Kindy cares for the planet

MICHELLE COOKE

LEADING THE WAY: Siblings Tabitha, 5, and Angus Yearbury, 6, are loving their new kindergarten, that has been ntebuilt to be friendly to the environment.

MICHAEL Park Kindergarten hopes its new environmentally-friendly building will lead the way for other childcare facilities throughout New Zealand.

The group of buildings cater for more than 70 children and have been built with locally-sourced, untreated wood.

Head kindergarten teacher Karen Affleck says they used to run out of hot water every day. But solar panels on the roof provide a constant supply of hot water and power costs are reduced.

The new buildings house four groups of children and a community centre and have been a dream for the last 12 years.

An $18,500 grant from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority's Innovation Fund helped make them a reality.

EECA spokesman Nathan Ross says the organisation aims to reduce energy use and improve environmental outcomes.

"We were particularly interested in this project because of the large number of similar childcare facilities in New Zealand that may be able to replicate this technology," he says.

Insulation and underfloor gas heating also create a warmer environment.

"It's a beautiful space to work in and quite delightful for the children," Ms Affleck says.

She says it's been a "very conscious process".

The kindergarten is attached to Michael Park Rudolf Steiner School in Ellerslie and strives to use sustainable and renewable materials.

An organic vegetable garden will also add to the eco-friendly feeling.

"I hope the children in our kindergartens grow up feeling that the adults around them do tangible things every day that care for the environment," Ms Affleck says.

"I think it's powerful for the children to experience a world where we positively affect the environment."

- © Fairfax NZ News