Education
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Education projects delivered
Featured case studyGDST Howell’s School, Cardiff – Electrical Works
Refurbishment of electrical services installations across a Grade II-listed education estate.
LocationCardiff
ClientGDST
Completed2026
Value£1.45 Million
OverviewInform Consulting Engineers were appointed to support a significant refurbishment of the electrical services installations across the senior and junior school sites at GDST Howell’s School, Cardiff.
The project began with an initial feasibility study, follow-up technical report and cost plan, before progressing into a phased programme of works across two years. The scope included switchgear, cable management, lighting, emergency lighting and fire alarm upgrades, with future fibre infrastructure also integrated into the cable management strategy.
Services offered Detailed electrical surveys, feasibility reporting, cost planning, technical specification, drawing package, CADW coordination, contractor coordination and technical advisory support through to completion.
ChallengeThe existing cable management installation distributed throughout the buildings was heavily concealed within the building fabric. Much of the existing infrastructure could not be fully accessed without significant disruption.
The fire alarm and emergency lighting installations also needed to be replaced on a building-by-building basis while maintaining a live educational environment. Both systems had originally been installed to earlier standards, meaning the replacement works required increased provision to meet current requirements.
The Grade II-listed nature of the main building added a further layer of complexity. The design needed to achieve modern compliance while respecting the historic character of the site and meeting the requirements of CADW, the Welsh Government’s historic environment service.
SolutionThe project provided new LV, ELV and fire alarm cable pathways throughout the school, simplifying the installation of new switchgear, lighting, emergency lighting and fire alarm systems.
The installation of LED luminaires and modern lighting controls supported a significant reduction in energy use, while providing greater flexibility for the day-to-day operation of each space.
Split metering was provided at new distribution points across the site, allowing the school to gather more accurate electricity usage data and supporting future energy management.
The school’s future ICT ambitions were also considered as part of the works, with spare containment capacity included for future fibre cabling to patch panel locations throughout the site. This helped maintain the clean visual appearance of the installation while allowing for future infrastructure upgrades.
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