Stoke SEND School – Work In Progress

Dodd Group has been engaged by Tilbury Douglas Constructionto design and install the MEP services to the performance criteria detailed in the 2020 DfE Output Specification at a new buildtwo-storey Special Education Needs school situated in Stoke-On-Trent. The scheme has been chosen asone of the pilot schemes working towards Net-Zero Carbon In Operation (NZCiO)and is therefore also required to achieve Passivhaus ‘Classic’ standardcompliance.  Dodd Group’s appointment requires us to take the feasibilitystudy provided by the DfE and develop the scheme alongside the Client and widerDesign Team through Stages 2 to 5 prior to us carrying out the installationworks. In order to reduce energy consumption, a mixed-modeventilation strategy is being implemented that utilises a central mechanicalventilation system with high-efficiency heat recovery to provide comfortconditions during winter months and maximise the potential for naturalventilation when external temperatures start to rise.  The use of heatrecovery ensures that useful heat is not wasted through exhaust air and isinstead used to warm the incoming, colder air prior to its delivery to thespace; this, coupled with highly-insulated building fabric and excellent airpermeability, ensures that heating loads are kept as low as possible to thepoint where, when fully occupied, the building will effectively heat itself inall but the lowest of external temperatures.  As external temperaturesrise, natural ventilation via opening windows is encouraged which reduces theneed for mechanical ventilation.  Through the use of variable air volume(VAV) boxes and local temperature and CO2 sensors within all occupied rooms,mechanical ventilation rates are kept to the minimum required to ensure comfortconditions at all times. High efficiency gas-fired condensing boilers are currentlybeing proposed as the heat source for the LTHW heating system, with the systembeing designed at operating temperatures suitable for the future inclusion of airsource heat pumps as the Clients looks to shift towards Net-Zero Carbon InOperation.  The inclusion of air source heat pumps as part of the basescheme is currently being discussed with the DfE. To minimise heat losses from domestic hot watersystems, all hot water will be generated locally to the outlet through eitherelectric point-of-use water heaters or LTHW-fed heat interface units. This will ensure minimal water storage and circulation heat losses. In order to ensure maximum operating efficiencies at alltimes, a Building Management System with end-use energy monitoring is beingprovided. Our works also include the design and installation of theelectrical distribution systems, high-efficiency LED lighting, passive voiceand data, fire alarm, access control, CCTV and security systems, electricvehicle charging, photovoltaic panels and sprinkler system.