The Importance of Creating Clever Classrooms

Friday, May 7, 2021

With large-scale school building programmes being planned it makes sense to focus on what we want from modern classrooms. By getting clever with design can we create healthier and more effective learning environments?

We’re all more aware than ever of the environment inside classrooms – particularly fresh air and ventilation and the role they play in infection control. Good ventilation also helps keep CO₂ levels in check to improve attention and attainment.

The biggest ventilation challenge comes in the winter months. Windows are shut tight and the fresh air flow through HVAC systems is sometimes reduced to keep buildings warm.

It is possible to design new buildings where maintaining fresh air ventilation above the recommended eight litres per second per person all year round isn’t an issue. The key is guaranteed thermal efficiency. The risk comes when theoretical building performance meets the real world – or at least it used to.

Modern building methods such as SIPs eliminate the gap between theoretical and real world thermal insulation and air-tightness levels. Performance levels are built into the fabric of the building during the offsite manufacturing process. SIPs, for example, create a continuous insulating layer throughout the building envelope, which is more reliable than additional on-site treatments such inserting cavity insulation between timber studs or blockwork.

Let in the Daylight

Maximum use of natural lighting also creates a more effective learning environment. This brings a corresponding risk of summer overheating that has to be managed. But with clever classroom design and external shading, it’s perfectly possible to achieve an optimum balance between daylight, fresh air and a comfortable environment.

Clever classroom design is a win-win. Modern educational buildings can be made easier to heat and ventilate while using high levels of controllable natural lighting. You can find more information about how this works in practice through our resource centre.

Other things that the modern classroom needs are excellent acoustic properties, including sound insulation through walls, floors and ceilings. Additionally, space should be flexible so that rooms can be divided and purposed in multiple ways. Again, modern construction methods offer many opportunities to control acoustics and layout that previous school designers could only dream of.

There is plenty of information and ideas available through our resource centre about how clever classroom design is helping to shape schools that are healthy, flexible and effective learning environments.