Archives
Woolwich Creative District
Mace were appointed by the Royal Borough of Greenwich to transform a group of listed 17th and 18th century warehouse and factory buildings at Woolwich Arsenal into the Woolwich Works creative district
The project involved the conversion of five listed buildings into major performance venues, rehearsal studios, exhibition areas, event spaces, and workshops, supported by back-of-house functions and public facilities.
The Challenge
The Woolwich Creative District project faced several challenges during its execution. The project site was landlocked within the Berkeley Homes site demise, which posed several logistical challenges. Each delivery had to be carefully walked from the highway to the courtyard using A73 qualified traffic marshals. There was also complex construction requirements. Delivering a Passivhaus leisure centre required meticulous attention to detail and adherence to stringent energy efficiency standards. It was also important to establish good relationships with the community and ensure minimal disruption during construction.
The Solution
To overcome these challenges, the team implemented the following solutions; Firstly, detailed logistics planning ensured smooth movement of materials despite the landlocked site; coordinated efforts with traffic marshals facilitated safe deliveries. The team also meticulously designed the leisure centre to meet Passivhaus standards, focusing on insulation, airtightness, and renewable energy sources. Lastly, regular communication with the community, transparent updates, and community events helped build positive relationships and minimise disruptions.
The Results
The Woolwich Creative District project achieved remarkable results.
During 2.5 years of construction there were amazingly zero accidents, highlighting the emphasis placed on safety.
From a social impact perspective, there were donations totalling £56,953 to charities, 406 hours of volunteering, and engagement with 278 students. Furthermore, there were 18 educational activities, 13 national qualifications, and 7 apprenticeships throughout the project.
The positive outcomes on the environment can be demonstrated through the 100% waste diversion from landfill and 100% renewable energy usage. All the above resulted in high client satisfaction with positive feedback from the Royal Borough of Greenwich.
Contractor Performance | Commitments
Fair
Regular payments and have payment periods not exceeding 30 days
Sustainability
100% renewable energy
100% waste diverted from landfill
Safe
Zero Accidents
Legacy
406 hours volunteering
7 apprentices
8 work experience placements
13 national qualifications
18 educational activities
Aftercare
Handover & Aftercare Contractor Promise
Bristol Beacon
BCIA Retrofit Project of the Year – Winner 2024
The Challenge
Bristol Beacon had fallen a long way behind comparative venues for audiences, performers, and staff pre-closure in 2018, having had no significant modernisation for 60 years.
The building suffered from serious under investment and a significant maintenance backlog of £2.2m worth of urgent repairs. There was a stark disparity between the standards offered by the new foyer building and the remainder of the complex which was affecting the visitor experience and the quality of performances.
A detailed analysis of the main hall was undertaken in 2004 which identified many major issues with the 1951 interior such as dry rot and leaking roofs, asbestos in need of treatment or removal, inflexible, small stage and tight and uncomfortable seating and poor environmental performance wasting money and energy.
The original budget had increased because of what Willmott Dixon uncovered in the 156-year-old building. This included three Elizabethan wells ten feet deep in the cellars, sinking below the level of the floating harbour, a Victorian heating system, and hollow pillars that they had thought were solid supporting columns.
When the building roof was removed, the 120-tonne birdcage scaffolding put in place to hold the original walls in place was believed to be the largest of its kind on any building project in Europe. Thousands of tonnes of concrete enough to fill 1,280 baths – have been poured in to shore up the foundations. Bristol City Council were kept updated throughout, to ensure transparency throughout the process.
The Solution
This project is probably one of Europe’s most intricate and complex transformation projects in the last ten years.
The new facilities will work smarter and harder. Efficiencies will include a scene-dock, seating on wheels, fore-stage lift to reduce changeover time from flat-floor to raked-seating, a more appropriate get-in, a desk-controlled lighting rig, quick-pour technology and online pre-ordering.
Backstage areas have been refurbished to a high standard and floor levels have been altered to provide exemplary access for disabled people and equipment.
The Results
Over five years later and with over a million hours of time invested, this once in a lifetime project has transformed Bristol Beacons and it is now described by Arts Council England as ‘one of the greatest cultural icons of modern-day Britain’.
