The Backsippan (Pasque flower) preschool embodies a holistic approach. Everything has been thought through – from healthy materials in the building and fittings to non-toxic toys, added biodiversity and organic food – all with a view to creating Sweden’s healthiest preschool. This holistic approach has led to many smart solutions, in both the building and its surroundings, inspired throughout by the Cradle to Cradle concept, which among other things means that the preschool is designed to give all its stakeholders as much purposeful value as possible. Focus has, among other things, been on known, documented and safe materials, healthy indoor environment designed for children’s use and biodiversity in plant species. The building is prepared for recycling of building materials through information stored in a database. It is designed to make the most of the available energy on site. Rooftop solar cells contribute to the power supply, a geothermal heat pump uses the temperature from bedrock to adjust indoor temperature, and excess heat from the kitchen is used to heat water.
Our intention is for Backsippan to be the healthiest preschool in Sweden. To make this happen, we have taken our inspiration from the Cradle to Cradle concept. The Cradle to Cradle focus came in late in the process of designing the preschool and it is the first building the municipality has built from scratch with the new guidelines and focus. It is a first step towards a safer, healthier and more prosperous Ronneby. A step we are most proud of. The municipality has chosen to apply the roadmap thinking to the building of preschools in Ronneby and not to make a roadmap for improvement for Backsippan specifically. Instead, the learnings and development potential are transferred to the next preschool the municipality is planning, Hulta. Nevertheless, all maintenance, renovation or change of the building follows the intentions.
More specifically, the municipality has focused on 7 intentions for Backsippan.
We want to have a preschool with a healthy and regenerative indoor environment, where the teachers and children can grow, learn and enjoy their day and have energy left at the end of the day. Elements: A. Healthy indoor air quality, B. Quieter environment, C. Purposeful and efficient lighting, D. Regenerative and relaxing environment
We want to use defined, safe and healthy materials for the preschool and the outdoor environment, to give the best possible preconditions for the children, teachers and the environment. Elements: A.3, Defined and safe materials, H. Elements from nature
We want an inclusive, open and flexible building and preschool with room for diversity, influence and social interaction now and in the future. Elements: K. Meeting places, L. Inclusive process, M. Delicious, organic and fresh food, N. Designed for disassembly, O. Spaces for children and multi-functionality
We want to take care of and value the nutrients, water and heat. Elements: E. Utilize available energy –recapture heat, F. Recapture energy and nutrients from food scraps, G. Inspired curriculum
We want to support and enhance the flora and fauna to strengthen the resilience of the biological ecosystems and create an environment for health and enjoyment. Elements: G. Inspired curriculum, H. Elements from nature I. Support and enhance biodiversity in flora and fauna, J. Flora and fauna for enjoyment
We want the preschool to use renewable energy and make use of the available energy at the site in a flexible way that is easy to update and renew. Elements: E. and P. Utilize available energy
We want the preschool to be a flagship for economic development inspired by Cradle to Cradle in Ronneby, inspire the local businesses and be cost effective in comparison with other preschools.
The building is intended to be used as a preschool and as a meeting place in the village. Flexible architecture allows other uses over time.
Project Architect: Zijad Bico
Project Developers: Municipality of Ronneby, William Lavesson
Project Engineer & Contractor: JSB
⁂ Enhance Air Quality and Indoor Climate (Defined Intended Use Pathway)
1. Healthy indoor air quality – 1, Flexible, effective ventilation
Positive Impact
The flexible ventilation system (FTX – ventilation with recovery exchanger) ensures that the preschool always has the perfect ventilation for its needs, not too much and not too little. The system is automatically controlled by carbon dioxide content and there is full freedom to open windows and doors as one may wish. The ventilation system recaptures 80% of the heat and brings it back into the building.
