£10m schools development to create construction jobs in West Yorkshire
Recently unveiled plans for a £10 million energy-efficient school building project in Leeds could give construction recruitment activity in the area a significant boost, as the local education authority looks to replace the ageing buildings of the Richmond Hill primary school.
The Guardian's local reporter, John Baron, reports that the plans aim to create one of the most energy-efficient school buildings in the world. According to officials at Education Leeds, the building will make use of the 'revolutionary' PassivHaus construction standard which claims to achieve a typical energy saving of 90% when used for residential buildings.
Building the new school to the Passivhaus standards will require skilled workers from a range of construction jobs. From mechanical jobs in the installation of a building wide ventilation system to provide efficient heat recovery and indoor air quality, to a high level of experience in fitting insulation and airtight windows and doors.
Education officials say that the design will not only improve the school's environmental footprint but will lead to savings in running costs, as the building will use nominal amounts of energy for heating and cooling. In addition to its environmental features the new building will boast wider corridors than normally seen in school buildings, smaller rooms dedicated to group learning, a multi-purpose hall and will have specialist facilities for a small number of children with autism.
If approved, the building is planned to open by September 2012 with work beginning in January 2011.
Author: William Hobson
Keywords: construction jobs, construction recruitment, mechanical jobs