RACE is proud to have taken part in the rehabilitation of the former “Mato da Amoreira” quarry, transforming it into the new King’s College School International Campus in Cascais. With capacity for 1,250 students, including 50 in boarding, and around 175 staff members, the campus offers all levels of education, from Year 1 through Year 13 of the International Curriculum, and features state-of-the-art facilities such as sports complexes, an arts center, an auditorium, an indoor swimming pool, and age-appropriate recreational areas.

The buildings were equipped with a range of systems ensuring air conditioning, ventilation, and smoke control, tailored to the function of each space, thus enabling optimized operational conditions. In defining these solutions, factors such as energy efficiency, physical space constraints, functionality, maintenance, redundancy, reliability, and cost-effectiveness were carefully considered.

A major focus was Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), ensuring effective air renewal rates, proper airflow speeds, and filtration levels adapted to each environment. Special care was taken in planning air extraction and intake flows, with separate duct networks to avoid crossover or contamination between supply and exhaust air.

The main technical solutions include:

• Classrooms and laboratories: ventilation with AHUs, including filtration, heat recovery, and direct expansion;

• Offices and workspaces: air conditioning with V.R.F. direct expansion systems with heat recovery;

• Gyms and library: air conditioned with dedicated AHUs;

• Auditorium: conditioned with a standalone rooftop system;

• Vertical Hub: supply and mechanical exhaust ventilation;

• Boarding rooms: conditioned with interconnected V.R.F. systems;

• Indoor swimming pool: conditioned with a specific AHU for humid environments;

• Sports hall: ventilated by mechanical systems with natural air compensation.

The campus also integrates thermal solar panels on the roof, supporting the heating of the swimming pool water, combining innovation, energy efficiency, and sustainability.

This project demonstrates how excellence in engineering, combined with advanced technical solutions and attention to IAQ, air renewal, and acoustic comfort, can transform spaces—creating a benchmark international educational environment that is safe, comfortable, and fully prepared for the future.