Bristol Beacon now boasts four new world-class performance spaces, allowing it to deliver over 800 events a year and generate an estimated £13m annually to the economy.
As well as having some of the best acoustics of any concert hall in Europe, it will also have some of the highest levels of physical accessibility throughout making it truly accessible to everyone, both artists and audiences.
1282
Weeks of apprenticeships and traineeships experience
85%
SME Spend Achieved
Contractor Performance | Commitments
Fair
Regular payments and have payment periods not exceeding 30 days
Sustainability
BREEAM Very Good
Safe
Achieved
Legacy
Achieved and on-going
Aftercare
Handover & Aftercare Contractor Promise
Bishop’s Waltham Fire Station
Project Background
Retained fire station relying on volunteer firefighters living within 4 minutes’ travel of the site providing response to a predominantly rural area located north of the M27 within the ward of Winchester City Council.
The Challenge
Construction on a small site in close proximity to residential properties and narrow town centre streets
Storage of materials on a compact site
Meeting the client’s aspiration for an energy efficient facility
Mitigating risks due to close proximity to water course with the difficulty of being in a flood risk area, it compounded the the risk of completing weather sensitive works during winter months.
The Solution
Special access was granted for the piling to get onto site. Due to access challenges, certain sized lorries were avoided where possible and asked not to drive through the narrow town centre streets. The site team also avoided driving through the town centre.
Just in time deliveries minimised the need for materials storage and HIWFRS allowed the team to use their temporary car park for storage of materials such as bricks and blocks.
Energy efficient and carbon reducing features included:
Solar arrays on the roof of the building (22 panels, 385 KW each panel/ 8.5k KW).
Air Source Heat Pumps
System which is based on a 1 to 3 ratio – (1kw energy input into the building = 3kw worth of benefits through design efficiencies)
Fabric first philosophy including triple glazed windows, 2-coat wet plastering and air ceiling paint in key areas, eg behind roof joists
VHR (mechanical ventilation heat recovery) set up in key areas of the building (offices, lecture room, community room). The MVHR units sucks out the stale air as well as extracting heat out of the air. Heat extracted from the old stale air then pre heats the new fresh air coming in. If this isn’t designed into the building, it could suffer with Co2 build up.
Electric showers and under sink water heaters to negate the energy losses through storage and circulation as the systems will be unused for periods of time as the building is for retained use not full-time occupation.
BMS system collecting energy and water data for monitoring
LED lighting and occupancy controls to minimise usage
Cooling limited to Gym and Server (Hub) Room
Through early investigations, the site was known to have a high water table, particularly in the NW corner of the site. The site was 50m away from the water table which meant there was particular dangers of a flooding if not carefully mitigated. The team monitored the weather closely and where possible maximised weather sensitive works on days where conditions were correct. Fortunately, the project remained mainly dry throughout which meant minimal disruption was caused. The solution included moving the new fire station slightly further away from the risk area. The design was also developed to accommodate additional ducts.
The Results
A brand new fire station with training facilities helping the fire service make life safer. In addition bespoke community engagement spaces will benefit the people of Bishop’s Waltham and the wider county.
Minimal storage required without any impact on the local community’s roads and access.
An energy efficient fire station utilising the latest technologies. Some of the power can be harnessed as the station which is not manned 24/7. Through diligent construction techniques we were able to achieve 2.97 in air permeability test.
3
Apprentices
100%
SME Spend
£309k
Added Value
8/10
Client Satisfaction
Client Testimonials
Contractor Performance | Commitments
Fair
Regular payments and have payment periods not exceeding 30 days
Sustainability
93% waste diverted from landfill
100% timber responsibly sourced
Bird and bat nesting bricks integrated into fabric of building
Safe
Zero RIDDORs
CCS Score 43
Legacy
94% local spend, 21 beneficiaries, 8 jobs created
251 trainee weeks and 1,011 students engaged
£3,106 donations to charity, 181 volunteer hours
78% social value created
Sensory garden/outdoor classroom space built for the local Bishop’s Waltham Junior School and all the pupils from Bishops Waltham Infants School have visited the new fire station and get to keep a copy of the handprint tree signage they designed for the site hoarding.
