Pupil-warmed school 'the future'

The school's water is heated by electricity generated by a wind turbine

A new primary said to be the greenest in Scotland is the future of school construction, Education Secretary Fiona Hyslop has said.

Acharacle in Ardnamurchan, Lochaber, has been designed to be heated by warmth from children, staff and computers.

Highland Council have described it as the Scotland's first sustainable school.

Ms Hyslop is to visit the £5.6m timber-built primary on Monday.

Ahead of her tour, she said: "Acharacle has been designed to be as sustainable as possible, both in terms of the way it has been built and how it is run.

"It is important that we have a low carbon school estate, both for the environment and also to help authorities reduce rising fuel costs.

"I am in no doubt that what we are seeing here at Acharacle is the future of school construction."

Most of the building is made from wood, while a wind turbine on a nearby hill generates electricity to heat water.

Rain water is also collected for use in flushing the toilets.

Claims the pupils' bodies would provide the heat once they have had their breakfast led to it being dubbed the "Weetabix school".