Occupying a brown-field site within the confines of the historic Craigie Estate the 18,000m² rectangular structure comprises a basement and three storeys of flexible work spaces with teaching facilities, lecture theatres, a library, radio and drama studios as well as a refectory, sports hall and students union. In addition, the building will provide dedicated agricultural laboratories for SAC students.

Scheduled for completion in September 2011, the functional new building, serving 4,000 students and 270 staff, will include design features such as open courtyard spaces, garden rooms and landscaped SUDS pond. The project will also be aiming for a BREEAM rating of Excellent throughout design and construction. The building has been designed to be functional and environmentally sustainable and will use natural materials and innovative energy efficient systems to achieve this.

Dunne Building & Civil Engineering Ltd have been awarded the substructure and superstructure packages on this prestigious Bovis project which involves, bulk excavation to basement area 24,500m3 which included removal of 3,000m3 of rock & installation of temp. de-watering system to deal with adjacent river Ayr. Single story basement construction utilising proofex engage waterproofing to all retaining walls to achieve grade 2 basement specification. Next is the installation of a 4,000m2 Piling mat at 300mm deep for the piling running surface which was phased due to construction constraints. In addition to this an internal & external deep drainage package was also included to the pumping chamber & existing service tie-ins.

The super structure is serviced by 3 no. CLR Plant Ltd tower cranes and the building of 18,000m2 is spread over three floors which are of PT construction designed & detailed by Conforce Ltd. Five stair cores & three double lift pits of insitu concrete construction service the upper floors. The programme was accelerated by using RMD table soffit support system for the PT upper slabs allowing early striking & re-erection of the soffit formwork with the overall project scheduled for completion in Sept 2011.