PSBP – West Midlands Framework
Moorgate Primary School - (Credit: Maber)
This large framework of 6 primary and 2 secondary schools provided a challenging but successful value engineering exercise.
Project Information
This large framework of 6 primary and 2 secondary schools provided a challenging but successful value engineering exercise.
Project Details
| Location: | West Midlands, UK |
| Client: | Education Funding Agency |
| Architect: | Maber |
| Contractor: | Interserve |
| Contract Value: | £39M |
| Completion Date: | 2015 – 2017 |
MACH Acoustics were brought in by Interserve late in the design stage to find significant cost savings over work by the previous acoustician. Testing of previous similar schools using the same timber modular cassette based construction showed a level of overdesign, which we were able to value engineer effectively whilst still comfortably achieving BB93 performance standards. The modular timber construction with posi-joist floors is an unusual construction which has a lack of sound insulation test data when compared to typical metal stud constructions. Because of this, MACH Acoustics undertook an extensive modelling assessment using sound reduction calculating software, calibrating to the small handful of laboratory test data that was available.
Our Services
- Sound insulation modelling to create a performance/cost database of hundreds of possible timber frame wall and floor constructions.
- Value engineering of wall/floor types across all schools as well as detailed junction design.
- Review of all design aspects and pre-completion acoustic testing.
A stringent process of optimising the standard wall types was carried out to ensure that all performance standards were met in the most cost effective manner, across all of the 8 schools.
In addition to the wall types, MACH advised a 50% reduction on plasterboard across all floor constructions, all of this when added up over the whole framework led to significant cost savings. So far 6 of the 8 schools have been completed and tested, all proving successful and in compliance with BB93.
MACH understand that every dB of over design increases costs. We use in house developed software to optimize every lightweight wall type, keeping in mind acoustics, fire and durability and of course costs. The PSBP framework proved invaluable in our development of this software and greatly increasing our knowledge of an unusual modular timber system. These tools are available for use on our website.
