The first pupils at Limebrook Primary School are settling in after Morgan Sindall Construction’s Essex business handed the keys to Essex County Council at the start of the school year. 

The project was granted through the Essex County Council framework as part of the South Maldon Garden Suburb development – a site that boasts planning permission to deliver up to 1,000 homes, as well as retail space, green spaces and allotments, and sports and playing fields. Taylor Wimpey has been on site for five years at Handley Gardens and provided the serviced land where the school was built.

The tier one contractor has delivered 13 classrooms, a practical room, a studio, and an SEN room, accommodating 420 children in total, with the addition of a new nursery with capacity of 56 places for 0-4 year olds.

Pupils can also enjoy a large sports field, multi-use, hard-court games area, a habitat area, and wildflower meadows on-site, while parents will benefit from a car park with electric vehicle chargers.

Limebrook Primary School is set to deliver net-zero in operation by utilising Photovoltaic (PV) panels and air-source heat pumps which streamline energy efficiency, while the implemented mechanical and natural ventilation strategy and airtightness of the building retain a comfortable temperature for students and staff.

The project’s unique drive for sustainability continued from construction to completion. Through use of the data-driven tool CarboniCa, Morgan Sindall reduced carbon emissions by over 90%, utilising responsibly sourced, palm-oil-free HVO during the development work instead of diesel. By continuing Morgan Sindall’s award-winning 10 Tonne Challenge, the project saved 290.4 tonnes of CO2, which is the equivalent of heating over 107 UK homes for a whole year.

Throughout the school’s construction, the project team engaged with the local community in Maldon to deliver social value where it is most needed. This included employment of local scaffolding, brick-laying, and roofing contractors to bring the project to life.

In line with its Intelligent Solutions approach, Morgan Sindall has utilised BAMTech reinforcement which enhanced the structure’s strength and speed of construction. The school also features a steel frame with a mix of brickwork and Cedral Click cladding, boosting energy efficiency and durability.

Ryan Liversage, Area Director for Morgan Sindall Construction in Essex, said: “It is a huge accomplishment to hand over the keys to this new net-zero school. Not only has our hard work created an exceptional learning environment for Maldon’s next generation, but our sustainability initiatives continue to lead the way to a greener future for both construction and education.

“Limebrook Primary School’s success is testament to the great results of our collaboration with Essex County Council, and we can’t wait for the children to enjoy their new school in September.”

Councillor Tony Ball, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Education Excellence, Lifelong Learning, and Employability, said: “This is an exciting moment for the council and the local community. The new school provides much needed school places in the area following an increase in new homes and the focus on net-zero is reflective of the council’s commitment to tackling climate change in Essex through sustainable construction. I can’t wait to hear how pupils are enjoying their new school.”

David Pelle, Land and Planning Director for Taylor Wimpey, said: “Schools, shops and other facilities are essential to creating new communities, so we are delighted to see that Limebrook Primary School is now open. We’re proud to have worked alongside Morgan Sindall at the outset of this project and it’s a testament to their expertise that it has been delivered at such high quality.

“We look forward to completing further community facilities, such as the Limebrook Sports Pavilion, in the coming months.”

 

With challenges such as financial demands and space constraints being a key consideration for many heating and hot water projects in school buildings, compact modular condensing boilers such as the Upton boiler from Hamworthy are a game changer. This space-saving modular boiler can efficiently deliver more than 1MW output on less than 1m² footprint.

Packing power and efficiency into a small space

When specifying a heating system, the first consideration should, without doubt, be the required kW output needed.  However, once this is calculated, plant room size and access are equally as important.  For projects in older buildings, where demands might vary or may have increased over time, there may be a need to increase boilers or boiler size.  This could be an issue for plant rooms where space is already quite tight, particularly if it means the boiler and ancillaries simply won’t fit the existing space.   Similarly, when it comes to modern buildings, plant room space is like gold dust. 

