Private School Design Manual

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November 2010

A Guide for School Owners,Administrators and Design Professionals

DESIGN MANUALMINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FORPRIVATE SCHOOL FACILITIES

Infrastructure and FacilitiesManagement Division





Introduction

Review and Oversight ofPrivate School Facilities

Minimum Requirements

Site Sizes and LocationParking, Pick‐up and Drop‐o Lanes

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3

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Table of contents

Outdoor Areas

Space Requirements

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Systems, Materials and Finishes8



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1. Introduction

Abu Dhabi aims to be "a contemporary expression of an Arab city, with people, living, doing businessand thriving in healthy, supportive, proximity to each other"1, with education dened as "a pillar

that shall enable Abu Dhabi to meet standards of excellence achieved in the most highly educatedcountries of the world", and with the "highest quality, comprehensive system of education that appliesworld class standards and expertise".2

High quality education systems operate from facilities that are safe, attractive, appropriate for learning,environmentally friendly and enriching to all members of the communities they serve. Theserequirements are incorporated into the ADEC's Design Manual presented here, to which all privateschools seeking licensing are expected to conform.

These requirements dene both entitlement and obligation, As all children in the Emirate of AbuDhabi are entitled to a quality education, and the school owners and operators have the obligation,to at least meet these minimum facility requirements.

1 Plan Abu Dhabi 20302 Policy Agenda 2007-2008 Executive Council of the Emirates of Abu Dhabi



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General requirements for the design of educational facilities for private schools are:

• Educationally Suitable - provide multiple teaching and learning environments to accommodate

present and future needs. • Stimulating and Vibrant - create spaces that stimulate creativity and provide eagerness for

learning and discovery.

• Healthy and Productive - enable students and teachers to achieve maximum potential byproviding healthy, safe, and comfortable environments.

• Cost Efective - design facilities that are easy to build, maintain, and operate.

• Sustainable - minimize negative environmental impacts and maximize the use of non-polluting, renewable resources.



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2. Minimum Requirements

Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) is the regulatory body that provides licensing and accreditationto private schools in Abu Dhabi. ADEC sets the minimum standards that must be met, in terms of:

educational outcomes, health and safety, building requirements, site requirements, etc.

In order for ADEC to grant a license to operate a private school in Abu Dhabi the school ownerof operator shall submit for ADEC’s approval, several documents that include information on theplanned school’s education philosophy, mission, goals and general nature of instructional programsincluding the learning activities and the spaces in which they shall be housed, the methods ofinstructional delivery, the materials and equipment to be used, utilities, infrastructure and furniture.Details shall include instructional programs, grade conguration, type of facility, spatial relationships,estimated number of students, list of spaces (specialized, non-instructional support, outdoor spaces,etc.), number and size of spaces, school administrative organization, outdoor areas, hours of operation,safety and security precautions.

All school designs shall be required by ADEC to comply with the requirements of the Abu DhabiBuilding Code, current edition. The schools will also comply with the requirements of the local codesand laws including Civil Defense and Urban Planning commission. Of all the relevant codes and by-

laws most stringent shall apply.

All renovations or additions that require major change of dimensions or use of spaces includingexpansion proposals of existing schools are subject to these guidelines and must be reviewed andapproved by ADEC before any work is carried out.



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3. Review and Oversight of Private School Facilities

Owners and operators are encouraged to use the ADECDesign Manual for public shcools as a guide towardsachieving higher standards than the minimum required here, as well as higher levels of sustainability.

ADEC recommends that private school owners and operators select an architectural design rm todevelop their school design from a list of pre‐qualied rms available from ADEC. Such rms arefamiliar with these minimum requirements, submission documentation needs and process to befollowed. Any architectural design rm registered in the UAE can submit their qualication to ADEC

by providing the documentation requested in Pre‐qualication form included in Architectural design rms shall receive a copy of this Design Manual and shall be required to produce adesign that shall meet or exceed the requirements stated herein. If due to site constraints or programinnovation, and creativity, any of these minimum requirements necessitate a possible review, theschool owner can request a variance in writing to ADEC. The request shall be accompanied by fullsubstantiation and discussion about the rationale and possible impacts on student performanceand teacher satisfaction. All correspondence sent to ADEC shall be signed by the school owner orproperly appointed representative. All drawings and project documentation shall be signed by the

owner and dated.

