extended commissioning and handover period.
The site received written compliments from local residents regarding traffic movements; before commencing works, Midas redesigned the traffic management plan to avoid sending delivery traffic through the village, to mitigate disruption to the local residents, and issued pre-start information to neighbours and the college regarding planned works. The team maintained access for neighbouring properties wherever possible and communicated access restrictions to those affected in advance of works. The team provided advance notice of potentially disruptive works and displayed 24-hour contact information.

Our Learnings

Fitting traditional downpipes for drainage from the roof proved challenging due to limited drop locations. As part of the design and build process Midas issued a specialist enquiry to review options, provided quotes to the client and, upon agreement, proceeded with a gravity fed design.

Value Added

Midas offered the client £872,441 (12.7%) of best value savings at Gateway 3 with £933,441 (13.2%) of savings delivered at Gateway 4. Savings include cladding alternatives (with a delivered saving of £183k); review of the M&E (delivered savings of £122k); provision of M&E equipment with an improved lifespan (saving £20k); and review of the RC frame (delivered savings of £98k).
The project created 98 jobs for local people; employed a trainee site manager and a subcontractor apprentice; and supported eleven work experience placements.
As part of the Employment and Skills Plan requirements Midas engaged with the local supply chain where possible, with one subcontractor located in Bridgwater itself and the majority of subcontractors based in the South West region.
Of the total firms Midas employed on the project, 96.9% were SMEs with 35.9% of the project value being spent with local companies.
46% of people who worked on the project lived within 30 miles of the site.

KPI’s & Statistics

Contract	Gateway 2 – Planning	Gateway 3 Contract Agreement	Variation
Cost	£7,391,129	£6,843,317	-£547,813 (-7.4%)
Time	54 Weeks	54 weeks	0.43 weeks 0%

KPI Graphs

Apprentices: 408 waged training
Graduates: weeks delivered
Average AIR: 0
Average CCS score: 41
Waste diverted from landfill: 98.9%
Cost/m2: £2,544m²
Cost/m2 excl abnormals: £2,199m²