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Environmental design and educational performance with particular reference to 'green' schools in Hampshire and Essex
Research in Education, Nov 2006 by Edwards, Brian W
1 Do green schools provide teaching and learning benefits beyond those of their more orthodox counterparts?
2 What is the perception of green schools by the major stakeholders (teachers, OfStEd inspectors)?
3 What aspects of classroom design appear most critical in enhanced educational performance?
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It is necessary briefly to outline the methodology employed for identifying green schools and in selecting control group schools for the pairings. As mentioned, green and control schools are paired, providing a picture of comparative performance which, as far as possible, allows 'design type' to be the factor which distinguishes the two groups. However, it is acknowledged that other 'cultural' variables exist which are difficult to eliminate. For the sake of the analysis, the categorisation of a green school draws upon three widely adopted definitions: 'sustainable development' (Brundtland), 'sustainable design' (Foster & Partners) and 'sustainable construction' (BSRIA). The three scales - development, design and construction - employed in these definitions allow the 'green' school to address issues at the community, building and interior design levels. Out of these definitions come four key characteristics used here to identify a green school:
1 Resource-efficient, particularly in the terms of energy use.
2 Healthy, both physically and psychologically.
3 Comfortable, responsive and flexible.
4 Based upon ecological principles.
Each characteristic is itself subject to subdivision, creating twenty critical factors:
Resource-efficient
1 Low-energy design (in construction and occupation).
2 Exploits renewable energy.
3 Puts energy controls in the hand of the occupants (with appropriate education).
4 Conserves water.
5 Local sourcing of construction materials.
Healthy
6 Minimum internal pollution.
7 Uses natural materials.
8 Exploits natural light and ventilation.
9 Addresses psychological welfare.
10 Accessible to all.
Comfortable
11 Attractive and responsive internal environment.
12 Sheltered, sunny external environment.
13 Noise-free.
14 Controllable environment.
15 Glare-free.
Ecological
16 Exploits recycling.
17 Life-cycle impact.
18 Makes nature visible.
19 Designed upon ecological principles.
20 Uses ecological accounting (eco-footprint).
Not all the 'green schools' monitored employ all twenty factors: there is necessarily selection to meet circumstance. For the sake of this research, however, a green school is one which takes account of at least 75 per cent of the key factors, i.e. fifteen of the twenty listed. As a consequence the list is a useful guide in:
1 Selecting characteristic green schools for evaluation.
2 Discussing key design criteria with teachers, pupils, administrators, etc.
3 Identifying likely design factors which may influence productivity, performance or behaviour.
The research identified fifty-four green schools constructed between 1975 and 1995. The list includes schools of various types (infant, junior, secondary and city technology college) and those which incorporate a range of sustainable design features. Some exploit passive solar design, others maximise natural light and ventilation by adopting shallow floor depths and stepped sections, others use thermal flywheel technology, whilst others maximise the use of locally sourced building materials (to reduce embodied energy), others still seek to make nature visible inside and outside the classroom inspired by Building Bulletin 71 (The Outdoor Classroom, 1991). Others achieve energy efficiency by using mechanical as against natural ventilation, by exploiting, for example, heat-pump technology to conserve resources, whilst a further few exploit renewable energy. All were built before more recent government initiatives, such as the Academies programme and the Classrooms of the Future, although interestingly they adopt many of the proposed measures.
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