Climate award for England’s first net zero school in Buntingford

The Hertfordshire primary school and nursery is designed to Passivhaus standards and opened its doors in September 2023. The school was developed by Hertfordshire County Council as a pilot to achieve the first fully net zero carbon school in the county and, once certified, will be Hertfordshire’s first Passivhaus school. 

The 300-pupil school hosts ten classrooms and includes a nursery with a rooftop outdoor classroom and several playgrounds. Social areas, like its dining halls and common rooms, are south facing, with teaching spaces designed to face north, minimising over-heating. Over 300 solar panels, triple-glazing windows, and air-source heat pumps power the school and keep it insulated.

Three award-winning facts include:

• Net zero carbon in both construction and operation – the first wholly NZC in England
• Beats the embodied carbon target of 600kg of CO2 per square metre – set by the Low Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI) – by 50%.
• Surpassing an airtightness target of 0.6 ach (0.25 ach)

The project brief emphasised reducing the embodied carbon of construction materials. The design incorporates a cross-laminated timber (CLT) frame, while Ground Granulated Blast-furnace Slag (GGBS) has been utilised for concrete piles and foundations. Innovative trackers enable the site team to collect as-built embodied carbon data, which is then compared with the initial project targets. The project aims for an embodied carbon target of 292 kg/CO2/m², aligning with LETI's 2030 goal.

Early-stage consultation with main contractor Morgan Sindall and architects Holmes Miller enabled the project team to plan effectively. The resulting solutions now serve as a blueprint for other schools aiming to meet ambitious emissions-saving targets.

Cllr Richard Roberts, Leader of Hertfordshire County Council said: “It’s remarkable to see our Buntingford school’s innovative design and sustainability features recognised through this prestigious award. Buntingford First School stands out as a rarity, with only a handful of schools aiming for net-zero operation and embodied carbon, all while embracing a Passivhaus design. Its impact will raise the bar for sustainable and high-quality school builds nationwide.”

Cllr Caroline Clapper, Executive Member, Education, Libraries & Lifelong Learning said: “This accolade marks an exciting moment for Hertfordshire, and Buntingford First School. The Climate Action award aligns with our sustainability goals and underscores our commitment to achieving net zero carbon. It sets a new benchmark for future school construction.”

New Sustainable Construction Design Guides were approved earlier this year which means that all Hertfordshire County Council builds, from libraries to fire stations to schools will be built with sustainability at the heart, in the future.

Learn more about Sustainable Growth in Hertfordshire at Sustainable growth | Hertfordshire County Council