Wood Classroom Kit to solve UK Classroom Shortage
The current shortage of classrooms for primary grades in the UK and other European countries is growing quickly. A prefabricated building company has designed a modular, low-carbon solution with a host of benefits.
Overcrowding in classrooms is a growing issue throughout the western world. The issue is particularly serious in the UK. According to a report, 60 percent of fourth grades reported overcrowded classrooms, and 66 percent of eighth grades reported the same problem. It is estimated that most European countries need to construct more schools.
STORA ENSO’s new initiative aims to provide a sustainable solution to classroom overcrowding in the UK. Over the past two years, the demand for educational spaces in the UK has risen by a staggering 12 000 classrooms.
With their Sylva(TM) launch, Stora Enso delivers a simple, affordable, prefabricated building kit. It includes everything you need to build a modern wood structure, including floors, beams, walls, columns and stairs. It is made from massive wood; glued laminated timber, and cross-laminated timber. The engineered and prefabricated design reduces costs and construction time. Sylva classrooms also meet high fire and seismic standards and are said to be safer for students and teachers than the ageing infrastructure currently in place.
Building with wood is a sustainable and renewable building material. Wood buildings reduce CO2 emissions by up to 70 percent compared to concrete buildings, and the wood used captures carbon forever. They also save hundreds of dollars in operational costs. They are less costly than steel buildings and have a smaller footprint.
Stora Enso has been investing in projects to increase its position as a renewable materials company. This investment will help the company meet its 13% ROCE target. It will also accelerate the company’s transformation into a renewable materials company.