Benefits
Air quality is immensely important for the people who inhabit a building. Most people spend the majority of their day indoors and good air quality has big impacts on wellbeing, productivity, health and the overall experience of a building. The municipality hopes that the improved air quality will have beneficial impact on teachers’ and children’s health, wellbeing, allergies and overall energy and learning abilities.
1. Healthy indoor air quality – 2, measuring air quality
Positive Impact
The indoor air in the preschool is measured continuously for particles, carbon dioxide content, VOC, temperature and moist content. It is complex and complicated to draw conclusions from the measurements, therefore the municipality have initiated a conversation with an inter disciplinary group of researchers, who are interested in indoor environment.
Benefits
The measurements are a way to ensure that the indoor air actually is good and to register any changes in the air quality early. The air is checked and problems could be detected before the teachers and children start to notice the effects of poor air quality. If something changes the air quality in the building it is beneficial for all parts to get a notification so that interventions can be launched as soon as possible.
⁂ Enhance Air Quality and Indoor Climate, Healthy Materials
1. Healthy indoor air quality – 3, Defined and safe materials
Positive Impact
The materials used in the building are documented and assessed in a SundaHus ABs database for building components and materials. The materials are being assessed by chemists at the database provider as a third party. This assessment specifies non-toxic materials and helps to identify alternatives to toxic materials. The database provider is developing the database towards including defined pathways. To use non-toxic material is a transition step towards positively defined materials as nutrients for biological and technical processes. A product is assessed based on:
• Health and environmental risks associated with the substances the material is made of and substances used for the production of a material
• Resource consumption
• Demolition and waste management aspects
• Transparency
These criteria are weighed together and the product or material is given a grade: A, B, C+, C- and D, where A is best. For more information see: http://www.sundahus.se/home.aspx?lang=en
For the preschool, Cradle to Cradle certified materials and components or graded A and B in SundaHus were called for.
Over 700 substances, materials and components are registered in the Backsippan building log. The municipality has a good relationship with SundaHus AB and the database has developed in a direction towards more focus on buildings as material banks.
Benefits
Safe and healthy materials contribute to a healthy and safe environment for both children, staff, visitors and the environment and future users of the materials.
The maintenance staff have access to information on the materials in the building, which makes it easier for them.
As the owner of the building, the municipality can retrieve and contain more value from the materials in the preschool, the day they are no longer needed there, since they know the materials content, amount and location.
If materials used in the preschool in the future should prove to be toxic, the owner gets an alert from the database and the inventory will make it easy and less costly to exchange the material.
Used Materials
Cradle to Cradle certified products:
PA6 Solution Dyed Carpet Tiles Desso BV
Silencio xf² 18 / Linosom Silencio xf² 18 / Acoustic xf² 18 / Ecopure xf²
Healthy indoor air quality – 4, Safe and healthful furniture, toys and cleaning products
Positive Impact
Most toxins and harmful substances in a building come from what is put in there. To help make the preschool into the healthy space it was intended to be, great care has been taken to what materials are used. No harmful old toys were brought into the building.
The maintenance staff, as well as the teachers have received education about Cradle to Cradle, and the maintenance staff have gotten special instructions in how to clean in the preschool and what detergents to use. The preschool teachers have gotten education about toxic chemicals in indoor environment and toys.
Furniture and toys in the preschool are assessed within the Nordic Ecolable Svanen. For more information see: http://www.svanen.se/en/Criteria/
Benefits
Safe and healthful furniture, toys and cleaning products are vital for the air quality in the building. Safe materials in toys and furniture lessen the amount of chemicals that children and teachers in the preschool are subjected to. We hope that a healthier environment in the preschool can influence teachers‘ and children’s wellbeing, health and overall energy and learning abilities. A safer and healthier environment for the children is valued by the parents and adds to the attractiveness of the preschool.
A focus on creating safe environments for the children without harmful substances gives credit to Ronnebys efforts as a prosperous healthy place to live.
