The new school has been built to Passivhaus energy efficiency standards

Tilbury Douglas has completed construction of the new Wednesfield Technology Primary School on behalf of the Department for Education (DfE).

As part of Shireland Collegiate Academy Trust, the new primary school, located near Wolverhampton, has been designed and delivered to the Passivhaus standard, whilst the ‘technology’ status of the school brings a fresh approach to education.

Located on the site of the former Edward the Elder School, which had been abandoned for several years, the scheme saw the demolition of the previous building and the construction of the new facility, as well as ongoing external refurbishment works to the caretaker’s lodge, which has been retained to preserve the Grade II-listed status of the Vine Pub across the road.

The new school, once at capacity, will be home to nearly 450 primary school pupils.

The new Passivhaus school was built to meet the City of Wolverhampton Council’s objectives and DfE requirements to improve air quality in schools and reduce energy usage.

The Passivhaus Classic design guarantees building performance, while specifying a range of sustainable and low-embodied-carbon materials.

The school will cater for 450 pupils

The standard also promotes a whole-building approach, with measured targets, focused on high-quality construction, certified through an exacting quality assurance process and it has been the catalyst for a variety of alternative approaches on site.

The Tilbury Douglas team received specialised training to introduce them to Passivhaus risks and how best to support its trades in delivering the strict standards.

And the team achieved outstanding final airtightness results of 0.48 Air Changes per Hour (ACH) at 50 pascals. The requirement was 0.6 ACH.

The project also provided a training ground for budding young tilbury Douglas apprentices, Caitlin Walsh and Dan Floyd, and graduate engineer, Jack Bennett.

The contractor also accommodated T-level student, Shay Doyle, from Dudley College for his nine-week placement.

Dave Tighe, regional director for the West Midlands at Tilbury Douglas, said: “Our team has successfully delivered this amazing school – our first Passivhaus project in quite some time in the region.

“The process required extensive photographic and quality inspections of all building elements, and we’re delighted with the results, which exceeded the very strict Passivhaus standard target!

“We are proud to have handed over this fantastic energy-efficient building.”

Sir Mark Grundy, chief executive of Shireland Collegiate Academy Trust, added: “We are thrilled to see the completion of Wednesfield Technology Primary School, a beacon of sustainable and innovative education within the Black Country.

The project achieved final airtightness results of 0.48 Air Changes per Hour (ACH) at 50 pascals. The requirement was 0.6 ACH

“This Passivhaus-certified facility represents a significant step forward in our commitment to providing state-of-the-art learning environments.

“The advanced energy efficiency and superior air quality achieved in this building align perfectly with our goal to foster a healthy and stimulating atmosphere for our students.

“Our collaboration with Tilbury Douglas and the Department for Education has resulted in a pioneering project that not only meets the highest environmental standards, but also paves the way for future educational advancements.”