The RNLI Bembridge Lifeboat Station on the Isle of Wight was named Overall winner at The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) South Engineering Excellence Awards 2011. The awards, presented in Southampton on 10 June, recognise excellence in civil engineering projects completed in the last year across the South of England. The winning projects were based on criteria such as creativity and innovation, sustainability and environmental sensitivity and benefits to the client and wider public.
The £8 million Bembridge Lifeboat Station is the RNLI’s third purpose built Tamar slipway lifeboat station. Hoare Lea’s Plymouth office carried out the MEP engineering design and worked with Alan Culshaw Architects and OPUS Consulting to design a building that the RNLI can use to reach 95% of casualties within 30 minutes of launch, at virtually any point within 50 miles of the station.
Key factors include the aesthetics achieved by the precast concrete access walkway and the attractive interior achieved by use of a glulam framed superstructure, lit by the natural lighting through the translucent main door. The works were carried out in a way that minimised disturbance to ecology and with significant engagement with the local community and businesses in order to limit disruption and where possible, enhance trade through the summer months. The result is a station which offers a much improved rescue service for sailing and commercial craft in the vicinity of the Isle of Wight.
Donald McCallum, chair of the judging panel, said:
“The judges were impressed by the excellent engineering content of this project, including innovative design and construction techniques, maximising use of the limited time available for working over sea. The project showed appropriate recognition of ecological and environmental issues, and established a good relationship with the local community.”
For more information go to: http://www.ice.org.uk
Paragraph 3 courtesy of http://www.ice.org
Hoare Lea has just been appointed to carry out the MEP design at RNLI Mumbles and is currently working on a number of further RNLI projects around the UK.
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