LEARNING FROM THE FUTURE: EDUCATION ISSUE 1

Contents
CONTRIBUTORS
Mairi Johnson
Global Education Sector Lead
mairi.johnson@aecom.com
Neil Wotherspoon
Associate, Building Surveying
neil.wotherspoon@aecom.com
Gavin Hughes
Associate Director, Design
gavin.hughes@aecom.com
Jonathan Rose
Principal
jonathan.rose@aecom.com
Karen Millar
Director
karen.millar@aecom.com
Gary Chesher
UK Education Sector Lead
gary.chesher@aecom.com
Mark Halstead
Director
mark.halstead@aecom.com
Sasha Krstanovic
Regional Director, Building Engineering
aleksandra.krstanovic@aecom.com
Mark Walmsley
Executive, Africa
mark.walmsley@aecom.com
Gus Barrera
Vice President, Southern States
District Business Line Manager
agustin.barrera@aecom.com

The contents of See further are for general

information. The opinions expressed
in this publication do not necessarily
reflect those of the editorial board, do
not constitute advice and should not be
relied upon in making (or refraining from
making) any decision. The information
contained within is provided on an AS IS
basis, and all warranties, expressed or
implied of any kind, regarding any matter
pertaining to any information, advice or
replies are disclaimed and excluded. See
further, AECOM and its associates shall
not be liable, at any time, for damages
(including, without limitation, damages
for loss of any kind) arising in contract,
tort or otherwise from the use of or
inability to use the journal, or any of its
contents, or from any action taken (or
refrained from being taken) as a result of
using the journal or any such contents.

Loving change
Embrace it, enjoy it, and
be energised by it says
Mairi Johnson

University challenge
The University of Cambridge
is making a large-scale
investment in its future,
Jonathan Rose is the
scheme's architect

Tomorrow's world
Before you leap into the
future, ask plenty of
questions advises
Mark Halstead

04
18
32

Made to measure
Neil Wotherspoon says it's
time to take stock of your
property condition

Expand and deliver

Karen Millar discusses
balancing supply and demand
in new school places

A load off your mind

Sasha Krstanovic says
collaborate and communicate
to save energy

08
22
38

The new space age

Keep up with the pace of
space change says
Gavin Hughes

Breaking BIM
Maximise your benefits
with BIM says Gary Chesher

A world of learning
Gus Barrera and Mark
Walmsley discuss how to
provide new and better
solutions around the world

12
26
42

Loving change
Always striving for excellence means that
change is a constant in the education sector.
Embrace it, enjoy it and be energised by it
says education specialist Mairi Johnson who
also sets out here some of her thoughts on
future trends
For some people working in the education sector, the constant
presence of change is irritating at best. However, in this dynamic
environment, surely change should be embraced. It represents
opportunities, and the possibility of making positive change, by
improving ways of learning, creating stimulating new spaces and by
inspiring the next generation to relish gaining skills and knowledge.
Its easy to say. And the journey of change can lead to any number of
destinations. But the best possible way of dealing with change is to
welcome it, use its energy, and try to guide and manage it.

As with all successful enterprises, a management

plan begins with a vision, a set of aims and
objectives, and the ability to adapt when surprises
happen along the way.
Our teams are working in every type of education
environment in the UK and dozens of other
countries around the world. Their experience is
deep and broad, but their approach is shared
and involves assessing and anticipating, and then
responding with tailored solutions.
Drawing on our recent experience, we have
identified a number of trends. Taken together,
these look set to introduce fundamental shifts
in the way we design and use schools, and they
provide points to consider for anyone thinking of
embarking on a programme of change.

AECOM | See further: LEARNING FROM THE FUTURE: EDUCATION ISSUE 1

Space
Whether working with existing structures or
planning to build afresh, a vision encapsulated
in a masterplan can provide the framework for
guiding change.
Its unusual to have sufficient funding to
completely revolutionise the entire teaching and
learning environment in one sweep. An overall
masterplan will set out the big scale ambition so
that smaller projects can be seen as a piece of a
larger whole.
The masterplan should also include educational
aspects. The more traditional of these could be
offering a new subject, providing opportunities for
project-based learning or team teaching.
Its important to articulate the less tangible
outcomes that are desired, even if they dont
seem to be directly quantifiable. These could be
a desire for more calm in the circulation areas so
that the school day is less stressful, an increase in
staff satisfaction or a drop in reported incidents
of antisocial behaviour.
Even once the initial masterplan is realised, the
evolution will still continue. For inbuilt flexibility,
make spaces slightly more generous than their
basic use requires. That doesnt mean that every
classroom has to be huge, it just needs to be big
enough for tables and chairs to be arranged in
several ways and perhaps leave some open space
for demonstrations.

Alan Turing Building, University of Manchester, UK

Bringing together three schools of learning: astronomy,
mathematics and photon science, the oversailing roof of this
building holds a suspension system for the photovoltaic array,
which produces 40,898 kW hours per annum, a potential
saving of 17,000kg of CO2 each year.

AECOM | See further: LEARNING FROM THE FUTURE: EDUCATION ISSUE 1

Senses

Sustainability

Some of the most important aspects of a good

learning environment arent immediately obvious.
A rooms temperature, ventilation and acoustic
qualities have a significant impact on peoples
comfort and ability to concentrate, communicate
and to learn.

This is the Holy Grail and is linked to the

preceding points above. To make the best use
of any investment, the long-term impacts need
to be considered for environmental, social and
economic sustainability.

Types of heating, lighting and ventilation will

also make a significant contribution to the cost
of running a school long term, so its important
that they work harmoniously and efficiently. The
electricity used for lighting is often the largest
item on the schools energy bill.
The strategy for thermal comfort, lighting and
acoustics will have a big impact on other parts
of the design such as the floor or ceiling heights,
the size and type of windows, and the layout of
the interior.
The mechanical and electrical systems also need
to be able to cope with change. For instance, if
a space that was a staff room is to be used as a
teaching space, then the acoustics will probably
need to be softened with the addition of more
absorbent surfaces such as curtains and carpets,
or the addition of acoustic panels to the walls.
These can make a huge difference to the usability
of a space.

