A £170k investment in upgrading distribution pipework
Project requirements
- Key Issues: Life expired and leaking heating, hot and cold water pipework resulting in asbestos contaminated water in the undercroft and partial closure of some academy corridors and classrooms due to lack of heating.
- Project Value: £170k
- Delivery: 10 week programme completed Sept ‘20
- Architect: MLM
- Contractor: EPPH
Opportunities and benefits
- Heating pipework was replaced with a new solution overhead within suspended ceilings to current regulations, including strategically placed isolation points.
- A new underground link from plant room, across car park, to teaching block was installed also including new hot and cold water feeds to allow for phase 2.
- Upgrade of some life expired heat emitters to ensure constant room temperatures within classroom areas
Before & After Photos
Upgrading distribution pipework
Before 
After 
After
Academy Statement
“The academy has a very high percentage of disadvantaged students and SEND who deserve to be educated in a good quality environment. Many also come from homes where education is not valued therefore school is their haven. The improvements that have been made are as much about removing obstacles as improving surroundings.
“Prior to the successful bid, one of the busiest corridors in the school was being constantly dug up due to leaks and this created significant problems in the management of the school. It made students late for lessons, restricted access to the canteen and the main toilet block and created a bottleneck that required constant supervision and real challenge especially between lessons. There is also no doubt that it impacted on staff morale, making them and the students feel undervalued.
“The improvements to the classrooms has also helped get the environment up to an acceptable level so that students can learn and teachers can teach. In short, what has been achieved could be described as removing ‘long term roadworks in an arterial route’ so that we can go about our day job working with some of the most challenging students in the trust”