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I have yet to meet an engineering student who does not have any lectures on their timetable and thus am surprised to see that there is currently no lecture theatre included in the design plans. As lecture theatres do not require any windows, would it not be possible to add one in the centre of the building? Instead of going down a few steps to the open social/learning space, could that not become a lecture theatre (maybe similar to the lecture theatre in R-block)? The social/learning space could then perhaps be on top of the lecture theatre.

Svenja K. (Student and Academic Services)

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could we revert to the idea of having an outside window we are thinking that the indirect light offered form the void will make workplace depressing.
Steve R

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Interesting article about a new large atrium style buliding not suiting everybody : https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/nov/21/francis-crick-institutes-700m-building-too-noisy-to-concentrate?CMP=twt_a-science_b-gdnscience

Kay Willis

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A recent presentation stated that to help save energy the building will "feel fresh" in the mornings and will slowly warm up throughout the day, with cooling only kicking in at perhaps 25-26 degrees.

Could we have some clarification and more detail on this please?

The building will have large numbers of students working on "sedentary activities" who will appreciate a comfortable and constant temperature. Staff too!

Chris H.

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Current UWE design of podiums deliver very poor experience to lectures and so to students. They are too technocratic and prone to incorrect set up. Speakers dont work, laptops dont connect, projectors dont split screen with screen. I find them unreliable and i am good with technology. A more simple interface is desirable. And dont get me started on the terrible lighting controls ...

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On the hour a class load of students may be waiting outside each teaching space for up to 10 minutes each hour. Will the movement through the sapce and socal learning be effected?

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Much thought has been given to noise from workshops affecting other areas within the building. We should also explore available options to attenuate noise in the workshops themselves for those who work and teach in those spaces.

Chris H.

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N Block was designed with an overhanging roof. Although this is only 1200mm from the side of the building it actually provides useful and effective shelter from the elements. E.g. large loading-bay doors can be opened to accept deliveries but staff and the building internals remain dry.

Similar levels of protection should be considered for those ground floor labs which require users to regularly access external spaces, e.g. material stores, engine test-cells and the concrete lab. Typically on the west and south facing sides.

Chris H.

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Ideally the goods and equipment lift will be large enough to accomodate a standard pallet including the pallet truck and the user. Some thought should also be given to maximum weight limits although the specification of a large lift will probably cope with any individual piece of equipment.

Although the circulation space is quite wide the drawings show possible "pinch points" on the upper levels, particularly on the corners, where it might be difficult to manoeuvre larger items.

Chris H

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Crafting Form through fundamental iterations through the structural layer, the energy layer, the environmental layer, the acoustic layer, the digital layer, the fire layer, the usability layer, the augmented reality layer ... be the first building I know of, where augmented reality and the digital environment was truly designed in, not just stuck on. Virtual wall art, locations for virtualsculptures. Consult an AV specialist.

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UWE do not have a good track record with the design of open plan offices – lots of people end up working from home, productivity is reduced and people end up using emails rather than phoning if an open plan office is badly designed (and I am a great fan of them when they are done well). The pod-of-4-to-6 is a good basis, but special consideration should be undertaken with light and acoustics. Some rooms are shown with seating either facing or with back to the window. Neither are ideal to a health visual environment for long term using of computers. Side on is better if at all possible. The partition height and location of soft surfaces is key. An academic should be able to sit at their desk and take a phone call or conduct an online head-set tutorial without disturbing or being disturbed by the others in the room. I can hear a designer saying “they can use the near by meeting room”, to which I respond that this has been available in Q-block, but still people much prefer to do it from their desk (familiar software, IT that the setting haven't been all messed with). A partition high enough to block direct lines between sitting people – good for acoustics and reduced visual distractions. Walls and ceilings should have soft surfaces where the line of first reflection exists between people’s sitting location. People should be faced away from each other if possible. Good Luck!

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With such a nice internal space, you should build in a winch system to hang different banners/items and samples of great engineering. The idea (if not the scale) of the IWM

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I appreciate the building design being dominated by the internal atrium, however the amount of light available as the external surface will almost always be greater than those looking in. You are giving external locations to stairs and toilets, the opposite to normal practice. Meeting rooms have a view of the atrium. Glazing is given to stairs.  I question if the right balance has been struck.

