Whitepaper: An Architect's Guide to Specifying Cladding for Schools by HVG Facades

Australian school infrastructure is facing unprecedented pressure due to sustained enrolment growth, with forecasts indicating an increase of approximately 650,000 students by 2026. This equates to demand for around seven new classrooms per day over a ten-year period, at an estimated cost of $6.11 billion. In response, state education departments are turning to prefabricated building methods not only for temporary classrooms but increasingly for permanent infrastructure. Facade design is central to the success of prefabricated school buildings. As the protective building envelope, the facade mediates between external conditions and internal performance, directly influencing durability, fire safety, thermal comfort and acoustic control. Within the framework of the National Construction Code (NCC) and relevant Australian Standards, high-performance facade systems provide the foundation for prefabricated schools to deliver long-term resilience and occupant wellbeing. This paper examines how high-performance prefabricated facade systems can address the dual imperative of construction productivity and architectural quality while addressing the unique needs of the education sector. By analysing specification requirements, including structural integrity, fire resistance, weatherproofing and thermal efficiency, it highlights how architects can evaluate system suitability for school projects.