Movable walls for new BSF Pathfinder College

Brockhouse, specialist in acoustic movable walls for education projects, has been chosen to provide 13 of their Series 600 Movable Wall Systems for the new Bideford College in Devon.

Influencing education building for a generation.

Funding worth GBP31.8million came from the Government's Building Schools for the Future [BSF] Pathfinder scheme will allow Bideford College to be built as an exemplar school to the best and latest design in school buildings.

Bideford College is also to be a national demonstration facility for both Science and Sustainability and has, additionally, been asked to become a Laboratory for the Future demonstrator.

It is the only facility in the UK that has been identified to demonstrate all three areas and because of this, it is a high visibility project that will influence education building for a generation.

Mike Newby MBE, the Bideford College Project Officer, explains: "The design called for teaching spaces that could be used in the traditional way but also had the flexibility to be used for larger groups to enable collaborative teaching".

"The installation of the Brockhouse acoustic movable walls will enable the school to create this in just minutes".

The Brockhouse series 600 are high performance movable acoustic walls.

These are top hung with no floor track and offer excellent acoustic insulation.

The seals are acoustically tested to ISO 140-3 and tested for thermal rating.

The system is tested for endurance to DIN 310.000/3.79 over 3,500 operations.

Face boards can be replaced on site if damaged without replacing a whole panel.

Acoustic movable walls being built into school designs.

Neil O'Halleran, Marketing Director at Brockhouse explains why their acoustic movable walls, partitions and dividers are having such an impact on BSF schools and academies.

"Acoustic movable walls now play a fundamental role in these schools and are being built into the basic designs".

"They are incorporated into a variety of settings within schools".

"For example, to separate large sports halls to enable simultaneous events to be staged, or space to be tailored for assemblies and meetings".

"Dining areas, drama halls and gymnasiums can all be quickly converted from one large space to a number of smaller areas".

"Smaller dividers and partitions can also transform classroom and study spaces".

Sustainability an integral part of planning process.

Bideford College aims to get close to being a carbon neutral site using cutting edge environmental and ecological systems to reduce CO2 emissions.

As they explained, "Sustainability is part of a much longer-term educational vision for Bideford College, which will include the encouragement of cycle to school schemes, a sustainability education centre, college landscaping which encompasses parkland and wildlife promotion, and the development of education programmes, including web-based software".

"Building Schools for the Future is not only about new buildings, but about transformational education of the future, not only at the College but across the community and beyond".

Brockhouse, the longest established movable walls company, has invested in UK manufacturing .

Neil O'halleran from Brockhouse explains why this has been welcomed by architects and specifiers.

He argues the importance of making movable walls and folding, sliding partitions here in the UK.

"It not only makes good economic sense, especially when we need to support employment in the UK, but also address significant environmental issues"".

""Sustainability is now an integral part of the planning process for of any new building".

"This means not just that the product needs to be right but also the manufacturing process".

"By making many of our products in the UK, we can monitor the environmental consequences of production, ensuring the carbon footprint is minimised".

"Our systems are made close to where they are installed, something that clients are asking for".

"For example, BREEAM is now playing a major part in design".

"It is a fundamental requirement by the DCSF that all new build and refurbishment schools projects undergo a BREEAM and Environmental Energy Assessment".

"They need to achieve no less than a BREEAM 'Very Good' rating".

Schools and colleges have been concerned by the standard of the movable walls and partitions being specified, not least that the acoustic ratings are appropriate.

Quality is increasingly significant as schools, quite rightly, now consider the complete product life cycle when assessing value.

Some have learned the hard way that the cheapest quotation has so often been the poorest value".

"Neil explains, "Brockhouse have has recently completed contracts for over 30 major PFI initiatives".

"We are now pioneering partnering agreements, sharing our experience with the contractor and even providing design and technical support in the BSF bidding stage".

"To help raise industry standards, we have produced a complete 20 point quality checklist to help schools themselves ask the right questions when specifying or purchasing a quality movable wall".

"This includes tests for endurance, shock impact and thermal insulation, as well as the provision of extended warranties and full service agreements.The full checklist can be downloaded from our website".

"Neil concludes, "We are thrilled that Bideford College enables us to demonstrate the importance of movable walls in providing acoustically sound flexible space for the new generation of BSF schools and colleges".

"They will provide our children with the very best of learning environments".

Other successful Brockhouse PFI contracts include:.

Breckon Hill School, Middlsborough.

Corpus Christi School, Middlsborough.

Havistock Schools, London.

Hilbre High School, Wirrall.

Hillyfields School, Waltham Forest.

Holmwood School, Middlsborough.

Langdon Park School, Tower Hamlets.

Leeds Primary Schools.

Lewis Boys School, Caerphilly.

Newham and Enfield Schools.

Queen Anne High School, Dunfermline.

Queensbury Secondary School, Bradford.

Stewart Headlam Primary School, London.

Summerhill School, Dudley.

Tower Hamlets, Phoenix School.

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