Compared to large high-output boilers, Upton modular condensing boiler modules make the most of valuable space.  Available as single modules, and pre-assembled in two or three high modules in up to 18 combinations with power outputs from 100kW to 1,050kW from less than one square meter foot, Upton boilers offer a flexible solution that makes the most of existing floor space.  

Upton boilers can also be easily separated and moved without the assistance of heavy-duty cranes or other expensive equipment.  Smaller and physically easier to handle than larger single boilers, they can also help to overcome restrictions, such as tight stairways, narrow doorways, and overhead obstructions. 

Cost reduction and energy savings

Unlike a single appliance which may struggle to provide heat efficiently to a large area, Upton boilers feature reliable built-in boiler sequence controls, enabling up to 16 boiler modules and hot water circuits to be set to work together in cascade or unison formation.

This means modulation can be shared across all units in the system.  As each module takes a percentage of the load, this prevents the inefficiencies of on/off cycling and ensures each boiler module can operate at optimum efficiency, at all times.  For instance, an Upton setup of six 100kW boilers arranged in a cascade will provide the same output as a single 600kW unit – however, it will provide a greater modulation rate because there is a greater maximum collective output, meaning the modulation ratio is increased.  This means there’s less need for each boiler to cycle on and off, saving valuable energy costs and reducing wear and tear over time.  In addition, overall NOx emissions are reduced due to less over-firing of the appliance.

Also incorporating an aluminium sectional l heat exchanger (with a 5-year warranty) for quick heat-up times, even heat distribution and maximum efficiency of up to 108%, Upton boilers are also fully compliant with the Energy Related Products Directive (ErP) and Building Regulations Part L.

Minimum disruption

In the unlikely event of a breakdown, the building can still be heated sufficiently by other modules in the system – if one module fails, the other modules will carry on working normally as the boilers run in a cascade operating configuration.  Furthermore, each boiler can be taken offline independently, without disrupting the continuation of supply during routine maintenance.  It’s also worth remembering that Upton boilers can be installed alongside an existing boiler.  This enables a smooth changeover from the old heating system to new with little or no system downtime.  

Conclusion

In today’s world of emission concerns, pressures to reduce cost and the need to achieve more with less, Upton boilers are superior in helping to reduce the energy consumption needed to meet the demands of a building. Delivering a constant and reliable heat supply, without the risk of disruption and unplanned downtime, Upton boilers can offer a cost-effective alternative to a traditional large single boiler.  Moreover, thanks to their small footprint and low CO2 and NOx emissions, they successfully reduce the space needed for heating equipment while lowering impact on the environment.

https://hamworthy-heating.com/About-us/Our-news/Aluminium-boiler-with-1MW-output

Irvine’s newest school has now been open a month – with pupils and staff setting into their new surroundings.

Built by Robertson Construction North West, the school opened in August and as part of the council’s ambitious net-zero drive, is the first ‘Passivhaus’ school in the region.

Passivhaus Standard delivers buildings which provide a high level of comfort for occupants, while using very little energy for heating and cooling. The new school will use significantly less energy than a typical school building, resulting in lower carbon emissions, and lower energy bills.

Montgomerie Park Primary accommodates up to 342 pupils, plus an early learning and childcare facility with 32 places for three to five-year-olds, and 15 places for two-year-olds.

Councillor Shaun Macaulay, Cabinet Member for Education, said: “We are proud of this fantastic new school which marks a new chapter in the lives of the children and staff. It is an incredible facility and we are confident it will provide a learning and teaching environment of the very highest quality.”

Andy McLinden, Regional Managing Director, Robertson Construction Central West, said: “It is with huge satisfaction that we deliver this project, not only a new high-quality school but a milestone in the national journey to net zero. In close collaboration with North Ayrshire Council, we have created a place that truly meets the needs and aspirations of the pupils, providing them with a nurturing educational environment where they can thrive.

