Dunfermline Schools Officially World's Largest Passivhaus education building

Woodmill High and St Columba’s RC High, part of Dunfermline Learning Campus, has officially earned Passivhaus Classic certification, securing its position as the largest Passivhaus education building in the world.

Hub East Central Scotland managed the delivery of the project for Fife Council. Designed by AHR and built by BAM Construction, the building was handed over in August last year and brings together two operationally separate schools into one building that serves 2,700 pupils. Additional facilities include three all-weather pitches, four MUGAs (Multi use games areas), three grass pitches incorporating running tracks and various athletic facilities alongside ample car parking, a stance for 17 buses, and a community growing area.

Early design choices in orientation, form factor and structural frames drove Passivhaus compliance. High performance triple glazing, solar shading, shading fins and high levels of insulation were also incorporated to enhance the building’s energy performance and meet the stringent standards.

Gary Bushnell, Chief Executive, hub East Central Scotland, said: “This was a large and complex project delivered successfully through exceptional collaborative working from everyone involved. That close working across the project teams resulted in a high-quality, ultra-sustainable education building that sets a new global benchmark.”

This is the second school building delivered by hub East Central Scotland to be certified by Passivhaus following the completion of Riverside Primary School in Perth  2023 for Perth & Kinross Council, designed by Architype and built by Robertson Construction.

Passivhaus is a rigorous quality assurance standard that minimises a building’s energy use, with a whole-building approach focussed on a highly insulated, airtight, energy-efficient design and a very high standard of quality during construction. In the UK, this has proven to deliver 75% reduction in energy in use compared to traditional methods.