Mission Heights Primary

As the doors of new schools Mission Heights Primary and Mission Heights Junior College opened in February 2009, students experienced New Zealand’s first green schooling environment.

Situated in Auckland, the two schools, with shared library, administration, gymnasium and performing arts centre, will eventually cater for over 1800 students. And a ‘fast-tracked’ timeframe meant the project was not only of a large scale, but also required swift completion.

GHD was pivotal in bringing the concept and implementation of a reduced ecological footprint in educational buildings to the fore. Our team was commissioned to provide full engineering services, including structural, geotechnical, mechanical, electrical and all associated civil works – working closely with AS C Architects, Hawkins Construction, the Ministry of Education and the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC).

The schools are a showpiece for GHD and, along with the magnificent buildings and grounds, have some interesting environmental features:

• Fourteen solar panels for water heating
• Toilets that flush with rain water
• Individually metered classrooms that report to a central display on electricity, gas and water generation and usage
• Intuitive and energy efficient lighting
• Computer modelled classrooms to determine natural ventilation, window placement and shading in order to maximise natural light, control temperature and reduce glare
• A gas powered boiler with hot water underfloor heating
• Construction using environmentally-friendly materials
• Wind turbine for additional power supply and educational purposes
• A stormwater holding system that does not overwhelm the system in extreme weather

According to Paul Thomson, Project Manager, “The environmentally sustainable design of this project will provide a blueprint for green schools of the future. Mission Heights schools opened in 2009 with not only lower operational costs, but also a healthier and improved learning environment for students and teachers alike.”