Project Title: Environmental Resource Classroom (ERC)
Location: Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent
Wood Species: WELSH SITKA SPRUCE, WELSH OAK, FINNISH BIRCH AND SPRUCE PLYWOOD
Product Description
The Project
This 140sqm Environmental Resource Classroom (ERC) is the first building on The Works site in Ebbw Vale and first to use an innovative Welsh Sitka spruce construction system, called Ty Unnos - a house in a night. The ERC is located adjacent to the former pumphouse and filtration tanks, which have become a haven for wildlife since the closure of the steelworks. The classroom is located to respond to this geometry, creating a simple rectilinear form with two key axes: an oak access deck to exploratory boardwalks, separating the classroom and toilet zones; and separating a servant storage wall from the served classroom which opens out to views across the filtration tanks and valley beyond.
The brief required that the classroom used predominantly local materials and achieved a 60% reduction in energy use over Building Regulations. The response was a layered construction of timber frame, plywood SIPs, surface mounted services, EPDM rubber membrane, graphics panels, claddings and rainscreen roof that combine to create a didactic demonstration of sustainability through a heavily insulated fabric, passive ventilation, rainwater drainage channel and a high efficiency air to air heat pump, for additional heating and ventilation, supported by a solar hot water array.
The Sitka spruce construction system was developed as a collaborative research project between the design team of this classroom as a means to use a homegrown, sustainable, low-tech and low-value method of stabilising Welsh Spruce, which is abundant in Wales but unsuitable for structural use due to its tendency to twist when drying. 270×210mm box beams are fabricated from off-the-shelf and readily available sizes of spruce for use in portal frames. This first prototype comprises 9no. 7.2m portal frames at 2.4m centres with birch and spruce plywood Structurally Insulated panels (SIPs) between for floor, walls, doors and roof, giving a U-value of 0.15 W/m2K. These panels were coated with an intumescent fire retardant and kept exposed as the internal finish for walls and ceiling. Prefabricated off-site, the superstructure was assembled in 10 days with end grain bolting at all joints between box section posts and beams.
Internally, prefabricated birch plywood and recycled paper pin board units create a storage wall along the rear of the classroom, containing services, a range of modular storage, and wet spaces. To the front of the classroom Welsh laminated oak windows open up to the valley and reed beds with integrated vent panels for occupant comfort control.
Externally the building opens to its immediate industrial setting and wider landscaped context, through sliding and folding screens. The layered facade creates a play of colour and depth with red, yellow and black steel panels of wildlife supergraphics themed on four local habitats: woodland; industrial; wetland and grassland. These are concealed and revealed by vertical Welsh spruce cladding that has been charred to provide both water and fire resistance and blend with both the natural and industrial contexts. The service block is clad in a galvanised steel grating. An oversailing sinusoidal roof connects the two parts of the building and reinforces its horizontality, as well as providing solar shading to the glazed west elevation.
BUILDING OWNER: BLAENAU GWENT COUNTY BOROUGH COUNCIL
ARCHITECT: DESIGN RESEARCH UNIT WALES
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: BURROUGHS
MAIN CONTRACTOR: G ADAMS CONSTRUCTION LTD
JOINERY COMPANY: COWLEY TIMBERWORK LTD
OTHER ASSOCIATED COMPANY: COED CYMRU CYF