ADEC shall requires certain submittals from private school owners for review and approved, beforelicensing. such as:



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3.1 SPACE PROGRAM APPROVAL

3.2 CONCEPT DESIGN APPROVAL

The Space Program will have a format similar to the example included in Appendix B. It will bereviewed by ADEC only after the educational and business model has been approved by the Licensing

Department.

Once the Space Program has been approved, and an appropriate site has been procured, a conceptdesign shall be prepared and submitted for ADEC’s review. The minimum documentation to be providedincludes:

• Site plan, Scale 1:500 • Floor plans, elevations and sections Scale 1: 250

• Program of spaces showing the number and area of spaces and description of functions,and the formula used to determine the number of: music, ICT, art, science labs and theareas of the cafeteria, gymnasium and all other instructional and non-instructional spaces.

• If the intention is that certain functions such as dining will be in more than one shift, or inanother area, the information shall be clearly mentioned.

• Conceptual narrative of: Structural system; MEP systems; Building envelope systems; Building code and health and safety analysis.



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3.3 FINAL DESIGN APPROVAL

Once the Concept Design phase is approved, the architectural design rm shall abide by the approvedconcept in all further design phases. If during the course of the design any clarications are needed,

they will be submitted in writing to ADEC.

Once the design is completed, the architectural design rm will seek the approval of the owner, civildefense, and all pertinent entities. Finally, construction documents and specications will be submittedfor ADEC’s approval, before the approval from the Municipality and will include these minimumrequirements: • Site plan with civil works Scale 1: 250

• Architectural oor plans, sections and elevations Scale 1:100 • Details in appropriate scale

• Doors and windows schedule

• Finishes schedules

• ICT schedule, and specications

• Structural drawings, details and calculation sheets

• Electrical drawings, details and calculation sheets • Mechanical drawings, details and calculation sheets

• Plumbing drawings, details and calculation sheets

• Irrigation drawings and details



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• Landscape drawings and details

• Engineering narratives

• Trac impact study if required by the authorities.

The purpose of this nal review by ADEC is to verify that the nal documentation to be used fortender reects the initial concept ideas. If at any point during the design process the architecturaldesign deviates from the initial concept, the owner shall submit a formal request to ADEC for approval.The ADEC review are meant to be for educational adequacy. The municipalities and like safety authoritiesshall provide review and approval for building codes and life safety.

In general terms the approval process includes the steps indicated in the following graphic



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All submittals shall be done using a cover sheet signed by the school owner or administrator, in twopaper copies and two electronic copies in the form of CDs.

ADEC or authorized representative may sporadically visit the construction site to verify that theconstruction is progressing in accordance with the originally approved design.

ADEC shall not issue a license to operate a private school unless the facilities have been approved byADEC and the Municipality where the school will be located.

In case the school owner has contracted the management of the school to a school operator, a copyof such contract shall be included in the license request application. ADEC shall verify that the schooloperator assumes full responsibility for providing and maintaining adequate school facilities.

4. Site Sizes and Location

Safety and accessibility are primary considerations along with suitability and convenience when selectingpotential school sites. Sites with following characteristics are unsuitable for school development:

• Sites within 2 km of an existing airport runway or a potential airport runway included in anairport master plan. The distance shall be measured from the nearest portion of the runwayto the most adjacent portion of the school site.



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• Sites within potentially unsafe distances from high voltage power transmission lines.Distances are from the edge of the power line easement to the nearest portion of the site.

Limitation restrictions are as follows: 30m from an easement for a 50-133kV line.

45m from an easement for a 220-1230kV line.

110m from an easement for a 500-550kV line.

• Sites on or adjacent to high trac highways, as school access has to be on asecondary road.

• Sites with irregular shapes, an unpractical for quality school design.

• Sites adjacent to high rise buildings that can compromise the privacy or safety of students.

• Sites within 500m of any facility that might reasonably emit or handle hazardous materials, substances or wastes. Distances are from the edge of the nearest portion of the facility site

to the nearest portion of the school site.

• Sites with above or below ground pressurized gas, or gasoline pipelines. Schools may belocated on sites with below ground natural gas lines that serve neighborhoods or the

school itself. • Sites within 500 m of an easement of an above ground or underground high‐pressure water pipeline.

• Sites within 100 m of propane storage tanks.



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• Site dimensions must be of a nature that they promote ecient trac ow around thesite,provide suitable exits and parking, and allow for adequate playing elds.

• The site size must be selected such that the school does not have more than ground plusone oor for students between grades 1 to 5 and no more than ground plus two oors forstudents of grade 6 to 12.

