Carbon retrofit in the education sector: is the greenest building the one that already exists?

 

 

 

 

By Kingsley Clarke, SCF Framework Operations Lead

 

 

The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme has now launched, which will support the aim of reducing emissions from public sector buildings by 75% by 2037. It will provide over 1.5 billion of grant funding up until 2026 to support public sector organisations which are facing pressure to deliver carbon savings and meet upcoming Net Zero targets.

Eighty percent of UK buildings that will exist in 2050 have already been built, and while it might seem easier to develop new buildings which meet sustainability targets, the opportunity to retrofit existing building stock to ensure they meet climate change targets can’t be ignored.

With the built environment sector accounting for 40% of all carbon emissions released, there is a growing awareness around whole life carbon and ensuring that we are using less carbon for the whole lifecycle of a building.

In support of our public sector partners, SCF has set up the SCF Climate & Sustainability Working Group, a collection of contractor representatives with expertise in carbon reduction and sustainability.  It is their job to monitor developments in legislation and best practice and in this article, we have taken their insight to support you to make informed decisions about retrofit.

With many universities and schools pledging to become carbon zero by 2030 or 2050, is the greenest building always the one that already exists and what challenges do educational establishments face when considering carbon retrofit?

 
To build or not to rebuild? The issue of historic buildings

Universities and schools are some of the most historic buildings in the UK so retrofitting them presents a complex challenge. According to Historic England, older buildings require a special approach as they take up moisture from their surroundings and release them according to environmental conditions, heating up and cooling down more slowly. This equilibrium can be affected when changes are made to increase energy efficiency and can have adverse consequences such as moisture accumulation or overheating.

Each historic building is unique, and despite the potential carbon cost, it might not be appropriate to retrofit due to structural or design issues – in which case a rebuild may be the better option.

By ensuring due diligence is done and processes such as a two-stage open book is undertaken via frameworks such as SCF, this will enable building risks to be assessed early on, allowing the entire ecosystem to be considered.

If suitable however, retrofit can make a huge difference to carbon reduction. A heat pump can reduce carbon emissions by up to 70% compared with a gas boiler and The UK Committee on Climate Change has highlighted  the need to speed up their deployment. But proper insulation needs to be in place or viable as an option for this efficiency to be maintained, so it’s important that this is assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Safety considerations must also be considered. Retrofitting can serve to address the need for repairs faced by some schools and universities across the country, including asbestos removal. But it might be the case that the entire building is unfit for use due to structural safety issues, in which case a rebuild will need to be undertaken.

 

Are your buildings retro(fit) for the future?

Retrofitting existing buildings presents an educational opportunity to pupils, creating a dialogue about sustainability between students, local authorities, and teachers. With a skills shortage in retrofit, schools, colleges, and higher education institutions have a part to play in inspiring future generations to consider the importance of sustainable buildings.

Biodiversity is also a key factor to consider. With the biodiversity net gain rules coming into effect in November 2023, it’s worth thinking about retrofit as an option as this will ease the biodiversity commitments due to the lessened impact on site.

Another key consideration is whether existing educational buildings are sufficient to meet the needs of the future student population. According to a report by the Office for Students, UK’s higher education population is expected to grow by 12.3% by 2025, increasing the requirement for additional campus buildings. Contractors can therefore work closely with universities to ensure they are meeting sustainability targets in future buildings when retrofit simply doesn’t meet future spatial requirements.

Recently, SCF contractor Galliford Try built a new state-of-the-art tech park at Chichester University to provide new engineering and digital creative technology facilities to support 500 new undergraduate and postgraduate student places per year. Passivhaus design principals were applied resulting in running costs efficiencies.

 

What are the cost considerations?

 Retrofitting is not a quick fix to rising energy bills, but in the long run modifications to a heating system will improve a building’s lifetime running costs while reducing energy consumption. The House of Commons Library estimates that schools’ energy bills have risen by 93% in the last year, so retrofitting can enable schools and universities to make much needed savings.

