A crane hoists one of the large cross-laminated timber panels into position.
	Kier Eastern's Design Co-ordinator Will Hendry (left) discusses progress with GSS's Jonathan Hunter (centre) and GSS partner-in-charge Tom Lyons.

Construction is well under way on a £13 million project to remodel and extend St John Fisher Roman Catholic School in Peterborough.

The scheme has been designed by GSS Architecture, while the main contractors are Kier Eastern. According to GSS partner Tom Lyons, "The project is an outstanding example of the way that sustainability issues are being effectively tackled."

The new development will include a library; sports hall and all-weather pitch along with music, drama, and ICT rooms. These will be located around a courtyard garden with an oratory in the centre. The development will also include new and refurbished classrooms.

Two of the large new buildings are actually being constructed from plywood – but this is plywood with a difference. Technically known as cross-laminated timber, the load-bearing panels are constructed to very fine tolerances in the factory and then assembled on site using large cranes. The timber for the panels comes from sustainable managed forests. The panels, which provide good thermal mass and minimise air leakage, allow for very rapid construction. They will subsequently be highly insulated and clad in weather-proof, fire-resistant panelling, brickwork and render.

GSS team leader Jonathan Hunter described the project's environmentally-friendly aspects, "Apart from the special panels, other sustainable features will include ground source heat pumps which draw naturally occurring heat from the earth, solar hot water collectors mounted on the south facing roofs and a wind turbine located at the front of the school."

As well as providing first class facilities, the new buildings will serve to highlight the importance of energy conservation to the students and the wider community, who will also have access to the facilities.

The client is the Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia and the project is being jointly funded by the diocese, Peterborough City Council, and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). It is firmly on schedule to be completed by Christmas this year.