1) Prepare a relevant work specification for:

a) Lecture Theatre

1. Quality of audio-visual equipment - BS 8205:1985 is perhaps no longer worth looking at,

as it predates the introduction of laptops, internet access, and data projectors. Even if it
didn’t, these technologies are moving so fast that the standard would soon be out of date.
The usual approach is to seek advice from specialist AV suppliers/installers, or specialist
AV consultants. Regular theatre builders, such as universities, may well have in-house
expertise they can draw on.

2. Desk space - Essentially, the more desk space the merrier, so fixed tablet arms will be
inadequate. Other options include pivoting tablets (e.g., Griffin Tablet), hinged writing
shelves, and fixed tables. David Adler (Metric Handbook) suggests a writing surface depth
of 250-450 mm. Seat width (525 –750 mm) and back-to-back spacing (850 mm minimum)
come into play here, with obvious cost implications. Fixed tables need about 1500 mm
back-to-back, and would be regarded as too generous for conventional university facilities.
Left-handed students need to be catered for – where smaller writing tablets are provided,
13% or so should be left-handed, and marked accordingly.

3. Visibility of visual displays - Vision-impaired users need to be considered. Contrast is the

key, which means that lighting levels must not be so high that projected images are
swamped. Generally, this boils down to dimmable lighting at the screen (the students will
need to see what they are writing). Distance from the display is also critical – twelve rows
is the limit for writing boards and flipcharts.

4. Internal acoustic quality - DfEE’s Building Bulletin 93 Acoustic design of schools, is a

very useful first port of call on this subject. The web version links to spreadsheets of
absorption coefficients and sound reduction indices, and to a spreadsheet for calculation of
façade insulation and reverberation times, run by BRE. Hearing-impaired users are
particularly concerned with acoustic quality.

5. Seating comfort - Comfort correlates to productivity. Current recommendations for

minimum seat width are based on old ergonomic data. An Australian survey showed that
women are bigger now than they were in the 1920s, both taller (1-2%) and heavier (10-20
kg). Weight Watchers has increased its target weights by 2-4 kg since the mid-1990s.
Designers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, for example, are allowing 30% more space
per patron, 20 mm extra seat width, and more leg room. Seating needs to be strengthened,
too.

6. Natural illumination - Students like natural light, but only one of the theatres in the study
had it. Unfortunately, it is normally deprecated by designers as it gives rise to other
problems, e.g., glare, heat load, distraction, blackout difficulties. These can be overcome,
e.g., with clerestory lighting.
7. Ventilation - Stuffy lecture theatres clearly militate against the learning experience, as the
students (or the lecturer) may end up dozing off! IBSE recommends a ventilation rate of 8
L/s per person, and 3-4 air changes/h for displacement systems, and 6-10 for high level
systems (noisier and more expensive to run).

8. Occupancy level - Adler suggests that common lecture groups are 30-60 students, so larger
theatres aren’t usually justified as they’d mostly be empty. Indeed, he reckons theatres are
often under-used. However, students don’t like the crowding that results from full lecture
theatres, so theatres should perhaps seat more people than strictly necessary. Or, if the
personal spaces were more generous (e.g., with wider clearways along seating rows), then
the number of seats could perhaps be as required. Such a theatre mightn’t feel full even if
all seats were occupied (see Desk space).

9. Artificial illumination - Refer to CIBSE Lighting Guide LG 5 Lecture, teaching and

conference rooms (1991) for advice.

10. External noise - This is a subset of Distraction, discussed next, but obviously significant
enough to warrant its own heading.

11. Distractions - Many room-related factors could draw the attention of students away from
the presentation, such as extraneous noises, sights, smells and the like. Students in the
theatre should be isolated from external events – fixed double glazing would keep out
sounds, clerestory glazing would hide external activities from view, and so on. Internally,
noise associated with building services is a possible cause of distraction, e.g. flickering
lights, noisy room air-conditioners. Traffic to and from the room is a common cause of
distraction, perhaps beyond the designers’ control.

12. Appropriate size - The ability of students at the back of the theatre to read what is written
or projected, or to see facial expressions of the lecturer, needs to be considered. 20 m, or
18 rows, is about the maximum. Screen width dictates room depth, too – viewing distance
should be between 2- and 6-times screen width. Room width is governed by viewing angle
(40° maximum), speech projection angles (90° maximum), and egress limits on the number
of seats in a row (22 maximum with gangways at each end). For more on screen viewing
requirements, see DIN 15920-3 Stage and studio set up; screens.

13. Position of lectern - Perhaps obviously, the lectern needs to be to one side of the screen, so
students can see it! Presumably this isn’t always the case. But not too far off, as the students
need to see the lecturer too (and the lecturer may need to see the screen or boards).

14. Rake - Students prefer fewer steep rakes. A stepped rake of 150 mm per row is suggested.
This equates to a 1:6 ramp, far too steep for aisle wheelchair access.
15. Internal finishes - Though ranked low by students and FMs, internal finishes remain
important as they affect other, more important, criteria such as internal acoustic quality and
illumination. But it seems that they are not important in their own right, at least in terms of
their perceived effect on learning outcomes.

