Opinion
Grasping the challenge
Mike Entwisle explains what the future of school design
must look like if buildings are to withstand the educational
and environmental pressures expected in the next 50 years
T
he schools sector is one of the few flourishing in As reported by Ian Pegg in the Journal recently,
the UK construction market, but while much good energy use in schools is generally significantly higher
work is being done, recent studies have shown than expected, with data from more recent BSF schools
that the design quality of many is poor. also showing similar results. The biggest issues are
Education, pedagogy and environmental drivers often associated with building management, with
are continually changing, yet most schools are still equipment left running 24/7 when schools are only
designed with rectangular classrooms used for occupied for around 25 per
traditional teaching. The interaction of today’s pupils cent of the year. While PFI
with technology and the skills they need to develop are schools have professional Buildings must
very different from 15 years ago, and the buildings must facilities management and
respond to
reflect this. Only a small amount of the innovation in, now must comply with CO2
for instance, the former Department for Education and emission targets, many future demands, such as
Skills Exemplar Schools programme, finds its way into academies and design-and-
the pressures of
completed buildings. Like the French Grands Projets, build schools muddle through
some of these might not work as well as expected, but with traditional caretakers climate change
without innovation we will not advance. and finance managers trying
The CIBSE Schools Design Group is currently to fill this gap with often mixed results.
starting to review Building Bulletins to identify As the Department for Children, Schools and
conflicts which can cause confusion: this could Families’ Zero Carbon Schools Task Force has found,
trigger reviews of some of them, which will in turn the most effective way to reduce energy use and
clarify bid documentation. I have seen how, if used emissions is to inform and engage all users. This can
without an in-depth knowledge of how schools be integrated into the curriculum, ensuring that the
function in the real world, the current guidance can building is used as the designers intended.
be counterproductive. As designers we must, therefore, ensure that the
For example, in classroom design many Building Usable Buildings Trust’s mantra of ‘Keep it simple – Do
Schools for the Future (BSF) output specifications it well – Only then be clever’ reads like letters in a stick
simply call for an average two per cent daylight factor of rock through all aspects of a scheme. This ensures
and compliance with BB101 overheating criteria, which that what we design is appropriate for the building’s
on paper appears simple. Too often we see ‘compliant’ users, and requires effective briefing, Soft Landings and
schools with ‘blinds down and lights on’, increasing post-occupancy evaluation processes. This approach can
energy consumption and causing summertime be applied not only to new build schemes, but also to
The CIBSE Schools Design
overheating. Simple solutions to this critical issue refurbishments and existing buildings.
Group aims to foster
require consideration of building orientation and If we are really Building Schools for the Future,
long-term knowledge
envelope design, but if no-one takes ownership of the we must ensure they can cope with the educational
exchange and partnership
between stakeholders
environmental performance of the building as a whole, and environmental demands of the next fifty years – a
working on sustainable
the end result will at best be a compromise. challenge we must grasp with both hands. l
school design, construc-
We must provide strong leadership throughout a
tion and maintenance.
project to ensure building environmental design is top Dr Mike Entwisle is an associate director at Buro Happold
The group is open to any
of the agenda as this affects user experience and energy
and is a member of the CIBSE Schools Design Group, the individual with an interest
Schools Soft Landings Group, the DCSF Zero Carbon Task
in the field. For more in-
use. Buildings must be suitable not only for current
Force and is a CABE Schools Design reviewer. He has led the
formation about the CIBSE
uses but also must respond to future demands, such environmental design of more than 20 schools, including the
Schools Design Group, and
as the pressures of climate change, changes in teaching
award winning Bristol BSF Pathfinders, St Mary Magdalene
details of how to join, visit
Academy, Islington.
methods, and increased community use.
www.cibse-sdg.org
28 CIBSE Journal February 2010 www.cibsejournal.com
CIBSEfeb10_school_pp28_opinion.indd 28 25/1/10 15:44:12
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