Meridiam selected as preferred bidder for a major education contract to deliver new schools across Wales
Meridiam was selected preferred bidder by the Welsh Government for a major education contract to develop, build, operate and maintain new schools and Further Education colleges across Wales. This contract is valued at more than € 500 million capex and will support economic growth and sustainable recovery. The design and development of the first schools will start this fall and new schools and colleges will be operated during a long-term period of 25 years or more.
It is part of the Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools and Colleges programme. The programme’s overarching aim is to enhance teaching and learning within a sustainable environment. It advocates a better use of resources to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the education estate throughout Wales whilst also delivering social benefits to local communities including providing high quality training, skills and employment opportunities.
All the new education facilities will be built with stringent environmental and social standards:
- To reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions as well as to improve air quality of indoor environment, the latest digital technologies will be used during the design, construction, and operational stages.
- Special care will be taken to create healthy outdoor and indoor learning spaces, and regular health and wellbeing initiatives will be implemented.
- Acoustic performance will be enforced to support excellent teaching and learning.
- Workforce recruitment, procurement for materials and supply chain will promote local participation.
This contract further consolidates the footprint of Meridiam in the education sector. As of today, Meridiam is developing 5 schools and 3 daycare centers for over 4,000 pupils in Espoo, the 2nd largest city in Finland. This project is the first social Public Private Partnership in the country[1] and will contribute to approximately 15% of the education identified needs of the city. The firm also built and manages a 50-year student accommodation project completed in 2016, which includes 3000 students’ rooms on the campus of the University of Hertfordshire (north of London).
This Project illustrates Meridiam commitment to build sustainable social infrastructure, and to directly contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and in particular:
- Quality education facilities (SDG 4)
- Improving the energy efficiency of the buildings (SDG 7)
- Building resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization that benefits all and foster innovation (SDG 9)