The country’s only A+ energy rated school is in the spotlight once again… after scooping a prestigious national award.
Greenhill Primary School in Gelligaer, which has the highest energy rating for any school in England and Wales has recently achieved the ‘Low/Zero Carbon Award’ at the annual ‘Constructing Excellence in Wales 2011’ awards.
The school is carbon negative for electricity and it is thought to be the most energy self sufficient school in the UK.
The award ‘acknowledges the importance of the climate change agenda and recognises an initiative that has made a significant contribution to the carbon reduction agenda for construction’.
Cllr Colin Mann, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member responsible for Sustainability said, “The accolades really do just keep on coming for Greenhill Primary School. I am delighted that our commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency has been recognised on such a national scale, and illustrates clearly what can be achieved when attention is placed on energy matters”.
In achieving the award, judges were looking for a project where ‘a measurable reduction in the carbon footprint has been, or will be achieved in the construction process, over and above the statutory requirements’.
Cllr Mann continued, “This national recognition really reinforces how we at Caerphilly County Borough Council are leading the way in ensuring sustainable, energy efficient buildings, which will be fit for purpose for generations to come.
Greenhill Primary School has achieved an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of A+, which no other school has been able to achieve to date.
The EPC score is a Carbon Dioxide emissions-based index on an A+ to G scale. It is based on calculations of regulated energy use such as heating, hot water, cooling, ventilation and light, the thermal properties of the building and the source of the energy used.
The school has a highly insulated external envelope, four wind turbines and an array of solar panels, which turn daylight into energy.
More electricity is generated on or within the school than it actually uses, and the surplus will be exported to the grid. Rainwater is also harvested to flush toilets, and over half of the water used by the school is recycled.
The brand new Greenhill Primary School building has come to fruition thanks to a £4million Welsh Government grant.
