Glebe Farm School is Milton Keynes’ first fossil-free new build school. It’s so ‘green’ that it’s been removed from the grid and even its Bunsen burners are powered without gas. The school’s headteacher, Matthew Shotton, explains the project
Working together on the vision One of the exciting features of this project was the close collaboration from day one of the design and build project between Milton Keynes City Council as the commissioners of the school, IFtL as the appointed multi-academy trust to run the school, and the developers the Northern Home Counties business at Morgan Sindall Construction. Together they created the vision for a fully integrated all-through school (under one roof) whilst considering how the sustainable credentials would be maximised during the build and throughout
require gas-powered Bunsen burners. To its operation as a school for years to come. solve this issue, Milton Keynes City Council With construction of the school having installed electric Bunsen burners instead, started in February 2020, many of the so that no part of the building would recommended green building processes require a gas connection for any reason. were immediately underway, reducing any This is a good example of how this project impacts on the local environment. One of is ahead of the curve, as gas Bunsen burners the most significant ways emissions were are still routinely specified for new schools minimised during the build is by using despite the construction industry veering alternative and renewable power sources away from this fossil fuel. The move to drop for the equipment and temporary set-up. gas is especially evident in the recent Future This was accomplished by using a solar Homes Standard and its directive to take powered generator, powered through 32 new homes off the gas grid – a direction photovoltaic (PV) panels, to provide clean, that is likely to be keenly felt in public off-grid energy for the site’s cabins, canteen, sector construction in the coming years. toilets and even the CCTV system. Through Integrating underfloor heating (UFH) into embracing new technology, Morgan Sindall the school’s ground floor slab provided an Construction used five solar-powered, energy efficient heating method while saving wireless CCTV cameras around the site. time when compared to using a sand For those less sunny days, the generator and cement screed. The manner used bio-fuel Hydrotreated in which UFH heats an entire Vegetable Oil (HVO) instead of E mission space from the ground diesel to make sure that the s were up means that heat is work kept going without minimis used in a more efficient any disruptions, whilst manner compared to also emitting 90 per cent the bui ed during ld by us traditional methods less. Even when not on ing alterna such as radiators. solar power, this was still t i v renewa e and a much more sustainable The building in energy source for the for the ble power equipm operation team onsite, as HVO en and tem The green design only creates 0.195kg of porary t changes did not stop CO2 instead of the 2.68kg set-up at construction, and in created when burning red operation renewable power diesel. A solar-powered PV boot became an ever more prominent wash and electric charging car part of the project, with the number of parking spaces were also installed for staff. solar panels increasing and with six electric charging points added to the car park. When Removal from the gas grid it came to the components used to construct One of the most significant eco-friendly the school, the Green Guide for building design changes came with the decision to materials was consulted to inform sustainable remove the school from the gas grid, with specification choices, which included all the heating to be provided instead by choosing eco-friendly PVC-free hoarding renewable energy via roof mounted ASHPs. instead of a traditional option. 360 metres The emission reducing effectiveness of this of carbon neutral hoarding was installed move was highlighted by the Committee around the site, saving 12 tons of carbon. on Climate Change, which stated that The Morgan Sindall Construction Northern carbon emissions for a home can be up Home Counties business worked closely with to 90 per cent lower for a house and 80 Milton Keynes City Council and IFtL to ensure per cent lower for a naturally ventilated that the school’s design would continue to office when using ASHPs instead of gas. effectively minimise emissions during its dayUnlike most developments, this decision to-day use. A key way this has been achieved has an interesting knock-on effect for a is by designing a building envelope E school, as typically every science lab will
Issue 27.6 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE
Written by Matthew Shotton, headteacher, Glebe Farm School
At the start of this school year, Glebe Farm School, part of the Inspiring Futures through Learning (IFtL) multi-academy trust, opened its doors to 250 children and this will eventually rise to over 1,530 pupils. As an all-through school, children can enter at reception and stay all the way through to Year 11. There is also a 39-place full-time equivalent nursery. Nothing new in that, you might be thinking – new schools or new school buildings are opening all the time – but our school is Milton Keynes’ first fossil-free new build school, funded and developed by Milton Keynes City Council with building works carried out by the Northern Home Counties team at Morgan Sindall Construction. The driver has been Milton Keynes City Council which, since 2015, has opened six new schools and expanded 22 others, creating thousands of new local school places. The council is well on track, as part of its MK Futures 2050 strategy, to be carbon neutral by 2030 and carbon negative by 2050 and in each case, planners, architects and builders have aimed to have a positive impact on the environment by using clever designs and greener technologies. The whole site has been designed to have a minimal impact on the environment. Glebe Farm School is ‘gas free’, with air source heat pumps (ASHPs) which absorb heat from the outside air providing all the energy needed for air and hot water. All lighting comes from ultra-efficient LEDs whilst hundreds of solar panels generate power for the building. Furthermore, 840 trees, donated by the Woodland Trust, have been planted on the grounds.
Design & Build
Building a fossil-free school
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