Colaiste Choilm is top of the class

Published: Mon 23 Apr 2012, 9:30 AM

Last updated: Mon 23 Apr 2012, 1:40 PM

Tullamore's Colaiste Choilm came top of the class at last Thursday's Green Awards in Dublin, winning both the overall green award and the green building of the year award for the Department of Education and Skills. The awards that recognise green projects gave honours to the school building because of the approach adopted in designing and building it that showed leadership and excellence in the area as well as a commitment to sustainability. The new low energy sustainable school building, which was completed in September 2011, incorporates over 21 different sustainable design aspects including a rainwater recovery system that sees 65% of water used recycled, some waterless urinals, 120 metres of solar panels, intelligent lighting systems and bio-mass boilers. The school is also involved in the Green Schools programme and recently won its thrid green flag under the leadership of principal Colin Roddy. A judging panel of Irish experts including broadcaster and environmentalist Duncan Stewart and Oisin Coghlan of Friends of the Earth Ireland were joined in judging each submission by 22 internationally recognised sustainability experts from Europe, Asia, America, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. In all 22 winners were honoured at a ceremony last Thursday, April 19, at the Burlington Hotel in Dublin. Speaking at the awards judge Gavin Harte praised Colaiste Choilm. "This school is incredibly green and they've achieved this by real attention to details," he said. "It is much more air tight than normal, it is highly insulated and it includes a nifty rainwater recovery system. Overall its carbon emissions are down by nearly a half." Colaiste Choilm is part of an ongoing research and demonstration programme by the Department of Education. The programme sees new sustainable design approaches and technologies tested on site, with the learnings then fed into the next generation of schools. Education Minister Ruairi Quinn said the green award is an endorsement of his department's policy on low energy school design.