Arup has used IES’s Virtual Environment (VE) building performance software to design one of Wales’s first Net Zero Carbon in operation (NZCio) school campuses. The new Mynydd Isa Campus demonstrates how advanced building performance modelling and digital twin technology can enable the public sector to meet net-zero and resilience goals in line with the UK’s decarbonisation targets.
Designed in 2023 and completed in 2025, the two-storey, 10,500m² campus achieves a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating, reflecting outstanding performance in energy efficiency, water use, materials, and occupant wellbeing. The project, delivered for Flintshire County Council, integrates whole-life performance modelling from the earliest design stages, ensuring the building meets both operational and environmental targets across its lifespan.
Using digital performance modelling to achieve Net Zero
At the heart of the project lies IESVE dynamic simulation software, which allowed Arup’s engineers to test and optimise building performance across a range of future climate scenarios. The team modelled overheating risks for typical years, warm summers, and prolonged heatwaves, ensuring long-term resilience in a warming climate.
The modelling informed several key design strategies, including the installation of over 1,000 solar photovoltaic panels capable of generating more than 500,000 kWh of electricity annually, enough for the campus to produce as much energy as it consumes. This approach eliminates the operational carbon footprint, achieving true Net Zero Carbon in operation.
To maintain occupant comfort, Arup also implemented a cross-ventilation chimney system and an in-class ‘traffic light’ indicator that alerts teachers when to open or close windows based on air quality and temperature. Together, these passive design measures reduce reliance on mechanical cooling and lower energy demand.
Ensuring long-term performance and resilience
A 25-year performance commitment ensures that the school remains energy efficient and climate-resilient for decades to come. This whole-life approach to digital performance monitoring aligns with the growing focus on post-occupancy evaluation and data-driven building management across the construction industry.
Niall Gibson, Building Performance Specialist at IES, said: “This project exemplifies how performance modelling technology can deliver on multiple fronts, achieving Net Zero Carbon in operation, supporting BREEAM ‘Excellent’ certification, and closing the gap between design and real-world performance. If we’re serious about tackling climate change, making public infrastructure more resilient and efficient must be a national priority.”
Steven Burrows, Associate Building Physics Engineer at Arup, added: “IESVE modelling played a vital role in developing the cross-ventilation chimney concept and achieving Net Zero Carbon in operation. It’s a major step forward in how we design schools to meet future climate conditions.”
Setting a benchmark for low-carbon public buildings
The Mynydd Isa Campus, which accommodates more than 1,300 pupils across nursery, primary and secondary levels, stands as a model for decarbonised public sector buildings. As local authorities across the UK work to meet stringent net-zero targets, the project demonstrates the value of integrated building performance analysis, digital design workflows, and simulation-led decision-making.
By combining Arup’s sustainable design expertise with IES’s advanced modelling tools, the Mynydd Isa Campus provides a clear blueprint for the future of Net Zero schools and climate-ready public infrastructure.
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