FROM SMALL SEEDS

Gone are the days when the three Rs comprised an education. Gone too, the notion of the classroom as the only learning area. Particularly so for environmental studies, where the whole world is the classroom.

The staff at Remarkables Primary School have taken this concept and run with it. Among many future-oriented elements at the school is a green roof, that not only provides a number of sustainable benefits, it will also be used to show the children how plants adapt to their environment, says Clare Thorne, director of Greenroofs, the company that designed and installed it.

"The green roof will aid in mitigating stormwater runoff, reducing aircraft noise from the nearby airport, prolonging the life of the waterproofing, and help merge the building into the landscape.

"From an educational standpoint, the children will learn about sustainability and how plants cope with extremes of weather," says Thorne. "They will also be able to watch the birds, insects and bees that are attracted to the plants and flowers, as the deck areas alongside the green roof will be used as outdoor classrooms.

Greenroofs Limited is the only company in New Zealand that specialises in the design and installation of green roofs. To date, it has installed more than 2000m² of green roofs on commercial buildings, educational facilities, civic buildings and private homes.

GREENROOFS

PO Box 147228, Ponsonby, Auckland 1411Phone (09) 623 1814 Mobile Clare 021 708 924 Mobile Will 021 453 719www.greenroofs.co.nz clare.thorne@greenroofs.co.nz will.thorne@greenroofs.co.nz

Story by: Trendsideas