A Brand New Gym for Alyward Primary School

Project Overview

As one of the leading construction groups in the schools’ sector, contractor Kier Construction was selected to design and build a new school building for Aylward Primary School, located in the London Borough of Harrow. This initiative, funded by the Education Funding Authority Priority Schools Building Programme, began in March 2016 and completed in April 2017.

Challenge

Often new school buildings cause huge disruption to school activities. But Aylward Primary School is fortunate to sit on large grounds, so the development of this modern school building has been able to take place without affecting the children’s day-to-day school routine. In fact, being able to see the progress first-hand, Headteacher Clive Westall commented that staff, pupils and the local community are “excited at seeing their new school building being constructed right in front of them on the current school site.”

Once completed, Aylward Primary School’s new building will provide up to-date educational facilities to enhance the pupils learning experience and resource.

Work ran to schedule for the April completion, but not without overcoming a temperature challenge for site workers and the materials being used. The continuation of projects during winter months is essential to meet both the completion deadline and budget allocation. Kier Construction recognised this, as well as the challenge colder temperatures can present, and approached RVT for a dependable heating solution, to ensure no site delays due to temperature would occur.

Benefits of RVT's effective heating solution

1. Whilst it was vital for Kier Construction to remain on schedule, another concern when working over the winter months is the welfare of site workers. Being exposed to cold temperatures for extended periods of time puts the health of site personnel at risk; RVT’s heating solution prevented this.
   
2. Some materials can also be at risk from cold climates. It’s common in a school to have areas of vinyl flooring. The challenge in winter is moulding vinyl to fit the required space. Since it’s supplied in rolls and is relatively thick without much flex, the cold temperatures can often create cracks along the bends making it difficult to weld. To protect the vinyl and make it easier to lay, it must be stored at a minimum of 18°C before and during use.

Solution

RVT Group completed a site survey to be able to propose the correct temperature control solution. Given the building was reasonably large, fairly well sealed and quite open inside, it lent itself well to having Indirect Oil-Fired Heaters positioned externally to feed warm, clean, dry air into the corridors which would then filter through the rest of the building. RVT fed a 200Kw heater duct through the fire escape doors on the ground floor, and a 120Kw heater duct through the stairwell window on the first floor to provide adequate temperature control during winter construction.

“RVT supplied us with their oil-fired heaters and we’re absolutely over-the-moon with them. They’ve worked incredibly well, in fact many of the workers have been saying just how warm it is in the building – so they’re certainly doing their job. Off-site support, on-site surveys and the installation were all good as well, so we’re very happy.” - Mark Plunkett, Site Manager