SB 4152 Web

Editor’s Article
School report hails off-site construction
A new report points the way to off-site building and longer term leases - as solutions to current capacity and quality issues
within the school’s estate - and Redmoor School is a prime example of the new way forward.
Anew report from The Centre for
Economics and Business Research
(Cebr) has assessed the school
funding landscape and the pressing need for
new school buildings. Their report
(published November, 2017) investigated
projected demographics, plans for school
capital works, and current/anticipated
funding policy. Its findings and
recommendations make interesting reading
for school finance and estate managers.
Their findings include:
• Pupil attendance at schools is forecast to
grow by approximately 10% between 2017
and 2026.
• There is an urgent need for a shift in
funding policy – current funding will result
in a shortfall of adequate educational
spaces.
• The majority of today’s school estate is
ageing, with 60% of school buildings built
before 1976.
• There is a need for new construction
methods – to improve speed and capital
cost.
• There is an equally pressing need to reduce
running or lifecycle costs.
The report concludes:
• Modern methods of construction,
specifically off-site manufacture and
modular design will help to alleviate
logistical, budgetary and cost pressures
relative to traditional building techniques.
• Off-site construction can lower capital cost;
speed up construction; lower running costs;
deliver better educational environments
and outcomes.
• There is a strong economic case for lease
funding; the report found that they deliver
clear value for money, particularly where
the buildings have low lifecycle costs.
The report was commissioned by Net Zero
Buildings who produce Schoolhaus®, which
is referenced as an exemplar solution. Cebr
have published a raft of recommendations,
which include:
1. Schoolhaus® costs approximately 10% less
to build when compared to traditional
builds, with no compromise to quality,
quite the opposite - but even more
significantly, Schoolhaus® costs 136% less
to run. If all schools in England had the
energy and O&M properties of
Schoolhaus®, there would be an annual
saving of £2.6bn.
2. With 60% of current school buildings
having been built before 1976,
Schoolhaus® represents a truly unique
solution that uses modern technology to
solve a growing societal problem.
Schoolhaus® is the name given to the zero
carbon designed building, designed and built
by Net Zero Buildings (NZB). Also referred to
as Intelligent Buildings, Schoolhaus® projects
are net zero carbon, multi award-winning, A+
EPC rated, permanent buildings for schools
with a 60 year design life. The energy and
lifecycle performance of the buildings are
exceptional, due to their innovative design
and integrated technology.
The Schoolhaus® design was used at
Redmoor Academy, a secondary academy in
Hinckley, Leicestershire. The goal of the
project was to address an oversubscribed
secondary academy which needed to expand
its capacity. The academy turned to
Schoolhaus® for their ultra-efficient SIP
design and energy savings generated from
the solar PV roof. A two-storey Schoolhaus®
building now houses the maths department,
16
Winter 2018 4152