• The site must be selected such that it comfortably accommodates the building footprint consisting of all the educational spaces required for the approved curriculum with at least

the minimum areas, and all the support spaces and site amenities required by this Design

Manual.

• There must be clear access for emergency vehicles to be able to service the campus.Operators shall consult the Department of Civil Defense and local authorities for requirements.

• In case of schools of a wide range of grade levels, functional design shall allow for younger students to be separated from older students, and have separated means of ingress and

egress.



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• The school site size equals the building footprint + outdoor educational spaces+ sportselds + required car parking + required bus parking + safe car and bus drop o + driveways

+ re ghting access, as needed + required setbacks. ADEC’s Infrastructure and FacilitiesDivision, shall be available to discuss site options before the site is purchased or allocated.The minimum site size requirements shall be:

Please note that ADEC prefers the school student capacity not to exceed 2000 grade students, and 320kindergarten students. However, larger size schools may be considered, on case by case basis provided

the facility is appropriately designed and grade levels are clearly separated and room stacking allowsfor safe vertical circulations.

School in three levels or more are acceptable within the same site dimensions



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High Density Urban Sites

Students living in high density urban areas deserve the same quality school facilities as all other students.These schools shall still meet ADEC requirements and standards as stated in this Design Manual,

however, certain special considerations may be made for secondary level schools, as follows:

•Height increase to ground plus three for 6‐12 grade schools.

•Minimum plot size may be reduced if the following criteria are met:

Underground, or o‐site parking provision with an approved travel plan.

Rooftop sport and recreation facilities that don’t interfere with mechanical or otherequipment.

Outdoor sporting areas provided o‐site. However, these elds must be withinclose proximity to the school and procedures must be in place to ensure studentsafety. These facilities may be shared with the community as public parks, stadiums,community pools, etc. It is the responsibility of the education provider to ensurea contract is in place with the relevant government authority to share communityfacilities for a long‐term. The contract shall be submitted to ADEC before nalapproval for school plans may be obtained.

If the height of the school exceeds ground plus two stories, the internal verticalcirculation must be sucient so as a class of 30 students plus a teacher can move asa group to any oor, safely.

School trac plan must not cause any disruption to local trac patterns.



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5. Parking, Pick‐up and Drop‐of Lanes

Private schools are required to develop a site design approach to parking, pick‐up and drop‐o thatallows safe access to the school building without the need for pedestrians to cross trac ow, norto travel extreme distances from the parking lot to the school entrance. At no time shall the studentsbe required to cross high vehicular trac area. The following are requirements for parking, pick‐upand drop‐o:

•All parking lots and drives are required to be paved not gravel.

•Trac signage to conform to local requirements.

•Accessible route, including handicapped parking spaces and wheelchair ramps shall be providedfor those with physical disabilities, to all entrances.

•There shall be separation between bus trac, and parent drop o to avoid conictbetween two types of trac.

•There shall be one‐way trac alongside sidewalk at main entrance to the school, in thesame direction as adjacent trac ow, for parents and buses to park and drop‐o and pick‐

up students.•The service drive shall be located away from main entry and sta/visitor parking areas to

avoid confusion and conict in trac ow.

•Trac studies shall be conducted as required by the municipalities and trac ow design shall meet those requirements.

•Refer to Department of Transportation requirements.



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6. Outdoor Areas

7. Space Requirements

• Physical education areas shall include playing eld for exercise and sports practice

• Outdoor shaded learning space of 20 m2 per grade level is considered appropriate.

• The landscape shall be designed to meet the requirements of the municipalities andprovisions shall be made at the design stage to assure proper maintenance. Schoolowners and operators are encouraged to provide green spaces over the minimumrequirements, with sustainable design consideration in mind.

This Design Manual includes space requirements that work well with an average number of 25 studentsfor kindergarten classrooms and 30 students for grades 1 to 12. Any increases of these numbers shall

be carefully analyzed in order to not aect the school business model and at the same time provide

a school facility that is safe, conducive to learning and economical to build and maintain.

The minimum space requirements are:

•Room sizes must be calculated according to the maximum expected capacity of the school.

If during the operation of the school, ADEC determines that certain spaces are being usedfor capacities in excess of those initially planned for, penalties may be imposed and theschool’s license may be suspended until situation is remedied. Indicative layouts areincluded in Appendix C.



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• Room sizes are based on 25 students in K1 ‐ K2, and 30 students in primary and secondaryschools unless the approved instructional program stipulates other class sizes.

