Lessoning the impact on the environment
by Simon Handby in At home on 10.04.08
Nobody much likes the idea of going back to school, but when it comes to eco-friendly buildings there’s probably something we could all learn at Howe Dell primary.
Built on the site of an old Hertfordshire airfield, it’s been described as the most eco-friendly building in the country. It’s got solar power, solar water heating, and bamboo flooring in the communal areas.
We never seem to be short of rainwater in this country, but as we’ve written before, we don’t always know what to do with it all. At Howe Dell it’s collected and used to flush toilets. To help manage water runoff, the roof has a sedum carpet that provides extra insulation.
It’s not just the building that’s green, though. The school’s curriculum includes schooling on sustainable development, and has been rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted inspectors. As head teacher Debra Massey says in this Independent article, “Everyone believes in the same dream – that children need to be educated in green issues”.
IMAGE courtesy of Howe Dell primary
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