Connected with the Environment
CHALLENGE
Through the Casuarina trees, past babbling creeks and over timber footbridges, the walk into this school is an ideal introduction to Silkwood Steiner School's natural affinity with its environment.
Silkwood Steiner School, an independent, co-educational, non-denominational primary school of 280 children, is located in peaceful bushland in the hinterland of Queensland's Gold Coast. The school's connection with the environment is reflected not just in its location, but in its approach.
The school is totally self-sufficient for water, manages all its own sewage, actively recycles and is constantly exploring new ways of improving its energy efficiency. Guiding these actions is Silkwood's strong sense of social responsibility and desire to imbue the students with a sense of wonder and understanding of the natural world.
Accordingly, the next step in the school's aims towards environmental sustainability and ongoing green education was to install a solar energy system.
SOLUTION
As part of the National Solar Schools Program, Silkwood Steiner School received a $50,000 grant and appointed Solgen Energy to establish the solar energy generation system.
Solgen Energy installed 30 solar panels to the roof of the school's original building, "the shed", used today as a multipurpose hall. The challenge of the school's remoteness to the main electricity grid was met and the installation was completed within three days, during the school holidays.
Silkwood Steiner School is now looking forward to an upcoming Energy Audit by the local council and are confident that they will indeed pass with flying colours.
BENEFITS
The Solgen Energy solar solution supports Silkwood Steiner School's environmental principles and sustainable practices as well as nurturing the student's connection with their environment.
The solar energy system will provide ongoing benefits to the school including:
- educational outcomes for students though the system's student IT interface, recording real time energy generation statistics
- the annual generation of approximately 8 Megawatt hours of electricity
- the annual prevention of about 7.5 tonnes of greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere
- increased awareness of renewable energy sources and their contribution to protecting the natural environment
TESTIMONIAL
"Solgen Energy were a good team to work with. From the outset they were good communicators and continued their support after the installation, with quick responses to any queries we had."
Greg Gapp, Business Manager, Silkwood Steiner School