Aftercare
Soft landings for handover
Dedicated Morgan Sindall point of contact
On-line portal for notifying any defects with 3 priority categories for response times
Hillbourne Primary School
The Challenge
This would be the last school designed and delivered for the Borough of Poole before the councils merged to become the wider BCP Council. The client wanted a design which was slightly different to the traditional standard block form. Better education provision and a more sustainable building was required through the development of a new primary school.
The current school had to remain operational until the new school was ready to move into which was only 3m away from its new building as well as being in a very built-up residential area. This school was also delivered through the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit.
The Solution
Both the existing school and council were fully involved with the design looking for a school which “stood out”. This was achieved with a local architect, Cube Design, bringing their extensive education experience to the table. The whole look of the building was designed to be more aesthetically pleasing.
The project team worked closely with the client, going out of their way to ensure the project fully met their needs, discussing with the school and architects to make things as perfect as they could be for the end users.
The project team managed resources, materials and logistics throughout adapting to Covid-19 SOP requirements. A segregated walkway was created to allow staff and pupils to safely move between their two buildings. All construction traffic had to be pre-booked through Kier’s Mi-site system.
The project was undertaken in two phases: the first phase seeing the construction of the primary school and the second stage saw the demolition of the existing schools creating the sports pitch. The hall and sports facilities will also be utilised by the local community not just the current pupils. The surplus land following demolition is being used for a new housing development creating 110 new homes.
The Results
By creating some variation with the building heights, the school now has two, two-storey blocks on either side and a one-storey library adjoining the two buildings to create a u-shape looking onto a central courtyard. The modern buildings now include 14 classrooms, a practical teaching room and learning space centre, an administrative block, large multi-purpose hall with adjoining kitchen, a pre-school with dedicated play area, two multi-use games areas and a purpose-built (Sports England standard) sports pitch. The light and airy building has a modern feel, providing the perfect environment to learn and now enables all staff and pupils to finally be under one roof.
The new school has multiple sustainable and efficient features including solar panels, mechanical ventilation, intelligent lighting, non-combustible envelope and external VO cladding. High quality materials such as glazing and American white oak veneered doors have also been incorporated creating a warm and inviting place to learn and flourish in.
Despite being delivered during the Covid-19 pandemic and the early stages of Brexit, this project was delivered successfully on time and within budget.
7
Apprentices
82%
SME Spend
£4,461
Added Value
9/10
Client Satisfaction
Client Testimonials
Contractor Performance | Commitments
Fair
Regular payments and have payment periods not exceeding 30 days
Sustainability
94% waste diverted from landfill
100% timber responsibly sourced
BREEAM Good
Safe
Zero RIDDORs
CCS Score 43/45 (Beyond Compliant)
Legacy
11 beneficiaries, 7 jobs created and 228 trainee weeks
3,540 students engaged , £3,830 of donations and 41 volunteer hours
80% social value created which included food bank donations, a time capsule burial, Christmas card competitions, Easter egg fundraisers, and lamppost renovations.
Aftercare
Soft landings for handover
Dedicated Morgan Sindall point of contact
On-line portal for notifying any defects with 3 priority categories for response times
St Sidwell’s Point Leisure Centre
The First Passivhaus Leisure Centre.
The Challenge
The overarching challenge was to build the world’s first dry and wet leisure Passivhaus Leisure Centre. This not only involved upskilling the supply the domestic supply chain but leisure specialist too. Delivering Passivhaus requires collaboration at every stage to be successful and this was recognised early by the delivery team. Any part of the wider team could negatively impact the airtest result or energy performance when working to such a tight standard.
Therefore the quality culture had to be set and consistently disseminated throughout the client, design and construction teams, throughout the supply chain. Collaboration and quality control were significant factors considered during procurement. Some trades, for example groundworks, M&E and façade are integral to achieving the air tightness rating, which is essential for Passivhaus certification, their training was very detailed and complex around minimising thermal bridging, for example.
There was a large supply chain involvement including 71 different trades, the delivery team realised it wouldn’t be feasible to have site managers checking every detail. That led to the idea of the Passivhaus Passport to act almost as a ‘safety net’.