“Beyond the creation of these state-of-the-art facilities, this project has also significantly contributed to community wealth building. We employed 54 local people, hosted 130 apprenticeship weeks on site, and supported employment programmes, ensuring that our work leaves a lasting legacy in the local area.”

Initial work on the new school began in March 2023. It was built to rigorous energy efficiency standards and comprises 12 classrooms, early learning facilities, a gymnasium incorporating flexible performance areas, dining facilities, along with outdoor learning spaces including a seven-a-side all-weather pitch.

Source: North Ayrshire Council

Tilbury Douglas have completed construction of a school on behalf of the Department for Education (DfE), built to Passivhaus standards, near Wolverhampton.

The school, named Wednesfield Technology Primary School, has been completed on the brownfield site of the original Edward the Elder school to Passivhaus standards.

The school has been built to Passivhaus standards, maximising comfort while minimising carbon emissions.

The most important objectives for both the City of Wolverhampton Council and DfE was improving air quality and reducing energy use.

The Passivhaus classic design lent itself to this, as it prioritises building performance and low carbon materials.

Tilbury Douglas far exceeded requirements for air quality, as while they needed to achieve 0.6 Air Changes per Hour (ACH), they ended up with 0.48 ACH, meaning the air within the school will be high quality.

The demolition of the old abandoned school building did not include the caretaker’s lodge building, which was left alone in order to comply with the Grade II listed status of the nearby pub, the Vine Inn.

The technology nature of the school, however, provides students with technology-rich learning opportunities, with a digital skills framework to teach children digital skills and responsibility.

The CEO of Shireland Collegiate Academy Trust, Sir Mark Grundy, said: “We are thrilled to see the completion of Wednesfield Technology Primary School, a beacon of sustainable and innovative education within the Black Country. This Passivhaus-certified facility represents a significant step forward in our commitment to providing state-of-the-art learning environments. The advanced energy efficiency and superior air quality achieved in this building align perfectly with our goal to foster a healthy and stimulating atmosphere for our students.

“Our collaboration with Tilbury Douglas and the Department for Education has resulted in a pioneering project that not only meets the highest environmental standards but also paves the way for future educational advancements. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this school will have on our community and the exceptional learning experiences it will provide to pupils.”

Source: PBC Today

The MMC Awards recognise excellence in construction for projects utilising modern methods of construction. TG Escapes specialise in providing biophilic, net-zero buildings to the education sector. Following their success in the 2023 MMC awards (Project of the Year for the English Department at Ratcliffe College and Public Sector Innovation of the Year for their Biophilic School design), their classroom block at Brune Park was Highly Commended in the Secondary/Higher Education category and they were awarded Manufacturer of the Year for Category 2 Modular Panelised Systems.

TG Escapes provide bespoke, modular, timber frame system has been utilised for hundreds of school buildings including SEND facilities, classroom blocks, dining halls and drama studios. The biophilic approach ensures that these spaces are full of natural light and have easy access to the outdoors. The impact on students is pronounced, with a calming effect that helps to reduce stress and increase focus. They are particularly active within the SEND and SEMH fields, producing a range of specially designed spaces intended to benefit students with diverse needs.
They offer a turnkey approach to clients across the UK, designing, manufacturing, installing and finishing each building. Everything starts with a free site survey and bespoke design process, after which they provide a comprehensive fixed price covering every aspect of a new school building.

They offer several clear benefits to schools:

