Emanating from lobbying the government to improve the energy
efficiency of schools for many years, Ecotect-Architects was
invited by architects, Sandover Pinder to joint venture the design
and documentation of this project. Now known as 'Excelsior
Primary School,' the purpose of the government and the inaugural
head master was to as much as possible apply the concepts
identified in the 2002 Baverstock report to the Minister on school
design in Western Australia.
The firm's role was agreed to be overall ESD consultant/advisor
on the project to advise, develop details and supervise the
application of planning and design ideas and detail for the
project. The initial master planning and concept design was carried
out as a 50:50 partnership with Sandover Pinder.
From the approval of the concept stage, we attended all
consultant meetings and many site meetings during
construction. We were part of the team and supplied drawings,
details and specification clauses where needed to ensure that the
concept translated well into the design and documentation phases of
the project.
We briefed the teachers and parents on the use culture needed
for the school to maximize energy saving once the school was
completed.
We were happy with most of the features integrated into the
school but disappointed in how the landscape design was reduced
exposing the building much more to westerly summer sun. Also,
it was recommended that a user manual be produced for the school so
that future new head masters and teachers could be fully aware on
how to minimize air conditioning and heating and use the well
thought ventilation strategies.
We were hoping that the science curriculum would be adapted in
this school to include monitoring and utilization of student
operation of windows to achieve better natural comfort conditions
and therefore learn some practical habits to save energy in later
life. The building represents a good opportunity to safe
energy in the future and to be used as a teaching aid when the
consciousness of energy conservation becomes higher on the agenda
of the community. From 2030 this will become an
imperative.
This school will be seen as a stepping-stone towards sensible
guidelines and design principles as energy and natural comfort
become a higher priority in the community and governance.
Further initiatives could have been made but capital was not made
available to see the concept through fully. Further
monitoring, economic analysis using the school report of 2002 as a
reference framework may be needed. In this way passive solar
principles can be applied to newer and more efficient technologies,
as they become available.