• K1‐K2 to have a minimum of 54 M2 for 25 student standard or 2.16 M2 per student. • Primary and secondary schools to have a minimum of 50 M2 per 30 student classroom or

1.67 M2 per student.

• Toilets requirements shall be calculated according to the International Building Code, latestedition, or the local requirements, whichever are more stringent. One water fountain isrequired per 75 students.

• Toilet design shall prevent direct visuals from the circulation areas to WCs and lavatories.

• Each kindergarten classrooms shall have at least one small size toilet and one sink whichshall be accessible internally from within the classroom.

• If an educational program requires 40 periods per week of a specialist subject, like science, art, music, ICT a specialist subject classroom is required.

• The need for special classrooms like: art, music, laboratories, etc shall be determinedconsidering how many hours per week a particular subject is taught in a particular space

(hourly load), and the space will be available (capacity). • Science laboratories shall be a minimum of 69 M2 or 2.3 M2/Student for 30 students.

• Laboratories that have chemicals shall have a separate lockable chemical storage room.

• Laboratories and preparation rooms must have appropriate ventilation, and emergencyshut‐o controls.





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• For sta and administration, every school shall include administrative space. In general,allow 0.2 m2 per student for administrative functions.

An oce for the principal of at least 12 m2. Work and meeting space for teaching sta.

A main oce with storage space for condential records and a link to the reception.

Additional accommodation for the accounts sta and other administrative sta.

Photocopy facilities.

• Additional requirements for kindergarten are:

Kindergartens could be either a standalone structure or be integrated into the main

school building, as long as it has an independent access, and a clear denition of its specic areas.

All kindergarten functions must be located on ground oor.

An outside fenced and shaded learning and play area shall be provided, separatefrom other yards or play areas in a school.

The facilities, equipment and access to the premises should be suitable for childrenwith disabilities.

A multi-purpose air-conditioned closed hall with an area of 90 m2 suitable for therange of activities is recommended to be in the proximity of the classrooms.



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Spaces

Minimum size in

m2

Minimum m2 per

student

Notes

Building

KG Classrooms 25 students 54 2.16 See layout in appendix C

1-12 Classrooms 30 students 50 1.67 See layout in appendix C

Science 69 2.30 See layout in appendix C

Storage/ prep room 20 1 per 2 science rooms

Music or art room 69 2.30

ICT 69 2.30

Special education 40 At least one per school

Library 30 0.20

Administration 0.20Medical clinic Per Health Department

Prayer room 30 Two required in two gender schools

Multipurpose room 180

Gymnasium

726

Site

Paved play areas - 50% shaded 0.50 50% shall be shaded

Parking Per Department of TransportationPick-up, Drop Off 500 Within school limits

Playfields According to educational program and availability other spaces

Allow additional space for toilets, lockers

and showers.



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8. Systems, Materials and Finishes

One of the requirements of the concept design submission is a narrative report indicating -at aconceptual level‐ what solutions the architectural design rm has in mind for the subject project. Atconcept design phase ADEC shall be informed of which standards the architectural design rm willuse in their designs. The following are minimum requirements that have to be achieved:

Lighting

• Achieve the following illumination levels:

• All instructional spaces (with the exception of assembly spaces and similar dedicated purpose instructional spaces) shall have a minimum of 5% of gross oor area as window glazing to

provide daylighting.• Natural light shall be comfortable and glare free and supplemented as necessary with electric

lighting to satisfy educational requirements during day and night hours.

• Light should be evenly distributed throughout walls, teaching surfaces and desk levels.

Educational areas 400 Lux

Administrative, clinic and service areas 300 Lux

Internal circulations and assembly spaces 100 Lux



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• Emergency lighting shall be provided with power from two sources. The primary sourcemay be connected at any point within the normal lighting system. The secondary sourceshall operate automatically upon interruption of the primary source and shall transfer theemergency light xtures to the battery backed supply.

Thermal comfort and indoor air quality

The building’s HVAC system must be designed, installed, and operated to enhance the learning andthe teaching by eliminating “thermal distractions” for teacher and student alike. The eective designfor thermal comfort must confront and control three vital indicators of a healthy educational environment:temperature, humidity, and ventilation. These are the requirements to be met:

• Temperature: Design conditions for space temperatures shall be as follows: Summer: 22 to24 degrees C

• Humidity: Design conditions for the range of temperatures listed above shall be 40 to 60%relative humidity.

