New college addresses water-supply issues

Water-supply issues are addressed in the design of a new building at Merton College by collecting rainwater for sanitation and water plants. Formerly opened by Bill Rammell, MP, the minister whose responsibilities include further education and lifelong learning, the building provides students with a library and learning centre with over a hundred computers and 20 000 books and journals, flexible IT-networked teaching spaces, sixth-form centre, IT café and bookshop, science laboratories and special areas for the visual and performing arts. It provides 6000 m2 of floor space. Other environmental issues are addressed by using chilled beams to provide comfort cooling and exposed ceilings with night-time ventilation. College principal Sally McEnhill says, ‘Wherever we can, we have gone for green, sustainable technology.’ Architect was Nightingale Associated, and Max Fordham LLP was building-services engineer.