CG Schmidt’s Post

📝 Case Study: Planning permission secured for Sussex and Surrey Institute of Technology (SSIoT) Our Gatwick-based planning team was appointed by Chichester College Group to secure planning permission for a brand-new education facility south of Crawley College campus. The £15 million Sussex and Surrey Institute of Technology (SSIoT) is designed to provide high-quality learning environments housing specialist construction, engineering and digital ‘learning factories’. The designs embraced renewable energy technology and water harnessing and recycling systems to reduce energy consumption and wastage. Planning partner, Suzanne Holloway collaborated with key stakeholders on the design to ensure swift approval – from our client and the architects, to the local planning authority. Having addressed water neutrality challenges to deliver an efficient and sustainable development, planning approval was achieved. Construction is already underway and the centre is due to open to students in Autumn 2025. "We are indebted to Suzanne Holloway and the team at Vail Williams for getting this vital development across the line. This new building will give us more opportunities to educate and train people to address the skills shortages in the engineering, construction and IT industries." Andrew Green, CEO, Chichester College Group. https://lnkd.in/e_64ACp4 #Sussex #Surrey #planning #waterneutrality #planningpermission #planningexperts #education #educationpropertyadvisers #energy #sustainability #greentechnology #engineering #construction #digital #Chichester #Gatwick #Crawley #WestSussex

Facilities Conditions Assessments (FCA) are crucial for school districts to effectively plan for construction and maintenance. These comprehensive reports evaluate the state of school buildings, identifying areas in need of repair or replacement. FCAs provide essential data that helps school administrators make informed decisions about budgeting, prioritizing projects and ensuring a safe learning environment for students. A recent FCA report highlights that nearly half of St. Louis Public Schools will need to be replaced in the next decade. This underscores the critical role of FCAs in proactive planning and resource allocation to address aging infrastructure and improve educational facilities. Read more about the impact of this assessment in St. Louis Public Schools:

The video below raises a very important and misunderstood concept in Passive House (and EnerPHit): ➡ Contrary to popular opinion, there are no prescriptive U-Value limits for Passive House or EnerPHit by Energy Demand method. PHPP calculates "Typical" opaque U-Values that provide a starting point for PH Designers, based on their climate. These opaque U-Values are usually only relevant for single family homes and smaller buildings (with higher form factors) but more relaxed U-Values are often possible when the building form factor is low i.e. Apartment blocks. ➡ In buildings with a low form factor, the Building Regulations will usually set more stringent opaque U-Values than would be required to meet Passive House. ➡ Prescriptive U-Value limits do apply to refurbishments to EnerPHit by the Component Method. For a cool temperate climate, such as Ireland and most of the UK, that limit is 0.15 W/m².K, the exception being internally insulated walls, where the limit is 0.35 W/m².K ➡ Adding unnecessary levels of insulation increases the embodied emissions for the building and it can also add considerable cost, at a time when there is a need to ensure that designs are lean and cost optimal. ➡ Passive House Institute encourage building designers to avoid overdesign. MosArt fully agree with this and we always encourage our clients to avoid overdesign and we regularly advise our clients to relax U-Values, when there is a risk of overdesign. Passive House Association Ireland Tomas O'Leary, MD of MosArt

Find out how Sheppard Robson is using modern methods of construction for 1480 new student residences at York University, resulting in high-performing buildings. ➡️ https://bit.ly/4biRyUn

Gather your building info and jump on this webinar to see if cool coatings is right for your buildings.

A year ago, I asked, "Where are all the case studies?" Since then, we've published 8 original deep dives into smart buildings projects from office, higher ed, service contractors, retail, and now K-12. Our latest case study is on KIPP DC Public Charter Schools and features Nathan Morris, Director of Facilities. Brad B.'s excellent fluff-free writeup covers: - Background - Technical Overview - Challenges & Lessons Learned - Conclusion Check it out 👇

🏫 Dive into the behind-the-scenes of the construction department at San Juan Unified School District with Facilities Business Coordinator Cherie Chenoweth! "We were really looking for an owner-based system, and an owner-based system to us was super important because we were running three multiple bonds at the same time, we had multiple resources that we were using. And so that's what Kahua brought for us." 🛠️ Discover how SJUSD manages $1.2 billion in bonds, overseeing 64 school sites spread across 78 square miles. From parking lots to full renovations, learn how they use Kahua to keep everything on track. 🎥 Watch now for insights on efficiency, adaptability and compliance: https://hubs.la/Q02r5zQQ0

Euro Quality Coatings supplied 107 louvres as part of a colourful design scheme for Winterstoke Hundred Academy, a secondary school located just outside Weston-Super-Mare. The school embarked on a significant expansion project to accommodate up to 900 additional students. This expansion, funded by Homes England’s Housing Infrastructure Fund, aimed to provide modern teaching facilities to improve educational outcomes for students and serve the needs of the growing local community. The collaboration between EQC and project contractors exemplifies the successful integration of innovative design, quality materials, and environmental responsibility in educational infrastructure development. https://lnkd.in/e5v-vBtA #EQCQualityCoatings #InnovativeDesign #SustainableInfrastructure #PowderCoatingExcellence #EducationalArchitecture #EnvironmentalResponsibility #CollaborativeSuccess #AluminiumLouvres #AestheticEnhancement #SustainabilityGoal

The investment in education comes with a phenomenal price tag. When considering the long-term costs associated with operating a school, the savings realized through the use of a precast building system can be found through various advantages. Read more at https://bit.ly/33ljkhO

Building higher education spaces goes beyond construction—it's about enhancing the learning experience. From cutting-edge research facilities to innovative lecture halls, we prioritize creating environments that foster learning and eliminate distractions. Our commitment to first-class construction ensures your campus is built to elevate academic success. If you're planning construction this year, our expert team is ready to contribute to the optimal learning environment. #SchoolConstruction #GeneralContractor #BuildingForSuccess