• Ventilation levels shall be at least: 0.60 L/s per m2 for fresh air and 4 changes per hour for

exhaust. • Provide at least one operable window in each room to provide natural ventilation.

• Swimming pools require a specialty design for the HVAC system to provide humidity controland to minimize evaporation. Air temperatures in pool area should be maintained 1 to 2o C



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above the water temperatures year round. Relative humidity in the pool area should bemaintained at 50 to 60%. Water temperatures for recreational pools are 24 to 29oC.

Bathrooms and plumbing xtures

• Dual ush toilets, low ow and high eciency plumbing xtures shall be used.

• Bathrooms shall be appropriately distributed throughout the instructional, ancillary andadministrative areas.

• All bathroom xtures shall be age appropriate.

•Provide plumbingxtures per the building code. At a minimum provide: One WC is required per every 30 students, and one water fountain per every 75

students of grades 1 to 12. Provide 2 lavatories per 3 WCs

• One WC is required for every 20 students of kindergarten

• At least one bathroom for people with disabilities shall be provided in every oor.

Acoustics

Low Sound Transmission Class (STC) walls, oors, doors, and window shall be provided betweencritical instruction spaces and other similar spaces, or spaces were noise transmission will causedisruption of teaching and learning. Acoustic treatment shall be provided to avoid echo and longreverberation times in instructional spaces.



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Accessibility

Information and Communication Technology

Access and inclusion for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is required for allschools. Keep in mind the following:

• The education facility shall be designed to accommodate students, sta, and visitors withphysical disabilities and provide them with the opportunity to move freely within the school.

• Toilet rooms shall be designed to allow use by people with disabilities.

• Ramps shall be provided and shall meet International Building Code Requirements.

• Handrails and guardrails shall be provided at stairs and ramps and other changes in elevationwhere railing would be required.

School buildings shall be equipped to allow for computer technology in every educational andadministrative space, and a central server shall be placed in a room not accessible to students andclose to the administration area.



APPENDIX A.

APPENDIX B.

APPENDIX C.

APPENDIX



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APPENDIX A.PRE-QUALIFICATION FORM FOR ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN FIRMS AND CONSULTANTS

Letters requesting Pre‐qualication for consulting and design work should be addressed to:

Division Manager Infrastructure and Facilities Abu Dhabi Educational Council P. O. Box: 36005, Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates

To such letter, please attach 3 copies of a CD containing the following information in a PDF format:

1‐ General information of your rm.

2- Firm presence and registrations in the UAE

3‐ Specic experience in educational facilities planning and design. Indicate: size of theproject, cost, number of students served, design and construction dates.

4‐ Description of how you rm addresses conceptual and schematic design phases. Conceptual drawings should be included if necessary to support text.

5- Firm’s capabilities and experience in environmentally friendly design, and strategy to meetEstidama requirements.

6- Firm’s resources for engineering disciplines, whether in house or by consultants.

7- Firm’s quality assurance and quality control processes.



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8‐ CVs of rm principals with experience in educational facilities planning and design.

No paper documentation please. Your pre‐qualication information has to contain all the eightpoints mentioned above, and has to be organized in the same manner to facilitate evaluation.

Individual consultants are encouraged to submit their qualications as well. The size of the rm

is not a disqualication factor. Smaller rms, please emphasize core strengths. For specialty rms

(structural, MEP, food services, acoustics, lighting, furniture, equipment, etc.) lack of school experience

is not a decisive factor.



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APPENDIX B. SPACE PROGRAM FORMAT (SAMPLE)

Multi purpose space





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APPENDIX C



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KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOM AREA: 54 M225 STUDENTS; 2.16 M2 PER STUDENT

APPENDIX C.INDICATIVE LAYOUTS



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1 to 12 CLASSROOM AREA: 50 M230 STUDENTS; 1.67 M2 PER STUDENT



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SCIENCE/ ART LABORATORY AREA: 69 M230 STUDENTS; 2,30 M2 PER STUDENT



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ICT ROOM AREA: 69 M230 STUDENTS; 2,30 M2 PER STUDENT



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MUSIC ROOM AREA: 69 M230 STUDENTS; 2,30 M2 PER STUDENT



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For updates to this Design Manual, please visit:

For updates please go to: http://www.adec.ac.ae

and follow Publications link.

Copyright ©2010Abu Dhabi Education Council- ADEC

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted

in any form or by any means, without prior written permission from ADEC





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Private School Design Manual