Client West Lothian Council/Hub South East
Sector Schools and Colleges, Education
Location Lothian - Scotland
Value £1.5m
The Blackridge Early Years Centre is the first early years learning building in Scotland to be built to Passivhaus Certification standards. Part of a pilot scheme with West Lothian Council and Hub South Est Scotland, the nursery has successfully proved the concept.
The nursery was developed alongside another early years centre, which spatially identical but built without adherence to the Passivhaus standards. This allowed for a direct comparison on process, construction method, programme, capital and operational costs. This is coupled with enhanced data logging when now in use, has helped inform not only how we can fine tune the existing facilities but also how we directly influence next generation design proposals.
As part of the project, an extensive consultation process took account of responding to the topography of the sloping site, creating a simple building form and material palette to promote efficiency for both the building user and building performance, while providing a healthy environment internally.
The child-focused landscape design creates a valuable, exciting learning environment and has been designed to enable additional 20% capacity to be accommodated via the ‘Space to Grow’ guidance, promoting an efficient building footprint and integrated environment.
