The Nursery is located within the Old Aberdeen campus and is an independent nursery to provide facilities for the students and staff of the University of Aberdeen.

The new purpose-built nursery building is the first early years setting in Scotland to be built using the Passivhaus (Passive House) design. The passivhaus aim is to be energy efficient and maintain a comfortable environment without the need for using heating.

The project is estimated at £1.5 million, and we played a prominent part in the design and construction team to deliver this successfully to the client. The project is Passivhaus accredited, this the first for a commercial project in Scotland. The ground conditions required 43 concrete piles within the foundations, with this requiring detailed investigation and consideration, with this also part of the insulated perimeter detailing.

We worked closely with the insulated timber construction to achieve both the required structural and insulated arrangements. There is 400mm and 450mm of insulation on the walls and roof respectively, with 300mm below the floor slab. The external envelope of the building incorporates eye catching chameleon rock panel cladding, this designed by architects BMJ. The building incorporates a mechanical ventilation and heat recovery system working alongside air source heat pumps. We required to work alongside the client to investigate the existing drainage system and define locations of existing services. The piling operation required a detailed piling platform design, which we carried out under a temporary works design.

The project is a stunning example of how modern technology can be used, and looks fantastic today as it did when first constructed.