School Buildings
Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is the government’s flagship school building programme, investing £45bn to rebuild or refurbish every secondary school in England over a 10-15 year period. Similar, if smaller, investments are being made in primary schools, Academies and colleges of further education. Sustainability should be a high priority throughout the design, build and operational phases of all of these programmes.
Previous school-building programmes were not designed with sustainability in mind, leaving a legacy of poorly insulated, leaky, low-quality learning environments.
Fortunately, lessons have been learned and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) is now making sustainability a priority. For example, the SDC is working with the DCSF to develop a holistic carbon reduction strategy for the schools estate in England, and the new build programmes will play a part in that plan.
The UK Sustainable Development Strategy (2005) states:
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"Sustainable development principles must lie at the core of the education system, such that schools, colleges and universities become showcases of sustainable development among the communities that they serve." |
In 2006, the SDC identified that the UK schools estate contributes almost 15% of the UK public sector’s carbon footprint and 2% of the UK’s total carbon emissions. We followed this work up in 2008 with a more detailed study of school carbon emissions that included scenarios for how they could be reduced up to 2050.
As shown below, only 41% of the schools’ carbon footprint, and only 37% of its greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint, is related to energy use in school buildings, with 42% (45% GHG) coming from emissions in the supply chain (including school food and construction activity), and 17% (16% GHG) from pupil and staff travel to school. Waste accounts for a small amount of the carbon footprint, though it contributes 2% of GHG emissions.
Schools carbon footprint Schools greenhouse gas footprint
» Carbon Emissions from Schools: Where they arise and how to reduce them
Of course, the carbon footprint of schools is only one element of their sustainability performance. Another critical factor is the extent to which school building projects contribute to local regeneration, for example by providing a range of amenities for use by local people, or establishing themselves as hubs of sustainable enterprise and learning. Such features should be considered early on in the design process to ensure the necessary partnerships are put in place. Likewise, when opportunities arise, the location of new school facilities should be consciously reviewed to ensure that they are easily accessible by foot and cycle paths, and do not exacerbate congestion.
Publications
» Carbon Emissions from Schools: Where they arise and how to reduce them
» Every Child's Future Matters
» SDC’s six priorities for sustainable schools
» SDC submission to the Education and Skills Select Committee
» SDC submission on the Primary Capital programme
» Review of opportunities for improved carbon savings from spend on education buildings
Links
» SDC education and young people pages
» Building Schools for the Future (secondary schools)
» Primary Capital Programme (primary schools)
» British Council for the School Environments
» DCSF’s TeacherNet site on Sustainable Schools