The Solution
In order to achieve the stringent build criteria, Kier worked closely with its subcontractors to deliver a ‘Passivhaus Passport’ training scheme, equipping its staff with the knowledge and skills to meet the requirements.
The training developed by consultants WARM provided an introduction to Passivhaus principles, the essential controls in delivery and an understanding of the positive benefits to the end users, wider community and our environment. The trade specific training modules were supported with input from the relevant manufacturers too. It was a fantastic opportunity for people to further their knowledge and skills in their respective trade.
The Results
Kier introduced the Passivhaus Passport. The passport is awarded for the successful completion of Passivhaus induction and training. All operatives take part in the induction and the training is specific for each trade, with >2,500 passports issued to the supply chain. The impact of this understanding had significant benefits beyond Passivhaus risk mitigation. The quality culture developed and the pride in the project was so strong that sub-contractors would post photos of their work on social media. That’s part of the reason Kier achieved an air tightness rating of 0.3m³/hr/m²@ 50Pa against a target of 0.4m³/hr/m²@ 50Pa, which is 20 times stricter than building regulations.
The air tightness results is fantastic, but there were other knock-on benefits of the Passivhaus Passport. There was a much more consistent workforce on the site throughout the duration. On a traditional build, you might have different sub-contractors or operatives on different days, but At St Sidwell’s Point the project team didn’t have that because of having to go through the passport process. The project ended up with a consistent group of people working to a common goal and that contributed to the quality and safety of the project.
Client, designers, contractor and supply chain worked closely throughout to deliver a successful outcome. This has delivered a building with no performance gap to the highest of design standards, St Sidwell’s Point is Passivhaus accredited.
8
Apprentices
25%
betterment on Passivhaus air tightness target and 20 times stricter than building regulations
9/10
Client Satisfaction
Contractor Performance | Commitments
Fair
100% payment within 30 days terms
Sustainability
70% off annual running costs
Safe
Zero RIDDORs
Legacy
24 new jobs created (15 new entrants, 8 apprenticeships, 1 graduate)
13 qualifications gained (7 main contractor, 6 sub-contractors)
35 work placements (27 in education, 22 T-Level students, 5 school placements, 8 not in education)
>2,500 people issued PassivHaus Passport
Project Awards
Constructing excellence Southwest 2022 – Net Zero winner
Constructing excellence Southwest 2022 – Project of the Year
Constructing excellence Southwest 2022 – Winners Winner
Wimborne First School
Although Dorset County Council (DCC) used a traditional form of contract, we were appointed under a PCSA during RIBA Stage 4 to provide cost and buildability advice and to offer the benefits of early engagement with our supply chain. Through clever works sequencing, the team delivered the playing field earlier than programmed.
Construction of a new three-form entry first school, on a shared new housing site with Bloor Homes, fit for the 21st century teaching and learning to accommodate an increase in pupils generated by the surrounding housing developments in Wimborne. The new school will accommodate 450 pupils and is located just 0.8 miles from the town centre.
The Challenge
DCC’s key drivers for the project include delivering within their approved budget and maximising investment in the local area.
The Solution
By agreeing a procurement strategy with DCC, we engaged local supply chain and our aligned supply chain partners early to review buildability and generate cost savings. This included a separate feasibility study by Byrne Looby (engineering consultants), Keller (foundations) and Woodmace (groundworks), to explore alternative foundation options with the aim of minimising money spent in the ground and managing the abnormal ground conditions cost effectively and safely. The study involved an initial options report, collaborative workshops, further site investigations organised and a period of dialogue with suppliers to answer DCC queries.
The Results
The outcome was that a Vibro Stone Column Piling solution, with a degree of lime stabilisation, was a feasible alternative to traditional CFA piling, which generated a saving against DCC’s Cost Plan of circa £100k. The information and outputs from the study were incorporated into an updated Site Investigation Report by DCC’s own engineer and issued as part of the tender pack to ensure a fair basis for tendering by all suppliers.
The project was delivered to budget and the largest package, mechanical and electrical was procured with a local supplier. Just under £5m was spent with local SMEs.
