Category Archives: Timber engineering

Sustainable school construction at Maddiston Primary School, Falkirk

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Educational. £9 million.

August 2008 saw a milestone reached with the formal handing over of keys by Graham Construction to the new Maddiston Primary School in Falkirk, Scotland.

The event took on special significance given that nine months before the ‘almost completed’ school was partially destroyed by fire.

McCarey Simmonds were responsible for the structural engineering design of the superstructure of this two-storey timber framed primary school (5,108m2) which was constructed on a greenfield site.

The two storey school stands as a model of sustainable construction having been built using a host of notable sustainability techniques. All timber in the project, including the substantial timber framing is from 100% Sustainably Certified Timber sources under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) scheme. The block work used is a recycled Enviroblock, the walls are treated with recycled newspaper insulation and the playground surface is made from 100% recycled tyre rubber.

The sedum grass ‘green roof’ provides green ecological space and acts as a natural water retainer, thus minimising the risk of flooding. This blends effortlessly with local stone which was used for the façade with traditional Lime mortar.

Timber engineers for traditional green oak frame, Pegden Lodge, Scaynes Hill

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McCarey Simmonds, specialist timber engineers, are designing a new house to be build of green oak in the style of a 16th Century ‘Wealden Hall House’.This is a type of vernacular medieval timber-framed yeoman’s house traditional in the south east of England. The aim is to satisfy Code for Sustainable Homes level 5.

When complete the building will be very similar to the Alfriston Clergy House below.

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The client, Peter Mahon is actively involved in the build process having set-up a Woodmizer sawmill to facilitate the milling of 500 tons of FSC English oak . Nick Caine of Thomlinson & Cain is the Master Carpenter crafting and erecting the oak frames on site with the whole process being Project Managed by the guiding hand of Alan Deane of AD Construction.

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The house which has a full plan basement will be lime rendered externally to complete the traditional look.

timber engineers

Environmental housing for Wolverhampton City Council.

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30 apartments and terrace housing. £4.0 million.

This November, Cross Street South, the Midland’s first Eco community in Wolverhampton, won the Sustainable Housing Award for ‘Sustainable larger social housing project of the year’ at a ceremony hosted by impressionist, comedian, and committed environmental campaigner, Alistair McGowan, at London’s Hilton Hotel.

This ground breaking development, the superstructure structural engineering which was designed by McCarey Simmonds, provides 27 eco-friendly flats and 3 houses that uses up to 50% less energy than standard homes, only needing 2 kilowatts of heat as opposed to the usual 8 to 10. It also uses a range of low maintenance materials such as cedar cladding and recycled wood in its kitchen units. The grass roof provides good insulation and keeps the homes cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Other eco friendly aspects include a community recycled wood chip boiler, which provides all of the heating and hot water for the homes, low energy lighting, composting, recycling bins, water butts and high performance softwood and double-glazing.