Empey opens new £6.5million stranmillis college building
2 July 2008
Minister for Employment and Learning, Sir Reg Empey MLA, today opened the Orchard Building at Stranmillis University College.
The project, which cost £6.5 million and is the first building of its scale in the education sector to use bio-fuel, was funded by the Department for Employment and Learning through the Reinvestment and Reform Initiative which was set up by the Executive in 2002.
The new building provides new teaching accommodation for the University College and will also house the Art, Health and Leisure, Physical Education and Technology and Design subject areas.
Speaking at the opening Sir Reg said: “I must commend all involved in the design and construction of this tremendous learning facility for their attention to environment and sustainability issues which have been considered in detail at every stage of this development.
“As the first building of this scale within the education sector to use bio-fuel, the Orchard Building is an exemplar and a beacon of best practice.
Indeed, this approach to environmental and sustainability issues entirely complements the Assembly’s Programme for Government target to create a sustainable and fit for purpose higher education estate.”
The Minister continued: “Stranmillis University College has a long established reputation for excellence and I know that the Orchard Building will greatly enhance the learning and teaching experience of staff and students for many years to come.”
The Minister concluded by congratulating the Governing Body and the design and construction team on such a magnificent building and pointed out that the many environmental and sustainability features of this building have been recognised by a number of prestigious awards.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
1. The Minister was welcomed to Stranmillis University College by Mr Steve Costello, Chair of the Governing Body, and Dr Anne Heaslett, Principal, who briefed the Minister on the new Orchard Building.
2. Stranmillis University College is a co-educational Teacher Training College which has been in existence since 1922. As a result of the Colleges of Education (Northern Ireland) Order 2005, Stranmillis College is a legally incorporated higher education institute. The College is accountable to a corporate governing body appointed by the Minister with responsibility for Employment and Learning.
3. Funding for the project was initially announced by Ian Pearson in 2003. The funding was made available as part of the Strategic Investment Programme under the Reinvestment and Reform Initiative. The funding was allocated to address the under spend in infrastructure in Northern Ireland and was made available to Departments over and above normal capital budgets.
4. It has been constructed on the site of the previous Orchard Building which was of a temporary construction, circa 1950. That building was described as an ‘uninspiring relic of 1950’s austerity architecture’. The new building also replaces the Henry Garrett Building.
5. The outline design of the new Orchard Building was carried out by Scott Wilson (Design Architects) (formerly Ferguson & McIlveen), and developed by Knox & Clayton (Project Architects) on behalf of the Main Contractor, Glasgiven Contracts Ltd.
6. Environmental and sustainability issues were drivers in the design and the Architects have created a building which is regarded as a model as to how sustainability can be used to benefit the environment. It is the first building of its scale in the education sector to use bio-fuel.
7. The building has been entered in a number of competitions and has received awards from the following bodies:
- Royal Society for the Protection of Birds & Royal Town Planning Institute
- Royal Society of Ulster Architects (2)
- Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
- Royal Institution of British Architects
- Royal Institution of Architects of Ireland.
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