In terms of environment, this means flexibility

to adapt and change to accommodate new
ideas. In social sustainability this means creating
a welcoming, safe and inspiring environment for
all teaching staff, pupils, governors and the
local community. And for economic sustainability
it means getting the best value from investment in
terms of high quality, flexibility, durability and low
maintenance and operating costs.

Some of the most important

aspects of a good learning
environment aren't
immediately obvious.

If the long-term masterplan for a school

shows teaching spaces arranged in different
configurations or extended as the years go by,
then heating and ventilation design will need to be
able to adapt to these changes; straightforward if
they are known from the start, but difficult if they
are unplanned.
AECOM | See further: LEARNING FROM THE FUTURE: EDUCATION ISSUE 1

Made to
measure
With the depths of the financial
crisis behind us, short-term
pragmatism is being replaced
with longer-term planning. And
universities in particular are
starting to take a longer view
of their estates strategy writes
estate-assessment specialist
Neil Wotherspoon

Understanding the condition of an estates

property offers a range of benefits targeting
funds to where they are most needed, improving
cost certainty, reducing spikes in annual
expenditure and minimising liability. Knowledge is
indeed a powerful thing.
During the downturn, the education sector, along
with just about everyone else responsible for
buildings, was forced to reduce spending on
maintenance, refurbishment and new buildings.
Today, while budgets are still squeezed, estate
managers are taking stock and facing the facts
degrading estates and maintenance backlogs are
now a very real and present concern.
To address the challenges, most universities
have developed an estate strategy plan. These
documents usually start with the same advice
before a programme of work is created, it is
essential to assess and understand the condition
of the estate. To move forward, it is crucial to gain a
full and accurate picture of existing and future repair
and maintenance liabilities. Using this information
makes it possible to create a programme of works
which prioritises spend on those buildings requiring
the most urgent attention.

Our teams have been at work in this area for

some time now. Higher education clients in the
UK and Ireland include Lancaster University, the
University of East Anglia, Trinity College Dublin
and University College London. We also worked on
the UK Department for Educations Property Data
Survey Programme (PDSP). This initiative was to
gather information to provide an assessment of
building conditions and the cost of bringing the
nations schools to an acceptable state.

With the condition of the schools

now accurately recorded, the
Department for Education has
been able to allocate its funds
more efficiently and decide
which should be improved first.

The PDSP obtained condition data for around

23,000 schools throughout England to inform
capital allocations. Our building surveying
team completed the survey of 6,600 schools
across England. These high-level surveys
provided a strategic overview of the condition
and investment priorities of the buildings on
a block-by-block level.

Made-tomeasure
iPad tools
To carry out the PDSP national
assessments, we developed a bespoke
tool for the job. Based on iPads for ease
of use, it achieves time savings of up to 50
percent over regular surveying methods,
and makes it possible for surveyors to
work securely, efficiently, remotely and
paper free. We collaborated with Kykloud,
our technology partner, in creating the
flexible, Web-based asset management
and surveying software. Depending on
the clients specific requirements, the
survey findings are provided in standalone
reports or, more commonly, uploaded
directly onto their specification property
management system. For the school
surveys the information was uploaded
onto a database. Many universities have
developed their own asset management

The iPad tool enables

surveyors to work securely,
efficiently, remotely and
paper-free.

AECOM | See further: LEARNING FROM THE FUTURE: EDUCATION ISSUE 1

tools and have now adopted Kykloud on a

permanent basis.

University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK

Working with the university for over 20 years, AECOM is key partner
in the transformation and improvement of its campus.

To encourage and nurture the brightest and best

students, they need to be able to test, explore and
create in an intuitive way. But how do we enable
this? How do we create spaces and places that
organically offer experiences and unexpected
connections to knowledge?
The buy in
We know that any new design involves change
whether it be creating new standards or delivering
ground-breaking dynamic design but buy in for
its success is imperative.

The new
space age
Education spaces that encourage curiosity
are the best environments for teaching and
learning. Interior designer Gavin Hughes
believes that to keep our learning spaces
alive and create a new age of teaching
design, we must get buy in. This means
working collaboratively with the people who
occupy the space to get the brief right, and
understand their needs for the physical
environment and its performance

12

We also know that by its very nature, the design of

new learning spaces is a people-centred process
and that the design will not sell itself. But who do
you need to engage with, who do we sell the design
to in order to deliver new inspiring spaces?
Through our work with schools, colleges and
universities around the world, we have addressed
this by creating frameworks for delivering new
learning environments. These are structures that
are creative and influential, and focus on the
learning environment rather than other restricting
factors (such as real estate). Identifying sponsors,
main stakeholders, change managers and leaders
is key to the success of the project.
Sponsors: these are predominantly senior
people who lead and endorse the messages
throughout the design process.
Stakeholders: a cross-section of
representatives from throughout the
organisation teaching staff, parents and
pupils stakeholders ensure engagement
and ownership at all levels.
Change managers and leaders: these
people will ensure that the proposed new
design focuses on the teaching and learning
environments, resulting in the inspiring and
aspirational brief.

AECOM | See further: LEARNING FROM THE FUTURE: EDUCATION ISSUE 1

Hunt Library, North Carolina State University (NCSU), Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
The core vision for Hunt Library was driven by the university and the design team, to
create a place where the students, faculty and partners could immerse themselves
in interactive computing, multimedia creation and large-scale visualisation. AECOM
worked with the design team and NCSU as the programming consultant.
Credit: Marc Hall/North Carolina State University

The briefing process influences

the project from concept
through to handover and, in
fact, the move in day will,
ultimately, become the most
important day for the success
of the project. The momentum
for this starts with the project
kick-off, making the proposals
familiar long before any
building is constructed. The
change managers are central
to this process, creating
communication lines at all levels
students, academics, staff
and facilities management.
Doing your research
Empowering the change leaders
means engaging with them
to explore their priorities and
ambitions for the teaching spaces
and how they can be transformed.
West Hill Primary School in South
London was one of the pilot
schemes that was part of our
30-month research programme
looking at the implications of
personalised learning on school
design (see more on the results
of this programme on page 17).
This was focused on adapting the
learning experience to reflect that
different people learn in different
ways and at different speeds.

