06-2010 Curtain walling construction aids carbon reduction

Designed by architects Nightingale Associates, Norking Aluminium developed and designed site specific installations to achieve Gateway Sixth Form College's aim of substantially reducing the carbon output of the college. Key features of the design included PV cells to generate energy and natural ventilation designs which reduce air conditioning needs.

This £33m project involved the college relocating from central Leicester to a new purpose-built facility on a 12-acre site in nearby Hamilton.

The layout and design of the campus was based on a 'street and pod' concept. Three-storey steel-framed curriculum pods connect to a 90m long covered 'street' area providing 11,300m sq of quality teaching facilities. Externally the college featured render panels and curtain walling to its facade with aluminium windows and a standing seam metal roof.

Norking Aluminum glazed 79 sq metres of polycrystalline PV panels into the entrance block's curtain walling constructed using Schueco FW60+. Non-vision bands were created by screen printing layer 4 of the outer-leaf.
To the south facing teaching blocks Norking designed, manufactured and installed a project specific, brise soleil. Independently suspended from the Glulam beams the gull wing profiles were supported off the suspended structure and offset by 1.8m - calculated to perfectly balance the amount of heat and shade to the building.

Norking also installed 1300m sq of fully automated opening windows from the Velfac 200 series which were linked to a sophisticated BMS system enabling individual automatic classroom control of lighting, heating and ventilation.
After over eight years of discussion and planning the new Gateway College was handed over at a 'Key Ceremony'. College Principal Nick Goffin and Chair of Governors Canon Michael Wilson received the keys from ISG's Joe Webb and Pat Homer.


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