Sustainable
Design and Construction for Schools and Education Buildings: a guide to 21st
century building. Produced with support
from WWF by The Somerset Trust for Sustainable Development.
What
should our school buildings telling our children about the future? How many of
the very best examples of school and education buildings are being promoted to
those starting new educational building projects? If all our children went to
nursery, school, college and university in sustainably designed and built
buildings what might the benefits be for our society, our economy and our
environment? How easy is it to build environmentally friendly education
buildings that don’t cost the earth? What action can we take now to ensure that
every education building project is designed to have positive environmental
impacts, with very low running costs and a healthy learning environment?
The
new guide ‘Sustainable Design and Construction for Schools and Education
Buildings: a guide to 21st century building’ produced by the
Somerset Trust for Sustainable Development (STSD) with support from WWF answers
these and many other questions in a very simple and practical way. One answer
is that we need simple guidance … so this is a hands-on guide for those
involved in commissioning, designing or building schools and other education
buildings. It shows clearly why it is easy, cost effective and simply sensible
for all school and education buildings to be designed and built to high
sustainability standards – that means highly energy and water efficient,
healthy buildings for pupils and teachers, using attractive natural, local and
low ‘embodied energy’ materials.
The Government says:
We will deliver "An Investment Strategy for schools, colleges and universities, which encourages sustainable development and modernises the estate. It must be fit for the learning needs of the 21st century, helping to enrich communities and make towns and cities better places in which to live and work"
Education and Skills:
Delivering Results - a strategy to 2006, DfES website, July 2003.
We
believe it is a wise, logical and achievable aim to work towards ensuring that
sustainable design of all our school and education buildings becomes the norm
and not the exception. Sustainable design for schools and educations really is
applied common sense. In providing support for this publication, WWF – which is
probably Britain and the world’s most respected and influential environmental
NGO – has recognised the importance of taking a positive and proactive
approach, recognising that school and education buildings are a very obvious
opportunity to educate future generations of decision-makers, designers,
builders and home-owners about sensible design for the 21st century.
The
guide discusses the key issues for new buildings and refurbishments, covers
materials and healthy working environments, provides very useful practical
checklists, and also details many inspiring examples of those that have done it
already – from pre-school buildings to primary and comprehensive schools,
higher education colleges and universities, as well as environmental education
centres, many excellent examples already exist.
Use
this guide to help your school, college, university or your education authority
as a whole is heading in the right direction when it comes to new building
projects or refurbishments.
This
is the 3rd pioneering guide produced by STSD, following its guides
to sustainable construction for community buildings and village halls, and for
planning for sustainable design and construction.
Price:
£ 20.00 including p&p. For more details contact:
Somerset
Trust for Sustainable Development, Old Town Hall, Bow Street, Langport,
Somerset. TA10 9PR. Tel: 01458 259400.
Please
use the attached STSD leaflet (pdf file) to order your copy of the guide – as
well as to learn a little more about the work of the Trust. Alternatively, for
more information on the guide speak to or e-mail Corina Reay (corina@sustainablehousing.org.uk),
and for more detailed information on the work of the Trust, its consultancy and
training work, and its development projects contact: Julian Brooks (Project
Manager) or Charles Couzens (Executive Director).