Solihull College – Woodlands Campus

Solihull College has extended its educational facilities at its Woodlands Campus located in the Smiths Wood area of Solihull.

Coles Grant & Jones undertook the design development & installation of the Mechanical, Electrical & Public Health (MEP) building services providing a turnkey building engineering solutions package to the main building contractor Galliford Try.

Constructed adjacent to the existing block the new building enhances the existing teaching facilities by providing unparalleled, industry standard, state of the art workshops for the vocational training of students in vehicle maintenance, plastering, carpentry, brickwork, plumbing, painting & decorating. The provision of several new classrooms will provide space for theory instruction & IT facilities. “Snap On” noted for the high quality of their tools & equipment has made the new facility part of their “Excellence in Education” programme.

The very nature of this facility dictates that a number of specialist systems are necessary amongst these are Building Management Systems (BMS), fume extract systems designed to expel fumes produced from processes carried out within the workshops & the expulsion of vehicle exhaust fumes, a compressed air distribution system to power air tools & power outlets rated at 110 volts for hand held power tools of the type normally utilised on construction sites.

The fast track programme of 20 weeks necessitated close liaison with the construction team & mobilisation & co ordination of all the highly specialised systems & equipment.

A photovoltaic array & wind catchers have been incorporated into the design to assist in meeting energy targets.