7
Apprentices
97%
SME Spend
£1m
Added Value
8/10
Client Satisfaction
Contractor Performance | Commitments
Sustainability
Passive mechanical and natural ventilation systems contributed to low running costs. Trees were protected throughout the course of the project and the team regularly engaged with the Environment Agency about the ground water and ensured silt was well managed.
Fair
Payment periods were agreed at preconstruction and adhered to.
Safe
The client cited that the team’s management of safety was high and that site circulation and access was well controlled, giving a rating of 9. For CCS, they consistently scored an average 42.5 with the last one being 44.
Legacy
8 technical and work based experienced and was delivered and several site visits with the school children were organised and complimented with classroom projects.
Aftercare
Despite high number of school staff changes over the course of the project, the Project Manager held several collaborative handover and aftercare workshops with the school to ensure that messages were not lost. Galliford Try’s Facilities Management also attended these workshops to ensure continuity from project completion.
Extreme Photonics Applications Centre, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus
Project Background
The Extreme Photonics Applications Centre (EPAC) building is a new purpose-designed facility that will house cutting-edge equipment required for a unique, state-of-the-art high power / high repetition rate laser system.
The project is a partnership between UKRI, MoD, academia and industry. It brings together world-leading interdisciplinary expertise to develop and apply novel, laser based, non-conventional accelerators and particle sources which have unique properties. It is hoped to produce scientific breakthroughs and stimulate new solutions to challenging problems to help advance UK science and technology, helping to keep us safer, improve our healthcare and support a cleaner, more productive economy.
The Challenge
The science and technological application required us to place 7500cu metres of a specially designed low carbon concrete mix to create 3 reinforced concrete ‘laser target areas’ as a homogenous ‘crack-free’ structure.
The Solution
To achieve the ‘crack-free’ structure required the advice of one of the best structural minds in the world combined with technical expertise from renowned locally based ready mix concrete supplier. The structural solution was successfully delivered hailing it as one of the most important structures in Europe outside of the nuclear industry.
The Results
The project achieved a 48% (or 1372.5 tonnes) carbon reduction using structural concrete with a composition of 75% Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) and slag cement replacement (blast furnace bi-product) in place of 100% Portland Cement. The concrete design was based on its radiation shielding properties, high density aggregates and reduced cement content to reduce the risk of thermal cracks. Specifying this concrete mix enabled the site team to maintain control of the curing temperature to ensure minimal cracking and achieve the specified oven dry density for shielding purposes.
Redefining the Boundaries of Science and Discovery at Harwell Campus
450.8 weeks
Apprentices
£26.1m
SME Spend
£1.53m
Added Value
9/10
Client Satisfaction
10/10
Health & Safety
Client Testimonials
Contractor Performance | Commitments
Fair
All payments in accordance with the fair payment charter.
Safe
Zero RIDDORs
Legacy
450.8 apprentice training weeks, 80 trainee weeks, 292.3 graduate trainee weeks.
Aftercare
Client provided an 8/10 score for the buildings building’s future maintenance and running costs, including energy efficiency.
Sustainability
By using 75% GGBS the project achieved a 48% carbon saving. This equates to 1372.5 tonnes of carbon (in comparison with using 100% Portland Cement).
Colindale HQ
Project Background
Construction of a new £36 million office building providing bespoke office accommodation for London Borough of Barnet. The project forms part of the Colindale regeneration programme. The new development is a nine-story building with a recreational terrace area on the 4th floor and provides a modern working environment for up to 1,400 people, including office spaces as well as a cafe on the ground floor. The new facility supports the London Borough of Barnet in working closer with the community.
The Challenge
Following PCSA appointment, London Borough of Barnet required to increase the use of the building to include additional community facilities like social services, business innovation hub, café and public conference suite – all whilst maintaining budget.
The Solution
Working with the architect, Hawkins Brown, we adapted the previous scheme design and incorporated an additional floor space to house the extra facilities. The redesign process required building shape and structural changes and extension of building services. The end users were consulted and engaged throughout the process to ensure group consensus. By working with Price & Myers, structural engineers, we redesigned the underground drainage connections which was tunnelled and avoided costly and disruptive above ground work. This removed the connection from the critical path and reduced programme risks considerably.
