Grade 7 General Unit 12 Lesson 11

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Welcome to Howe Dell Primary School, the most eco-friendly building in England. It took eight years and £10.4 million to plan and build it ... But it was worth it!

• How Howe Dell is eco-friendly

• A green curriculum

• A new heating technology

• A different school

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Howe Dell saves energy in amazing ways! Solar heating panels warm up water for the kitchens and produce some electricity. The ceilings are made of glass so classrooms

and halls get lots of sunshine. This cuts down lighting bills. Super-thick walls and thick window glass don’t let heat escape. Desks are made from reused drainpipes and the

plants on the roof protect the school from heat and cold. It’s also the home for many insects and students can study biodiversity there! Rainwater is collected and used for

the toilets. And the carpets are made from lots of small pieces – when one gets dirty, they don’t have to change the whole carpet!

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• A different school

• A new heating technology

• A green curriculum

• How Howe Dell is eco-friendly

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The most important part of the school is the ‘Interseasonal Heat Transfer’ system.

This system takes heat from the sunshine that falls on the playground and stores it in thermal banks in the ground underneath the school. Then the heat can be used when

it’s needed, sometimes months later! This new technology can also use the cold of winter air and ice to cool the building in the summer.

• How Howe Dell is eco-friendly

• A green curriculum

• A new heating technology

• A different school

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But it’s not just about the building. The school has ‘green’ lessons about how everybody and everything on Earth is connected. Children also learn about green energy and what they can do themselves to protect the environment. As one teacher says, ‘Everyone in Howe Dell believes in the same dream – children need to be educated in green issues.’

• How Howe Dell is eco-friendly

• A green curriculum

• A new heating technology

• A different school