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Eco classrooms can be used for a wide range of applications namely outdoor classrooms, extra classroom teaching areas, staff room, IT suite, library and resources centre, music/dance room, adult learning, nursery facility or even an office or meeting room.

Every facet of our eco classrooms has been manufactured with the environment in mind and therefore include such features as sedum roofs, low energy lighting, enhanced thermal efficiency, eco paints and renewable energy systems – these include wind turbine/solar panel systems and even special dynamo bikes which the children can pedal to create electricity.

Eco classrooms come in all shapes and sizes – namely octagonal, square and rectangular – and can either be open-sided or fully enclosed with insulation and glazing. Optional extras include solar panels, wind turbines, water butts and guttering systems for rainwater harvesting, lean to greenhouses, cold frames, nesting boxes and recycling bin centres.

“Sustainable development will not just be a subject in the classroom: it will be in its bricks and mortar and the way school uses, and even generates, its own power. Our students won’t just be told about sustainable development, they will see and work within it: a living, learning place in which to explore what a sustainable lifestyle means” Tony Blair 2006

What School Playgrounds of The Future Will Look Like

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Covid 19 certainly has had quite a significant impact on the world and we perhaps still don’t know yet the full ramifications and implications it has imposed upon societies. But there is one thing for sure and that is the world has or will need to change and adapt our way of life quite significantly to combat global warming and other environmental issues which are now ever more pressing.

I have spent the last 21 years visiting schools to talk to teachers, staff and children about what they want or need for their playground. This is an element of my job that I love as it gives me a first-hand opportunity to meet with interested parties and to fully understand what they need. I cannot understand companies who never go out of their way to meet their customer base – how can you understand in this instance what they want or how they think? When I am visiting a school playground, my “creative radar” is always on as I am forever scanning the playground for other ideas or other products I have seen which we could adapt or make better. A chance or casual comment from a school teacher could, and has, spawned a completely new product range for our company!

But from all of my recent visits to schools, there are some topics which come back time and time again; the environment and how schools need to embrace moving to a low carbon economy and sustainable life habits. And how to improve children’s mental and physical well-being especially nowadays after having had to spend so much time off school because of the enforced lockdowns. So if I was to crystal ball gaze, I would say that the playground products of the future (or near future) would be designed with these aspects in mind. They might even be playing in a virtual reality playground if the recently released video from Mark Zuckerberg of Meta (Facebook) is anything to go by! Personally, I really hope not.

At the Hideout House Company, we have already started moving in this direction with some of our products. For example, we are using and ever more so recycled plastic instead of the traditional timber. There are some very good reasons for this – firstly it is very eco friendly as it is made out of recycled plastic milk cartons so rather than going to landfill, it is now your school’s playground! Plus there are other benefits too – it does not rot or decay and typically lasts a lot longer than timber (x5)

Schools also now have in their playgrounds outdoor gym equipment which of course are excellent items for physical as well as mental fitness. But imagine that you had a piece of equipment which when the children exercised on it, it actually created power which could power up some school lights for example or even be sent back to the grid for future use. Not only are children getting fit but they are also contributing to creating the greenest power possible for their school and their local community. We have already started exploring this possibility with our special dynamo pedal bikes which you have to pedal to create power/electricity.

Our eco outdoor classrooms feature a unique renewable energy equipment package which consists of a solar panel, wind turbine and a central control panel with battery, outdoor sockets, bulk head light and datalogger. I have noticed that this year, approximately half of our outdoor classroom sales feature this piece of equipment.

Whilst on the subject of outdoor classrooms, it is also Outdoor Classroom Day this week. Worth checking out the website.

We as a company are always open to ideas so if your school has an idea or concept in mind that promotes and incentivises mental health, physical wellbeing and the environment, then we would love to hear from you

Please contact the Hideout House Company on 01832 275902 or email: info@hideouthouse.com

 

 

What Type of Classroom Building Do You Require for Your School?

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We have quite a few phone calls from schools requesting information on a classroom building and before I can even start to give any advice or indication on price, I have found that there are about half a dozen questions I need to ask back before I can do this!

It is quite a big subject matter (and therefore product range) so it is worth just trying to go through the various options in this blog post.

The first question of course is to ascertain what are you wanting to use the classroom building for. At one end of the scale if you like, schools are running out of classroom space and typically need to have a new classroom provision to cater for a class (or maybe two) in an independent building which has enough m2 teaching floor space (in line with Ofsted requirements) and usually also has a couple of WCs, a kitchenette facility, a lobby/cloakroom and a store room. These buildings can either come as a pre-manufactured mobile classroom unit where they are delivered to site on the back of a low loader truck and are then either winched or craned into final position. A pre-prepared base will already be down in this instance as will all the connection of services (water, electricity, foul drainage etc). The advantage of having a mobile classroom is that the time on site is minimal for the school – typically a week – so very little inconvenience for the school staff and children and their working term.