  • Stunning Bespoke Designs: The in-house team of architects and engineers is able to produce wholly bespoke designs to meet a school’s specific needs. The buildings are aesthetically beautiful and designed to blend seamlessly with existing structures and with natural surroundings. They can feature a variety of finishes from natural timber to brick or render.
  • Cost-Effective: Modern methods of construction offer cost savings at every stage, which are further enhanced by an in-house manufacturing and turnkey service. Streamlined offsite construction minimises waste, and quick onsite installation minimises labour. The buildings equal or better the performance of a traditional brick and mortar build at reliably lower prices.
  • Quick Installation: Components are delivered to a school site in a controlled manner and sensitive to the school’s timetable, which minimises disruption allowing education continuity. For smaller projects, time onsite can be as little as 8 weeks.
  • Biophilic Principles: TG Escapes has long been a proponent of biophilic design principles, emphasising a connection to nature with each of their buildings. They incorporate natural light, views of nature, physical access to the outdoors and advanced ventilation systems, all of which have a profound impact on stress, mental health, and even exam performance.
  • Net-Zero Design as Standard: Through a combination of energy-efficient materials, a fabric first approach, solar panels, advanced ventilation technology and expert design, they achieve net-zero in operation as standard and can also certify the buildings as lifetime net-zero if required.
  • Built For Long-Term Performance: Timber is one of the oldest and most sustainable building materials used throughout the millennia and still stands the test of time. These permanent buildings satisfy or exceed all regulatory compliance and TG Escapes are Gold Members of the Structural Timber Association and Platinum Members of Construction Line.
  • Turnkey Service: They cover everything from the initial design to the final handover of keys, for a single upfront price. This includes site preparation, all foundations, planning permission and service connections. Throughout the project, you will have a clear point of contact with their friendly team who will manage the project from start to finish.

With over 800 buildings UK wide they are dedicated to offering an unparalleled service to education clients, with an average score of 4.9 out of 5 from 189 customer reviews.

Mrs Gill Farmer, Trust Business Manager, said: “TG Escapes responded quickly to any questions or concerns we raised with them from the design stage to completion. They worked with us to ensure that the school could continue to operate safely whilst they were on site. Any issues that were raised with the site team were immediately addressed and they followed our school risk assessment. They made the experience far less stressful than we had anticipated. The project was delivered ahead of time to a high standard.”

For more information, call 0800 917 7726, email info@tgescapes.co.uk or visit www.tgescapes.co.uk

Milton Keynes has recently welcomed a new intake of students to its first-ever fossil-free school. The completely gas-free all-years facility also uses the latest LED luminaires to keep harvested energy use to the minimum, creating a modern, green learning environment in the heart of the community. 

 

Our reliance on gas, oil and coal is wreaking havoc on the natural environment. If we don’t accelerate the transition to clean energy now, our climate goals will no longer be achievable. If factories, businesses, schools, hospitals, homes, and transportation switch to clean energy sources, they’re not just saving the environment; they’re saving resources and gaining independence from a volatile energy market.

 

A perfect example is the innovative newly built Glebe Farm School in the parish of Wavendon in the South East of Milton Keynes.

 

An all-through school with 1,569 school places for pupils aged 5 to 16, a nursery and a workplace for 170 staff members, Glebe Farm School is located on an area larger than 13 football pitches at the heart of a new community.

 

The school is the city’s first fossil-free new build school – even its Bunsen burners are powered by green electricity, funded and developed by Milton Keynes City Council with building works carried out by Morgan Sindall Construction and Munro Building Services.

 

The whole site has been designed to have a minimal environmental impact and will provide access to high-quality facilities for the local community. 

 

Completely gas-free, it uses air source heat pumps which absorb heat from the outside air and provide all the energy needed for air and hot water. All lighting comes from ultra-efficient LED luminaires from TRILUX Lighting, whilst hundreds of solar panels generate power for the building.

 

TRILUX luminaires are found throughout the building. The scheme focuses on the diverse needs of pupils, students, and teachers; and covers the complete spectrum of educational applications from the classrooms to the sports hall. The low-energy design uses a mix of Siella, Amatris, AgiraPlus, Arimo Fit, 74RS, Finea, Skeo Curv, Mirona Fit Sports, Oleveon Fit, ERP and Lutera C luminaires.

 

TRILUX LED luminaires also score highly from an operational point of view, protecting education budgets and the environment with low power consumption and maintenance costs. 

