SCHMUTTERTAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL
A cool head in summer, warm feet in winter: The floor can cool and heat and increase comfort.
Stuffy classrooms after doing a test, pupils and teachers groaning from the summer heat – not in this new school building! The planning process gave absolute priority to ensuring that there would always be a pleasant climate in the rooms without consuming too much energy. The con- cept is based on a well-insulated building envelope that keeps the heat out in the summer and the cold out in the winter. But it is above all the losses entailed when the rooms are aired that impacts on energy consumption in school buildings. The recommendations for school buildings stipulated that the densely packed classrooms must have three air changes per hour, which is six times more than in residential buildings with an air change rate of 0.5. The school therefore has mechanical ventilation with heat recovery to minimise energy losses. Sensors measure the CO 2 level in the rooms so that there is always an inflow of fresh air whenever the need arises. This prevents any “stuffy air” which is detrimental to concentration. The windows can still be opened on request, but there is no longer a need to open the windows regularly with the resulting loss of heat in winter.
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