Urjala School

Health and safety at the heart of design

In Urjala School, over 400 students in the pre-school and grades 1-9 study and learn with about 40 teachers and other staff members. The new school was completed in 2017. From the beginning of the design process, health and safety was underlined in all the decisions. Also, durability and quality of furniture and materials were carefully explored, as the building is designed for heavy use: Young people of different ages, from pre-school up to the General Upper Secondary education, uses the facilities every day. The facilities are also used by other user groups outside the school hours.

Enhancing health by ISKU’s antimicrobial furniture

ISKU has the world’s first antimicrobial furniture collection enhancing healthiness of the school environment by breaking the chains of infection, and thus decreasing absenteeism amongst both students and staff members. Urjala School was one of the first schools is Finland that applied the novel technology of antimicrobial materials to reduce the spread of infections. Antimicrobial furniture was especially used in the hallways and lobby areas, in which the furniture is in heavy use and the users change frequently. In shared spaces the furniture actively and tirelessly prevents the spread of microbes.

“Our choice of antimicrobial furniture was influenced by the fact that the furniture makes it possible to reduce diseases. Flu and flu seasons circulate, and if students and teachers are much ill, it also causes additional costs. It is better for everyone’s health and safety to use available means to avoid unnecessary sick leaves”, says Juha Salo, Executive Director of Education of the Municipality of Urjala.