 However new buildings may reduce the need for future repairs, while also reducing carbon to the extent that the original embodied carbon emitted during the build process will be offset.

 

One size doesn’t fit all

The issue of whether educational institutions should take a retrofit first approach is complex. Each has its own goals and barriers. However, with the National Audit Office estimating that 60% of current educational building stock was constructed before 1976 when sustainability concerns were not as much of a priority, it’s important that this imbalance in addressed.

Whether or not to retrofit, shouldn’t be a binary decision, or one which is made in isolation. The environment is a huge issue for students today and will continue to increase in importance as the impact of climate change accelerates. It’s important that solutions are chosen that will do the best by planet and people.

 

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SCHOOL BUILDINGS: URGENT WARNING

 

Unacceptable and alarming: Deteriorating school buildings prompt urgent warnings

 

  • PAC report slams DfE for lack of basic information on reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC)
  • Calls for package of support for teachers and students at schools in poor condition that cannot yet be fixed

The lack of basic information from the Department for Education (DfE) on the concrete crisis in schools is both shocking and disappointing. In a report published today, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) warns that the school estate has deteriorated to the point where 700,000 pupils are learning in a school that needs major rebuilding or refurbishment, impacting their learning experiences and ultimately limiting their educational achievements.

Unacceptable numbers of pupils are learning in poorly maintained or potentially unsafe buildings. The Government’s School Rebuilding Programme (SRP), which is behind its initial schedule for getting schools built, has considered upgrades to 1,200 schools with safety issues or in poor condition. 500 schools in total will be selected to be included in the SRP, but many of the 100 schools still to be selected will be chosen due to serious RAAC issues. Many other schools will therefore not get on to the SRP, even though longer-term assessments of their poor condition would lead to a conclusion that they should be rebuilt.

The PAC is extremely concerned that DfE does not have a good enough understanding of the risks in school buildings to keep children and staff safe. Despite the PAC raising these as concerns for several years, DfE was unable to tell the PAC’s inquiry how many surveys to identify RAAC were outstanding, how many temporary classrooms had been provided to schools affected by RAAC, or say when RAAC issues would be addressed. There is a lack of certainty on support for schools affected by RAAC, and questions around both the reliability of the DfE’s information on the number and condition and schools affected, and the Government’s attitude to risk with regards to the school estate.

The PAC is also calling for the DfE to work up a full picture of asbestos across the school estate. The report finds that, as at July 2023, the DfE was unsighted on asbestos in just over 4% of schools. While this has fallen from 7% at May 2022, this still represents almost 1,000 schools. Both RAAC and asbestos can be present in the same building, complicating any works to tackle the issues. Since 2011, around 11 teachers or ex-teachers have died from asbestos-related conditions each year, Health and Safety Executive data suggests. The report urges the Government to develop a package of support and good practice, targeted at helping mitigate the negative impact on pupils and teachers of schools that are in poor condition but cannot yet be fixed.

Chair’s comments

Dame Meg Hillier MP, Chair of the Committee, said:

“A significant proportion of children in this country are learning in dilapidated or unsafe buildings. This is clearly beyond unacceptable, but overcoming the consequences of this deficit of long-term infrastructure planning will not be easy. The School Rebuilding Programme was already struggling to stay on track, and DfE lacked a mechanism to direct funding to regions which need it most. It risks being blown further off course by concerns over RAAC, and many schools in dire need of help will not receive it as a result.

The images of classroom ceilings collapsed onto empty school desks released in recent months are not just searing indictments of a deteriorating school estate. They are chilling reminders of absolute catastrophe averted through sheer luck. Given the poor condition of so many of these buildings, the Government’s prime challenge now is to keep the safety of children and staff absolutely paramount.”

Find all publications related to this inquiry, including oral and written evidence

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Oxfordshire children explore natural world with donation from Beard

School children from some of the most deprived and marginalised areas of Oxfordshire have become the latest cohort of learners to take part in an environmental education experience, thanks to funding from award-winning construction company Beard.

