PASSIVBLOG Healthy Schools and Classrooms

HEALTHY SCHOOLS AND CLASSROOMS

In the second part of our indoor air quality series, we look at how Passive House buildings can improve air quality, concentration and health in learning environments – from a germ-free early learning centre to a ‘living laboratory’ for tertiary students.

Exceeding Expectations

When Natalie Colbert set out to build her third early learning centre, she wanted to match the standards set in her favourite episodes of Grand Designs.
Natalie wanted the children to have a steady flow of fresh air. Keeping cold and hot spots to a minimum was important, as was filtering out airbourne viruses and allergens. As an environmentally-conscious commercial operator, she also wanted to maximise energy efficiency.
In 2016, Natalie took a tour of a Passive House building organised by Dr Andreas Luzzi from local firm the LAROS Group. This inspired her to build the first commercial Passive House building in the Southern Hemisphere, and the first privately-owned Passive House education facility in the world.
In March 2020, the Torrens Early Learning Centre became one of only 14 buildings worldwide to be certified to the Passive House Premium Standard, meaning it generates more energy than it consumes. Natalie estimates her energy costs at $3 per month. The centre has also received a Master Builders’ commendation for sustainable commercial construction.
Natalie has seen significantly lower airbourne transmission of viruses and reduced absences compared to her previous non Passive House buildings. This was particularly noticeable during the height of the COVID pandemic. Natalie says children with dust and pollen allergies also benefit from the filtered air.
“The articulated energy recovery ventilation (ERV) systems and perfect humidity meant that particles were dropping immediately to the floor. They weren’t sitting in the air waiting to be breathed in.”
During the 2020 Black Summer bushfires, the Passive House classrooms had no smoke inside – due to the mechanical filtration of external air and internal scrubbing process. Natalie moved her family in during the Christmas shutdown to escape the most smoky days.
As a trail-blazer, Natalie faced some challenges. Many local commercial builders and tradespeople were wary of Passive House elements fabricated off site. For example, prefabricated panels from Melbourne, and double-glazed windows from Germany.
She became construction manager for the project, supported by her builder Phil Bates, and industry experts Detail Green, H3Space, Logikhaus, and LAROS.
“The team all worked tirelessly to improve their trades knowledge and competence on airtightness, and normalise Passive House concepts in the region,” Natalie says.

Torrens Early Learning Centre. Click to expand.

Torrens Early Learning Centre. Click to expand.

Torrens Early Learning Centre. Click to expand.

Torrens Early Learning Centre. Click to expand.

Demountables with a difference

Demountable classrooms aren’t known for being comfortable or healthy environments. But architect and Certified Passive House Building Designer Knut Menden has shown that they can be.
In January, Knut installed the first three modular classrooms designed to Passive House standard at the German International School, Sydney. One of the drivers for the project was improved indoor air quality. High carbon dioxide levels can affect students’ concentration, causing headaches and tiredness.
In a year-long Victorian study, researchers at RMIT University found that carbon dioxide concentrations in classrooms were well over the National Construction Code standard of less than 850 parts per million (ppm) averaged over eight hours – reaching over 900, 1200 and sometimes 5000 ppm. This is due to inadequate ventilation.
Knut’s modular classrooms address this issue using mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) to provide constantly filtered air with carbon dioxide levels under 1000 ppm. The classrooms also have triple-glazed windows and are powered by a single 8 kilovolt (kV) solar photovoltaic system. This provides more energy than the classrooms use, and also contributes to powering the rest of the school.
The classrooms are also built of all natural materials, with cross laminated timber used for the structure and internal finish, and untreated timber cladding externally. Knut based this design on studies that indicate natural materials can help reduce stress and improve concentration. The classrooms were constructed and installed in six months – including a seven and a half-week delay in Singapore. Although the air quality, energy efficiency and appearance were well above that of a conventional demountable, Knut says the cost was only 5 to 8 per cent higher, and had potential to decrease.
“If you plan carefully, these classrooms can cost less than what you would pay for conventional, substandard demountables,” he says, adding that reduced operating costs and sustainability benefits over the life of the building are also worth considering.
Knut is also working with the German International School to build a certified Passive House building for their new science centre, and a master plan to increase the efficiency, health and sustainability of the whole school.

German International School. Click to expand.

German International School. Click to expand.

German International School. Click to expand.

German International School. Click to expand.

Living laboratory

Monash University has created a unique Passive House building to nurture the next generation of engineers and information technologists, while providing data for students and researchers to support and improve future building design.
The five-level Woodside Building for Technology and Design is home to 750 staff and students. The building features modular steel-framed spaces for learning, research, laboratory work and informal collaboration. It also gives students the opportunity to see construction theory in action, with exposed building services, thermal piles and structural elements.
When built, the Woodside Building was the largest Passive House building in the world. It was also one of only two Australasian buildings to be showcased at COP26 for its sustainable design.
The Woodside Building was designed by Aurecon and Grimshaw Architects and built by Lendlease. Jeff Robinson, a principal building consultant at Aurecon, explains that the building sets a new Australian benchmark for thermal performance, as well as the quality and performance of its building envelope and ventilation systems. As a result, it provides a comfortable and healthy learning environment with high indoor air quality.
Jeff adds that Australia’s construction industry has the skills and technology to deliver future educational and commercial buildings which are resilient to the warming climate and provide healthy and comfortable spaces for occupants.
“Monash Woodside demonstrates that the Australian design and construction industry can deliver net zero carbon, all-electric, healthy buildings for conventional construction budgets,” Jeff says.
“And it starts with Passive House.”

Monash Woodside Building. Click to expand.

Monash Woodside Building. Click to expand.

Monash Woodside Building. Click to expand.

Monash Woodside Building. Click to expand.

This is the second in a three part series on the role of Passive House in improving and maintaining indoor air quality. Next, we’ll be looking at how Passive House can help resolve the current mould crisis in Australia.