The Results
Despite having to extensively redesign, the preconstruction period was maintained and through early engagements with supply chain partners and through collaborative design and planning workshops, value engineering options were identified, resulting in a new enhanced scheme delivered within budget.
3
Apprentices
99%
SME Spend
2m
Added Value
910
Client Satisfaction
Contractor Performance | Commitments
Fair
Payment periods were agreed at preconstruction and adhered to.
Sustainability
Over 60% of supply chain were within 30 miles of the project, resulting in £18m spent locally. The project achieved BREEAM Very Good and incorporated energy saving design efficiencies, reducing running cost by £1m a year.
Aftercare
The Project Manager remained on site four weeks post completion and aftercare was managed in-house by our Facilities Management team.
Legacy
The team exceeded targets by 200% for work placements for under 16 years and through engagements with Barnet and Southgate College, 12 placements were given to their students. In addition, we also held bricklaying competition, enabling students from the college to learn new skills and gain support from site managers and supply chain directly.
Safe
The team held two Safety Stand Down days and 221 operatives participated. The Intervention Workshop encouraged better communication and buy-in from our supply chain partners in the management of health and safety which helped the team achieve 43 on their last CCS visit.
Belvedere Warehouse
Project Background
Construction of a new secure warehouse facility; comprising two separate building structures. Building one provides office accommodation facilities over three levels, a warehouse facility and two storey specialist storage facility encompassing double-volume intelligent storage equipment, as well as a number of cold hold refrigeration storage units. Building two is a standalone vehicle maintenance workshop, which contains specialist vehicle testing machinery and servicing equipment.
The Challenge
Following site surveys and results from investigative reports, the ground was found to be significantly contaminated from previous use of the site. Despite being a construct only contract, we helped the client through the design process, finding most cost efficient solutions that maximised reuse.
The Solution
We had to raise the site ground level as a result of site investigation and thus required changes to the designs. Remediation works were needed to manage the contamination and included excavation of materials, mixing it with clean / inert materials to reduce contaminations levels and reusing on site. Under strict controls, the works were fully compliant to ensure safety of the workforce.
We adopted an early warning process using the NEC proforma and through working collaboratively with the Employers Agent and our groundworker and M&E supply chain partners, we managed to develop designs which saved the client money, like rationalising the pile and mat make-up and size and installation methodology, which avoided contamination arisings. Substantial earthworks movement were closely managed with commercial neighbours and residents nearby through daily liaison and by regular updates on our site information board.
The Results
The value engineering designs saved the client over £1.5m. One of those included using a sleeved piling system with reduced pile diameters that avoided contaminated arisings saving both time and £540k in disposal costs.
£12.4m
SME Spend
£1.5m
Added Value
9/10
Client Satisfaction
Contractor Performance | Commitments
Sustainability
In addition to achieving 100% recycling during the groundworks phase, we also installed and maintained bird feeders and planters throughout the project to encourage biodiversity.
Fair
25% procurement was with small businesses and payment periods were kept to throughout the project.
Safe
Despite the groundwork and logistic challenges, there were zero complaints and through innovative ideas like using a ‘Thumbs Up’ sticker to denote plant safety, the team scored an average of 44 on their CCS visits.
Legacy
5 work experience placements were offered to students at London South East. Additionally, a graduate successfully completed her apprenticeship and is currently employed by GT as a Trainee Technician. In addition, the team donated 60 biscuit boxes to Queen Mary’s Hospital to thank the nurses, doctors and staff for their dedication, helping the community through the Covid pandemic.
Aftercare
An Operations Manager remained on site for six weeks post completion to ensure that end users were satisfied and looked after. Our Facilities Management team managed after care for 12 months.
City of London Shoreditch Academy and Hackney Britannia Leisure Centre
Project Background
New 6FE secondary school for 940 pupils and 200 6th form. Roof top sports pitch and playground. BREAAM Outstanding at design stage. High environmental performance.
New 4-storey Britannia Leisure Centre with mix of single, double and triple height spaces. Six-lane 25m main pool and 20m training both with moveable floors and leisure features including 3-storey flume. Café and toilets. Indoor 6 court sports hall. Creche and soft play area. Sauna and steam room. Fitness suite (spin studio and 2 exercise studios). Four squash courts. Two rooftop 5-a-side pitches and 2 rooftop tennis courts.
