The Hart School in Rugeley has recently completed a new, highly efficient development with sustainable experts, Net Zero Buildings using a panelised timber offsite method.
Less than two miles from Lea Hall Colliery, a disused mine that produced over one million tons of coal per year on several occasions between 1970 to 1980, The Hart School is leading Rugeley into a new era by committing to its net zero in operation expansion.
This huge investment for the local community offers additional capacity for the growing school, as it becomes a part of a net zero future. As a result of the new building's A+ energy efficiency rating, the school will save an estimated £30 per m2 per year. This will see an approximate saving of up to £11,500 on energy bills this winter. As a part of the Creative Education Trust, this development, which was completed in October 2022, is a part of a larger scheme to encourage net zero school buildings across the country.
"We've had net zero aspirations for a long time," comments Jon Ward, Director of Estates and Facilities, Creative Education Trust. "But when the local authority asked us to take on additional children at The Hart School, these aspirations became more urgent, as we needed to continue to provide an excellent and sustainable learning environment for the children of Rugeley."
Net Zero Buildings designed a sustainable solution for the Trust to replace the existing 1960s single-storey building, which offered much-needed teaching spaces within the existing group of buildings. The 385m2 project supports the school in handling increasing student numbers – with 147 more students starting in 2022 than three years ago. It includes a new teaching block, made up of five classrooms, as well as female, male and accessible toilets, which is connected to one of the school's existing buildings, ensuring seamless transitions for staff and students between the old and new.
The new building uses a combination of sustainable technologies to reach an A+ energy efficiency rating including a roof covered in photovoltaic (PV) panels and super-insulated timber-faced panels, which are extremely airtight for minimal heat loss. Internally, the building uses mechanical heat recovery ventilation and sensor-controlled low-energy lighting, while maximising natural daylight, to create a sustainable, yet comfortable, internal environment.
This combination of lean, green and clean technology results in a highly sustainable building, with an air permeability value of 1.73m3/(h.m2) at 50 Pa, which is much lower than the typical value of 5 for a building like this. The Creative Education Trust chose Net Zero Buildings to deliver the Hart School extension, as it was able to deliver a highly sustainable solution that reflected the school's net zero carbon ambitions. This means in operation, the school will generate more electricity than it uses, reducing running costs and helping to offset its carbon – which is more important than ever, given the current economic climate.
The Trust chose to build using offsite solutions as its highly sustainable, reducing carbon emissions, construction waste and energy consumption during the construction stage. Offsite also meant the new school building could be in operation up to nine months quicker than traditional construction methods. It also enabled a more cost-effective build, with Net Zero Buildings completing the project under budget.
"It's been wonderful to work so closely with Net Zero Buildings as it developed the Hart School designs. We understood the challenges associated with achieving a net zero environment on the existing school site, but we were keen to push further to ensure our investment was a sustainable one, and Net Zero Buildings enabled us to do this," continues Jon Ward. "The project was completed in the spirit of partnership, and it was all achieved ahead of expectation, so we could accommodate the additional children as soon as possible.
"Net Zero Buildings has delivered excellent teaching spaces that are sustainable for the children of Rugeley, and the work we've achieved together has enabled us to better understand options for further construction projects. We're very much looking forward to working with Net Zero Buildings in the future."
For more information visit: www.netzerobuildings.co.uk
Source: Offsite Magazine
