Green School in Kfar Saba, Israel
The Green School in Kfar Saba, Israel is designed for gaining education but also as a place where students are introduced to global changes and are prepared for sustainable life.
The school, with its 18 classrooms, laboratories, library and other facilities will serve children from the first to the sixth grade. The building embraces a large courtyard offering outdoor learning spaces in green areas and playground. Agriculture field adjacent to the building creates an opportunity to appreciate the richness of nature and its delicate state.
Kfar Saba Green School located in a sustainable neighborhood will offer the students and their families a space for gathering and social activities after school time, thus strengthening the social ties within the members of the students’ families and community.
The schools’ curriculum will contribute to raising awareness to the environment and promote innovative ideas towards a better future and more harmonious life on earth.
Design Principals:
The Green School, located within a walking or cycling distance, was planned in a holistic approach, in order to create the right academic environment for the students while minimizing the ecological footprint of the buildings by enhancing efficiency and moderation in the use of land, water, energy, and materials.
Nature is present within the school building by its openness to outdoor vegetation and to the sky in the inner courtyards and the green roofs.
The school is to be qualified the strict -”Leed Gold” standard ( Leed for Schools v2009).
The school is designed for optimal thermal isolation with double glazed windows characterized by thermal and acoustic features, to create an improved indoor comfort during all seasons.
A geothermal system will supply a significant portion of the building’s energy consumption, for heating and cooling all over the year. Classroom spaces will be provided with fresh airsupplied by a separate system.
Rainwater from roofs will be harvested along with grey water and will be treated and recycled for irrigation use. Reduction of water consumption will be obtained by a drip irrigation system for agriculture field and for gardening and by use of water efficient plants.
The building is designed to maximize day lighting in order to minimize the building’s need of artificial lighting.
All the classrooms and study areas will benefit from natural day light. However, lighting system will be operated by economic lighting fixture for ensuring maximum saving and efficiency.
All construction materials are free of any toxins and are chosen with attention to their thermal qualities, durability and recyclability.
The Green School in Kfar Saba will adopt sustainable principles and will contribute to promoting the idea of a healthy life in an open and tolerant society and awareness will become an example for other communities to join the green movement towards a sustainable life and a promising future on earth.