Tiếng Việt
Leaving home, children are expected to be cared, educated and guided by devoted teachers in a prestigious kindergarten. Apart from advanced curriculum, dedicated teachers and staffs, environment and facilities are considered major concerns.
However, the importance and influence of facilities on children’s development are not fully concerned by all kindergartens. The Worldkids International School – Campus 4 has become the first building in Vietnam to receive LOTUS Small Buildings Certification, issued by the Vietnam Green Building Council (VGBC). This is a solid evidence of school’s commitments on establishing a natural-friendly high-quality campus, a safe and pleasant environment for children.
Since the beginning of design stage, the Worldkids International School – Campus 4 has emphasized on safety and comfort features as well as maximizing resources efficiency in building construction and operation.
In terms of plan arrangement, the north-facing main facades are of great help in minimizing thermal radiation. The east and west facades are placed close to adjacent buildings to take advantage of natural sunshades. These solutions help to reduce solar radiation and material costs on thermal insulation.
In order to reduce solar heat gains through the roof, bright colored roof sheet with low heat transfer coefficient was chosen; furthermore, a thick air layer between ceiling and roof was added to provide natural air flow, limiting the heat transfer through ceiling. Those elements protect classrooms from surrounding high temperature and prevent the abnormal indoor-outdoor temperature difference irritates the kids. Additionally, it also reduces the cooling load of the building and energy consumption of the air conditioners.
To ensure adequate ventilation, smaller details are also considered during design process to improve the building surface temperature and the airflow from the inside out. There are spaces between the building and the surrounding walls to open windows for natural ventilation and daylight. The toilets are designed to be on the side of these gap corridors in order to take advantage of the ventilation and purified air by the trees around. “Air ducts” are added and connected to the air layer between roof and ceiling, creating constant air circulation inside those restrooms. In the classrooms, mechanical fans are utilised to ensure that kids always breathe in fresh air, and to prevent polluted air reversing from toilets.
Besides practical benefits to children, the building also guarantees operational efficiency by using energy saving devices. Power saving electronic devices (air-conditioners, fans) and lighting systems have at least 4 stars according to the VNEEP labelling program. Sanitary fixtures with low flow rates contribute to save water. Moreover, native and xeriscape plants are selected to reduce irrigation requirements. Worldkids emphasizes on planning bright playgrounds, placing trees toward the walls and choosing the roof color to mitigate the urban heat island effect. The school also raises children’s awareness of environmental protection through the activity of sorting waste for recycling.
LOTUS Rating System, launched by VGBC, is a comprehensive quality evaluation instrument. Buildings following this certification will maximize user comfort within affordable operating costs (electricity, water, maintenance) and reduce negative effects on the environment and surrounding communities. These elements contribute to the sustainable development of the building in particular and the construction industry in general. And Worldkids – Campus 4 has set a good example of this trend.
In order for parents to get access to detailed information of the school’s curriculum and infrastructure, Worldkids 4 will hold the Green Building Certificate Presentation Ceremony – Enrollment Day on February 25th, 2017. Parents and children will have the opportunity to take part in sample classes and interesting outdoor activities and get detailed advices on children’s activities and learning schedules. Registration is now available at:
https://goo.gl/forms/Liue0eqoIIVqSLbi1
Quang Hiển-Kỹ Sư Green Việt (Theo Khám phá)
