Construction guide
Schools
Classrooms are full of people for hours at a time, so air quality, temperature and acoustics drive the design. State schools follow the Ministry of Education’s Designing Quality Learning Spaces (DQLS) on top of the Building Code.
800–1250 ppmTarget average CO₂ in occupied teaching spaces; never above 2000 ppm at any point in a lesson [1][2]
0.4–0.5 sReverberation time for small primary learning spaces and breakout rooms [3]
IL3Importance level for primary and secondary schools with capacity over 250 (AS/NZS 1170.0) [4]
Designing Quality Learning Spaces
Air quality and ventilation
- Meet Building Code G4 and the DQLS requirements, whichever is more demanding [1].
- Aim for an average of 800–1250 ppm CO₂ while occupied, with peaks never above 2000 ppm [2].
- Mechanical systems over 500 L/s must modulate airflow automatically on measured CO₂ [1].
- Natural ventilation needs openable windows on more than one side and controls teachers can use.
Acoustics
- Small primary learning spaces and breakout rooms: 0.4–0.5 s reverberation time [3].
- Small secondary learning spaces, staff rooms and libraries: 0.5–0.6 s [3].
- Technology spaces, including music and science: 0.5–0.8 s [3].
- Keep plant noise and rain noise on lightweight roofs in check; both count against the targets.
Thermal comfort and lighting
- DQLS sets indoor temperature ranges for teaching time; summer overheating in glazed rooms is a common failure [2].
- Daylight without glare: shading, high-level glazing and light shelves.
- Heat pumps or other low-carbon heating, sized with H1-compliant envelopes.
Structure and safety
- Schools for more than 250 are usually Importance Level 3, designed for larger earthquakes than houses [4].
- Fire design to the Building Code C clauses, with evacuation of young children in mind.
- Restraint of ceilings, services and partitions to NZS 4219.
How school projects run
- BriefThe Ministry of Education or the school board sets the roll growth and teaching model.
- DesignArchitect and engineers design to DQLS and the Ministry’s design standards; check each stage against DQLS.
- Consent and tenderBuilding consent, then tenders through the Ministry or GETS.
- Build in term timePlan noisy and unsafe work around the school calendar and keep children away from the site.
- HandoverCommission ventilation controls and CO₂ sensors and train staff; the compliance schedule and BWOF follow.
Tools for this building type
Sources
Numbers in square brackets refer to these sources, checked October 2026. Standards and rules change; confirm the current edition with your council and the issuing body before you rely on them.