16. Shape of the room - Some theatre plans and sections are awkward in terms of access, egress,
acoustics and sightlines. For example, parallel side walls may produce flutter echoes
(unless diffusive or absorbent), but walls splayed at 25° (maximum) will add to sound
reinforcement.
b) Administration Office

1. Accessible - The ADA requires that all new construction of places of public
accommodation, as well as of commercial facilities such as office buildings, be accessible.
The ADA Standards for Accessible Design set minimum requirements—both scoping and
technical—for newly designed and constructed or altered public accommodations and
commercial facilities to be readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities.
Several of the key elements are outlined below. However, it is important to utilize the full
standard to determine all requirements

2. Aesthetics - When planning the exterior and interiors of an office building, create a building
design and spaces that businesses and people want to work in. Aesthetics are extremely
significant to both morale and productivity within the workplace. The office building
should also be planned to accommodate changes in use or work flow. For overall
Aesthetics, the utilize color, pattern, and texture in the building to create an inviting and
safe environment. Furnishings, finishes, and artwork should reflect the nature of the work
within the building and be well taken care of and provide supportive and comfortable
environments. Provide access to views and nature whenever possible to improve the quality
of the work environment. Provide aesthetically pleasing individual work spaces and
storage. Encourage some personalizing of space, but eliminate clutter to reduce distractions
and work hazards.

3. Cost-Effective - The high-performance office should be evaluated using life-cycle

economic and material evaluation models. Owners need to understand that optimizing
building performance requires a willingness to invest more initially to save on long-term
operations and maintenance costs.

4. Functional/Operational - The building design must consider the integrated requirements of

the intended tenants. This includes their desired image, degree of public access, operating
hours, growth demands, security issues, and vulnerability assessment results, organization
and group sizes, growth potential, long-term consistency of need, group assembly
requirements, electronic equipment and technology requirements, acoustical requirements,
special floor loading and filing/storage requirements, special utility services, any material
handling or operational process flows, special health hazards, use of vehicles and types of
vehicles used, and economic objectives.

5. Flexibility - The high-performance office must easily and economically accommodate

frequent renovation and alteration, sometimes referred to as "churn." These modifications
may be due to management reorganization, personnel shifts, changes in business models,
or technological innovations, but the office infrastructure, interior systems, and furnishings
must be up to the challenge.
6. Urban And Site Planning - The concentration of a large number of workers within one
building can have a significant impact on surrounding areas and neighborhoods. Office
structures can vitalize neighborhoods with the retail, food service, and interrelated business
links the office brings to the neighborhood. Consideration of transportation issues must
also be given when developing office structures. Office buildings are often impacted by
urban planning and municipal zoning, which attempt to promote compatible land use and
vibrant neighborhoods.

7. Productive - Worker Satisfaction, Health, and Comfort: In office environments, the single
greatest cost to employers is the salaries of the employees occupying the space. It generally
exceeds the lease and energy costs of a facility by a factor of ten on a square foot basis. For
this reason, the health, safety, and comfort of employees in a high-performance office are
of paramount concern.

8. Technical Connectivity - Technology is an indispensable tool for business, industry, and

education. Given that technology is driving a variety of changes in the organizational and
architectural forms of office buildings.

9. Secure / Safe - Office building security begins at the site perimeter or property line. This
includes planning for access to the site, parking, walkways, and security elements that
protect the building during the day and at night. Focus the design on protection of occupants
and assets against manmade attacks as well as natural hazards. Through comprehensive
threat assessment, vulnerability assessment, and risk analysis, security requirements for
individual buildings are identified, and appropriate reasonable design responses are
identified for integration into the office building design.
c) LV and HT Room for Electrical Supply

1. In laying out the LV switch room, actual switchboard dimensions should be used. Typical
switchboard dimensions would be:
• height would be 2.2 m (2000 mm for the switchboard and a 200 mm plinth)
• width 600 mm to 1050 mm depending on construction
• depth 600 mm
• weight 200 to 400 kg per panel

2. Clearances around switchboards should comply to local regulations. In the absence of other
guidelines, the following minimums can be used:
• Switchboards rear clearance
- 0 cm for front entry switchboard
- 75 cm for rear entry switchboard
• Switchboard side clearance
- 100 cm for all switchboard
• Switchboard front clearance
- 70 cm (150 cm preferred) for all switchboards
• Vertical clearance above switchboard
- 400 mm (may require additional)

3. Design Consideration (should have)

• Access for personnel (normal and emergency)
• Access for equipment (installation, operation and maintenance)
• Regulatory compliance and approvals
• Cable containment and entries
• Earthing and grounding
• Water sealing (if below ground)
• Air conditioning, lighting & small power
• Fire detection, alarm and suppression

4. Environmental Category
• Room climate is to IEC 60721-3-3
- IR1 (indoor) - good heat insulation, air conditioned; office, shops, etc.
- IR2 (indoor) - good heat insulation, air conditioned, heating/air conditioning
may out of service for several days
- IR3 (indoor) - no heat insulation, not air conditioned