Equality Act (2010) (which incorporates and supersedes Disability Discrimination Act 1995)
Building Regulations 2000
Inclusion
A current accommodation need of an educational establishment is the need to support inclusion. Traditionally, children and adults with disabilities were taught in special schools. Nowadays, educational establishments support a wide range of learners with disabilities and additional needs, and only a very small minority of learners attend special provision. The Equality Act (2010) (which incorporates and supersedes Disability Discrimination Act 1995) makes it unlawful for educational establishments to discriminate against learners who have disabilities. Therefore, they have to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to enable the establishment to meet the needs of individual learners. It can be very expensive to do this after the design stage, so it is important for the designer to consider how the building will meet the needs of learners with a wide range of needs.
In my design, I have lifts to the top floor to ensure the building is accessible to people with limited mobility. Doors will be wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs, and all floor surfaces will be as flat as possible, or have ramps.
Workstations
In the 1890’s the university learning environment would be hard benches placed in rows which could not be moved to allow different classroom activities or to enable individual comforts. Students would be seated shoulder to shoulder with little space between them. The classroom environment has changed over the years, but even in my school days I remember being seated in rows facing the front. Even now chairs are made of hard plastic, with no room for adjustment. However, I personally think adults learn better when their need for comfort is met.
Therefore, I have designed individual work stations which combine comfortable but supportive chairs. The chairs have a built-in massage function to relax students and increase their comfort. The pneumatic workstations can be smoothly and easily adjusted to meet individual needs. Keyboard and screen height can also be adjusted. This is important as the workstations need to comply with the Health and Safety (display screen equipment) Regulations 1992, which aims to protect the health of people who use them. There are lots of ailments related improper posture, associated with back, neck, shoulder or arm pain, as well as fatigue and eye strain.
I have designed the workstations to be mobile. This is to enable the teacher to set up the room for each lesson to best facilitate learning. For example, a U-shape is a good design for discussions and whole group learning, but equally the workstations can be clustered in small groups. The workstations can be positioned to ensure adequate space between students.
Lighting
The Education (school premises) regulation 1999 states that the maintained luminance of teaching accommodation shall not be less than 300 lux on the working plane. The glare index shall be limited to no more than 19. My design will provide adequate lighting through natural light provided by large windows. There are also down lights.
Ventilation
Building Regulations part F describes ventilation as:
“the supply and removal of air (by natural and/or mechanical means) to or from a space or spaces in a building”.
Adequate ventilation is important because otherwise carbon dioxide will build up, particularly in the classroom where there are a large number of people in small spaces, for a long period of time. In a classroom situation it is possible that inadequate ventilation could reduce performance as it can cause headaches, drowsiness and the inability to concentrate.
Windows are not sufficient ventilation on their own, as in cold weather it will be difficult to maintain adequate room temperatures, whilst ensuring an adequate change of air. My design would use stacked ventilation to ensure adequate air exchange, whilst enabling comfortable room temperatures to be maintained.
The following ventilation requirements will be met in my design:
The Education (school premises) regulation 1999 states:
“All occupied areas in a school building shall have controllable ventilation at a minimum rate of 3 litres of fresh air per second for each of the maximum number of persons the area will accommodate.”
Heating
Environmental factors (such as humidity and sources of heat in the building) combined with personal factors, (such as the clothes being worn and the how physically active the person is), influence what is called someone’s ‘thermal comfort’.
In line with the Education (School premises) regulation 1999 in a school building, where there is a normal level of physical activity associated with teaching, private study or examinations the temperature should not fall below18°C or rise above 23°C.
Heating systems chosen will need to keep the classroom at this level for optimum comfort throughout the day. In an educational environment if students are feeling too hot or too cold it will affect their performance and ability to concentrate.
Acoustics
Acoustics is important in an educational setting because noise can interrupt learning. Sometimes the noise might be so loud it’s difficult for students to hear the tutor or other students. At other times noise can just be distracting to students, making it difficult for them to give their full attention. Poor acoustics in building design can put students with hearing impairments at a particular disadvantage in their learning.
Traditionally classrooms were built with cement and brick walls. They often had hard floors, chalk boards, metal framed desks etc and these items encourage sound vibration and don’t absorb sound.
There is legislation which ensures educational establishments are designed to a minimum standard with regard to acoustics.
Education (School premises) regulation 1999 states that:
“Each room or other space in a school building shall have the acoustic conditions and the insulation against disturbance by noise appropriate to its normal use”
My more modern classroom design will maximise noise reduction by having carpets with sound proof underlay, and soft furnishings within the room. Hearing loops will be installed to assist students who may have a hearing impairment.
Fire Safety
It is important to give adequate thought to fire safety at design stage, in order to meet building regulations. Student safety of upmost importance, but effective fire safety devises can also limit damage to the building in the case of a fire, and so can prevent costly damage.
My design will incorporate the following fire safety features:
Adequate means of escape:
Two fire exits, which are placed appropriately to enable all users of the building to access an exit close to them. Several exits are needed to enable alternative exits to be used depending on where the fire breaks out.
Automatic detection, alarms and communications
Signs and notices
All fire exits will have clear signs.
Emergency lighting
Emergency lighting is placed in my design to enable illumination of escape routes and fire alarms so they can be located and followed.
First Aid fire fighting equipment
First fire fighting equipment is not actually covered by building regulations, but it is a good idea to consider it at design stage because it will be required to enable the building to meet health and safety regulations, and there will be a need to plan where it is to go.
In my design I have included powder and water fire extinguishers.
Sprinkler systems
My design includes a building wide suppression system which has heat detectors throughout the building. Sprinklers can be highly effective in controlling a fire when it is still small, and will buy time for people to evacuate the building and for fire services to arrive.
Reference
Building bulletin 100, Design for fire safety in schools, Department for children schools and families.
(Accessed 04/12/11)
Standards for education premises
(Accessed 11/12/11)
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