The country’s only A+ energy rated school, situarted in Gelligaer, has won a national award for its low impact on the environment.
Greenhill Primary School, which has the highest energy rating for any school in England and Wales, recently achieved the ‘Low/Zero Carbon Award’ at the annual ‘Constructing Excellence in Wales 2011’ awards.
The school is carbon negative for electricity and it is thought to be the most energy self-sufficient school in the UK.
Cllr Colin Mann, deputy leader of the council and cabinet member responsible for sustainability said: “The accolades really do just keep on coming for Greenhill Primary School. I am delighted that our commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency has been recognised on such a national scale, and illustrates clearly what can be achieved when attention is placed on energy matters.”
The school generates more electricity than it uses, with the surplus fed back into the grid, while rainwater is collected to flush toilets.
Rainwater will also be harvested and will be used to flush toilets, and over half of the water used by the school will be recycled.
Greenhill Primary School was built with £4 million funding from the Welsh Government.