Desco Pilot Project for UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard
The new Royal Russell School in Croydon will be a pilot test project for the new UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard
Desco is participating in the pilot testing for the new UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard, which aims to establish a consistent approach to assessing whether a building can be classified as ‘Net Zero Carbon’.
The new Royal Russell School in Croydon currently under construction which Desco are designing the mechanical and electrical services, working alongside Jestico + Whiles providing the architectural design services has been chosen to take part in the pilot.
The pilot testing aims to use a selection of buildings from various sectors at different stages of design and construction, to evaluate the newly created standard developed by multiple groups and organisations.
The two-storey purpose-built Junior School will provide teaching areas and bespoke facilities for science, art and design, music and drama, enhancing the learning experience of the campus’s younger students. The new 400-student place school incorporates passive design measures, active design measures and LZC technology to reduce carbon emissions in line with current requirements for major developments. The environmentally conscious design includes energy efficient heating methods coupled with mechanical ventilation heat recovery to minimise energy usage for heating and cooling. The design incorporates Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP) and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery during winter and mid-season months to enhance heating efficiency. Photovoltaic panels will be installed on the roof to supply electricity to the building. The design will also feature low-energy lighting and energy-efficient appliances.
The project has been designed to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating and is estimated to reduce operational CO2 emissions by 58%. Completion is expected in Spring 2026.
This pilot testing will allow Desco and industry partners to ascertain if their project meets the Net Zero Carbon standard and will also enable the team responsible for the standard to gain insights into the practical application of the standard across diverse sectors, assessing its efficiency in real-world scenarios.