 

 

Michael Guppy, Preconstruction Manager, Munro Building Services, comments, “We have been using Trilux products for over ten years now, the quality of the fittings is excellent. Using one manufacturer for projects like this allows the scheme to be workable throughout the project and assists the end user, as they only have to go to TRILUX for any additions or replacements. We find working with TRILUX helps us deliver an overall project solution.”

 

 

It’s been estimated that green energy could save this school up to £100,000 a year. Since completion, the school has become a national benchmark for future school buildings.


CLICK HERE For further information on TRILUX’s educational lighting

 


 

Pupils helped to fit the first solar panel to the roof of the new expansion of Winterstoke Hundred Academy in Locking Parklands on Tuesday, in a ceremony marking another important step forward for the upcoming eco-school.

The school expansion, which is funded by Homes England’s Housing Infrastructure Fund, supports North Somerset Council’s commitment to make North Somerset carbon neutral by 2030. The three-storey building is designed to achieve Net Zero carbon in operation, a much-sought BREEAM ‘excellent’ rating for energy efficiency and a 10% biodiversity net gain, which will protect and promote plants and wildlife.

Year 8 pupil, Romey, said: “The new school looks a lot bigger than where we are now, it’s really exciting to see it,” he continued, “it’s really cool to think that the new building won’t have any bad effects on the environment.”

Councillor Catherine Gibbons, Executive Member for Children, Young People, Lifelong Learning and Skills joined the pupils for the rooftop ceremony. She said: “The expansion of Winterstoke Hundred Academy raises the bar for construction projects in our area, meeting top standards for sustainability as we work to make North Somerset an open, greener and fairer place with opportunities for all.

“When the building opens as a second site for Winterstoke Hundred Academy, there will be up to 900 school places as part of a plan to meet the needs of growing local families. The school will cover all elements of the curriculum but will also use modern classrooms and facilities to focus on how young people can learn and help to tackle the climate challenges we face now and in the future.

“Not only is this new building an investment in future learning – helping young people access the opportunities across our region – it is an investment in our environment, with the first solar panel now fitted to the roof symbolic of our continued commitment to Net Zero.”

Ian Garforth, Principal of Winterstoke Hundred Academy said, “There’s a real sense of excitement in school and in our community as the building now takes shape. The students have been very excited to look around the building and find out more about how it’s been designed and built to the highest environmental standards. We’re very grateful to Kier and to North Somerset Council for their tireless work to get us to this stage, we can’t wait to move in in September!”

Jason Taylor, regional director at Kier Construction Western & Wales, said: “I am thrilled that we have reached this important milestone on this project, and to be marking it by placing the first of many solar panels on the school’s roof – echoing our commitment to producing sustainable buildings for the future.

“North Somerset Council and Cabot Learning Foundation have a vision to provide sustainable educational buildings. We share their vision and passion, and through our commitments at Kier, we are creating a new net zero building with clear environmental benefits as well as offer employment and training opportunities to the local community as part of our social value commitments.

“Once complete, this school will be a really fantastic asset to the area and will provide a truly state-of-the-art learning facilities and opportunities to those students attending now and for decades to come.”

Kingsley Clarke, Operations Lead for the Southern Construction Framework, added: “SCF aspire to create truly integrated contractor, consultant and client teams in order to deliver outstanding projects. This project is the perfect example of the whole integrated team working together to create something exceptional. Not only will this be a fantastic learning environment but the commitment to creating a Net Zero building and delivering 10% biodiversity net gain will deliver for our next generations on so many levels.”

When completed, the expansion of Winterstoke Hundred Academy will provide school places to pupils aged 11-19. The facilities include sports pitches that also will be available for the local community to use, as well as bike storage and routes to school to encourage walking, cycling and sustainable travel.

