Hazlemere Commercial’s green credentials reinforced after completion of award winning sustainability project

In 2010 Hazlemere Commercial completed a £2.4m fenestration project at Bideford College, Abbotsham Road, Bideford in Devon for clients Devon County Council, as part of a £44m redevelopment by main contractors Morgan Sindall Group Plc. The project involved construction of a new purpose built college as part of the Governments ‘Building Schools for the Future’ programme.

This award winning sustainability project used 100% re-cycled aluminium billet in the production of aluminium Sapa 55 and 75 casement windows. Hazlemere Commercial designed, manufactured and installed all the aluminium curtain wall, aluminium windows and commercial entrance doors for main contractors Morgan Sindall Group plc in conjunction with both the architect and Sapa Building Systems. There was a huge effort made in the facade engineering to incorporate the Stow render panels to achieve the spans required, while giving the appearance of a seamless joint.

The new college includes a 70m aluminium sloping curtain wall double glazed roof light. All the curtain walling, windows and doors were fabricated by Hazlemere Commercial in their High Wycombe factory located on Cressex Business Park, before being installed by their own expert installers, on time and on budget. Click here to view a case study on Bideford College and other Commercial projects

The construction of a new purpose built college was undertaken as part of the Governments ‘Building Schools for the Future’ programme, with the emphasis on using sustainable environmentally friendly, energy saving products, such as the double glazed aluminium frames that can be 100% recycled.

The Hazlemere Group has many years of experience with Sapa products, which they fabricate to client requirements in their own recently refurbished production facility at Cressex, on the outskirts of High Wycombe.

In the last two decades Hazlemere Commercial has gained an enviable reputation with local authority contracts of this nature, where its ability to safely undertake the work while safe guarding the occupants and visitors is second to none.

The new Bideford College accommodates 1800 students, and is a national demonstration facility for Science and Sustainability, as well as a Laboratory for the Future demonstrator. The College is the only facility in the UK that has been identified to demonstrate all three areas and as such this can only bring high visibility to the project and beyond for the students, academic staff and community.
The aspiration of the new College is to be a carbon neutral site using cutting edge environmental and ecological systems to reduce CO2 emissions. This includes bio-mass boilers burning woodchip rather than gas, use of solar power, possibly wind power, rain-water recycling for all non-drinking usage (toilets etc), maximum use of recycled and recyclable materials in the building project, and a Building Management System (BMS) which will monitor and manage energy usage.

Bideford College’s use of environmentally friendly aluminium showed a genuine commitment to sustainability, as aluminium can be recycled again and again without the loss of quality. The re-melting of aluminium requires little energy; it saves up to 95% of the energy required for primary aluminium production.

Aluminium naturally generates a protective oxide coating and is highly corrosion resistant, so ideal for products where protection, strength and conservation are required. Aluminium is also lightweight, yet a strong versatile metal that has the ability to accept different surface finishes like anodising and powder coating.

As highlighted by the Council for Aluminium in Building’s â€ŔAluminium & Sustainability” report, â€ŔBuildings constructed primarily of aluminium are lighter and require less groundwork in the form of foundations. Because they are light they need less energy to transport and less energy to erect on site.”

Hazlemere Commercial is a major division of Buckinghamshire based Hazlemere Window Company Ltd who are independent specialist fenestration manufacturers and installers with over 25 years industry experience.