Exmouth Community College
Exmouth Community College
Exmouth, UK
About the Project
Exmouth Community College, one of the largest schools in Devon, undertook a significant £13 million renovation to enhance its facilities, with a particular focus on the Green Close site. This new development aimed to expand the school’s capacity and functionality, offering advanced educational resources and dedicated spaces for a variety of academic and extracurricular activities.
Challenge
One of the key design goals of the development was to create an efficient, durable, and aesthetically cohesive façade. To support the facility’s operational needs, CS was invited to provide a ventilation louvre solution that would allow essential airflow to the plant room while offering protection from the coastal climate. Situated in a marine environment, the project required the use of durable, high-performance materials to ensure the building’s longevity.
Solution
To meet the project’s ventilation and environmental resilience needs, CS supplied its RSH-5700 Rain Defence Louvres. Installed on the second floor of the northwest elevation, the louvres provide an efficient airflow to the plant room (Airflow Class 2 in intake applications) combined with an excellent protection against wind-driven rain (Rain Penetration Class A, up to 3.0 m/s).
Powder-coated in Dark Grey RAL 7016 with a marine-grade finish ensuring coastal durability, all units were fitted with bird guards in the same colour.
The RSH-5700 is designed to deliver excellent performance in a shallow, 129mm deep design. The model also offers the option for an invisible horizontal joint detail, a feature that was utilised on this project. To aid handling and installation, each of the seven 3300mm wide by 2850mm high modules was delivered in three sections.
Notably, three of the modules were designed to be removable for easy access to the plant equipment when necessary. This was achieved through a bespoke configuration, employing jamb frames instead of interlocking mullions, enabling the adjacent units to fit closely together without compromising structural integrity.
Completed in early 2023, the Exmouth Community College renovation provides an improved environment for students and staff.