14

It has transformed the way I look at the whole

building and the possible use of space to support
what we want to achieve to meet the needs of
our children.

Teacher feedback
The wider research was desk
and field-based exploring
personalised learning from a
technology, pedagogy, school
organisation, space and
beyond-schools perspective.
The delivery and assessment
of pilot schemes helped with
the development of tools and
processes for incorporating
personalised learning. These are
still being used by schools today.
Using the results of the wider
research programme, at West Hill
Primary School, we worked with
the key stakeholders teachers,
students and the local authority
alike to transform the heart of
this Victorian school building.

The priorities for the

stakeholders were for
Outstanding teaching and
learning at all levels.
Pupils having more ownership
of their learning.
Good support for all
pupils through people,
resources and the
physical environment.
Increasing childrens
readiness to learn through
developing their social and
emotional wellbeing.
The underutilised central hall,
formally operating as just a
link between different parts of
the school and as such a main
thoroughfare, became the focal
point for the transformation
of the West Hill Primary
school (see image right) and
the implementation of more
personalised learning.

A generous and flexible space,

the hall is now an active
and special place for all the
students. Fixed and movable
elements create intuitive and
flexible environments, which
enable large-scale interactive
learning (for over 60 students).
More focused individual learning
takes place in the fixed booth
seating. Bespoke elements
maintain boundaries and zones,
enabling the hall to still act
as one of the main connecting
points in the school. Storage
walls are also integrated around
the perimeter with write-on
magnetic finishes.
Even with this new, exciting,
intuitive and usable space,
we worked with the school
on a programme of change
management, supporting the
users, creating ownership, and
fostering a sense of value and
trust in the students.

It is good to learn in a
group ... you can share
ideas ... with five people
you have five ideas and
you work better!

Pupil feedback

AECOM | See further: LEARNING FROM THE FUTURE: EDUCATION ISSUE 1

West Hill Primary School, South London, UK,

One of the pilot schemes as part of the
personalised learning research programme.

Working with North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
for the development of the Hunt Library, we used interactive group strategies
to understand the universities culture, vision, and initiatives, as well as how
students, faculty, and staff would use the building in its campus context.
Credit: Chuck Samuels/North Carolina State University

Space
programming
For the new Hunt Library
at North Carolina State
University (NCSU), AECOM
worked with NCSU, Snhetta
Architects and Brightspot
Strategy to create a Webbased collection of tools
and resources for planning,
evaluation and operating
technology-rich informal
learning spaces.

Funded by the US Institute of Museum and Library

Services, this publicly accessible toolkit (www.
learningspacetoolkit.org) enables campus staff,
space planners/designers, facility managers
and campus experts such as library and IT
professionals to assess their needs for space,
technology and services and then plan how best
to meet those needs. The toolkit is organised
in six different sections, with each containing
downloadable tools and materials to help
institutions test activities themselves.
Hunt Library was one of the first libraries to be
developed using the toolkit and is a state-ofthe-art research library that allows students and
faculty to use collaborative spaces and innovative
applications of technology to inspire the next
generation of engineers, designers, scientists,
researchers and humanists.

Inspiring,
innovative, involving
Key findings on learning
environments from the
personalised learning
research project carried out
by AECOM.

Teaching environments need to be more inspirational and

encourage curiosity. Space is an active force with the ability
to bring people together in ways that encourage exploration,
collaboration and discussion or silence and disconnectedness.
Innovation should be considered at the level of the school or
institution rather than subject by subject. This means linking
subjects for project-based learning or teaching through a
particular theme for a period of time.
More multipurpose, adaptable spaces suitable for interdisciplinary
teaching should be provided. Innovative environments do not
need to cost more, in particular the active use of circulation
areas can support the creation of innovative environments with
learning happening in a variety of places, with choice in the hands
of the student.
Innovation in learning environments does not mean that
traditional/specialised spaces such as laboratories will no
longer be provided, however, the way these spaces are used may
be different. For example, students may use a well-equipped
laboratory for 20 minutes to carry out an experiment before
moving to another space for writing-up and discussing while
another group takes a turn in the lab.
The implementation of new teaching and learning strategies,
and innovative learning spaces may require staff to work in very
different ways. It is essential that a change management approach
is taken and staff members are involved in this process.

Universit
challeng
18

AECOM | See further: LEARNING FROM THE FUTURE: EDUCATION ISSUE 1

North West Cambridge Masterplan, UK

The masterplan for the University of Cambridge
is the largest capital development project the
university has undertaken in its 800-year history.

ty
ge

The days when universities were only centres of

learning appear to be on the wane. Many are now
taking a long, hard look at their real estate and
theyre becoming large-scale developers. Along
with the financial benefits of realising the full value
of their property assets, this work is also pivotal in
providing world-class facilities and teaching to secure
future success in an increasingly competitive global
market. In the UK alone, its been estimated that the
prestigious Russell Group of universities two dozen
of them, including Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial College,
York, Manchester and Liverpool is undertaking capital
investment to the tune of 9 billion.
One of the most ambitious schemes recently under
way is North West Cambridge. Occupying 150 hectares
of university-owned greenbelt land, the new 1 billion
urban district and extension to the city is centred on
a mixed academic and urban community. Contemporary
in style, it will create two new college clusters,
academic and partner research, walkable residential
neighbourhoods and generous public realm. It will be
a place that is sustainable and long lasting, and that will
enhance the city and the university. It will accommodate
the growth needs of the university, enabling it to attract
and retain staff, and provide vital accommodation.
Along with 1,500 homes for its key workers,
accommodation for 2,000 postgraduate students, 1,500
homes for sale and 100,000 square metres of research
facilities, plans also include a local centre with a primary
school, community centre, health centre, supermarket,
hotel and shops. There are also parklands, playing
fields, sustainable transportation and an extensive
cycle network. The scheme has attracted a raft of wellrespected architects with proposals from Mecanoo and
MUMA, among others, now entering the planning phase.