⁂ Enhance Air Quality and Indoor Climate
B. Quieter environment
Positive Impact
Purposeful sound is a wonderful delight and to really be able to appreciate and experience sound the unintentional sound environment must be quiet. In the preschool sound absorber panels on ceilings and walls together with sound damping floors help to absorb and lower the sound levels in the preschool and create a good acoustic environment.
Benefits
In a preschool, one of the biggest health impacts from the indoor environment is the sound. The sound in most preschools in Sweden are well above what is considered stressful and detrimental to the health and wellbeing of both children and staff. The sound environment at Backsippan is according to the staff one of the most appreciated traits of the new building. They report they have more energy left after a day work than before and attribute that to the quiet sound environment.
⁂ Enhance Air Quality and Indoor Climate
⁂ Integrate Renewable Energy
C. Purposeful and efficient lighting
Positive Impact
Backsippan is a narrow building with light intake from all sides to get daylight into all rooms. The preschool has a smart lighting system with daylight control inside and outside. The system detects how much light is needed to supplement daylight. It also has motion detectors so only used rooms are lit. The lighting is automatic, and fully flexible for staff to control if they wish. The extended roof shields the rooms from too much sun in the summer, but lets the light in during the darker part of the year when the sun is lower. LED lights are used throughout the building. The outdoor playground and parts of the forest are lit with LED lamps as well to ensure access during the dark winter months.
Benefits
Daylight is important for health and wellbeing. As modern people spend a big part of our day indoors, the lighting is important to support human’s natural cycles. The lighting is easy and flexible for staff to control as needed. We hope that the lighting in the preschool will support the teachers’ and children’s overall wellbeing and energy levels.
Since the lighting is synchronized with the daylight and persons in the rooms and together with the LED lamps the lighting is energy efficient, which supports breakthrough efficiency for solar PV.
⁂ Enhance Air Quality and Indoor Climate
⁂ Integrate Renewable Energy
⁂ Celebrate Conceptual Diversity with Innovation
E. Utilize available energy – 1, Recovered heat
Positive Impact
In Backsippan heat is recovered both from the ventilation system and from the kitchen. The heat that is recovered in the ventilation system is used to warm the new air so that the warmth stays in the building and the heat from the kitchen is used to produce hot water. The building’s need for hot water is covered and the recovered heat in the ventilation system reduces the need for heating. In total 20 kWh/m2 per year is recovered.
Benefits
Heat and hot water are crucial for the comfort in a building, especially in a country such as Sweden, where it is cold outside for almost half the year. Heating can use up a lot of the energy a building consumes, and to use that energy as efficient as possible it is valuable to recover heat from where it is not needed and use it where it is needed. This supports breakthrough efficiency for solar PV and geothermal heat, and saves money that can be used for other purposes.
P. Utilize available energy- 3, Geothermal heat
Positive Impact
Geothermal heat pumps supply heating and hot water. Deep boreholes into the ground make use of the warmth in the ground to warm water both for the floor heating and for hot water.
Benefits
This system requires less electricity to warm the water, makes use of energy that is there regardless, and it is supporting the innovation around new and smarter energy and heating systems.
⁂ Integrate Biological Nutrients
⁂ Integrate Renewable Energy
F. Recapture energy and nutrients from food scraps
Positive Impact
All food scraps from the kitchen, which cooks for 500 persons per day, goes to a biogas reactor and the effluent is reused as nutrients for the soil or sold as compost soil for gardening.
Benefits
The energy and nutrients from the food waste are used as a resource, which both gives the municipality an income and relieves the municipality of a waste problem.
⁂ Integrate Biological Nutrients, Healthy Materials (Material Re-Use)
⁂ Actively Support Biodiversity
Elements from nature
Positive Impact
In the forest, elements from nature have been used to create spaces and inspire to physical activity and creative play. Stone, plants, trees, space and old tree trunks and branches are used by the children to build, hide, and play in and with. The plan was to use natural elements to build the playground in the yard as well, but this was replaced by a regular playground in safe materials, to live up to EU- regulation for child safety.
