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Home: Community full menu: Climate change and the natural environment: Tackling climate change

Eco demonstration buildings

Environment Unit - October 2010
environment.unit@kirklees.gov.uk

Grange Moore and Kirkburton Children's Centre

The children's centre follows national objectives for more sustainable public buildings. It is the first public building in Kirklees and the second regionally using structural wooden panels insulated with locally sourced sheep's wool.

The centre's 'living green roof' is planted with sedums and makes a great home for bees, birds and butterflies. Green roofs reduce flood risk by soaking up rainwater, and help to keep the air clean. The roof and walls both help to keep building warmer in winter and cooler in summer than a traditional building.

The children's room used by playgroup and for other activities with small children and families has a south facing sun room that helps to heat the building and reduces the loss of energy when children come in and out to play.

The centre uses state of the art energy efficient lighting that creates light equivalent to sunshine. The lights are motion and daylight sensitive and can be programmed to dim and turn on and off automatically. There are also hand held programmers so that people can control lights individually to suit their needs.

The under floor central heating at the centre reduces clutter on the walls and helps the centre to feel open and airy. The heating uses an air source heat pump which only needs a third of the electricity that a conventional electric heating would require.

All the 'white goods' at the centre, such as fridges and cookers have been chosen for low energy use, and toys and other items will be made from sustainable materials where possible.

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