The programme, which is designed and delivered by charity Earth Trust, aims to connect disadvantaged children with the natural world through exciting outdoor experiences. Access to such trips has been extremely limited in recent years, as schools battle against tighter budgets and access to resources, including staffing.

With the pandemic having exacerbated some of these barriers, many of the pupils involved in the programme – particularly those in Year 3 classes – have never been on a school trip, or even visited a large green space.

The latest cohort has just recently attended its first day of the programme, with the Earth Trust working closely with teachers to align practical experiences with classroom learning, in order to maximise the educational value of the programme.

The programme delivers over three years with a £10,000 funding from the Beard Charitable Foundation and a donation by Lucy Group – an Oxford-based electrical and real estate business. It covers transport and 60 percent of the overall programme cost, aiming to reduce the barriers for schools and enabling their learners to access the charity’s valuable green spaces and outdoor learning experiences.
2023 is the first full year of the programme, with three classes accessing two visits each year for three years. This allows those 90 students to build on their learning and to develop a greater understanding and appreciation of nature and the environment.

Mark Beard, chairman of Beard, said:

“Regardless of circumstance or background, every child should have the opportunity to learn about the environment and explore the natural world around them. This fantastic initiative by Earth Trust is not just important in educating young people but empowering them to become future stewards of our environment and planet.

“The climate of the last few years has significantly reduced the opportunities for young people to have these valuable experiences. We are delighted to partner with Lucy Group to support the work of Earth Trust and create those opportunities for disadvantaged children in the region.”

 

Jayne Manley, Earth Trust CEO, added:

“School trips to exciting locations are often some of the brightest highlights and longest lasting childhood memories. Access to natural green space and outdoor learning builds confidence, aids learning and skills and engages everyone equally. Yet those from disadvantaged areas of Oxfordshire have very limited access to environmental education experiences, a problem exacerbated during the pandemic.

“We are very grateful that with the support of Beard we can work with resource-stretched schools to provide valuable outdoor experiences to young people from all social backgrounds, enabling them to become eco-conscious and play a vital role in society in the future.”

The Beard Charitable Foundation was formed by the Beard family in 2016, to mark 125 years in business. The foundation aims to support the Beard family and Beard employees in their charitable and community pursuits. Beard is a family-run construction company that is proud of its people first ethos and its longstanding commitment to supporting the communities where it works and investing in the next generation.

The donation follows Beard’s involvement in the construction of Earth Lab, a stimulating and interactive educational space which has been designed in sympathy with the surrounding woodland landscape. Construction of Earth Lab took place in 2020-21 and the new facility welcomed its first students in June 2021.

 

For more information, please CLICK HERE

 

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STRIKING EDUCATIONAL SUPERBLOCK

VANDERSANDEN BRICKS HELP CREATE A STRIKING EDUCATIONAL SUPERBLOCK

 

Setting an aesthetic benchmark at the heart of the regeneration of London’s Royal Docks, Oasis Academy Silvertown is a new Department for Education school created by architects Rivington Street Studio. The landmark building serves 11-16 year olds and achieves a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating while its striking appearance owes much to the use of Vandersanden’s Perla bricks.

 

At the heart of an emerging community in West Silvertown, the Oasis Academy is an all-inclusive secondary school for 600 students on a constrained .25-hectare site. Arranged as a multi-storey ‘superblock’, the building incorporates outdoor social space at different levels and a full-sized sports pitch on its roof.

 

The warm white Perla brickwork and large openings relate to the existing and new residential properties and the monumental listed Silo D nearby. The building’s thick external walls are folded to provide a layered façade in response to the elements. A double-height colonnade to the North Woolwich Road acts as a visitor entrance and engenders a civic quality to the building while also allowing for generous pedestrian movement and a deep threshold between the public domain and secure school environment.

 

The site is surrounded by a mix of red brick residential properties, derelict industrial land and vast stretches of master-planned residential and commercial properties. “We wanted the Academy to stand out from this landscape,” explains Éimear Murphy, associate director at Rivington Street Studio. “Vandersanden’s white Perla bricks give the building a monumental quality, highlighting that it’s for the community and is not an apartment block.”

