The £5.5 million project to relocate the faculty into the heart of the University’s city campus is being carried out by ISG, and the contractor recently welcomed two groups of construction students from Bradford College onto site.
The project was selected by course tutors as an excellent example of a complex phased development, incorporating both new build and refurbishment elements, which is being carried out within a busy and logistically challenging location. Students from both HNC and HND construction courses at the College were given rare access to the site and the opportunity to quiz the construction team on issues including health and safety, design, construction challenges, environmental considerations and career opportunities.
The School of Health Studies project sees ISG build a striking new four-storey concrete frame extension to the existing Horton A Building, which will also be fully refurbished as part of the development. New facilities will include a suite of simulated practice environments, a movement laboratory and a picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) suite. The building also supports the University’s ‘Ecoversity’ sustainable development programme, and incorporates a green sedum roof, solar shading panels as well as high performance building materials to minimise its impact on the environment.
Tony Morris, course leader at Bradford College, said: “The opportunity to get the students out of the classroom and onto a live site really helps demonstrate how the theory is put into practice. The School of Health Studies is set to become an iconic development for the University and we were delighted to receive an invitation to take a guided tour at such an interesting stage in the project’s development.”
Dean of the School of Health Studies, Shirley Congdon, commented: "We are delighted to welcome this group of HNC/HND construction students from Bradford College onto the site of our new School. I'm sure that the visit has been successful in bringing many aspects of their construction studies to life."
John Gittins, ISG's regional managing director, commented: "Raising the profile of the construction industry and supporting the aspirations of young people within the sector are crucial to the continued development and innovation of the industry. ISG is passionate about generating interest and encouraging talented individuals to consider a career in construction, whether through grass roots support, like our Construction and Built Environment Diploma initiative at Hinckley College, or in this instance by arranging site visits for students to provide a real insight into the industry.”
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