Or if access is a real issue (read problem!), then it is possible to erect these buildings on site. The building is exactly the same as the mobile version but the on-site times are a lot longer as the build programme starts from ground up as it were. Both type of buildings will conform fully to building regulations with the adequate insulation properties in place.

Moving down the scale, a school may want to use their classroom building just for occasional use per day (say a couple of hours) as an outdoor learning resource or maybe as a break-out “nurture” room for special one to one tuition with pupils who have special educational needs. These enclosed outdoor classrooms tend to be below 30m2, are fully enclosed with either solid infill panels and upper glazing panels (and if needs be can be insulated too) but they rarely have in WCs and internal partitioning to form any internal rooms. This is because space is somewhat limited and all the floor space tends to be used for the teaching/learning area. These buildings come in all shapes and sizes but the most popular are rectangular and octagonal.

And then there are the very popular open-sided, gazebo type outdoor classrooms which are used for outdoor classroom learning for short periods every day. Or they can be used as parent waiting shelters and as a shelter from the elements. Again, they are available in many shapes and sizes but certainly in this case, the octagonal version is the most common. The Hideout House Company offer a whole range of outdoor classrooms with some interesting options.

I should really mention that for all of the above, it is possible to add in an eco element to these classroom buildings. This can be done by having living sedum roofs (which attract bio-diversity, absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and have good natural insulating properties), water butt and roof guttering systems (for rainwater harvesting), educational mini wind turbine and solar panels to create renewable energy and even have lights which can be powered by pedal power on special dynamo bikes!

The good news is that we can offer all of the above to your school! And we can also offer advice on funding and leasing options

For further information, please contact the Hideout House Company on 01865 858982 or email info@hideouthouse.com

enclosed outdoor classroom

Outdoor Shelters and Eco Hub for Primary School

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outdoor shelter with renewable energy equipment

We have just completed quite an interesting project for a school in South London where we have basically supplied them with an “eco hub” which is designed to be both an outdoor classroom or outdoor shelter but which is also an educational tool to help children learn about and appreciate the environment.

We started working on the project with the school last year and came up with the idea of having a small 3m octagonal shelter which say 15 children could sit in at any one given time. It was to be sited next to the school’s existing gardening and planting area so fitted in very well with the whole overall eco schools ethos of healthy living and renewable energy.

We were easily able to supply a building from our comprehensive range of outdoor shelters for schools as the school specifically wanted one which needed to be both “sideless and floorless”. We did however fit an upper panel to one side of the building as this was going to be used to host the board for the renewable energy system.

On the roof, we have fitted a solar panel (which is made from special materials to easily withstand errant footballs and potential vandalism) and a mini wind turbine which is mounted to the side on a pole. The siting of the outdoor shelter at the school is in a very good position because it is south facing (so plenty of sun and natural light for the solar panel) and is not shielded by any trees which would act as a wind block for the turbine. The energy created by these two items is then stored in a special battery which is mounted (but yet concealed) onto the main control board. This power is then in turn converted into usable electricity via an inverter whereby the children can plug in their laptops, tablets, mobiles etc into the two power sockets – and thereby appreciate 100% green energy powered by the elements!

We have also supplied the school with a special dynamo bike which is fitted into a back A frame holster. When the children pedal the bike, it creates energy via a dynamo system and this feeds into a special charging unit for mobile devices. As above, the children can then charge up their mobile devices through clean energy and good old fashioned pedal power.

Both these renewable energy systems are also actively involving the participation of the school children and therefore this way, they will appreciate how we can easily create clean and green energy which does not pollute the environment without having to burn fossil fuels. And of course, there is a bit of fun involved too.

The school has further plans for future developments along this eco theme including a music system which is powered by renewable energy. And a water butt and roof guttering system which will be retro-fitted to the outdoor shelter so that the harvested rain water can be used to water the planters and beds in the next door gardening facility – which at the moment is a problem as there is no water supply to this area and is beyond the reach of a hose.

The project was funded by Tesco’s Bags of Help community grant.

A short video of this installation and project can be seen on the eco classroom link.

For further information on our eco outdoor shelters, please contact the Hideout House Company on 01865 858982 or email: info@hideouthouse.com

www.hideouthouse.com

 

Eco outdoor classroom at William Gilpin Primary School

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solar panel and wind turbine system

eco classroom

We have just completed an eco outdoor classroom at this school in the New Forest. The outdoor classroom itself is a 5m octagonal gazebo which can easily cater for a class of 30 children and features an attractive cedar shingle tile roof and exterior cedar cladding.

But the school wanted to add an extra dimension and turn into a fully fledged eco classroom where the children can learn all about renewable energy and how it is made. The Hideout House Company were commissioned to supply this eco outdoor classroom and came up with the idea of having a solar panel and wind turbine mounted onto the side of the building. The energy created from the wind and the sun is then stored into a battery which is mounted onto an internal power board in the classroom building itself. If they so wish, the children can isolate the power coming from the turbine and solar panel so that they can see for example on a windy day how much energy is coming off the turbine…or if it is a sunny day, how much energy is produced via the solar panel.

By way of an inverter, the energy stored in the battery is then turned into usable electricity. There are two power sockets mounted on the board which the school children can then use to power up their laptops, mobiles, visualisers. So green energy in its purest form!

There is also a datalogger system built into the system which allows the children to store and monitor relevant information from the system and to undertake outdoor eco exercises.

Eco studies is now such a big and important issue within schools and there are now nearly 18,000 registered Eco Schools in England alone. This type of equipment therefore helps towards schools eco schools accreditations.

For further information, please contact the Hideout House Company on 01865 858982 or email: info@hideouthouse.com

www.hideouthouse.com

renewable energy board

renewable energy board

Outdoor Classroom at Ashford Prep School

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6m octagonal outdoor classroom

We have just installed a 6m octagonal outdoor classroom building at Ashford Prep School in Kent who are absolutely delighted with it. It is going to be used for a whole host of applications and since its installation earlier this month, the school’s PTA have now agreed to turn into a truly eco classroom. We are therefore going to add a water butt and roof guttering system for rainwater harvesting and install a special renewable energy monitoring system.

This will consist of an energy monitoring board attached to a post-mounted wind turbine and solar panel system so that the children can see how much energy is being created by the wind and sun and thanks to an in-built datalogger, they can also register and monitor this information for outdoor studies and eco sustainability lessons. The monitoring board also has two outdoor power sockets so that the energy created by the wind turbine and solar panel is stored into a battery and by means of an inverter is then turned into usable electricity – so green power in its purest form! Children can therefore appreciate how renewable energy can be created & harnessed and used for appliances such as laptops, mobile phones, visualisers etc

Renewable energy system with sensory light panel

Renewable energy system with sensory light panel

Eco classrooms from the Hideout House Company are proving to be very popular especially by those schools who have an Eco Schools Accreditation.

For further information, please contact the Hideout House Company on 01865 858982 or email info@hideouthouse.com

www.hideouthouse.com

 

 

Eco Classroom at The Green Britain Centre

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eco classroom on visitor centre

eco classroom on visitor centre

We have recently installed our new eco classroom building at the Green Britain Centre in Norfolk.

The eco classroom is an attractive, cedar clad, fully enclosed 5m octagonal building with an atrium roof (to allow in natural sunlight) and which can easily cater for a class or group of 30 children. As well as providing an outdoor classroom facility, the building itself is intended to be used as an educational resource – to enable visiting groups to enhance educational activities by providing a new resource, raising awareness of renewable sources of energy and sustainable food production as well as providing for hands-on learning for schools, colleges, holiday clubs and individuals. The eco classroom will also assist the existing use of the centre as an educational facility for nearby schools and colleges.

The Green Britain Centre is based in Swaffham, Norfolk and is a popular, learning-outside-of-the-classroom, destination for schools and colleges to learn about renewable forms of energy, new forms of transport and sustainable food through their various displays on site and a comprehensive programme of educational activities. Most notably the wind turbine (windmill) which is the only one open to the public in the world. Visitors have to climb the 300 steps to the viewing platform at the top and experience a modern windmill from the very heart of the machine – and on a clear day, the views from the top of the windmill are amazing! There is also a giant solar tracker on site which follows the sun across the sky.

There are plans afoot to add on additional components to the building to further enhance the eco experience – such as special dynamo bikes which visiting groups have to pedal in order to create power for items such as smoothie makers, flashing light panels, bubble making machines, music systems etc.

For further information on the Green Britain Centre, please visit Green Britain Centre

For further information on eco classrooms, please contact the Hideout House Company on 01865 858982, email info@hideouthouse.com or visit www.hideouthouse.com

 

How Eco Is Your Eco Classroom Really?

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It certainly can be an easy boast or claim about your classroom’s eco credentials and there are some buildings out which claim to be eco friendly simply because they are well insulated (which is stipulated  anyway in building regs if so required) and thereby thermally efficient. Or the timber has some sort of FSC or PEFC accreditation.

