Howe Dell Primary School achieves 'A' rated DEC

-  1st TermoDeck building to secure top-class award

Howe Dell Primary School in Hatfield, Hertfordshire has been awarded an 'A' rated Display Efficiency Certificate (DEC) - an award which only 0.5% of buildings in the UK have achieved.

The school's innovative design incorporates Tarmac TermoDeck, a high thermal mass mechanical ventilation system to heat and cool the building, which works in tandem with the innovative, underground, Interseasonal Heat Transfer system designed by Interseasonal Collection & Exchange (ICAX).

The ICAX solar collector is concealed under the school playground and stores heat energy captured in the summer in thermal banks under the school for the colder winter months.

During summer, the sun warms a mixture of water and anti-freeze in pipes that have been laid beneath the playground and warm water is then transferred from the collector to thermal banks beneath the school buildings. When heat is needed, the warm water is circulated via heat pumps to the underfloor heating system or pumped to an air handling unit where it heats the passing air before being circulated through the Tarmac TermoDeck system.

Edward Thompson, a director of ICAX, explains: "Interseasonal Heat Transfer is a simple concept which has been utilised to provide a ground-breaking way of recycling solar heat. Tarmac TermoDeck also has many merits, actively exploiting the high thermal mass of structural, hollowcore slabs to control internal temperatures of a building. By combining the two systems, exemplary energy ratings can be delivered."

Debra Massey, headteacher at Howe Dell Primary School, said: "We have received many accolades over the past two years, but being awarded an A rated DEC is a momentous achievement for the school. It recognises the school's innovative design incorporating the Tarmac TermoDeck and ICAX systems and is testament to the teamwork of all those involved in the project."

Geoff Russell Smith, general manager of Tarmac TermoDeck, said: "This award demonstrates what can be achieved when the extremely energy efficient TermoDeck system is combined with innovative, renewable technologies such as Interseasonal Heat Transfer. Howe Dell is a landmark school project, where the two technologies, together with a thermally efficient building fabric can deliver A grade results."

To request a free product brochure call 08456 044 114, quoting code PR025

For more information on Interseasonal Heat Transfer please visit www.icax.co.uk.