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Modular building: SET Saxmundham School 

 

In December 2021, SEH French completed the construction of a new two-storey classroom block at SET Saxmundham School. 

The work alongside Ingleton Wood has provided a state-of-the-art facility for pupils with special educational needs. Thérèse Coffey MP officially opened the new block in March 2022. However, pupils have benefited from the facility since work finished. 

The block consists of four classrooms, two breakout rooms and four smaller group rooms to support education. Additionally, the block features a staff office, toilet facilities, stairwell and a lift. 

At SEH French, we understand the importance of education and are proud to support the sector. However, working in an active school setting comes with its challenges. Therefore, we explored innovative building methods to ensure disruption was kept to a minimum. 

Working with our specialist supply chain, we incorporated modular building into this project. The method sees individual elements of a building constructed under a factory setting, therefore removing potential weather delays. The factory-based work was completed during the same time as onsite groundworks. 

The individual elements were then delivered to the school site and assembled before other works, such as electricals, were completed. Using this method allowed us to significantly reduce the amount of time our tradespeople spent onsite. In fact, it reduced the number of weeks on schoolgrounds from more than 30 to just 16. So, pupils faced less disruption than they would using traditional methods. 

Modular units can be moved, extended or reconfigured cost-effectively. Also, due to the reduced material wastage when being manufactured, they help increase sustainability. 

SEH French is committed to delivering high-quality projects that meet the ever-changing needs of our clients. We are keen to explore the use of modular building further, where suitable, to minimise disruption and improve sustainability. 

If you would like to find out how we can help with your vision, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. 

To find out more about our work across other sectors, please visit our What We Do page.