AECOM | See further: LEARNING FROM THE FUTURE: EDUCATION ISSUE 1

Ensuring its position as one of

the worlds leading universities,
Cambridge is investing in
extensive development of its
land to the north west of the city.
The AECOM-designed masterplan
for this ambitious scheme recently
won the 2014 World Architecture
Festivals Future Projects Masterplanning award.
The schemes architect
Jonathan Rose looks back over
the past decade of working
alongside the university

19

Our design and planning team contributed its

masterplanning experience which also includes
the sustainable regeneration of central Doha in
Qatar and Londons 2012 Olympic Park to develop
a scheme that reflects the collegiate urbanism
that is Cambridges trademark. This new scheme is
rooted in and reflects the citys urban character and
qualities, its layout, streetscape and green spaces.
Connectivity, community, character and climate
The project represents the largest capital
development the university has undertaken in its
800-year history. The robust brief was to address
connectivity, community, character and climate,
while being mindful of the UNESCO-listed town
centre and unique university setting.
The development will be an exemplar of
sustainable living. Homes will be built to the Code
for Sustainable Homes Level 5 and other buildings
will be BREEAM Excellent. The scheme is the
single largest Code for Sustainable Homes Level
5 development in the country. The site also makes
use of water management, energy and waste
systems, and a green travel plan encouraging
residents and neighbours to lead sustainable lives
through the built infrastructure as well as through
community-building activities.
We are developing a pioneering rainwater
management strategy to capture and treat
stormwater runoff from the site, using an
integrated network of sustainable drainage
systems (SuDS). Naturally filtered water is then
stored and redistributed to homes to flush toilets
and water gardens. This is the first stormwater
recycling scheme in the UK and one of the largest
in the world. Other key initiatives include an
innovative waste collection system and a site-wide
district heating network powered by a centralised
low-carbon combined heat and power system. We
are also advising on how behaviour change can help
residents to live more sustainably.
20

More than a decade in the planning

The planning process has been a lengthy one.
The site was proposed for development in the
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Structure
Plan back in 2003. After this the university and
the two local planning authorities, Cambridge
City Council and South Cambridgeshire District
Council, set to work to satisfy the necessary
planning and sustainability requirements that
allowed the development area to be removed from
its designation as green belt (the UK policy for
controlling urban growth).
In autumn 2009, planning inspectors published
their report on the Area Action Plan (AAP) that has
been jointly promoted by Cambridge City Council
and South Cambridgeshire District Council. This
established the planning policy for this site.
For two years, the university revised the strategic
plan for the area to support the framework laid
out in the AAP. After a period of consultation, the
masterplan formed the basis of the university's
outline planning application. Permission was
granted in 2013 and phase one of construction
is currently underway. This phase helps to set
the sense of place for the entire development
and will provide more than 1,300 homes, plus the
central community amenities including the school,
community hall, shops, health centre, a hotel and
the key primary infrastructure.

AECOM | See further: LEARNING FROM THE FUTURE: EDUCATION ISSUE 1

The masterplan is a highly competent response

to an enlightened client brief, with a well resolved
sustainability and landscape strategy, and
incorporates socially sustainable mix-uses.
Comments from the jury when announcing
North West Cambridge as the winner of the Future Projects Masterplanning Award at the World Architecture Festival 2014.

AECOM | See further: LEARNING FROM THE FUTURE: EDUCATION ISSUE 1

21

Local authorities need to strike a balance

between need, cost and time in how they
prioritise the provision of new school places
writes programme manager Karen Millar

As the UK education landscape changes, fresh

thinking is being sought to meet the ever-rising
demand for places and to manage school estates.
As ever, budgets are at the heart of this even
though local authorities still receive some funding
directly from central government, the rise of
academy status schools, which is creating more
independence from local authorities, means local
authority estates teams need to be leaner but still
make informed decisions on where and how to
spend the money.
A forward-thinking wider project management
framework, for a whole network of schools, can
make this process easier and ultimately help the
estate teams to persuade its school to accept
development plans.

Managing the scale of expansion

Rising birth rates and the subsequent need for additional school
places has led Surrey County Council to set up a five-year, 300+
million programme of school expansions. Ranging from small
internal adaptations to building new primary and secondary schools,
these projects must be delivered in the most cost-effective way to
minimise borrowing.
Our role in this programme is to manage the schools basic-need
expansion programme and to support the property service. Starting
in late 2013, we were supporting a limited portfolio of 30 schools with
delivery dates in 2015 and 2016. Our initial success on the Surrey
programme has led to our role growing to embrace the countys entire
schools estate. And through our parallel work with Hampshire County
Council, who Surrey County Council regularly collaborates with, we
are able to realise the wider benefits of the programme.
At the outset one of the main challenges was to help the local
authority adapt existing systems and processes to cope
with the scale of expansion, while always keeping a watch
on cost effectiveness and education quality. Our programme
management team was encouraged to question how things were
done, to challenge the status quo, and to scrutinise cost and
design information.

Hurst Park Primary School, West Molesey, Surrey, UK

This school will be one of the first new build schools as part of
the recent Surrey schools programme. Designed by architects
HLM it will create accommodation for 420 students by 2015.

Expand
and
deliver

Flexible frameworks
One of our first steps was to introduce a project
management framework flexible enough for
any size of project and which sets out the key
milestones with gateways at each stage. Gateway
meetings are run to enable the programme team
to check that the design is based on the agreed
standard and that there is no scope creep or
additional area above that required for the
increase in pupil numbers. The most important
area is deciding which schools are chosen for
the expansion. The approach taken is a balanced
scorecard with weightings applied to each
stakeholders view to try to reach a consensus.
The information for each school is then kept in
a central database so that if there is a further
requirement in the future these can be referred to.
There are sometimes competing priorities or
interests between the various internal stakeholder
groups which include planning, education, finance
and property. The school that is the best to
expand from an educational perspective might be
the most expensive, or perhaps the school with
plenty of space and appears cheaper, has complex
planning issues that would result in programme
delays. The key to minimising the costs is this early
engagement so that there is time for mitigation.
In these instances our team can become involved
in finding a solution that best matches the
requirements of stakeholders.

Sayes Court Primary School expansion, Addlestone, Surrey, UK

Due for completion in Jaunary 2016, the extension to this school
will increase its intake by 210 pupil places.

