The Laurus Trust wanted to expand Didsbury High School’s teaching facilities to accommodate its growing population of 1,100 students. Working alongside Wilson Mason architects, Gosling Consulting and KODA, our team delivered comprehensive mechanical and electrical design services for the £1m high school extension project. The expansion added two new classrooms, an IT suite, teachers office and circulation areas. In addition, it required careful integration with existing building services installations. As a result, our designs focused on creating optimal learning environments through thoughtfully planned lighting, heating, ventilation and safety systems, providing the school with much-needed additional space.
CLIENT: The Laurus Trust
LOCATION: Didsbury Manchester
VALUE: £1m
SERVICES: Mechanical & Electrical Design
SECTOR: Education | High School
CLIENT OBJECTIVES
The Laurus Trust, which operates the outstanding Didsbury High School in South Manchester, with a population of 1,100 students aged 11-18, required additional space. As a result, the Trust required two new classrooms and an IT suite that would provide modern learning environments while working with existing mechanical and electrical systems.
OUR SOLUTION
To support these objectives, our engineering team worked collaboratively with Wilson Mason architects, Gosling Consulting and KODA to develop comprehensive building services designs up to RIBA Stage 4. From the outset, we carefully analysed the existing infrastructure to ensure our designs would integrate seamlessly with current systems. In addition, the project demanded meticulous attention to detail as we extended all existing services into the new spaces.
Design elements included:
- Lighting and power distribution optimised for educational environments
- Heating, cooling and ventilation systems
- Alterations to existing safety and security infrastructure
- Expansion of existing data network to support new teaching facilities
- Careful integration with existing building management systems
THE OUTCOME
As a result, the completed extension will provide Didsbury High School with modern, well-equipped teaching spaces designed to enhance learning outcomes. Furthermore, the carefully integrated mechanical and electrical systems create a comfortable and compliant environment, while maintaining energy efficiency. Ultimately, the new facilities give the school the additional capacity needed to support its growing student population.
Other education projects we have worked on include:
Special Educational Needs School – Mechanical & Electrical Consultancy – PSA
Barrow Sixth Form College – PSA
Manchester Metropolitan University – Digital Education Nexus – PSA
