A low-carbon design approach for Queensferry High School

The 1200 capacity, £40m Queensferry High School was delivered by Hub South East in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council, with Morrison Construction appointed as main contractor. Ryder Architecture has created an innovative and sustainable learning environment for the school’s students, with funding from Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) helping to ensure a low-carbon design.

The building features state-of-the art heating and lighting to ensure optimum classroom performance, placing student wellbeing at the forefront of the design. Incorporating a six-lane pool, dance studio, fitness centre, larger games hall and floodlit 3G pitch, the school has also been designed to sit well within its semi-rural context.

A wide range of Metal Technology’s high performance, aluminium glazing systems were specified for this superb new education facility, and were designed to cope with the marine environment and provide enhanced security to PAS24 standard.

Curtain walling and brise soleil solutions were supplied to allow for naturally ventilated classrooms with individual MVHR (mechanical ventilation with heat recovery) units to keep carbon consumption to a minimum and meet the thermal model demands of the building.

Products used were: System 17 Standard Capped Curtain Walling, System 17 Latitude flush silicone pointed transom and capped mullion Curtain Walling, System 4-35Hi High Insulation Top Hung Windows and Automatic Opening Vents, System 5-20D Thermally Enhanced Doors and System 23 Louvres.

The complex needs of the natural ventilation strategy to complement the Low Carbon brief, necessitated detailed evaluation of the free air provision for all areas through the technical assistance of Metal Technology, working in collaboration with Ryder Architecture and Consultants.

We’re proud to have been part of the collaborative team behind this environmentally sustainable high school. This innovative build showcases how Metal Technology’s systems are designed to perform seamlessly together to deliver the desired aesthetic and performance standards.

Tel: 028 9448 7777