 

Taylor Maxwell, the brick supplier, suggested Vandersanden’s Perla brick for the project. “What we really liked about Perla is that it’s not only a white brick, with no variation in the colour, but it has quite a rustic, handmade texture that gives it a warm feel rather than a shiny and engineered surface finish,” says Murphy.

 

There were various challenges to creating the brickwork details. The sharp angles associated with the brick fins on the side elevations meant there were a lot of brick specials so these were scheduled with plans drawn through the fins at every other course at the different levels. The contractor then cut the bricks to the schedule. This was made possible because the Perla bricks are exactly the same colour all the way through.

 

For the canted reveals of the double-height colonnade to the main elevation, brick slip panels were used. Rivington Street Studio worked with the brick subcontractor to develop a bespoke detail and different mock-ups were trialled. The brick slips are seamless in appearance, matching with the full bricks used elsewhere.

 

The canted reveals to the windows on the south elevation were envisioned through extensive 3D modelling and the Perla bricks again proved highly versatile during construction.

 

To achieve a homogenous feel to the building, the mortar was matched to the brick. From a distance, the structure resembles a white cube but, as you get closer, the surface detail of the mortar joints and brick texture starts appearing. At different times of the day, the building’s appearance changes as patterns of light and shade move across the texture of the bricks.

 

“The Vandersanden bricks are incredibly high quality and the through colour simplified the construction process because the bricks could simply be cut to suit the building’s geometry, enthuses Murphy. “Another important factor was the excellent consistency of the batches as this was essential to achieving the building’s monolithic, one-colour look.”

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The £1million pound Blunder

 

Anger as DfE error slashes school funding by £1m

Politicians and councillors say a Government blunder that resulted in funding budgets for York schools being slashed by over £1 million is “unacceptable”.

As The Press reported, The Department for Education (DfE) admitted to the mistake that has resulted in around £60 or more being lost per pupil at some schools in the York area.

The mistake was an underestimation of pupil numbers by DfE officials.

It means that the full £59.6 billion Core Schools Budget will still be delivered in full by the Government but the amount that each school receives per pupil will be less.

British civil servant Susan Acland-Hood, the Permanent Secretary at the Department for Education, apologised to Robin Walker MP, chair of the Education Select Committee, over the mistake in a letter sent on Friday, October 6.

Politicians and councillors in York hit out at the error.

York Central MP Rachael Maskell branded it as “yet another mistake by this Tory Government”.

“The complete mismanagement of the Tory ministers is outrageous as they are lurching from one disaster to another,” she told The Press.

“With York schools already some of the worst funded in the country, the cost will be borne by children not having access to the full education they deserve, with York schools losing between £45 to £65 per pupil next year.”

York Outer MP Julian Sturdy said the mistake was an “unacceptable failing within the DfE”.

“I hope that the civil servants involved are adequately disciplined by the Secretary of State,” he told The Press.

“This is not a mere oversight but could have a profound impact on children in York’s education.

“I will be raising this matter with ministers urgently as local schools should not have to suffer due to mistakes made within the DfE.”

City of York Council leader Cllr Claire Douglas said the situation would have an “unacceptable impact on York schools and the education of its pupils”.

She added the error “compounds the problem of York schools being amongst the worst funded in the whole country”.

“The Government should be recognising its mistake and adjusting its allocations to ensure per pupil funding is maintained. Instead, what we will see for some schools is equivalent to the loss of two full time teachers,” Cllr Douglas told The Press.

“The Conservative Government is short-changing York across a range of public services and this cannot go on.”

Cllr Andrew Hollyer, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for York Outer, said the blunder “shows up the staggering incompetence of this Conservative Government”.

“Just a few weeks after the RAAC concrete scandal, the Conservatives have shown yet again that we cannot trust them to look after our schools,” he said.

“Schools have spent two months expecting to receive significantly more funding than they will actually get next year. The Government has not even given them their correct funding figure yet.

“As a result, schools may have to redraw their budgets for the upcoming year.”

