BUILDING SCHOOLS FOR THE FUTURE
SUSTAINABLE SCHOOLS
Giles Crellin, Learning Futures
omewhere between But more importantly is the need for of the impact on the environment
S
£70-100 billion is the figure that school design to support the (particularly the idea of embedded energy
represents England’s largest organisational and changes in the use of and also the likely financial costs of
Capital build in the form of schools that is already happening in constant new builds) and so we have to
Building Schools for the Future. education and is set to accelerate with design new and remodelled schools that
Not only is this an extraordinary sum of concepts of personalisation, changing will have a long life of at least 70 years
money creating a niche industry around curriculum such as the 14-19 agenda and and perhaps longer. How can design and
all aspects of the school design from lastly the drive for multifunctional schools those managing such buildings address
briefing to Facilities Management, but it that engage the wider community, to this conundrum of designing as best we
also has begged questions to be asked at name but a few. can for the needs of the present and
the highest governmental levels such as at foreseeable future whilst also not
the Select Committee level
1
around the REVOLUTION IS NOTHING NEW handicapping future unknown users? This
validity of the programme itself. There is nothing new in any of is a tall order and daunting, yet perhaps it
the above, there is always change and is achievable through a concept of
A GOOD SPEND? ‘new ideas’ in education. Furthermore sustainability that can be translated into
The main focus of this Select the wear and tear of use of any build tangible design outputs and at the very
Committee was to question the value of requires maintenance and new build. least allow us to go someway to
such effort and spending. Why are we However, what does change are the addressing the issue of the sustainable
spending this vast amount of money on tools and approaches that enable us school.
schools now? Is it to replace a stock of to respond to these shifts and
buildings that have reached the end of ‘revolutions’ in use of buildings and SUSTAINABILITY IS
their usable life whose ‘bricks and mortar’ importantly our understanding of the NOT ECO-EFFICIENCY
are now so worn and degraded that the parameters and wider contexts that Schools are extremely challenging
structures themselves are in an influence such changes. buildings. Few building types play so
embarrassing and unhealthy condition? If we consider the last educational many roles, have such a range of
Or is it that the designs and nature of the spend of similar significance (in terms of stakeholders and present so many design
schools themselves do not support the way quantity of money spent, political will and options. Almost none has the same
education is to be delivered in the future importantly the use of the build to support societal impact. The challenge lies in
or arguably even now, where pupils have a shift in educational paradigm), then matching the needs of teachers, pupils
grown up with and are fully immersed in perhaps the build of the comprehensive and other stakeholders with a practical
the virtual world, engaging with the digital schools in the 1950’s and 1960’s would and realisable design that can adapt to
revolution and other technological and be appropriate. These schools were meet future needs.
sociological shifts that are making existing designed to support the comprehensive A great deal of literature exists around
school design redundant to meet ideal and needed to reflect this while also the topic of sustainability but little
corresponding shifts in pedagogy? dealing with the practical post-war UK approaches the subject holistically and
I would argue that both the above are problems of limited resources and there is a tendency to concentrate on one
why we are investing this money and in manpower. These schools were designed aspect of sustainability such as eco-
essence because the school designs of the to be replaced. There was an expectation efficiency. For example, the most common
past are no longer sustainable. On the that they would be replaced within about tool used by designers to express their
one hand we have a stock of buildings 30 years of their construction to allow the sustainability credentials is the BREEAM
that are in urgent need of repair or next generation to design schools to Schools assessment. The BREEAM tool is
replacement if we are to provide support their educational paradigm.
3
We an excellent checklist for a school’s
environments that are pleasant and now know that we cannot afford to follow environmental impact and has an
healthy for teachers, pupils and all users. such an approach due to our awareness important role to play in a school wishing
to become more sustainable. It does not,
History of school design with corresponding influencing pedagogic trend
2
however, encapsulate a vision for
sustainable school buildings and neither
does it encapsulate other important
aspects of a school such as community
use, adaptability of learning spaces and
the way in which the building supports a
school’s vision.
4
Furthermore the very
nature of sustainability would suggest that
set procedures, checklists etc would not
necessarily support sustainable aspirations
1 Education and Skills Committee : Sustainable Schools: 2 DCSF Space for Personalised learning ongoing 3 Sorrel foundation.
Are we building schools for the future? Seventh Report research team 2008 :Exploring the Personalized 4 Education and skills select committee (sustainable
of Session 2006–07 vol 1 learning Landscape: schools 7th report of session 2006-07)
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SUSTAINABLE FM | MAY 2009
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