Solar panels, living walls and heat pumps

New research¹ commissioned by specialist education insurer Ecclesiastical has revealed schools are responding to the climate crisis by investing in sustainable technologies and improving the efficiency of existing buildings.

Ecclesiastical Insurance has published new guidance to help schools planning to invest in new buildings and sustainable projects manage the risks they face.

The survey of UK school leaders discovered that the most popular investments schools are making within the next year are solar PV or heating panels (45%), buildings using modern methods of construction (MMC) such as cross-laminated timber and rainscreen cladding (31%), and green/living walls or roofs (31%). This is closely followed by electric vehicle charging points (31%) and triple glazing (29%).

Looking ahead to the next one to two years, schools are planning to invest in smart building management systems (46%), solar PV to battery storage (41%), and air source/ground source heat pumps (39%). Triple glazing (37%) and increased insulation, such as re-cladding and insulating older buildings (37%), are also popular planned investments within the next few years.

In the medium term, having a renewable energy supplier (32%), buildings constructed from sustainable materials (29%), and air source/ground source heat pumps (28%) are the top three investments schools plan to make within three to four years. Followed by wind turbines (26%) and increased insulation (22%).

St Andrews Church of England Primary School in Gloucestershire² has dramatically reduced its energy consumption by installing motion sensor low energy LED lights, adding ceilings in two classrooms, adding insulation, replacing single glazed windows, and installing PV panels and air source heat pumps. These investments have helped the school improve its sustainability and achieve Net Zero carbon.

Four in five (86%) of UK schools surveyed are constructing or planning to construct new buildings. Of which one in five (21%) school leaders said construction is currently taking place, while more than half (53%) will have new buildings constructed within the next one to five years. One in 10 (11%) schools plan to construct new buildings in more than five years' time.

As many schools across the UK are investing in new buildings, in Wales, it was recently announced that all new schools have to meet net zero targets from January 2022, and refurbishments, extensions, and new builds at existing schools need to improve energy efficiency³.

• When considering a new school building or sustainability project, consult all interested parties, including your insurers, at the earliest stage. Your insurer’s requirements for fire protection and building resilience may be higher than building regulations. Involve your insurer at the design and planning stage so they can work with you to mitigate risks and advise you on the fire or other protection measures needed.
• Some materials used in MMC construction, such as timber framing and sheathing boards, insulation, and cladding materials, are combustible. Where possible, look for alternative non-combustible materials to achieve the same sustainable results.
• Natural materials such as hemp, wool, and straw, and foam-based insulation products are all classified as combustible materials and used in conjunction with timber framing or combustible cladding systems, can have serious consequences for a building's ability to withstand the effects of fire. Where possible, use a non-combustible material such as mineral wool or cellular glass to insulate your buildings.
• When planning to install solar panels, always investigate the structural suitability of the building/roof and liaise with fire and rescue services on the location of panels and isolation switches.
• Always use an accredited installer for the installation of any solar panels and/or biomass heating systems.
• Biomass heating systems can present fire and carbon monoxide poisoning risks. To reduce these risks, ensure they are contained in their fire-resisting compartment, which is separated from the fuel store. Restrict access to fuel stores to authorised persons only. Clean out the boiler house regularly and remove all combustible waste, clear out fuel stores regularly, and get flues to boilers inspected and cleaned regularly by a competent person.

Ecclesiastical Insurance offers a range of risk management support and guidance to help schools manage the risks they face. For more information, visit our Education Risk Management Guidance.

¹ The survey was commissioned by Ecclesiastical Insurance and conducted by OnePoll with 275 UK head teachers, bursars and governors from 3 September – 15 September 2021.

² Chedworth primary school to become one of the first net zero carbon schools in the country | Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard (wiltsglosstandard.co.uk)

³ Climate change: New schools in Wales must be net zero from 2022 - BBC News