The new school expansion is expected to open at the start of the 2023/24 school term. To find out more about the project visit www.n-somerset.gov.uk/WHAE

Photos: Students at Dalmain Primary School in Lewisham, London, in front of their new ground source heat pump – a renewable and much cheaper source of energy. Credit: Dalmain School and  Simple behaviour changes could save schools a lot of money but the most significant savings in bills and carbon will come from retrofitting – extensive insulation and smart energy use – plus using lower cost energy from renewable sources. Credit: Ashden  

 

Let’s Go Zero, the campaign supporting schools to be zero carbon by 2030, is calling on the new Secretary of State for the Department for Education to retrofit every school in the country, to ensure they stop leaking heat, carbon emissions and money. A rapid national retrofit rollout would protect children from the cold and help schools be able to plan in their long-term energy-related financial security.

In a recent survey of schools by Let’s Go Zero, 72 per cent of respondents mentioned that they are concerned or very concerned about keeping their schools warm this winter.

Today (21 Sept) the UK Government has announced a new Energy Bill Relief Scheme – a discount on wholesale gas and electricity prices for all non-domestic customers, which will help schools pay bills in the immediate term. But solutions for the long-term are still needed, says Alex Green, Programme Manager for Let’s Go Zero:

“This financial support will come as a welcome relief for schools, colleges and nurseries across the UK, but this is about paying bills – not about having long-term financial security or reducing carbon emissions. The Energy Bill Relief Scheme is merely a sticking plaster. Winter comes every year, so we need ambitious intervention by the new Secretary of State for Education, the Rt Hon Kit Malthouse MP to support energy efficiency, retrofit and renewables across all of our educational settings.”

 

The Let’s Go Zero campaign is advising schools all around the UK how to cut costs and carbon this winter – from simple interventions such as making sure heating systems and lighting are powered down when the school is not in use, to heating classrooms to only 19°C or running a switch off campaign with students.  But they warn these are only stop gap measures.

1,700 schools, colleges and nurseries, representing nearly 850,000 students and 135,000 staff, have joined the campaign to show their intent and ambition to be zero carbon by 2030 and be part of the positive solution and stand alongside their students.

A key action would be to reduce the massive energy wastage that many schools suffer from as a result of old boiler systems, old draughty properties which leak heat, and lack of funds and capacity to improve energy efficiency. The new Secretary of State needs to act now to support our schools, colleges and nurseries.

“A retrofit energy saving overhaul will not only cut bills but will also ensure children have a warm place to learn in winter, save every school thousands of pounds that they can put into teaching instead of heating, and create jobs in every part of the country,” Ms Green continues.

“This needs to be a national emergency response. We owe this to our children, to our hard-working school staff, and to our communities in terms of putting into place the climate emergency response the government and local authorities have committed to.”

The Let’s Go Zero campaign say government help needs to come in the form of increased funding for schools to carry out retrofit which includes high grade insulation on walls, floors and roofs to stop energy leakage, and install renewable energy fuel sources such as solar and wind power or heat pumps. A government focus on training the construction and heating industries on retrofit techniques and renewable heating systems is also vital.

One renewable energy source which could be very useful for schools nationwide is ground source heat pumps.

Schools are ideal environments for this technology as they have control over the land that the heat pump is installed into and the pumps can be installed without any major disruption. They also have the significant advantage of being able to cool a building in summer.

Ian Goodchild, Director of Non-Domestic Sales at Kensa Heat Pumps says: “Ground Source heat pumps are a best fit for a majority of schools, due to offering the lowest carbon emissions, lowest lifecycle cost and most importantly right now, the lowest running cost solutions – this is due to the higher efficiency ground source systems can provide.

“Kensa’s experience of working with local authorities, such as Northumberland County Council, has proven that undertaking these retrofit projects for schools to improve thermal performance and reduce the carbon emissions by installing ground source, has helped them reduce their carbon emissions from heating by over 70 per cent at these sites.”

Schools that have implemented energy saving measures already include Dalmain Primary School in Lewisham, London, which has worked with school retrofit specialists Retrofit Action For Tomorrow (RAFT) and their local authority on retrofitting their old school building. By repairing their roof, installing wall and roof insulation and new roof lighting they have made an energy saving of 62 per cent.

