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The BRE's Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) has become an established approach to assessment of
the environmental performance of both new and existing buildings. In January 2005, the new BREEAM for
Schools was introduced and this assesses new build and refurbishment school projects in line with
Department for Education and Skills requirements. The assessment considers the global development project,
from initial feasibility studies through to construction methods and final operation of the school.
"The Government is linking the largest schools capital investment programme since the Victorian era with
education reform, to provide flexible, inclusive, attractive learning environments that teachers want to
teach in and pupils want to learn in."
Click here for more details of BREEAM for Schools.
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 Saint Paul's Academy, Greenwich is a new 11-16 secondary school serving the Abbey Wood area of south-east London and established through the DfES Academies Programme. The Academy will open in 2005 on the existing campus of Saint Paul's Catholic School in Wickham Lane. The Academy will have 1200 pupils and will have a specialism of sports and enterprise. Final construction information is currently under preparation for the new Academy building, which is to be built on the site of Abbey Wood Secondary School. Construction is scheduled to commence in January 2006, with the Academy moving to the site in September 2007.
A requirement of the planning approval for the development is that it achieves a rating of 'Good' in the new BREEAM for Schools Assessment of the scheme is currently underway and the achieved score will be published here in the future.
The Academy building sits as a single entity within its purpose-designed landscape, forming the culmination of an avenue approach from the centre of Abbey Wood. It is a two-storey concrete framed building, which wraps around two landscaped courtyards. At the termination of the avenue axis and forming the heart of the building, is the General Assembly.
Natural ventilation is provided to the majority of teaching spaces; mechanical systems are used only where acoustic requirements or high equipment loads necessitate additional measures. The thermal mass of the concrete frame of the building is used as part of the night-time cooling strategy, which moderates the daytime temperatures within the building. Projecting roofs, 'brise-soleil' and internal blinds will all act to reduce the solar gain on the teaching areas.
The basic building cost is calculated at £1880.00/m², with services costs of
£351.04/m² and external works of £289.05/m². The total gross floor area will be 9334 m²,
of which 4850 m² will be teaching area, 1851 m² will be circulation and 427 m² will be
storage. The Academy Trust intend to enable community access to some of the facilities of the new Academy;
this is likely to include both external sports pitches and parts of the Academy building and teaching
facilities. Part of the grounds of the Academy is zoned as Community Open Space under the planning
approval.
Predicted electricity consumption (excluding catering) is 19.40 kWh/m² and
predicted fossil fuel consumption is 16.25 kWh/m². Water use is predicted at 4m³/pupil/year.
Click here to watch a video report on the new building.
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Highlights 
