Wates Group haslaunched an innovative new education programme to give young people in Cardiff and London hands on experience of how green technology at home can support the transition to net zero, in the context of a growing energy crisis.
The leading family-owned construction, residential development and property services company is partnering with Rewise Learning to create the first ever ‘House of the Future’ kit that will be used in technology lessons to support the Government’s sustainability and climate change strategy for education. This will be accompanied by an online hub hosting resources and lesson plans, as well as a series of workshops.
The kit, which is being made from recycled materials, follows the modular design of Wates’ houses. Once constructed and programmed by students, it will be powered by solar energy, with underfloor heating and phone charging points that mimic those used for electrical vehicles.
Learners will be able to control and measure the sustainable functions of the house remotely via a dedicated smartphone app, which is available to download on Apple and Android. For example, using heat capture technology, they will be able to measure the internal temperature of the house and experiment with different windows to see the effect. They will also be able to experiment with ‘battery storage’ represented by a wall mounted power bank that stores ‘solar energy’ for use later.
125 year nine pupils at Eastern High School in Cardiff and Sacred Heart School in Harrow will be the first to take part in the workshops, which are being delivered as part of the wider social value programmes on Wates’ development partnerships with Cardiff and Harrow councils.
As well as highlighting the critical role that green technologies can play in boosting energy efficiency, the workshops will teach students about electrical safety and coding, as they work in small teams to assemble the modular building components and wire the basic electronic circuits for the green tech and control centre. Wates hopes that the programme will promote an interest in the skills needed to enter sustainable construction.
Charlie Hargreaves, Regional Social Value Manager at Wates Residential, commented: “Across many of our residential developments, we are building sustainable homes for the future. Through this programme, we hope to educate the pupils that will one day be living in them about the technologies we are using to address climate change, at the same time introducing them to the diverse opportunities within the construction industry, which they may not have otherwise considered.
“At Wates, we are focused on delivering a lasting legacy wherever we operate. Investing in training, education and skills is a key part of that, and by teaching the next generation about the role that green technology can play in the transition to net zero, we are not only equipping them with skills for their future careers, but also encouraging them to look after our planet for years to come.”
Nathan John, CEO at Rewise Learning, added: “We are excited to be working with the Wates Group to help create engaging workshops and online resources for Secondary aged students tying in with the ‘sustainability and climate change strategy for education’.
“The House of the Future STEM project will engage students and give them the skills, confidence, and motivation to learn about climate change, sustainability and green technologies and perhaps a future career move into the sustainable construction industry.”
