AHEAD BUILDINGS HISTORY

Ahead Buildings was established in 1988 as a business in the designing and construction of kitset farm barns, stables and ancillary buildings.

In the early ‘90’s’ Ahead was approached by schools seeking to build school halls using the very basic farm barn design.

With the introduction of the Financial Assistance Grants Scheme Ahead Buildings assisted schools with their applications to the Ministry of Education. Success with these applications and community funding applications such as to the ASB Trust provided schools with the finance for enhanced design and build options for school halls.

Ahead were the first to appreciate the advantages of the triboard product for speed of erection and heavy duty impact benefits in school hall design. Coupled with timber laminated beams the cost effective system became a feature of halls built throughout the country.

Early versions of the hall had limited features due to funding constraints for individual schools but in later years more refined and extensive structures were built incorporating admin blocks, libraries and IT suites became affordable.

The construction of classrooms, administration blocks, performing arts centres and gymnasiums followed as to the construction of major community halls for city and district councils.

Innovative but practical designs which have been cost effective and within budgetary funding constraints has been the basis for the success of Ahead Buildings in the educational construction area. Ahead Buildings is very familiar with the amount of ‘use’ school buildings get and therefore use tried and trusted products which are cost effective and reduce maintenance issues.

School’s need buildings that were practical and provide maximum ‘bang for buck’. From humble beginnings Ahead now designs and constructs a range of school buildings from classrooms through to multi-purpose gymnasiums 1200m2 and larger.

Throughout Ahead buildings planning we continually return to the factor of how we can maximise the benefits of the schools character and design, incorporating as many of the practical ‘wishes’ and make the school more functional on a professional level as well as an aesthetic level.

Although Ahead provides a design and build programme we are more than happy to work alongside an Architect to ensure that the school gets maximum benefit. Ahead Buildings has also worked in conjunction with Councils to provide Community Centres. These are both partnerships that have proved to be effective. Ahead buildings has a good working relationship with the Ministry Of Education and their regional property consultants; consolidated by many successful projects.

Ahead Buildings has worked with many builders throughout New Zealand. We have a list of preferred Contractors. However, one of our policies is to harness as much of the sub-contracting labour from the local community. This enables schools to approach their local ‘subbies’ to try to keep costs down. We also acknowledge that local knowledge often avoids instances of unforseen factors that can hinder the fluent path of construction. In short, we are flexible in our budgeting.

Ahead Buildings Halls & Gymnasiums focus on:

• Triboard and timber portal frame construction. The triboard construction system is very compact material which is not easily damaged; there is always fixing behind the walls for shelving and accessories
• Designs are drafted to maximise construction efficiencies therefore providing very economical but high quantity finishes.
• Specific designed acoustic ceilings system
• Fixed and mobile performance stage options
• Sprung floor system designed and manufactured in New Zealand only available through Ahead Buildings
• Facilities designed to provide, with low on going maintenance requirements.

Ahead Buildings classrooms focus on qualities teachers enjoy:

• Walls constructed of Triboard are highly effective against noise transmission between classrooms.
• The same Triboard is a very compact material which is not easily damaged; there is always fixing behind the walls for shelving and accessories
• Autex coverings to absorb harsh noises
• Acoustic tiled ceilings to improve spoken clarity
• High joinery as well as low joinery to enhance natural lighting as well as airflow
• Triboard construction versus conventional framing + lining creates and extra 2.12 m2 per classroom on an external ministry square metre classroom allowance.