The Leading News & Information Service For The Facilities, Workplace & Built Environment Community

Leicestershire’s First Net-Zero Carbon School

Leicestershire’s First Net-Zero Carbon School
10 February 2023
 

Leicestershire County Council has appointed Willmott Dixon to build its first net-zero in-operation school.

The new £8.5 million 210-place primary school is Hollycroft Primary School at Normandy Way on the outskirts of Hinckley.

The project is aiming to succeed in achieving BREEAM Excellent, and Willmott Dixon will harness energy usage prediction modelling to help the school become net-zero in operation for both regulated and unregulated energy.

Cllr Deborah Taylor, Leicestershire County Council Lead Member for Children and Families, said: “I’m proud to say it will be the first Leicestershire school that will be carbon neutral and pupils that attend will learn in an environment that uses renewable energy, has an ‘A’ energy rating and the latest interactive learning equipment. We hope children will love learning in the new building.”

 

 

Timber-Framed School Building

 

Construction includes an easily assembled timber frame that will result in fewer embodied carbon emissions than a traditional steel frame. Priority has also been given to materials that will enhance the building’s thermal efficiency – such as enhanced fabric walls, floors and roof as well as enhanced performance windows, resulting in lower impact from outdoor temperatures and consequential heating and cooling costs.

Offsite manufacturing will also reduce the number of deliveries to site and halved the projected construction timeframe length for the timber frame erection in comparison to using traditional methods, which will in turn enable the pupils and staff to move into the new school earlier.

The new school is playing a key role in the council’s plan to become a net-zero carbon county by 2045. Nick Heath, director at Willmott Dixon, said: “Having worked closely with Leicestershire County Council for many years building innovative new schools, we’re pleased to have another important project underway. It will result in a sustainably-focused school that is not only innovative and flexible, but also supports the local authority’s ambitious net-zero targets.

“All over the country, buildings of old have not been designed with the future in mind and this is where our pioneering approach is reinventing standards. Our Energy Synergy™ process will help expose any potential performance gap for the council and consequently offer the opportunity to drive down operational costs – a win for the client and for the environment.”

Louise Dodds, Client Relationship Manger, Procurement Hub said: “This is an exciting project that has been procured through the Major Projects Framework. I’m pleased to be able to work with Leicestershire County Council to assist in delivery of the country’s first net-zero school with framework partner Willmott Dixon.”

The school will be run by the OWLS (Oadby, Wigston and Leicestershire Schools) Academy Trust.

Picture: A CGI of Hollycroft Primary School. Image Credit: Willmott Dixon

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 10 February 2023

Share



Related Articles

Willmott Dixon Rolls Out Electric Vehicle Charging Points at Over 100 Sites

Willmott Dixon is installing charging points at more than 100 locations across its sites and offices in England and Wales in 2021. Working with electric vehicle...

 Read Full Article
School Is First Passivhaus Secondary

The new Harris Academy will deliver energy consumption that's typically 80% lower than a standard new school building, while providing better air quality and the...

 Read Full Article
New City Planning Guidance Will Require Detailed Carbon Information

Developers in the City of London will need to provide detailed carbon impact figures before submitting an application under new planning guidance. Under the advice...

 Read Full Article
Report Recommends a ‘Technology Agnostic’ Approach to Decarbonising Buildings

A report that assesses government plans to decarbonise heat and buildings has been published. The report, from the Sustainable Energy Association (SEA) and its...

 Read Full Article
First-Ever Hydrogen Week UK Commences

The UK is holding its first Hydrogen Week, celebrating hydrogen’s role in switching to a low-carbon future.   Watch the...

 Read Full Article
Rishi Sunak Creates New Department for Energy Security and Net-Zero

In addition to a cabinet reshuffle, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has created a new ministerial department to deal with the UK’s energy security. Headed up by Grant...

 Read Full Article
Planet Mark Awards 2022

The Planet Mark Awards ceremony returned for a fourth year on Thursday 19 January at The Royal Institution to celebrate sustainable business.  Every year, Planet...

 Read Full Article
Mitie Shares Net-Zero Insights and Advice for 2023

Mitie has published its latest decarbonisation paper, sharing their predictions for the year ahead, covering a range of areas including energy, e-mobility and...

 Read Full Article
How Can FMs Avoid Food Waste and Reduce Carbon Emissions in 2023?

Organisations are striving to reduce their carbon footprint, and with food waste topping waste streams, the reduction and prevention of food waste should be a priority...

 Read Full Article
Inside Milton Keynes' First Fossil Fuel Free School

Take a look inside Glebe Farm School in the parish of Wavendon in Milton Keynes – a completely gas-free site. On a site larger than 13 football pitches, the...

 Read Full Article