Riverside Primary School by Architype

JUNCKERS FLOORING FOR SCOTLAND’S FIRST PASSIVHAUS PRIMARY SCHOOL 

Designed by Architype who acted both as Architect and Passivhaus Designer, Riverside Primary School in Perth & Kinross is the first in Scotland to be built to the Passivhaus standard. Built to support healthy and innovative learning and at the same time minimise energy consumption and emissions, the building is estimated to reduce the school’s energy costs by around 70%.

The new building provides better thermal comfort and ventilation with lower emissions and operational costs. All materials were carefully chosen for their performance and ability to create a warm, natural environment. Natural, non-toxic materials including Junckers’ flooring, create a high-quality finish that also enhances wellbeing for students and staff.

Often specified for Passivhaus buildings, Junckers solid hardwood floors carry the Danish Indoor Climate Label, certifying there are no chemical substances that will adversely affect indoor air quality. 

Installed in the school’s large multi-purpose, multi-activity hall, Junckers SylvaSport Beech flooring has a perfectly smooth surface which cannot harbour dust or mites. The natural properties inherent in wood also helps to minimise static from electrical equipment.

Beech is a light-coloured timber species which helps to maximise natural light levels by reflecting light into the hall, reducing the need for artificial lighting. In contrast to a dark surface which holds heat and consequently reflects it back into the room, a pale-coloured floor will not contribute to overheating, reducing the energy demand on air cooling systems.

As public buildings, schools are expected to experience decades or even centuries of use. Specifying materials with a proven long lifespan not only means lower life cycle costs, it can also contribute substantially to lower embodied carbon emissions. A Junckers floor can be expected to last well over the 60+ year design life standard. Made in solid wood, it can be sanded and refinished up to ten times without loss of performance. With 12- year intervals between sandings, it is arguably one of the longest lasting flooring options available and will comfortably exceed the industry standard.

Riverside Primary School is not only the first of its kind, it serves as an important reference project for all new schools being built in Scotland. The Learning Investment Programme (LEIP), established by the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT), who work with public and private sectors to finance infrastructure projects, incentivises reductions in energy consumption and emissions for newly built schools, as well as improving indoor air quality for students and teachers.

Project Architect Sam Boyle noted: “We specified Junckers flooring systems at Riverside Primary School due to its environmental credentials, durability of its sports floor systems and its high-quality aesthetic. The finished installed system worked holistically with the colour and material palette for the school interior, creating a calm, natural and bright school for generations to come.”

So far, the project has won the Learning Places Scotland Award: Innovation in Delivering a Sustainable Learning Space; and is shortlisted for a Scottish Design Award 2024.

The flooring was installed by Courtcraft. The main contractor was Robertson Construction.