Benefits
Natural elements stimulate physical activity and creative play among children. Elements that represent wild untouched nature has stress reducing properties. Nature elements also have a symbolic value as representations for sustainable building in harmony with nature.
⁂ Actively Support Biodiversity, Celebrate Cultural Diversity
⁂ Integrate Biological Nutrients
Support and enhance biodiversity in flora and fauna
Positive Impact
Over 1000 plants of 16 species have been added to the existing forest that is part of the preschool yard. Together with researchers from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) an inventory was made of the plant species and the researchers made a plan to give space and preconditions for additional 16 plant species to become a permanent part of the forest. In the forest, nesting boxes for different kinds of bird species have been put up in the trees.
Benefits
Greenery with diverse biotopes and nature like properties has proven to have positive impact on health, wellbeing, reduce stress and depression and to be beneficial for learning and productivity of people who experience it. Even just having it outside the window has health benefits. The forest environment is beloved by the children. It is a free space where they can run, hide and build among plants, stone and trees. Since the preschool is new it will take some time until the greenery reaches its full growth and the trees give ample of fruit. Human existence is dependent on ecosystems that are strong and resilient. To add to the biological diversity is one contribution with the potential support the resilience of the ecosystems around the preschool.
The focus on biodiversity together with accessible green areas for the children and teachers gives credibility to the holistic approach of the preschool. The municipality has not focused on the spectacular, but on the quiet functionality.
Flora and fauna for enjoyment
Positive Impact
Children and teachers wished for fruit trees and berry bushes as well as the opportunity to grow berries and herbs. In the yard fruit trees and berry bushes have been planted and there are boxes for herbs and other edible plants.
Benefits
Access to fruit trees, berries and herbs and to the experience of gardening, gives a sense of how food is produced, and how we are part of a biological cycle. Experiences with outdoor environment that is experiences as positive also helps foster a caring attitude towards the environment and nature.
⁂ Celebrate Cultural Diversity
⁂ Celebrate Social Diversity
Meeting places
Positive Impact
The preschool is designed with meeting spaces in several ways. In each part of the preschool, between the different wards is a square, where the children from the different wards can meet and play together. The rooms are made so that disabled children can be part of the group and not be singled out. For example, a beam is attached under the roof in the square, where it is possible to hand swings that enable disabled children to move more freely together with the other children. Also, doorways and rooms have enough space so that a wheelchair can be maneuvered.
The preschool can be used as a meeting space by the local community after hours. Instead of looks, there is a tag-system. Community members can book the rooms, and then use their tag to enter. The system registers who is entering. That way many people have access without any security issues.
Benefits
The squares as well as the outdoor spaces give children and teachers opportunities to meet, mix and learn from each other. The integration of all children, even disabled in the same groups give, is a precondition for inclusion and important experiences of social diversity to the children from a young age.
Inclusive process
Positive Impact
The teachers have had a central role in designing the pedagogic environment at the preschool. The preschool works with minimizing hierarchy and maximizing influence, and the teachers are an important stakeholder in all that is done.
An extensive stakeholder analysis was made in the beginning of the process to build healthy preschools in Ronneby. Here children, teachers, parents, neighbours, maintenance staff, etc. had the opportunity to give input to the project. The children made paintings of how they wanted the new preschool, and almost all children drew outdoor play areas. This has been incorporated in the project.
The teachers and children have had an active part in developing the outdoor environment.
Benefits
Broad influence and a diversity of voices help make a project or system resilient and strong. More aspects are taken into consideration, the risks of group thinking are less and people have a greater sense of meaning and ownership which has benefits for both organization and individuals. The involvement of teachers and children and all other stakeholders has contributed to the comprehensiveness of the efforts to make this preschool healthy and sound in so many ways. The municipality also hopes that the involvement of teachers in the day-to-day decisions as well as the more long-term strategic decisions surrounding the preschool will support the health and wellbeing of the staff.
