Official opening for innovative eco classroom
16 November 2012
Hampshire County Council Leader Councillor Ken Thornber joined pupils, staff, governors, contractors, suppliers and fundraisers to officially open an innovative teaching facility at South Baddesley CofE Primary School in Lymington.
The Ecological Discovery Centre has already provided children at the school with many opportunities to learn about sustainability. Its very construction has involved innovative Eco technologies, building fabrics and construction techniques. For example it includes: a timber frame with hemp and lime insulation; a sedum and wildflower green roof and systems to maximise natural daylight.
Many recycled elements such as the recycled glass bottle footing bricks and recycled newspaper notice boards have been used. To add to this its electricity supply comes from solar panels the school has installed on its hall roof. The building has been awarded an A rated energy performance certificate.
Pupils gave a presentation at the opening ceremony explaining how the EDC came to be built; and demonstrating how they were involved by showing their DVD of the school Eco song, 'Discover we say'
The building was paid for thanks to donations, grants and fundraising, which included music festivals, and many sponsorship events such as pupils sailing across the Solent, a governor abseiling down the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth and a teacher's husband cycling from Lands End to John O'Groats. Hampshire County Council contributed £50,000 to the £200,000 project, with further funding coming from the New Forest Sustainable Development Fund.
Headteacher Mary Nugent said:
"This was an adventurous project for a small school but with great teamwork and a huge amount of goodwill the project was completed just in time for the children to start their first day of school this September. It is a wonderful facility which the children love and it has been brilliant to see how passionately they feel about being Eco"
Councillor Thornber added:
"It is wonderful to see a small school take such an initiative to enhance their facilities in this way. This is an exciting building which provides many opportunities for the pupils to learn about the importance of sustainability and how we can all do things to save energy and vital resources. The County Council is very happy to support such projects as this, and the children have spoken so eloquently about what the building means to them."
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