New learning environment based on green values – Case Rantarousti school, Tyrnävä

BACKGROUND

Procurer

Tyrnävä municipality

Object of procurement

A new school based on the life-cycle model. The contract covers maintenance and upkeep for 20 years, after which the municipality may buy the facilities in accordance with the contract.



The new building comprises 4,300 m2 of primary school facilities, a 1,700 m2 sports hall as well as 500 m2 of special education facilities.

Value of procurement

The value was approximately EUR 14.8 million in the investment stage and approximately EUR 6.7 million in the maintenance stage. When realised, the project was the biggest investment of the Tyrnävä municipality.

Objective of procurement

The objective of the procurement was a learning environment in accordance with the new curriculum, open and adaptable facilities as well as a whole that is low-cost throughout its life-cycle. A key objective was to make area savings, which required flexible and space-efficient facilities. Other goals included the use of renewable energy and energy-efficiency. The targets set for the usability of the facilities included health and safety as well as a fresh way of thinking about the use of space.

Parties and operators participating in procurement

All of the construction parties, the municipality, teachers and students participated in the planning and implementation of the procurement. The design of the school started together with the teachers and students. The progress of the procurement was directed by a project team comprising local civil servants and elected officials. Essential points were to manage the whole to which the designer, user, builder and controller contributed and to create partnerships between the different operators and the municipality and, on the other hand, the supplier and its networks.

Procurement procedure

Competitive negotiation procedure. The procurement model was a combination of the life-cycle model and an alliance.

Procurement – background

The new school is a response both to Tyrnävä’s growing population and the need for a contemporary learning environment. The ecological aspect was introduced to the construction project via the municipal strategy, the key objectives of which are sustainability and renewable energy solutions. As a member of the Carbon Neutral Municipalities (HINKU) network, Tyrnävä is committed to ambitious climate emission reduction targets. The realisation of the procurement objectives was supported by Tyrnävä’s good and open-minded decision-making culture.

PROCUREMENT PROCESS

Procurement preparations and market dialogue

Several operators took part in the design of the school from the outset. The preparations involved early market dialogue and functionality planning events held with the teachers, students and elected officials. The school staff, children and municipality’s views were widely taken into consideration in the design and development of the school. There were lively conversations with the users. Mutual development, open dialogue and trust throughout the project were the factors that determined the success of the project.

Requirements and benchmarks of object of procurement

The targets and requirements set for the municipality’s school project focused on overcoming educational challenges instead of the conventional way of acquiring more space. The key design requirements included new ways of using space, energy and material solutions, implementation methods, special education innovations, new technologies, an educational Living Lab for companies as well as mutual design. The entire building’s life-cycle costs were taken into account in the costs.

Contract period

The Rantarousti school was built as a turnkey contract, which includes a 20-year cooperation agreement with the municipality. The investment stage includes the demolition of the old buildings; excavation work; structural work; heating, plumbing, ventilation and electrical work; yard fittings and equipment; technical and textile work equipment; loose furniture and AV equipment; geothermal heat and solar heat accumulation systems. The maintenance stage includes building maintenance, upkeep, property management, outdoor area maintenance, furniture and equipment care, security services as well as cleaning, lobby and porter services.

Challenges

The challenges facing the project included things such as the schedule, the situation and development of the financial market, the integration of the freedom of design and the users’ wishes, the need for external experts as well as the potential shortage of providers.

Benefits/results/effects

The building is almost 1,300 m2 smaller than the size specified in the Finnish National Agency for Education’s guide regarding the estimated size of a school building. The smaller footprint decreased the construction-time costs by roughly EUR 3 million and will, in the long term, also reduce the building’s maintenance and heating costs.

From the aspect of reducing the environmental effects, the key factors in addition to the space solutions were geothermal heat, solar energy as well as the selected materials. The materials were selected specifically with an eye to life-cycle sustainability. For instance, the surface materials are both sustainable and easily replaceable. Wood was used, for example, in the façade and the roof structures.

Thanks to modern architectural engineering, the school has a high indoor air quality, which is primary controlled by CO2 and temperature sensors. The buildings are accessible, with automatic lighting. Temperature, electricity and water consumption and noise levels at the school are constantly monitored by the central NCC unit in Espoo. The company feeds the data back to the school, which uses it in teaching via the My School app.

The building has no corridors, class rooms, partition walls, dining hall, teacher’s desks or practically any waste space. Furthermore, shoes are banned inside the building. The design solutions support a new way of learning in an open learning environment.

The teacher’s role at the school has also changed with the increase of joint learning, and in some things, the students are able to help each other. The teacher’s role is to coordinate and provide individual support. The school has also adopted the use of joint teachers.

Lessons learned

“An absolutely massive plus in the project was that it enabled us to establish great partnerships between the operators, within the municipality as well as with the suppliers.” Marjukka Manninen (municipal manager of Tyrnävä during the project)

Method sharing

The Rantarousti school is a good example of how to build a learning environment of the future in an ecologically sound and resource-efficient way. It will act as a great reference point for designing new ways of using space. The Rantarousti school received MuniFin’s green loan for the investment.



 

More information (in Finnish):

Opettaja magazine 2018., click this link.

Torvinen, H., 2016. Case description: Rantarousti school procurement. To read, click this link.

Introduction of the Rantarousti school, 2017, click this link.

Watch a video animation of the Rantarousti school: