Retrofit works and engagement across five schools in Lewisham

Between 2019 - 2022 RAFT worked alongside 5 Lewisham Primary Schools. Starting with workshops and a zero carbon plan for St. Winifred’s Primary School, the project scaled into a wider programme of participatory engagement and design, culminating in whole-building retrofit measures at three of the schools

Image of a primary school in Lewisham, made of pale bricks. There are yellow school gates, with a sign to the left that says Dalmain School. It is a beautiful sunny day and there is a lady walking on the pavement in the bottom right of the image.

In collaboration with the London Borough of Lewisham and with Low Carbon Skills Fund support, RAFT developed phased Heat Decarbonisation Plans for each school. Alongside the professional design services provided, a programme of engagement was delivered with children carrying out active research during the building audit stage; commenting on proposals (such as ASHP locations) during the design phase; and acting as journalists reporting on retrofit building work during construction.

A group of children sit in a classroom on bright green chairs, many with their hands raised. A new Mechanical Heat Recovery Ventilation system. Harry is standing at the front of the classroom in a greenish yellow shirt, leading the workshop.

The project’s wider impact lies in RAFT’s engagement with 83 schools across the borough; delivery of school retrofit workshops to over 250 school staff; engagement with 2,300 children in whole-school assemblies; and delivery of comprehensive workshops to over 200 children from years 1-6. It has facilitated learning about energy use, waste, the climate emergency and the impact that deep retrofit can make.

A red timeline showing engagement across the 5 Lewisham schools compared to the built works carried out at the schools. The bottom of the timeline has colourful photos of thermography workshops, the hot potato challenge etc. The top has school logos
  • A brightly coloured digital hand drawn cartoon style graphic, depicting a school at the centre of a neighborhood. There are flow arrows drawn to a range of different housing typologies such as terraces, apartment blocks and high streets.

    Illustration showing the wider tangible and intangible neighbourhood impacts of retrofitting at Dalmain school

  • A swimming pool is visible at the bottom of the image, with a group of children swimming in it. The pool is small and the walls are white, with a stripe of red tiles. A new MVHR ductwork system is visible on the ceiling providing fresh air.

    Swimming pool retrofit with MVHR delivering fresh, filtered warm air at Downderry Primary School

  • A class of children stand outside in the sun in brightly coloured clothing. Behind them is a golden yellow metal cage structure which holds an Air Source Heat Pump which the children are pointing towards. There is a school in the background.

    Air Source Heat Pump installation and waste management enclosure at Myatt Garden Primary School

  • Children wearing burgundy uniform stand in a newly retrofitted part of the school, pointing at new triple glazed skylights which are visible at the top of the image.

    First Floor Foyer space retrofit with new openable triple glazed roof lights at Dalmain Primary School

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