Millfield School is the first school in the UK to install not one, but two groundbreaking tensioned membrane buildings from Paragon Structures, specialist providers to the sport and education sectors.
“When your school’s mission is to be a world leader for the development of children and offer them outstanding sporting opportunities, you need to take a step into the unknown and challenge what’s gone before. It was a gamble that’s certainly paid off,” says Neil Chapillon, head of estates at Millfield School.
The school’s new award-winning golf and cricket structures facilitate year-round practice for pupils and the wider sporting community, including the English Cricket Board for its coaching and umpire courses.
Using patented technology, Paragon’s insulated tensioned membrane buildings are a viable solution for schools looking for a sustainable and cost-effective sports facility.
The long-lasting structures offer a superior performance space for all sports and leisure activities, from tennis, cricket and swimming, to netball, basketball and athletics.
They are significantly quicker to construct than traditional sports buildings – a 1,000m2 insulated structure is typically erected in 35 days irrespective of weather conditions and both Millfield projects were completed within just seven months. They are considerably more cost-effective too, with up to 40% cheaper capital costs.
Meeting Sport England standards, the structures feature vast clear-span interiors, generous ceiling heights and translucent daylight panels that flood the space with natural light to provide the ideal playing environment for both training and competitions.
Chapillon says: “Paragon Structures have taken our golf and cricket facilities to the next level. I’m blown away by the results.
“Compared to traditional constructions, Paragon’s sprung structure solution was unbeatable; we essentially ended up with two new buildings for the price of one, traditionally built and all delivered in just seven months from start to finish.”
Entirely bespoke, the sports buildings are made with environmentally-friendly materials including an aluminium frame, which is 100% recyclable.
They use low-carbon footprint materials compared to steel or brick buildings, minimise waste to landfill due to reduced foundations and prefabrication, and result in low construction-site traffic. They have also achieved a BREEAM rating of Excellent.
The structures are lightweight, durable and are built to withstand extreme weather conditions, including hurricane-strength winds and heavy snow loads. They are also flame retardant and comply with all British building standards and safety regulations.
Meanwhile, superior insulation combined with the airtightness of the membrane design, which is 10 times better than building regulations limits, create highly thermally efficient buildings to significantly reduce running costs.
With a 25-year, pro-rata guarantee on exterior membranes and a military-grade aluminium substructure that is guaranteed rust-proof for 50 years, the versatile sports structures are designed to perform for decades.
“Our high-performance buildings are suitable for all sports. Built to last, they are a cost-effective and environmentally-friendly solution for schools looking to serve the sporting needs of pupils and staff for decades to come,” says Matt Sanders, managing director of Paragon Structures.
Talk to us about how you can revitalise your school sports offer:
T: 01225 618188
