Willmott Dixon’s industry-leading Energy Synergy™ process has helped to minimise energy consumption, reduce carbon emissions and drive down operational costs at Hollycroft Primary School.
Completed in 2023, the 210-place school, on the outskirts of Hinckley, holds an A+ Energy Performance Certificate, BREEAM excellent certification, and provides a template for future sustainable schools in the county.
Supporting customer Leicestershire County Council’s commitment to achieve net zero by 2045, Energy Synergy™ was used to fine-tune the building both in design and operation. By understanding the impact of different choices, the team ensured that Hollycroft Primary School was designed to achieve net zero carbon in operation and optimised for maximum energy efficiency from the outset.
Using predictive energy modelling, Willmott Dixon worked with the customer to increase wall insulation depths and improve airtightness to enhance energy efficiency. The process also informed the sizing of the 381m² solar photovoltaic (PV) array, required to generate sufficient renewable energy to offset the building’s operational energy use.
Since completion in 2023, Energy Synergy™ has played a critical role monitoring of real-time data, such as room temperatures, hot water usage, and overall energy consumption to enable the customer to identify and address inefficiencies.
These insights have helped the customer make quick adjustments: for example, turning down the heating in certain rooms where occupants have opened windows during the winter months, and turning off the heating in unoccupied spaces. Additionally, thermostat settings, heating flow temperatures and hot water availability have all been recalibrated around key operating hours.
Gaining a detailed understanding of building performance has enabled Leicestershire County Council to deliver cost and carbon savings while enhancing the comfort and wellbeing of students and staff at Hollycroft Primary School.
Based on current performance improvements, made since April 2024, Energy SynergyTM has the potential to deliver savings of nearly £30k over five years. Seasonal changes can make a big difference to the gap between expected and actual building performance, and monitoring of heating, hot water and ventilation systems at the school is still underway.
In terms of carbon savings, the use of Energy SynergyTM has already resulted in 2,216 kgCO2e of emission reductions from the running of the building, with projections suggesting the savings will be 5,652kgCO2e every year. That is the equivalent emissions to more than five flights from London to New York, or nearly 400 car journeys from Hinkley to Birmingham every year.
Peter Merry, CEO of the Owls Academy Trust/Hollycroft, said: “The whole process was efficient and knowledgeable. Communication was great and information has been passed on in a format we understand. Willmott Dixon explained and sorted out all our concerns and continue to provide support to us. Working with the Energy SynergyTM team has been a most pleasing experience, and we unreservedly recommend them to anyone seeking such expertise and true partners.”
Following the success of this Energy SynergyTM-driven approach, Leicestershire County Council has awarded Willmott Dixon a £9.3 million contract to construct a second net zero carbon-in-operation school, Airfield Farm Primary School in Market Harborough.