Luke Charters, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for York Outer, branded the error as “more chaos” being “inflicted on local children’s education due to the complete failure of the Conservatives”.

“I went to Huntington School and appreciate the hard work and dedication of every single member of staff there, without them I would not be where I am today,” he said.

“But when budgets are already tight how is Huntington School going to plug the £70,000 budget gap equivalent to roughly two teachers’ salaries?

“We desperately need a change.”

Source: The Press

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SPECIALIST HUBS FOR IN-DEMAND SKILLS

West Yorkshire Colleges, including Leeds College of Building, have been successful in securing £6.9 million from the Department for Education to digitise teaching and learning in key sectors. 

The funding is part of the Local Skills Improvement Fund (LSIF) and will launch a West Yorkshire digital innovation project led by colleges.

The project will support colleges and partners to build capacity to meet local skills priorities that were identified in the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP), launched by the West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce in August.

Working through the consortium, colleges and partners will collaborate for maximum impact. They will develop current and new digitised training provision and curriculum for key industries.

The colleges will open specialist hubs and academies offering high level curriculum using immersive and digital technology and Artificial Intelligence.

The capital investment will include equipment and resources needed to use virtual reality, augmented reality, Artificial Intelligence and robotics to equip colleges with the means to develop relevant and in-demand skills.

The funding has been split into six key areas with investment for digital innovation in:

  • construction,
  • creative industries,
  • health and social care,
  • advanced manufacturing,
  • Financial technology (Fintech),
  • the wider digital development of teaching and learning.

Each area will be led by a West Yorkshire college that will lead the innovation, host the digital hub and share experience and knowledge and develop teaching and learning across all colleges.

Project Director of the West Yorkshire Consortium of Colleges, Joanne Patrickson said,

“This is a fantastic opportunity for the region to advance the skills needed in technology to keep up with industry changes. Not only will the funding of new equipment help to improve the learning experience in colleges, the collaboration between our partners will grow the skills and knowledge of the teaching staff who can deliver relevant training to the current and future workforce.”

The West Yorkshire colleges benefiting from the funding include Leeds College of Building,  Bradford College, Calderdale College, Kirklees College, Luminate Education Group (Leeds City College and Keighley College), Heart of Yorkshire Education Group, and Shipley College.

 

Leeds College of Building has been awarded funding for the development of new specialist hubs for digital skills within the construction industry to meet the demands in the area for diverse skilled workers. This will also include funding for mobile digital hubs across the region with AI technology and VR/AR equipment.

 

Nikki Davis, Principal and CEO of Leeds College of Building said:

 

“We are delighted to be awarded this funding to help support local people to access high quality provision, with industry leading facilities.  The focus on digital construction will provide opportunities for employers and future employees to develop vital skills.” 

 

Over the course of the project approximately 5,000 learners will benefit from around 100 new courses, with over 7,000 learners using the new equipment purchased with LSIF capital funds. Over 700 college staff will benefit from CPD activities.

The project runs until March 2025 and is part of the Government’s drive to transform skills training so that more people can secure good jobs close to home.

Read the Department for Education’s announcement press release.

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New Junior School with Sustainability at its Heart

PUPILS and staff at Notting Hill and Ealing High School have celebrated the opening of their new Junior School.

Girls were welcomed by Junior School head Kate Bevan, who cut a ribbon before they walked through an arch of bio-degradable paper flowers and leaves and entered the -completed building for the first time.

With sustainability at its heart, the carbon-neutral development provides inside and outside learning in an eco-friendly building.

The site includes 14 new classrooms, with additional sixth-form classrooms, specialist teaching spaces for music, art, science and computing, a light-filled library with rooftop lantern and a hall with tiered seating.

A science garden, forest school area, dedicated play area for reception pupils and an additional playground for other year groups complete the development.

Kate Bevan said: “The construction and design choices reflect the values we instil in our students, fostering a deep respect for the planet and a commitment to being part of the solution to the world’s challenges.”