⁂ Healthy Materials (Defined Intended Use Pathway)
⁂ Celebrate Conceptual Diversity with Innovation
Designed for disassembly
Positive Impact
All materials and components in the building are registered in the database SundaHus (see A. 3, Defined and safe materials). The interior dividers are designed for individual disassembly, for as many walls as possible. There are 3D prints of the building, which makes it easier to remodel or disassemble if needed. The façade is made of cement fibre boards that are fastened with screws for easy disassembly. The structure is made of wood and possible to disassemble. Besides the database that contains all materials and products in the building, there is an analogue description of the assembly of specific parts of the building like the façade boards. All pluming is located in the roof and is easily accessible.
Benefits
The building may in the future be better used for a different purpose. The flexible design, which allows for walls to easily be disassembled, makes changing the purpose of the building cheap and easy. The municipality has more freedom and flexibility in how they can make best use of their buildings and are not as constrained by a rigid design. The design gives easy access to reuse the materials in the building which gives them more value for the municipality as an owner, as well as is first step towards a circular use of material. It is also easier and cheaper to renovate the building when parts can be removed separately.
⁂ Actively Support Biodiversity, Celebrate Conceptual Diversity with Innovation, Celebrate Cultural Diversity
⁂ Celebrate Social Diversity
Spaces for children and multi- functionality
Positive Impact
A lot of thought has been given to the uses of spaces. The focus was to create spaces for creativity, play and social interaction. Spaces with potential for very different uses that give room for all children. The space is limited, so the municipality has made use of spaces and installations in multiple ways.
There is a patio outside the dining hall, with easy access, to make it easy to eat outside, when the weather is fine. The patio outside the dining hall is also a theatre stage, where the stairs in the yard is a stand where the children can sit and watch their peers perform on the stage. There is a natural slope down towards the preschool which at first was perceived as a problem. When looking for opportunities with this slope instead, it became obvious that the terraced slope is an interesting and exciting element in the yard, with amazing potential.
The roof has an overhang of 2 meters all around the building. This gives shade to the rooms in the summer, protection from the weather on the façade and creates a space in between inside and outside.
There is an outdoor room where the children can take their naps, under roof and behind a wall for weather protection, but still outdoors.
Benefits
Flexible creative use of the space gives teachers and children options and possibilities, which can make their days both easier and more fun. The spaces on the verge between outside and inside has a special creative quality. Easy access to outdoor is crucial at a preschool, since it is not easy to coordinate the movements of a group of small children. The connection between indoors and outdoors makes it more convenient to go out. Being outdoors and surrounded by greenery has a positive influence on human health and wellbeing.
The roof overhang protects windows and walls from the weather and prolongs their durability which means lower costs for the municipality.
⁂ Enhance Air Quality and Indoor Climate
⁂ Integrate Renewable Energy
⁂ Celebrate Conceptual Diversity with Innovation
Utilize available energy – 2, Sun income
Positive Impact
The building makes use of energy available at the site. 80 units of photovoltaic panels on the roof produce electricity, approximately 18 500 kWh per year or 22kWh/m2 and year. This is approximately one fourth of the used energy, including the kitchen. To cover all energy needed at the preschool hydro-electric power and wind power is purchased (http://www.nordicgreen.se).
Benefits
As available and cheap energy is crucial for human society at large and current sources of energy widely used has a lot of unwanted side-effects, there is an interest to develop and use new technology to make use of the current solar income. Making use of solar income, is a source of positive pride for the municipality. Renewable local energy production and energy efficiency are symbols today for sustainable and good buildings. This gives positive publicity for the municipality and credits the effort to create better buildings.
Utilize available energy – 4, Energy efficiency
Positive Impact
Since fully renewable energy still is in the future and energy is both problematic and expensive, it is important to use it efficiently. The energy demands of the building is reduced by lightening adjusted to motion detectors and daylight, use of LED- lamps, good insulation, heat recovery and air quality-controlled ventilation. The different parts of the energy system are connected in a computerized control function.
