Niger school uses passive design for their energy crisis
“In the midst of an energy crisis, a passive design on this school in Niamey, Niger has been a great success,” said a representative of Article 25. “Even when filled with up to 40 students, the classrooms stay significantly cooler than outside, with temperatures typically seven to eight degrees centigrade lower by mid-afternoon.”
Continue reading below
Our Featured Videos
Article 25, a humanitarian architecture firm that focuses on creating solutions for underserve communities, is behind the redesign of the Collège Amadou Hampaté Bâ. It’s a new school in Niger, West Africa that made the most of passive ventilation in a unique roof design to keep students cool despite an energy crisis and the hot climate.
Related: Minimalist bioclimatic dorms provide space for students
The school provides subsidized education for middle school children from low-income families. The goal in expanding the school is to offer the same educational experience for children in primary school up through high school in a “lycee” model that extends the full educational years of the children in the school. The school also wanted to build a high-quality facility that served as a model for other schools wanting to follow a similar model in Niger.
Additionally, the proposal included refurbishing existing classrooms. There is the addition of five new classroom blocks (totaling 20 classrooms), along with new administrative buildings, an assembly hall, library and latrine buildings. The water and electrical services were upgraded to improve the school’s self-reliance due to intermittent issues with municipal supply.