Going green to tackle student underperformance

A school in Norfolk was forced to apologise last year for retaining and continuing to use their mobile classrooms, designed to be temporary, since being placed on the school grounds since the 1970’s. Studies have shown that a positive learning environment is a key factor in the development of a child’s education – yet many schools are still relying on temporary portable classrooms to cater for the ever-increasing pupil intake. Birmingham based Inspired Building Systems is a firm on a mission to bring educational facilities into the 21st century.

 

Inspired Building Systems are specialists in the design and construction of inspirational, eco-friendly, education buildings. As a UK Green Building Council and British Safety Council member, Inspired Building Systems understand that inspirational educational buildings are essential to meeting the unique challenges of early years, primary, secondary and Special Education Needs schools.

 

Introducing the IBS Dusk Building

The firm’s team has over 30 years’ experience in delivering challenging and diverse projects. By combining their extensive modern methods of construction with the latest in energy-saving technology, they aim to deliver stimulating learning spaces that deliver efficiencies in time, cost and the carbon footprint.

 

Steve Docking, Director at Inspired Building Systems said, “The inadequate environment that ‘porta cabin’ style classroom provides is not satisfactory for today’s generation of learners. The Great British weather takes its toll on the thin walls and poor heating systems in temporary facilities and we see the effects of this on the pupils and staff who use them, every day. Poor interior options also pose problems in temporary classrooms – inadequate electrical points, space issues and no access to amenities makes it very hard to implement modern teaching techniques and practical hands-on work is almost impossible, leaving everyone who uses these out-dated structures de-motivated and gloomy.”

 

It may seem like a more financially viable option to many schools, but the reality of temporary classrooms is that their portable or temporary nature isn’t designed for long-term positioning. It’s widely accepted that structural issues develop far faster than they would in a permanent building, and Inside Science have reported (see link below) that temporary school buildings could be a health hazard making it harder for students to learn. Scientists studying moveable classrooms in California looked at dust from the floors and particles in the air inside the classrooms. The dust shows traces of pesticides, arsenic and mould, whilst the air contained formaldehyde fumes, heavy metals and higher than normal concentrations of pollen and carbon dioxide. These issues can become very costly for schools to fix and, in the long run, will drain away any school budget that is put towards building maintenance.

 

Inspired Building Systems goal for 2016 is to tackle the issue with ‘temporary classrooms’ across the UK, and ensure that pupils, parents and teachers are aware that ‘going green’ is best when it comes to getting the most out of a child’s education. The firm offers a cost-effective solution, which competes with the price of temporary classrooms but is so much more advantageous for those whose futures are formed inside them.

 

 

‘Inside Science’ study – https://www.insidescience.org/content/hidden-risks-modular-classrooms/1269

 

 

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