Timber school takes top award

A timber framed school at Newport designed with green features throughout has been recognised as one of the most sustainable buildings in the UK.

Rogiet Primary School, built by contractor Willmott Dixon, has achieved the highest Breeam rating of any school in the country.

The school, in Rogiet, Caldicot, has now been honoured at the Breeam Awards 2010 as one of the 16 most successful UK sustainable buildings.

The Rogiet school was awarded a record-breaking score in the education field of 78.18% and a rating of “Excellent” by Breeam – the BRE Environmental Assessment Method regarded worldwide as the measure of a building’s environmental performance.

To gain an Excellent rating, a development must earn most of the performance credits available in the areas of energy, materials, waste, water, ecology, pollution, transport, management, and health and wellbeing.

BRE global chief executive, Carol Atkinson, said: “These buildings have comprehensively demonstrated their remarkable environmental credentials, while also providing attractive and commercially viable accommodation, workplaces and community facilities.”

Rogiet Primary School was constructed by Willmott Dixon as part of a framework agreement with Monmouthshire County Council and was designed by White Design.

Its array of environmental features include solar panels to heat water for bathrooms and kitchens, rainwater harvesting for the toilets and a natural timber frame to maintain heat in the winter and keep it cooler in the summer.