Stewart Milne Timber Systems has helped to deliver a cost effective and energy efficient student accommodation building for Essex University as part of the institution's commitment to provide top quality living quarters for students.

The project is part of a host of recent wins in the education sector, a growing area of business for the group, which has also delivered BREEAM Excellent and Outstanding rated accommodation for the universities of Plymouth and Bradford.

The Meadows at Essex University, which was also designed to BREEAM Excellent standard, was constructed using Stewart Milne’s Sigma II Build System, a cutting edge timber frame technology that delivers superior insulation and air tightness through closed panel systems.


Adapting a fabric first approach, the building achieved a U-Value of just 0.23 W/m2K, representing a low level of heat loss and maximising energy efficiency in the process. Additionally, the project achieved Y-Values between 0.05 and 0.06 as well as an air tightness of three.

With students due to take up their accommodation in the 2013/2014 academic year, Stewart Milne Timber Systems was able to help meet this deadline by delivering 19 four-storey units in only 11 weeks, significantly quicker than projects delivered with concrete or steel frame systems.

Alex Goodfellow, Group Managing Director of Stewart Milne Timber Systems, said: "More and more universities are realising the benefits of employing timber frame in their new builds.

"As a build material, timber is a cost effective, environmentally friendly choice that can significantly increase speed of build – a key concern for institutions that have strict term times and therefore cannot allow for delays.

"Student accommodation is a growing area of success for Stewart Milne Timber Systems, with timber the logical choice for those looking for low cost, high quality projects that are time sensitive."

(CD/MH)