Significant refurbishment and retrofit work at Brunstane Primary School is now complete and the school building has been handed over in time for the start of the new school term.
GRAHAM were appointed to deliver a multi-phase transformation project to retrofit the school building. The improvement works adopted a ‘fabric first’ approach – a sustainable building design strategy that maximises the performance of materials and components aiming to reduce energy demand and carbon impact. Following the works, the school building has achieved the highest EPC rating of A, acknowledging the energy efficiency of the building.
The building works, which started in October 2024, include a three-storey tower and a single-storey block incorporating 14 classrooms and pupil support spaces, as well as a gym hall, kitchen and staff areas.
Supporting the Council to meet its sustainability commitments, a new energy centre was built on site including an air source heat pump which serves an updated heating system and replaces the existing gas boilers. Photovoltaic panels were installed on the roof along with new insulated cladding on both external walls and roof, with improvements to windows.
This investment in sustainable measures reduces the environmental impact of the building and offers a healthier and more comfortable learning environment for pupils and staff.
Councillor James Dalgleish, Education, Children and Families Convener said:
We want all our schools and early years settings to offer the best possible learning environment for our children and young people. Central to this is ongoing investment in our school buildings to ensure that they meet the needs of our learners, offer a comfortable learning and teaching setting and support our net-zero goals.
It is fantastic to see that the refurbishment works at Brunstane Primary School are complete, just in time for pupils and staff returning after the Easter break. The improvements to the building will make a huge difference to how the school building is used by teachers and pupils in the here and now, and for many future generations of young learners in Brunstane.
Chris MacLeod, regional managing director at GRAHAM Building, said:
The handover of Brunstane Primary School marks the successful completion of a complex retrofit project delivered within a live school environment. Pupils and staff can now benefit from a modern, energy-efficient space that supports both learning and wellbeing, while considered sustainability elements will significantly reduce the building’s carbon footprint.
Throughout the programme, our focus has been on minimising disruption and working collaboratively with the school to ensure a smooth delivery.