Weekly Boarding Unit: Contract Week 21

First floor walls awaiting roof cassette

The same view with roof cassette and roof counterbattens on forming the roof overhangs



Acoustic insulation is added to the ground floor ceilings

 What has been happening on site this week?

Continue erection of timber frame, now at roof level - roof cassettes now at around 50% complete – roofing counter battens (70mm x 75mm)
 Continue second skin sheathing and timber framing - this will form a thermal 'wrap' around the building.
 Plinth Damp proof membrane– overlay plinth DPM – install 150mm insulation + slab on edge to form a 300mm high plinth around the building. – now advanced
 Internal partition walls and floor zone 1st floor acoustic insulation + netting.
 Commence door and window installations
 1st fix plumber soil and vent pipes
 Air tightness membrane + taping, on-going

Science Block: Week 20

Wall cassettes forming the Science Block central atrium

The Science Block Crane

What's been happening on site this week?

Activity/Observations

 Timber frame erection to ground floor is continuing. Floor cassettes being placed. Also erection of steel stanchions and beams.
 Scaffold erection is continuing as required.

So what's next?
 Continue timber frame erection including 1st floor areas.

Craning a first floor timber cassette into place.

Wyre Forest School: Week 20




Starting to build the landscape retaining wall to the Primary play area. It will be finished in buff coloured brickwork.

 


What has been happening on site this week

Activity/Observations

 Block work to lift shafts continuing and scaffold erection as required.
 Insulation, drainage and backfill to rear of retaining wall is complete.
 Make up levels in recycled hardcore is almost complete to main car park area, curb laying, ducting and drainage in progress.
 Back wash tank to hydro pool is being fitted.
 Shutters and steelwork have started to south east brickwork retaining wall. This forms the edge of the primary age playground.
So what's next?
 Continue drainage, south east retaining wall, floor slab / cantilevered floor around hydro pool, kerbs to car park.
Behind the scenes, New World Timber Ltd are preparing for the first section of timber walls and roof in their factory.


This attenuation tank will take waste water from the hydrotherapy pool and discharge it slowly to the sewer






The car park at the school being formed, kerbs being put into place.

 

Weekly Boarding Unit: Week 20

The tops of the internal walls at roof level awaiting the roof cassettes

What's been happening on site this week? Continue erection of timber frame, now at roof level - commence roof cassettes
 Temporary bracing ongoing
 Continue second skin sheathing and timber framing
 Plinth: install 150mm insulation and slab on edge to form a plinth to the timber cladding.
 Air tight membrane and taping to ensure airtightness, reduce draughts and heat loss
 Continue scaffold adjustments
So what's next? Commence window and doorway installations

View from the garden side of the Weekly Boarding Unit

My Learning Experience at the Village of Learning

Caught in the act!

Hi, my name is Nathan Bakewell. I work for SpellerMetcalfe Major Works. I am currently in my third year of a Construction Management degree from Nottingham Trent University. In June 2013 I joined SpellerMetcalfe on a year long placement. In September, I joined the project team on site at the Habberley Learning Village.

When I arrived, the works were well underway! I am based on the Wyre Forest Special School, but I often get involved in the projects on the Weekly Boarding and Science Block. My role is to support the Project team in a variety of ways. I have spent a lot of time with Neil Carlson, SpellerMetcalfe's Engineer. I have carried out surveys, setting out, level checks and helped with the on going quality assurance. I have found that working alongside Neil, I have a better understanding of the drawings and specifications required on this project. 

During the month of October, I was assigned the task of organising and overseeing the work at the electrical substation during the school half term. During this period, Western Power Distribution replaced the transformer and feeder pillar. We installed the new feeds for the Special School, Early years hub and installed a duct for the all-weather pitch feed.

I am grateful for the support that I have received from the project team, not just SpellerMetcalfe employees, but others on site who have been available to answer my questions.

I look forward to the future on this project! If you are on site then feel free to come and say hello and introduce yourself to me. I share an office with Neil Carlson.

Wyre Forest School: Week 19



The concrete shell of the hydrotherapy pool seen from above

 What's been happening on site this week?

 Block work to lift shafts continuing and scaffold erection continuing as required.
 Insulation, drainage and backfill to rear of retaining wall almost complete.
 Make up pf levels in recycled hardcore is continuing to main car park area.

Sports pitch area Laying of hardcore and concrete edgings to Sports pitch path has started.

So what's next? Continue drainage, floor slab / cantilevered floor around hydrotherapy pool, shaping of terrace area, backfill to retaining wall, sport pitch paths.



Scaffolding being put up around the lift shafts. The lift shafts are being built in concrete blockwork.



Science Block: Week 19

What's been happening on site this week?

 Timber frame erection to ground floor walls and stairwells are in progress. Also erection of steel stanchions and beams.
 Scaffold erection is continuing.



A crane is used to lift the prefabricated panels into place



A view of the wall panels forming the central atrium in the Science Block

Weekly Boarding - Week 19

Second skin webbed beams being fixed in position

What's been happening on site this week?

Activity/Observations

 Continue erection of timber frame, partitions/structure now 80% complete overall, including position and fix floor cassettes

 Temporary bracing ongoing

 Commence second skin sheathing and timber framing - this will be insulated a forms a 'wrapping' layer around all structural elements to avoid cold spots in the structure and improve overall insulation to very high standards

 Air tight membrane

 Position glu-lam first floor support beams + steels

 Continue scaffold adjustments with 3rd lift and loading bays

 Continue gabion assembly, make up levels to sprinkler tank base area and grade to rear

Comments

 Outer sheathing/framing progressing well in-conjunction with timber frame erection

Programme*

So what's next? 2 further weeks of timber frame erection

 Continue second skin sheathing and non structural elements



First floor walls being craned into place



Airtightness Workshop 11 November 2013





Airtightness tapes: Team members get stuck in

   This week members of the design and site team met up for a workshop on air-tightness. The training was undertaken by a company called SIGA who manufacturer sheeting and tapes which are used to seal buildings.

Minimising the amount of air that leaks out through the walls and roof is important, it not only minimises the amount of heat that is lost from inside to outside, but also protects the walls of the building from damage due to the passage of water vapour into the structure. The more heat we can keep inside the building, the less energy we need to use to keep it at a comfortable temperature. An air-tight construction leads to greater comfort due to less draughts, and results in better sound protection from external noise.

The buildings have an air-tight and a wind-tight layer. The air-tight layer is located to the inside face of the walls and roof, and is made up of a sheet which is securely taped at the joints and around all window and door openings, to make sure there are no holes. The wind-tight layer is to the outside face and is formed by taping the joints of the external wall and roof board. The building insulation is in-between the two layers.

When both layers are complete, a specialist tests the building for any air leakage through holes in the building by performing a pressure test. The pressure tests involves blowing air into the building to see how much leaks out, and then sucking it out to see how much air can be brought in, both over a period of time. This tells us how 'leaky' the building is.
As part of the workshop we discussed the air-tightness and wind-tightness details on the Habberley buildings, and had lots of fun using a variety of sheeting and tapes to seal a model building.



Not bad for a first attempt!



Week 18: Progress on site this week

Build week 17: What's been happening on site?