Education
Treetops School - Thurrock
Client: Thurrock Council
DB&P's Services: Building Services Consultant Engineers

Treetops School represents the first phase of Thurrock's plans to establish a centre of excellence, creating an environment in which the combination of dedicated staff and the provision of modern facilities significantly improve the educational opportunities for children with learning difficulties. The school comprises 15No. specialist Classrooms arranged around the perimeter of the building. Each Classroom has a floor area circa 60m2 in which 10No. pupils, ably assisted by their careers, interact with enthusiasm for the benefit of all concerned.
The school makes provision for a number of specialist rooms; these are arranged around an internal courtyard and include Autism Rooms, Design and Food Technology, Library, IT Centre, Medical Rooms, Music Rooms, Science Rooms, Soft Play/Sensory Rooms, etc. Additionally, the school includes a Children's Centre, Nursery, Multi Purpose Hall and general administration facilities.
The underfloor heating systems are zoned to accord with varying occupation periods within the building, with the primary flow temperature limited to a maximum 43oC thus eliminating the need for local pumping stations and multi- temperature mixing valves. Combined with a ∆t of 20oC across the boilers, this significantly reduces pipe sizes, system operating pressures and energy consumption.
Natural ventilation is provided to the Classrooms and Multi-Purpose Hall by varying means of passive ventilation. In principle, stale warm air is discharged via high level louvres and / or turrets with fresh air being induced through low level air inlets; the flow of air operates under negative pressure created by the "stack effect" within the building. The amount of incoming air is automatically controlled by monitoring air quality (CO2 levels) and the actual room temperature – the controls subsequently modulate the incoming and exhaust louvers as deemed appropriate.
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