Helping schools develop energy
Schools in Britain, keen to develop their own energy sources, are to benefit from a cash boost of GBP (pounds sterling) 1.5 million, with the help of the United Kingdom government and one of the country’s best-known consumer-owned businesses, the Co-operative Group. The Group, which is engaged in a wide range of activities, is to match the government’s funding of up to half of the costs of installing solar panels or small wind turbines in some schools.
The government’s Low Carbon Buildings Programme currently entitles schools to apply for a grant to install renewable energy technologies from a GBP 50 million fund of government money. Now, schools can apply directly to the Co-operative Group. They will then be surveyed by the Group’s partner, the energy company Solarcentury, which will decide if their grounds are suitable for panels or a turbine.
Solarcentury has installed solar power in many schools, including the Blue School at Wells, a state comprehensive school in Somerset (south-west England), which has been awarded specialist science college status. Head teacher Steven Jackson said, “Schools have a responsibility to offer the best resources to their pupils while keeping costs down in the long run. Children respond to sustainable practice very well indeed, and it is vital that we continue to engage them in their everyday lives.”
Jeremy Leggett, Solarcentury’s CEO, said, “Photovoltaic technology is widely available — a clean energy solution that is very effective and requires little ongoing attention. Our 500-plus systems across UK businesses, homes, schools and offices will be reducing CO2 emissions by more than 25,000 tonnes over the next 20 years.”
The Low Carbon Buildings Programme provides grants for microgeneration technologies to householders, community organisations, schools, and not-for-profit sector and private businesses. More funding to the tune of GBP 6.2 million will be available under the programme for people who want to install micro-wind turbines, solar panels and the like in their homes.
‘Living Steel’ winners announced
Living Steel — a worldwide programme to stimulate innovation in the design and building of houses — has announced the winners of the second international architecture competition for sustainable housing, which challenged entrants to design efficient and innovative housing solutions using steel.
The competition required entrants to submit housing designs for one of three locations; Brazil, China and the United Kingdom. The winners are: Brazil - Andrade Morettin Arquitetos Associados; China - David Knafo Tagit Klimor Architects (Israel); and the United Kingdom - Cartwright Pickard Architects. Each of these firms receives a prize of 50,000 euros and a contract to develop its design for the construction of a demonstration building in the specified location. Fifteen other shortlisted firms have each been awarded a prize of 10,000 euros.
The winners were selected by an independent jury chaired by renowned architect Andrew Ogorzalek and approved by the International Union of Architects, which represents over a million architects around the world through national architectural associations.
Speaking for the jury, Mr Ogorzalek commented on the highlights of each winning design that influenced its selection by the jury. “For the Brazil entry by Andrade Morettin Arquitetos Associados, the jury was impressed and encouraged by the simplicity and elegance of the scheme and its appropriateness to the culture and place,” said Mr Ogorzalek. “It showed a good use of the proposed steel structure to create a flexible, open lightweight character.”
Of the winning design for China, Mr Ogorzalek said it was appreciated by the jury “for introducing valuable greenhouse space as an integral part of the high-rise, high-density development, adapting traditional models of communal space to a high-rise topology.”
In Brazil, the winning design will be part of a development located in the city of Recife. China’s winning design will figure in a development located in Hanyang, Wuhan City. The UK construction will take place in the Thames Gateway area in southern England. Ground-breaking and construction is planned for 2008.
“We are delighted to see steel construction become part of the local and cultural fabric that makes up these key building locations,” said Anand Sen, chairman of the Living Steel steering group. More than 1,100 entrants from 88 countries took part in the competition, which was launched in October 2006 on World Architecture Day. From these, 18 firms (six per country location), were selected for the shortlist to submit detailed designs. These firms were charged with the development of innovative approaches to sustainable building design that uses steel solutions to address the economic, environmental and social aspirations of a growing world population.
The first international competition of sustainable housing, launched in 2005, invited architects to design sustainable environment-friendly housing in India (in Kolkata) and Poland (in Warsaw). The winning architect for Kolkata, Piercy Conner Architects and Designers (UK), and for Warsaw, Architenbureau Cepezed (Netherlands), were chosen from 259 expressions of interest from architects in 28 countries. Planning and preparation is currently underway for construction in India and Poland.
Living Steel, as a worldwide programme, was launched in February 2005. The International Iron and Steel Institute provides project management of the five-year Living Steel programme, which comprises three key initiatives: market research, knowledge management, and competition and demonstration building to promote steel-based solutions for sustainable housing. Members of Living Steel include Arcelor Mittal, BlueScope Steel, Corus, Posco and Tata Steel.
For further particulars, contact Sheetal Chabra, Project Manager, Communications, Living Steel.
E-mail: sheetal.chabra@livingsteel.org
