New Schoolhaus projects completed

Eco-friendly modular buildings offer an alternative for schools seeking to expand without increasing their carbon footprint

Posted by Dave Higgitt | March 11, 2015 | Facilities & buildings

Eco-friendly, modular buildings, Schoolhaus, Aylsham High School, Palatine Primary School, Netherfield Primary School, UK Energy Partners

Three new Schoolhaus projects have been constructed at Aylsham High School in Norfolk, Palatine Primary School in West Sussex and Netherfield Primary School in Nottinghamshire. The builds at Aylsham and Palatine began on the first day of half-term in mid-February, minimising disruption to the schools, and thanks to Schoolhaus’s rapid construction, both buildings are now complete. The groundworks at Netherfield were completed in a single day, and the Nottinghamshire build began on 2 March and was completed after only five days on site on 6 March.

Using modular construction techniques, Schoolhaus buildings feature versatile, low-cost SIP walls, helical pile foundations and timber-floor cassettes with thick layers of insulation to minimise heat loss. There are eight standard designs and layouts, with their negative carbon emissions rating making them the most energy-efficient school buildings in the UK. A solar PV roof enables schools to generate energy and earn subsidies from feed-in tariffs. Buildings can be bought or rented under a short-term operating lease (typically for a period of five years).

“Schoolhaus is the best value, rapid response solution to UK schools’ chronic space shortage,” said the headteacher of Moreton Hall Preparatory School. “It’s zero carbon, looks great, generates clean energy and revenue, and is brilliant value for money – we love our Schoolhaus.”

Mark Rowson, business manager at Tendring Technology College, concurred: “The team from UK Energy Partners were great to work with. They were always helpful, knowledgeable, flexible and reliable – and delivered a great building on time and on budget.”

Schoolhaus is available in single or twin classrooms, with mixed or separate boys’/girls’ toilets, and also as a twin classroom with toilets and office space.

“To me, Schoolhaus ticks every possible box: environmental, educational, financial. It is at the forefront of environmental technology in schools,” said Green Party MP Caroline Lucas.

www.ukenergypartners.co.uk