EDUCATION ENERGY EFFICIENCY
THE ROAD TO NET ZERO CARBON SCHOOLS With technological advances in clean or renewable energy, construction materials and offsite building methodologies, the net zero benchmark for energy performance in buildings has become achievable. Neil Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Net Zero Buildings (NZB) outlines its energy efficient Schoolhaus design.
1 Since our formation in 2010 NZB has developed inspiring teaching spaces which utilise offsite construction methods and standardised components to deliver permanent buildings incorporating valuable energy saving efficiencies. Our Schoolhaus buildings are impacting on construction within the education sector by making cost-efficient and sustainable buildings accessible, whilst providing state-of-the-art learning environments for 21st century teaching. NZB’s processes maximise offsite construction and minimise onsite disruption – to the extent that a double classroom with facilities can be delivered in as little as three weeks.
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Schoolhaus avoids a lifetime of CO2 emissions and eliminates unnecessary energy expenditure and run at a fraction of the cost of alternative methods. Current spaces – built to energy performance best practice – consume around £4,600 of energy spend per m², compared to a net zero building, which generates valuable revenue through saved energy costs. The use of a full solar PV roof also helps deliver a truly net zero building with better than neutral carbon emissions and significant energy cost savings. Through carefully considered material and technology choices, Schoolhaus costs little to run and achieves an EPC rating of A+.
WWW.OFFSITEMAGAZINE.CO.UK | SPRING 2017
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