Tetra Tech provided mechanical and electrical design services, thermal and energy modelling and overheating assessment for the new SEN school at Pinewood, Hertfordshire.
We provided mechanical and electrical (M&E) design services to our client, Bowmer + Kirkland to support the regeneration of Pinewood School.
This special educational needs (SEN) school, part of the Department for Education’s (DfE) rebuilding programme, will accommodate 192 students aged 11 to 16. The new school will feature a hydrotherapy pool and improved facilities, designed to create a modern, welcoming, and energy-efficient learning environment for pupils and staff.
Challenge
With the new block designed to comply with the DfE’s ‘Next Generation School Standards’ (S21 Output Specification) and achieve Net Zero Carbon in Operation (NZCiO) at handover, we carefully considered the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) design.
We established early on that the energy consumption of the hydrotherapy pool could not be offset due to the limited space available on the roof and in the landscape for additional photovoltaic (PV) panels.
We also needed to address overheating concerns to ensure compliance with the DfE’s requirements and overheating standards.
Solution
Our M&E design services, including thermal modelling, helped fulfil the contractor’s proposal requirements and ensured that the detailed design proposals complied with the DfE’s Output Specification and Building Regulations.
We conducted detailed energy modelling to calculate the Energy Use Intensity (EUI) for the HVAC design to deliver the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) TM54 energy calculations to achieve compliance with NZCiO.
We performed an overheating assessment to meet the DfE’s requirements using a CIBSE weather file (DSY1 2080 50th percentile low), which simulated a 2°C global warming scenario.
By implementing a passive design solution of a crossflow hybrid ventilation system operating in natural ventilation when feasible, and a biosolar roof solution, we ensured full compliance with the specific overheating standards for SEN schools to create a safe and comfortable environment for staff and pupils.
At a glance
Client
Bowmer + Kirkland
Location
Ware, Hertfordshire
Services
Electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, overheating assessment, thermal and energy modelling
The project featured in this article was undertaken by RPS, A Tetra Tech Company and originally published on RPSgroup.com. In March 2026 RPS rebranded to Tetra Tech.