Benefits
Efficient energy use saves money for the municipality in the longer timeframe. A municipality has great purchasing power and such a big organization investing in renewable and smart energy solutions has potential to stimulate innovation and development in the field locally. The energy system is designed around making the most of available energy and using energy for things, were it makes a difference to the people in the building. The municipality has focused more on synergies to more fully utilize energy than on saving or using less.
⁂ Enhance Air Quality and Indoor Climate
⁂ Social diversity and influence
D. Regenerative and relaxing environment
Positive Impact
When things are easy and practical it enables a flow that is beneficial for all people. The teachers in particular, but also the children, maintenance staff and many other stakeholders have been part of the process of creating the preschool and have had an impact on design and solutions, that has helped to create an environment that is purposeful, calm and relaxing. Many aspects of Backsippan have a calming and relaxing character, like sound, light, colours and green outside the windows as well as a well-planned design. The access between inside and outside is smooth both from the dining hall and from the ward where the small children are brought to their sleeping space outside.
Benefits
The teachers, children and other stakeholders have been part of the process and the architect and project manager have to a large extent made their ideas and voices count. Pleasant light, sound and climate gives the body an unconscious sense of security. The experience of colors, surfaces, floors also affect the automatic response to the environment. Especially in an environment where a lot is going on (like a preschool) it is important to not overstimulate the senses with unwanted stimuli. The teachers have had freedom to choose furniture and toys, so that it reflects their wishes.
⁂ Integrate Biological Nutrients
⁂ Integrate Renewable Energy
⁂ Actively Support Biodiversity, Celebrate Cultural Diversity
G. Inspired curriculum
Positive Impact
Cradle to Cradle inspires the curriculum at the preschool in several ways.
There is a pronounced focus on the outdoor environment and the relationship and connection to nature. All teachers have had education in outdoor pedagogics. The children and teachers have taken active part in the work with biodiversity in the yard and forest in a shared process to develop outdoor environment.
At Backsippan the teachers and children can grow fruit, berries and spices together and manage a compost, which gives an experience of the biological cycle. Cefur has translated an educational children´s book about Cradle to Cradle that is used in the pedagogic work with the children.
Benefits
The inspired curriculum strengthens the preschools focus on health, nature and circularity. The children get an experience of the cycles, an understanding of renewable energy and biological and social diversity, which is valuable for their future life. The good intentions and focus of the preschool also inspire parents of other ways of thinking. To work with these questions also gives teachers, children, parents and other stakeholders a clearer understanding of the special features the preschool embodies. This has a potential to create a sense of positive pride about being part of doing something good. The shared process to develop the outdoor environment is an important arena for influence for both children and teachers, with double benefits. The experience of influence has positive health benefits and the environment get shaped together with the people who are going to use it and therefore get more user friendly.
⁂ Integrate Biological Nutrients
M. Delicious, organic and fresh food
Positive Impact
The goal is that all food that is served in the preschool is delicious, organic and freshly made. Today 40 % of the food in all school, preschool and retirement kitchens in the municipality is organic, when possible. The kitchen staff have attended Cradle to Cradle introduction as well as training taste sensations, healthy foods and training to use food more efficiently, so less waste is created. The kitchen also has access to equipment that makes it easier to make freshly made food even for many people, like a machine that rolls Swedish meatballs. Thought is also put into the social environment where meals are shared.
Benefits
Food is important for health and wellbeing. Organic farming is a first step towards a farming system that keeps the biological cycle clean and intact, and has more respect for biodiversity and ecosystems. Food with a lot of vegetables by season, high nourishment content, high quality meat, organically grown and without chemical additives and known allergens is health promoting. Sharing enjoyable meals together is also important for health and wellbeing. Organically produced food also minimizes the intake of pesticides and heavy metals from artificial fertilizers.