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I am a proponent of natural ventilation, so I get worried when I see a design proposal that I think might have some severe challenges to performing well and might undermine the reputation of natural ventilation.
-        External wind pressure (more important than bouncy) is limited with so many sides of the building facing other buildings.

-        Most labs will have extract fans, which will act in opposition to the natural direction of air-flow. R1 has problems after the addition of an extract fan - the space in the middle is now often hot and stufy.
- A central extract system gives opportunity for heat recovery.

-        Natural ventilation means automated openings in the façade. Acoustic issues with all the machinery and causes uncomfortable drafts. The automated windows in FBL are a step backwards from the quite warmer damper design in R2.

-        A typical class room requires about 6 air-changes per hour to remain fresh and comfortable – ideal learning environments. This is a significant challenge for natural ventilation deep in a building. The result will be spaces hotter and stuffier than they need to be. Lower performance and few will identify the air as the fault.
- a PassivHaus approach with sealed structure and central MVHR might be the right solution here.

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-        Will the current arrangement of accessible WC cause a problem with wheelchair users entering. The door opens out and there is little room to the side.

-        Some wheelchair users have preferred sides to lift off. If we have two accessible toilets per level then provide on lift-left and one lift-right. Divide between floors if need be as wheelchair users will drop a level in a lift if need be to use a preferred side.

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South facing spaces on the top floor are likely to have issues with glare and summer overheating. With a shading device and some carefully selected glazing the cooling load could be reduced enough be met with low energy cooling systems such as monodraft, but with the addition of the heating load of PC’s this will be more difficult. Maybe consider reduced glazing in these spaces – a mix of low level and high level windows could allow views of the road below and the sky above but not directly across into the student accommodation, which might be something we want to avoid.

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Observations of the hive areas in Q-block and the superstudio in R-block show a strong preference for student to use fixed computers with bright A3 screens that have the right software and no speed issues.

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expect forklift movements of materials – roller shutter door and access door.

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some of the labs (especially the thermofluids lab) require significant amounts of water. There are two large tanks in a mezzanine. I don’t see them on any drawing. Are sprinklers needed? This is usually an insurance recommendation based on cost of replacing equipment and since this building I hope will have more expensive equipment than elsewhere on campus it may be justified here even though not a UWE norm.

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Every summer just about every building in UWE has new cabling installed of some sort. A walk through the central courtyard of N-block or along the east and north sides will show you the number of additional cooling and extract systems that were added during it life – each time correcting a fault with services performance of some sort. In short any building provided needs to be flexible to change, with a processes thought out for how new cabled and piped services can be added without too much interruption to business. This is best done with accessible rooms, routes and risers. Currently the only plant space is in a remote building or on the roof. This is a cheaper less flexible solution that is typical of an office development which would see less change from year to year.

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I strongly agree the BMS should be visible in its operation; both in the dynamics of its operation, and in displaying its output.  Can we use one of the emerging home automation standards to allow further extension of the system?  Hack the building?

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I think we should brand the coffee space! Its Engineering. We're a University.

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The tiered nature of the building would lend itself beautifully to hanging plants and creepers.  I think we should make it our intention to bring the building alive with LOTS of plants to improve mental health and air quality.  Our students' well being is at the core of our offer; let's make this an environment that is sympathetic to life!

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Following the suggestion about what we do with our wastes, it would be great if we could engineer in the support for an MFC power generation system from urine. Bring our research to bear on the problem of our environment.

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At the presentation yesterday there did not seem to be any provision of space for the electronic stores or PCB manufacture.
These will not be easy to squeeze into the labs as they both require space and security. The PCB manufacture also requires dust and fume extraction it is also fairly noisy.
teve

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With the SouthWest's biggest school of building next door, it would be great to have some sort of viewing platform we could access from the non-PPE side of the fence so we could pop over for a look on a regular basis.

