Project

East Coast College - Teaching Block and Sports Facilities Development

Sector

Education

Location

Great Yarmouth

Timeline

Summer 2027

Value

Circa £58 Million

Client

Kier Construction

We were appointed by Kier Contruction to provide MEP design developed by Couch Perry Wilkes.

East Coast College comprises a multi‑storey teaching block alongside existing sports hall and changing facilities located within a constrained, operational campus environment.

The project required the delivery of new and upgraded educational accommodation while integrating specialist teaching spaces, sports facilities, and support areas, all within the constraints of an urban site and live college operation.

The works included a new main teaching block, upgraded sports hall and changing facilities, and associated external and roof‑level plant infrastructure. The project demanded a comprehensive, compliant and resilient MEP strategy aligned with Department for Education (DfE) output specifications, with particular focus on energy performance, indoor environmental quality, and long‑term maintainability.

Key Specifications.

Limited internal and roof‑level space for plant and riser distribution
Integration with existing sports hall infrastructure and legacy systems
Overheating risk within densely occupied teaching spaces
Requirement for resilient low‑carbon heating solutions compliant with DfE guidance
Maintaining compliance while adapting design at late RIBA stages to suit construction programme constraints

CAL Role & Responsibilities.

Charles Andrews Ltd (CAL) was appointed by Kier Construction to deliver the MEP design from RIBA Stage 4ii to Stage 4iii, building upon the Stage 4i design developed by Couch Perry Wilkes. Our scope included full technical development, validation, and coordination of all building services systems to ensure compliance, buildability, and resilience.

This included:

Validation and development of the approved MEP design principles
Review of existing services and site constraints
Detailed design of LTHW, CHW, ventilation, DHW/BCWS, air conditioning, lighting, and small power systems
Resolution of design constraints identified during site surveys
Coordination with Kier Construction to align MEP solutions with programme and installation sequencing
Enhancement of system resilience to meet DfE requirements

Gallery.

MEP Design Solutions

Heating: Low‑temperature LTHW systems incorporating air source heat pumps for the teaching block, with retained gas‑fired boilers serving the sports hall where legacy emitters were unsuitable for low‑temperature operation.

Ventilation: A hybrid ventilation strategy combining MVHR, hybrid classroom ventilation units, and natural cross‑flow ventilation to control CO₂ levels and mitigate overheating risk.

Cooling: Reverse‑cycle ASHPs and chilled water systems serving areas identified as overheating‑critical through BB101 and TM52 analysis.

Electrical & Lighting: Energy‑efficient LED lighting designed to DfE and LG05 standards, coordinated with acoustic treatments and supported by automatic lighting controls.

Outcomes Achieved.

Full compliance with DfE Output Specifications, BB101, TM52, and CIBSE guidance.
Achieved daily average CO₂ concentrations below 1,000 ppm in teaching spaces.
Enhanced system resilience through distributed plant and zoned strategies.
Improved thermal comfort and indoor air quality across all occupied areas.