McLaughlin & Harvey has handed over a new Passivhaus building at Wester Hailes High School in Edinburgh, with staff and pupils returning from half term into the new facility earlier this week.
Comprising the design and construction of a new four-storey building, McLaughlin & Harvey was appointed by the City of Edinburgh Council through the SCAPE Scotland construction framework to bring the 800-capacity establishment to life, with the aim of consolidating the school’s education estate into a single cutting-edge structure.
Sustainability is at the heart of the new facility, with McLaughlin & Harvey building the school to stringent design standards in order to achieve Passivhaus classic certified status.
Incorporating features such as enhanced insulation, airtight construction and mechanical heat recovery ventilation, the building will maintain a comfortable indoor temperature year-round and also deliver a significant reduction in energy consumption.
The final air tightness test result saw McLaughlin & Harvey achieve a rating of 0.29ACH – significantly lower than the 0.6ACH required to secure Passivhaus certification.
Designed around a central, bright and open atrium, the new building brings pupils and staff together by connecting departments and classrooms, while a range of flexible and collaborative spaces support student interaction and facilitate wider community involvement.
Elsewhere, McLaughlin & Harvey worked closely with organisations from the local area throughout the building’s construction to ensure people from all walks of life benefited from the project.
Almost £12 million was spent with small and medium enterprises; over 318 training opportunities were created for individuals looking to enhance their construction skills; local spend topped £15.6 million; and more than 1,560 apprenticeship weeks were generated.
“It’s fantastic to see pupils and staff enjoying the new building. Having been designed and constructed to Passivhaus standards, the facility futureproofs the school’s estate for generations to come.
“Operationally, we faced the challenge of building the new facility while the school was still open and in close proximity to the construction works, however, we were able to ensure disruption was kept to an absolute minimum. The hard work by the whole project team, the designers, consultants and the client was definitely worth it when you see the cutting-edge building in use today.”
Dougie McCusker, Construction Director
McLaughlin & Harvey
“Opening this new school building is a major landmark moment for pupils, staff and the wider community in Wester Hailes. I’m really impressed with the quality of the spaces, and the building is all set to provide a modern, sustainable learning environment designed to support young people for generations to come.”
Cllr James Dalgleish, Children, Education and Families Convener
Stirling Council
“This project has been centred on partnership and collaboration, with a shared ambition to create sustainable, modern learning environments that benefit both pupils and teachers. Through our frameworks, we are committed to ensuring our projects deliver local impact and now complete, and it is fantastic to see that Wester Hailes High School will serve and support the community for years to come. We are proud to have been part of such a fantastic project.”
Gary Meechan, Operations Director
SCAPE Scotland
The final phase of the school redevelopment project will see the remaining former buildings demolished, to be replaced with outdoor learning spaces, an urban woodland area and a community allotment that will provide growing beds, poly tunnels and picnic benches for use by the local community.
