Construction company Woodhead is working on the east coast of Lincolnshire undertaking improvement works at a number of sites which includes a project at Mablethorpe Primary School to remove existing mobile classrooms and install two new carbon neutral school buildings.
The works were procured through the East Midlands Property Alliance (empa ii) Minor Works Framework agreement on behalf of the Greenwood Dale Foundation Trust and this particular project will take around six weeks to complete. EMPA was formed by local authorities in the East Midlands to improve the procurement and delivery of construction projects and property maintenance for local authorities.
The school buildings will be constructed from structural insulated panels which are manufactured off site by Net Zero Buildings who will also be carrying out the installation on site. The buildings are not only carbon neutral but will also be fitted with solar panels which will generate an income for the school. With predicted energy savings of approximately £1550 per year and a revenue of approximately £2300 from generating solar energy, this represents huge long terms savings for the school.
Juliet Slater, Team Leader for Woodhead, said, “This is an interesting project as it highlights the benefits that off-site construction can bring to schools. The result for the school is that they receive the two new classrooms quicker than had the buildings been built traditionally, with less disruption, less impact on the environment and with the financial benefits that the project can deliver. We have worked closely with the School to minimise interruptions whilst we carry out the works and have been involved in school assemblies to keep the teachers and pupils up to date with progress.”
Peter Johnston is managing director at Net Zero, he said: “We are delighted to have built these two new classrooms for Mablethorpe Academy. The construction uses modern materials and techniques, this coupled with the full roof solar array will almost certainly ensure they are the two most energy efficient school buildings in Lincolnshire. Most of the construction has taken place in the Net Zero Buildings factory near Newmarket which has minimised the time on site and therefore any disruption to the school. We are sure the children will enjoy their new classrooms and appreciate their low environmental impact.”