Property

Set in aspic?

Sustainability is a common mantra in all aspects of life, not least in building and refurbishments. James Dinwiddie provides a checklist to ensure that your school is maximising its opportunities and responsibilities

Sustainability has been an ongoing topic of conversation, with everyone trying to be as sustainable as they can be: schools are no exception. The Government has set a target for all schools to meet sustainable criteria by 2020. Although this seems a long way off, it’s surprising how quickly it will creep up and schools need to be prepared. While the ambition is set, the term “being sustainable” can encompass many areas and sometimes generates confusion. Schools have many issues and requirements to meet, so sustainability can fall by the wayside.

Listed and historic buildings are one such category of independent schools that can meet many challenges along the way when it comes to being more sustainable. Sustainability shouldn’t be thought of as an add-on to a building, but should be integrated into the entire design, building or refurbishing process. Following this mantra, these so-called hurdles many listed and historic school buildings encounter can be cleared.

As with any bespoke product, there is always a challenge to balance the customer’s requests with practicality while aiming to deliver quality products and services that reflect parents’ expectations. But where there’s a will, there’s a way, of course, whether this means creating an extension to an prep school, which was constructed as an Italian Gothic-style private house, or designing an underground dining facility to prevent the loss of a playground. All independent schools can take simple steps to achieve their sustainability targets by using carefully selected materials, planning and suggested energy-saving measures.

Doing enough?
A report published by Ofsted entitled Schools and Sustainability: A Climate for Change, assessed the extent to which schools were making sustainability an integral part of school life. Although this is good news, it provides added pressure on heads to meet another standard, particularly for older schools in less well-insulated buildings.

Inevitably, historic buildings have poor energy efficiency performance. In the effort to meet the sustainability standards by 2020, care must be made to ensure that improvements remain in keeping with the historic character. You need to ensure each project not only suits its intended function, but also incorporates sustainable resources and energy efficiency, which in the long-term results in saving money. With fuel prices increasing, this is a powerful incentive in itself. Yet by extending the useful life of the building you also help to conserve the planet’s resources. Preserving buildings is the ultimate recycling project.

When designing new buildings, the aim must be to achieve lasting quality, which will stand the test of time practically, technically and aesthetically. Believing that all buildings should conserve the world’s resources is not an end in itself, but an essential part of responsible design.

Tips towards being sustainable on a budget include: 
• improve thermal insulation and eliminate air gaps;
• overhaul historic windows with new seals (if possible);
• consider secondary glazing;
• use lobbies to reduce heat loss;
• use louvers, shutters and awnings to reduce heat gain;
• if possible make beneficial use of heat gain;
• use modern energy-efficient boilers and appliances;
• consider renewable energy sources such as solar and wind for specific services
• install controllable lighting with occupancy/daylight sensors;
• use energy-efficient light bulbs;
• collect and recycle rainwater and grey water;
• use renewable and long-life materials;
• upgrade rather than replace historic features; and
• use playgrounds fully. Design external spaces for use as outside classrooms.

James Dinwiddie is co-founder of Dinwiddie MacLaren Architects.

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