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Hanifl Centre hosts the Green School Design Conference
Woodstock School, in a joint initiative with Neeraj Manchanda Architects (NMA) from New Delhi, hosted a Green School Design Conference at the Hanifl Centre on April 16-17. Several sessions were held over the two days to discuss building environmentally sustainable buildings, curriculum, and necessary processes for a school to 'go green'!
The idea of sustainable development is not a new one. However, recent material from scientists studying climate change has brought it into sharp focus as our planet's only real alternative, starting now. It is a well documented fact that buildings and the construction industry are responsible for a very significant and unsustainable percentage of our collective carbon footprint. Rapidly developing nations such as ours need an urgent collective change in our approach to design and building practices.
What better place to start than schools, where those who are our future learn to engage with their neighbourhood and environment. Young minds that are aware, informed, and engaged have the power to transform the world.
The Green School Design Conference brings together and connects promoters, teachers, administrators, facility managers, energy specialists, architects, engineers, and designers: all those who create and design schools and school infrastructure. It is a platform for sharing thoughts, ideas, and information. This conference is the first of its kind, breaking away from a 'general' theme to become sectoral, and specific to schools.
- Neeraj Manchanda, Principal, NMA, and David Laurenson, Principal, Woodstock School
The registration and the keynote presentation was held on Friday evening. Saturday's programme was divided into three major sessions, entitled 'Schools and Green Imperative', 'Greening our Schools: How do we get there?', and 'The Green Café'.
The speakers included education expert Shashank Vira ("Why Green Schools?"), Suhasini Ayer, and architect from Auroville, on "Reconnect with Spaces: Technology and Learning-Teaching", Stephen Alter, Director of Development from Woodstock School on "Buildings or Curriculum: What comes first?" Sunil Tiwari, Consultant Engineer of SK Consultants on "Water Management for Green Schools", and K. Krishnan Kutty, head of outdoor and environmental education at Woodstock School on "Building a Green Curriculum".
Other speakers were:
- Vinod Gupta - Architect and Energy Expert, Space Design Consultants
- Nimit Kamdar - Council of Education Facility Planners International (CEFPI) representative
- Madhu Bhatnagar - Head of Environment and Value Education, The Shri Ram School
- Lyle Lopez - Electrical Consultant, Lirio Lopez Electrical Engineers and Consultants
- M. Anand - Senior Counsellor, Indian Green Building Council
- Madhu Pandit - Architect and Design School Expert, NMA
- Sanjay Prakash - Architect and Energy Expert, Sanjay Prakash and Associates
- Rohit Handa - Chairman, Architecture and Projects Committee, The Doon School
- Kevin Sullivan - Director, ECO3Design
- Gaurav Shorey - Area Convener, GRIHA, TERI
- Vishwas - Coordinator, Green Building Practices, NMA
- Neeraj Kapoor - Energy Consultant, Kalpakrit Sustainable Environments