We monitor resources and address any shortfalls

within the client team, supporting as necessary to
enhance and provide short term additional staff
as required.

24

AECOM | See further: LEARNING FROM THE FUTURE: EDUCATION ISSUE 1

Process and parameters

A Programme Execution Plan (PrEP) was
developed and the project management team was
inducted to it in a half-day workshop to ensure
a consistent approach to all work. Each project
manager (PM) had his or her own way of working,
so by setting out how projects and the programme
were to be managed has meant there is less
duplication, rework and reduced margin for error.
In addition to the PrEP, a series of workshops
was introduced to increase the knowledge base
of the PMs, and ensure that all staff were clear
on the processes and parameters within which
they could work. These also included sessions
on the governance structure of the programme,
budgeting, including the Medium Term Financial
Plan (MTFP) and statutory processes of the
county council.

Most of the Surrey schemes involve increasing

numbers of pupils at existing schools on tight
urban sites and this creates unique challenges.
Much of the work on standardisation that has
taken place nationally is for whole new-build
schools, so we worked with the council and
other partners to develop a Surrey baseline
specification for 1FE (form of entry) extensions
that sets out acceptable standards.

The cost management of the programme

was reviewed, and information provided by
project quantity surveyors was challenged and
checked. Adopting a consistent format enabled
benchmarking, cost reduction and setting targets
for cost per square metre.

Transforming the management of

our expansion programme with
quick access to the status of our
projects has meant we can focus
on the risks and issues, with time
and confidence on our side.

With the success of the schools programme

we are now starting to help Surrey to review its
non-schools programme; adapting the schools
approach and aligning management across the
councils property service.

John Stebbings
Chief Property Officer,
Surrey County Council
AECOM | See further: LEARNING FROM THE FUTURE: EDUCATION ISSUE 1

25

Breaking BIM
While the UK government has
set the target of implementing
Level 2 BIM for all public
sector procurement by 2016,
the education sector stands
to reap significant rewards by
fully embracing BIM sooner
rather than later says education
specialist Gary Chesher

26

It saves time and money, improves efficiency

and effectiveness, and can help in the future
maintenance and management of buildings.
Its no wonder, then, that hardly a week passes
without more praise for the benefits of building
information modelling or BIM.
To maximise the benefits of BIM, particularly
in cost savings, we have evolved a highly
collaborative way of working drawing together
the wider design team, clients and contractors.
In the education sector, benefits include
accelerating a co-ordinated design process to
meet tight deadlines; creating standardised
design and construction, adopting a kit-of-parts
approach that can be repeated for follow-on
schools in a batch; and end-user visualisation of
space usage for non-technical stakeholders.

AECOM | See further: LEARNING FROM THE FUTURE: EDUCATION ISSUE 1

All Hallows RC High School, Salford, UK

Primary and secondary schools

using BIM for efficient design and construction
Working with our main contractor clients, we
have interpreted the UK governments latest
design criteria for new schools. With the help of
BIM, with a mind to the governments 2016
Level 2 BIM target, we have created standardised
school concept designs, interlinked with lean
construction techniques, which have now been
rolled out under the Priority School Building
Programme procurement.
These designs focus on achieving optimal
environmental performance at a very low cost.
This requires every efficiency to be made in the
design and sourcing of building components, even
to the extent of how they will be delivered to site
and installed. Careful environmental modelling of
the proposals is also required to confirm that the
overall design will meet the specification required.
Further and higher (tertiary) education
BIM in the operational phase
Much of our BIM knowledge gained on schools is
being used in our college and university projects. For
schools the emphasis is on controlling capital costs
and maintaining tight construction programmes
which translates well for higher education projects.

28

Looking ahead, BIM will be used beyond the

construction phase into the operation and
maintenance of individual buildings and entire
building estates. Using BIM, asset management
will benefit with operational costs minimised,
space utilisation maximised, and the design life of
buildings and infrastructure extended.
Increasingly, our university clients are also asking
to incorporate the Government Soft Landings
approach to ensure new buildings are handed over to
users who can operate the building systems to their
optimum efficiency. BIM will help with this process.
While much of this talk is aspirational as BIM
evolves, on the horizon is the adoption of 6D
BIM to enable clients to manage the operation
and maintenance of their assets, particularly in
further and higher education where the client has
a long term interest in the building. As well as 3D
design and programming, this will involve adopting
a Soft Landings approach to ensure a fully
operational building. Computer Aided Facilities
Management including Planned Preventative
Maintenance schedules and help-desk functions
will also be helped. Ultimately, we all need to be
able crack BIM in order to reap the benefits.

AECOM | See further: LEARNING FROM THE FUTURE: EDUCATION ISSUE 1

Walkden High School, Manchester, UK

Completed in 2011 this school was delivered through the Laing ORourke
Design for Manufacture and Assembly programme (see page 30).
AECOM was a partner here providing BIM expertise.
Credit: AHR Architects Ltd/Dan Hopkinson

AECOM | See further: LEARNING FROM THE FUTURE: EDUCATION ISSUE 1

29

BIM connection
The Design for Manufacture and
Assembly (DfMA) engineering-led
approach to modular construction has
been championed by Laing ORourke
over the past few years. It focuses on
reducing project cost and duration to
help deliver public and private sector
projects when budgets are of concern.
Teaming with Laing ORourke on eight
secondary schools as part of the Salford
and Wigan Building Schools for the Future
programme, we furthered the DfMA
application and coupled it with BIM. The BIM
application not only allowed a closer and
more collaborative design and construction
process, but it also enabled Laing ORourke
to fully utilise the 3D BIM model, linking in to
the elements and components of the DfMA
process and programme. The school could
see an accurate schedule of installation right
down to each day of construction.

30

The schools achieved BIM Level 2 which exceeds the

self-set DfMA target of more than 70 percent offsite manufacture, and were the first whole school
buildings manufactured in Laing ORourkes new 100
million purpose-built factory in Nottinghamshire.
Our work included being part of a programme of
continuous improvement, contributing development
workshops including the following DfMA elements and
BIM topics generated from lesson learnt meetings:
Development of a design team BIM protocol.
Development of a library of standard
structural components, which has resulted
in considerable time savings in the production
of component drawings.
Use of a timeline to create 5D (programme) models
which can then be used for construction planning,
just-in-time deliveries and progress monitoring.
DfMA development including prefabricated
service risers, prefabricated services horizontal
distribution units and packaged plantrooms.