The Challenge
Shoreditch Academy: As the existing Britannia Leisure Centre remained open throughout construction, customer access into the leisure centre needed to be modified to facilitate the COLASP building which was almost the footprint of the existing carpark and therefore logistically challenging.
Leisure Centre: Externally, we focused on a design solution to encourage the local community to participate in sports and lead a more active lifestyle. As such, the cellular changing accommodation was positioned in the centre of the building, with the pool-halls and other sports spaces wrapped around the perimeter. This produced an elevated, animated building that entices the public into the facility.
Thames Water sewer: Construction of the leisure centre was complicated by the presence of an existing large diameter Thames Water storm relief sewer that runs diagonally across the site at a depth of 14m.
This sewer has an exclusion zone of 3m either side and above it where no new construction is allowed. The building is on a tight footprint and the leisure activity zones are ‘stacked’ vertically which created some interesting challenges in structural stability and vibration control. Spanning 9m over the sewer and due to the diagonal alignment, equates to some 14m on grid, this alone brings significant construction challenges. The site also directly sits on the position of a vertical access shaft which gave access to the sewer for maintenance and emergency escape purposes.
The Solution
Shoreditch Academy: We designed an innovative ramped solution into the top floor of the Leisure Centre building to allow it to remain open while the new school was built. We fixed transport routes around the whole site to manage traffic and deliveries. There was a cycle superhighway adjacent to our site, which required collaboration with the highways team. The proposed route for Crossrail 2 was also located directly underneath the new Academy, so the building design needed to be considered due to strict loading restrictions imposed by Crossrail.
We designed a unique groundworks solution to incorporate the temporary sheet piling into the permanent structure at basement level, creating an extremely cost-effective solution for the project. The precast cladding was then selected as it required no scaffolding and cut down on noise and vibration on vehicle deliveries to the site.
The façade was also load-bearing and allowed the design of the concrete framed structure to be simplified and fast erection on site while minimising construction site area.
We even designed the City of London logo onto the facades via a patterned concrete finish which was then installed along with all other panels. The future Crossrail tunnels, size of the building and constrained nature of the site required an innovative approach. The building footprint was kept as small as possible to maximise the playground areas, taking advantage of the existing topography to create an amphitheatre playground.
Leisure Centre: Due to the complexity of the stacked leisure centre we had to keep the sports hall free of columns, and to bridge over the pool areas a complicated steel truss arrangement was needed. Spanning over 10m in height and 50m in length, the spine of the building spans 3 floors. Due to these structural intricacies, this was built on-site then lifted into place with two 500 tonne cranes in a tandem crane lift. This was an innovative and important project milestone for the build, which was completed safely and successfully.
We developed a team of specialist engineers whose knowledge and input enabled us to create a safe, on time and to budget build. As an example, the main 25m swimming-pool hall is double-height, and the leisure pool hall is triple height. Each of these pool spaces contains warm, moist air which is under positive pressure. Cooler spaces such as the sports hall and fitness gym are positioned over the pool-halls therefore the environmental separation between each of these spaces was a key construction challenge. To help deliver this environmental control we involved a specialist mechanical engineer with a focus on finite engineering. This ensured we maintained the continuity and integrity of the vapour control layer both vertically and horizontally within the building, preventing pool-hall air migrating through the building envelope, preventing it condensing on any cooler surfaces or spaces. Maintaining the continuity of the vapour control layer and insulation performance was particularly important for our roof-top pitches. We knew the importance of having an air-tight vapour control layer that was chlorine resistant for the longevity and overall safety of the build.
Thames Water sewer: We worked with Buro Happold and Thames Water to overcome the main risks of working over the sewer. This involved developing a working / construction methodology of preventing the sewer from trying to pop out of the ground due to buoyancy when it was empty or bursting under 14m head of water pressure when it became full. One of the main the concerns was that by excavating over the sewer to form the basement areas and pool shells, we would be effectively reducing the weight of the soil over the pipe, increasing the risks associated with buoyancy or bursting. Early involvement commissioned a detailed line and level survey to ascertain the precise depth and alignment of the sewer pipe, this led to greater confidence and understanding of design parameters and restrictions.
