An earthmover at the construction site

Construction work has began on Phase III of the University. The project comprises construction of a Management Science Building that will have classrooms, lecture theatres and offices; the definitive business school building; the Student Centre; and new and better Sports Grounds.

The Management Science Building is scheduled to be completed in June 2009 while the other buildings are scheduled to be completed in June 2010. Phase III will more than double the University's floor area from the current 20190 square metres to 41,190 square metres.

The classroom's sitting capacity will increase to 4350 seats from 2350. The cafeteria's sitting capacity will triple. The student Centre is designed for 8000 students - double today's students population.

The Student Centre will be a modern complex that will provide students with many facilities found in modern business centres. It will have a medical centre, a business incubation unit, and a club house.

Environmental friendly

The buildings will be the one of the first in Africa designed in adherence with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, a suite of standards for environmentally sustainable construction. The business school building will be the first such designed business school in the world!

LEED rating system addresses six major areas: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, innovation and design process. The project uses innovation in its structures, natural lighting, water management, infrastructure optimization, energy efficiency, heat recovery, IT Flexibility, indoor air quality, ease of access, heat island effect reduction, and use of renewable materials.

The buildings will have separate piping and storage system for water from the City Council, borehole and harvested rain water. This is to facilitate the treatment of water for the purpose it will be used for. For example, rain water will be used in toilets and for irrigation. Water wastage will be reduced by using infrared sensing water taps.

To ensure quiet classrooms (even by Langata Road), a flies-free cafeteria, food odor control in the Student Center, ventilated bathrooms, and 100% filtered fresh air supply, the buildings will utilise displacement ventilation, indirect and direct evaporative cooling, atrium water features, extractors and supply fans, and carbon dioxide monitoring.

Structures

To facilitate access, each building will have two elevators, and ramps for wheelchairs. They will also have wheelchair-ready bathrooms and spaces for wheelchairs in classrooms. The student centre will also have an escalator.

Instead of making suspended floors the traditional way using concrete, the buildings' floors will be made of hollow flat slabs. The slabs don't require beams for support, offer better seismic performance (withstand earthquake and tremors better). The slabs are made from recycled plastic and their use will save the project about Kshs 18 million.

The use of the slabs on the ground floor will result in a ventilated floor that does away with water proofing, and annuls pressure from humidity.

The buildings have a flexible design. They will have non-permanent glass partitions in offices and meeting rooms. The atrium in the business school building will also be used as an auditorium. Classrooms in the Management Science have been designed with door at the front and back and differentiated light switches so that they can be sub-divided when need arises.

The buildings will maximize on natural lighting by using glass walls, a glass atrium roof with automatic Roman Blinds, and glass partitions. For safety purposes sun-blasted glass will be used.

Renewable, recycled or recyclable materials will be used in the building. These include bamboo doors, U-Boot slab forms, Iglu floor forms and on-site rubble as hardcore filling supplement.

The project is estimated to cost Kshs 550 million. Vice-Chancellor, Prof John Odhiambo said that Strathmore was entering into its next phase of development, making itself ready to attract more students and to start new degrees in the years ahead once the new facilities are completed. He also encouraged alumni, friends and parents to contact him to explore ways in which they can contribute to the fund raising, so that as it is the tradition in Strathmore, the project is finished within budget and on time.