An innovative site hoarding system is being used for the first time by Shepherd Construction as building work progresses on a new £22.9m school and home in Coventry, on behalf of the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB).
The site hoarding system, supplied by Nottinghamshire company easi-edge Safety Solutions and developed in partnership with Shepherd Construction, has eliminated the need to excavate foundations to install the system. In addition the ‘hoard-it’ system can be re-used, making it more sustainable than traditional site hoarding.
The site hoarding system is manufactured using carefully chosen 100% certified ply wood, with heavy duty concrete blocks and robust steel upright supports to stabilise the structure.
Steve Waller, plant manager for Shepherd Construction’s Hire Centre Division explains: “The new easi-edge system is our number one choice for perimeter protection and covers all of our safety and security requirements. It is versatile, easy to erect and dismantle, and has clear environmental and financial benefits as it can be re-used on other schemes for years to come.
“The site hoarding is ideal for our changing site conditions as it can be moved with minimum disruption, or opened up and reinstalled without any damage to the components of ground conditions."
For the 32,000m² RNIB project on the Ash Green Campus in Coventry the site hoarding boards have also been colour coded in a particular way to allow partially sighted people to see them.
Once completed, in summer 2011, the new facility will be completely accessible for the 60 young people who have sight problems and learning difficulties. The school will include a number of multi-sensory specialist areas, music therapy centre and hydrotherapy area. The home will comprise 10 individual single-storey houses, and careful attention will be paid to landscaping to provide different environments and habitats for children to explore in a safe, protected environment.