Minimising the Up-Front and Operational Costs of Services and FF&E
Services and FF&E are essential details of school building programmes. Even so, there’s been a tendency for them to be an afterthought. Sometimes this is because they fall under different contracts from the main construction of the building.
This, in turn, means that they’re often the cause of delays and unexpected costs in both the construction and operational phases.
People involved with education estates will be familiar with FF&E that doesn’t fit neatly into the space provided or where power and drainage points aren’t where they need to be.
Services that can’t physically be installed as specified in the plans is another common cause of frustration – as are services that have restricted access for maintenance teams.
These are technical problems that tend to emerge late in the schedule. Rectifying them can cause delays in other aspects of the fit out and with follow-on trades.
Simplifying Service Installation with MMC
As school construction moves into an era of MMC and high levels of pre-manufactured content, the complications and added costs associated with FF&E and services should disappear.
With a component-based product like Osborne’s InForm these aspects are fully integrated into the design phase. This is partly out of necessity as the major elements of the structure are not intended to be modified onsite.
Because the structure has to be right when it leaves the factory, details like the routing of services have to be carefully planned with input from appropriate specialist contractors. Any potential clashes are eliminated in the BIM environment rather than in a half-built new school.
Bringing FF&E into the design phase brings additional opportunities to fully engage building users so that teaching areas, laboratories, fume cupboards, for example, are located in the most suitable and convenient way to support effective teaching and learning.
Easily To Replicate
This can all be done within the 3D design environment and can even be supported with VR for a fully immersive experience. Because designs are standardised, everything is easily replicated.
InForm applies advanced manufacturing concepts to simplify every phase of the school construction process. This offers greater certainty over the initial construction cost and timing and helps to minimise future maintenance costs.
For more information about Osborne’s InForm product for education contact Caroline Compton-James ([email protected]). Or visit our resource centre.
