St Andrew’s Primary School – Net Zero Carbon Junior Block

The St Andrew’s Primary School expansion is a flagship Net Zero Carbon (NZC) education project, providing a state-of-the-art junior school block that supports learning, development, and opportunity for all.

As part of Newport City Council’s commitment to modernising educational facilities, this project delivers a sustainable, future-proofed learning environment, designed to elevate the aspirations of students while setting a benchmark for low-carbon school construction.

The new facility includes a three-form entry (330-place) junior block, a 30-place specialist SEN/inclusive learning provision, and associated external works, significantly enhancing educational opportunities for the local community.

Delivered with BREEAM Excellent accreditation, the project integrates advanced energy efficiency measures, creating an ultra-low carbon, high-performance school building.

Beyond construction, we worked closely with students, staff, and the local community, ensuring that the project not only provided world-class facilities but also inspired the next generation of learners and professionals.

Project Delivery & Challenges Overcome

Ensuring that education remained uninterrupted during construction was a core priority. Willmott Dixon engaged directly with school leadership to develop a phased construction strategy, allowing lessons and daily activities to continue without disruption.

With sustainability at the heart of the project, the team integrated advanced energy-efficient materials and technologies, including enhanced insulation, air-source heat pumps (ASHP), and a rooftop solar PV array, ensuring that the building meets Welsh Government’s stringent Net Zero Carbon standards.

During pre-construction, early engagement with Newport City Council and key stakeholders helped refine the project scope, ensuring that the new school block aligned with long-term educational and environmental goals.

The project team also tackled site logistics and infrastructure upgrades, including:

• Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SuDS) with attenuation tanks, reducing flood risks.
• Steel-frame construction, optimising structural efficiency while minimising embodied carbon.
• Enhanced external landscaping, integrating outdoor learning spaces and biodiversity improvements.

Despite global supply chain challenges, early material procurement and collaborative planning with the supply chain ensured that the project was delivered on time and on budget.

Cutting-Edge Sustainable Learning Facilities

The new junior school block at St Andrew’s Primary School delivers an ultra-modern, energy-efficient educational environment, designed to enhance both academic success and student well-being.

Key features include:

• Modern classrooms equipped with low-energy lighting and natural ventilation.
• Dedicated SEN/inclusive learning spaces, supporting a range of additional learning needs.
• Flexible, multi-use spaces, allowing the school to adapt teaching approaches in line with the Curriculum for Wales.

Through a collaborative design approach, the new facility reflects the school’s values of inclusivity, sustainability, and innovation, creating a future-ready educational environment.

Sustainability & Net Zero Carbon Commitment

Key Sustainability Achievements:

• Fabric-first design approach, ensuring high insulation performance and airtightness.
• Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP) for low-carbon heating, reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
• Rooftop solar PV panels, generating renewable electricity to offset energy consumption.
• Enhanced U-values, improving thermal performance and lowering operational energy costs.
• Natural daylighting and ventilation strategies, creating a healthy, comfortable indoor environment.
• Sustainable materials used throughout, including low-carbon cladding and responsibly sourced timber.

Through these innovations, the school operates with significantly lower energy demand, contributing to Newport’s wider decarbonisation strategy and reducing long-term running costs.

Community & Social Impact

Beyond construction, the project delivered lasting benefits to students, staff, and the local community, reinforcing Willmott Dixon’s commitment to education, employment, and social value.

STEM Engagement & Student Learning: every pupil had at least three direct engagements with Willmott Dixon, providing insights into construction, sustainability, and career pathways.

Employment & Training Initiatives:

• Nine local people gained meaningful work experience, helping them develop new skills and access career opportunities.
• Dedicated upskilling programmes were implemented, creating pathways into the construction industry.
• Community Engagement & Volunteering:
• The project team worked closely with the school to deliver enhancements to outdoor spaces, supporting learning and recreation.