Building our Community
Construction Starts
Construction of the new community building is progressing well and on programme for completion in June.
The foundation works have been completed and the steel frame has been erected. The building is designed as a framed structure, steel framing to the ground floor and the entrance tower and timber frame for the companion rooms. The designers have used a steel frame for the ground floor areas and the entrance towers because we want to create larger and more flexible areas at ground floor level for spaces such as the dining rooms, communal rooms and administration areas. A steel frame allows this flexibility because it will support loads over a wider area allowing internal partitions to be moved if necessary in the future.
On top of this steel frame is a concrete floor on top of which the timber framed companion rooms are positioned. These timber framed elements were constructed off site in factory conditions, and then craned into position. Once the timber frames were positioned, the external brick facing began.
The ready-made bathroom 'pods' have also been craned into position. As with the timber framed companion rooms, these were also created completely off site - right down to the tiling!
The roof trusses were erected and the roof made watertight prior to Christmas. Roof materials have been lifted into position and the sarnafil roof is ready to be laid.
The windows are due to be delivered at the end of January. Once these have been installed, the tower roof will be completed.
Inside, the masonry is nearly finished, and plasterers are due on site shortly to begin the fitting out works.
Please click here to see a Photo History of our new building.
Green and Economical
There were plenty of considerations in planning the new Community building although the site size, planning constraints and budget meant that we were limited as to which areas we had total control over. Our primary aim was to provide a home for twenty Companions and two staff plus as much communal living, dining, administration and reception space as possible.
High on our 'wish list' was the desire to achieve an environmentally friendly building with as many green credentials as possible.
Woodchip Boiler - We focused mainly on energy use and sustainable fuel supplies, and having considered wind, solar and geothermal solutions it was decided to install a woodchip burning boiler for heating and hot water. Efficient, and with low carbon emissions, the boiler will be run by woodchips checked out as fit for the job as quality is extremely important. Investigations are under way for Companions to generate the Community's own supplies elsewhere by producing chips from wood that would otherwise be scrapped and destined for landfill.
Low Energy - Other economical and green features include high standard thermal insulations, low energy lighting, control systems to cut down on wasted power, low flush WC's, natural ventilation where possible and the use of recycled material.