Jaga’s Oxygen system was the perfect solution to the school’s need
Silver Springs Primary Academy
Primary Academy, Stalybridge, Cheshire
Silver Springs Primary Academy in Stalybridge, Cheshire was recently officially re-opened after the complete replacement of the existing school – which was Tameside’s first Primary Academy - with a total rebuild on the same site.
As one of four schools making up the North West Primary School Building Program, Silver Springs was financed by the Education Funding Authority.
The key factor in the design and build of the new 2,200 m2, two storey building was that it was to be formed from a modular offsite construction. This meant that project start to completion time could be cut by approximately half and disruption to students, staff, and the local community in this easterly suburb of Manchester was also minimised. Modular construction is also a highly sustainable method of building that can achieve high standards of energy efficiency resulting in lower energy bills, a priority not just for Silver Springs but for schools and colleges nationwide.
Silver Springs required a solution which could provide both heating and ventilation to maintain good indoor air quality (IAQ), preventing the hot and stuffy feeling generated by the build-up of CO₂. Research has proven that too much CO₂ in the classroom’s air affects pupil performance, lowers attainment and can also lead to complaints such as headaches, drowsiness and a marked lack of concentration.
Jaga’s Oxygen system was the perfect solution to the school’s need. At Silver Springs, the Oxygen system works by monitoring and measuring both temperature and CO₂ levels in the six downstairs classrooms, automatically drawing fresh, clean air in when required to maintain the optimum IAQ. This supply of a healthy, environment conducive to learning was very much in keeping with Silver Springs pride in its “Gold” Healthy Schools Status.
The technique applied of monitoring, and then responding, on both temperature and CO₂ levels also prevents summer over-heating which is an increasing problem.
Jaga’s active indoor air quality management system avoids the issues with ingress of noise and pollution from the busy road outside, which the Academy that could have experienced with some natural forms of ventilation such as the opening of windows.
The Oxygen refresh units are built into Jaga’s Guardian Low Surface Temperature (LST) radiators. The upstairs classrooms feature two Guardian LST radiators per room, all of the Guardians installed featured Jaga’s award-winning Low-H2O technology, offering energy savings of up to 16% compared to a standard steel panel radiator. A performance that illustrates Silver Springs determination to minimise the school’s carbon footprint and energy costs.
In the same way that modular construction accelerated and simplified the rebuilding of Silver Springs, the Jaga Guardian has been designed to be the UK’s fastest and easiest LST radiator to install.
Guardian LST radiators are sufficiently robust to comfortably cope with the knocks and bangs that they are likely to experience in a busy classroom environment. Their rounded corners also mitigate pupil injury in the event of accidental bumps.
Jaga offered extensive on-site support throughout the project build which included technical consultants spending two sessions on site with the plumbers and electricians to identify, and iron out, any potential installation issues.
Commenting on the new Silver Springs, Chair of Governors Tony Powell said: The new building is a state-of-the-art school building. We’ve got a building that is inspiring and that motivates young people to want to learn and want to come to school."