AECOM | See further: LEARNING FROM THE FUTURE: EDUCATION ISSUE 1

St Ambrose Barlow RC High School, Manchester UK

Completed in September 2013 this 750 pupil place school
was delivered through the Laing ORourke Design for
Manufacture Assembly programme (see page 30). AECOM
was partner here providing BIM expertise.
Credit: AHR Architects Ltd/Dan Hopkinson

BIM inspiration
The full power of BIM is revealed when the building is occupied.
Most building costs are incurred during operation and maintenance
and, through using BIM, savings can and will be made over the whole
lifecycle of the building.
Through our adoption of BIM we know that the data linked to a
BIM model, to a database of building assets, can revolutionise the
operation and maintenance of any facility. Managing any asset in
this way means that maintenance can be scheduled, and financial
planning and decision making supported. As it is continuously
updated, BIM also works beyond the design and construction
phase to provide accurate snapshots of any asset, linking to facility
information such as warranties, serial codes, and operation and
maintenance history of components of the building.

AECOM | See further: LEARNING FROM THE FUTURE: EDUCATION ISSUE 1

This is the aspiration of BIM but

only by working directly with
clients and, crucially, facilities
managers can it become a
reality. The end user operators
must be part of the BIM process
from the start of any project
delivery, providing clear guidance
on the requirements and
classifications required for each
asset entry type. This will, in
particular, enable informed COBie
(Construction Operation Building
Information Exchange) data drops
an element of the requirements
set out by the UK government
as part of the adoption of BIM:
operating an agreed intelligent
asset register.

31

Tomorro
world

ows

Making well-considered investment

decisions about science and technology
facilities is crucial for holders of school
and university budgets. To get the
right results you need to ask the right
questions, says project management
expert Mark Halstead

University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK

Working with the university for over 20 years,
AECOM has been involved in the transformation
and conversion of existing spaces to provide
teaching areas that meet changing standards.

For schools and universities, investing in

science and technology facilities involves
a major investment of time, energy and
money. However, the rewards can be
considerable, not least in helping to
build tomorrows science and technology
community.
At the heart of the decision to invest, is
the evaluation and understanding of the
likely capital and operating cost for the
facilities. At the start of every project,
every investor has to weigh up the balance
between time, cost and quality or as
project managers often say, pick any two.
Cost is almost always the first or second
priority; laboratories and associated
facilities are expensive spaces to build,
but this outlay is often exceeded many
times over when it comes to the costs of
running and operating them over a lifespan
of 30 years or more. It is paramount,
therefore, that educational investors
and their delivery teams can maximise
the long-term value of any investment by
answering these key questions.

Do you need to build?

This may seem an obvious

question, but it is often glossed
over in the rush to develop
design concepts, put project teams
in place, and raise staff and student
expectations. A careful evaluation of
existing space, capacity and usage
is essential, and then map it against
the organisations vision. Too often
the potential to make the most of
the current assets is overlooked. It is
useful also to explore wider options as
part of this strategic evaluation. Is the
space in the best location? Are there
opportunities for sharing? Is there
a genuine demand for more space?
Only when a strategic evaluation has
exhausted all other options, should the
initial decision be taken to commit to
capital investment.

How will you use

the space?

Once the decision has been

made to build or refurbish
the next step is to ensure that the
optimum amount of space is provided.
The single greatest opportunity to
maximise value is at the user briefing
stage. Here the facility design team
can work closely with the school or
university departments to understand
their requirements. Effective space
planning should not be just about
delivering the lowest metric for
learning space, it is about looking at
the whole requirement, the teaching
patterns, and delivering a building that
promotes collaboration and maximises
utilisation. This also presents an
opportunity to challenge and enhance
the culture of an organisation.

How will you adapt

the space?

There is one absolute certainty

with all science facilities: the
teaching and learning needs will
change. It is desirable that the space
provides a level of future flexibility, and
this is frequently seen high on the list
of project priorities at brief stage. Its
worth noting, however, that sometimes
small amounts of flexibility are all that
are required. Recent AECOM research
in one R&D facility shows that only 25
percent of highly reconfigurable labs
were ever changed and the majority
of those changes were minor, not
requiring the degree of flexibility that
had been built in. Ultimately, the
fundamental question on flexibility
is just how frequently will you flex
your lab space? Before specifying a
high degree of inbuilt flexibility, with
increased capital investment cost,
educational organisations should carry
out thorough evaluation.

How important are

the running costs?

Given the engineering complexity

within all but the simplest laboratory
spaces, it is unlikely that the answer
to this question will be anything other
than very. However, this is a significant
cost driver through the lifecycle of any
facility, particularly with energy costs
increasing, intensive routine maintenance
costs, expensive spare parts and a
drive to reduce carbon footprints. To
deliver optimal whole-life running costs
for a laboratory, it is necessary for all
building users to collaborate on finding
savings. For example, a standard fume
cupboard uses three times more energy
per day than a typical household, and
it is increasingly appropriate to see
the number of cupboards, and their
operating criteria, challenged at concept
stage. Centralising specialist scientific
equipment enables rationalisation and
energy reductions.

AECOM | See further: LEARNING FROM THE FUTURE: EDUCATION ISSUE 1

Selecting the most appropriate level

of specification for the facility may
increase day-one capital costs, but it
reduces lifecycle costs through extended
replacement and maintenance cycles.
For example, the most appropriate
laboratory floor finish should be selected
to resist the actual chemicals used
in the facility, although this may be a
more expensive capital option. Finally,
ensuring that the building staff are
fully trained in the management of
these complex spaces is paramount to
ensuring that actual operating costs
meet those planned during design. The
Soft Landings process assists greatly
with this, advocating early involvement
(during design) from the operator, and
post-completion continuity from the
delivery and commissioning team.

