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Building, Refurbishment & Maintentance
Valuable
lessons
Refurbishment of
educational environments
W
hen you consider that the typical young person spends in excess of 12,000
hours at school between the ages of 5-16, it is not difficult to see how making
educational establishments a pleasant place to be is important. Not only this, in a
survey by the Teacher Support Network and British Council for School Environments,
87 per cent of respondents agreed that a school’s environment affects pupil
behaviour, yet only 12 per cent considered that existing schools were designed
effectively.
Transforming the classroom into a vibrant learning space needn’t be a daunting
task. Modern paint systems offer a highly effective and cost efficient way to create an
environment that engages students and inspires learning. However, choosing a
refurbishment or maintenance scheme that not only makes financial sense, but also
makes environmental sense, requires the selection of the right professional products.
When considering a refurbishment or maintenance project, selecting durable
products that offer a prolonged lifespan will extend maintenance cycles, so reduce
costs by eliminating the need for more frequent redecoration. Hardwearing paints
such as Diamond Matt from Dulux Trade - which is ten times more durable and stain
resistant than standard silk emulsions - means surfaces in even the highest traffic
areas can be kept clean and fresh from common stains for five years as opposed to
two to three years with a standard emulsion.
Not only does the Dulux Trade Diamond range deliver top quality performance
and exceptional durability, but being water-based as opposed to solvent-based,
means that it contains less embodied carbon, which also lowers the carbon footprint
of decorating jobs.
Because Dulux Trade knows how important it is to provide young people with a
stimulating environment in which to learn, it is supporting the British Council for
School Environments’ (BCSE) Big School Makeover. The initiative is a nationwide
project to encourage teachers, parents and young people to get involved in
refreshing or refurbishing key areas of their school. Phase one of the programme
features five schools from across the country which have received expert guidance on
creating a fresh new look for an area of their building, highlighting how small
changes can make a big difference, whatever the budget.
Martha James from Dulux Trade says: “Transforming the learning environment
really can add colour to the lives of the people who use it. Research also suggests that
students perform better in spaces with which they feel a connection and that this
connection is strengthened if an individual feels that they have a measure of control
over it. Involving both pupils and teachers in the makeover process is therefore a key
part of the programme.
“Every child has the right to a stimulating, exciting school environment – one that
nurtures learning and interaction. The Big School Makeover shows just how easy it
can be to achieve this.”
uwww.duluxtrade.co.uk
16
www.education-today.co.uk November 2009
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