With climate change comes a multitude of challenges for schools.
The decarbonisation of school estates is becoming an increasing area of focus for schools’ senior leadership teams.
In addition, schools are faced with the impact of climate change already ‘locked in’. With the UK’s hotter, drier summers and warmer, wetter winters, many schools are having to quickly adapt to the rapidly changing climate.
Flooding for example can have a major impact on schools including lost pupil school days and significant economic cost. In 2021 the Government’s sustainability and climate strategy for education and children’s services systems stated “Nearly half of schools (10,710) are at risk of flooding, which is expected to increase to at least 13,662 by the 2050s, or 16,394 in the worst-case scenario, based on anticipated climate change.
Climate resilience measures, however, can significantly reduce a school’s risk. Our team have assisted countless schools by improving water efficiency, reducing surface water flood risk and supporting strategic climate resilience plans.
A recent example is at Merstham Primary School where after a catastrophic flood, and significant flood remedial works implemented by our team, we worked with the school and the EFA/DfE to install flood resilience measures to ensure the school was able to cope with surface water run-off and extreme weather in the future.
This included a permeable wildflower turfed berm preventing water from cascading down from the playground into the school. Of added bonus, this berm also provided a wildlife habitat for teaching use. Planters were also installed on the perimeter of the building, which connected directly into the rainwater goods from the steep-pitched roofs.
Other resilience measures included the introduction of a secondary DPM as part of the flood reinstatement works to control the moisture levels within the main Victorian School building, whilst protecting the school’s charm and character.
Should your school need any further information on strategic climate resilience please contact our team on enquiries@synergyllp.com
Synergy LLP
