Projects

Hackbridge Primary School

Hackbridge Primary School

Sutton, London
United Kingdom
Hackbridge

Introba provided mechanical, electrical, plumbing, lighting design, commissioning, and design analytics services for the Hackbridge Primary School in Sutton, London, United Kingdom.

Hackbridge Primary is the UK’s first true Net Zero Carbon school and the first to be Passivhaus Plus certified. 

Hackbridge is a new build primary school for 420 pupils aged 5-11 built next to the pioneering BedZED One Planet Living development. It is the UK’s first true net-zero carbon school (regulated and unregulated) and the first to be ‘Passivhaus plus’ certified. 

The design team carefully selected healthy materials with low embodied energy that are easy to construct and maintain. To achieve Net Zero Carbon, the design applies rigorous Passivhaus Plus building envelope insulation and air-tightness requirements, with triple-glazed windows that enhance thermal comfort and provide excellent daylighting. A heat recovery system delivers fresh air to classrooms using mechanical ventilation in winter and natural ventilation via windows in mid-season. 

A highly efficient ground source heat pump system with inter-seasonal heat storage meets space heating demands. To meet summer peaks and provide resiliency against climate change, the system can operate in the reverse cycle to provide free cooling. 

A rooftop photovoltaic array provides renewable electricity to offset 100% of annual energy demands. 

Sustainability

  • Certified PassivHaus Plus

  • Zero Net Carbon 

Project Highlights

  • First true Net Zero Carbon and Passivhaus Plus-certified school in the United Kingdom 

  • Carefully selected healthy materials with low embodied energy that are easy to construct and maintain 

  • Net Zero Carbon achieved through rigorous building envelope insulation and air-tightness requirements using triple-glazed windows, enhancing thermal comfort and providing excellent daylighting 

  • Heat recovery system delivers fresh air to classrooms using mechanical ventilation and windows  

  • Ground source heat pump system with inter-seasonal heat storage meets space heating demands; the system can reverse its cycle to provide free cooling to meet summer peaks 

  • Photovoltaic array meets 100% of annual energy demands

Services

Awards
Building Performance Project of the Year Award – Public Use Category, 2024
Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers

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