Erika Eisele Head of Dalmain Primary School says: “Our buildings hadn’t been invested in for about 20 years, so were just haemorrhaging heat. It was really clear how inefficiently the building was working.” RAFT’s work included structural advice on the building and energy system, including installing a ground source heat pump, but also helping students and staff fully understand why the work was being done and the importance of energy saving.

Let’s Go Zero have published Energy Saving Quick Wins  for schools and the Let’s Go Zero coalition of environmental NGOs – which includes GAP, Eco-Schools and WWF and others – provide support and resources to schools trying to prepare for the energy crisis.

Let’s Go Zero Energy Saving Quick Wins for schools

  1. Get every department to do a Switch Off assessment for non-usage times – lights, computers, equipment, kitchen, science labs, etc.  A 10% saving on an increased energy bill is significant – it could lead to £10k plus in savings (maybe £20-30k for a large secondary).
  2. Share information on increased energy costs to everyone in the school. Convert the increase into what else that money could buy (for instance a staff member’s salary or being able to buy in learning support).
  3. Ask for help – there is an enormous amount of help and guidance out there, from local authorities, environmental groups, local businesses and Let’s Go Zero.
  4. Explore energy efficiency and renewables support programmes – there are many ways to improve your estate with both government and private finance. Work with companies that have been recommended by another school, or through your local authority.
  5. Don’t turn heating on until at least October half term – and make sure that thermostats are set at the recommended temperature of 19 degrees centigrade for classrooms (most schools overheat the classrooms). Only heat the school when everyone is there – not from when the first person arrives and the last person leaves. Consider creating zones within your school – so you can individually control heating in different areas.
  6. Be ruthless about retaining the heat – ensuring that doors and windows are closed and that you have insulated wherever possible. Make sure your rental price to external organisations outside of school hours reflects the cost you are paying to heat and light the space.

An exciting new venue to enhance the teaching and learning experience at Durham University

 

Zumtobel Group’s lighting brands Zumtobel and Thorn have supplied an energy efficient lighting scheme for Durham University’s new Teaching and Learning Centre at the Lower Mountjoy Building, a new £40 million construction that offers students the ideal space to study. Zumtobel and Thorn have supplied a wide range of luminaires for the project, both internally and externally, providing LED energy efficiency, an excellent working environment and improved colour rendition.

The Lower Mountjoy Building lies near to Durham City Centre conservation area. The Teaching and Learning Centre includes lecture theatres, classrooms, seminar rooms, catering facilities, an education laboratory, breakout spaces and student learning zones, with great amenities and top-of-the-range digital equipment. The building consists of 12 modular blocks and provides a transition between the modern university buildings nearby and the more traditional and classical architecture of the adjacent buildings. Up to 1,600 students can be taught at the centre, which has spaces for individual and collaborative study, nearly 200 computer laboratory spaces and an experimental education laboratory to trial new learning methods.

 

Many of the areas have concrete ceilings so the lighting had to integrate with acoustic rafts. Zumtobel’s LINCOR was selected as the best lighting solution. LINCOR pendant LED luminaires are suspended from the concrete ceilings to deliver high visual comfort from superior direct/indirect illumination with no reflected glare. More importantly, thanks to the central part from which no light is emitted downwards, the luminaire meets the highest demands regarding contrast rendition, even when placed directly above the workstation. This avoids annoying reflections on glossy surfaces and is therefore ideally suited for working on tablet devices and computers.

Zumtobel’s SUPERSYSTEM II multifunctional LED modules for low voltage track have been utilised in the restaurant/dining area and track mounted DISCUS spotlights in the main atrium. This SUPERSYSTEM II slim-profile LED spotlight track system for low-voltage lighting applications, is 1 inch wide and provides a full range of lighting options for general, accent, direct, indirect, and wall-washing applications in lumen packages up to 1,250 lumens. DISCUS is a state-of-the-art spotlight system, its delicate but robust design is creatively inspired by cutting-edge LED technology: a flat, minimalist shape with an unmistakable appearance – characterised by the radial fins of the passive heatsink and its illuminated replaceable optic.

