Royal Grammar School Guildford Dubai campus raises sustainability standards in education

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The Royal Grammar School Guildford Dubai campus raises sustainability standards in education

Words by BSBG Media Team, Wednesday 25 August 2021

Construction of The Royal Grammar School Guildford Dubai is now complete, with the school due to welcome its first pupils at the start of September. The campus becomes the first BREEAM certified school and the first nearly zero energy educational institution in the region.

The school is a collaborative project, with the concept originally designed by Bogle Architects. Brewer Smith Brewer Group (BSBG) took the roles of Executive Architect and Lead Consultant, working once again alongside contractor Multiplex under a Design & Build contract, to manage the consultants and oversee both Schematic and Detailed Design before the project moved to site.

One of the key consultants on the project is AESG - brought onboard as specialist consultants to provide Sustainability and BREEAM consultancy services during the design and construction stages, along with Fire and Life Safety, Façades, Acoustics, Environmental, Air tightness, IAQ testing and Energy Modelling. BSBG and AESG have built a strong relationship over numerous successful projects which include ICD Brookfield Place, The Opus, JA Lake View Hotel, IRENA HQ in Masdar City, and Festival Plaza.

In this case study, we provide an overview on some of the details, components and features incorporated within the Royal Grammar School Guildford Dubai that have contributed to accomplishing BREEAM Certification and creating an environmentally conscious educational facility that also focuses on the health and wellbeing of its pupils.

Energy Consumption

AESG’s Sustainability and BREEAM consultants worked alongside the design team towards reducing energy consumption of the building, whilst maintaining a high level of indoor environmental quality. This was to ensure the asset’s environmental, social and sustainability performance met the BREEAM criteria.

Based on an energy modelling report, the school is at 63.8 kWh/m2 after accounting for solar photovoltaic installation, which makes this development a near zero energy educational institution. With sustainable and energy efficient solutions installed, the school uses low net amounts of energy and is largely self-sufficient in terms of power through renewable generation.

Several innovative features are incorporated within the school that have a positive impact on sustainability, starting with passive design. The building features a stepped façade which provides self-shading to reduce solar gain on the lower floors, in addition to external shading structures and trees. A central atrium and double aspect glazing optimises daylight levels in the school. Glare control measures, such as frit patterns and material layers, have been introduced to make sure the internal spaces are visually comfortable.

Studies on the microclimate were completed to ensure the design was responsive to its local environment. The energy consumption of the building was further evaluated through an energy model, which showed a 47% reduction in the CO₂ emissions of the school, compared to the building regulations. The facility also achieves a 55.8% reduction in water consumption.

Another important aspect of the school building is a healthy indoor environment, which will be verified through indoor air quality testing before the school is occupied, to guarantee that the air quality is safe for students. Better air quality, through the specifications of low-emitting products and good ventilation, reduces the risk of “sick building syndrome” and improves health in general.

All of these features contribute greatly to an environmentally sustainable and efficient development that not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions but also has a significant positive impact on the health and wellbeing of students.

The campus

The Royal Grammar School Guildford Dubai, located in Tilal Al Ghaf, Dubai, will become the first BREEAM certified school in the region when it opens its doors later this year. The state-of-the-art campus spans over 40,000 sqm, featuring classrooms, art, language, music, and technology labs, a two-storey library and other learning spaces linked by a beautiful internal street concept comprising a lush, central atrium of trees, plants and living ‘biophilic’ walls. The school also features a variety of sports facilities, including a 25-metre swimming pool, a smaller pool for young pupils, a full-size football pitch, and a multi-purpose, 500-capacity auditorium for events.

BSBG Media Team

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