Zero Carbon School is Too Cool
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin 
on 04.12.08
It may look like an ordinary playground to the children. But the parents know the truth: this tarmac is an Interseasonal Heat Transfer (IHT) system. And that is just one of the features that make Howe Dell the world's coolest school. Rather than following the usual course of including a token gesture for the environment in building plans, Hertfordshire County Council committed to building a zero-carbon school using all the best technologies together to create a perfect model for what is possible.
The building itself functions as part of the curriculum. The students "can see how many kilojoules are pumped out be the wind turbines and how that relates to what a kettle or a toaster uses," says Head teacher Debra Massey, quoted in Building Magazine. The school also gets some electricity from solar panels.
As you would expect, the toilets flush with collected rainwater. Hot water is supplied by solar thermal absorption panels on the sedum covered green roof. Carpet squares installed in classrooms reduce waste when areas of high wear can be individually replaced.Classroom fixtures like desks and counter-tops are made from recycled materials.
The IHT is the most challenging advance demonstrated by the Howe Dell School. Pipes running under the playground collect solar heat and transfer it to soils under the building foundation, where insulation and the natural properties of the soil allow the heat to be stored until it is needed, even months later. Cooling is also provided by an underground transfer system. The IHT is compared to heat pump systems, which tap heat stored naturally deeper in the earth. IHT is more expensive to install but is credited with lower maintenance costs. An added bonus from the IHT: excess heat can be drained off of the water heating system, protecting the system from overheating during school vacations.
The project was costly, and required early planning and coordinated implementation to achieve integration of all the eco-efficient systems. The final price tag: ₤2400 per square meter. But costs were high in some cases because there is little experience in building such aggressively eco-efficient schools. The contractors estimate that lessons learned using a ₤250,000 grant to install and monitor the Interseasonal Heat Transfer System will allow them to quote a similar system for ₤75,000 the next time around. You have to start somewhere if you want to achieve green schools by 2020.
Via ::Independent
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wow, sounds great!
Very nice and effective.
Worthwhile investment. Hopefully the lessons learned can be applied quickly and widely.
Kent
www.ecounit.com
Wasn't it on treehugger, that I read about the confusion between geothermal and ground sourced heat pumps? Geothermal systems tap into heat stored deep in the earth, ground sourced heat pumps don't. They work just fine if installed horizontally, only a few feet below the surface.
I love the growth in the popularity of "eco-Schools" and the potential for them to act as learning/teaching aids to underline the importance of reducing our energy consumption. It's inspiring to see that we are moving in the right direction.
However, working for an 'eco-architectural practice' it is a difficult line to guage; what is truely eco? We have been working with energy consultants for years now and it seems that there is actually a serious problem with 'negative energy equity'
There is basically a lot of energy expended in the installation and production of grey water recycling; rainwater harvesting (for use inside the building) and especially 2nd generation PV's. This energy has obviously produced CO2 and other popularly 'bad things'. There are of course exceptions; systems like heat pumps and the like do show a rapid return on energy investment.
Without meaning to patronise/preach; we take the stance that simplicity is best. Create a super insulated well detailed and designed box, preferably made from carbon sequestering materials (ie wood) and make sure energy efficiency is paramount.
Apologies for being the stereotypical 'negative greenie'.....and anyway, at the end of the day with school building taking into account sustainability on many levels and using them to underline the importance of thinking about ourselves in context, it's all good :D
way to go! i wish more schools would do this
Looking out of my office window I can see the school's wind turbine spinning- quite a sight. The school is sited on a mixed housing/industrial park. Given the amount of car parking and rooftop space hereabouts it's a shame no other companies have taken the hint. Here's a few ohotos of the turbine: http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=howe%20dell&w=28731750%40N00