An interesting decision from Kent County Council caught our attention.
The Council has approved increased funding to replace two life-expired modular classroom blocks at Dover Grammar School for Girls, with refurbishment previously considered but ultimately not seen as good value for money due to the condition of the existing buildings.
Read the Kent County Council decision here: https://lnkd.in/etUi4xC8
And this is part of a much wider challenge.
Department for Education Condition Data Collection identified an estimated £11.4bn of condition need across Englands school estate, covering more than 22,000 schools and almost 64,000 teaching blocks.
The Governments Renewal and Retrofit Programme is also specifically targeting some of the countrys worst-condition, life-expired temporary school buildings for replacement.
It highlights an important question for schools and local authorities:
When does refurbishment stop representing best value, and replacement become the better long-term investment?
Modern modular construction is a very different proposition from the temporary classrooms many people still associate with the word.
Todays permanent modular education buildings can deliver:
✓ High levels of energy efficiency
✓ Modern fire and life-safety standards
✓ SEND and accessibility requirements
✓ Improved acoustic and thermal performance
✓ Long-term warranties and design life
✓ Significantly reduced construction time on a live school site
There is another lesson from the Dover project too.
The project budget has increased following additional fire-safety requirements associated with access to the proposed building location.
Understanding site constraints, access, utilities, fire strategy and compliance requirements from day one can prevent costly surprises later in the project.
Sometimes refurbishment absolutely makes sense. Sometimes its time to start again.
The important thing is understanding the whole-life value, not simply the lowest cost
today.
#ExploreModular #ModularConstruction #Education #SchoolEstates #SchoolBuildings #SEND #MMC #OffsiteConstruction Explore Modular
The Council has approved increased funding to replace two life-expired modular classroom blocks at Dover Grammar School for Girls, with refurbishment previously considered but ultimately not seen as good value for money due to the condition of the existing buildings.
Read the Kent County Council decision here: https://lnkd.in/etUi4xC8
And this is part of a much wider challenge.
Department for Education Condition Data Collection identified an estimated £11.4bn of condition need across Englands school estate, covering more than 22,000 schools and almost 64,000 teaching blocks.
The Governments Renewal and Retrofit Programme is also specifically targeting some of the countrys worst-condition, life-expired temporary school buildings for replacement.
It highlights an important question for schools and local authorities:
When does refurbishment stop representing best value, and replacement become the better long-term investment?
Modern modular construction is a very different proposition from the temporary classrooms many people still associate with the word.
Todays permanent modular education buildings can deliver:
✓ High levels of energy efficiency
✓ Modern fire and life-safety standards
✓ SEND and accessibility requirements
✓ Improved acoustic and thermal performance
✓ Long-term warranties and design life
✓ Significantly reduced construction time on a live school site
There is another lesson from the Dover project too.
The project budget has increased following additional fire-safety requirements associated with access to the proposed building location.
Understanding site constraints, access, utilities, fire strategy and compliance requirements from day one can prevent costly surprises later in the project.
Sometimes refurbishment absolutely makes sense. Sometimes its time to start again.
The important thing is understanding the whole-life value, not simply the lowest cost
today.
#ExploreModular #ModularConstruction #Education #SchoolEstates #SchoolBuildings #SEND #MMC #OffsiteConstruction Explore Modular