How to implement sustainability in vertical school design
At a glance
Vertical schools can play a critical role in helping equip our children for a future that will be significantly impacted by climate change. However, there are unique challenges to achieving sustainability outcomes, which need to be addressed early in the design phase. Adopting circular economy thinking and benchmarking through credible standards are both effective ways to enable sustainable design. In a recent webinar on putting sustainability into practice, we explored circular economy thinking, sustainability frameworks and benchmarking as a way to integrate sustainable design into vertical schools.Designing vertical schools for sustainability
Climate change weighs heavily on the minds of Australian youths. Seventy six per cent of young Australians are concerned about climate change, while 67 per cent say climate concerns are negatively impacting their mental health. Over 70 per cent of Australians agree that the government as well as the private sector need to do more to motivate and incentivise people to act on climate change. As education’s primary purpose is to equip children for the future, it’s important that the spaces where children learn are built on the foundations of sustainability to prepare them for a future that will be significantly impacted by climate change.
To accomplish these goals, vertical schools must be designed with sustainability in mind from the start, considering the following net-zero carbon design principles:
- Cost-effectively maximise energy efficiency through passive design.
- Avoid on-site fossil fuel use.
- Use renewable off-site energy sources for remaining power demands.
- Offset remaining emissions.
The form factor of vertical schools presents the most apparent challenges and opportunities for sustainable design. The tall, enclosed façade of a vertical school fits the Passive House design standard, which focuses on providing comfortable and healthy indoor conditions through insulated, airtight and properly ventilated design without requiring substantial amounts of energy.
With a narrow floor plate and an atrium skylight, a vertical school can get more daylight penetration throughout its entire structure compared to a traditional school building that would only get daylight in its perimeter. This saves on energy consumption from having to provide lighting in every room and floor.
Sunlight is a reliable source of on-site renewable energy, but the limited roof areas of vertical schools constrain the number of solar panels that can be installed. Solar panel installation may also have to compete with sports and other recreational activities that require plenty of space on campus.
Water management may also be a concern, even if water demand within school buildings is relatively low compared to other types of structures. Having natural elements such as plants and trees on campus is key to promoting a sustainable built environment, but growing vegetation and landscape irrigation can be more challenging in vertical schools. Species that are more resistant to water scarcity would need to be considered.
Another aspect that contributes to carbon emissions is building materials. There needs to be a reduction in the embodied carbon of vertical schools, from looking for low-carbon replacement materials to simplifying designs that use less materials. We also need to look beyond the embodied carbon of finished projects and into the whole lifecycle of building materials.
Adopting a circular economy framework
The conventional approach to built environment projects is linear; raw materials are extracted to produce building materials, buildings are designed and constructed using these materials and these materials then often go to waste without a clear next-life plan.
For vertical schools to become more sustainable, and to design waste out across the production and use life cycles, their design and use must be decoupled from that approach. Adopting a circular economy framework can keep valuable materials in use at their best value, whether it’s through finding ways to make them last longer or reusing them in new contexts where they can still provide value. The following circular strategies demonstrate this outcome in practice.
Adaptive reuse
Adaptive reuse is the retrofit, rehabilitation or redevelopment of an existing building that reflects the changing needs of the community. It allows structures and materials to be given a second life, minimising waste and reducing the environmental impact of new materials.
In a vertical schools context, adaptive reuse can offer a more sustainable option than building a school from scratch, especially in places where available land is sparse or when an underutilised building containing valuable reuseable materials is conveniently located within the community.
Adaptive reuse is an already well-known and well-practised strategy when it comes to considering heritage value. This approach can easily be adapted to consider the value of materials in existing buildings and how they might be reused again.
Modular design
Modular design is a strategy that makes things easier to disassemble, repair or upgrade, enabling the reuse of valuable building materials. Currently, many of the materials used in the built environment cannot be separated from each other without damage, preventing further use, generating more waste and requiring more virgin materials.
In a linear economy, value is added to a product through refinement, manufacture, assembly and distribution. But once the product is used, its value goes downhill. This is demonstrated in Circle Economy's Value Hill, where value is added as the product is developed (uphill) but destroyed quickly in the post-use phase (downhill).
In a circular economy, when a product is ready to start its downhill journey, its useful resources can feed other systems in the uphill journey, keeping products at their highest value for as long as possible.
Modularity is key to extracting the maximum value of a product and keeping costs down. Because modular systems can be customised, they can adapt to changing community needs. As an example, vertical schools could be designed as a kit of parts that can be reassembled in a range of different configurations, encouraging the circulation of these materials across construction project lifecycles.
Product-as-a-Service (PaaS)
PaaS works by giving customers access to products as part of a service rather than purchasing the product themselves, shifting the way businesses operate, and individuals consume goods. This approach offers multiple benefits including convenience, cost savings and reduced waste. It can also support efforts to decrease consumption by encouraging responsible use of resources.
If building materials could be leased for use in other projects, owners would be incentivised to maintain these materials at their best value to enable repeated leasing. PaaS offers a promising solution for reducing waste, sharing resources and providing greater access to goods and services.
Government policies and initiatives
Adopting a circular economy framework also brings financial opportunities. In Australia, there is a new federal procurement policy and reporting framework that promotes the principles of circularity to high-impact procurement packages, including construction services; furniture, fittings and equipment; information and communication technology goods; and textiles.
The Environmentally Sustainable Procurement Policy aims to reduce the environmental impact of Australian Government procurements by buying products that minimise greenhouse gases, are safe for the environment, and retain value for longer.
State policies across the country are now also reflecting the requirement for sustainable procurement. Designing vertical schools under a circular economy framework is becoming best practice.
Benchmarking and integrating sustainability
Sustainability in practice produces quantifiable results. There are several sustainability standards with different categories, and many are regionally based. In Australia, Green Star is the industry standard by which vertical schools are judged. Most recently, it has been updated to have more of a social, community and climate-positive pathway focus, as well as more minimum expectations for buildings to become certified. These changes underscore the growing necessity of sustainable design.
Whichever standard is being followed, what’s important is that it brings more rigour to the process of benchmarking sustainability. Third-party, independent auditing and certification are high priorities for contractors and builders in terms of meeting and exceeding such requirements, as these standards impact design and outcomes.
Sustainability matters throughout the entire process of designing vertical schools, from how building materials are used, to how their form facilitates energy efficiency, to how entire projects are funded and certified. It is essential that sustainability is integrated in their design as early as possible.
Timing is absolutely key. The more we do upfront, the less cost and impact it will have on our projects over time. If we try and backend sustainability and circularity innovation, it will be incredibly expensive trying to rework designs and get ahead of the design process.
As we face the challenges of climate change and population growth, vertical schools play a significant role in creating a sustainable future for our communities. By adopting circular economy thinking and credible benchmarking standards, we can address the unique challenges of sustainable design early in the process. Through innovative design principles, we can deliver schools that are built on the foundations of sustainability, creating lasting benefit for communities now and for generations to come.
To learn more, watch our webinar on putting sustainability into practice in vertical schools.