BSEC Review
“Fromthe start of the school day through to
when the lights are switched off and throughout the night, Schneider Electric’s building automation solutions are focused on delivering the optimal learning and operational environment within schools. Sophisticated but intuitive energy management systems continuously and cost- effectively control heating, lighting and ventilation according to the changing needs of staff and children, while security and access control solutions integrate pupil access and registration with automated absence alerts and cashless school meal payment options that take into account of individual pupil’s special dietary needs,” said the company. Talking directly to Education Today, Schneider
Intelligent building solutions improve learning outcomes
F
romarchitects to teachers, contractors to ICT specialists and Local Authorities, the Building
Schools Exhibition and Conference (BSEC) is the only event in Britain that caters for everybody involved in school building projects, fromthe planning stage through to the use of new buildings. It also happens to be the fastest growing event in the UK, with visitor numbers up 10%this year. Becci Knowles was there to find out how ‘intelligent’ buildings can savemoney, while boosting results in the classroom...
Council for School Environments, Ty Goddard, said: “These findings reflect the reality – that buildings can and do affect how our children learn and our teachers teach. Investment in the school estate is not a luxury, but a key tool in preparing our children for adult life.” Indeed, the survey found that 56%of head teachers believed that a political party’s support for school building would be a vote winner in a general election, with 82%stating that they were worried about cuts to school building projects. The BSEC headline review blog on the 25th
February came fromProfessor Stephen Heppel and summed up the show well: “Lots of visitors to the exhibition and the general feeling is of there being a new ball game with new rules and opportunities. A real time for fresh ideas.” Despite, or perhaps even because of anxieties in some quarters that budgetsmight be cut following the general election, exhibitors were working even harder to secure businesses, while visitors set the bar even higher for solutions that offered environmental, financial and educational benefits in equal measure.
An exclusive survey commissioned by the
Building Schools Exhibition and Conference (BSEC) completed by 87 head teachers of secondary schools prior to the show, found that 78%agreed strongly that attainmentwas linked to the school estate, while 93%also felt improving school buildings in poor condition had a positive effect on pupil’s learning opportunities. “The survey provides a stark warning to
government officials whomay contemplate reviewing the school building programme and emphasised how any cuts to funding would seriously impact on the country’s stated educational objectives,” it concluded. Speaking to Buildingmagazine Chief Executive of the British
Buildingsmaking a positive impact on educational standards
Talking of ‘fresh ideas’, experts fromglobal energy management specialist Schneider Electric ran a series of on-stand demonstrations called: “A day in the life of a school.” The demonstrations showed visitors howits integrated school security, energy management and building control solutions could enhance the financial, operational and environmental performance of schools - and help boost pupils’ performance levels by up to 30%. The lessons illustrated how easy it is tomonitor and cost-effectively control vital aspects of a school - fromenhanced energymanagement and carbon reductionmeasures, to security, safety and access control. Visitors to the stand discovered how school authorities can take significant steps tomeet their carbon reduction commitments by following Schneider Electric’s four steps to energy efficiency.
30 www.education-today.co.uk
The environmental benefits of Schneider
Electric’smodel are immediately obvious, butwhat struckme evenmore perhaps, were the educational gains. Ifwe are to teach the next generation to bemore environmentally friendly, we need to practice whatwe preach, illustrating our efforts with school buildings that symbolise a greenerway forward. Teachers can use the building pupils are in as an example of best practice;which is sure to have amuch greater impact than simply discussing a range of theories. Add to this the safety and security systems that allow teachers and parents to be sure that their child has arrived safely and securely at school, where they can check when and what they have eaten, and you have optimumcare for the next generation provided in buildings that enhance learning - a win/win situation for everyone involved.
Creating flexibility
Short-termflexibility and longer termadaptability are key requirements in the design of new schools, says Alco Beldan, a company that has been designing,manufacturing and installingmovable walls in the UK and abroad for over 30 years. Its products are installed inmany of the world’smost prestigious buildings, fromtop sporting stadia and commercial institutions to high street stores and leading hotel chains.
April 2010
Electric’s Adrian Linden said: “We work with local authorities to help themsavemoney and reduce carbon emissions by putting together an integrated solution. The Caretaker can flick a switch and start the heating, alerts and alarms, overnight, as well as section off certain areas to create lock down zones. These are intelligent buildings that are intelligently run. Ourmetering software enables operators to see what is being used in different parts of the building, so that they canmonitor andmeasure it, and then do something about it.”
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44