Ysgol Penyfford, Wales

Sustainable Design Meets Educational Excellence

Located in the village of Penyffordd, Flintshire, Ysgol Penyffordd is a contemporary two-storey primary school designed to meet the highest standards of environmental performance, educational quality, and security. With a construction value of £7 million, the project exemplifies how modern aluminium building systems can elevate both the aesthetic and technical ambitions of modern learning environments.

The school was built to achieve BREEAM Excellent certification, integrating sustainable design principles with a bold architectural language. Pitched roofs, timber-effect cladding, and expansive glazed facades define the building's visual identity, while supporting energy efficiency and occupant wellbeing.

Framing Light and Learning

A standout feature of the school is its dual pitched aluminium facade screens, installed on both the front and rear elevations. These large-format glazed elements are designed to maximise natural daylight in teaching spaces, enhancing visual comfort and reducing reliance on artificial lighting.

The facade geometry aligns precisely with the roof pitch, creating architectural harmony and amplifying the building's dynamic form. TECHNAL worked in close collaboration with fabricator partner Westmore Architectural to deliver CNC-fabricated apex sleeves, ensuring seamless integration with the surrounding dark grey aluminium and timber-effect cladding.

Performance-Driven Envelope

The glazing package was developed to meet stringent requirements for thermal performance, acoustic comfort, and security - all essential in a busy school environment.

High-performance aluminium windows were installed in ribbon configurations across all elevations, contributing to a consistent design rhythm and achieving U-values as low as 0.9 W/m²K. These systems also meet demanding standards for air permeability, water tightness, and wind resistance, making them well suited to the exposed Welsh climate.

Commercial-grade aluminium doors were specified for entrances and panic exits, and tested to meet PAS 24 security standards. These doors deliver U-values of 1.8-1.9 W/m²K, depending on configuration, and combine accessibility, durability, and thermal efficiency.

Collaborative Delivery

The success of Ysgol Penyffordd relied on close collaboration between TECHNAL and the project team to achieve precise alignment of the aluminium facade screens with the pitched roof geometry. This required bespoke CNC fabrication and careful detailing to ensure seamless integration with the building's architectural form. By working in partnership with the fabricator and architect, TECHNAL delivered facade systems that met stringent thermal, acoustic, and security requirements while maintaining the contemporary design intent. The result is a building envelope that combines technical performance with architectural elegance.

Shaping Sustainable Learning Environments

Educational buildings are at the forefront of the UK's drive towards low-carbon construction, and Ysgol Penyffordd demonstrates how fenestration systems can play a pivotal role in achieving those goals. By specifying high-performance aluminium windows, doors, and facades, the project delivers exceptional thermal efficiency, acoustic comfort, and security - while reducing operational energy demand.

As part of Hydro, TECHNAL champions circular design principles and offers solutions manufactured using low-carbon aluminium, such as Hydro CIRCAL® 75R, which contains a minimum of 75% recycled post-consumer scrap. This approach significantly lowers embodied carbon and supports compliance with BREEAM and future regulatory standards, including the UK and Ireland's net-zero targets.

Beyond sustainability, TECHNAL systems enable architects to create bright, inspiring spaces that enhance well being and learning outcomes. Slim sightlines maximise daylight penetration, while robust weather performance ensures durability in challenging climates. Together, these attributes help schools like Ysgol Penyfford deliver long-term value for communities and the environment.