Building London’s First Passivhaus Leisure Centre with Ravatherm XPS X 700 SL

The Challenge:

The new Spelthorne Leisure Centre aims to be one of the world’s most energy-efficient facilities and the largest in the UK built to Passivhaus standards. The basement alone houses significant features, including a filtration room, a learner pool, and a main pool with spectator seating. Achieving this requires top-notch insulation with the right compressive strength, thermal conductivity, and thickness.

The Solution:

Initially, the project team chose another XPS insulation but found it unsuitable for adhesive bonding or mechanical fixing. This led them to switch to Ravatherm XPS X 700 SL, which could be glued on easily and offered superior thermal performance. Two layers of 700SL (250mm) were applied to the pool slab’s underside and three layers (360mm) to the vertical sides, achieving a U-value of 0.08W/m²K.

The Result:

Once completed, Spelthorne Leisure Centre will be the UK’s largest wet and dry leisure centre meeting Passivhaus standards, reducing energy consumption by up to 70% compared to standard new buildings. Ravatherm XPS X 700 SL’s performance and ease of use were critical in meeting the project’s stringent requirements.

Natalie Sutton, Account Manager at Ravago Building Solutions, praised the product’s high compressive strength, thermal performance, and moisture resistance, marking its first use in a Passivhaus swimming pool. This project sets a precedent for future energy-efficient leisure centres.

Exciting opportunity to join us, a market leading civil engineering and groundworks business who are looking for apprentices in their groundworks division. You will undertake fully funded training through Fareham College and achieve all required certificates for the role and industry. Interpreting design specifications to prepare a construction site ready for structural building works to take place.

What will the apprentice be doing? As an apprentice groundworker you will:
– Clear and tidy the construction site
– Dig trenches for foundations
– Set up sites including putting up barriers, safety signs and huts
– Provide evacuation support
– Interpreting the use of drawings and specifications
– Laying pavements, kerbs and driveways
– Removing drainage and pipework systems
– Operating plant machinery, such as excavators and dumper trucks
– Preparing the ground/foundations to allow construction to begin
– Redirecting waterways and connecting pipes with existing pipework

Annual wage:
£10.982.40 a year

Apprenticeship pay scheme:
U18s- €6 per hour, with growth to £8 when on site. 18+ – £8 per hour, with growth to £10 when on site. The salary is under a pay review. Farncombe will support staff with reasonable travel costs, this can be discussed.

Working week:
Monday to Friday 8 hours per day. 40 hour week

To Apply and for more information, Click here: https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeship/1000208193

Check out our experienced groundworker Ian showing one of our other lads, Dan and two apprentices Jake and Morgan how to successfully place concrete.

The 1st half of Soakaway 1 is now complete and handed back to the client at Spelthorne Leisure Centre, including tarmac and white lining.

We have commenced our project at Spelthorne Leisure Centre, Staines-Upon-Thames and have had a productive start.

To date, we have installed two temporary car parks, whilst also completing crane and piling mats on site. We have also started on the installation of a Versavoid Soakaway in the existing car park.

This project is also our 1st completely running our site machinery on HVO in place of diesel which is considered to be the greener option.

Check out the I-Construct event to spark people’s interest in the construction industry. It will bust some myths and grab the attention of people of all ages and backgrounds while showcasing the wide variety of career choices and pathways within the industry.

6th October at the CETC AND CEMAST, FAREHAM, HAMPSHIRE

Register here!

We would like to take a moment to highlight the excellent work that our site team is consistently producing on site at Buckingham Avenue. We are particularly proud of our engineers who have set out over 150 sets of bolts correctly in preparation for the steel frame.

Thank you to our entire site team, your workmanship, attention to detail and progression on site is appreciated!

We are making swift progress in our groundwork for the Wates Construction in Slough. The project is developing week on week.

Congratulations to our very own Robert Clarke – Site Manager, who has won the Quality Award by Willmott Dixon for multiple projects and changes he has tackled and completed with ever-changing detail. Great work Rob!

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust is beginning a major modernisation of its services and its buildings. The objective is to develop and deliver outstanding NHS services that are fit for the future, and to play a greater part in the growth and development of our local economy.

Today the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust is rated GOOD by the Care Quality Commission. It is well-led, caring, safe and responsive and the outpatient and diagnostic imaging services are rated OUTSTANDING.

Yet despite these excellent ratings, our hospital buildings have a significant backlog of maintenance problems and severely restricted space. Many of our buildings are no longer completely fit for purpose. The hospital layout is far from perfect with wards and diagnostic areas that are distant from each other meaning that privacy can be compromised as patients are moved around the hospital.

Therefore, due to the current requirements, we are on hand to increase the through-flow / Entrance to the A&E area. We are on-site to execute the groundworks as swiftly as possible with the principle contractor Willmott Dixon.

We are pleased to confirm Farncombe Construction are investing in the New CETC at Fareham College. Construction of the £4.1m Civil Engineering Training College (CETC) commenced on 18th January. The CETC is the first of its kind in the UK providing a home for those candidates enrolled on the Civil Engineering Groundworks Apprenticeship (CEGA). Call 01252 851969 for apprenticeship details.

We are pleased to announce the addition of of Drainage CCTV/jetting services and roadsweeping services.
Call 01252 851969 for details

Works have commenced on this project, delivering a home away from home for families with children admitted to hospital for a long term, in conjuction with Wilmott Dixon and Ronald McDonald House Charities. The house will consist of 62 bedrooms, as well as as communal areas and an enclosed garden outside, with Farncombe working on the foundations, ground floor slab, drainage and external works sections of the building.

Farncombe Construction are pleased to announce we have been awarded the ISO 45001 (Occupational Health & Safety). This award confirms our commitment to health and safety, and is testament to the positive culture the business has developed. Farncombe Construction would like to thank all its employees who have contributed to the process and fostered the culture in place.

Congratulations to Matt on finishing his apprenticeship and we are pleased to confirm he is coming on board full-time after a short break for a holiday. Matt thoroughly deserves this and is looking forward to continuing his progress and learning more from his colleagues on site including bricklaying and street-works accreditations.