How the building works
It's not just any old building...
The Sustainability Learning Centre has been designed to work in ways that protect and promote environmental sustainability. It cleverly uses renewable and natural resources like sunlight, rainwater and cooking oil to make it a very energy efficient building.
Check it out
Watch these videos to find out how the building works:
The building was designed to be heated firstly by the sun, known as ‘solar passive design’. The building faces north so that the south part receives the most light and heating. In that part of the building there are large panels of glass to let the sun in, which then heat the dark stone floors or bricks. These then release the heat they’ve soaked up throughout the day.
Recycled cooking oil powers heating when there isn’t enough solar energy. On hot days, the building is cooled by the night sky. Rain water is pumped up onto the roof at night where it naturally cools down. The cooled water is pumped down and through the floor pipes to cool the tiles underneath your feet during the day.
‘Closed loop water’ is a rainwater collection system that looks after itself. It is used for all water in the building and the plant nursery. Wastewater from sinks and toilets is also made safe and recycled on site.
The building produces more energy to put back into the state electricity grid (where everyone gets their electricity from) then it takes from it. This means the building doesn’t just save on energy – it actually produces it!