Eco gong no child’s play
IT isn’t easy being green, but it helps if you start young.
That’s the theory at a Currumbin child care centre which has been recognised as the most environmentally sustainable of its kind in Australia.
Loving Hearts Child Care Centre was awarded an EnviroDevelopment certificate from The Urban Development Institute of Australia last week in recognition of the 42 eco-friendly features built into its innovative design.
Sustainability consultant and centre designer Ben O’Callaghan said gaining the certification was no easy task.
“Because the UDIA is an independent board there certainly is a lot of weight behind the certification,” he said.
“The application requires about 100 pages of documentation – receipts, photos, confirmation from builders and subcontractors, information about chemical breakdowns, all sorts of proof.
“It takes several months and if it doesn’t meet their expectations they will request more information.”
Features that impressed the judges included a rain water tank, solar panels for electricity and hot water heating, eco-friendly products for floors, paint and furniture and the composting of waste on site.
Mr O’Callaghan said he even positioned the building to take full advantage of the sun’s path, maximising the benefit of the solar panels.
In turn, these decisions end up saving the business significant amounts of money.
“I was involved in the process quite early on and the first thing I said was well you have to have the building facing the right way,” he said.
“Often I’ll audit a building and they won’t even have insulation, so it’s no wonder they need heaters and airconditioning. These measures save businesses money as well as being extremely beneficial for the children.”
The centre has been open since January and has already reached enrolment capacity, with a waiting list of more than 60 students.
Rates are $100 per day for children aged 0-2 and $90 per day for children aged 3-5.
And the children get in on the eco-friendly act too.
“The older kids help compost, and through there they understand why there’s worms in the garden, why they need to water the grass,” Mr O’Callaghan said. “The centre takes part in child-led learning – seeing what the children are interested in.
“If they’re interested in building the teachers will give them blocks to build with.”
THESE MEASURES SAVE BUSINESSES MONEY AS WELL AS BEING EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL FOR THE CHILDREN. BEN O’CALLAGHAN