35

MRC Laboratory of
Molecular Biology
The leading institution for biomedical research
in the UK, the Laboratory for Molecular Biology, is
recognised as world-class. A new building, used by
the University of Cambridge alongside the Medical
Research Council, it replaces life-expired facilities
with a new state-of-the-art laboratory. With a gross
internal floor area of 32,800 square metres with
net usable research space of around 24,400 square
metres, it contains category 3 and 2 containment
areas, a 210-seat lecture theatre and an eightstorey atrium to facilitate scientific collaboration.
Along with complex technical requirements, the
challenges included an initial cost overrun that
had to be curtailed to bring it within acceptable
budget limits, complex stakeholder arrangements,
liaison with Cambridge Medipark for delivery of
site and infrastructure, and an evolving regulatory
framework and enhancement of licensing
guidelines during the project lifecycle.
Our solutions included an extensive valuemanagement exercise undertaken through the
second stage of procurement. This, coupled with
a retendering of all works packages to the market
to take advantage of the downturn in the economy,
generated substantial savings. We also ran a
continual process of engagement and refinement
with the project board including cost/programme
risks and their reporting. The project was delivered
under budget. We consistently demonstrated
strong project governance and achieved Substantial
Assurance ratings at project audits undertaken
by the Research Councils Internal Audit Service
and both Gateway 4 (Readiness for Service) and
Gateway 5 (Benefits Realisation) reviews achieved
the highest ratings.

36

AECOM | See further: LEARNING FROM THE FUTURE: EDUCATION ISSUE 1

MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK

One of the world's leading institutes, the MRC Laboratory of Molecular
Biology won the Safe, Successful and Sustainable S-Lab Award 'highlighting
lab innovation around the globe, and revealing best practice among all the key
players involved in lab design, operation and management.'

AECOM | See further: LEARNING FROM THE FUTURE: EDUCATION ISSUE 1

37

A load off
your mind
When it comes to higher
education science and
technology buildings, reducing
energy consumption and
increasing environmental
sustainability requires
holistic thinking and great
communication says lowenergy engineering expert
Sasha Krstanovic
Science and technology buildings are energy hungry
to build and to run. But when energy efficiency is
designed in from the start, it is much more effective
in delivering savings in build costs as well as running
and operating costs.
Small changes: big savings
The best results can be achieved by subverting
the traditional design and construction process,
breaking down the professional silos and
encouraging collaboration and good communication.

38

When engineers work side by side with architects, especially during the first few
months of the design process, there can be impressive results. Even small shifts and
changes can produce substantial energy savings, for example changing a buildings
orientation can make better use of natural daylight to cut lighting bills or create shading
to reduce air conditioning costs. Its also possible to work out the benefits of different
floor plans locating a lecture theatre in a lower-ground floor might be great for
the acoustics, but will add substantial costs for lighting and ventilation. And, where
engineers are involved early, it is possible to locate mechanical and engineering plant in
areas that would otherwise have limited use.
And collaboration doesnt end there. By bringing
other professionals, such as cost and program
consultants, early to the process, it becomes
possible to secure further gains in energy
efficiency without compromising the design.
This is about continuously asking questions and
making informed suggestions for example
making informed savings on cladding materials,
which can be achieved by procuring differently,
it could be possible to spend more on insulation
where the energy-saving gain is greatest.

Energy Technologies Building,

University of Nottingham
Innovation Park, UK.
AECOM | See further: LEARNING FROM THE FUTURE: EDUCATION ISSUE 1

International House and Amenities Building, Jubilee Campus University of Nottingham, UK.

Optimum operations: energy efficiency

We monitor many of our projects over several
years and have been able to build up considerable
knowledge of occupied buildings. Using this data it
is possible to identify best practice in operations
identical buildings operated by different teams
will create a very different pattern of energy use.
And this leads to the Soft Landings process where
new building occupiers are guided through the
best use of the building and its systems to keep
utility costs as low as possible.
The delivery of a sustainable building is only
a success if it can be operated, maintained
and monitored effectively. To achieve this, the
appropriate level of metering, monitoring and
performance testing has to be provided.
A sustainable building can then only move from
a construction stage to an operational stage when
AECOM | See further: LEARNING FROM THE FUTURE: EDUCATION ISSUE 1

its controls and monitoring have been effectively

proven, and there is an ongoing commitment for
measurement and monitoring in place. The use of
benchmarking can provide a degree of confidence
in relation to design proposals; it is widely used in
setting electrical loads for differing space types
early in the design stage.
We may achieve zero carbon in many ways,
and the government use of allowable solutions
will help, but to reduce our unregulated loads,
we will need to take personal control of and
accountability for our consumption.

39

Start right
When planning any project, it
helps to think about long-term
use to maximise energy savings.
Be clear about the priorities
how will the building be
used now and what happens
in five years time. Is that
auditorium really necessary or
would it be better to opt for a
number of flexible spaces?
Assess the predicted use and
occupancy of the building
for example, hospitals
and hotels are ideal for
combined heat and power
(CHP) generation, offices less
so. If there is a need for a 24/7
operation, perhaps the plant
should be modular so that
only what is required is in use.

Look at the available site

orientation and any natural
shading that may occur
use this to protect the
building from excessive heat
load, ensuring it does not
overshadow the solar cells.
Orientate the building so it
maximises passive benefits
such as heating from the low
winter sun.

Keep communicating
Get to know the site and its
creating the most successful
surroundings excessive
buildings is a two-way
noise, such as motorways or
process. Clients need to
manufacturing plant should
articulate their needs, and
inform how the facade is treated.
designers need to explain
where there may be obstacles
Perhaps there is a body of
in the way and how to
water available such as a pond,
overcome them.
river, stream or an underground
aquifer? All these can be
sources of energy.

Take into account the local

climate most places have
a period when no heating,
cooling or even electrical
lights are required spaces
should be designed to benefit
from this.

Explore local legislation

limits and opportunities
there may be funding available
such as renewable heat
incentives (RHIs).

International House and Amenities Building, Jubilee Campus University of Nottingham, UK.

