A ‘breakthrough’ energy efficient school will use heat from students to keep their classrooms warm.
Ysgol Gymraeg y Trallwng in Welshpool, Powys, which welcomes its first children on Tuesday, is the UK’s first hybrid ‘passive house’ building.
This is a German term for buildings with the absolute highest energy efficiency standards.
Ian Pilcher, of Powys City Council, said the heat generated by the pupils was known informally as ‘Kiddywatts’.
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“We use the heat that people generate in the building and because it’s so insulated we don’t lose much of it,” said Mr. Pilcher, the municipality’s senior project manager.
A ventilation device moves this warm air through the building “so that we no longer have large boiler rooms. There is no gas central heating in this building.”
The Welsh language school is a hybrid project as its hall and classrooms are in a new building which has been linked to the old Maesydre school designed in the 19th century.
The original plan was to demolish and rebuild the old building, but after it was granted Class II listed status in 2018, a complete redesign of the project was required to incorporate the old building.
The school has triple-glazed windows, highly insulated walls and an airtight construction, so that very little energy is lost.
Air source heat pumps also provide background heat, and solar panels on the building’s roof generate the electricity.
Headmaster Angharad Davies said: “I can’t believe we’re finally here – I don’t know how to explain, it’s totally out of this world.”
“We had a few hurdles along the way, but it was worth the wait.”
Since it was founded in 2017, it has been a long road to opening a functional building.
A report to Powys Council in 2021 said the expected cost of the project had risen from £6.7m to £9.1m due to redesign and the collapse of a previous construction company.
The increase was agreed by the Welsh Government, which is co-funding the project with Powys Council.
Council Cabinet Member Pete Roberts said: “The estimated final cost of the project has yet to be determined but the project is not expected to be over budget.
“Ysgol Gymraeg y Trallwng is the flagship Welsh Council Middle School in north-east Powys and our aim is to ensure that the school is full in a few years.”
89 children are currently attending the school at the current location, 150 can be found in the new building.
Governor Lindsey Phillips said while the process has been “frustrating at times,” the “groundbreaking” new facility is an exciting prospect.
“This symbolizes the local authority’s commitment to Welsh education in the region,” she added.
“98% of our children come from English speaking families so only 2% of our children have Welsh at home but it teaches the children bilingual skills.
“I think it’s generally accepted around the world that being bilingual is really beneficial for children.”
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