The Results
Shoreditch Academy: The school was originally due to open in September 2021; however, we were able to hand over the building for the school to occupy earlier than planned in June 2021 to use for their final school term and allow the year 11 pupils to carry out their final exams in their new school.
Leisure Centre: With our attention to detail and meticulous checking systems we are set to achieve BREEAM Excellent. The building’s energy design philosophy was to connect into the future district heating system which was being provided as part of the redevelopment of the Colville Estate.
To enable this to occur a temporary energy centre serving both the leisure centre and school, was installed and removed once the permanent connection to the energy centre was installed. Our district heating system and the overall design compliments the energy targets established in the New London Plan, so all equipment installed is energy efficient.
As an example, we use low energy fans to minimise energy consumption and have PV panels on the roof that supports our on-site sustainability strategy. Supporting our sustainability goals, we took advantage of the TfL CS1 main cycle superhighway which was adjacent to the project and were the first contractor to adopt a carbon neutral innovation of using Cargo Bikes for plant hire and small deliveries. Almost 500 residents can see the site, so we looked for innovative solutions to flood lighting and became the first constriction company to use hydrogen flood lights which helps reduce excessive noise.
Thames Water sewer: Once we knew the exact positioning of the sewer we developed a detailed construction methodology, working with Thames Water to agree how the works would be constructed. This led to greater cost and programme certainty and the removal of the substantial provisional sums associated with the identified risks.
45
Apprentices
54%
SME Spend
£26.8m
Added Value
9/10
Client Satisfaction
Client Testimonials
Contractor Performance | Commitments
Legacy
Winner of Building’s Award for Delivering Social Value
Hosted a Wheels for Wellbeing best practice site visit as part of ongoing commitment with TfL and Streetscene to ensure the site boundary was easily accessible for all pedestrian users. Wheels for Wellbeing focus is wheelchair cycling and ensuring cycle lanes are adequate to allow inclusion for all.
Project team hosted local forums and drop-in sessions at 5 local schools in advance of works starting so they could understand the logistics and opportunities for schools engagement as well as local residents’ forum.
Partnership created with Shoreditch Trust addressing inequality and supporting people who are facing life and health problems. This included sponsorship of an Elders Feast.
Hosted CIOB virtual site tours during Covid 19 pandemic to inspire more people into construction
Sponsored Hackney Council’s virtual quiz night raising money for Hackney Foodbank and hosted two visits from 9 SEND students to aid their transition from their old school site to the new constructed school.
Hosted two site visits for K10 (local shared apprenticeship provider) for 27 students to give them much needed experience resulting in 6 work experience placements
Attended Women in Construction career seminar, speed interviews and mentoring programme and attended a number of Hackney Works initiatives supporting local residents finding work.
64 new jobs created (39 previously unemployed and 19 live in Borough of Hackney)
34 Apprentices – 8 lived in Hackney, 18 enrolled in new apprenticeships on this project and 9 now directly employed by the company they worked for. Also 1,096 trainee weeks, 1001+ student engagement events, £48,500 donations to charity and 822 volunteer hours.
Sustainability
97% waste diverted from landfill and 100% timber responsibly sourced
BREEAM Outstanding
Natural ventilation and user controls maximised Trialled cargo bike deliveries on the project making full use of TfL’s Cycle Super Highway adjacent to the project to capture industry best practice of zero emissions method of transport and resulting in 17.1kg CO2/km saving per week. We are one of the only construction sites using this type of delivery and installed a cargo bikes loading area – the first in the country!
First use of hydrogen flood lights in construction
110 trees planted doubling the previous number
Wood chippings from removed trees retained by Hackney Council’s ground maintenance team and felled trees donated to Shoreditch Adventure Playground as climbing frames and seating
Safe
CCS Score 45/45
Collaborated with TfL’s Cycle Super Highway and Hackney Council Street scene by taking part in an environmental walk to agree construction logistics, review traffic routes and ensure cyclists enjoyed passing the project throughout construction. All traffic Marshalls completed TfL’s Elite Marshal training.
Nominated for TfL Transport Awards through collaboration with TfL and Hackney Highways team