The building has a sustainable wooden frame, south-facing panels on the roof, to catch sunlight and supply electricity, a highly-insulated and airtight building fabric, air source heat pumps and a heat recovery system.

 

Scource: Ealing Times

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NEW WORKSHOP PROPOSED TO TEACH MMC

WEYMOUTH College is asking permission to build a single storey extension on its Cranford Avenue site to create a new teaching space.

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Construction of State of the Art School on Track

The new Paisley Grammar School – expected to cost almost £75m – is “on track for completion” in the summer of 2026.

The state-of-the-art community campus, which will be built next to the former Chivas administration building in Renfrew Road, will replace the existing school in Glasgow Road.

An initial delivery date of December 2025 was targeted but this timeline was considered to be “extremely tight” and created an “unacceptable risk” to aspects of the project.

A report to this week’s education and children’s services policy board said the programme was on course for the revised date of August 2026.

“Paisley Grammar School Community Campus is on track for completion in summer 2026,” the document said.

“Renfrewshire Council’s ambition for the young people of Paisley Grammar School and its wider community is to provide a campus which enables new learning in flexible, innovative spaces; a campus which is an exemplar for sustainability in learning, design, and the future Renfrewshire Council learning estate.

“The campus will create opportunities for, and connections with, the wider community, and it will deliver an environment which is inclusive, safe and engenders a culture of respect, building on the tradition and values of Paisley Grammar School.”

The construction phase of the project is scheduled to begin in March 2024.

Earlier this year, Julie Calder, head of education, confirmed the facility would be designed to accommodate a maximum of 1,350 pupils.

“The current roll at the moment is 1,017,” she told the board in January.

“Given recent events, I hope you understand that we considered it prudent to revise the roll projections.

“Having done so, we’re confident that – taking account of the pupils currently in Paisley Grammar who will move to the new school, all the pupils who are in associated primary schools and developments – the school should be designed to accommodate a potential maximum of 1,350 pupils.”

Councillors will be asked to note the latest update on the project at Thursday’s board meeting.

 

Source: STV News

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An extraordinary educational resource architects, designers and engineers

A £5.9 million building project at a Buckinghamshire school has begun.

The state-of-the-art Design, Technology & Engineering (DTE) building, based on Stowe School’s historic campus, will include modern teaching spaces, studios, and workshops.

The structure itself will act as a learning tool with exposed beams, joints, and bolted connections replacing traditional internal finishes.

Colour-coded services will remain uncovered, letting students observe the maze of pipes within the walls and even into the plant room.

Working with architects Design Engine and key partner B&K Hybrid Solutions, the team will construct a timber frame using glulam and cross-laminated timber to keep material usage low and enable easy deconstruction if needed.

Work on the foundations is underway, including the installation of helical piles, with completion slated for next autumn.

Ensuring minimal disruption and safety, developer Beard has arranged outside heavy traffic periods delivery and is using a separate entrance for heavy cargo.

They are also planning talks and site visits for students to engage them in the project’s progression next year.

Head of Stowe School Dr Anthony Wallersteiner said:

“We are delighted to see Beard start work on the new Design, Technology & Engineering building.

“Nestled in the grounds of historic Stowe and in the shadow of Silverstone and the UK’s engineering heartland, the cutting-edge DT&E Centre will complement its surroundings, all while providing an extraordinary educational resource for our future architects, designers and engineers.

“We look forward to the project completing next autumn and working closely with Beard to share their insight and expertise throughout the build.”

Dean Averies, Beard director for Oxford, said:

“With our reputation in the education sector, Beard has had the privilege of being involved in a number of prestigious builds across the region.

“This innovative project is another fantastic example, and we’re incredibly proud to support Stowe School in delivering a state-of-the-art facility to truly bring these exciting subjects to life.

“Beard is well known for delivering ambitious buildings to a high standard of quality. This project is a great opportunity for us to demonstrate this and our commitment to prompt and faultless delivery. Not only is there nowhere to hide with many elements of the building remaining exposed, but the entire build and installation must be exemplary, to provide an educational tool and benchmark for students.”

Source: Bucks Free Press

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