Lessons from West Coventry and St.Marys Primary school
Peter Hazzard and Stuart Hawkes, Cundall

West Coventry Academy is an 8FE SRP Secondary school and NZCiO pilot, St.Mary’s is a 2FE Primary school and Biophilic GenZero pilot scheme, both completed in the summer of 2023. Two contrasting projects which shared a common commitment to testing NZCiO, low embodied carbon and health and well-being. The contrast of both schemes has allowed us to consider and test the benefits of a 100% natural ventilation solution versus that of a hybrid mechanical/natural ventilation scheme with very high levels of heat recovery. So much interesting engineering went into these schemes, where no school had gone before, and there is already so lessons learned and other feedback to share with all the those involved in the schools and colleges sector. Which solutions worked well, which need more thought and consideration? What would we do again, what would we approach differently next time? For example, the contrast of both schemes has allowed us to consider and test the benefits of a 100% natural ventilation solution versus that of a hybrid mechanical/natural ventilation scheme with very high levels of heat recovery.
In use energy consumption data continues to be gathered and the real world performance is being checked against the design.