If you can�t source it, invent it.

Drive onto the Surrey Research Park in Guildford and you will come across the latest project to provide the University of Surrey with a further 700 state of the art student residences for undergraduates and post graduates alike.

Manor Park the university�s new student village is currently under construction with the first phase for over 700 rooms open for business from August 2006. Rooms, flats and houses are also in progress for staff.

In addition to state of the art broadband all rooms are fully furnished and have their own ensuite shower rooms. Showers rooms were a thorny issue for the university.

It was twelve years ago when Surrey University realised the enormous amount of maintenance costs they were incurring by fitting traditional tile and tray, leaks, mould, tiles falling off.

Dr Stephen Baker, Development Director and visiting Professor of Construction Management, remembered it all too well.

"Even twelve years ago when we searched for an alternative maintenance free solution we were found wanting."

In typical entrepreneurial spirit and not to be defeated by the problem Dr Baker set about designing the right solution for the job.

"The product needed to fulfil some fundamental criteria. It had to be leak proof of course, but we knew that if it was made in one piece it would be impossible to fit in many student room configurations. This issue was particularly important when we reflected on refurbishment projects with all of the access problems. We also knew that the product should last for 20 years even if refurbishment may come sooner."

The rest became history and in 1995 the sectional leak proof shower cubicle was patented in seventeen countries. Several thousand cubicles many of which are over 10 years old serve as testimony to the vision of Dr Baker and his colleagues and to the durability and maintenance free nature of the solution.

On the Manor Park project the obvious solution was to lift in prefabricated pods on site.

Having carefully selected the appropriate steel pod manufacturer RB Farquhar, based in Huntley nr Aberdeen it then became necessary to specify suitable suppliers. Although Advanced Showers had been used previously an independent firm of surveyors carried out a full analysis of the best value for money solution over a twenty year lifespan. Compared to tile and tray and a number of competitive options advanced showers proved to come out on top.

From then on in it was a case of precise scheduling to synchronise the shipping for immediate positioning of the pods.

Advanced showers delivered the units over a 20 week period on time and to strict quality inspection criteria.

"The Manor Park project marks the latest chapter in the quest for maintenance fee solutions" concluded Dr Baker.

Eventually Manor Park will boast over 2000 rooms "setting The University of Surrey apart from other universities in terms of the facilities and services our campus offers to students" commented Professor Chris Snowden Vice Chancellor.

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