Unlocking the Full Sustainability Potential of School Buildings by Reconciling Building Properties with Educational and Societal Needs

Oskar Seuntjens (), Matthias Buyle, Bert Belmans and Amaryllis Audenaert
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Oskar Seuntjens: Faculty of Applied Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
Matthias Buyle: Faculty of Applied Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
Bert Belmans: Faculty of Applied Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
Amaryllis Audenaert: Faculty of Applied Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 19, 1-15

Abstract: This study explores how school buildings can be exploited more efficiently in the future, since, at present, they remain unused for a substantial amount of time. One possibility to tackle this inefficiency, is to involve the local community more closely in usage of its school building. First, a theoretical analysis was carried out to increase the fundamental understanding of the underlying dynamics related to opening school infrastructure to the local community. Second, focus group discussions were organized to research whether involving the local community in the school building was compatible with educational needs. The first highlighted that more extensive building usage could lead to positive social, environmental, educational and economic benefits. In the second, educational experts stressed that they wanted to adopt more innovative and flexible forms of teaching in the future, such as team teaching. Technical directors expressed concerns on safety issues if the local community is to be more closely involved. In the final step, all findings were translated into their technical consequences. From this analysis, it could be concluded that a school building with a high degree of short-term flexibility was the preferred option to reconcile societal and educational needs.

Keywords: school buildings; flexible education; adaptable buildings; flexible building usage; school–community partnerships; local community; focus group discussions; causal loop diagram (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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