The brief for the offices required recessed luminaires with good cylindrical and horizontal illumination that could be installed in various ceiling types, whilst more aesthetically pleasing than a basic flat panel. Thorn’s IQ Wave provided the ideal solution to support comfort, alertness and happiness by taking into consideration the variety of different functions, forms of communication and the physical nature of modern learning spaces. The ideal classroom light distribution is achieved with the help of a special reflector and ensures perfect light for various tasks, the general space and the different forms of personal communication between teachers and pupils. IQ Wave achieves a unified glare rating of <19, in line with the EN 12464 standard on workplace lighting.

Thorn’s Chalice, with a high efficacy of 106lm/W for low energy consumption and less than 100mm in height, illuminates the circulation areas.

Thorn’s Duoproof, a durable high bay luminaire offering performance, high-tech appearance and flexibility, illuminates the kitchen and Aquaforce Pro is installed throughout the plant areas.

The exterior of the facility had to be lit sympathetically to deal with the ever-changing landscape and Thorn’s Piazza LED was the perfect solution for providing accent illumination with a touch of style for the perimeter. As a versatile lighting system for decorative area and path lighting, the extensive Urban Deco family from Thorn, which includes post, pendant lighting and bollard luminaires, illuminates the pathway entrance bollards and the 3 – 5 metre columns for the pathways, along with recessed LINN around the edge of the footpath close to the building.

With a diverse range of world-class environments, the Lower Mountjoy Centre is an exciting new venue to enhance the teaching and learning experience at Durham University, the efficiency of the chosen luminaires helped the new facility to achieve an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of A.

So, far the reaction from students has been really positive.

For more information on Zumtobel please visit the website www.z.lighting and for Thorn www.thornlighting.co.uk

SAV Systems is proud to announce that the AirMaster AM 1000 has been awarded Passivhaus Component certification in conjunction with their Danish partner, Airmaster A/S. The flagship AM 1000 is the first decentralised, duct free, mechanical ventilation unit with heat recovery (MVHR) on the market to be awarded the certification. This enables the AirMaster AM 1000 to be used in Passivhaus school buildings.

Our time working with the City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) inspired SAV Systems to undertake Passivhaus certification. CEC has set ambitious targets to achieve Net Zero by 2035, leading the council to apply passive house design principles to all their new schools. The core philosophy of passive house design is to create a comfortable and energy efficient building with minimal energy wastage. Alongside the need for improved energy efficiency, Passivhaus also offers the opportunity to create more comfortable learning environments for students, combatting the Scottish climate.

Ventilation plays a crucial part in two requirements of passive house standards: air tightness and space heating demand. Openings in buildings, such as windows and porous building materials can allow heat to escape, wasting the energy generated by the building. Consequently, Passivhaus buildings have high airtightness and low heat loss. However, in increasing the airtightness of a building to conserve energy, indoor air quality can suffer. Therefore, a mechanical ventilation solution is required to manage indoor air quality without wasting energy.

Adopting AirMaster as a school’s ventilation strategy is an effective choice for designing comfortable classrooms. Due to the decentralised design of AirMasters, the units can be installed easily in a range of different classrooms, making use of duct free air distribution. A typical classroom installation requires one AirMaster AM 1000 per room with intake and exhaust connection to outside. The AM 1000 can recover up to 90% of the room’s heat using an aluminium heat exchanger, reducing the building’s heat load and heat loss.

The certification of the AM 1000 makes available an innovative ventilation strategy that can improve indoor air quality without sacrificing thermal comfort. Not only is this certification exciting for SAV Systems, but it is also exciting for decentralised mechanical MVHR as a ventilation strategy. With growing pressure on buildings to become energy efficient and comfortable, decentralised MVHR like AirMaster should play a vital role in the solution.

 

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