Article
The breath and warmth of learning
By rethinking how air flows and heat is retained, UK schools can address pressing concerns like air quality, thermal comfort, and carbon reduction, all while fostering spaces that inspire learning. In this article School Building Editor Joe Bradbury explores how innovative ventilation and insulation strategies are transforming school buildings, with practical examples, expert insights, and actionable ideas for schools.
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n the UK’s diverse climate, where chilly winters and increasingly warm summers challenge school buildings, two often- overlooked elements—ventilation and insulation—are emerging as critical players in creating healthy, comfortable, and sustainable learning environments. While school building magazines typically spotlight flashy architectural designs or high-tech classrooms, the unsung heroes of ventilation systems and thermal insulation profoundly shape student well-being, academic performance, and energy efficiency.
Ventilation is the lifeblood of a school’s indoor environment, influencing everything from student concentration to infection control. Post-COVID, the importance of fresh air has been thrust into the spotlight, with studies showing that poor ventilation in classrooms can increase respiratory illness transmission by up to 30%. Yet, many UK schools, particularly older buildings, rely on outdated systems or simply opening windows, which is inefficient in winter and noisy in urban areas. Modern ventilation solutions, like mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR), offer a smarter approach. These systems extract stale air, introduce filtered fresh air, and recover heat to maintain warmth, ensuring comfort without skyrocketing energy bills.
A prime example is St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Manchester, which retrofitted its 1960s building with an MVHR system in 2024. The system, installed in classrooms and
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communal areas, uses sensors to monitor CO2 levels, adjusting airflow to maintain optimal conditions. Teachers report fewer student complaints about stuffiness, and absenteeism due to colds dropped by 15% in the first year. The heat recovery component recycles up to 90% of outgoing heat, reducing heating costs—a boon for a school facing budget constraints. The project, partly funded by the Department for Education’s Condition Improvement Fund, demonstrates how ventilation upgrades can be both health- focused and cost-effective.
Insulation, meanwhile, is the silent guardian of thermal comfort and energy efficiency. Poorly insulated schools lose heat rapidly, forcing reliance on expensive heating systems and contributing to the UK’s carbon emissions, which schools are under pressure to reduce under the 2021 Environment Act’s net- zero goals. Modern insulation materials, like vacuum-insulated panels or aerogel, offer high performance in slim profiles, ideal for retrofitting historic school buildings where space is limited. These materials trap heat effectively, maintaining stable indoor temperatures and reducing energy consumption.
At The King’s School in Gloucester, a 2023 retrofit project transformed a draughty Victorian building with spray foam insulation and insulated plasterboard. The school reduced its heating energy use by 25%, saving £10,000 annually, while classrooms stayed consistently warm, even during Gloucestershire’s chilly
winters. Students reported feeling more comfortable, and teachers noted improved focus during lessons. The insulation also improved acoustic performance, dampening external noise—a bonus in a busy urban setting. By combining insulation with double- glazed windows, the school created a thermal envelope that minimises heat loss while supporting natural ventilation strategies.
The synergy between ventilation and insulation is where the magic happens. Well-insulated buildings retain heat, allowing ventilation systems to operate efficiently without overworking heaters. Conversely, smart ventilation prevents the stuffy, overheated conditions that can arise in tightly insulated spaces. This balance is critical for student health and learning. A 2022 study from the University of Cambridge found that good ventilation and stable temperatures improve cognitive performance by up to 20%, particularly in tasks requiring memory and attention. For neurodiverse students, who may be sensitive to temperature swings or stuffy air, these improvements are even more pronounced.
Innovative designs are pushing this synergy further. Passivhaus principles, which prioritise airtight construction and high-performance insulation paired with MVHR, are gaining traction in new UK school builds. Harris Academy in Sutton, one of the UK’s first Passivhaus secondary schools, opened in 2023 with a design that uses 80% less energy than traditional schools. Its super-insulated
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