New research has revealed UK schools could save on average £165,000 over their lifetime by upgrading their energy efficiency.

A joint venture (JV) between Scape Group and Willmott Dixon, Sunesis, has produced the "Energy Performance Review" which outlines how schools could save thousands of pounds with better energy efficiency.

The JV recently completed Derby's Bemrose School in January last year. The new building has far surpassed Education Funding Agency's stringent guidelines as well as its own performance targets.

High specification energy efficiency features at the school include light zoning operating on sensors throughout, with three skylights in each classroom and efficient underfloor heating linked to Air Source Heat Pumps.

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Alasdair Donn, principal sustainable development manager at Sunesis, said: "Across the country, we collated data from six Sunesis schools' annual energy performance ratings. Across the board, the designs achieved an average of almost 20% actual less energy usage than our design targets had anticipated – representing a saving of £2,800 per year for the school.

"Bemrose in particular has one of the largest margins in terms of annual energy usage, meaning that the school is on track to be saving in the region of almost £200,000 over its 60 year designed lifespan.

"As the schools places crisis is expected to continue and in some regions worsen, it is crucial that new education facilities are designed with future generations in mind; it is essential that energy efficiency is a key priority during the design process to keep costs to a minimum and provide pupils with modern working environments which will be wholly conducive to learning."

Image: Bemrose Primary School

(LM)