Earl of Wessex to officially open city's greenest school

The Earl of Wessex will officially open Exeter’s Greenest school later this month.

His Royal Highness will visit Montgomery Primary in St Thomas which has been formally certified as England’s first zero-carbon school.

The Devon County Council school is one of the Greenest buildings in the UK and generates all its own electricity – and a surplus – from an array of solar panels on the roof.

The innovative, air-tight Passivhaus design means it doesn’t need a boiler to provide heating.

For most of the time, the building is warmed by the body heat of pupils and staff and the thick insulation keeps it cool in summer and warm in winter.

Montgomeryis believed to be the first school in Europeto be both Passivhaus and zero-carbon.

His Royal Highness will spend over an hour at the school on October 16 meeting pupils and staff.

Headteacher Martyn Boxall said: “We are delighted that HRH The Earl of Wessex will visit our school and open the building.

“He will tour the school and learn about teaching and learning atMontgomery School.

“He will see lessons in action and be talking to children as they work.

“The Earl will also meet some of the people involved in the design and construction of the building.

“We hope to make the event memorable for the children. During the afternoon we will be having a party to celebrate the opening.”

Earlier this year inspectors from the school standards agency Ofsted said there was no ceiling to what pupils at Montgomery could achieve.

For the full story go to http://www.devonnewscentre.info/education/earl-of-wessex-to-open-exeter-...