Aedas R&D

Holland Park School, due for completion in 2012, is a landmark education scheme within the Kensington conservation area adjacent to Holland Park in London. It will provide accommodation for 1,500 students aged between 11 and 18, and over 100 staff. The site benefits from excellent public transport links and will serve as a social and educational hub. Extended operating hours will enable the Kensington Community College to increase its use of the school’s enhanced sports and other facilities, whilst the addition of the new 25m pool will promote health and fitness in the local community.

Sustainability targets are achieved through the following:

• The building’s orientation, massing and iconic louvres prevent excessive heat gains into classrooms and the atrium, whilst admitting adequate daylight
• The full length atrium admits light deep into the building’s plan, reducing the need for artificial lighting, and facilitating cross ventilation and a heat stack effect
• High thermal mass and BMS controlled night purge ventilation reduces the need for cooling
• Low carbon technologies such as ground source heating and cooling, and a CHP boiler and solar-water heaters lower the building’s overall energy use
• Sub-metering strategy allows the building’s energy use to be monitored to enable efficient control of heating and cooling