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For a number of reasons, this building could be a prime place for a green roof:
1. This building will be overlooked by the FBL and SAP2 and a green roof will provide a nice view
2. There is likely to be a number of extract vents around this building, and from adjacent buildings, and green roofs can actively remove particulates from the air, making the air cleaner. With UWE having leading research in Air Quality, this would be an important design feature. Research article on green roof species effectiveness is here.
3. Green roofs are an architectural/design feature that we do not yet have represented on campus, and would provide a great learning tool for the ABE department as well as others.
Thanks,
Fabia J-F

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It would be useful to include a dedicated Phd / Research / Project area as part of the Mechatronics area. In the past we have built Rigs in the Lab for various projects some of which required a safe area that is adequately guarded for safety reasons i.e. laser sintering, and automated equipment.

Thanks Gary

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Automotive lab scales out(approx. from drawings) at 31mx5m.  There's more to planning spaces than just square metre areas! aspect ratio matters too 

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Automotive lab scales out(approx. from drawings) at 31mx5m.  There's more to planning spaces than just square metre areas! aspect ratio matters too 

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Looking at option 2
1) Is the lab on the upper or lower part of the 2-3M step down in the slab?
2) If the lab is on the upper part access will have to be next to the entrance area.
3) If the lab is on the upper part, the Teaching space and techs office on the lower part, do not to be 6M high, they could be 2,7M high and the space above could be handed over to the composites lab.
4) If the lab is on the lower part, the front glazed wall will be on the upper part of the wall and the rest will be 'in the basement' and not really showcasing the lab.
5) The lab does not require 6M high ceilings, 3M is sufficient.
6) For the lab to be 'State of the Art' It will need a 'Clean room' Temp and humidity controlled, a 'Dirty room' for finishing/sanding (all noisy) composite parts, and materials storage area. Against a block wall, not a glazed one.
7) I do not want to be walking 20M to the 'storage' area for access to materials.
8) Every lab area needs to have coats and bags hanging arrangements for the 'future' number of students in each lab. We currently have 30 students in a class, if this is to rise in number there will be a need for more 'Hooks'
9) Low level fume extraction/ventilation will be required due to the resin fumes given off are heavier than air. Wind direction in UK is from the SW.
10) Student projects storage in the lab against a wall.
11) Can the outside be 'Futuristic/Art Deco' esk please.

Thanks for listening, Doug Nash.

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Some thoughts:
1 - student lockers - is there a provision, they are popular!
2 - In R block lockers are used to store tools. If they are smart lockers that are accessed by an RFID card it would eliminate a key management issue and allow equipment to be booked online?
3 - are we thinking of how we can collect data for learning analytics from the new building? e.g. access data from the building (turnstyle entrance?) and classrooms and labs?
4 - Not having an open staircase would appear to be a wayfinding nightmare!

Nick

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Following from this mornings presentations:

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Following from this mornings presentations:

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1 - Access to wind tunnel areas seems to have been omitted
2 - Option 1 (particularly) has the automotive lab very long and thin - made worse by the need for control desks on the side facing the test cells.  This would result in a very poorly shaped space
3 - The space provided for the simulators does not accord with either the equipment we have, or the future aspirations of the teaching staff.

Neil

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Coyld you change the name if the Concrete lab to the Construction Materials lab. It will also have bricks timber and metal exoeriments.

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Ideas for visuals of what the new building engagement outreach space could look like...

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Ideas for visuals of what the new building engagement outreach space could look like...

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UWE Example outreach activities

https://robotsvsanimals.wordpress.com/author/robotsvsanimals/

https://info.uwe.ac.uk/news/uwenews/news.aspx?id=3524

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cn0r8NfXYAAvATQ.jpg

BRL pods and tours

http://www.brl.ac.uk/aboutus/photogallery.aspx

Future Space

https://www.futurespacebristol.co.uk/meeting-room-in-bristol/

R block

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=R+block+uwe&rlz=1C1GKLB_enGB610GB612&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj6he2sv8XWAhXsJMAKHQ18D98Q_AUICygC&biw=1920&bih=900#imgrc=kU6d1aHxKC6ERM:

S block Education teaching rooms and maker spaces (used in our Children as Engineers project)

University of Southampton Biology ‘LifeLab’ outreach teaching rooms

https://www.southampton.ac.uk/lifelab/index.page

http://www.cantell.co.uk/media/images/user-uploads/original/_6JB1471.jpg

https://cdn.southampton.ac.uk/assets/imported/transforms/content-block/CB_RImg/C3A2023B019445FBB9113C3A58623AB4/su-30482.jpg_SIA_JPG_fit_to_width_INLINE.jpg

