Fermacell’s environmental credentials secured eco-friendly British primary school project

The environmental methods of manufacture and 100% recyclability of Fermacell partitioning boards have led to the use of the product in the first British primary school to be built with a totally eco friendly innovative timber panel system made from recycled wood cuttings.

The pioneering construction of the school will feature 600 Eurban panels of cross laminated layers of timber from sustainably managed forests in Switzerland.

Initially the internal walls in the new St Agnes C of E Primary School in Longsight, Manchester, were to be of painted timber. However, the environmental credentials of Fermacell convinced architects and contractors to install 3,000 sq m of the fibre re-inforced gypsum board to benefit from its strength, impact resistance, and fire and acoustic qualities.

The pioneering construction of the school will feature 600 Eurban panels of cross laminated layers of timber from sustainably managed forests in Switzerland. Off cuts from the saw milling industry are being fabricated into load bearing timbercomponents and shipped to Manchester and positioned by crane and connected together, eliminating the need for concrete and steel to achieve a ground breaking approach to construction.

The £6.2million building will house 270 primary school children and a further 90 pre school children in nine classrooms on three levels.

It will also feature a roof top playground. Fermacell’s Phil Mattatia says: “We are delighted to be part of this exciting project. The overall objective has been to achieve an impressive environmental performance with a reduced carbon footprint. The timber panel system is achieving this, and our partitioning is giving added benefits while meeting the environmental targets.”

Project: St Agnes C of E Primary School, Manchester
Architect: Robinson Architects
Main Contractors: Willmott Dixon.