Sheppard Robson brings low carbon lessons to Bolton

The Manchester studio of architects Sheppard Robson has been appointed as part of the Kier Education team to design the new 83,000 sq ft Essa Academy in Bolton.

Sheppard Robson said they are hoping to win BREEAM 'Excellent' status for the building, which has been designed with zero carbon classrooms.

The building will feature natural ventilation and lighting, as well as a biomass boiler, while using recycled and sustainable materials where possible.

Rupert Goddard, associate at Sheppard Robson and design director for the Essa Academy, said: "These are ambitious projects and we are very pleased that the team's efforts to understand and interpret Essa's educational vision have been recognised, and that we have succeeded in translating them into a design solution that is uplifting, agile, practical and elegant, and we look forward to working with St Catherine's Academy and Firwood School to realise their project to the same level of design quality."