There is no denying that more and more people are now becoming concerned about the environment than ever before. From purchasing eco-friendly goods to making buildings as green as possible, they are doing everything they can to live sustainably.
This extends to schools as well. School buildings and infrastructure, especially in metropolitan cities like Bangalore, contribute to the biggest energy users and the related issues of sustainability and eco-friendliness. In some cases, schools remain one of the huge sources of pollution and degrade the environment.
However, with technology and awareness evolving in Bangalore, various educational institutes are now paying heed to bringing sustainability and reducing the carbon footprint on their campuses.
Furthermore, since metropolitan areas are already compact and utilized by various industrial hubs, it becomes imperative for educational institutions to build a healthy environment to eliminate their negative influence on the surroundings and students’ education and health.
Here are some tips suggested by the best architects in Bangalore to make schools more sustainable, energy-efficient and eco-friendly.
Create flexi-classrooms
Why should a classroom be used for only one thing? Constructing rooms that can be altered according to activities performed is considered to be more eco-friendly and cost-saving than building many locations for different purposes.
For instance, regular classrooms can be configured to meet different requirements by integrating a flexi design using folding walls, modular furniture and storage units. This will give teachers the freedom to rearrange everything for delivering knowledge in the best way they can.
However, some spaces like science labs can only accommodate one design due to the rigid and complex nature of the subject and equipment.
Top architects in India believe that a school should provide the best of two worlds to the students for them to understand the importance and impact of architecture in their behaviours and overall studies.
Not to mention, incorporating such a plan into school infrastructure design prevents unnecessary occupancy, saving schools from undertaking significant projects and incurring huge costs.
Integrate solar panels
Technology in this age lets you produce electricity by harnessing the power of the Sun. Yes, many educational institutions consider installing solar panels generally in their terrace to benefit from solar-powered lighting. And, to fulfil the needs of the school, architectural firms curate their plans amalgamating solar panel installation.
To highlight, in 2017, a school in Bangalore set an example by generating its own power, sending the excess to the grid, and teaching its students critical environmental principles.
You can also follow the same to decrease the carbon footprint and embrace a healthy and natural environment on campus.
Explore energy-efficient resources
Another goal the school set to achieve sustainability is to encourage energy efficiency as much as possible. This is the reason why architects come up with energy-efficient layouts and floor plans. This includes multiple things such as:
- Installation of smart lights in classrooms and various other areas.
- Integrating occupancy sensors for lights.
- Including an energy management system on the premises, etc.
All these things contribute to developing an energy-efficient space. You can integrate them into your school to empower learning in a well-lit environment and benefit from cost savings.
To sum up…
Your school building and its condition can tell a lot of things about its hygiene maintenance, and contribution to the economy and environment as well. By following the above-covered tips, you can easily build a school which comes under the wide blanket of sustainability and eco-friendliness.
However, along with these, you can focus on some minor changes in the interiors like placing some green plants inside the classrooms, having big windows to allow natural light, optimizing the HVAC system layouts, etc.
To have personalized guidance and suggestions, you can seek help from school architects in Bangalore. They can supervise you and provide ample solutions as well as resources to complete the project hassle-freely.