Well, we believe that eco classrooms should not only be environmentally friendly, it should also teach children about environmental and sustainability issues as well. If you are going to teach a child something, it is always better if you can actually demonstrate it and they to be a part of the educational process. And that is why we have developed our eco classrooms to feature the following:

  • Living sedum roofs to attract bio-diversity
  • Renewable energy systems such as educational wind turbine/solar panel/energy monitoring board with power points & special dynamo bikes which the children have to pedal to create power
  • Roof guttering and water butt systems for rainwater harvesting
  • Low energy lighting and solar pipes
  • External planters for growing food
  • Mini greenhouses and storage units
  • Mini dipping ponds

The whole Eco Schools programme is now becoming popular in UK schools and indeed there are now nearly 18,000 registered eco schools in England alone. We have successfully installed these type of buildings in eco schools throughout the UK in various different formats – fully enclosed and insulated buildings or as outdoor classrooms. For further details on these buildings, please visit

www.hideouthouse.com

The Green Room

The Benefits of Eco Classrooms

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There are indeed some very good reasons why your school should consider buying an eco classroom building as opposed to a more traditional design and specification. Below we list the principle reasons for going down the eco design route:

  • It goes without saying of course that eco classrooms are environmentally friendly and are doing their bit to keep the environment in check. Quite simply, you are protecting the planet for future generations to enjoy
  • Reduced costs – energy efficient and sustainable buildings reduce overall energy bills
  • With modular builds, you save on transport and on-site build costs and therefore reduce the CO2 footprint of costly distribution and production methods
  • Your school can promote environmental awareness to the school and local community as well as connecting children with nature
  • Use the building as an educational resource so that children can actually be part of the sustainability knowledge process
  • They are usually manufactured from eco friendly materials – accredited sustainable timber from managed plantations, living sedum roofs, rainwater harvesting systems and sun pipes
  • They can use renewable energy sources for heating and lighting (solar panels, wind turbines and air source heat pumps)
  • Eco classrooms can help towards your Eco Schools accreditations as they compliment some of the major eco school topics – RENEWABLE ENERGY, BIO-DIVERSITY, SCHOOL GROUNDS, RE-CYCLING & GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP
  • There could be some grants available too which will support the funding of these types of classroom buildings

For further information, please visit

The Hideout House Company Ltd

www.hideouthouse.com

eco outdoor classroom

eco outdoor classroom

The Green Room

 

 

Forest School Outdoor Classroom

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Fire pit building

Fire pit building

We have had many enquiries from schools this past year for outdoor classroom buildings for their forest school settings – be it on their own grounds or as part of a shared facility with a local established forest school set up.

You could argue that the forest or woodland itself is the outdoor classroom – which of course it is – but our buildings are principally used as an outdoor classroom facility where a class can easily sit down, undertake their learning-outside-of-the-classroom studies or simply take shelter! But like always, we have adapted our buildings to enhance this environment – for example we have supplied a  fire pit shelter and outdoor classroom building with a cooking area fire pit in the middle and a hole in the roof so that the smoke can easily exhaust out and upwards; another one had built-in bug hotel wall panels so that the children could get up close and personal with those mini beasts; we have supplied observation tables with magnifying glasses and you can even have one with living wall panels where growing plants (or creepers) gradually grow up the side of the building to give that ultimate hideaway courtesy of Mother Nature!

We can also put outdoor toilets in them too. And if they are fully enclosed, you can heat them via a wood burning stove from wood and logs the children have collected from the wood or forest.

Forest schools provide a great opportunity for children to learn to play outdoors all year round and to learn about their natural environment. We just help that process with the products we supply

For more information, please visit Forest Schools or contact the Hideout House Company on 01865 858982, email info@hideouthouse.com or visit www.hideouthouse.com

Outdoor classroom in forest school

Outdoor classroom in forest school

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Eco Classroom Project at the Green Britain Centre

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eco outdoor classroom

eco classroom

We have an exciting project coming up with the Green Britain Centre in Norfolk where we are soon to be supplying them with one of our eco classrooms. The Green Britain Centre is part of Ecotricity’s Green Britain Foundation and we are extremely proud to have an on-going relationship with this forward-looking company.

The centre is a popular destination for school and college trips so our eco classroom will be used by visiting school children to conduct outdoor lessons and studies. It is a 5m octagonal classroom and will be enclosed with glazed panels so that it can be extensively used all year round.

It will be installed by the end of the year. If schools want to take the opportunity to find out first hand about renewable forms of energy, new forms of transport and sustainable food, then this is the place to go. You can also climb to the top of their windmill (wind turbine) and it is the only one in the world which allows people to do so.

For further information click on eco classrooms and the Green Britain Centre