A world first
The Energy Technologies Building at the University of Nottingham is a research hub
like no other. The European-funded centre for research into alternative energies is a
worlds first in-use, zero-carbon laboratory. This BREEAM Outstanding centre was
built with a constrained budget, yet is able to support leading-edge research into
biofuel technology, has an extreme-climate simulating facility and an advanced,
multisource multiple voltage converter for grid and on-site produced electricity.
In the creation of this groundbreaking laboratory, the first inspiring ideas came from
a design charrette involving our building engineering team at competition stage.
By the end of the days charrette we had the concept for the building that won the
competition along with numerous accolades once the building was completed.

Our engineering team worked with the university

researchers and future building users to ensure
that the operating systems (power, data, cooling
and heating) were designed to be in sync with the
work going on inside it. The unique combination
of low-carbon design and energy-generating
technology produces surplus heat and electricity
which is redirected to a nearby campus building.
This not only helps to reduce energy demands in
a highly intensive environment, but also serves to
keep operating costs down.
The laboratory complex also features designs to
minimise demand for heating, cooling, lighting and
ventilation including a biofuel district CHP. There
is a green roof for rainwater attenuation and to
absorb heat gain. And the centres hydrogen filling
station is powered by renewable energy generated
by the CHP as well as grid power this is made
possible via the Uniflex the three-stage, smartpower distribution transformer being developed
by the university. The roof is designed to carry PV
panels in the future.

Making learning places

distinctive, well-served and
fitting for local communities
around the world means adopting
appropriate and relevant
standards. With views from the
US and Africa Gus Barrera and
Mark Walmsley explain how the
right solutions work at any scale.

A world of
learning

Construction underway at one of the schools part of the

Liberia schools programme.
Credit: Regency Foundation Networx.

Educational institutions around the world face a challenge and an

opportunity when building and adapting their facilities and campuses
to meet the global, technological and sustainable standards of a
new age. Here we take a look at two very different projects where
our skills and expertise have been delivered to create educational
programmes specifically tailored to the local needs. Our work
provides an all-round view of projects that embraces designing,
building, financing and operating. Always the aim is to create socially
vibrant, economically viable, ecologically healthy, distinctive places
for education at all levels.

Out of Africa
Helping war-torn Liberia to rebuild its education
system, a large-scale school-building programme
is under way in this West Africa nation. Due for
completion in 2015, the two-year programme to
build almost 70 schools forms part of the countrys
Poverty Reduction Strategy. A generation of young
people had little or no access to education, and
many were child soldiers during more than two
decades of political and economic instability.
The current administration, led by President Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf since 2006, is working to improve
childrens access to education. The schools, from
nursery through to secondary, are being built in 40
locations, with construction split into two phases
to accommodate the six-month rainy season that
makes many roads impassable.

Pupils at Billytown Public Elementary

School in Montserrado outside of
Monrovia, Liberia with Kelvin Pavay
Davies, a former child soldier (image left).

Many of the schools are being delivered in the

most remote areas of the country and constructed
without the use of power tools. However, the
standards of the design and construction
using traditional construction methodology
are being managed and supervised as a whole
programme to create a consistency of approach.
The superstructures/external walls are loadbearing block work, generally plastered block
work, andexternalwalls are finished with plaster
and paint. Roofs are constructed of timber trusses
covered by aluminium profile sheeting.
For the project teams a truly collaborative
environment has been centred around creating a
legacy of education buildings for Liberian children
with over 50 local staff employed and trained on
the project. There are now equipped teams who
can manage and develop more schools to specific
standards in the future.
The first phase of the programme was completed
in June 2013 and our project managers, cost
consultants and engineers from UK and Africa
offices, are working with local contractors
and architects from the World Bank, and the
development charity Plan International.

Credit: Regency Foundation Networx.

AECOM | See further: LEARNING FROM THE FUTURE: EDUCATION ISSUE 1

43

Programme for
prototypes
In Florida a new state law was passed which limited the size of
classes and, as a result, many counties in the state needed to
provide more classrooms as well as modernise existing ones.
Working with Miami-Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS) we
developed a school prototype programme which helped the county
respond to the law, and also take the opportunity to revolutionise
the design and development of its school programme.
Looking to state-of-the art education design solutions as well
as creating efficiency in construction, operations, security and
maintenance, we developed a kit-of-parts which could be pulled
together to respond to different school and site conditions,
yet never demand bespoke design. Flexibility was paramount,
technological incorporation a given and legibility creating logical,
open and connected spaces across the campuses inherent.

Hialeah Gardens Middle School, Hialeah, Florida, USA.

Credit: Robb Williamson

To date, three schools have adopted the prototype

programme Hialeah Gardens Middle School,
Hialeah; Zelda Glazer Middle School, Miami and
Andover Middle School, Miami Gardens all of
which are now distinct, vibrant campuses. The
multiple permutations of arrangement: one and two
storey buildings adapted for their vocational use,
linked by bridges, and scaled by courtyards and
owned spaces include classrooms, cafes, media
centres, arts and music spaces. The predominant
material is tilt-up precast concrete panels which,
easily produced by the local construction industry,
not only allows for flexibility of expression with
the integration of different faade languages, but
is also durable in the extreme weather conditions
experienced in Florida.

The intense design development, where we worked

with MDCPS as well as consultants on the wider
programme, has created a high performance,
regionally responsive common approach for the
whole of Floridas schools programme.

Hialeah Gardens Middle School, Hialeah, Florida, USA.

Credit: Robb Williamson

ABOUT AECOM
Ranked as the #1 engineering design firm by revenue in
Engineering News-Record magazines annual industry
rankings, AECOM is a premier, fully integrated infrastructure
and support services firm, with a broad range of markets,
including transportation, facilities, environmental, energy,
water and government. The recent incorporation of URS
furthers AECOMs standing as a leader in all of the key
markets that it serves. With nearly 100,000 employees
including architects, engineers, designers, planners,
scientists and management and construction services
professionals the company serves clients in more than 150
countries around the world. AECOM provides a blend of global
reach, local knowledge, innovation and technical excellence
in delivering solutions that create, enhance and sustain the
worlds built, natural and social environments. A Fortune
500 company, AECOM has annual revenue of approximately
US$20 billion.
More information on our services can be found at
www.aecom.com and www.urs.com
Follow us on Twitter: @aecom @urscorp