Carbon Modelling to Achieve Net Zero

The site team worked alongside their design team to re-design a previous project in order to build a new primary school as Net Zero in operation. In order to assess the carbon performance of both projects, they were each modelled separately in CarboniCa, which is their in-house digital carbon reduction tool.

Initially, the school was modelled retrospectively in 2022 based on the as-built design once the project was handed over to the client. Through the process, CarboniCa was able to provide project-specific recommendations for reducing carbon that could then be implemented during the design phase of the new school.

This tool enabled the project team to make timely and informed decisions to achieve the net zero in operation target whilst reducing carbon in the design of the building and procurement of materials. The team’s efforts meant that the school’s whole life carbon was reduced from 1,455 kg of kgCO2e/m2 to 816.20 kgCO2e/m2. This equates to 898 tonnes of CO2e over the whole life and 61 tonnes in embodied CO2e.

Key elements of the revised design were: High-efficiency Air Source Heat Pumps with increased numbers, Addition of PV Panels, Natural and Demand Control Ventilation based on occupancy/temperature, Rationalised Steel Frame and Electric Arc Furnace Steel, GGBS concrete,  Upgraded Heat Recovery Units and Increased U Values.

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