IKC De Leister Igge

Old schools can be renovated successfully by financing in a different way and by working well together. IKC De Leister Igge in Opeinde has proven that. In a traditional setting, there would only have been a budget for belated maintenance. Now there is a completely renovated ‘Zero energy use’ school ( ‘Zero-on-the-Meter’ ), which is ready for the future

Photography: Mart Stevens

Function:
primary education, preschool, out-of-school care

Client:
Municipality Smallingerland

Location:
Opeinde (Smallingerland)

Status:
being used

The Leister Igge in Opeinde is the first "School full of Energy" renovation. The renovation, from primary school to fresh, natural gas-free, ‘zero-on-the-meter’ Integrated Child Center (IKC), was completed in six weeks. This makes the Leister Igge the first IKC in the Netherlands with ‘Zero-on-the-Meter’ in an existing building. Consortium Grenovation, consisting of Meerbouw Rotterdam, LIAG and DAIV Group, were responsible for the design and implementation.

The many expansions in the past have created a cluttered structure with many corners and niches. One of the first aspects to be addressed therefore was to create overview and social control. The temporary class room was demolished and new building components were added in such a way that the total building became more compact. Symmetry was brought back into the building resulting in a simplified back end of the building. An additional result of these interventions was that more outdoor space was created for playing.

The IKC has been built in an age-related way so that students can easily have a look at the next group. The new design also provides new types of spaces such as the learning plazas and the playroom. The potential connection of these spaces and the corridor zone makes new forms of education and, for example, performances possible. The multifunctional new staircase, which also functions as a stand / play element and storage space, plays a crucial role here.

panorama van de leister Igge in Opeinde met zicht op het schoolplein met speeltuin en fietsenstalling en met zicht op het dak met zonnepanelen

schoolplein van Leister Igge in Opeinde met spelende kinderen en een piratenschip met zandbak

straatzicht van Leister Igge in Opeinde, het shoolgebouw van de zijkant met een dak bedekt met dakpannen en ramen die zicht geven op de klaslokalen

ingang van de energie neutrale school leister Igge met rennende kinderen, fietsen en een valggenmanst

Zero Energy use (‘Zero on the Meter’)

The Leister Igge in Opeinde generates as much energy as it uses on an annual basis. A system with solar panels, local air handling units per room (for heating and cooling), improved insulation, new window frames with HR +++ glass and LED lighting enable this.

The jury is very pleased with the integrality of De Leister Igge. Financing is innovative together with the other ambitions: comfortable, energy-efficient, fresh schools. The Leister Igge is the first renovated ‘zero-on-the-meter’ school building. The Netherlands currently has a poor stock of school buildings. This project shows that things can be done differently and is an example for the whole of the Netherlands.
From the jury report De Gouden Kikker 2019 Sustainable Building Award

School full of energy

The municipality and the school board PCBO Smallingerland collaborated with Platform 31 in the two-year innovation program ‘School full of Energy’, of the Ministries of OCW (Education, Culture and Science) and BZK (Domestic Affairs and Kingdom Relations). Within the framework of this program, intended to investigate and boost smart solutions for school renovations, Platform 31 selected five pilot projects, the Opeinde project being one of those pilots.