Brunel University Outreach Centre

http://www.computerweekly.com/news/4500260777/Brunel-University-learning-centre-will-inspire-Stem-skills

http://www.brunel.ac.uk/greentrail/innovation/STEM-Centre

University of Auckland Medical Zone

https://www.fmhs.auckland.ac.nz/en/faculty/mslc.html

STEM centres in schools/universities

https://static2.gensler.com/uploads/hero_element/8006/thumb_desktop/thumbs/dwight-englewood__1024x576_07_1456445377_1024x576.jpg

https://static2.gensler.com/uploads/hero_element/8013/thumb_desktop/thumbs/dwight-englewood__1024x576_14_1456446048_1024x576.jpg

http://knxtoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/KNX-atrium.jpg

http://www.timronalds.co.uk/assets/projects/main/proj-sevenoaks-sixth-02.jpg

Science centres

https://i2.wp.com/www.beta-architecture.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/1651-01.jpg?w=1500

https://media.timeout.com/images/101765659/image.jpg

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=at+bristol&rlz=1C1GKLB_enGB610GB612&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiH9aTEw8XWAhXoAcAKHTVmBxkQ_AUICygC&biw=1920&bih=900#imgrc=U8RhASZXLRw4jM:

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There is very little available on which to base comments at this stage. The diagram on the "More about the new engineering building" page shows a bus route winding around the building. Is this necessary ? It brings large vehicles, noise and pollution into the heart of the campus and will perpetuate the feeling of a highway engineering dominated external environment and make natural ventilation less attractive. Shouldn't the bulk of the campus be an essentially pedestrian dominant environment?

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Given the poor exposure of the site to wind, the noise and dust issues with labs, nat vent is unlikely to be effective here. Airtight structure with large MVHR likely to be a better solution. Manual windows in offices to keep oeople happy.

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Can the building not rely on mechanical vent and deep floor plans please. Also can it relate to the outside spaces and context around it, and not be surrounded by impervious 'walls'. Many thanks.

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It would be great if there was a good water resource management system in the new building, such as rainwater harvesting, or greywater recycling, or something else?? This will help UWE meet its water reduction targets, and be a learning tool for the students across all the FET departments (Building Services/AEE; Environmental management (GEM); Engineering); as well as potentially contribute to our international research on water resources (GEM). The rainwater harvesting system on R Block is due to be recommissioned I think (Nigel/Mike Kingdom in Estates know more) so lessons could be learnt from that project. To make this a useful learning tool, accessibility to view the tank, or good diagrams, or a live monitoring system would work well. Fabia J-F

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the most complicated system in a building is the BMS. We have reviewed over 30 different buildings across Bristol and have yet to find a one set up well. its usually rushed in commissioning and poorly documented. If the BMS could be used as a teaching tool, we would use it to educate generations of engineers to make a better, cheaper and quicker BMS systems. We have some ideas how this could be achieved. POFlynn

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we teach AEE and BSE students the importance of attention to detail when specifying the parts of buildings people interact with (switches, thermostats, etc), but we have no good example on the campus of how this is done. too many lighting failures, too many annoying automated windows, too many poor working temperature control. You should set a usability criteria at stage 2 and have a usability review at stage 3. POFlynn http://www.usablebuildings.co.uk/

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An Inclusive Building for Inclusive Teaching

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An Inclusive Building for Inclusive Teaching

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For an organisation that claims to be accessible to people for different background and of different abilities, just complying with part M of the regs is not good enough. It should aspire to be  awarding in accessibility using BS8300 and others. https://www.architecture.com/knowledge-and-resources/knowledge-landing-page/inclusive-design-the-standard-to-reach

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Unlike most labs the physics lab will be home to kit that students will need to book out to do field measurements as part of assessment. Students will often search for the technician to book these. Should be close by and visable

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When will we be able to look at the architect's designs of the new building?

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When will we be able to look at the architect's designs of the new building?

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Anthony Poploski

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Please use this page to add feedback/suggestions/photos in relation to the Engineering new build.  Please add your name and cluster to the post.

- please feel free to get in touch if you have any queries about the project.  Marianne Reed - Head of Faculty Strategic Developments marianne.reed@uwe.ac.uk