LONDON, February 24, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- With the Government announcing that four zero-carbon schools will be built in each of the nine regions of England by 2016 a new independent study commissioned by Corus and the BCSA has provided an insight into how sustainable schools can be constructed and how best to incorporate low or zero carbon (LZC) technologies, such as solar panels.

The schools estate in England currently contributes around 15% of the country's public sector emissions. Energy use in school buildings accounts for 37% of this - a total of 3.5m tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent each year. The new Target Zero guide provides a detailed comparison of the different energy efficiency measures, LZC technologies and allowable solutions available and identifies the most cost effective means of achieving different levels of carbon reduction.

For those schools currently involved in the Building Schools for the Future Programme, which has also committed to reducing operational carbon emissions for new schools by 80%, the guide provides an in-depth overview and recommendations.

Richard Barrett Immediate Past President of the BCSA said: The work has been undertaken by a consortium of leading organisations in the field of sustainable construction to provide information and guidance for construction clients and their professional advisors on how to design and construct sustainable secondary school buildings.

It is hoped that the findings of this guide can credibly inform those that have been set the zero carbon challenge, to turn the aspirations of Government into reality.

The illustration [attached] shows a recommended approach to achieving a zero carbon schools.

Note to Editors:

A picture accompanying this release is available through the PA Photowire. It can be downloaded from http://www.pa-mediapoint.press.net or viewed at http://www.mediapoint.press.net or http://www.prnewswire.co.uk.

For further information and a copy of the full report visit http://www.targetzero.info

SOURCE: Corus

CONTACT: For further information please contact Catherine Towns at CIBCommunications on Tel: +44(0)1372-371800, Fax: +44(0)1372-371-0801 or Emailcatherinet@cibcommunications.co.uk.