The Hart School in Rugeley has recently completed a new, highly efficient development with sustainable experts, Net Zero Buildings.
An unusually large investment for the local community, it now allows additional capacity for the growing school. As a result of the new building’s A+ energy efficiency rating, the school will save an estimated £30 per sqm 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 385 sqm 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: externally, design choices include a roof covered in photovoltaic (PV) panels and super-insulated timber-faced panels, which are extremely airtight for minimal heat loss; and 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.
