5 minute read
SuDS for Schools
One of ten typical schools masterplans. © AtkinsRéalis
An AtkinsRéalis case study using SuDS in North West England.
AtkinsRéalis with United Utilities developed an innovative ten-school pilot programme to look at primary school grounds around the North West of England, principally to help solve issues of local and wider network flooding.
A straightforward process was enacted and then replicated across each school. We applied a ‘lessons learned’ experience from school to school and achieved hugely successful outcomes despite limited budgets and short programmes, with construction often limited to school holidays. In particular, the provision of ponds was discussed with schools individually due to the health and safety risks. Some welcomed it as a positive feature, accepting they would monitor access (they didn’t want fenced solutions), while others simply declined.
The vision for these relatively small interventions was not only to prevent localised network flooding through rainwater management, but to add value to the schools; inspiring curiosity about the links between nature and the weather through the subtle beautification of the school grounds. This approach delivered wellbeing, healthier spaces and increased biodiversity, whilst educating pupils about climate resilience and how creative water management can produce fun and practical spaces.
The idea was to take roof and surface water and either slow the flow into the piped system, or move it altogether, into ponds, rain gardens, water butts, planters and swales. We developed innovative and playful features, which also provide visual stimulation. The key impacts and contributions of these design interventions is to help ‘slow the flow’, reduce damaging flood events, and, for very modest sums, deliver greater resilience to the local drainage network.
For example, proposals included a rainbow arch, which forms the approach to one of the schools' main entrances. This diverted roof water into a rain garden via a series of coloured arched pipes, referencing the interaction of sun and water and the Covid rainbow symbol of the time, for a more hopeful future. Rain chains were also designed as well as fun downspouts, with decorative collector beds, willow shelters and domes also helping to put the ‘fun’ into the ‘fun’ctional aspects of these projects. Some schools also engaged pupils to help in the planting of their rain gardens.
Our installations have delivered a host of other benefits around sustainability, which include social and educational value for pupils.
We’ve helped to reverse the trend of schools being dominated by hard standing. These interventions also improve wellbeing for all staff, pupils and visitors, by creating a series of more relaxed, informal environments. New tree and shrub planting helps to cool down the grounds and provide shade. The planting will also bolster biodiversity and help to absorb pollutants.
Most directly, the projects often delivered improved and more useable school grounds. Sports pitches, areas of green open space and hard standing, which previously experienced flooding or waterlogging, were brought back into use, giving schools extra breathing space for play and recreation.
'The kids couldn’t really play on it… The biggest benefit to us… [is that] every year it can now be utilised in the right way,' a SuDS for Schools video relays* 'The feedback from them [pupils] coming out here and playing, and being able to use the area is great, there’s lots of smiles on their faces.' The lessons learned (as set out above) are now being extended and embraced on a wider scale as a model to deliver similar projects for other water authorities and government departments such as Southern Water and Severn Trent. This includes a current pilot SuDS for Schools project in Belfast under the joint Northern Ireland Water’s (NIW) and the Department for Infrastructure’s (DfI) ‘Living with Water’ programme. Through relatively minor investments, water utility companies can save huge amounts in the long term by reducing and preventing flood events in their networks, whilst providing multiple social and environmental benefits.
As a company we have used this SuDS for Schools programme as an exemplar in webinars on the wider benefits of SuDS, and implemented this best practice within our wider portfolio of projects.
The programme has been seized upon by many of the schools to explore the opportunities of using the work to educate its pupils in climate resilience with real, ‘on the ground examples’. At the start of each project, the goals and benefits were discussed with the school and a toolkit of methods was established, including the potential for incorporating the works as outdoor classrooms.
We’ve been told, 'Teachers are really finding it an easier space to work in… and to learn. … It’s marvellous what you have done, it’s a great idea.'
Our AtkinsRéalis design team alongside United Utilities has ensured that these projects have delivered enormous value through very modest capital outlays, spread over ten projects.
United Utilities say that 'These projects have delivered both environmental and social benefits… The rainbow arch hasn’t been done anywhere else in the country, it’s a really exciting thing to see... It’s just one of these projects where I can say genuinely it’s worked really well.'
Simon Ward CMLI FLI is Technical Director at AtkinsRéalis.
